Will Coney Mall be Overhauled?

[SonofBaconator]

With the more recent changes to Candy Apple Grove at Kings Dominion as well as the changes made to the County Fair section of Carowinds it would only be fair to speculate the same for Coney Mall. Though a popular section of the park that holds a good chunk of the park's flat rides as well as some great coasters, the charm that initially filled this area has dwindled over the years. What do you think? Do you think Coney Mall will get some type of overhaul in the coming years?

[Tien Shinhan]

It could. Looking through the KIC forums and the history of the area it seems as if the Coney Mall area had a bit of an overhaul in 1986 when they got rid of the old bumper cars (or relocated the bumper cars, sources haven't been clear on that) and replaced (or relocated) them with new bumper cars. They also added Zephyr, which is a Zier Wave Swinger. They also changed the name of the area from Coney Island (or Old Coney) to Coney Mall (This was probably because the Coney Island that we know of today opened in 1974 on the old land and I guess KI couldn't call it Coney Island anymore for some reason). Since then I don't think Coney Mall has gotten any flat rides (other than WindSeeker).

[IndyGuy4KI]

It got quite a sprucing up when WindSeeker was installed. They have added LED lights to SR&R and Scrambler too.

[TOPGUN1993]

The entire midway from Racer to WindSeeker received pavers in 2011.

[Rivertown Rider]

I hope they add a few more flats in that area but I hope it remains named Coney Mall.

[purdude86]

Agreed. Love to see it get some attention next. Like to see some LEDs added to Monster and maybe some chaser lights or at least fresh paint on Racer to really spruce up the area and then the addition of a couple new flats as well. I'd say, aside from X-Base, it's due as all of the other areas have received some changes and enhancements lately with AZ getting a facelift with the addition of Banshee and fresh pain for most of the rides there, and PS has had a couple additions and changes, and now Rivertown has been getting attention last year adn this year with the addition of MT.

[SonofBaconator]

I wish we got some string lights overhead on the midway to give it a more fair feel.

[Creed Bratton]

I think Coney Mall is to wide for that. Where the overhead lights are for Gemini midway, that's a smaller space width wise so it makes sense there. Coney Mall would need to cross seating areas, smoking areas, planters, etc. it wouldn't feel authentic.


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[Voicetek]

Just curious, is it still called Coney Mall? I vaguely remember them removing the sign a season or two ago.  I can't remember if they put it back up or not. 

[LongLiveTheSmurfRide]

I remember it being Coney Maul as well....muahahahahaha!

[Gabe]

I'd settle for the return of the sign.  They upgraded Vortex's sign, so they could just have easily spruced up CM's sign as well.  remains to be seen.

[IndyGuy4KI]

Didn't they remove it when they added the Coke refill stand there? I do miss it, but understand the reasoning for its removal.

[purdude86]

I feel like there is plenty of room in that spot for it still though. Understand taking it down for construction, but wish they would have put it back up when they were done.

[Magenta Lizard]

^ yes, that. It was a nice bit of theming with no good reason to remain missing (even if construction required its temporary removal). I was certain it would be back, and then it just... wasn't. 

[KatieF]

I don't think it should be overhauled, but it has needed some TLC. In the documentary I watched last night, they talked about ginko trees being planted in that section. Are they still there and just aren't trimmed? Even something small like that could be a little nod to nostalgia.

[Creed Bratton]

I don't believe they are still there. If they are, we'd be seeing the Ginko Berries all over.

[Magenta Lizard]

I saw something somewhere (sorry my memory for details surrounding trivia is crap) that the Ginko trees lived their normal lifespans, and died at some point after they were transferred. Different trees live different lengths of time, and time was just up for these guys I guess. 

I think it would be cool if they planted new ones, but at the same time, very few people going to KI remember the originals (I sure don't and I'm 40), and the topiary cylinders weren't very shady from what I can see. 

[TheBEASTunchained]

Seeing a County Fair / Candy Apple Grove / Gemini Midway treatment to Coney Mall would be a dream come true!

The new pavers were a very welcomed addition, but that aside, I'd note that the area has almost completely lost it's identity.

 

And for the sake of everything good, PLEASE return the Coney Mall sign, as it was not only the last identifying sign of the area, but also a "piece" of the park that makes the area give off a different vibe.

