Kings Island facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kings Island

Previously known as Paramount's Kings Island (1993–2006)
Kings Island's original fountains with Eiffel Tower
Location	Mason, Ohio, U.S.
Coordinates	39°20′41.23″N 84°16′06.99″W / 39.3447861°N 84.2686083°W / 39.3447861; -84.2686083
Status	Operating
Opened	April 29, 1972 (1972-04-29)
Owner	Six Flags
Park president	Tony Carovillano
Slogan	"It's Amazing In Here" and "Come On Get Happy"
Operating season	April through December
Attendance	3.488 million in 2023
Area	364 acres (147 ha)
Attractions
Total	49
Roller coasters	15
Water rides	3

Kings Island is a huge amusement park in Mason, Ohio, near Cincinnati. It covers 364 acres and is owned by Six Flags. The park first opened in 1972. It was built by Taft Broadcasting to replace an older park, Coney Island, which often flooded. Over the years, Kings Island has added many exciting things. Today, it has over a hundred attractions, including fifteen thrilling roller coasters. There's also a 33-acre water park called Soak City.

Kings Island became famous early on. It even appeared in popular TV shows! Rides like The Racer helped make roller coasters popular again in the 1970s. Many attractions have set records. For example, The Beast and Banshee hold world records. The park's biggest investment was Orion. This amazing $30-million giga coaster opened in 2020. Some older coasters, like The Bat and Son of Beast, had to close early.

The park has nine themed areas. It's open from spring until fall. Then, it hosts special holiday events. These include Halloween Haunt and Winterfest. Millions of people visit Kings Island every year. It's one of the most popular seasonal parks in North America! Kings Island has also won many awards. It was named the "Best Kids' Area" in the world for 18 years in a row. The Mystic Timbers ride won "Best New Ride" in 2017. And The Beast is always ranked among the top wooden coasters.

Kings Island's Exciting History

The idea for Kings Island started in 1964. An older park called Coney Island often flooded. A big flood in 1964 caused a lot of damage. The park also didn't have much room to grow. So, people started talking about moving the park to a new location.

Gary Wachs, whose family owned Coney Island, led this idea. He wanted to move the park to keep it exciting and competitive. He researched new theme park ideas for years. At first, some people didn't agree with him. But then, in 1968, actor Fess Parker planned a new park nearby. This showed everyone that a change was really needed.

Gary and Ralph talked with Taft Broadcasting Company. Taft Broadcasting wanted to promote its Hanna-Barbera cartoons. In 1969, Taft bought Coney Island and a large piece of land. This land in Warren County, Ohio, became the home of Kings Island. Fess Parker's plans for his own park then didn't happen.

Building the Park: Taft Broadcasting and KECO (1970–1992)

Building the park started in 1970. People entered a contest to name it. "Kings Island" was chosen. It honored the nearby Kings Mills area and the old Coney Island. Many rides from Coney Island moved to the new park. Kings Island officially opened on April 29, 1972.

View from The Racer in the mid-1970s

One of the first big rides was The Racer. This wooden roller coaster has two trains that race each other! It was designed by John C. Allen. The Racer helped bring back interest in roller coasters in the 1970s. It's even recognized as a historic landmark today. Other early coasters included the Bavarian Beetle and Scooby Doo. A popular dark ride called Enchanted Voyage also opened. It featured many moving Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters.

Kings Island became famous on TV! The shows The Partridge Family and The Brady Bunch filmed episodes there. The park also hosted amazing record-breaking events. In 1974, Karl Wallenda walked an incredible 1,800-foot tightrope high above the ground. The next year, Evel Knievel jumped 14 buses on his motorcycle! This was a world record and his longest jump. These events brought a lot of attention to Kings Island. To keep the excitement going, the park built The Beast. When it opened in 1979, it was the tallest, fastest, and longest wooden roller coaster in the world!

The 1980s brought new challenges. Kings Island worked with Arrow Development to create The Bat. This was the first modern suspended roller coaster. Its cars swung freely, like flying! But it had many mechanical issues and closed after only three years. To make up for it, one side of The Racer started running backward in 1982. This was so popular it stayed that way for years! In 1984, King Cobra opened. It was the world's first stand-up roller coaster.

