History of Kings Island in Timeline
Kings Island is a 364-acre amusement park in Mason, Ohio, northeast of Cincinnati. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting as an expansion of Coney Island, it's now owned and operated by Six Flags. The park features over a hundred attractions, including fifteen roller coasters, and a 33-acre water park called Soak City. Significant investments have been made to grow the park over the years, making it a popular destination in the region.
1 hour ago : Kings Island Starbucks unveils Phantom Theater-themed 'secret menu' drinks, a delightful surprise.
Kings Island's Starbucks introduced a Phantom Theater-inspired 'secret menu,' featuring themed drinks like 'Opening Nightmare' and other creative concoctions, offering park visitors a unique beverage experience. The menu is limited.
1926: Grand Carousel Built
In 1926, the Grand Carousel was built and originally located at Coney Island before being moved to International Street.
1964: Coney Island Flood
In 1964, Coney Island suffered a major flood, which triggered discussions about relocating the park.
1968: Fess Parker Announces Theme Park Plans
In 1968, actor Fess Parker announced plans to build a theme park in Northern Kentucky, prompting Coney Island to seriously consider relocation.
July 1969: Taft Broadcasting Purchases Coney Island
In July 1969, Taft Broadcasting Company purchased Coney Island for $6.5 million and 1,600 acres in Warren County, Ohio, for $3.2 million.
June 15, 1970: Construction Begins on Kings Island
On June 15, 1970, construction began on Kings Island.
April 29, 1972: Kings Island Opens to the Public
On April 29, 1972, Kings Island opened its gates to the public for the first of several preview events.
May 27, 1972: Kings Island Grand Opening
The grand opening of Kings Island was held on May 27, 1972.
1972: International Street Opens
In 1972, International Street opened as one of the park's original staples. It was designed by Bruce Bushman.
1972: Park's Grand Opening
In 1972, Kings Island held its grand opening with sixty attractions. The original themed areas included Coney Island (now Coney Mall), Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera (now Planet Snoopy), International Street, Oktoberfest, and Rivertown. Park operations required 1,300 employees.
1972: Coney Island Section Opens
In 1972, Kings Island opened with a section dedicated to its predecessor, Coney Island. The area featured relocated flat rides and The Racer.
1972: Les Taxis Opens
In 1972, Les Taxis opened at Kings Island. In 2019, Kings Mills Antique Autos, designed to resemble the retired Les Taxis, returned.
1972: Resort Construction
In 1972, Taft Broadcasting Company built a golf course, hotel and campground as part of the Kings Island resort.
1972: The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera Opens
In 1972, The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera opened with the park and was later shortened to Hanna-Barbera Land. One of the area's flagship attractions was a junior wooden roller coaster named Scooby Doo.
1972: The Partridge Family Filmed at Kings Island
In 1972, The Partridge Family filmed an episode on location at Kings Island.
1972: Opening Day Attractions
In 1972, on opening day, Kings Island featured The Racer, Bavarian Beetle, Scooby Doo (junior wooden coaster), and Enchanted Voyage.
1973: Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal Addition
In 1973, Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal, an elevated log flume ride, was added to the Rivertown section of Kings Island.
1973: The Brady Bunch Filmed at Kings Island
In 1973, The Brady Bunch filmed an episode on location at Kings Island.
1974: Lion Country Safari Opens
In 1974, Action Zone opened as Lion Country Safari, featuring a monorail ride through an animal preservation.
1974: Karl Wallenda Sets Tightrope Skywalk Record
In 1974, Karl Wallenda set a world record for the longest tightrope skywalk at Kings Island, covering 1,800 feet at 60 feet off the ground.
1975: Zodiac Debuts
In 1975, Zodiac debuted as a "spinning, climbing double ferris wheel".
1977: Renaming to Wild Animal Safari and Screamin' Demon Opening
In 1977, Lion Country Safari was renamed Wild Animal Safari. Also in 1977, the Screamin' Demon, the first steel looping roller coaster to run both forward and backward in the United States, opened.
1979: The Beast Roller Coaster Opens
In 1979, Kings Island opened The Beast, which was the tallest, fastest, and longest wooden roller coaster in the world at the time.
1980: Area Renamed Old Coney
In 1980, the Coney Island section was renamed Old Coney.
1981: The Bat Roller Coaster Opens
In 1981, The Bat, the first modern-day suspended roller coaster, opened at Kings Island.
1982: Viking Fury Opens
In 1982, Viking Fury, a swinging pirate ship ride, opened in Oktoberfest.
1982: Winterfest Debuts
In 1982, Winterfest, an annual Christmas-themed holiday festival, debuted at Kings Island.
1982: The Racer Trains Run Backward
In 1982, the south track of The Racer began running its trains backward to appease frustrated guests.
1983: Area rebrands as Wild Animal Habitat
In 1983, the area became known as Wild Animal Habitat and included Adventure Village.
