Kings Island Central has been abuzz about all the improvements Kings Island has been doing for their 50th anniversary season in 2022. To say we are just sightly happy and somewhat excited would be an understatement. KIC keeps a detailed timeline of park history (click here to start in 1969) and the list of items for the 2022 season continues to grow, and we are still 2 months away to opening day on April 16th.

Before the season ended in 2021 KIC members noticed that the band organ has been totally removed from the ride. We learned in December that Kings Island was having the Wurlitzer #157 Organ restored. Details  The Wurlitzer Duplex Orchestral Military Band Organ Style #157 was built in 1918 and was originally used on a carousel at Ocean Grove, New Jersey.  It was purchased in 1964 by Paul Eakins and completely restored.  It was then placed on PTC #79 when it was moved from Coney Island to Kings Island.  It is hard to believe when seeing it on the ride, but the organ stands nearly 8 1/2 feet tall, over 12 feet wide and nearly four feet deep.

On Feb 24th the park revealed that they were restoring the Grand Carousel along with the other exciting improvements for the 2022 season. The Grand Carousel opened in 1926. The carousel has 48 hand-carved horses, of those, 28 move up and down. We learned on the KIBlog that the All Around Carousels, LTD has been on site at Kings Island restoring the carousel horses and chariots. They have been busy sanding, cleaning, cutting out bad joints, repairing hoofs and tails, replacing jewels, touching up paint and varnishing to restore the ride and make it look new once again.

Kings Island Central is very excited to see the PTC Grand Counsel when the park opens for its 50th Anniversary season in 2022 on April 16th.  We apricate all that Cedar Fair has been doing to keep Kings Island looking great.

 

 

 

All Around Carousels, LTD in action:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/local12.com/amp/news/local/kings-islands-oldest-ride-to-undergo-major-restoration-amusement-park-grand-carousel-coney-island-philadelphia-toboggan-company-history-family-kids-entertainment-attraction-mason-cincinnati-ohio

The carousel opened in 1926. That’s a widely accepted fact. 2022 is 96 years later. The carousel is 96. Are you following along? 

Here is a citation from the park itself:

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/rides-experiences/grand-carousel

Here is the article about the restoration, also citing 1926; which, if my math is correct - and feel free to correct me - was 96 years ago. 

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2022/february/kings-islands-grand-carousel-undergoing-major-restoration

Now, here is the media reporting that the carousel is 94:

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2022/02/26/kings-islands-grand-carousel-get-major-restoration/6953680001/

https://dayton247now.com/news/local/kings-islands-oldest-ride-to-undergo-major-restoration-amusement-park-grand-carousel-coney-island-philadelphia-toboggan-company-history-family-kids-entertainment-attraction-mason-cincinnati-ohio

So, I can see three possibilities:

1. The years 2020 and 2021 were struck from the records because of COVID. The mask mandates, truncated seasons, and opening of Orion were all manufactured by Mike Koontz in an attempt for himself and his senior staff to retire two years early. 
 

2. The carousel was opened during a leap year so it’s actually about to turn 25 and we’ve had it wrong all along. 
 

3. The media was told incorrect information and now the park looks incompetent because they can’t do simple third grade math. 

 

 

 

 

When it took its excursion down the river, how long did it take them to bring it back to Coney to rebuild it?

21 hours ago, BoddaH1994 said:

1. The years 2020 and 2021 were struck from the records because of COVID. The mask mandates, truncated seasons, and opening of Orion were all manufactured by Mike Koontz in an attempt for himself and his senior staff to retire two years early. 

This seems like the most reasonable assumption. I'm gonna go ahead and blindly assume this has all been Big Coaster at work.

29 minutes ago, TombRaiderFTW said:

This seems like the most reasonable assumption. I'm gonna go ahead and blindly assume this has all been Big Coaster at work.

People will laugh at us, but it has happened before.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_time_hypothesis

It's that common core math, estimating theory edition