Kings Island also changed owners several times. In 1984, Taft sold its parks to Kings Entertainment Company (KECO). Then, in 1987, Kings Island was sold to American Financial Corporation. KECO continued to manage the park.

Paramount's Kings Island (1992–2006)

In 1992, Paramount Communications Inc. bought Kings Island. They created a new group called Paramount Parks. Paramount started adding themes from its movies to the park. Later, Viacom bought Paramount. This led to Nickelodeon themes being added. Areas like Nickelodeon Splat City and Nickelodeon Universe became popular.

The Eiffel Tower and the fountains at night

In 1997, the city of Mason took over most of the land where Kings Island is located. In 2005, Viacom split into two companies. CBS Corporation then decided to sell Paramount Parks. They felt theme parks didn't fit their main business.

Cedar Fair Era (2006–2024)

Cedar Fair bought Paramount Parks, including Kings Island, in 2006. This made Cedar Fair own all three major amusement parks in Ohio. Kings Island continued to use Nickelodeon themes for a few years. But Cedar Fair soon changed the names of rides. For example, Top Gun became Flight Deck. By 2010, all Nickelodeon themes were replaced with Peanuts characters. Nickelodeon Universe became Planet Snoopy.

In 2009, the Mason City Council considered adding a tax on park tickets and parking. Kings Island asked the public to oppose this. In 2010, the City Council voted against the tax.

New areas were added in recent years. Adventure Port opened in 2023 with new family rides. In 2024, Planet Snoopy expanded with a new section called Camp Snoopy.

Six Flags Era (2024–Present)

On July 1, 2024, Cedar Fair and Six Flags merged. This created Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. It now owns all the parks from both companies, including Kings Island. In 2025, the Backlot Stunt Coaster was renamed Queen City Stunt Coaster. This honored Cincinnati's nickname.

Exploring Kings Island's Themed Areas and Attractions

Kings Island has invested over $300 million in improvements since 1972. The park started with 60 attractions and now has over a hundred! It also grew from five themed areas to nine. These include Action Zone, Adventure Port, Area 72, Coney Mall, International Street, Oktoberfest, Planet Snoopy, Rivertown, and Soak City. A water park was added in 1989. The park now needs about 4,000 employees to operate.

Action Zone

Action Zone first opened in 1974 as Lion Country Safari. It was a large area with a monorail tour through an animal habitat. Over the years, it featured rides like Screamin' Demon (1977–1987). This was one of the first steel looping coasters to run both forward and backward in the U.S. King Cobra (1984–2001) was the world's first stand-up looping coaster.

In 1993, Paramount added Top Gun. This suspended roller coaster was themed after the movie. The animal habitat was removed, and the area became Adventure Village. In 1999, it was renamed Action Zone. New rides like Drop Zone: Stunt Tower and Face/Off were added. Action Zone looked like a movie stunt set.

Son of Beast opened in 2000. It was the tallest, fastest, and only looping wooden roller coaster in the world. However, due to design challenges, it closed permanently in 2009. It was removed in 2012. Other exciting rides include Delirium (2003), a huge swinging ride. Banshee (2014) is the world's longest inverted roller coaster. It stands where Son of Beast used to be.

Adventure Port

In 2023, Kings Island opened a new themed area called Adventure Port. It added family rides Sol Spin and Cargo Loco. This area used to be part of Oktoberfest. It also includes a steel coaster called Adventure Express, which opened in 1991. Adventure Express received some fun new decorations during the change.

Area 72: A Secret Aerospace Facility

Area 72, once known as X-Base, is themed like a secret aerospace research center. It features two exciting roller coasters. This area first appeared in 1996 with the Flight of Fear coaster. It grew in 2007 when Firehawk was added.

Firehawk closed in 2018. In August 2019, the park announced Orion. This was the park's first giga coaster! The area got a new look and was renamed Area 72 for the 2020 season.