1984: Enchanted Voyage becomes Smurf's Enchanted Voyage
In 1984, Enchanted Voyage was overhauled and became Smurf's Enchanted Voyage.
1984: King Cobra Opens
In 1984, King Cobra, a stand-up looping roller coaster and the first of its kind in the world, opened.
1984: Taft Sells Theme Park Division
In 1984, Taft sold its theme park division to Kings Entertainment Company (KECO) for $167.5 million.
1986: Zodiac Removed and Skylab Added
In 1986, the Zodiac ride was removed, and the Skylab flat ride was added.
1987: Kings Island Sold to American Financial Corporation
In 1987, Kings Island was sold individually to American Financial Corporation, led by Carl Lindner.
1987: Screamin' Demon Closes
In 1987, the Screamin' Demon roller coaster closed.
1989: KECO Purchases Great America
In 1989, KECO added Great America to its portfolio after purchasing it from the city of Santa Clara, California.
1989: Water park addition
In 1989, Kings Island added a water park to its attractions.
1989: Zodiac Reopens in Sydney
In 1989, the Zodiac ride reopened in Wonderland Sydney.
1990: Days of Thunder Film Release
In 1990, the film Days of Thunder was released, which later became the theme for a ride at Kings Island in 1994.
1991: Adventure Express Opens
In 1991, Adventure Express opened in what would later be a part of the Oktoberfest section. In 2023, Adventure Express would receive theming enhancements.
1992: Paramount's Acquisition
Following Paramount's acquisition of Kings Island in 1992, Coney Mall was expanded in 1994.
1992: Paramount Buys KECO and Kings Island
In 1992, Paramount Communications Inc. purchased KECO along with Kings Island from American Financial in a deal worth $400 million.
1992: Smurf's Enchanted Voyage becomes Phantom Theater
In 1992, Smurf's Enchanted Voyage was transformed into Phantom Theater.
1992: Winterfest Ends Run
In 1992, Winterfest ended its annual run at Kings Island.
1993: Paramount Buys Remaining Stake in Canada's Wonderland
In 1993, Paramount bought out the remaining 80% stake in Canada's Wonderland, raising the total number of parks to five.
1993: Top Gun Roller Coaster Unveiled
In 1993, Top Gun, a suspended roller coaster from Arrow Dynamics, was unveiled and was the first ride to be added to the park with a Paramount theme.
1994: Days of Thunder Ride Added
In 1994, Coney Mall was further expanded with the addition of Days of Thunder, a NASCAR-themed motion simulator ride.
1994: Viacom Acquires Paramount
In 1994, Viacom acquired Paramount, paving the way for the inclusion of Nickelodeon themes at Kings Island.
1995: Nickelodeon Splat City Added
In 1995, Nickelodeon Splat City, an interactive splash pad area, was added to Kings Island.
1996: Flight of Fear Introduced
In 1996, Area 72 first opened as a small subsection of Coney Mall when Flight of Fear was introduced.
1997: Mason Annexes Most of Kings Island
In 1997, the city of Mason annexed most of Kings Island.
1999: Action Zone Renaming and New Attractions
In 1999, Action Zone's two-year expansion initiative began. The area was renamed Action Zone, and Drop Zone: Stunt Tower and Face/Off were added.
1999: Evel Knievel's Jump Record Broken
In 1999, the world record previously set by Evel Knievel at Kings Island for jumping fourteen Greyhound buses was broken.
2000: Son of Beast Opens
In 2000, Son of Beast opened as the tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world and the first of its kind to feature a vertical loop.
2000: FearFest Debuts
In 2000, the Halloween-themed event at Kings Island debuted as FearFest.
2000: Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal Closes
The elevated log flume ride, Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal, ceased operation at the end of the 2000 season.
2001: Golden Ticket Award
In 2001, Kings Island was awarded with the Golden Ticket Award for "Best Kids' Area in the World".
2001: Kings Island wins "Best Kids' Area" Award
In 2001, Kings Island won a Golden Ticket Award for "Best Kids' Area" at Amusement Today.
2001: The Wild Thornberrys River Adventure and Rugrats Runaway Reptar
In 2001, Kings Mills Log Flume was updated with a children's theme and renamed The Wild Thornberrys River Adventure. The Rugrats Runaway Reptar family inverted roller coaster was introduced the same year. The Nickelodeon-themed area was renamed Nickelodeon Central.
2001: Nickelodeon Central added
In 2001, Nickelodeon Splat City evolved into Nickelodeon Central.
2001: King Cobra Closes
In 2001, the King Cobra stand-up looping roller coaster closed.
2002: Tomb Raider: The Ride Opens
In 2002, Tomb Raider: The Ride, a heavily themed indoor flat ride (later renamed The Crypt), opened at Kings Island, replacing Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal.
