Popular Kings Island ride closes permanently
A popular Kings Island’s ride at their Soak City water park closed permanently and will not be opening for the 2023 summer season.
“Pipeline Paradise was one of the last of a kind in the world, a surf simulator that made it feel as if you were riding a real ocean wave,” WCPO wrote.
“Pipeline Paradise” was scheduled to be dismantled after maintenance costs and reliability issues forced the company to fully retire the ride this year, General Manager Mike Koontz confirmed the news to surfing clubs and groups.
Koontz submitted a letter, in part, stating, “after 24 years, a decision was made to decommission Pipeline Paradise because it has reached the end of its service life,” according to WCPO. Koontz continued by stating that the closing was a “hard decision.”
Unfortunately, fans were not allowed to have any “farewell rides” as the attraction was decommissioned prior to the 2023 season opening, causing disappointment among locals.
“Many Cincinnati surfers have purchased their own custom boogie boards to ride this wave,” Mike Maynard said.
“The Retro, the most challenging of the two rides, is unique, and is one of the last Retro flowriders in the world as other parks have removed it (such as Hurricane Harbor in Texas),” Maynard explained. “Many families purchase boards and season passes at KI just for this one ride, and riders have flown to Cincinnati from Texas just to ride the Retro.”
The dismantling of the ride comes after their decision to close Vortex in 2018.
