The Interpreter Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 Stay tuned. The requirements this coming season are different from years passed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
standbyme Posted December 12, 2011 Author Share Posted December 12, 2011 In today's photo set you get to see one of the nicest shots in the series...and the worst. 1974 Is this not impressive?! 2011 Is this not depressing?! Out of all the shots in my series this is the ONLY one that screams "What went wrong?!" How could an area that looked so nice turn into something so bad? The park should make some kind of lift-on/off decorative covering to disguise that ugly thing. (They could even sell advertising space on it! 1974 or 2011....I need not answer...it's way too obvious. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiocolts Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I'm with you. Great landscaping turned into a stupid box thingy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BavarianBeatle Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 What went wrong? The park has been acquired by companies that have cared far more about upcharge attractions, 3-point challenges, and price increases than about the overall guest experience. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoaster Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Wow this is the worst photo yet. I pick 1974, unbelievable, indeed. Not good at all. This is not how a park should look now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingsrattler Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 At least they painted it green 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasper Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I am gonna have to go with 1974 on this one Trebek. Look how nice it is to see down Coney Mall and see the beautiful bushes and trees. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74Gibson Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 To be fair... that box looks horribly ugly, so ugly I'm surprised I've NEVER seen it. Times also change. KI was formerly about overall experience, an escape to a beautiful get-away with attention paid to every detail and some great rides. Now it's more about having a bunch of great rides, a national trend. It can be said that KI has so much else going on that the green space we're looking at isn't nearly as important as electrical access, perhaps for ambient lighting and other guest experiences, IDK I genuinely believe (based on the trend of in park improvements) that KI management really cares about ambiance and landscaping and really look forward to continued improvements. Thanks again for all your work. I can't imagine the hours you spent setting up these shots, oh and running this thread too 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
standbyme Posted December 12, 2011 Author Share Posted December 12, 2011 ^74Gibson...I always like to think of myself as fairly diplomatic...but that feeling disappears when I read some of your posts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIfan73 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 There isn't any comparison, but I still think the trees and grass that are there now does look nice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hendrick Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedarPointer Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I don't think that electrical access (which is for haunt props, I think?) can be blocked. Anyone know? Also, why can't they just replace the lamps instead of taking them out each time one breaks? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIfan73 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 When Kings Island opened, they had just closed down a hugely popular amusement park, and I'm sure wanted those that visited that late park to feel at home. I wonder how many current Kings Island patrons remember pre-1971 Coney Island? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I've always found it interesting how the comparable section of Kings Dominion has kept its Coney Island of Ohio look far more faithfully than has Kings Island. The push-up trimmed ginko trees are particularly missed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIfan73 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I really need to go to Kings Dominion. Speaking of Kings Dominion, is this the new format that Kings Island's website will be changing to? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBEW_Sparky Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 @J.D: I logged into this forum again to say, this is a REALLY GREAT thread, and I thank You, Sir, for the time and effort you have put into this. Brad and Jesse told me I would like this, and they were right. @CedarPointer: All MDP (Main Distribution Panels) for a series of devices or an area, whether free-standing or within a structure built for said MDPs, shall remain fully accessible at all times to Power Company, or Maintenance Electrical personnel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlopez Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I don't think that electrical access (which is for haunt props, I think?) can be blocked. Anyone know? Also, why can't they just replace the lamps instead of taking them out each time one breaks? It looks like that is the only lamp left in this picture. Does it even work? If you notice all the lamps from 1974, and then now in 2011. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
standbyme Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 I logged into this forum again... Nice to see you back...and thanks for letting me know that you enjoyed the photos. Today's photo set features the last shot of the Lion Country Safari in this series. In my opinion the 1974 shot is not that special...but I did enjoy finding out where that island would have been....and speaking of that.... I was wondering why you asked me about the Monkey Islands quite some time ago Ty, THIS is the shot that I PM'd you for your help...and I thank you for helping me out! 1974 2011 And here is the photo from my first post just in case you need a little better idea of where I was standing: I'm curious what the Congo Falls employees thought when they saw you standing on the far edge of the queue, taking pictures of who-knows-what While I was taking this shot, out of the possible/probable embarrassment I purposely did not make eye contact with any of the ride ops...I did NOT want to have to explain what I was doing and then watch them roll their eyes at me. Where would I rather be standing today? I love turtles...but if you have been following this thread you know that since Congo Falls is in the 2011 shot that is where I want to be! Thanks for all of the continued support...and as always thanks to Hendrick for making this thread come to life! