| Kings Island | |
|---|---|
| Kings Island Logo | |
| Location | Mason, Ohio, U.S. |
| Website | Kings Island |
| Owner | Cedar Fair Entertainment Company |
| Opened | April 29, 1972 |
| Previous names | Paramount's Kings Island |
| Operating season | April through October |
| Area | Available 773 acres (313 ha), Used 364 acres (1.47 km2) |
| Rides | 49 total
|
| Slogan | "The Fun and Only!" "Ride on!" |
Kings Island is a 364-acre (147 ha) amusement park located 24 miles (39 km) northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio.[1] Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S. with an estimated 3.1 million visitors in 2010 (second overall in North America behind sister park Canada's Wonderland).[2]
Originally part of a 1,600-acre (6.5 km2) purchase, Kings Island currently owns 773 acres (3.13 km2) of land.[3] It offers over 80 rides, shows, and attractions including 14 roller coasters and a 15-acre (61,000 m2) water park. Kings Island has won Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Award for having the "Best Kids' Area" in the world for eleven consecutive years (2001–2011).[4]
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Kings Island was an idea conceived as early as 1964 when Coney Island, a popular park on the banks of the Ohio River 10 miles (16 km) east of downtown Cincinnati, suffered from a major flood that submerged the area in over 14 feet (4.3 m) of water. Although flooding was nothing new for the successful amusement park, limited space for expansion and parking was becoming just as much an obstacle. The Wachs family who owned and operated Coney Island decided it was time to relocate the park in order to stay competitive. In 1968 after actor Fess Parker announced plans to build a new theme park in Northern Kentucky, the need to finalize plans became more urgent. In July 1969 following several failed attempts to find a major financial partner, the Wachs sold Coney Island to the Taft Broadcasting Company (a business interested in promoting its recently acquired Hanna-Barbera division) for $6.5 million USD. Taft Broadcasting Co. then purchased 1,600 acres (6.5 km2)[3] of land in Warren County, Ohio for $3.2 million to be used for the future site of the new park.
Construction began on June 15, 1970 in what was then a part of Deerfield Township. Later that year a public contest was held to name the new park. "Kings Island" emerged the most popular for its recognition of the Kings Mills area as well as its predecessor Coney Island. Most of the former park's rides were either relocated to Kings Island or demolished (it was set to close following the 1971 season but reopened permanently in 1973).[3][5] Less than two years after breaking ground, Kings Island opened its gates for the first of several preview events on April 29, 1972 and officially opened to the public the following month on May 27. The site is located between I-71 and the Little Miami River and remained in Deerfield Township until annexed into the city of Mason in 1997.
Early on, Kings Island was nationally promoted in two well-known ABC sitcoms. Each filmed an episode on location at the park: The Partridge Family in 1972 and The Brady Bunch the following year in 1973. Both sitcoms were produced by Paramount Studios, who just happened to be a large shareholder in the Taft Broadcasting Company.[6] In later years, Kings Island would change ownership several times. Taft sold its theme park division in 1984 for $167.5 million to Kings Entertainment Company (KECO), a company formed by senior executives and general managers of Taft's Amusement Park Group. Three parks were involved in the sale — Kings Island, Kings Dominion, and Carowinds — along with a 20-percent stake in Canada's Wonderland. Only three years later in 1987, the chain of parks were sold again. American Financial Corporation led by Carl Lindner purchased the parks for $150 million but allowed KECO to continue to managing operations under contract.[3][7] California's Great America was added to the lineup in 1989.
In 1992, Kings Island and the rest of the parks under KECO were purchased by Paramount Communications Inc. for $400 million. Paramount formed a new division which was known as Paramount Parks. In addition, they bought out the remaining 80% stake in Canada's Wonderland in 1993 raising the total number of parks to five. That same year Paramount Parks began adding its themes which often were from hit movies released by the studio. Viacom entered the picture in 1994 and purchased Paramount Communications Inc. paving the way for Nickelodeon themes to be used throughout the parks. Kings Island saw the addition of Nickelodeon Splat City which evolved into Nickelodeon Central and eventually Nickelodeon Universe. When Viacom split into two companies in 2005 (Viacom and CBS Corporation), CBS inherited ownership of Paramount Parks and soon after in January 2006 announced they were interested in putting the theme parks up for sale.[8]
On June 30, 2006, Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. took CBS up on their offer and made the purchase for approximately USD $1.24 billion.[9] With this acquisition, Cedar Fair would own all three major amusement parks in Ohio: Paramount's Kings Island, Cedar Point and Geauga Lake (purchased from Premier Parks in 2003). Kings Island would continue to use the Paramount branding through the end of the 2006 season. Cedar Fair began removing it from the park the following year from a number of attractions — rides, live shows and restaurants — that were based on Paramount Pictures and other Viacom themes. Some popular examples of this include FACE/OFF changing to Invertigo, the Italian Job Stunt Track to Backlot Stunt Coaster, Tomb Raider: The Ride to The Crypt, and Top Gun to Flight Deck. Nickelodeon's presence would remain in the park through 2009 until Cedar Fair completed work in the off-season to change the kids' area to the Peanuts theme.
