Early 1979 Kings Island Color Book.

[TopThrill]

About five months ago I won this book off of ebay, and you could tell the age of it by the dis color in some places. So about a few weeks ago I decided to scan each page and fix some of the problems in photoshot, there was alot of white little dots on most of the pages, the night pictures were worse. There's about 24 pages, and just finished page 9. Enjoy.

[McSalsa]

WOW. Looking at these pictures, Kings Island in Beast's opening season was beautiful and had amazingly well done theming. Then it had to be screwed up starting in the 1980s with ride after ride being removed, and then Paramount showed up, then Cedar Fair showed up...I'm not saying the park doesn't look good or that it's bad today, but just looking at this...wow.

PS: Wild Animal Safari>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>(this 1000 times over)>Action Zone

[kjkjkj]

*Sigh* The theming used to be such high quality. Maybe someday Kings Island will have an owner that really takes theming completely seriously again. With intricately themed areas, and really high quality theming. I just wish I could have experienced the park when it looked like this.

[Aaron88stang]

I really wish we did not lose the wild animal safari, but I can understand why it was removed. The upkeep with the animals had to be staggering. The thing that really upsets me is what Oktoberfest has become. Not only are most of the rides gone but the theme is almost completely destroyed. A lot of charm could be added back to this area for little money if we could just get some German music and food in the festhaus. Then for good measure some roaming musicians and a nicely themed flat ride and the area is reborn. I know it will never be Epcot, or even what it once was in KI's early years, but a little effort would be awesome here. Anyone agree?

[mtl2013]

It makes me a little sad that I never got to go on the Wild animal safari, and that we dont have great theming like that anymore. But, hopefully, someday, we will get an owner that gets the importance of good theming.

[CrashOverRided]

I really wish we did not lose the wild animal safari, but I can understand why it was removed. The upkeep with the animals had to be staggering. The thing that really upsets me is what Oktoberfest has become. Not only are most of the rides gone but the theme is almost completely destroyed. A lot of charm could be added back to this area for little money if we could just get some German music and food in the festhaus. Then for good measure some roaming musicians and a nicely themed flat ride and the area is reborn. I know it will never be Epcot, or even what it once was in KI's early years, but a little effort would be awesome here. Anyone agree?

yea but it would have been nice to keep the monarail to travel through the park. yet it sits at jungle jims still unused. blah

[KIfan73]

Thanks for posting that. That is just awe-inspiring. That also looks to me like possibly the "peak" year or so for the park.

[thunderbeast1968]

Thanks for posting, those photos reminded me of my childhood and many summers at KI. The Bayern curve, my favorite flat ride. I wish we still has it. That ride trained me for my coaster future, the speed, excitement, and a little g-force. About 10 yrs ago I visited Kennywood, and they had one, the ride Op left us on there for at least what would be 2-3 ride cycles. Best fun I ever had on a flat ride. Anyone have a fav non-coaster ride and/or experience?

[TopThrill]

I'm happy to share the book with you all, I also have a .75 cent park map from 1981.

Still working on the other pages, some need some real fixing up and touch up than others. There's even a black and white Beast 1979 page, with facts about the ride.

And if you looks closely, the International Street pictures, you can see multinational flags up and flying in the wind.

I-Street today has no International taste, just local food and gift shops.

Think I only rode the Wild Animal Safari one time, on a field trip when I was in Kindergarten.

The worst I think is Oktoberfest, today in the Festhouse there is no German food, no German music. They turned the Festhouse into a sports bar! Just about every ride that was there in the 70's is now gone, only the Viking ship is still there.

[alluna]

TopThrill,

Thank you so much for posting this!! I'm old enough to remember sitting with Fred and sailing with the Smurfs, but I don't remember the Safari experience at all! I could not believe the attention to theme in Oktoberfest! An Oompa band? Whooda thunkit.

One of those photos of International Street photos looks like it was taken from the lower viewing area on the Eiffel Tower. Also, I didn't know that the monorail was the one sitting at Jungle Jims. Crazy!

I am so so wishing that theme would take precidence once more at Kings Island. From these photos, it looks like it was a very immersive environment. Remember Americana? It was run down, sure, but it had that 'slow and relaxing' kind of atmosphere that made it a pleasurable day. This old KI kind of reminds me of that.

