Wild Animal Habitat

[westcoaster]

Supposedly as mentioned in this article The zoo is ready to break ground near Kings Island for a big safari type event. A ride that goes through and over water and all natural habitats for the animals and it would be something Like ANimal Kingdom!!!!

only time will tell

[WooferBearATL]

What animals did the WAH have that the Cincinnati Zoo doesnt have and what is KI's admission compared to say that of the Cincinnati Zoo or Newport Aquarium? What would you use instead of a monorail? You can see some pictures I took of the monorail at its new home here.

The Zoo and Kings Island often worked together. They often shared the same animals and often they were sent to Kings Island for breeding and invitro fertilization.

[jzarley]

What animals did the WAH have that the Cincinnati Zoo doesnt have and what is KI's admission compared to say that of the Cincinnati Zoo or Newport Aquarium? What would you use instead of a monorail? You can see some pictures I took of the monorail at its new home here.

The Zoo and Kings Island often worked together. They often shared the same animals and often they were sent to Kings Island for breeding and invitro fertilization.

ALL Zoos work together frequently...a mindset of collaboration and cooperation seems to be the norm within the zoological community. Instead of seeing each other as competitors, they tend to work toward a common goal.

When I was at the National Zoo in Washington a few years ago, I noticed that a lot of the exhibits (particularly the lions) said that the animals had come from the "Kings Island Zoo" (that's how the sign read). One of zookeepers there told me that pretty much every zoo in the country had lions that either came from, or could trace their bloodlines to, Kings Island. Apparently, their lion breeding program was so successful that it produced way more lions than they could handle. I guess there was something about the wilds of Mason, OH that made those lions breed like rabbits!

[WooferBearATL]

When I was at the National Zoo in Washington a few years ago, I noticed that a lot of the exhibits (particularly the lions) said that the animals had come from the "Kings Island Zoo" (that's how the sign read). One of zookeepers there told me that pretty much every zoo in the country had lions that either came from, or could trace their bloodlines to, Kings Island. Apparently, their lion breeding program was so successful that it produced way more lions than they could handle. I guess there was something about the wilds of Mason, OH that made those lions breed like rabbits!

Many folk around these days don't remember WAH. Maybe I do so well because I had the opportunity to speak with many of the animal handlers when I worked at the park.

It's funny, whenever we found an injured bird or something, we'd take it over to the Habitat to be cared for.

The people that worked with the live animals were just the best. I can not remember one time that I ran into one that was even in a bad mood.

[ragerunner]

Supposedly as mentioned in this article The zoo is ready to break ground near Kings Island for a big safari type event. A ride that goes through and over water and all natural habitats for the animals and it would be something Like ANimal Kingdom!!!!

only time will tell

Did I miss something? What article? What big safari type event?

[jzarley]

Supposedly as mentioned in this article The zoo is ready to break ground near Kings Island for a big safari type event. A ride that goes through and over water and all natural habitats for the animals and it would be something Like ANimal Kingdom!!!!

only time will tell

Did I miss something? What article? What big safari type event?

Information from about a year ago...

http://www.pkicentral.com/forums/index.php...=cincinnati+zoo

[ragerunner]

Thanks,

Has there been anymore discussion from the zoo on this project or did it just seem to die?

[jzarley]

I haven't heard any more about it...I went to the Zoo's web site, but couldn't find anything having to do with future development.

[HomerJay]

You know, I just can't get psyched about WAH. When I went as a kid I remember it being boring...and I don't think I'd like another pay attraction...especially one that takes up so much room. From what I remember as a child, it was a long monorail ride and you didn't get to see much of the animals.

Besides, with the number of rides at PKI, is there any more time left in the schedule to get in line and ride a 20 minute monorail? On a busy day I just can't see it being a priority.

There's a lot I'd love to see brought back from the old days--the dolphin shows were fun, the entertainment in the Festhaus, even something as silly (to me) as having those announcements that "Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, in just 15 minutes, (whatever show) will be taking place at the International Showplace."

WAH is not on my list.

[WooferBearATL]

having those announcements that "Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, in just 15 minutes,

I had forgotten about that!

That was very cool. That just tells ya the focus that was placed on entertainment. In addition to the announcements, there were schedules posted at each of the theaters and there were group schedules at various locations around the park.

Ahhhh, the old days. <G>

[jzarley]

having those announcements that "Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, in just 15 minutes,

I had forgotten about that!

That was very cool. That just tells ya the focus that was placed on entertainment. In addition to the announcements, there were schedules posted at each of the theaters and there were group schedules at various locations around the park.

Ahhhh, the old days. <G>

Paramount used that announcement too...up until just a few years ago.