In late 2009, the Mason City Council decided to put a measure on a 2010 ballot that would mandate a 3-percent ticket tax and a 5-percent parking tax at both Kings Island and The Beach waterpark. Council member Tony Bradburn argued that it was necessary in order to generate enough revenue for the city to help pay for infrastructure improvements, as well as cover the costs of police and fire expenses.[10] This proposed tax hike was the center of debate for several months leading up to the vote, in which Kings Island actively encouraged the public to write, email and call Mason City Council representatives to express opposition to the tax.[11] On February 8, 2010, the Mason City Council voted against the tax increase overwhelmingly by a vote of 5-1.[12][13]
The central attraction at Kings Island is International Street featuring the Royal Fountain, a 600,000-US-gallon pool (2,300 m3) capable of shooting 10,000 US gallons (38 m3) of water into the air each minute,[14] and the signature Eiffel Tower, a 1/3 scale replica of the original which offers a view of the entire park to its guests. Also located here is the Grand Carousel, Kings Island Theater, and a variety of restaurants and souvenir shops.
Another original attraction is The Racer, a wooden roller coaster that consists of two trains that race each other side-by-side on identical tracks. Designed by legendary designer John C. Allen, The Racer is recognized as being an integral part of the coaster renaissance of the 1970s. On June 18, 2007 American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) awarded it the Roller Coaster Landmark plaque.[15]
Other coasters present at the opening in 1972 were the Bavarian Beetle, a small steel coaster brought over from Coney Island (removed in 1979) and a new junior wooden coaster in the Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera originally named Scooby-Doo.
Additional attractions present at opening day were Haley's Comet, Kings Mill Log Flume, Les Taxis, Grand Carousel, Der Spinning Keggers, Sky Ride, Enchanted Voyage, Marathon Turnpike, Scrambler, Flying Scooters, Winnie Witch's Spinning Cauldrons, Kings Island and Miami Valley Railroad, Monster, and The Rotor.
1977: Screamin' Demon debuts as the first forward- and backward-looping roller coaster in the United States. It was later sold in 1987 to Camden Park where it operated until 1999 eventually being dismantled in 2004.
1979: Kings Island unveils The Beast breaking many world records at the time as the tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster in the world.[16] Thirty years later, it still holds the title of the world's longest wooden roller coaster at 7,359 ft (2,243 m) according to Guinness World Records.
1981: The park introduces The Bat generally accepted as the world's first suspended roller coaster. However, plagued with mechanical problems and a substantial amount of downtime, The Bat was removed just three years later in 1984.
1982: Kings Island holds its first Winterfest, a Christmas-time holiday event (1982–1992, 2005).
1984: King Cobra is released. It was the first roller coaster in the world to be designed from the ground-up as a stand-up coaster, even though other coasters prior to its release had been converted to stand-up designs. King Cobra was dismantled and put up for sale in 2002 when downtime and maintenance proved to be too expensive.
1987: The Vortex is added to the park and briefly set a new record with six inversions.
1989: WaterWorks debuts as a family water park featuring a wave pool, water slides, and other attractions.
1999: Kings Island's "Adventure Village" area begins the first of a two-year expansion to re-energize the area. Renamed Paramount Action Zone, the area is completely re-themed as a brightly colored movie studio backlot. Two new rides, FACE/OFF and Drop Zone: Stunt Tower, open with the latter setting a new record for the world's tallest gyro drop (Sister park Kings Dominion released a version in 2003 that had a longer drop but was shorter in height).
2000: For the second year of the Paramount Action Zone two-year expansion, Son of Beast opened setting records as the world's tallest, fastest, and only-looping wooden roller coaster. The ride is billed as a sequel to Kings Island's own legendary roller coaster, The Beast. In October 2000, Kings Island debuted FearFest which runs annually from late September through October (later renamed to Halloween Haunt).
2002: Tomb Raider: The Ride opens at Kings Island using an unorthodox marketing approach. The vehicle is by design concealed from view even as guests are being seated. Opening-day riders did not know what was going to happen as the ride started. Under the hood, the ride is based on a typical top spin model ride, except that this version is the world's first Giant variation holding nearly twice as many riders. In addition, the ride operates indoors synchronized to a composed musical score, lasers, water effects, fog, and theatrical lighting.
2005: Kings Island releases Italian Job: Stunt Track, a roller coaster that primarily focused on special effects to tie in with the film The Italian Job (sister park Canada's Wonderland also released one the same year).
