Kiddie Land

[SonofBaconator]

People are always saying, "I wish that Kings Island's kiddie land was still Nickelodeon themed." What about you guys? Which Kiddie land do you prefer: Hannah Barbera, Nick Universe or Planet Snoopy?

[kris33]

Being the mom of 2 boys (ages 9 and 5) I would have to say Nickelodeon. My kids really knew all the Nick characters and wanted to take pics with them when they saw them in the park. The only characters they recognize now are Snoopy and Charlie Brown. Of course, each person is entitled to their own opinion and either theme is fine. Kings Island still has the very best kids area around!

[esquire]

My kids are 6 and 3 and we only started going this year, so we like Planet Snoopy just fine. My daughter liked Dora and used to like seeing her on the commercials, so she would have liked to meet her, but she didn't know many other Nickelodeon characters and she has had an active loathing for Spongebob for a couple of years now for some reason.

Hanna Barbera is nostalgic for me, but my kids wouldn't have known those characters at all. Snoopy works the best for my kids.

The rides are great, though, no matter what they are named!

[westcoaster]

Of course Kings Island should feel lucky enough to have a themed kiddie/family land with characters well known, and not just Kings Island made characters.

We have been fortunate on that, not to say holidog is not cool its not on a national stage, or some parks where its just kids land, or something like that.

I vote Nick, snoopy surf dog was even better themed on Nick!.

[Voicetek]

If I could have it my way I'd take it back to the way it was when it was Hanna-Barbera land. Of course, that would be pointless for kids today, but I'm sure many adults would love it! I'd say Nick is best for kids nowadays. So Nick or Hanna-Barbera would be my vote!

[westcoaster]

Would Kings Island ever open another Kids Park in side the park?

[Browntggrr]

Would Kings Island ever open another Kids Park in side the park?

What would the advantage be to that?

[LongLiveTheSmurfRide]

^ It would be like Inception. How many levels down can you go?

A kids park inside a kids park inside a kids park? Can't be done.

Unless you have a very powerful sedative.

[westcoaster]

So say Action Zone/ area has another family/kids ride area, for parents that don't want to go all the way back to Snoopy or whatever it is in the future.

I think this would happen before another entrance/gates for Kings Island.

[bkroz]

I have heard people gripe that, while Kings Island's kids area is great, that's almost all that's offered for kids. In other words, parents intent on giving their kids a full day of activity probably won't step out of Planet Snoopy. There are some fine attractions along Coney Mall, but even they are a step above the kid's rides in Planet Snoopy, and there's absolutely no rides for kids in Action Zone or Rivertown... Literally, none. Not saying they need a whole separate kids area, but why not a "haybaler" style scrambler inside a barn in Rivertown, or a bright kiddie coaster in Action Zone? Just thinkin'...

[LongLiveTheSmurfRide]

^Agreed. My one friend said that when they have their kid with them at KI they don't leave Planet Snoopy, so they had no idea what the rest of the park has been like this year. Their son is now tall enough to ride the Scrambler. So they walked him all the way out there to try it, and after he rode it he didn't have anything else he was tall enough for so they walked all the way back to Planet Snoopy. It'd be nice if there was a little something more out there.

[XGatorHead 8904]

^If he's tall enough for Scrambler, then over that way he can ride Monster and Grand Carousel too. We went through that a few years ago, but now that GatorGirl's hit 48", we've hardly stepped foot in Planet Snoopy this year.

[LongLiveTheSmurfRide]

Ah, I thought they said he was still too short for Monster, but I was going by what they told me, didn't research myself.

[jcgoble3]

I believe Monster actually has no minimum height requirement at all to ride with a responsible person, just a minimum height to ride alone.

[Pepsi]

Even though I was like 6 or 7 when they changed it over, I always liked Hanna Barbera best. I liked Nickelodeon when I was growing up, but for some reason I didn't like the Nick theme in Kings Island at all. Maybe it was the colors they used? I always found it kind of gloomy for some reason. I'm liking Planet Snoopy so far, it's nice to see brighter colors. But Hanna Barbera is still my favorite.

[MDMC01]

I think KI did a pretty good job with transforming Nickelodeon Universe into Planet Snoopy, but I really liked when the kid's area was Nickelodeon Central/Hanna Barbara Land. Nick U was pretty good, but they changed (what was then called) The Beastie's name.