[Gordon Bombay]

^Still used the announcement this year too, heard it everyday when I was sitting at greeter for School of Rock and Tv Land presents whatever and schedules were still posted outside of the paramount theatre and international showplace.

[WooferBearATL]

I think the difference must be that there are so many fewer shows that are performed daily than in years past.

It used to be that there were a couple shows going on each hour from 11am to 9:00pm in the evening.

[Gordon Bombay]

^Yeah, the enchanted tehatre and slime time live shows are gone but they still have School Of Rock, Tv land whatever, and the country one prsented by CMT.

[marlfox_21]

Well,

I was Superviosor at WAH Carts the year that Amazon Falls opened up.  I can tell ya that it was certainly busy in that area as a result of the new attraction.  Top that off, Timberwolf had two to three concerts a week at that time and that brought about 10K folk into that area every evening.

Anyway, I digress.  WAH was a very nice area to have in the park.  The work that they did with the Cincinnati Zoo was very important.  There were lots of studies completed on animal health and endangered animals.  I remember when they were doing invitro work and KI could claim a couple firsts in that are.

You saw the change to Action Zone as a result of Paramount.  They simply did not want to go in that direction.

Well. Animals and wild places need protection. One grand way to ensure both futures is to educate people about them. Thats what a zoo is about. The animals serve as ambassadors for the rest of their species. If people see them, and feel for them, then the better chances are that they would not want to hurt them, or cause their environment any harm. Who is to say that a park with the amount of land like (Kings Island) would simply bring back a monorail. That could be a part of it. Bringing in exotic animals that are not commonly found in other zoos would be a necessity for a new facility. It would make it unique from all of the rest.

However crowds must also be pleased. Zoos need to contain animals that are considered to be POPULAR amongst the audience (or crowd) These animals include eagles, elephants, lions, tigers...etc. You get the point.

Another key element in the developement of such a facility is of course LAND.

The Cincinnati Zoo is roughly about 70 acres in size. Kings Island has over 300 unused acres just waiting. All wooded. That defeats the purpose right. Well, not necessarily. Many parks build around as many trees as possible today. And this helps to set the mood that is necessary to enjoy a zoo. Monorail. Sure, why not. And a walk through zoo. And an aquarium. All of these could be enjoyable. Animal shows featuring dolphins, seals, birds, foxes, etc....They all could be beneficial.

The concept of bringing a zoo back to Kings Island cannot fall short of the parks full potential. It could be a themed area. With rides designed to match the mood. And games with prizes that fit the theme as well. Of course there would have to be a safe balance between the two. For peoples safety, and for the animals safety. This includes the amount of stress presented to the animal. In any case, the stress level on any animal would have to be kept at a bare minimum. A lot of new zoos today attempt to recreate an entire ecosystem in a massive complex. This could be a fresh idea for the park as well. And a 1st for the area.

A themed area such as this could have exclusive pay rides similar to the

X-treme Skyflyer, and the Sling Shot. Part of this payment could go to benefit wildlife and wild places. The possibilities could be endless.

So I encourage the concept of bringing a zoo back to Kings Island. And I think that anyone doubting it, should reconsider and look at it with a new perspective.

Don't just bring back what was there in the past. Make it better. Make it more real.

It really could be something you would want to go back to.

[marlfox_21]

Well,

I was Superviosor at WAH Carts the year that Amazon Falls opened up. I can tell ya that it was certainly busy in that area as a result of the new attraction. Top that off, Timberwolf had two to three concerts a week at that time and that brought about 10K folk into that area every evening.

Anyway, I digress. WAH was a very nice area to have in the park. The work that they did with the Cincinnati Zoo was very important. There were lots of studies completed on animal health and endangered animals. I remember when they were doing invitro work and KI could claim a couple firsts in that are.

You saw the change to Action Zone as a result of Paramount. They simply did not want to go in that direction.

Well. Animals and wild places need protection. One grand way to ensure both futures is to educate people about them. Thats what a zoo is about. The animals serve as ambassadors for the rest of their species. If people see them, and feel for them, then the better chances are that they would not want to hurt them, or cause their environment any harm. Who is to say that a park with the amount of land like (Kings Island) would simply bring back a monorail. That could be a part of it. Bringing in exotic animals that are not commonly found in other zoos would be a necessity for a new facility. It would make it unique from all of the rest.

However crowds must also be pleased. Zoos need to contain animals that are considered to be POPULAR amongst the audience (or crowd) These animals include eagles, elephants, lions, tigers...etc. You get the point.

Another key element in the developement of such a facility is of course LAND.

The Cincinnati Zoo is roughly about 70 acres in size. Kings Island has over 300 unused acres just waiting. All wooded. That defeats the purpose right. Well, not necessarily. Many parks build around as many trees as possible today. And this helps to set the mood that is necessary to enjoy a zoo. Monorail. Sure, why not. And a walk through zoo. And an aquarium. All of these could be enjoyable. Animal shows featuring dolphins, seals, birds, foxes, etc....They all could be beneficial.