2003: Delirium Opens
In 2003, Delirium opened as the largest Giant Frisbee ride in the world.
2003: Phantom Theater becomes Scooby Doo and the Haunted Castle
In 2003, Phantom Theater was changed to Scooby Doo and the Haunted Castle.
2004: Cedar Fair Acquires Geauga Lake
In 2004, Cedar Fair had recently acquired Geauga Lake from Six Flags.
2004: WaterWorks Renamed Crocodile Dundee's Boomerang Bay
In 2004, WaterWorks was renamed Crocodile Dundee's Boomerang Bay, based on the film "Crocodile" Dundee, and Paul Hogan was hired to promote the revamped water park.
2004: Les Taxis Closes
In 2004, the Les Taxis ride closed. In 2019, Kings Mills Antique Autos, designed to resemble the retired Les Taxis, returned.
2005: Kings Island Still Owns Land
As of 2005, Kings Island still owned 773 acres of the land purchased in 1969.
2005: Headstone Count in Dogstreet Cemetery
As of 2005, only 52 headstones remained in Dogstreet Cemetery.
2005: Viacom Splits into Two Companies
In 2005, Viacom split into two companies, Viacom and CBS Corporation, with CBS inheriting Paramount Parks.
2005: Brief Return of Winterfest
Winterfest had a brief return in 2005 at Kings Island.
January 2006: CBS Decides to Sell Paramount Parks
In January 2006, CBS made the decision to sell its theme park division, Paramount Parks.
June 30, 2006: Cedar Fair Acquires Paramount Parks
On June 30, 2006, CBS announced the sale of Paramount Parks to Cedar Fair for $1.24 billion, including Kings Island.
2006: Cedar Fair's Purchase
Following Cedar Fair's purchase of the park from Paramount in 2006, Nickelodeon-themed elements were eventually removed.
2006: Nickelodeon Universe Incorporation
In 2006, Hanna-Barbera Land was renamed Nickelodeon Universe, incorporating Nickelodeon Central.
2006: Nickelodeon Central Rebranded
In 2006, Nickelodeon Central evolved into Nickelodeon Universe.
2006: Camp Snoopy and Rivertown Borders
In 2006, the Camp Snoopy subsection of Planet Snoopy incorporated a section of Planet Snoopy that borders Rivertown, which was formerly known as Nickelodeon Central prior to 2006. Several existing attractions located in this area were renamed in the process.
2007: X-Base Expansion
In 2007, Area 72 expanded following the addition of Firehawk and was labeled X-Base.
2007: FearFest Renamed Halloween Haunt
In 2007, the name of the Halloween-themed event at Kings Island was changed from FearFest to Halloween Haunt.
2008: Paramount Branding Removed
In 2008, Cedar Fair began removing Paramount branding from Kings Island, renaming Face/Off to Invertigo, The Italian Job Stunt Track to Backlot Stunt Coaster, Tomb Raider: The Ride to The Crypt and Top Gun to Flight Deck.
2008: The Racer Trains Run Forward Again
In 2008, The Racer stopped running its trains backward, reverting to the original layout.
2009: Diamondback Roller Coaster Opens
In 2009, Kings Island opened Diamondback, its first roller coaster from Bolliger & Mabillard. The 230-foot-tall hypercoaster reaches a top speed of 80 mph and features a splashdown water effect finale.
2009: Son of Beast Closes
In 2009, Son of Beast closed permanently due to a number of structural issues and two accidents.
February 8, 2010: Mason City Council Voted Against Tax
On February 8, 2010, Mason City Council voted 5–1 against the proposed tax measure.
2010: Nickelodeon Universe Renamed Planet Snoopy
In 2010, Cedar Fair completed the transition away from Nickelodeon branding by renaming Nickelodeon Universe to Planet Snoopy.
2010: Planet Snoopy Introduced
In 2010, Nickelodeon-themed elements were replaced with Peanuts comic strip themes, and Nickelodeon Universe became known as Planet Snoopy.
2010: Scooby Doo and the Haunted Castle becomes Boo Blasters on Boo Hill
In 2010, Scooby Doo and the Haunted Castle was changed to Boo Blasters on Boo Hill.
July 2011: Fast Lane Introduced
In July 2011, Kings Island introduced Fast Lane, a secondary queue system offering shorter wait times on the park's most popular rides.
September 2, 2011: $10-Million Water Park Expansion Announced
On September 2, 2011, Kings Island announced a $10-million expansion of the water park for the 2012 season, as well as a plan to rename it Soak City.
2011: The Crypt Closes
In 2011, The Crypt, formerly known as Tomb Raider: The Ride, closed permanently at Kings Island.
2011: WindSeeker Added
In 2011, WindSeeker, a 301-foot-tall swing ride, was added to Coney Mall.
