It's 2012 and just under four more months until Kings Island opens its doors for its 40th season. Like last year's topic, each day I will try my best to post a "vintage" Kings Island photo from my massive collection of media I've gathered over the years through personal collections and online discoveries. You're likely to see some of your photos, so don't be surprised. Anything goes.


http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=23316&hl=%2Bflashback+%2Bopening&fromsearch=1'>http://www.KICentral...ng&fromsearch=1
2011 Flashback Till Opening Topic^^

Awesome use of the park's original logo!

Thanks Paul. Always enjoy your cool photos.

VERY cool photo!

I'm glad that you are bringing this back!

Another great off-season topic, love these.

Great topic, hopefully it will make the next 4 months fly by.

Photo #1 - Vortex 1987

Wow. Ya think they needed some more switchbacks?

Thanks for bringing this topic back for 2012! Of course, I wanted to see a Standbyme 2011 comparison and Hendrick fade after your 1987 Vortex shot .

Things I noticed: Miss the 'Tiques. Nice to see how the trees around Shake, Rattle, & Roll have grown up. Wow has that end of Coney Mall Changed.

I remember visiting in the very early 90s and seeing the line for Vortex look similar to that one...is that a path leading to something at the end of Coney Mall?

Wow. Ya think they needed some more switchbacks?

You can't see it in the picture, but I'm pretty positive that there were switchbacks underneath (as well as within) the station.

I remember visiting in the very early 90s and seeing the line for Vortex look similar to that one...is that a path leading to something at the end of Coney Mall?

I'd assume just Vortex's exit.

Wow, I think you're right...it just looks so different!

Yep that was the exit to Vortex. It used to be an actual path, up until Action Theater opened in 1994. I remember waiting in very long lines like that to Vortex, it used to snake down to Skyline in Coney Mall.

And, often, none of the switchbacks were in use. For much of its history, KI frequently did not use the switchbacks it put in. It was a very odd practice, and made guessing how ling a line was well nigh impossible.

Vortex never had switchbacks except on the very inside. Always wondered what management was thinking not building outside switchbacks.

See the post above yours.

Terpy, who waited in many a multi-hour line for Beast, while no switchbacks were being used.

I know sometimes Beast will open up every other switchback to reduce the heat. On hot summer days.

Thus the reason the station ques are the last resorts to be open.

1987. The year I graduated from High School. And I believe that the game in that picture was Whack a Mole, which was formerly Whack a Bat. Look at the number of people playing!

When is the last time they used Switchbacks on Racer? Anyone ever seen them in use?

I've seen them in use many times, as recently as 2010.

I didn't get to the park much in 2011, but I'd be amazed if they didn't get used then, too. Not every day, but often.

I saw the switchbacks used more often in 2011 than ever before. Haunt Saturdays were particularly severe, and I saw at least a few of them being used multiple times.

Yep. They were used in 2011. I actually made fewer visits to KI this past year than in recent years, I still managed 25 visits. It will be interesting to see what Cedar Fair`s total attendance figures were in 2011.

Great photos Paul. You know how much of a history buff I am, and I simply love seeing old photos of the park back in the day. Of course, as I grow older, picures from the park in 2000 seem old now, since that will be twelve years ago. My how time sure does seem to fly.

Thank-you Paul for resurrecting this thread!

I just spent 2 hours looking at 2011 flashback till opening topic. . Great photos! Excited for flashback till opening 2012

How about this question: When was the last time the switchbacks were used on Congo Falls?

I can't remember the last time that they were used. The longest I've ever waited for Congo Falls was around 20 minutes, and the switchbacks were not being used.

Can you imagine waiting in line for Congo falls with all the switchbacks being used? wow. I wonder when the last time that was?

We went pretty regularly on nights mid-week this summer. Just about every trip, my wife would take our 2 year old on the scrambler and the monster. I can't ride that spin that much w/o getting sick, so I'd often go on The Racers and Adventure Express solo to fill the time. I never saw the switchbacks open on The Racers. I wonder if they could get ride of 1 side of the switch backs and use the left over area as some sort of path back behind The Racers for a new ride in the future.

I can't even imagine standing in line for Vortex that long...nor would I.

I can remember when that was a normal line for The Vortex.