[medford]

I know my son is pretty tall for his age, but he was on the Monster, Scrambler, Grand Carousel and Viking Fury before his 3rd birthday, then shake rattle & role (42") later in the summer after he turned 3 last season. I feel like King's Island does a good job of keeping a large majority (with a nice variety) of kids rides in 1 area, with a few ridable by smaller kids spread thru the park. There is also the sandpit/dig area of Dinosaurs Alive and a ride along on thunder alley available for an upcharge (we did DA once, might use a funreward to do a thunder alley ride along this season), not to mention the train which is a must ride most every trip to the park as well as Eiffel Tower which we go up a few times a year. Race for your life charlie brown (the flume log ride) is kind of in Planet Snoopy, kind of in rivertown as well.

The nice thing about Planet Snoopy (and the reason most parks concentrate their kids rides in 1 area) is that kids tire out quickly, if you have to go anywhere far, its a hope into the stroller and a sizable walk across the park. While I'd appreciate a 2nd kids area (at least for the next handful of years anyways) I wouldn't want them to seperate out too much. If part of an Action Zone refurb was to put a group of 3-4 family and/or kid style rids in, that could serve the park well. However if you just plopped 1 kid's ride over there, I think it would spend a good chunk of the middle of each family's day pretty much ignored (you'd hit it either on the way in or the way out)

As far as Planet Snoopy vs Nick, I'm not sure it matters much. It was H-B land when I was a kid, but I think my son would enjoy the rides just the same no matter how they were themed. We don't let him watch Nick yet, just some early morning cartoons on Disney, so the theming issue wouldn't hit him (though he is aware of Sponge Bob) however, anytime we're out and he sees a Peanuts reference, like snoopy painted on the side of a car wash or on a blimp parked at a local airport, he immediatley says "hey dad, Kings Island" He knows the Peanuts as a Kings Island thing and occasionally a cartoon during the holidays, he doesn't recognize it as bunch of TV shows in the morning with Kings Island as a secondary attachment. Peanuts gives a nice blend of nostalgia for parents and grandparents, as well as occasionaly viewing for kids while still allowing kids to associate any Peanuts ad with the place they go to ride all those rides.

[TheCrypt]

Even though I was like 6 or 7 when they changed it over, I always liked Hanna Barbera best. I liked Nickelodeon when I was growing up, but for some reason I didn't like the Nick theme in Kings Island at all. Maybe it was the colors they used? I always found it kind of gloomy for some reason. I'm liking Planet Snoopy so far, it's nice to see brighter colors. But Hanna Barbera is still my favorite.

The Family Odd coaster looked super deressing.

[medford]

I believe Monster actually has no minimum height requirement at all to ride with a responsible person, just a minimum height to ride alone.

36" with an adult

http://www.visitkingsisland.com/plan-a-visit/rider-height-requirements

[bkroz]

Kids areas often need updating. If Nickelodeon Universe was still around, kids would have to be "of a certain age" to have any exposure to Danny Phantom at all, and Rugrats is no longer a staple of Nick's programming. Stretch farther back to when we had Nickelodeon Central with the Slime Tower and references to "Figure it Out" and "Double Dare 2000." Kids would be absolutely clueless since slime, splat, and goo are no longer even part of Nick's marketing image.

Hanna-Barbera's characters are constantly retouched on in society, but rarely would you find children who feel a connection to Atom Ant or Barney Rubble, even if the image of them looks familiar. I think many of us here thought that "Coolsville, U.S.A." or a Scooby Doo themed area would've at least been a fun, kooky way to utilize the park's history while also using a character that has stayed more or less current thanks to remakes and movies.

Peanuts does have a "classic" feel and, if it weren't for the Radio Disney playing, the kids' area might feel very cool, calm, and subdued compared to the bright Nick colors. It goes back to the more "pastel" feel of Hanna-Barbera but allows kids to be re-introduced to characters they may have seen around while also bringing parents in on it. One thing I have to say is that each time the kids' area was changed, it was done exceedingly well. Nick U was immaculate when it first opened, and Planet Snoopy looks and fells fantastic. Hopefully the character's "classic" status allows it to stay and be refreshed since money doesn't need to be saved towards huge overhauls.

[fanofFirehawk]

Should this be poll?

Also

snoopy has my vote

[jcgoble3]

I believe Monster actually has no minimum height requirement at all to ride with a responsible person, just a minimum height to ride alone.

36" with an adult

http://www.visitking...ht-requirements

That page looks a little screwy to me. For one, there is most definitely NOT a minimum height to ride KI&MVRR with an adult. Secondly, note how the Scrambler is the only one where the requirement to ride with an adult is labeled "36–48 inches", thereby setting a hard minimum. All others in that section have that label as "less than X inches" with no low end. I think the "36 inches" header should read "36 inches or less". I've asked about the Monster's height requirement on KI's Facebook page.

