The Royal Fountain

[BeeastFarmer]

I couldn't find a specific topic so I started this.  Admin, if there is one, please merge.

I've often wondered:  when you look at The Royal Fountain from the entry plaza, you can see the pumphouse below The Royal Bandstand.  There are three arches facing the fountain, but only one is open, on the right.

Do the other arches open?  Is it functional or decorative?  If decorative, why not open all three?

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

My best guess is that the open arch is to allow light and a view out on the fountain from the control room, while the closed arch(es) are where the water pump mechanism(s) live and don't need the light or the view. The 2011 Google Street View capture actually shows all three arches being open. You can see the evolution between the three Royal Fountains below.

The aforementioned 2011 Google Street View capture from Kings Island.

The 2015 capture from Kings Dominion. You can see how their fountain pump house was different than Kings Island's as Taft and their park designers refined International Street for their second park.

Lastly, here's the same view from Canada's Wonderland. Their pump house is located under the bridge in front of Wonder Mountain and (I believe) services both the Royal Fountain and the pools at the bottom of Wonder Mountain. I don't know where the access door is for this fountain, but it is certainly the grandest of the three versions of International Street.

[BeeastFarmer]

Thank you. From recollection of around 2018 and prior I never recall seeing the arches barricaded at KI.  To me it looks trashy like some of the legacy six flags parks Ive been to.

I agree that Canada has the most pleasing appearance of the three, but that bridge is a pain to cross.

KD's version is surpassed by ours with our refined look with the decorative white pilasters vs KD's fence. 

However, this is subjective.