The concept of bringing a zoo back to Kings Island cannot fall short of the parks full potential. It could be a themed area. With rides designed to match the mood. And games with prizes that fit the theme as well. Of course there would have to be a safe balance between the two. For peoples safety, and for the animals safety. This includes the amount of stress presented to the animal. In any case, the stress level on any animal would have to be kept at a bare minimum. A lot of new zoos today attempt to recreate an entire ecosystem in a massive complex. This could be a fresh idea for the park as well. And a 1st for the are.

A themed area such as this could have exclusive pay rides similar to the

X-treme Skyflyer, and the Sling Shot. Part of this payment could go to benefit wildlife and wild places. The possibilities could be endless.

So I encourage the concept of bringing a zoo back to Kings Island. And I think that anyone doubting it, should reconsider and look at it with a new perspective.

Don't just bring back what was there in the past. Make it better. Make it more real.

It really could be something you would want to go back to.

[jzarley]

I think everyone likes the idea of KI having animals, and no one questions the good work that zoos do.

However, most zoos in this country are non-profit...Kings Island is not. So, any re-expansion into the animal realm would have to make sense from a business standpoint. Obviously, there are a few successful examples of for-profit animal parks (Sea World, BGT, Marineland, etc.) so it of course can be done. But, if KI were to build a themed animal area like described from the ground up, how much would it cost to build, stock, and hire the professionals necessary to support & maintain it? And, more importantly how quickly would a return on that investment be realized?

I think that's the real consideration when talking about how likely we all think it would be for KI to bring back the animals...

[MarketingExpress]

I believe that if the animal habitat were to ever make a comeback it would only be if Bush Gardens bought the park. It seems to fit with their other parks.

[flightoffear1996]

I liked the animals and what not being at the park but they are really expensive to take care of and in the off season no guest are coming to the park and you would still have to pay to clean the poop up and to feed them. I really dont think it would be worth it to the park to bring back the animale habitat.

[Gordon Bombay]

^hahahaha your posts make me laugh because there is absolutely NO logic, thought, or proof behind any of the facts your present or anything you say and your website is joke! You make me laugh!

[flightoffear1996]

wHAT WEBSITE?

[marlfox_21]

^hahahaha your posts make me laugh because there is absolutely NO logic, thought, or proof behind any of the facts your present or anything you say and your website is joke! You make me laugh! 

You laugh about the concept of a zoo at Kings Island today

The only problem is that it doesn't matter what you say

Your lack of an education is apparant and clear

Because a source of knowledge you obviously fear

Otherwise you would openly welcome a Zoo

But things like this probably don't even matter to you

All that matters is the thought that somebody somewhere

thinks for a solitary moment that your cool

But in reality that makes you quite the fool

Living for other people and not yourself

Makes me feel really sorry for you

You, who laughs at the concept of Kings Island having a Zoo.

This ( just in case Combat Stupendous89 is reading, and I seriously doubt that you could actually figure it out on your own ) IS FOR YOU!

M.F.

[Gordon Bombay]

^hahaha best insult I ever read! Your calling me uneducated when your pulling facts about Kings Island out of the air to support your "zoo" theory. Had you read what I said, I wasnt laughing at the zoo idea, I was laugihing at the fact that he thinks the cost of picking up animal fecees is keeping the park from creating another zoo. Marlfox, since your so "smart" why havent you figured out why Kings Island isnt going to get a zoo? PKI is a theme park with amusement rides, not a zoo. If you want a zoo go to downtown Cincinnati or just keep following I-71 to Columbus. If PKI wanted to go the route of having a zoo then they would've kept the WAH, however they didnt. Its like JZarley said, from a business standpoint its not good for the park, it wouldnt prove profitable for them since they arent a non profit organization. Putting a zoo back in doesnt make any sense, probably the only people who could pull this off would be Busch Gardens if they purchased the park and thats about it. Kings Island is not a zoo, its an amusement park. Having animals there puts a lot of restrictions then on how the park can operate. You also need to take into consideration that no matter what direction you go, behind Kings Islands land is nothing but new subdivisions so the city of Mason is going to want to know how the residents feel who already complain about the park and its noise, theyre probably not going to want having wild animals just across the river no matter how irrational their thinking is. Finnaly, if you had been reading the news you would know that the Cincinnati Zoo plans to build something out there, not to rival Kings Island but to expand their message and mission, I think this is a good move for them, it wont be like a full zoo but will still be great. Kings Island is not a zoo and Kings Island is not becoming a zoo, if it wanted to stay one it probably would have. Im not trying to bash zoos or zoology, I love going down to the Cincinnati Zoo with my camera, but its not going to happen at PKI.

