Kings Island

Thank you to our readers for their submissions as we kick off a new feature, the Readers’ Mailbag blog. Without further ado:

My friend says REO Speedwagon was the first act to perform at Timberwolf. I think it was the Oak Ridge Boys. Which one of us is right? – Shane R., Lafayette, IN

Neither one of you is correct.

Kings Island’s Timberwolf Amphitheatre staged its grand opening with Air Supply and Livingston Taylor before a capacity crowd of 10,000 on July 9, 1982. I was among those in attendance and remember it as a beautiful summer night with a nice breeze that kept everyone cool.

How many parking spaces are there in the parking lot? – Jack L., Powell, TN

That’s a great question! The Preferred Parking, Bus/RV, North Upper, North Lower, South Upper, South Lower, Soak City Upper, Associate,, Handicap and VIP lots combine for 10,794 total parking spaces for our guests. The North Lot has the most parking spaces with 2,359.

What attraction holds the record for the most rides in one season? J.C. E., Ashville, OH

The Racer holds the record at Kings Island for the most rides given in one season at Kings Island with 3,681,338 rides during the park’s fifth season in 1976.  It’s the only ride in the park’s history to give over 3 million rides in one season.

When was the pond removed from under the Beast‘s station, and was there a reason for its removal? – Ron F., Fairborn, OH

The pond was removed from around The Beast station leading up to the lift hill prior to the start of the 1987 season. The need for access roads for maintenance and other vehicles to get to The Beast and the Vortex which opened that year was the primary reason for its removal. Many of those who remember riding The Beast when it had the pond miss that element of the ride.

My third grader is doing a school project about roller coasters. She wants to know “What is your most popular roller coaster?” – Melissa D. Kingston, OH

In terms of the number of rides given, Diamondback ranked as the most popular roller coaster in 2018 at Kings Island. The tallest and fastest roller coaster at Kings Island gave over 1.5 million rides last year.

To submit your question for possible inclusion in a future Kings Island Readers’ Mailbag blog, click here.