In honor of the 50th - post your memories from the first time you visited Kings Island

[Shaggy]

Let's have some fun and share one or two of our memories of our first visit to Kings Island.

I was 10... and distinctly recall certain things from my first visit.  My parents took me (we lived in Virginia, so I had been to Kings Dominion prior.) 

Specifically, I remember "The Bat" was new - and at the height of its frustrating issues.  (It was like nothing I had seen before - and I was amazed.  I am certain I saw it in action, but didn't ride it. ) There was a sandwich board outside the park that said "The Bat will not operate today." However I believe it was actually open part of the day.  I remember that because my Dad and I watched it from the midway and then rode the Zodiac to get an over-head look.    Later, I saw workers welding track at a joint on one of the supports.  So, it may have just been testing - I don't specifically recall seeing people on it - that part is fuzzy.

So - now what are yours?

 

 

[BeeastFarmer]

KI is one, if not the first memory I have.

I was four.  I remember waiting in line for Kings Mills Log Flume.  The line was long.  When we got to the queue that was right beside the ride (IIRC, the railings used to extend further down, almost to where Snoopy spits on you today), I got terrified and had a meltdown about riding.

One of my mom's co-workers was with us, a grandmotherly type.  She took me out of the line and we went to the tunnel.  It was cool and shaded and she calmed me down as we looked at the flowers and waited.  I am sure there was ice cream or something involved, too.  

The rest of the day is gone except seeing fireworks for the first time while having a grape sipper.

[CorkscrewMcPuke]

I remember going to the park when I was six back in 2001. I'll never forget The Beastie's queue line.

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

I have a very small memory of going to the park when I was a baby. The only thing I remember is the kiddy carousel being blue during the later HB days. The first real memory of actually going to the park was in 2007 when I was like 4-5 years old and I remember going mainly to ride the kiddy carousel which was orange for Nickelodeon at the time. That was the first summer I remember really going a lot. I remember riding Little Bill's Giggle coaster with my dad a lot and I remember basically torturing my parents by making them wait in the long line for Lazytown Sporticopters (now Whirlybirds) multiple times lol. I also remember throwing tantrums because I didn't want to ride the Fairly Odd Coaster. It took me multiple rides on it to finally start enjoying it. For some reason I was always scared to ride it because I didn't like drops and bumpiness. I remember riding it once because my dad because he said "we would stay for the fireworks if I ride it" and I did so we stayed. I also have lots of memories of stopping at the little strip mall that housed Lazer Kraze at the time to watch the fireworks. Here are some pictures of that year:

Me and my Dad on Fairly Odd: 

Me and my sister Lauren on Swiper Sweeper (now Beetle Bugs) this was an iconic picture on our computers for a long time:

 

Me on Snoopy's Junction (forgot what it was called under Nickelodeon. For a long time I thought it was Thomas the Train as the train character looked so similar to Thomas):

[BoddaH1994]

I was 9, I think. My first ever ride was Shake Rattle & Roll. One distinct memory I have getting a friction burn on the side of my hand from Scrappy's Slide, which was in HBL at the time. I remember eating at Rivertown LaRosa's on the patio on the left. I watched The Vortex riders and literally assumed that each and every one of them were insane for riding that ride. You know how when you think of things there's someone's a memory that pops in your mind every time? That was what I always thought of when thinking about The Vortex. That is why I miss having The Vortex, but not necessarily riding Vortex. It is a snapshot of one of my earliest memories there. 

Growing up, we were an Americana family. My first visit to Kings Island was when my aunt took my sister and I. She has since recently passed away. After this, we became a one a year family, and when I got old enough to make my own money mowing grass I started buying a season pass. I remember my first year with a season pass I made 13 visits. I thought that was insane! Zip ahead a few decades, during the summer of 2014 I was working in Mason and things would wrap around 4:00 p.m. I would always head over afterward. That totaled 114 visits - which included only missing about three visits. One when I was at Dollywood, one when I was at Cedar Point, and one when I hurt my back during a spin class (don't ask). 