2007: Kings Island unveils Firehawk, a Vekoma flying roller coaster. This ride originally opened in 2001 at Geauga Lake under the name X-Flight but due to low attendance was relocated to Kings Island. Its colors were also changed from neon green and with dark gray supports to red with steel gray supports.
2009: A Bolliger & Mabillard steel hypercoaster called Diamondback opens in place of the former Swan Lake. It is the park's first steel hypercoaster. On July 22, 2008 dark red track sections were delivered to the park and set on site of the construction. The park launched a teaser program on their website the same day. On August 6, 2008 the park officially announced the new ride.[17]
2010: Planet Snoopy opens in place of the Nickelodeon Universe kids area. The Nickelodeon theme and characters including Hanna-Barbera's Scooby-Doo are completely removed. This change marked the first time since the park's debut in 1972 that Scooby-Doo was not present in the park.
2011: WindSeeker, a flat ride manufactured by Mondial, is added to the Coney Mall next to the Vortex. A Pay-Per-Use attraction called Dinosaurs Alive! also debuts at Kings Island as the world's largest animatronic dinosaur park.[18] It is also located in Coney Mall near WindSeeker.
2012: Soak City was announced on September 2, 2011 as the new name for Boomerang Bay. The Australian theme will be dropped and new additions will include a second, larger wave pool along with a completely revamped lazy river ride.[19]
| Ride Rating System | |
|---|---|
| Thrill | Description |
| 1:Low | Rides that are generally calm and gentle in nature. |
| 2:Mild | Rides that generally have low speeds with gentle motion and braking. Rides have smooth transitions with some changes in elevation and speed. |
| 3:Moderate | Rides that generally have low to medium speeds and/or heights with moderate motion and braking. Riders may encounter unexpected changes in direction and/or speed during portions of the ride. |
| 4:High | Rides that generally have medium to high speeds and/or heights with moderate to rapid braking. Riders may encounter unexpected changes in speed, direction and/or elevation. |
| 5:Aggressive | Rides that generally have one or more of the following: high speeds and/or heights, aggressive and unexpected forces, and rapid directional or elevation change. Riders will encounter many unexpected rapid changes in speed, direction and/or elevation. |
Opened in 1974 as Lion Country Safari. Name changed to Wild Animal Habitat. Renamed Adventure Village in 1994. Renamed Action Zone in 1999. This area is themed as a movie stunt set. There is a Hollywood like water tower in the center of the area surrounded by extreme amusement rides. It has three roller coasters, three thrill rides, and two family rides.
| Ride | Year opened | Description | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Congo Falls | 1988 | A shoot-the-chute boat flume ride with a 34' drop. Originally known as Amazon Falls the ride was renamed after the Paramount movie Congo in 1999 when Adventure Village became Paramount Action Zone.[7] | 4 |
| Delirium | 2003 | A HUSS Giant Frisbee that takes riders up to 137 feet (42 m) into the air and swings in a 240° arc while rotating. | 5 |
| Drop Tower: Scream Zone | 1999 | An Intamin gyro drop ride which at 315 feet (96 m) tall is the tallest of its kind in the world (although sister park Kings Dominion has one with a longer drop). Due to an incident that occurred on a giant drop ride at Six Flags in Kentucky, all five Intamin-designed drop tower rides at Cedar Fair parks were closed to inspection on June 22, 2007.[20] Kings Island's Drop Tower: Scream Zone was closed for several weeks. Originally called Drop Zone: Stunt Tower, the ride was renamed for the 2008 season as part of the initiative to remove the Paramount branding from the park. | 4 |
| Flight Deck | 1993 | An Arrow Dynamics Suspended roller coaster in which free-swinging cars are suspended below the track. Originally was to be named Thunder Run before opening in 1993, but instead opened as Top Gun (1993–2007) complete with themes from the Paramount film Top Gun. | 4 |
| Invertigo | 1999 | A Vekoma inverted Boomerang roller coaster originally known as FACE/OFF after a Paramount film of the same name until 2008 when it was renamed. | 5 |
| Xtreme Skyflyer | 1995 | Double Skycoaster with a dive of 153 feet (47 m). Pay-per-ride attraction known as Drop Zone after the Paramount film Drop Zone until 1999 when a new drop tower ride at the park was to take on the same name. | 5 |
| Son of Beast | 2000 | Built by Roller Coaster Corporation of America and designed by Werner Stengel, Son of Beast was the first wooden roller coaster with a vertical loop and is currently the only wooden hypercoaster. In response to 27 injuries that occurred on July 9, 2006,[21] Cedar Fair installed lighter trains acquired from the Hurricane: Category 5 roller coaster at the former Myrtle Beach Pavilion and removed the loop in order for the new trains to complete the circuit. It reopened on July 4, 2007 but closed indefinitely on June 23, 2009 following another injury report.[22] NOTE: Park officials confirmed on March 18, 2010 that there were no current plans to reopen the ride.[23] It has been removed from Kings Island's park map as well as the official web site.[24] |
|
| Thunder Alley | 1996 | Go-kart racing track is a pay-per-ride attraction originally based on the hit movie Days of Thunder until it was renamed in 2008. | 4 |
Opened with the park in 1972. This area is themed as a German town. It has timber-framed German buildings and a full service bar located on Oktoberfest lake. Contains one roller coaster, one thrill ride, and one family ride.
