1979 revisited

[kossman]

I have very faint memories of my first visit to King's Island in 1979 (I was 6 years old) . My family was from Cleveland and we made the roadtrip down. Some of the memories that come to my mind was my older brother riding The Beast 2 times the whole day and doing nothing else because the line was so long. He even told me about the tunnels The Beast had and that people who put their hands up were getting broken fingers and even some were getting their fingers chopped off. This scared me for at least a few years until I realized this wasn't true.. right? About the only other memory I had was leaving the park at closing time and getting a glow necklace. I thought this was the coolest thing. For some reason I remember something about a NCAA College Football Museum near the entrance. Does anyone remember this or am I just tripping. Anyways growing up in Cleveland Cedar Point was the place to be. I worked at CP for 1 summer out of high school and did not get back to King's Island until 1997 when I moved to Cincinnati. I love both parks alot but now King's Island is my home park. I was able to go this past Monday and take with me my 1 year old son. Even though we did not ride any rides while we were there it was a great time just taking in the sights. I am trying to find a copy of the 1979 park guide online or off. If anyone knows of the whereabouts of one please let me know. Also I would love to hear recollections by other people of their experience around this time frame.

[DX8706]

There deffinitly was the College Football Hall of Fame. I never went there because it was taken out probably before I was born, but anyway I found out about it from my older brother and was incredibly dissapointed it wasnt there any more.

[Dane]

I am trying to find a copy of the 1979 park guide online or off. If anyone knows of the whereabouts of one please let me know. Also I would love to hear recollections by other people of their experience around this time frame.

www.themeparkmaps.com or something like that.

**EDIT - The link above is under construction try

http://www.themeparkbrochures.com/

Dane

Edited January 1, 1970 by Dane

[kossman]

thanks for the site. I was able to find the 1979 park guide but was not able to locate a map. They only had a map from 1972 (which was cool to look at). Also on the last page of the guide they do show the College Football Hall of Fame ( I wasn't going crazy). Does anyone know what happened to the museum and was it owned/operated by King's Island?

[Chatter]

That brochures site is awesome. I'm looking at the 1972 map of KI right now. If you go to that site, here's the direct link to the 1972 map:

1972 map of Kings Island

What's cool is if you enter KI and turn left at the fountain and head where Faceoff is right now, you can see where the Bavarian Beetle was and right past it is where the Bobsled circular ride was. And back in Coney Island past the Monster you can see where the big Slide was.....where you used rugs to go down.......that would be cool if they brought that back. I know they had a Rotor back then, but I can't figure out where it was located......my memory tells me it was in Coney Island.....i thought it was located past the Scrambler, like near where Tucker's Stand is now, but I'm not sure. It's hard to believe they only had 3 rollercoasters back then.......The Racer, The Bavarian Beetle, and the Scooby-Doo (now called The Beastie). It also amazes me how few rides they really had back then. I did notice they had the Ski Lift that went from Coney to Hanna-Barbera land back then.....but I think they had alot of problems with it.

I couldn't remember what Skylab was (everyone was talking about it) and now I remember......it was near The Racer and Adventure Express........that was a cool ride. Those are the kinds of rides I think they need to bring back.........they need more basic family rides like the Carpet Slide, the Bobleds, the Bavarian Beetle, Skylab, and the Rotor. That's probably all of $20-$30 million in rides right there.......not that much in comparison to one ride and it adds more options to ride when you go there.

Neat map. I enyoyed that.

[tommyh88]

I know where you can get the 1979 map....

here

You have to join the group though. The map is the first thing under Files.

Edited January 1, 1970 by pkirulz88

[coasterbilly]

wow look how far Amusement Parks have come since then, that is awesome. That's also really cool the College Football Hall of Fame was there, that stinks that it's gone.

[kossman]

wow the park map from 79 is cool. One of the things I found really neat was the price for admission in 1979. One day was $9.50 and a season pass was $39.95. It just shows you what a good value the current season pass deal is for $79.95.

[lisacor]

The College Football HoF was moved to another city. I can not remember where but it is now in South Bend, IN. I think it might have moved there from KI but I am not going to swear on this one.

Hard to believe that it moved to South Bend right?!?!?

[coasterdudeOH]

I know they had a Rotor back then, but I can't figure out where it was located......my memory tells me it was in Coney Island.....i thought it was located past the Scrambler, like near where Tucker's Stand is now, but I'm not sure.

If my memory serves me correct, I believe the Rotor was next to the Barvarian Beetle. If you look at the map, you will see a circus type canapoy next to the Barvarian Beetle and that is the Rotor.

I remember my mom and older brother riding it all the time as my dad and I watched from the top looking in. Finally one year, the last year it was in operation (year??), I rode it and loved it.