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiocolts Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I really wonder why Congo Falls still has all those switchbacks,I think the longest i've ever seen the Congo Falls line was about 5 minutes. I can always trust Congo Falls on a hot day, no lines, so I take 2011, even though they have those useless switchbacks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I've been able to see what reference points you used to match most of your other shots. What in the world did you use to match this one? 2011, 'cause I like to go up really high in the air, then drop REAL FAST!!! Great Stuff! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlopez Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Congo falls is one of my favorite rides, because there is never a line, and really its almost just as fun to stand on the bridge and get wet. When i was a kid, my cousins and I would stand on the bridge for an hour straight and have more fun getting hit with a huge wave then even riding. lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
standbyme Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 I've been able to see what reference points you used to match most of your other shots. What in the world did you use to match this one? I could kick myself for merging the 2 layers together on the above "working" photo...I would have liked to show everyone how tricky this one was. Basically to figure this shot out I found an aerial of the same area in 1974. Like I have mentioned in the past, it's amazing how many people take almost the exact same shots year after year...even I had a FEW almost identical shots that I have taken over the years every time I go up in the tower! Anyway, I resized both of the 1974 & 2010 aerial shots to match...which was actually pretty easy. The "constant" in both photos is the Kafe Kilimanjaro Restaurant building which is currently Stunt Crew Grill...it is such a distinctive building it was easy to overlay both photos to match perfectly. From there it became a matter of looking at what was in "my" 1974 photo and where the person had to have been standing...in this case I used the car as a clue...and then TombraiderTy pointed out that the angle of the monorail helped pin it down even more. After that it simply became a matter of making the 2010 layer invisible...then while looking at the 1974 aerial, mark where the person was standing and the line of site and then make the 2010 aerial visible again and I had my spot and which way to aim my camera! While I was figuring out shots like this it was always fun to see where I should be standing once I made the 2010 shot visible again...and if the shot would be possible. Once again, check out Ty's Lion Country Safari thread and you can see an aerial of this area with the islands. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingsrattler Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 ^ Thank you for all the work you have put into these. I really enjoy all these photos you have shared. It's amazing how over 25 years an area can completely change and be hardly recognizable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74Gibson Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 The push-up trimmed ginko trees are particularly missed. I knew someone so amazingly wise must be insane and now I have proof Those trees took away from KD for me. Honestly my friend, I am so sorry I had to type that. I didn't realize we lost those lights, it hurts. I was a major part of getting historic looking signs and poles added to my historic neighborhood but (lock-n-load JD), some of the landscaping in those 74 shots would be so gaudy today. Times change. I love reminiscing though and do agree that things have been lost that SHOULDN'T have been! Imagine this, 1977 KI in today's world compared to 2011 KI in 1977. Which do you honestly think would draw more people? Technology and engineering are cool, they give us great toys! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopan Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 im glad you posted this last one. i was looking at the safari thread and the thought crossed my mind "i wonder what that island are looks like today" mind reader :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoaster Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 1974 merged with today would be seasonal bush gardens type ride. Should have nevver left the park them animals!!!!! Oh well progress is not always good. But I'd pick 1974......and thanks for the great shots!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hendrick Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTD-120-420 Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 I wish I was around when the parked looked like this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jandyb79 Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 The push-up trimmed ginko trees are particularly missed. I was a major part of getting historic looking signs and poles added to my historic neighborhood but (lock-n-load JD), some of the landscaping in those 74 shots would be so gaudy today. Times change. I'm not so sure I agree with the "gaudy" statement. The original intent of this type of landscaping was to bring Europe to Ohio...to see something you wouldn't see anywhere else. If I were to visit Europe today, a main draw would be to the landscapes that are somewhat unfamiliar in the states - namely their centuries old gardens. Sure times change, but there will always exist a subconscious common ground that effects guests senses in either a positive or negative way. The Coney Mall in 74 says "beauty and guest experience first" as a means to draw you back for another visit. I know for most its about the rollercoasters and none of this matters, but for some that's not all that matters when they visit. I just worry how much more vegetation will suffer in order to serve the almighty dollar in years to come. In any case, you can see this kind of landscaping (or lack thereof) just about anywhere...boring I would have loved to see the sculpted ginkgo trees return to this part of the park during this last seasons revamp, but more-so I hope the landscaping will be highly regarded in the future! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
windshawne Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 JD, this is the best thread I have ever seen on this site, and I thank you. I miss the animal safari with a passion; it was a place you could go and unwind and reconnect with nature for a bit. Those places are becoming harder to find everywhere, not just at the park. I know at KI's younger years the park had a relaxing feel to it with the landscaping and now it just feels crowded and stressed. I know things change but I didn't realize how much I missed some of the defunct areas. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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