I was cleaning out a closet and found some pictures of Kings Island from 1996. Included are pics of Klingons, Quick Draw McGraw, Top Gun (with the full color scheme visible), full pictures of King Cobra and a few other rides that are now defunct (Flight Commander, anyone?)...Anyone interested in seeing them? I'll scan and load them this evening, if so.

Please do! I always love looking at pictures of the park's past and would greatly appreciate seeing them, as would many others here I'm sure. Thanks!

That would be amazing to see pictures from the park at that time, please do post them.

I'm reinstalling my scanner software.....I found a picture of the mural for Top Gun (pre-Gillette)

Very nice pictures, good to see some shots of Top Gun as it was and King Cobra. I also noticed that Skylab shot you threw in there as well. Very nice pictures.

These pictures gave me chills...especially the first one with the Top Gun billboard. Smh, back in the good ole days. I vaguely remember the park looking like this. It reminds me of my childhood. :'(

Warning: Geeky post!

Wow, a Klingon and a Romulan on the same midway without fighting each other? Only at PKI did mortal enemies stroll in peace, something the Federation would love to accomplish.

I was there in 1996.... FOF was the new coaster that season.

I remember the whole queue was used at Top Gun.

What a great reminder of the year I made my first visit to Kings Island.

I think those pictures might have been from 1994 or early 1995. Why do I say that? Well, the one picture from the Eiffel Tower that shows Coney Mall still clearly has a maintenance building and no sign of Flight of Fear or even construction of Flight of Fear yet. And Flight of Fear opened in 1996.

Actually, I think your pictures are from two different dates. Some of them are 1994, like this one- the Monorail was removed after 1993, Xtreme Skyflyer was added 1995, so must be in-between. Others show Flight Commander, which was removed end of 1995. However, some are from 1996 or later, like this one- Flight of Fear is obviously in the background.

Now that is a very astute observation! I completely missed that, and I even looked closely at that picture to see the tower for the ride operators for Skylab.

Some are from 1995, with my cousin (the only year she and I went) and some are from 1996..when I went with this guy who ended up asking me to marry him 6 months later

pcc, thanks for sharing the photos...I always love seeing old shots of the park!

Actually, I think your pictures are from two different dates. Some of them are 1994, like this one- the Monorail was removed after 1993, Xtreme Skyflyer was added 1995, so must be in-between. Others show Flight Commander, which was removed end of 1995. However, some are from 1996 or later, like this one- Flight of Fear is obviously in the background.

Oh sure, you can come up with the years...but if you REALLY wanted to impress me you would be able to determine the actual date & time!

Only if she took photos of some fllower gardens near the Eiffel Tower.

pcc, thanks for sharing the photos...I always love seeing old shots of the park!

Actually, I think your pictures are from two different dates. Some of them are 1994, like this one- the Monorail was removed after 1993, Xtreme Skyflyer was added 1995, so must be in-between. Others show Flight Commander, which was removed end of 1995. However, some are from 1996 or later, like this one- Flight of Fear is obviously in the background.

Oh sure, you can come up with the years...but if you REALLY wanted to impress me you would be able to determine the actual date & time!

Hahha, Sadly, I can.

in 1995, it was the last week of June

in 1996, June 16...(I only remember that date because it was the first time a certain someone kissed me....Yes, Kings Island was the beginning of our relationship)

As for time, you got me there

Thanks for the pics - a love seeing things like this to provide some trips down memory lane!

And Ty - wow, you are impressive!

And Ty - wow, you are impressive!

I agree...I just like giving him a hard time.

I have learned to never be amazed at his park history knowledge.

Both Ty and KICoasterGirl amaze me constantly with their encylopaedic knowledge of coasters and parks...

Some are from 1995, with my cousin (the only year she and I went) and some are from 1996..when I went with this guy who ended up asking me to marry him 6 months later

Are you sure about it being 1995? Cause the shot below, Xtreme Skyflyer isn't present, and all sources I can find put its opening in 1995.

Yes, the vat of knowledge that some people can amass is purely amazing. I had a friend trying to stump me on Coney/Kings Island trivia while at Kings Island Friday night while we were stuck on Firehawk for ten minutes.

Yes, to corroborate that Skyflyer did indeed open in 1995, I present this video as evidence:

The video (dated 1995) was shot from near the present day entrance/exit to Delirium looking off towards where Drop Tower is today. You can see part of the support for Skyflyer off to the right at various points throughout the video. (I also thought some of you would like to see this variation of the Clown Band if you had not already. I really wish something like this would return to KI`s entertainment offering during the regular season. It adds a lot to the atmosphere).

Some are from 1995, with my cousin (the only year she and I went) and some are from 1996..when I went with this guy who ended up asking me to marry him 6 months later

Are you sure about it being 1995? Cause the shot below, Xtreme Skyflyer isn't present, and all sources I can find put its opening in 1995.

Yep, my cousin went the year before my hubby and I began dating..we were celebrating the end of our sophomore year.

CoastersRZ's video shows something else I have found interesting, too. Note that the asphalt in that video is NOT blacktop, as in black. One reason blacktop is SO hot is because it is black.

Indeed a correct statement. The black from the asphalt absorbs the sunlight and creates a heat island. Concrete is lighter, and reflects the light not causing the heat island. However, because it can reflect the light better (if it isn`t colored concrete) it can also create more of a glare.

Many new big box stores are installing white roofs now as opposed to black roofs, because the white roofs actually reduce the urban heat island effect, which in turn reduces their cooling needs in the summer.

(See also school bus tops). Really, though, during the Paramount era, slowly all the asphalt in the park became more and more black. I have often wondered why.

Looking through the 1995 album, I do have a picture of Skyflyer...anyone want me to scan it?

^Perhaps you have pictures from three trips then? Because the aerial of Adventure Village is definitely 1994.

And I'd like to see any other pics you have from Kings Island