I think my favorite Kings Island visit is a tough tie between three days. The first is Beastbuzz 2004 this was my first special event. I was blown away by things like The Beast backstage tour and ERT. Second was the day of the Robbie Knievel Jump, Memorial Day weekend 2008. Such an incredible surreal experience. I was the one running KIC at the time so the folks at Kings Island were nice enough to let me attend several press conferences with Robbie, and even hang out with him pretty extensively throughout the week leading up to the jump. I remember thinking that it was the coolest thing ever that he actually remembered my name when I met him the second time. The day he made that jump, it was not only the kickoff to the amazing "record breaking" year at Kings Island in 2008, but I also got to see someone who I considered a friend amaze thousands in attendance and millions watching at home. The third is the very first KIC Day. Ever since The Beastbuzz event I had always dreamed of having my own. I remember that the night before we announced the event I had a dream that Dane and I had assumed that we would have an incredible attendance so we booked the Timberwolf for guest speakers. Embarrassingly, we only filled up part of the front row. Of course, for those of you who were there to witness my dream unfold, you know that we had quite the opposite problem. We had booked the IR for lunch, which I think has a capacity of 134 or so (or at least at the time it did). That was the limit to our headcount. Tickets sold out in three days. No matter what happens in my life, I will always carry that day with me as one of my most buoyant moments.

[Coasterteam]

I remember my first time going to Kings Island I had spent the week beforehand binge-watching POV videos of Beast and Vortex and basically rope-dropping Beast. I was young but tall enough to ride. Absolutely loved it, that hasn't changed at all. I chickened out on Vortex but eventually did ride it the following year. 

[NegativeGs]

August 1991. I clearly remember riding The Beast, Vortex, and the a new ride called Adventure Express. Thirty odd years later, my 11-year old draught's favorite ride is AE.

[VortexBFForever]

September 30, 2007. After hearing countless accounts of my brother's visits to this place called "Kings Island," I got to see the park for myself courtesy of my mom who had won a drawing for two tickets at a blood drive. Son of Beast's massive lift hill was the very first thing I saw. The Grand Carousel was the very first ride I rode. I knew all the different coaster types thanks to RollerCoaster Tycoon, but I realized that building them in a game and riding them in real life are two completely different things, so I rode mostly the smaller rides. I remember seeing a red train rolling backwards over Racer's many hills, and sadly I wasn't willing to try it under the assumption that I would eventually ride it in a future year (that aged well). I stood in line for Dodgems but didn't ride it because the totally normal sparks of the car's poles rolling along the grated ceiling was unsettling to me somehow (I made weird assumptions as a kid ). I first laid eyes on Vortex (one of my brother's favorite rides) and watched it for at least 10 minutes before deciding, "Someday, I'm going to ride this...just not today." I already knew Vortex would be a special ride to me but still wildly underestimated the epic decade that would follow of my history with it. Finally I found myself in Nickelodeon Universe, home to more rides that better suited my preferences. I did ride Little Bill's Giggle Coaster (3 times) and Backyardigans' Swing Along, but the main attraction happened to be the Fairly Odd Coaster. My mom rode with me the first few times since I was nervous, but eventually let me ride by myself when I got more used to the ride (hence my riding again repeatedly - a technique I would go on to use on bigger coasters ). I remember the operator on the mic encouraging us to put our hands up at the start of the ride, as well as the male-voiced spiel "Welcome to Cosmo and Wanda's Fairly Odd Coaster. Please remain seated..." During another ride, I found a 2007 brochure under the seat in front of mine, which I read cover to cover on the way home. I have a mental note of this attraction they kept calling "Tomb Raider - The Ride" but thought nothing of it (including the fact that 2007 was that ride's last season as such). By the end of the trip I had amassed roughly ten rides on Fairly Odd Coaster alone - my first marathon! We ate some pizza by the fountains before we went home, to mitigate my sadness over leaving. But I knew I would return.

Side note, during the '07-'08 Cedar Fair ride name change en masse, I thought it was normal for the park to change their ride names each year so needless to say I was confused when all the names remained the same after the 2008 season, while also being aware of the arrival of our favorite B&M rattlesnake. But that's a different story for a different time.

[Oldschool75]

My first visit was in 1976. But the earliest memory I have was from 1977, I was 2 and remember waiting in line for the puppet show at the original Kings Island theater. I also remember riding the Sky Ride and Enchanted Voyage that day.


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[Browntggrr]

My first visit was in 1978 when I was 4 going on 5.  My parents & my aunt went on a Sea World/ Cedar Point/ KI trip.

Beast announcement was already made & we saw the layout display.  Dad made sure we went back in 1979. 

I was able to get on Screamin' Demon in 1978 (this was after not getting on the brand new Gemini @ CP).  My aunt, who despises coasters, thought the ride was over after the first loop and started to squirm her way out of the OTSR.  My mom had to pull her back in as the train started to go backwards.....quite the humorous family story now, rather stressful then.....

I can remember lunch/ early dinner at IR, the monorail and the original Enchanted Voyage.  I can also remember the cotton candy/ candy apple smell late in the day in Coney Mall near the entrance to Racer (this is after the distinct smell of blacktop during the heat of the day).

KI was just a magical place for us.  To see what it has grown to today & also bring my kids is simply an awesome feeling.