Coney Mall: Classic Fun and Thrills

When Kings Island opened in 1972, a section honored its old park, Coney Island. This area looked like a carnival. It had many relocated rides, including Monster, Scrambler, and Dodgem. The Racer roller coaster is also here. The area was renamed Coney Mall in 1986. It has game booths, arcades, and food stands, just like old-fashioned fairs.

Zodiac, a "spinning, climbing double ferris wheel," opened in 1975. It was one of only two like it in the U.S. It was removed in 1986. In the 1980s, rides like Skylab and Zephyr were added. Vortex (1987–2019) was a looping coaster that once held a world record for its six inversions.

In 1994, Coney Mall added Days of Thunder. This was a NASCAR-themed motion simulator ride. It was later updated with themes like James Bond and SpongeBob. A 301-foot-tall swing ride called WindSeeker opened in 2011. It spins riders high in the air. In 2019, Kings Mills Antique Autos returned. This classic car ride looks like the old Les Taxis ride.

International Street: A World of Charm

International Street greets visitors right after the main entrance. It was one of the park's original areas in 1972. The design was inspired by countries like Italy, Spain, Germany, and Switzerland. The buildings look like they're from different cultures.

Enchanted Voyage, a dark ride with boats, was also an original attraction. It featured many moving Hanna-Barbera characters. The ride changed themes over the years. It became Smurf's Enchanted Voyage in 1984. In 1992, it transformed into Phantom Theater, a haunted theater tour. The ride system changed again for Scooby Doo and the Haunted Castle (2003) and Boo Blasters on Boo Hill (2010). In 2026, Kings Island will open Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare. This will be a new version of the original Phantom Theater with modern technology.

The main attractions here are the Royal Fountain and the Eiffel Tower. The fountain shoots 10,000 gallons of water into the air every minute! The Eiffel Tower is a one-third scale replica of the famous one in Paris. It offers amazing views of the whole park. Grand Carousel, a classic carousel from 1926, is another International Street favorite. You'll also find Kings Island Theater, restaurants, and souvenir shops.

Oktoberfest: A Taste of Germany

Oktoberfest, named after the famous German festival, opened with the park in 1972. It celebrates Cincinnati's German heritage. The area looks like a German town with special architecture. The Festhaus building is a main spot, offering live shows and indoor eateries. Rides here include Viking Fury, a swinging pirate ship ride that opened in 1982. Part of Oktoberfest was updated and became Adventure Port in 2023.

Planet Snoopy: Fun for Younger Explorers

Former Entrance to Planet Snoopy

This area first opened in 1972 as The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera. It later became Hanna-Barbera Land. One of its main rides was Scooby Doo, a junior wooden roller coaster for younger riders.

A part of this area became Nickelodeon Splat City in 1995. It had a stage, water fun, and a play area. In 2001, the Kings Mills Log Flume became The Wild Thornberrys River Adventure. The Rugrats Runaway Reptar family inverted roller coaster also opened that year. This Nickelodeon-themed area was renamed Nickelodeon Central. Over time, Hanna-Barbera Land fully changed to Nickelodeon themes, becoming "Nickelodeon Universe" in 2006.

After Cedar Fair bought the park, Nickelodeon themes were replaced with Peanuts comic strip characters in 2010. Nickelodeon Universe became Planet Snoopy. This area has many rides for smaller children. It also has three family roller coasters and a skater coaster. Kings Island has won the Golden Ticket Award for "Best Kids' Area in the World" for 18 years in a row (2001–2018)!

Camp Snoopy: More Fun for Everyone

In 2024, Kings Island expanded Planet Snoopy with a new section called Camp Snoopy. This area debuted a new roller coaster, Snoopy's Soap Box Racers. It also has children's play areas and family activities. Several existing rides in this area were renamed. These include Charlie Brown's Rushing River Log Ride and Woodstock's Air Rail.

Rivertown: A Wild West Adventure

Rivertown has a fun western theme. It features ranch-style buildings and old wooden signs. One of its most famous attractions is the Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad. This area opened with the park in 1972. Early attractions included Kings Mill Log Flume and a canoe ride called Shawnee Landing.

