There are few people in the world who haven’t heard of Paramount’s King’s Island. The park is one of the oldest amusement parks in the country, with rides for every age group. King’s Island is also home to the famous wooden roller coaster named The Beast, which people come from all over the world to ride. They also created Son of Beast, which became the first wooden roller coaster to go upside down. But while many people know of King’s Island, few know of the ghosts that inhabit the park.
One ghost is that of a little girl who is reputed to have died in the park. Her name is not known, but she sometimes wanders through the park after dark, and seems to love the water park especially. People who have seen her, including workers at the park, say that she has blond hair, and wears a blue dress and it quite friendly. She runs onto the tram tracks, causing drivers to stop suddenly and then disappears. People who have seen her place her age as around 6-8 years, and many people think she’s upset at seeing all the children in the park having fun without her. Maybe she should look for the little boy ghost known as “racer boy” who is reputed to wander around the park near the Racers roller coasters, dressed all in white. Guests sometimes ask workers about the little boy wandering around by himself so close to closing.
Another ghost who haunts King’s Island is Tower Johnny, most often seen near the Eiffel Tower. According to the stories Johnny fell from the tower on May 13, 1983, during a Grad Night celebration. He climbed the elevator shaft while celebrating with friends, and fell down the shaft where he died after being cut by cables holding the tower up. Tower Johnny is one of the most popular ghosts at King’s Island, and most odd occurrences are blamed on him. Some people also claim to see him looking back at them from the Tower, or hanging around the fountain in front of the Tower. The story’s began not long after the actual death of a boy named Johnny.
There’s also a ghost who haunts The Beast. Some who ride the roller coaster claim to see glowing red eyes in the woods located near the ride. It is often said to be the spirit of a visitor who died while riding the roller coaster. Another legend says that the park kept the cables that killed Tower Johnny hidden in the woods behind the ride, and the ghostly presence is Johnny expressing his displeasure. The Octopus, and White Water Canyon rides are also rumored to be haunted by people who died while on the rides. The ghost haunting the White Water Canyon was nicknamed “Woody” by park workers who claim he throws rocks at the towers on the ride, both when the ride is operating and after closing.
Another legend claims that a woman fell from the Viking Boat ride, and landed in the water. A man who went to help her out was electrocuted, and still wanders the area. There was also the death of a small boy, who died when he wasn’t properly secured in his seat while on the Flight Commander ride, and fell to the ground. The ride no longer exists. There’s also a story about a Flying Eagle ride where the wire broke, and decapitated a bystander, watching her kids on the ride.
Of the stories attributed to King’s Island, only a few deaths can be verified. On Friday May 13, 1983 the boy was killed in a restricted area of the Eiffel Tower. On June 9. 1991 a woman died after falling out of the Flight Commander ride. Oddly enough her death is often attributed to a small boy, who there’s no proof ever died on the ride, or even in King’s Island. On the same day two men were electrocuted when they tried to save a third man who had fallen in a pond. Notice that the legend surrounding the park blames this death on an elderly woman who fell in the pond. Another death happened to a man on a very old and now gone, not to mention forgotten, attraction known as The Safari Park. He climbed out of his tram, and was attacked by a lion. Sounds odd, but it actually happened in 1976, making it the first real death in King’s Island.
And did you know that King’s Island has its own cemetery? The King’s Island Cemetery is located towards the end of the parking lot, halfway between the campground and park. That was something I discovered in junior high when we stayed at the campground one weekend. The little girl who haunts the park is rumored to be buried inside the cemetery. The cemetery is fairly small, and pretty old with headstones dating back to the late 1840s.
If you’re looking for ghosts in Cincinnati, you might want to start with a trip to Paramount’s King’s Island.
Sources:
http://www.rideaccidents.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kings_Island
www.kicentral.com/forums/index.php?act=findpost&pid;=149395