[CoastersRZ]

Yeah. The Cincinnati Zoo should stick to the animals, as they have developed a successful breeding program for many species and their grounds are meticulously taken care of. Likewise, PKI should stick to the amusements and rides, and leave the animals to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens. I remember hearing about the Zoo building an auxilary facility up in Warren County but haven`t heard much about that recently.

As CombatStupendous said PKI is run by a for profit company. And unfortunately, zoos are not very profitable in terms of the capital it takes to sustain them, and to design and build them correctly. Zoos are better off when they are run by non-profit organizations, where all the profit is reinvested into facility. I remember hearing that the Zoo plans to add parking lots on recently acquired land adjacent to zoo property so that they can turn the current parking lot into new exhibit space and buildings. Not sure where the progress on that expansion stands.

Secondly, Disney tried to incorporate a zoo into a major theme park. Even with Disney`s expertise in park design and its large budget, Animal Kingdom has had trouble attracting visitors. That is why they had to go and build Expedition Everest for the park. The animals (aka zoo part of the park) were not simply drawing the crowds that Disney wanted. The rides that the park has are top notch, especially there Safari ride. But PKI doesn`t have the capital or needed space to successfully pull off something of that calibar.

[Gordon Bombay]

^Very well said, Animal Kingdom is the perfect example of why Kings Island should not try the Wild Animal Habitat again. Why waste all that remaining space on something that isnt really suited for PKI. Like you sai dbefore RZ, Bush Gardens is the only one I could see pulling that off right, wasnt there a Busch Gardens in San Diego that is now closed and the monorail for it now sits up at PCW?

[Buckeye-Beast]

Last month the news here in Columbus said our zoo is going to expand from 90 acres to over 600, and may be taking over Wyandot Lake, in a plan to create a tourist destination over the next 10 years. It makes me wonder if they are going to expand the amusement park aspect of the park. Back when I was a kid, before it was Wyandot Lake it was the the Zoo Amusement Park. Right now the zoo and Wyandot Lake share the same parking lot.

[The Interpreter]

...and Six Flags' agreement with the Zoo ends soon....it would normally be up for renewal, but given what is going on at both the Zoo in Columbus and at Six Flags. . .

[jzarley]

The plans I've read call for the watepark site at the Columbus Zoo to expand to 35 acres (from its current 18) as part of the overall master plan for the zoo's expansion. Also according to the plan, the driveway and part of the parking area between the zoo and WL will be turned into a "green space" plaza, and will serve as a combined gate area for each park. (The car entrance and parking area will be reconfigured after Powell Road is moved to the far side of the golf course...)

I think it's a good thing that SF's involvement may be ending soon... I'm sure the zoo will do a good job operating it independently, but I was kind of hoping they'd bring in another operator to take over the management contract (i.e., maybe CF with an expansion of the "Knott's Soak City" brand...)

I've always thought that WL should do away with the dry rides, and just focus on making the site an excellent waterpark... Although, there's the problem of what to do with the "Sea Dragon" which has some historical significance... (Is it a John Allen design?)

[CoastersRZ]

Yes, the Sea Dragon is a John Allen design. I believe that it was his first design for a junior woodie.

[spongebobforpresident_4]

Yes, the Sea Dragon is a John Allen design. I believe that it was his first design for a junior woodie.

Well, its not a bad idea really. It would take a lot of work and planning. But I think that it could work well. Going back to the previous comments, I have to say that Disney's Animal Kingdom is looking for new ways to bring in crowds. Owning more land than you are going to use is necessary for such a venture. Kings Island does have this advantage. ( and if I may say so it was Walt Disney's advice to the original owners to purchase so much land )

I used to work at Paramount's Kings Island back when I was in High School. I worked at the park from 1995-97. And I remember what a sad loss it was to lose the Wild Animal Habitat. I was even taught about their high success rate in college.

Now, that all of this school work is behind me, I am a keeper an Disney's Animal Kingdom. And its true. Parks need to be original to draw in a crowd. And Animal Kingdom seems to draw in a crowd all it's own. People are so devoted to the field that a park like this covers that they will come and see it over and over again in much the same way that people will ride a roller coaster over and over again.

I would LOVE to see a zoological facility come back to Kings Island. And I think a lot of other people would too. Its a proven spot to attract a crowd and to co-exist with the Cincinnati Zoo. ( Which I also volunteered at as an educator during college) If I'm not mistaken, if you go back to the Center for Research of Endangered Wildlife C.R.E.W. at the Cincinnati Zoo, you will also find plaques honoring the accomplishments of Kings Islands Wild Animal Habitat. It's not impossible, and it would be a massive accomplishment for the field.