| Ride | Year opened | Description | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adventure Express | 1991 | Mine train model coaster designed by Arrow Dynamics | 5 |
| Sling Shot | 2002 | Pay-per-ride attraction that catapults riders 275 feet (84 m) in the air up to 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) in a steel cage that flips multiple times before returning slowly to the platform. | 5 |
| Viking Fury | 1982 | Swinging pirate ship ride. | 3 |
Opened with the park in 1972. This area is themed to a multinational town. It has many different architectural style buildings containing restaurants and shops, an Eiffel Tower replica, and the Royal Fountain with light and water shows. This area has three family rides.
| Ride | Year opened | Description | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eiffel Tower | 1972 | An approximately one-third scale replica of the Eiffel Tower in Paris at 315 feet (96 m) and 450 tons; manufactured by Intamin. Known as Sherwin-Williams presents The Eiffel Tower (1972–1992) | 2 |
| Grand Carousel | 1972 | The classic carousel was built in 1926 and is painted with more than 20,000 sheets of 23-karat (96%) gold and 1,000 sheets of sterling silver and 48 hand-carved wooden horses. The ride operated at Coney Island in Cincinnati, Ohio (1926–1971). It features the Wurlitzer Organ #157.[25] | 1 |
| Boo Blasters on Boo Hill | 1972 | A Sally dark ride experience for families which involves shooting laser guns at ghosts and ghouls. Known as Enchanted Voyage (1972–1982), Smurf's Enchanted Voyage (1984–1991), Phantom Theater (1992–2002), and Scooby-Doo and the Haunted Castle (2003–2009) | 1 |
Opened with the park in 1972 as Coney Island, named after the park's predecessor, Coney Island in Cincinnati. Renamed Coney Mall in 1986, upon Coney Island's revival into the amusement park business. The area it themed to have a feel of a carnival with many classic rides, game booths, arcades, and food stands. The paths have been paved with bricks for the 2011 season. The area has three roller coasters, one thrill ride, and five family rides. It also includes a Dinosaur park.
X-Base, a sub-area, opened in 2007 with the addition of Firehawk. Since Firehawk was built next to Flight of Fear, the area took on the new theme, claiming to be a government area testing new flight-and-propulsion systems. While it is signed, it is not officially marked on the park map, and lacks things such as bathrooms. The X-Base area has two roller coasters.
| Ride | Year Opened | Description | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backlot Stunt Coaster | 2005 | A Premier Rides family launch coaster based on the chase sequence of the 2003 remake of The Italian Job. Riders launch into a parking garage, dodge police cars, and are attacked by a helicopter, which ignites fire all around riders before hitting a second launch section, sending riders into pitch black darkness. Known as The Italian Job: Stunt Track (2005–2007). | 5 |
| Dodgems | 1972 Remodeled in 1985 | Special 2-seater bumper cars from Italy with working headlights, taillights, rear-view mirrors, and hazard flashers. The original ride operated at Coney Island in Cincinnati, Ohio (??-1971). | 4 |
| Dinosaurs Alive! | 2011 | Built by Dinosaurs Unearthed, this pay-per-entry attraction is the world's largest animatronic dionosaur park[18] that stretches along a 4,000-foot (1,200 m) path featuring more than 60 life-sized dinosaurs. Four have interactive consoles that help show guests how scientists believe each dinosaur moved. The attraction also features a replica of an excavation site as well as a paleontological dig site for children.[26] | |
| FireHawk | 2007 | A Vekoma Flying Dutchman (1018 m) flying roller coaster. Originally operated at Geauga Lake as X-Flight (2001–2006). Firehawk is located directly beside of Flight of Fear in the X-Base themed section of the park. The ride itself carries the same theme as it did as "X-Flight," a government flight prototype looking for test subjects codenamed FireHawk. This ride is Kings Island's 14th coaster. | 5 |
| Flight of Fear | 1996 | A Premier Rides LIM-launched roller coaster prototype. Over-the-Shoulder harnesses were also removed and replaced with lap bars in 2001. Identical to the coaster with the same name that opened at Kings Dominion the same year. Known as Outer Limits: Flight of Fear (1996–2000). | 5 |
| Monster | 1972 | Traditional "Spider" ride that spins in three different circles at the same time. While it quickly raises and lowers riders as their cars continue to spin. It originally operated at Coney Island in Cincinnati, Ohio (1969–1971). | 3 |
| Scrambler | 1972 | Traditional amusement park ride. 3 arms spin riders giving them the sensation of almost hitting the wall. It originally operated at Coney Island in Cincinnati, Ohio (1957–1971). | 3 |
