King Cobra Kept Kings Island Visitors On Their Toes For 17 Years

Kings Island has long ruled the coaster community. The park has served up cutting-edge designs since 1972, giving Tri-State adrenaline junkies some of the fastest, tallest and coolest rides in the country.

Everything about the King Cobra was popular with coaster fans, including its logo, signage and green-and-yellow color scheme. Park employees still see plenty of people today wearing King Cobra T-shirts.

But when it comes to innovative construction, one coaster stands tall above the rest. Long before Diamondback slithered its way into the center of the park, the King Cobra reigned supreme. The King Cobra first sunk its teeth into the thrill-seeking public in 1984 as the first coaster in the nation built from the ground up to be a stand-up coaster. Its unique design and one-of-a kind experience brought fans from across the country to Cincinnati.

Don Helbig was among the first to ride the King Cobra when it was unveiled to super-fans and media. He rode the coaster 37 times that day and went on to ride it 808 times during its lifespan… read more >