For those of you who have been to the park for many years, I was wondering if you think taking out the monorail and the zoo was worth the expansion. Do you think they could have put the new rides elsewhere and kept it?

Feel free to also post any memories you have of it.

I rode it a long time ago when I was about 6. I remember that the main reason we rode it was because my aunt has bad knees and needs to sit down a lot, plus we didn't mind the air conditioning. The only distinct thing that I remember about it is that our train had to stop for several minutes because some sort of animal was on the track.

You forgot, "I don't know, I never got to ride it."

But I did ride it. I don't really care for monorails. I am really more of a skychair/skylift guy.

I wish they would get another sky or chair lift. It could go from Vortex all the way down to the Action Zone that would be awesome.

I never got to ride the monorail and visit the Wildlife Safari because I lived in New York at the time.

However, I think that it was a mistake to take the Animal park and monorail out because I would've loved to see animals and ride the monorail at PKI. Heck, Disney World built the Animal Kingdom last decade and it has been highly successful.

My guess is that PKI removed the animal habitat because of the costs and risks associated with maintaining wild animals.

I was living in Panama at the time, so I never got to visit the Wildlife Safari or ride the monorail.

Edited January 1, 197056 yr by fusiondude09

Really, a sky lift from Vortex to Deli would be nice, but where would they put the station in AZ? There's pretty much no room there!

I'd say have the station somewhere in Coney mall where they can have a little more traffic.

It would also be cool if they had it so you could get off on either end. Just have each station on elevated platforms. It would be nice if it went from AZ to RT. Of course, I'm sure there are a million safety delimas involved with an idea like that. Perhaps they could have it on a constant turntable, like an Arrow log flume...

Most skylifts are not like ski-lift where the chair never stops moving. When the car comes into the station it is lifted off the cable and onto a track where the operator can stop it and let people on and off. One everyone is on, then they will push it around and drop it back onto the cable. Really the only safety concern is the operator who normally has to stop the car once it has come off the cable and trying to roll freely through the station.

I still wouldn't mind a skylift or an elevated monorail that went over or around the park in some way. Thay way you can see stuff from above the pathways, go behind rides and stuff but be so much closer than if you where on top of the Eifel Tower.

I think PKI made a samrt move when they removed the monorail. Yes, it was nice but I am sure the cost of upkeep was just too much. And remember, there was an additional charge to ride the monorail. That might have played a part in its removal. It was a large attraction (land wise) and I think some people didn't like paying for it. Plus, with its removal, Top Gun and then Action Zone were able to be built. So I think more was gained than lost.

As for the skylift, I highly doubt PKI would install another one of those. There was a lot of trouble with the last one, especially from lightning strikes. One loading/unloading station was in HB land (the current character house) and the other was right about where Adventure Express stands now, and it was elevated. But I've seen more parks take out their skylift (or skyrides). The only park I've seen that still has one is CP. I'm sure there are more but not very many.

I believe americana still has theirs.

Yeah, Americana had theirs as of last year. It was dumb though, it only went over the lake and came back. So the ones at KI went from where AE is to HB Land?

Theres two pictures that are in my family.

Those pics are great! You can also clearly see them in the episode of the Brady Bunch filmed at PKI.

I can't help but notice that no one cares about the monorail and only comment on the sky chairs. The poll says most of you disagree with them taking it out (as of right now). I wonder what's up with that.

I thought that the monorail was more of a family type ride and added something to the park that many other parks don't have. I guess the difficulty would be the upkeep for the animals, meaning that even though there was a small charge for the monorail, the ride only operated from May- Sept., and the animals had to be kept somewhere year-round.

I have heard rumors about the Cincy zoo and KI having some sort of an association, but the summertime is the busy time for the zoo as well, and they don't want to be limited on their attractions for KI's sake. I'm guessing if the animals did come from the zoo, KI must have "rented" them.

All in all, the monorail was a very nice exibit, and it is too bad that it is no longer there.

Couldve been like a overflow for the zoo. Not sure what the zoo's position on holding animals was but if they just didnt have the room and wanted to make some money there ya go.

from what I have heard about the monorail the fact it was the only pay for ride at the time and fixing it was a smart move to take it out. The monorail was not like Disney and was not that high off the ground. You can still vist the monorails from PKI at Jungle Jims out back in the parking lot. The frist year Top Gun was open you had to walk pass the monorail to get to the it and the monorail also took up too much room for one ride.

I remember the monorail and do miss it. My only reason for riding the 20 minute ride was the air conditioning. During those hot days, it was nice to cool off on the ride. I didn't like the idea of paying for it when they started charging, but hey, mom and dad took care of that back then.

Was it really only 20 mins long? I remember it being longer, but of course, this was 14 years ago, and I was only 6.

The monorail was never free

The park kepted the animals on property year round, I belive. I would have to check into that to see for sure. We still have the old lion house and one or two of the monkey houses. It's pretty interesting to see them. When the park built AZ, they never came close to using all the land that the monorail/zoo took. There is still plenty back there that was taken up by it that the public doesn't have access to now. I do remember the ride mostly because it was cheaper to take kids from the local schools and send them to PKI to see the animals instead of to the zoo. I also remember during the ride the AC went out and we were burning up by the time we got back to get out. I think the entire monorail was shut down for a short time. That wasn't good b/c there was no way to get air into the cabin without the AC working.

I think it was a good idea to take it out, at that time. Maybe one day the park will think about it again.

As of skychairs and stuff like that, the only thing I remember is almost falling out of the one at Americana when I was little. My uncle had to grab me and pull me back in. Not fun. I think that's why I hate heights so much!

It would be nice to see the park get some sort of people moving system, however. Maybe they are just waiting to get some more expansion done so they don't have to rebuilt it later on?

If it were up to me, Paramount would've maintained the Wild Animal Safari. Had they known that Disney was to someday build the Animal Kingdom Theme Park, maybe they would've thought twice. Either way the wild animal habitat is gone and I can't see Paramount investing the money to return it. And with the Cincinnati Zoo so close, they would have tough competition.

However, I am hoping that the new Water Resort will have dolphins. If PKI had dolphins, they can offer the Greater Cincinnati area something that no else, not even the Newport Aquarium, has. Nevetheless, I have a strong feeling that Paramount has no desire to bring live animals to any of its parks.

This much I'll say, the new water resort would look much more awesome if there was at least a small aquarium with tropical fish. That's my opinion.

Have a groovy day!

Italian Chef

You just have to go to Fairfield at Jungle Jim's to ride the monorail now. Its going up really quick!

pki used to have dolphins. But I dont think it worked out to well.

I have never riden it before I'm too young. But I've heard terror stories and I'm kinda like a chicken with wires so I wouldnt like it I think.

The monorail is like a big train there isnt any wires. Unless your talking about a chairlift.

The only thing the monorail could have been useful for if it had stayed, was to help people move around the park. It would be nice if PKI either extended the train or added something to help get around a little better. The park design is nice like the hub and spokes on a wheel so that you can get most anywhere in a decent amount of time. Having something to get you there without walking though, would be great!

IcarusLives said:

Plus, with its removal, Top Gun and then Action Zone were able to be built. So I think more was gained than lost.

The only park I've seen that still has one is CP. I'm sure there are more but not very many.

removed