| Shake, Rattle, and Roll | 1975 | Huss spinning ride. Also known as The Troika | 3 |
| The Racer | 1972 | A John C. Allen/Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters twin-racing wooden roller coaster. One side was changed to ride backward in 1982 but was eventually switched back to its original form in 2008. | 4 |
| Vortex | 1987 | An Arrow Dynamics designed "Mega Looper" coaster that opened as the world record holder for most inversions, with six. At nearly 150 feet (46 m), it was the tallest steel coaster in the world when it opened, but was quickly outpaced the following year by Six Flags Great Adventure's Great American Scream Machine at 173 feet (53 m). | 5 |
| WindSeeker | 2011 | A flat ride designed by Mondial featuring two-person swings that slowly rotate and ascend the 301-foot (92 m) tower until reaching the top where speeds increase up to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h).[27] After several delays in May, it opened June 21.[28] | 4 |
| Zephyr | 1986 | A giant, suspended swing ride that rotates with a wave motion lifting riders up to 30 feet (9.1 m) in the air. | 3 |
Opened with the park in 1972. This area is themed as a gold rush style railroad town with many ranch style buildings, old wooden signs, and an old water tower. It was set around the old swan lake until Diamondback arrived in 2009. This area is has two roller coasters, one thrill ride, and two family rides.
| Ride | Year opened | Description | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamondback | 2009 | A steel B&M roller coaster that is 230 feet (70 m) tall and 5,282 feet (1,610 m) long with a top speed of 80 mph (130 km/h). Kings Island's first hypercoaster, Diamondback spans over 10 acres (40,000 m2) of terrain and features a unique splashdown water effect ending. | 5 |
| Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad | 1972 | A steam train ride which provides transportation between the main theme park and Boomerang Bay. Before the water park and its station were built, the train ride was a narrated excursion traversing open fields and wooded areas with multiple old west-themed props, small buildings, and a fort. | 1 |
| The Beast | 1979 | A wooden roller coaster constructed and designed internally by the Kings Island's Engineering & Construction department[29] which consistently remains a top roller coaster among many industry experts and enthusiasts. When it first opened, it held virtually every major record for roller coasters (tallest, fastest, and longest). Even to this day, it still holds the record as the longest wooden roller coaster in the world. The ride takes advantage of the hilly terrain and has two separate chain lifts throughout the course. | 5 |
| The Crypt | 2002 | An indoor Huss Giant Top Spin themed to the film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider until the park was sold to Cedar Fair. The theme, musical soundtrack, and pre-show were all removed in 2008 as a result. Known as Tomb Raider: The Ride (2002–2007). | 5 |
| White Water Canyon | 1985 | Whitewater river rapids attraction that takes riders on a winding course through the densely wooded terrain in Kings Island's Rivertown. Riders are placed in circular inner-tube rafts that seat up to six. Whirlpools, hidden geysers, and even a wave maker help make for a unique experience each time. It is one of the longest rides in the park at 5 minutes and 20 seconds. | 4 |
The area initially opened with the park in 1972 as The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera and was later shortened to Hanna-Barbera Land. The upper part that borders Rivertown saw the addition of a kids' play area, stage, and water attraction in 1995 and was renamed Nickelodeon Splat City. In 2001, Kings Mills Log Flume became The Wild Thornberrys River Adventure and Rugrats Runaway Reptar roller coaster was introduced. The expansion of this area into the lower part of Rivertown became known as Nickelodeon Central. At the start of the 2006 season, when Cedar Fair purchased the rights to the park the rights to the park from Paramount, the rest of the Hanna-Barbera Land was gradually converted as well and was renamed "Nickelodeon Universe".[7]
Nickelodeon-themed elements remained in this area of the park until 2010. During the 2009-2010 off-season, Nickelodeon was completely removed as the kids area was again rethemed and renamed Planet Snoopy based on the popular comic strip Peanuts.[30] Amusement Today has awarded Kings Island with the Golden Ticket Award for the Best Kids' Area in the World for the past eleven years.[4]
Planet Snoopy contains several rides intended for children, although it also includes three traditional roller coasters, one skater coaster one log flume.