In the 1970s, Rivertown added more rides. The Beast roller coaster opened in 1979. It was designed by Kings Island itself! When it opened, The Beast was the tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster in the world. It's still one of the most popular wooden coasters today. Other rides added include White Water Canyon (1985), a river rafting ride. Tomb Raider: The Ride (later The Crypt) was an indoor ride with special effects. It closed in 2011.

In 2009, Diamondback opened in Rivertown. This 230-foot-tall hypercoaster reaches 80 mph! It even has a splashdown water effect at the end. In 2016, Kings Island announced Mystic Timbers. This 109-foot-tall wooden roller coaster opened in 2017. It added 3,265 feet of track, giving the park the most wooden coaster track in the world!

Soak City: A Splashing Good Time

Soak City is a 33-acre water park included with park admission. It has two wave pools, children's areas, and many water slides. It first opened in 1989 as WaterWorks. It was expanded several times. In 2004, it was renamed Crocodile Dundee's Boomerang Bay. Later, it became Boomerang Bay. On September 2, 2011, Kings Island announced a big expansion. It was renamed Soak City for the 2012 season. Tropical Plunge, a seven-story water slide complex, was added in 2016. In 2025, Soak City expanded with RiverRacers and Splash River Junction. These are a dual-racing water coaster and a new children's water play area.

Seasonal Events at Kings Island

Halloween Haunt: Spooky Fun

Halloween Haunt logo

Halloween Haunt is a Halloween-themed event at Kings Island. It happens on weekends from September through October. It features haunted houses, mazes, and live shows. Many of the park's regular rides are also open. Special lights and fog create a spooky atmosphere. Actors in costumes interact with guests. The event started as FearFest in 2000 and became Halloween Haunt in 2007.

Winterfest: A Magical Holiday Celebration

Winterfest is an annual Christmas-themed holiday festival. It runs from mid-November through late December. You can go ice skating on the Royal Fountain! The park is decorated with over 5 million lights. Some rides and attractions are open. International Street turns into a winter village. It has Christmas carolers, crafts, and holiday treats. The event first ran from 1982 to 1992. It returned briefly in 2005. Cedar Fair brought Winterfest back in a big way in 2017.

Fast Lane: Skip the Lines!

Fast Lane was introduced at Kings Island in July 2011. It's a special system that lets you wait less for popular rides. You can buy a wristband to use the Fast Lane queue. This lets you bypass the regular wait line. Only a limited number of wristbands are sold each day. For Halloween Haunt, there's also a "Haunted Attractions Express Pass."

Kings Island's Milestones and Memories

Notable Changes and Additions

• 1977: Screamin' Demon opened. It was one of the first roller coasters in the U.S. to loop both forward and backward.
• 1979: Kings Island unveiled The Beast. It was the world's tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster.
• 1981: The Bat opened as the world's first modern suspended roller coaster. It had mechanical problems and closed in 1983.
• 1982: Winterfest, an annual Christmas event, debuted.
• 1984: King Cobra opened. It was the first roller coaster designed as a stand-up coaster.
• 1987: Vortex was added. It briefly held a world record for its six inversions.
• 1989: WaterWorks opened. This family water park was included with admission.
• 1999: The Action Zone area expanded. It was rethemed as a movie studio backlot. Two new rides, FACE/OFF and Drop Zone: Stunt Tower, opened. Drop Zone set a record for the world's tallest gyro drop.
• 2000: Son of Beast opened in Action Zone. It was the world's tallest, fastest, and only looping wooden roller coaster. A Halloween event called FearFest (later Halloween Haunt) also debuted.
• 2002: Tomb Raider: The Ride opened. It was an indoor ride with special effects. King Cobra was removed.
• 2007: Firehawk, a flying roller coaster, moved to Kings Island from another park.
• 2009: Diamondback, the first roller coaster from Bolliger & Mabillard at Kings Island, opened. Son of Beast closed in June.
• 2010: Planet Snoopy replaced Nickelodeon Universe. All Nickelodeon and Hanna-Barbera themes were removed.
• 2011: WindSeeker, a tower swing ride, opened. Fast Lane was introduced. Dinosaurs Alive! also opened.
• 2012: Boomerang Bay was renamed Soak City and received updates. Son of Beast was removed.
• 2014: Banshee, the world's longest inverted roller coaster, opened.
• 2017: Mystic Timbers, a new wooden coaster, debuted. Winterfest returned after a twelve-year break.
• 2020: Orion was added as the park's first giga coaster. It features a 300-foot drop.
• 2024: Camp Snoopy expanded in Planet Snoopy, adding Snoopy's Soap Box Racers.

