Kings Island announces Adventure Port for 2023
Adventure Port, a new themed land, will open in 2023 at Kings Island theme park in Mason, Ohio. The area will include two new rides and the reimagining of a classic favorite, the Adventure Express mine train coaster.
By Blake Taylor
The land will use the backstory of Adventure Express as its starting point for a grander narrative told among its new attractions and accompanying theming. As the story goes, explorers frequently travel to Adventure Port in search of a forbidden temple, but often disappear for reasons unknown.
As guests become explorers themselves and traverse Adventure Port, they’ll discover new rides to enjoy. Sol Spin is meant to emulate a huge, ancient sun disk, sending riders 60 feet into the air at 25 mph. Meanwhile, Cargo Loco is a teacups-style attraction in which the ride vehicles resemble shipping barrels being transported by the fictional Arrow Cargo Company.
As part of the reimagining, Adventure Express will relocate its queue and receive new theming elements. First opened in 1991, this family coaster includes a 63-foot drop.
The area’s dining options will also get a refresh to match the aesthetic of Adventure Port. Popular with travelers within the in-universe story, the existing Bier Garten will become known as the Mercado while Hank’s Mexican Grill will transform into the quick-service restaurant, Enrique’s.
“What I love about Adventure Port is that we’ve taken parts of the Adventure Express story and built upon it to create this new themed area,” said Kings Island Vice President and General Manager Mike Koontz. “When guests who have been coming to the park for years visit this area for the first time, the story will feel familiar, but it will be told in a whole new way.”
Kings Island is owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. The park’s calendar does not yet indicate the opening date for its 2023 operating season.
Brief History of the Area
Adventure Port will be located between Coney Mall and Action Zone. This area of the park is one of the original areas and was part of the opening of the park in 1972. It has featured many rides over the years.
Tumble Bug (1972–1985)
The Tumble Bug was an original Kings Island attraction operating from 1972 to 1985. Comparable to a small roller coaster, guests boarded circular tubs and travel around a short track.
Skylab (1986–1997)
A Ferris wheel type attraction, Skylab’s cars swung out parallel to the ground when it started spinning, making them perpendicular to the ground once the arm was fully extended.
Flying Dutchman (1973-1990)
The Flying Dutchman was a spinning flat ride with shoe-shaped vehicles suspended from a small tower. The tower would lift the shoes, rotating and swinging them in a circle.
Bayern Kurve (1973–1990)
The Bayern Kurve was a roller coaster-style thrill ride that was themed to an Olympic bobsled race. Two-person bobsleds raced around an oval track, sounding a horn when the maximum speed was reached.
North Skyride Station (1972-1979)
The Skyride ferried guests across the park from The Happy Land of Hanna Barbera kids area over the Royal Fountain on International Street to this station across the park.
