Why do they call it Kings Island?

The amusement park's name represented its historical roots and its future. ?Kings? for the location of the park near Kings Mills, Ohio, and ?Island? in reference to the company's Coney Island roots. It would not be until October 14, 1970 that the name would become official.



The name Kings Island was chosen in 1970 through a public "name the park" contest, but its origins are rooted in a mix of geography and history. The park is located in Kings Mills, Ohio, which provided the first half of the name. The "Island" portion was a direct tribute to its predecessor, Coney Island, a popular amusement park on the banks of the Ohio River in Cincinnati. When Coney Island suffered from repeated, devastating floods in the late 1960s, its owners (Taft Broadcasting) decided to move the park's major attractions to a higher, inland location in Warren County. They wanted a name that honored the new location while maintaining a brand connection to the beloved park they were leaving behind. Thus, "Kings" (for the town) and "Island" (for Coney Island) were combined. Since its opening in 1972, the park has kept this name as a bridge between its historical roots in Cincinnati and its new identity as one of the premier theme park destinations in the Midwest.

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The Kings Island Resort originally opened as the Kings Island Inn in 1972. It was one of two hotels that made up the Kings Island complex. The hotel featured over 300 rooms, on-site dining options, conference center, pool, gymnasium, and more.

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It proved a good place to ride out a pandemic. King Island did not record a COVID-19 case among its population of fewer than 2,000 people until January 2022.

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But by the 1970s, no one lived here year-round; most residents had moved to Nome, on the mainland. While several forces drove the migration, King Islanders say a main cause was the decision by the Bureau of Indian Affairs to close a school it ran on the island in the late 1950s.

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Early in its history, Kings Island appeared in popular sitcoms and received widespread recognition for its record-breaking attractions and events. One of the park's most well-known attractions, The Racer, is often credited with reviving worldwide interest in roller coasters during the 1970s.

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Rather than interfere with the burial grounds, Kings Island officials elected instead to simply build their amusement park around the small cemetery. Today, legend has it that those same officials inadvertently paved over a grave when creating what is now the park's guest parking lot, resulting in an agitated spirit.

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These celebrities worked at Kings Island before becoming famous
  • Woody Harrelson, who acted on the “Cheers” TV series, is one of those people. ...
  • Susan Perkins, 1978 Miss America: Worked at the park as a live show performer. ...
  • Dan Patrick, TV/radio sports host: Was an actor on the train in 1972.


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Weekdays (Monday-Thursday) are historically least crowded during the summer season in June, July, and August. Weekends, especially Saturdays, attract more tourists and vacationers. The Halloween event tends to be more manageable earlier in the season, especially in September.

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Orion is Kings Island's Tallest, Fastest and Longest Steel Roller Coaster.

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In the last 50 years, the park has been owned by Taft Broadcasting, Kings Entertainment Co., American Financial Corp., Paramount Communications, and Cedar Fair, the current owners. Cedar Fair purchased Kings Island in 2006 for a reported $1.24 billion.

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