 

[KatieF]

Ah, I'm not particularly knowledgeable about ginko trees.  They would be kind of neat to have a small line of them planted near The Racer as a small nod to the parks past. I looked at some of the old pics of the trees and they definitely didn't look shady at all, but they look neat. 

I actually really enjoy the vintage amusement park feel, so I think bringing back the Coney Mall sign and maybe some new lighting and paint throughout the stretch could really bring some life back into the area. 

[westcoaster]

I love the area would love to See a refreshment, then spend resources on an immersion xbase maybe a new version of a ufo ride back there space chasers like at old Americana, and a food and restroom in x base. For Coney to add 2 flats that would be great.

So great...

Also it would be nice to see a,museum added to coney, for Kings Island.

Finally maybe do a 2020 ride a lost river for coney tribute.

My thoughts it should always be Coney Mall, without Coney trouble of land lick flooding etc this is,a true tribute to the mother of Kings Island..

 

 

[rhyano]

I would personally like to see Coney Mall receive some classic flats like what Dorney or some of the other smaller Cedar Fair parks are getting, I think it would also be cool to see a Skyroller on the old Flight Commander site, but if I understand correctly there are site issues with that area (where they were originally going to put Drop Tower.) 

[Oldiesmann]

I'd like to see them actually do something with that old Flight Commander site besides the various uses it's seen the past several seasons (Eurobungee and Dinos Alive reserveable picnic spot). I realize that the small size of that spot and the basically hidden queue area would probably make it difficult to put something there, but a good Music Express or similar ride would be a perfect fit for that spot in my opinion.

[matt112986]

I think a Bayern's Curve would work well there.

[IndyGuy4KI]

I am team Tilt-a-whirl!!

[SonofBaconator]

Just my opinion but I think we need more "grandparent rides"- rides that grandparents could ride with their grandchildren. We have the train as well as the Planet Snoopy rides but I think the park should get a tea cup style ride along with some more gentle rides the season after a big ride install. 

[purdude86]

I would love to see some classic flats throughout Coney Mall or around the Eiffel Tower added, and tea cups, Tilt-a-Whirl, and Enterprise are top of my list. A Music Express or Bayern Curve would be fun too.

As far as Flight Commanders spot goes I think teacups would be best as it is already a raised platform, having it be a flat surface I think woudl be best. Plus with all the poles and cables they have there for their canopy and banners they coudl string up some lights over the top of them. either that or an Enterprise with an LED light package would look great in that spot as well.

[Joshua]

A ferris wheel and a nice little dark ride would be great for the area. 

[Mystic.Timber1]

KI needs to add a more modern flat like the ride (idk what model it is)  that knotts is getting and that carowinds got, maybe even a new gen enterprise.

They still need to fill the area where flight commander was, thats the perfect spot for something like that with bright lights all over it, it will look great right near the entrance to coney mall.

Also i wish they would just replace the jukebox diner, in all my years of going to KI i haven't eaten there once.

[medford]

If you've never owned a Gingko tree, they can be a pain.  1st, if you have the wrong gender tree, and based upon some old pictures it appears that they did, they can quite literally stink up the place if not well maintained ever handful of years (the berries smell like dog poop if you let them sit around, literally).  2nd, even if you have the right gender tree, they tend to loss their leaves all at once.  I think one day my tree was full of leaves, the next morning it seemed like 90% of them were on the ground, a tall gingko has a bunch of leaves on it, leaving a decent size job for a morning crew and a nuisance on the day the decide to fall.  These probably were not big issues prior to the fall season as the trees will hold both their leaves and most of their berries thru September, but with the advent of the hall-o-ween stuff, they're going to drop a ton of those things right during the middle of operation.

Other than that, they are great trees.

[shadow9542]

26 minutes ago, Mystic.Timber1 said:

KI needs to add a more modern flat like the ride (idk what model it is)  that knotts is getting and that carowinds got, maybe even a new gen enterprise.

They still need to fill the area where flight commander was, thats the perfect spot for something like that with bright lights all over it, it will look great right near the entrance to coney mall.

Also i wish they would just replace the jukebox diner, in all my years of going to KI i haven't eaten there once.

I would say to put a Flying Eagles where Flight Commander was, but they put one in Planet Snoopy so that really takes that out of consideration. I would very much like one of Gerstlauer's Sky Rollers, it's something very unique for the park and would fit the area very well!