January 11, 2012: Ghost Hunters Episode
On January 11, 2012, the amusement park and cemetery were featured on season 8, episode 1 of Ghost Hunters entitled Roller Ghoster. The show investigated claims of haunted occurrences inside the park and around the cemetery, particularly of a ghost reportedly known as "Missouri Jane."
2012: Boomerang Bay Renamed Soak City
In 2012, Boomerang Bay was renamed Soak City.
2013: Action Theater Closes
In 2013, Action Theater, which housed the Days of Thunder ride and later updated shows, closed.
2013: Kings Dominion Planet Snoopy Expansion
In 2013, Kings Dominion doubled the size of its Planet Snoopy section.
2014: Banshee Opens
In 2014, Banshee, the world's longest inverted roller coaster, opened at the former location of Son of Beast.
August 2016: Mystic Timbers Announced
In August 2016, Kings Island announced plans to build Mystic Timbers, a 109-foot-tall wooden roller coaster.
2016: Tropical Plunge Added to Soak City
In 2016, Tropical Plunge, a seven-story water slide complex, was added to Soak City.
2017: Expansion of attractions
By 2017, the park had grown from the original sixty attractions in 1972 to more than a hundred attractions.
2017: Mystic Timbers Wins "Best New Ride"
In 2017, Kings Island won a Golden Ticket Award from Amusement Today for "Best New Ride" for Mystic Timbers.
2017: Mystic Timbers Opens
In 2017, Mystic Timbers, a 109-foot-tall wooden roller coaster, opened at Kings Island. The new ride added 3,265 feet of track, bringing the park's wooden coaster total to 18,804 feet.
2017: Winterfest Returns
In 2017, Winterfest returned to Kings Island after a long hiatus, showcasing over 5 million color-changing lights and dozens of live performances each night.
2018: Golden Ticket Award Won
In 2018, Kings Island was awarded with the Golden Ticket Award for "Best Kids' Area in the World" for the eighteenth consecutive year.
2018: Kings Island Wins "Best Kids' Area" for 18th Year
In 2018, Kings Island won a Golden Ticket Award for "Best Kids' Area" for the eighteenth consecutive year (2001–2018).
August 2019: Orion Plans Unveiled
In August 2019, Kings Island unveiled plans to build Orion, the park's first giga coaster.
2019: Kings Mills Antique Autos Return
For the 2019 season, Kings Mills Antique Autos returned to Coney Mall as a new attraction.
2020: Area 72 Renamed
For the 2020 season, the area was renamed Area 72 and added to the official park map for the first time.
2020: Orion Giga Coaster Opens
In 2020, Orion, a $30-million giga coaster, opened at Kings Island as the largest single investment in park history.
2021: Camp Cedar Opens
Camp Cedar, a 52-acre outdoor camping resort located near Kings Island, initially opened in 2021 with 73 cottages and 164 RV spaces.
2021: Kings Island Attendance Ranking
In 2021, Kings Island had an estimated 3.18 million guests, ranking third in attendance among seasonal amusement parks in North America.
2023: Cedar Fair Ends Partnership
In 2023, Cedar Fair ended its partnership with Kings Island Camp Cedar, which was subsequently renamed Camp Cedar.
2023: Adventure Port Opens
In 2023, Kings Island opened the newly themed Adventure Port area, which introduced family rides Sol Spin and Cargo Loco.
2023: Oktoberfest Split to Create Adventure Port
In 2023, part of Oktoberfest was renovated and split off to become Adventure Port.
July 1, 2024: Cedar Fair and Six Flags Merger Completed
On July 1, 2024, a merger of equals between Cedar Fair and Six Flags was completed, creating Six Flags Entertainment Corporation.
2024: Themed area expansion
By 2024, Kings Island had expanded from the original five themed areas in 1972 to nine. The latest additions were Area 72, Adventure Port and Camp Snoopy.
2024: Fright Lane Offered for Halloween Haunt
For a period of time through the 2024 season, Kings Island offered Fright Lane passes – for Halloween Haunt attractions only – that operated similarly to Fast Lane.
2024: Camp Snoopy Debuts
For the 2024 season, Kings Island expanded Planet Snoopy with the addition of a new themed subsection named Camp Snoopy, which debuted a new roller coaster called Snoopy's Soap Box Racers.
2025: Soak City Expands
In 2025 Kings Island expanded Soak City with the addition of RiverRacers, a dual-racing water coaster, and Splash River Junction, a new children's water play area.
2025: Backlot Stunt Coaster Renamed
In 2025, Backlot Stunt Coaster was renamed Queen City Stunt Coaster, referencing the nickname for Cincinnati and featuring some minor theming updates.
2025: Fright Lane Renamed
In 2025, the Fright Lane was renamed the "Haunted Attractions Express Pass".
2026: Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare to Open
In 2026, Kings Island will open Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare, a revival of the original Phantom Theater attraction.
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