Edit: Along these lines, I've found an old KI brochure on eBay... you can look at every page of the brochure in this auction.

http://item.ebay.com/380222430969

[marlfox_21]

Seriously, thank you for posting that. This is one of the coolest things that I have seen on KICentral. I especially love the pictures of the animal safari. I wish that K.I. would go back to having animals again. And I would love to see a new skyride. Busch Gardens ( for example ) is especially nice when you just want to take a small break from walking, and just hop on the skyride. I agree with all of the posts that find the theming to be off the chart. Honestly, I think that Wild Adventures in Valdosta Georgia has some of the best theming in today's parks. It reminds me of the eighties K.Island in many ways. I even think that they made better use of the characters Like Yogi and Boo Boo than Kings Island does today, be it Scooby, Nickelodeon, and so far, what I have seen of Snoopy. And just check out that monorail price. WOW!

[TopThrill]

I'm happy to share with you all, yeah the theme back then was off the charts. The park would charge maybe five or tens dollars a person for the Monorail today.

I've been on Busch Gardens Skyride, very relaxing. Like I said there's about 15 more pages to post, I would like to touch them up before I post them.

Here's a comparison from before and after.

[CedarPointer]

While I can understand why they would want local food in the park (who would go to Cincy and not try Skyline or Larosa's at one point?), I'm not a huge fan of its placement in Oktoberfest and International Street... Panda Express? Really?

[Jasper]

Very interesting to see that. Like I say about every old photograph, look at how beautiful the park was back then, breathtaking. I also have a question, where was that Tiki themed restaurant at in the park in relation to things today?

[DropZone99]

Very interesting to see that. Like I say about every old photograph, look at how beautiful the park was back then, breathtaking. I also have a question, where was that Tiki themed restaurant at in the park in relation to things today?

Thats actually Stunt Crew Grill!

[Jasper]

Very interesting to see that. Like I say about every old photograph, look at how beautiful the park was back then, breathtaking. I also have a question, where was that Tiki themed restaurant at in the park in relation to things today?

Thats actually Stunt Crew Grill!

Wow, that area looks totally different now than that picture. Thanks for the response, I still cannot get over that, I would have imagined that to have been somewhere near where Adventure Express is now.

[Guest rcfreak339]

Awesome post! You did a great job restoring the pictures. Very amazing to just see how much the park has changed, but times have changed....Some say for better, some say for worse.

[The Interpreter]

Awesome post! You did a great job restoring the pictures. Very amazing to just see how much the park has changed, but times have changed....Some say for better, some say for worse.

And at least one would say both...

[windshawne]

Absolutely beautiful-safari was my favorite place. It was nice to get on the train after a hot day and cool off in the air conditioning. The park now just seems like a bunch of broken up areas, I agree it would be nice to have it back the way it was with the theming. I had a deck of cards from KI and we used them so much they literally fell apart.

[The Interpreter]

...like a house of cards.

Terpy, who just HAD to

[bsktgrvy]

Great job! Thanks for sharing the pictures. The Bayern Curve will always be one of my favorite rides that King's island had. And look at how beautiful "Tower Gardens" was then.

I also remember the Kahn's hot dog place on International Street - where they actually made sausages.

I agree - the themes throughout the park then were so much better than now.

Ahh....Memories.

[TopThrill]

Thanks for the comments, I've been away from this project for awhile. Here's three more I've done.

[Lakota88]

Awesome pictures. Thanks for sharing! Now that's the KI that I remember.

[standbyme]

I don't think I ever saw Dynomutt walking around in the park.

[Oldiesmann]

I completely forgot about what's now KI Theater being "American Heritage Music Hall". Looks like they had some awesome shows there back in the day!

[Outdoor Man]

in the original plans of KI- it was supposed to be MUCH larger than it became. Someone can correct me on this if they have better information because my conversations have always been with people in the area, though not directly affiliated with the original ownership of KI. Roy Disney consulted on the project didn't he?- as KI was to be literally the "Disneyland" of the midwest- with I think a development plan for the entire Kings Mills exit for a resort destination.

[TopThrill]

Yes on that Kings Island show that was supposed to air on PBS, the GM did talk about Ron Disney.

[lebeau]

Thanks for the pics. This is EXACTLY how I remember the park. Good times!

[Truth Seeker]

Yes on that Kings Island show that was supposed to air on PBS, the GM did talk about Ron Disney.

Just to let everyone know, you can view said video at, My link.

[Beast Man]

I don't think I ever saw Dynomutt walking around in the park.

I saw Dynomutt at the park when I was about 7 and had a picture taken with him.I didn't know who he was at the time.This was in 1983.The show had been off the air for a few years and the reruns on Cartoon Express hadn't started yet.I didn't recognize the character and said that he was one of Scooby's relatives.He kept pointing at the D on his chest.Well that's not gonna work on kids who haven't seen the show at that time lol.