[XGatorHead 8904]

On the Rider Height Guide on the park map, Monster has no minimum height listed.

[bkroz]

Bear with me.

Remove Thunder Alley and build Snoopy's Backlot Zone.

Like a mini little kids area, there could be a few "Gemini Kids' Area" sized rides - a frog hopper, a bumper boat ride, a Vekoma roller skater the size of Cedar Point's Woodstock Express, a Dumbo-style rocket ride with a "Snoopy's Space Adventure" backdrop... Scatter a few "movie light" rigs (like what used to be in the Paramount Story gardens) and then build a playground with "film strip" slides, etc. The sign could be a giant movie clapper that says "Snoopy's Backlot Zone" with a few little trees, benches for parents, and a full sized Snoopy on a camera dolly like Universal Japan's roller coaster has. The whole gang in their Hollywood director best with a little squirting fountain of Woodstock in the middle of the area.

[Voicetek]

Bear with me.

Remove Thunder Alley and build Snoopy's Backlot Zone.

Like a mini little kids area, there could be a few "Gemini Kids' Area" sized rides - a frog hopper, a bumper boat ride, a Vekoma roller skater the size of Cedar Point's Woodstock Express, a Dumbo-style rocket ride with a "Snoopy's Space Adventure" backdrop... Scatter a few "movie light" rigs (like what used to be in the Paramount Story gardens) and then build a playground with "film strip" slides, etc. The sign could be a giant movie clapper that says "Snoopy's Backlot Zone" with a few little trees, benches for parents, and a full sized Snoopy on a camera dolly like Universal Japan's roller coaster has. The whole gang in their Hollywood director best with a little squirting fountain of Woodstock in the middle of the area.

Now see, this is creative! This is the kind of stuff I like to see. I think there are a few of us on here that should request to be KI's creative team overseeing future development of the park lol. I honestly feel that there are people on here who have better ideas than the park's current creative team. I mean, they were the ones that gave us "Boo Blasters on Boo Hill". Really? Common people!

[TTD-120-420]

Could we fit a children's train in there?

[bkroz]

I think the change to Boo Blasters was done very well, I just can't believe anyone anywhere found the repetition of Boo Blasters on Boo Hill as a good idea. It's not even like a cute rhyme. It's just awful. "Boo Blasters" would've been fine! And I'd LOVE to see the fog effect working... :\

And of course, I do very much wish that they had just gone all out and made it a "Great Pumpkin" dark ride, but who knows how the owners of Peanuts would've felt about a shooting dark ride, and the "mega purchase" of five Boo Blasters probably made sense since not all five Paramount Parks' had their Scooby Doo rides in the kids' area.

[Voicetek]

I think the change to Boo Blasters was done very well, I just can't believe anyone anywhere found the repetition of Boo Blasters on Boo Hill as a good idea. It's not even like a cute rhyme. It's just awful. "Boo Blasters" would've been fine! And I'd LOVE to see the fog effect working... :\

And of course, I do very much wish that they had just gone all out and made it a "Great Pumpkin" dark ride, but who knows how the owners of Peanuts would've felt about a shooting dark ride, and the "mega purchase" of five Boo Blasters probably made sense since not all five Paramount Parks' had their Scooby Doo rides in the kids' area.

I'm with you, I really wanted a Great Pumpkin or at least a Peanuts themed dark ride reminiscent of the old Smurfs dark ride. It wouldn't of even had to involve the shooters, it could've just been a classic dark ride. As far as Boo Blasters go, yes, the name is horrible. I don't know who thought it was a good name. It's like someone just came up with it on the spot without any thought. Boo Blasters would've been fine. However, the whole ride itself is just kind of missing something. I think it might be relatable characters and perhaps the overusage of "cardboard-like" cutouts throughout. It just felt like a lame, unappealing version of Scooby-Doo (because it pretty much is). I just think everyone could've benefited from a high quality Peanuts dark ride!

[medford]

Love the idea, I think that would work very well in that area as part of an Action Zone revamp. Perhaps then 10 years later, after DA has run its course, turn the DA area into a theme area with a 3rd dino themed kids area.

TTD, I'm not sure what you mean by children's train, would the existing snoopy junction in Planet Snoopy work?

[medford]

pulling up bingmaps (scientific I know) it appears that snoopy junction would take up about half of the track area of Thunder alley, FWIW.

It also appears that bing has an updated KI picture up that shows the construction of Soak City, though Invertigo is still pink/yellow. I didn't notice these changes (and I believe I looked) last time I used bing maps around this area a month or so back.