^  That's a really great design Tb.  I like the proposes that matthunteross and Aintnutinelse2do gave too.  I think everyone would fall in love with Kings Island all over again with any of them. 

Thanks, Imperial!

 

I also added earth-tone rocks to the fountains, rounded out the shapes a bit, and put a nice, stately bridge over them which, when viewed from street level, would resemble the architecture of the Grand Stand in front of the tower, without taking away from the "view" too much. The hexagonal building with the pathways is supposed to be a La Rosa's that draws crowds away from the main midway, and allows them to eat under a huge pavilion (it's about the size of the Chicken Shack complex, visible at left), vs. shop-blocking lines or congestion formed when folks choose to line up perpendicular to the entrance of that favorite eatery. I had some "table parasols" dotting the grassy area, but it looked too cluttered. Just some interchangeable concepts I throw around every now and again.

If they moved the front gate up more, they would need new to incorporate areas for guests to purchase tickets if they need to. 

Why not? Here's the more 'finished' version (although, it's really just 'sandbox mode')... This time there's an electric tram circuit getting ready to drop off guests, and a few other little changes. 

 

Do you have anyway to view it from the ground level looking at the entrance and tower? 

No, I did this in a 2-D overlay. However, Google Earth now has Kings Island's landmarks, trees and buildings in glorious 3-D, which you can tilt back and, depending on how powerful your graphics are, watch as all your familiar park objects come into view, and stay in correct aspect as you "move" the camera around! (Banshee looks a little taller, wooden and inversionless, though)  .

I think it would be cool if Kings Island got like a magical woodlands style front gate with nice woodwork.

I like the idea of moving the gate out. It opens up that area quite a bit. Makes an alternate path into Action Zone as well. You'd have to account for the loss of two merch locations, a bathroom, lockers and the season pass processing though. Not sure what all to the right of the current building is necessary, but there is quite a bit of room there that gets opened up. 

A bit of a bump but was playing around in Sketchup and decided to update one of my front gate ideas.  This time with a representation of a front gate coaster. 

 

I like it! It still delivers that mystery feel as you are going in. I think you could put that facade in the front where the roofing is now and it would look nice as well.  

Thanks that's pretty much what I was going for using the existing roofline. I however was using mostly memory and Google maps when drawing and since I only get up there once every year or so what it looks like currently isn't very fresh in the mind.

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On 10/8/2015 at 8:42 PM, Thrill_Biscuit said:

Why not? Here's the more 'finished' version (although, it's really just 'sandbox mode')... This time there's an electric tram circuit getting ready to drop off guests, and a few other little changes. 

 

This is probably my favorite concept

I especially appreciate the bridge over the Royal Fountain!!

Here's a newer render of the rear side of the main entrance idea.   My laptop lacks some capability so it could be better for sure but the idea is conveyed.

Here's a newer render of the rear side of the main entrance idea.   My laptop lacks some capability so it could be better for sure but the idea is conveyed.

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I think the mystery of the Front gate is an asset, to Kings Island, I t.fhink sn update  is great. 

As shown in the renderings here, I think there is a way to modernize it a bit without compromising the mystery of the front gate.

I personally am for a renovation of the building. But I don't think a new front gate would do too much. Being in admissions one grows accustomed to their work environment. And the front gate plaza area definitely serves it's purpose well. Handles enough crowds. A bit of a modernization would make an already good but dated design perfect.

On 6/4/2012 at 6:24 PM, The Interpreter said:

More Flags

More Fun

And now Terpy better run!

Go Big.

Thrills Connect.

Or something!

What does this mean?

6 hours ago, Tera Ryzing said:

What does this mean?

Its a Terp thing

1 hour ago, SonofBaconator said:

Its a Terp thing

You literally had to interpret what he was saying sometimes!

19 hours ago, AintNutinElse2Do said:

Here's a newer render of the rear side of the main entrance idea.   My laptop lacks some capability so it could be better for sure but the idea is conveyed.

I do really like this design. It keeps the overall feel of the current entrance with the underpass and hidden view of the park so you get the "big reveal" walking in. The update to the restaurant is great too, especially love the balcony/patio seating too. The structure that evokes a front gate coaster is nice too. Looks good and fits the park, and can kind of give that feel without actually putting a front gate coaster in. It is a nice architectural design as well for a good aesthetic.

2 hours ago, IndyGuy4KI said:

You literally had to interpret what he was saying sometimes!

SOB terping the Terp

Thanks for the feedback everyone.   I really would like to create a truer representation if anyone has some photo's I could reference and want to send them to me it'd be much appreciated.  Pictures of the entrance from the front are fairly easy to find but sides and angles would really help greatly.  Interior areas an extra bonus.   Also if anyone has some ideas to tweak the idea or something else you'd like to see the building do (example I've thought about including a performance balcony on either the front or rear)  let me know I like playing around with this stuff.   No deadlines though I'm not getting paid for this.  

I think the building is good, but needs an update.  Using shingles as siding has a certain 70's charm, but I'm not a fan.  With the park embracing international street as a showplace with the light show to go with the fireworks and the circus act they has last year, I think adding a deck would be great.  A rooftop viewing area may be a good add, or maybe not because of sightlines over the international street facades.  

^I like where you're thinking.  If you angle structures in a way you can force the eye to focus away from undesirable objects.  I'll definitely consider this in the next drawing.  However the option to beautify rooftops also exists. Maybe a mix of both?

For anyone that was old enough to remember visiting the park in '72, did everything seem so modern back then?  I feel like a lot of the stuff (front gate included) have a very 70's vibe.  I've always wondered if that's how people will look at things like greys and earth tones that are popular now in 20 or 30 years.

I don't remember things before the 80s (I was born in 76) but I remember thinking as a child that Kings Island was much older than it actually is. This was mostly influenced by the architecture and costumes in River Town and International Street, and to some extent, even Coney Mall, I assume. So much of the park has always meant to transport guests to a different time and/or place, like in the case of the former Adventure Village, that it doesn't feel "dated" in an out-of-style way.

So much stuff in my life was 1970s modern when I was a kid in the 80s, that it faded to the background for me and made no impression. But thinking back, and looking at now, the only thing at the park that still really screams 1970s is the shape of that shingled front wall (and it being shingled, for that matter). They have done their best in recent years to sort of hide it, with advertising in the summer and the house at Haunt and Winterfest, but I really think that removing it and putting in either giant screens or even just a blank wall is really the only updating that building needs. 

Going to Holiday World for the first time recently (even though it is a great park) really made me appreciate the drama of Kings Island's entrance blocking view of the park, then stepping into a whole new fantastic world on the other side. Holiday World's entrance gate and courtyard on the other side said to me "well, you're here, I guess."

I honestly think KI needs to raze the existing front gate, ticket booth, pass processing center, and old pass entrance. Build a brand new optimized front gate. I think they can still keep the element of surprise with a tall gate, but the current gate served its purpose in its day, time to replace it.


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