| Ride | Year opened | Description | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Character Carousel | 1982 | Children's carousel. Formerly Hanna Barbera Carousel (1982–2005) and Nick-O-Round (2006–2009). | 1 |
| Charlie Brown's Wind Up | 1992 | Chair swing ride for children. Formerly Pixie and Dixie's Swingset (1992–2005) and Backyardigan's Swing-Along (2006–2009). | 1 |
| Flying Ace Aerial Chase | 2001 | Steel suspended family coaster designed by Vekoma for all ages. Formerly Rugrats Runaway Reptar (2001–2009). Its top speed is 26 miles per hour (42 km/h) and lasts for roughly 1 minute and 30 seconds.[31] | 4 |
| Joe Cool's Dodgem School | 1976 | Children's bumper cars. Formerly Flintstone's Boulder Bumpers (1976–2005) and Jimmy Neutron's Atom Smasher (2006–2009). | 2 |
| Kite Eating Tree | 2006 | A mini-drop ride that takes riders 20 feet (6.1 m) into the air that bounces up and down as the ride eventually lowers to the ground. Known as Plankton’s Plunge (2006–2009). | 3 |
| Linus' Beetle Bugs | 1972 | Classic whip ride from Coney Island, Cincinnati (1967–1971). Known as Screecher, Funky Phantom, Alley Cat 500 (??-2005), and Swiper's Sweepers (2006–2009). | 1 |
| Linus' Launcher | 2006 | Known as Danny Phantom's Phantom Flyers (2006–2007)and Phantom Flyers (2006–2009). | 3 |
| PEANUTS 500 | 1979 | Themed car ride. Known as Mr. Jinks Jalopies (1979-??), Fender Bender 500 (??-2005) and Nick Jr. Drivers (2006–2009). | 1 |
| PEANUTS Off-Road Rally | 1972 | Miniature carousel ride with vehicles. First operated at Coney Island, Cincinnati (1969–1971). Previously known as Pee Wee Raceway, Motor Mouse, and Go Diego Go!. | 1 |
| Race For Your Life Charlie Brown | 1972 | Themed log ride from Coney Island, Cincinnati (1968–1971). Closed during the 2000 season, it reopened under a new name and Nickelodeon theme in 2001. Known as Kings Mills Log Flume (1972–1999) and The Wild Thornberrys River Adventure (2001–2009). The new theme is modeled after the 1977 Peanuts movie. | 4 |
| Sally's Sea Plane | 1998 | Themed plane ride. Known as Atom Ant's Airways (1998–2005) and Timmy's Airtours (2006–2009). | 2 |
| Snoopy vs. Red Baron | 1992 | Themed after the popular Peanuts comic strip featuring Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron. Known as Dick Dastardly's Biplanes (1992–2005) and Blue's Skidoo (2006–2009). | 2 |
| Snoopy's Junction | 1982 | Miniature railroad. Known as Quick Draw's Railway (1982–2005) and La Adventura de Azul (2006–2009). | 1 |
| Snoopy's Splash Dance | 1995 | Walk-through water attraction. Known as Nickelodeon Green Slime Zone (1995–2005) and SpongeBob SquarePants Bikini Bottom Bash (2006–2009). | 1 |
| Surf Dog | 2006 | Disk'O Coaster. Skateboard themed ride that spins as it glides over a ramp; known as Avatar: The Last Airbender (2006–2009). | 4 |
| The Great Pumpkin Coaster | 1992 | A junior steel roller coaster that takes riders up a small hill through a series of dips and then circles back around to complete the circuit for a second time. Known as Scooby Zoom (1992–1997), Top Cat's Taxi Jam (1998–2005), and Little Bill's Giggle Coaster (2006–2009). The ride lasts for roughly 52 seconds.[32] | 2 |
| Woodstock Express | 1972 | A John C. Allen/Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters family wooden coaster. Known as Scooby Doo (1972–1979), Beastie (1980–2005), and Fairly Odd Coaster (2006–2009). The ride lasts for roughly 1 minute and 30 seconds.[33] | 4 |
| Woodstock's Whirlybirds | 1998 | Helicopter-themed sky tram. Known as Yogi's Sky Tours (1998–2005) and Lazytown Sportacopters (2006–2009). | 1 |
Free with park admission, Soak City is a 35-acre (140,000 m2) water park featuring two wave pools, several children's areas, and a variety of water slides. Kings Island announced on September 2, 2011 that a $10 million dollar expansion would take place in the 2011-2012 offseason.[34]
| Venue | Year opened | Location | Current Show | Previous Shows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Action Theater | 1994 | Coney Mall | Dinosour's Alive! 3D[35] | Days of Thunder, SpongeBob SquarePants 3D, Elviras superstition (shown during Fearfest), |
| Festhaus | 1983 | Oktoberfest | Graveyard Shift (2011-) | American Country (2010-), Way Too Much TV (2010–2011), Down Home Country (2009–2010), Ghouls Gone Wild, Girls Night Out (2008), The County Line (2008–2009). |
| International Showplace | 1972 | International Street | Hot Blooded (2009–2011) | Signed, Sealed, Delivered! (2010–2011), Flashback: Totally 80s (2008–2009), Twistin' in the 60s (2006–2007), |
