Always discovering something new about KI... KCKC was delayed.

[Shaggy]

So, ever since I first saw the Brady episode as a kid, something bothered me about the episode... they didn't show Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal.

In 1973, the new (and heavily promoted) attractions were the Bayern Curve, Flying Dutchman, International Street Restaurant and KCKC.  All were included as a headline attraction in brochures, pre-season news articles and advertisements.

The Brady Bunch episode was filmed the week of August 20th 1973.  Both the Flying Dutchman and Bayern curve appeared in the episode... but KCKC did not.  As a matter of fact, that entire area of Rivertown was completely omitted from the overhead shots.  They did film near it - the Canoes and Rivertown Pizza Parlor... but no KCKC. (The Rivertown Pizza Parlor was also new that season...)

It never made sense to me that they wouldn't feature, or at least show, the largest new attraction at the park that season.  It seemed to me they'd want to showcase a eye-catching new attraction.

Well, today I finally found the answer...

Turns out, there was a major delay with the construction of KCKC... not sure what the delay was, but in August 1973 the ride was still under construction.  A newspaper article states that the park was actually considering waiting to open it in 1974 (the same year they opened Lion Country Safari.)  However, it appears it DID open in fall of 1973.

Here's a blurb about it from a news article dated August 5th 1973...

 

Fun to discover new things!

[IndyGuy4KI]

That is an awesome find. Thanks for sharing. I also moved this thread to the new Kings Island History forum.

[CoastersRZ]

Wow, I never knew that either.  Thanks for sharing!

[TombraiderTy]

I wonder what caused its delays... it wasn't the first Arrow hydro-flume, so I wouldn't think it'd have prototype problems. Maybe the 1972-1973 off-season was particularly rainy or snowy or something?

Here's a summer 1973 construction shot of it, shared by @Sergeant Pepper in this thread.

And here it is seemingly up and running in 1973, courtesy flickr user tshiverd. The specific date is unknown, but you can see the trees are starting to change colors.

I wish I could've ridden Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal, but I'm grateful for the handful of Arrow hydro-flumes still around. Coal Cracker at Hersheypark is especially great - I hope it (and the others) stick around for many more years.

[WhatTheBlazes]

On 3/18/2021 at 3:20 PM, TombraiderTy said:

I wonder what caused its delays... it wasn't the first Arrow hydro-flume, so I wouldn't think it'd have prototype problems. Maybe the 1972-1973 off-season was particularly rainy or snowy or something?

Here's a summer 1973 construction shot of it, shared by @Sergeant Pepper in this thread.

And here it is seemingly up and running in 1973, courtesy flickr user tshiverd. The specific date is unknown, but you can see the trees are starting to change colors.

I wish I could've ridden Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal, but I'm grateful for the handful of Arrow hydro-flumes still around. Coal Cracker at Hersheypark is especially great - I hope it (and the others) stick around for many more years.

Cool find on these photos.  I loved this ride up and through the trees. It's fun seeing this.

@Shaggy thank you for this post, it's always fun to learn more about my favorite park!

[CoastersRZ]

The last few years KCKC was around it was definitely showing its age.  I remember that there were lots of patches to the fiberglass.  And the water had a definite smell to it.  It was a very fun ride though.  I wish in a way that it was still there instead of the box that is TRTR.  Could you imagine Diamondback snaking over the pond for it?