1972 - 1976

1972 - 1976. Kings Island. , 1972 , Kings Island opened to the public after two years of construction. The park was built to replace Cincinnati's Coney Island, which was prone to frequent flooding and lacked the necessary room for any major expansion., Kings Island was divided into five themed areas: International Street, Coney Island, Oktoberfest, Rivertown, and The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera., The park's two star attractions were The Racer and Enchanted Voyage. The former was a twin- tracked wooden roller coaster that helped re-ignite America's interest in coasters, the latter a colorful and whimsical voyage through the magical world of Hanna-Barbera cartoons., 1973 , Kings Island's second season included three exciting new rides: the Flying Dutchman and Bayern Kurve rides in Oktoberfest, and Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal log flume in Rivertown., Kings Island welcomed the cast and crew of The Brady Bunch in August, when they filmed an episode of their sitcom at the park. The episode, Cincinnati Kids, remains a fan-favorite., 1974 , Kings Island went wild with the Lion Country Safari, a new 100-acre area that was home to several hundred live and exotic animals. Visitors could observe lions, rhinos, giraffes, and other African creatures from the comfort of an air-conditioned monorail. The attraction would continue to receive enhancements and additions through the years, including new animals from North American and Asian countries., 1975 , The Coney Island area of the park was expanded with two exciting new rides: Troika (later named Shake, Rattle and Roll) and Giant Double Wheel (later named Zodiac). The area was also enhanced with new landscaping and a colorful, patriotic paint job., Daredevil Evel Knievel jumped 14 Greyhound buses in the Kings Island parking lot on October 24. The stunt was broadcast on ABC's Wide World of Sports and garnered an estimated 55 million viewers., 1976 , A new indoor theater, American Heritage Music Hall, opened on International Street in time for America's bicentennial. The first production in the venue was titled We The People. It featured a cast of 16 performers, a nine-piece orchestra, and impressive sets., Elsewhere in the park, America's birthday was celebrated with patriotic floral displays and the transformation of the Flying Scooters ride into Flying Eagles.