| International Street Bandstand | 1972 | International Street | Hot Summer Nights | |
| Kings Island Theater | 1976 | International Street | Snoopy Rocks On Ice! | Known as American Heritage Music Hall and Paramount Theater. Renovated in 2004 with new seating and digital systems. |
| PEANUTS Playhouse | 2006 | Planet Snoopy | Peanuts Pirate Adventure | Known as Nickelodeon Theater (2006–2008), Putz HQ (2009) |
| Timberwolf Amphitheatre | 1982 | Action Zone |
| Venue | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ice Scream Zone | Action Zone | Famous blueberry, chocolate and vanilla soft serve ice cream, floats, ICEES. |
| Stunt Crew Grill | Action Zone | Char-grilled burgers, grilled chicken and pork BBQ sandwiches, salads, ice-cold beer. |
| Hanks Smoke House | Oktoberfest | Smoked turkey legs, Italian sausage, fresh corn on the cob, ice-cold beer. |
| Outer Hanks | Oktoberfest | Fried fish and shrimp, BBQ chicken & ribs. |
| Hanks Back Porch Bar | Oktoberfest | Full service bar and appetizers. |
| Festhaus | Oktoberfest | LaRosa’s pizza, burgers, chicken tenders,specialty salads, desserts, ice-cold beer, Panda Express Gourmet Chinese food. |
| Tower Drinks | International Street | Cotton candy, popcorn, soft pretzels, ICEE. |
| Chick-fil-A | International Street | Chicken sandwiches, tenders, fries. |
| Starbucks | International Street | Coffee Shop. |
| Graeter’s Ice Cream | International Street | Gourmet hand-dipped ice cream a Cincinnati tradition since 1870. |
| Cinnabon | International Street | Cinnamon rolls. |
| LaRosa’s Pizzeria | International Street, Rivertown | Pizza, hoagies, specialty salads, desserts, ice-cold beer. |
| International Street Restaurant | International Street | Breakfast with the Characters and Banquet facilities. |
| Skyline Chili | International Street, Coney Mall | Cincinnati’s famous chili on a cheese coney dog, 3-way or 4-way. |
| The Pretzel Shop | International Street | Hand-rolled pretzels, pretzel dogs, fresh squeezed lemonade, ice-cold beer. |
| International Street Funnel Cakes | International Street | Funnel cakes with toppings. |
| Juke Box Diner | Coney Mall | Burgers, chicken, fries, onion rings and shakes made to order. |
| Subway | Coney Mall, Boomerang Bay | Fresh made sub sandwiches and ICEE. |
| Midway Treats and Eats | Coney Mall | Fresh-cut fries, corndogs, chicken bites, soft serve ice cream. |
| Coney Refreshments | Coney Mall | Cotton candy, popcorn, soft pretzels, ICEE. |
| Ralph’s Ice Cream | Coney Mall | Specialty shakes, soft serveice cream cones, and floats. |
| Paradise Island | Rivertown | Famous blueberry and vanilla soft serve fruit smoothies. |
| Icee Mix-It-Up | Rivertown, Boomerang Bay | Pick and mix ICEE flavors. |
| Rivertown Potato Works | Rivertown | Fresh-cut thick fries, chicken bites, fried shrimp, ice-cold beer. |
| Rivertown Funnel Cakes | Rivertown | Funnel with toppings, soft serve ice cream and hand-twisted pretzels. |
| Dip-N-Dots Depot | Rivertown | Dip-N-Dots shakes and sundaes. |
| Rivertown Junction Dining Hall | Rivertown | All you care to eat buffet. |
| Snake Pit | Rivertown | Turkey legs, hotdogs, kettle corn, ice-cold beer. |
| Ice Cream | Planet Snoopy | Famous blueberry and vanilla ice cream cones. |
| Planet Snoopy Grill | Planet Snoopy | Hamburgers, chicken tenders, corndogs, kids’ meals. |
| Snoopy’s Snack Shack | Planet Snoopy | Kids meals, popcorn, cotton candy. |
| Snow Cone | Planet Snoopy | Snow cones and smoothies. |
| Kangaroo Cones | Boomerang Bay | Famous blueberry, chocolate and vanilla soft serve, fruit smoothies. |
| Outback Shack | Boomerang Bay | Pizza, chargrilled burgers, chicken tenders, wraps, salads. |
| Wally’s Pub | Boomerang Bay | Frozen cocktails, ice-cold beer and appetizers. |
| Backyard BBQ | Picnic Grove | |
| Catered Events | Picnic Grove |
| Venue | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| On Location | Action Zone | Cameras, trend apparel, convenience items. |
| Airbrush | Oktoberfest | Airbrushed apparel, headwear, novelty items. |
| Airbrush Tattoos | Oktoberfest | Artwork that is airbrushed right on your body. |
| Wood Works | Oktoberfest | Custom wood signs, personalized products. |
| Glassblower Shop | International Street | Souvenir glass specialties. |
| International Street Fudge and Candy Shop | International Street | Sweets and treats including homemade fudge and bulk pick-a-mix. |
