(Paramount's) Kings Island Action Zone Stunt Show 1999

[BoddaH1994]

Check out this CoasterBob62 video of the Paramount Action Zone media day from 1999. Included in it is some clips of the stunt show that was allegedly removed as a result of the April 20, 1999, Columbine shootings in Littleton, CO. Does anyone have any more footage of this show? Any more recollections of it? Does anyone remember the name? I have vague memories, but I really just think I passed it on day. I never actually stopped to watch it.

[TheBEASTunchained]

I've watched this video many times, but never stopped in to watch the actual stunt show while it was at the park.

I don't even believe that the show had a specific name, to be honest.

As far as I'm aware it was just called the Action Zone Stunt Show.

[bkroz]

It's one thing when a fresh construction zone is devoid of tall, mature trees for shade. It's quite another when you finish off a construction project and don't plant any. Very shortsighted. See also, Diamondback's splashdown lake. If more trees and fewer dogwoods had been planted there in 2008 / 2009, that area would at least be well on its way to being "reabsorbed" into the forest.

It looks to me that this Stunt Show was very cool. I pictured it as a fella suddenly appearing on the water tower and firing into the crowd where a few "actors" took chase. It looks like it was a very fun demonstration type show that was well-announced and had a sizable cast and props. Not that that made it any less distasteful after Columbine, but it's not what I thought it was. Which is good. At least they didn't break into '80s hits or "down home country!"

[The Interpreter]

Remember, the show continued for weeks, amidst many guest complaints, after Columbine. It was only after the day a Columbine parent sought some solace and visited an Ohio theme park...and was horrified....that the show quietly disappeared.

[Sonofbeast2.0]

Guests complaints about something. Not taking affect till many days/weeks even months and years later. Only taking one person to kill it off. Silently disappearing. This is things that never have happened at KI!

[Delirium13]

I saw the stunt show once during its short run. I remember thinking it was really cool, but I was also much younger (only 7 or 8 depending on when in the summer I saw it) and not as aware of happenings around the country.

Very cool video, nonetheless. A couple things I noticed, first were the movie props (I noticed the car from the Godfather and the Star Trek ship) only in the area for media day? I don't seem to recall ever seeing them in Action Zone.

And also I wish they'd change the Kings Island sign in the fountains back to how it is in the video, laying down in a sloped garden, rather than the sign on sticks that it is currently. I'm pretty sure Kings Dominion switched theirs back this year as part of the 40th Anniversary improvements. It'd be nice to see Kings Island's go back that way as well.

[Dr Zhark]

Why was Drop Zone not running

[BlondyRidesOn]

Why was Drop Zone not running

Drop Zone was still being prepared when Media Day came around.

One word: Intamin.

[BoddaH1994]

I think it's cool that it shot fire and stuff. You almost forget that it had that infrastructure since it was just a fixture for so many years.

[The Interpreter]

Even if the show had continued, the effects probably would not have.

Because Paramount.

[JubJester]

I guess you could say at 0:34 Angelica had a real face/off with that gate.

[Dr Zhark]

bud dum tss

[Shaggy]

The stunt show was not discontinued because of the shootings.  After the shootings, the guns were removed from the show, and it limped along through the 1999 season. It was cancelled late in the season when Tim Fisher viewed it, felt it was poor entertainment and embarassing, and he immediately dismissed the "stunt men" following an afternoon show.

 

[Drummermattk]

I never saw the show (as i was only 2 years old in '99) but i would like to say this...............WOW THE PARK HAS CHANGED A LOT!

[PKI96]

Wow, it has changed big time.  A few up close seconds of King Cobra at the end was nice.  In this age of youtube and smart phones, it is crazy to this that footage like this was hard to come by in 1999.

1999 was darn near 20 years ago.  20 years!  Insane. 

[Shaggy]

Wanna know a huge *secret?*  The Marketing/PR Director at the time (who can be seen in the video - and shall remain nameless) was released just a couple months later immediately following the Son of Beast announcement event.  (IMO, well deserved!) Just prior to the announcement of SOB, Tim Fisher called in his former marketing Director at Carowinds, to move to Cincinnati and restructure the marketing team.  - Thats how David Mandt became Marketing Director.  David's first big move was to hire an enthusiastic young man to oversee PR, who was then doing marketing for Americana.  The young man was at the SOB media event and it was there that i first met Jeffrey Siebert.  Jeff came on board at PKI shortly after, and the team he and David created would prove to be utterly successful for the park, enthusiasts and the industry.  That change single-handedly turned around the marketing of Kings Island, and started a momentum that continues on to this day with Don.  Today those two help lead the industry... and that, my friends, is history...