Son of Beast (2000–2009) with its vertical loop.

A 2007 aerial view of The Racer (1972), Firehawk (2007–2018) and Flight of Fear (1996).

Diamondback (2009), in its original color scheme.

Notable Events and Appearances

• 1972: Hanna-Barbera filmed parts of The Banana Splits in Hocus Pocus Park at Kings Island.
• 1972: The TV show The Partridge Family filmed an episode called "I Left My Heart in Cincinnati" at the park.
• 1973: The TV show The Brady Bunch filmed an episode called "The Cincinnati Kids" at the park.
• 1974: Karl Wallenda set a world record by walking 1,800 feet on a tightrope.
• October 25, 1975: Evel Knievel successfully jumped 14 buses on his motorcycle. This set a world record of 133 feet.
• May 24, 2008: Robbie Knievel, Evel's son, jumped over 24 trucks in the Kings Island Parking Lot.
• July 4, 2008: Rick Wallenda broke his grandfather Karl's skywalk record. He walked 2,000 feet on a wire from the Eiffel Tower.
• August 31, 2008: Barry Williams, Susan Olsen, and Mike Lookinland from The Brady Bunch returned for a special reunion show.
• August 15, 2009: Nik Wallenda completed a skywalk 262 feet above the ground.
• May 19, 2013: Former Brady Bunch stars Barry Williams, Susan Olsen, and Christopher Knight returned to entertain guests.
• 2022: Kings Island celebrated its 50th Anniversary season!

Famous Former Employees

Many people who worked at Kings Island later became famous!

• Curtis Cregan (actor) – performed in live shows.
• Carmen Electra (singer) – started as a dancer in 1990.
• Woody Harrelson (actor) – worked as a wood carver in high school.
• Justin Jeffre (singer) – performed in a quartet.
• Lewis Johnson (reporter) – was a rides supervisor on The Beast and Racer.
• Nick Lachey (singer) – performed in a quartet.
• Dan Patrick (TV/radio sports host) – worked on the golf course.
• Susan Perkins (1978 Miss America) – performed in live shows.
• Gigi Rice (actress)
• Doug Jones (actor)

Other Cool Places Near Kings Island

Dogstreet Cemetery

Dogstreet Cemetery is a historic cemetery near the Kings Island parking lot. It dates back to 1803. It was featured on the TV show Ghost Hunters in 2012. They investigated stories of a ghost known as "Missouri Jane."

Kings Island Resort Facilities

In 1972, Taft Broadcasting built a golf course, hotel, and campground as part of the Kings Island resort.

• The Golf Center at Kings Island - This includes the 18-hole "Grizzly" and 9-hole "Bruin" golf courses. They were designed by Jack Nicklaus. The "Grizzly" course hosted professional golf tournaments.
• Kings Island Inn – This hotel had 300 rooms and looked like a small alpine village. It had a restaurant, pools, and a conference center. It was even featured in The Partridge Family and The Brady Bunch episodes! The inn closed in 2014.
• Kings Island Campground was a 45-acre campground. It had cabins, RV spots, and tent sites. It closed in 2004. Part of the land was used to build a Great Wolf Lodge.

Camp Cedar

Camp Cedar is a 52-acre outdoor camping resort. It's less than a mile from Kings Island. It opened in 2021 with cottages and RV spaces. Guests can buy special tickets that include access to Kings Island.

Kings Island Greenhouse

The park has its own greenhouse! You can see it from the top of The Bat's lift hill. It grows all the flowers and plants for the park. They create amazing displays, like the "Living Liberty Bell" and the "Flower Clock" near the Eiffel Tower.

Awards and Recognition

Park Attendance

See also

In Spanish: Kings Island para niños

• Incidents at Kings Island