| Girl Space | International Street | Junior fashion apparel, jewelry, accessories. |
| Paws & Claws | International Street | Create a stuffed animal friend of your own. |
| Lotsapalooza | International Street | Souvenirs and apparel featuring a large selection of park merchandise. |
| Keyhole Photo | International Street | Guest photo souvenirs. |
| Convenience Corner | International Street | Film, cameras, sun care, accessories. |
| Thrill Seekers | International Street | Ride-themed apparel and merchandise. |
| Emporium | International Street | Souvenirs, apparel, candy, rides and fashion merchandise. |
| Spotlight Souvenirs | International Street | Souvenirs and apparel. |
| Attitudes | Coney Mall | Apparel, jewelry, trend merchandise and novelties. |
| Coney Confections | Coney Mall | Candy, souvenirs, toys. |
| DB Trading Post | Rivertown | Diamondback apparel and merchandise. |
| Snoopy Boutique | Planet Snoopy | PEANuTS™ character and Kings Island merchandise for kids of all ages. |
| Matildas | Boomerang Bay | Basic waterpark needs. |
| Mic’s Seaside Supplies | Boomerang Bay | Swimwear, sun care, snacks, towels, souvenirs. |
| Venue | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Coney Arcade | Coney Mall | |
| Coney Mall Midway Games | Coney Mall | |
| Three Point Challenge | Coney Mall | |
| Rivertown Arcade & Games | Rivertown | |
| Planet Snoopy Games | Planet Snoopy |
In 1982 Kings Island introduced a Christmas event called Winterfest, which ran from November 25 through December 31. The International Street fountain attraction was turned into an ice-skating rink, and for a few years a nightly laser light show was centered on the Eiffel Tower. Most rides were closed with the exception of a holiday-themed train ride, the Grand Carousel, hayrides, and the Enchanted Voyage. In earlier years, horse-drawn carriage rides existed as well. Special shops, restaurants, and other holiday-themed activities were also available. There were live holiday shows at both the American Heritage Music Hall (now the Kings Island Theater) and Festhaus. The event ended after the 1992 season, but made one additional appearance in 2005. A variety of reasons including low ticket sales prompted new owners Cedar Fair to shelve the idea.[37]
Halloween Haunt, formerly known as Fear Fest from 2000 to 2007, is the Halloween-themed event at Kings Island on weekends during the month of October after the regular season. It features haunted houses, mazes, live shows, and most of the park's regular season attractions. It has been a yearly event at Kings Island since its debut in 2000. The following section contains the most recent lineup of attractions for 2011.[38]
Indoor mazes
Outdoor mazes
Scare Zones
Live shows
There is also a children-friendly version during the day called Howl-O-Fest featuring kids activities in Planet Snoopy.
Other names stated by Kings Island.[40][41]
1972 - ABC sitcom, The Partridge Family, filmed at the park in the episode "I Left My Heart in Cincinnati" which aired on January 26, 1973 (Episode #66 from Season 3).
November 23, 1973 - Another ABC sitcom, The Brady Bunch, filmed at the park in the episode "The Cincinnati Kids".
1974 - Sixty-nine-year-old Karl Wallenda broke a world Skywalk record of 1,600 feet (490 m).
October 25, 1975 - Evel Knievel successfully jumped 14 Greyhound buses at Kings Island, setting a new audience viewing record for ABC's Wide World of Sports, garnering a 52 household share when his performance was broadcast live. He landed on the 14th bus, but held on. This was one of his last big jumps.
July 4, 1976 - Kings Island hosted the wedding of Paul Revere from the pop rock band Paul Revere & the Raiders.
May 24, 2008 - Robbie Knievel, son of famed dare devil Evel Knievel, successfully jumped over 24 Coke Zero trucks in the Kings Island Parking Lot. This is expected to be the last of Robbie's big jumps.[42]
July 4, 2008 - High wire artist Rick Wallenda, grandson of Karl Wallenda, broke a world Skywalk record, walking the distance from Kings Island's Eiffel Tower to the park entrance setting a world record breaking distance of 2,000 feet (610 m) on a 5/8 inch high wire 75 feet (23 m) above the ground. Karl Wallenda set the previous record in 1974, also at Kings Island.[43][44]
August 31, 2008 - Barry Williams, Susan Olsen, and Mike Lookinland returned to Kings Island for A Very Brady Reunion, a four-show special of song, dance, and Brady Bunch stories.[45]
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