history & science

Riding History to the Limits - The Concept

As early as 1964, the design and concept of a groundbreaking amusement park was growing in the mind of an ambitious young man by the name of Gary Wachs. Until this time modern amusement parks were leaving roller coasters and other thrill rides out of their parks. Gary Wachs knew that bringing back the thrill to amusement parks was a path that would be as profitable as it was popular in the future of entertainment. After a five year struggle, Gary finally got to see his dream materialize and eventually opened to the public in 1972, Kings Island. In this program, we sit down with Gary to learn first hand how Kings Island went from a glimmer in Gary’s eye, to the multi-million dollar park it is today. We will tell you how Gary brought back the rollercoaster to parks in the United States, and how Disney played a role in the birth of this park. Kings Island has set a precedent in the American amusement park industry and has given millions of park goer's memories that will last a lifetime.

Recorded 8/26/2009 at Various Locations
Length: 23 minutes