Evan Ponstingle and the book ‘Kings Island: A Ride Through Time’

Published following the 48th year of park operation, we look this day to the Evan Ponstingle book Kings Island: A Ride Through Time. Kings Island is a regional amusement park located 24 miles (39 kilometers) northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Featuring rides that today include The Beast, Banshee, Diamondback and Orion, the park first opened in the spring of 1972.

(Author Evan Ponstingle pictured in front of the 314-foot tall Eiffel Tower at Kings Island).

This history offered a well researched, chronologically delivered history of the park born as an amusement park to replace flood prone Coney Island of Anderson Township, Ohio along the banks of the Ohio River. The early work of Gary Wachs and final Coney Island president Ralph Wachs to secure investor Taft Broadcasting Company to invest in the new park, which would later be named Kings Island, brought the park into existence. It was the Hanna-Barbera animation studio and production company as owned by Taft that brought an interest in opening the new park on the Mason property. A popular early attraction for Kings Island was the John C. Allen designed The Racer.

(The Enchanted Voyage at Kings Island operated from the park’s opening in 1972 through 1983).

The book itself takes the reader through the initial decision-making, marketing and investment in the park to bring about the opening. A season-by-season review of the park, along with new investments and inevitable changes gave an appreciated perspective to the growth and philosophies that fed into the popularity of the park through time. The ebb and flow of live entertainment, including externally focused visits from The Partridge Family, The Brady Bunch, Karl Wallenda, Evel Knievel and more, were recapped through the ownership groups that punctuated the park’s history.

(Originally named Top Gun at its opening in 1993 as part of Paramount’s Kings Island, the ride became Flight Deck in 2008 and The Bat in 2014).

The three primary ownership periods for the park began with the Taft Broadcasting and KECO (Kings Entertainment Company) years, from 1972 to 1992. The Paramount years ran from 1992 to 2006. The Cedar Fair years commenced in 2006 and remained in play through the publication of Kings Island: A Ride Through Time. Hearing about how management approached the park’s philosophy, theming, investment and entertainment like Halloween Haunt and Winterfest were as interesting as the new or removed attractions, the last sections of the book offered an in-depth focus on the theming and development that occurred in advance of the opening of Mystic Timbers and Orion roller coasters.

(The Great Pumpkin Coaster has operated at Kings Island with that name since 2010).

Overall, the reminiscing that I was able to enjoy in looking back at Kings Island provided me much joy. This contributes to my granting the Evan Ponstingle book Kings Island: A Ride Through Time 4-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Wednesday, May 29, 2024