In Dayton, the closest major family entertainment empire is the nearby Kings Island amusement park, nestled in the outskirts of Cincinnati, Ohio. Naturally, as I have grown older, the theme park has become less and less enjoyable. I am now much more susceptible to the heat, the headaches and nausea from the fast rides, and the stench of smoke, sweat, and body odor in the long, claustrophobic lines.
I hope this description does not make you think that the park is not fun though. When I was a kid, going to Kings Island was like visiting Walt Disney World’s younger brother (in an equation where Disney World = Heaven). And during those younger years - from about 1975-1980 - the pinaccle of this paradise was The Enchanted Voyage.
This ride opened along with the park in 1972 and remained until 1982, when it was ‘refurbished’ - and the ‘antique’ Hanna-Barbera scenery and animatronics were substituted with the more current children’s fad…The Smurfs. Yes, the world was changing - and this was one of my first childhood icons to be completely bulldozed in the name of progress.
The Enchanted Voyage was always the first ride and the last ride I rode when visiting the park. Considered a ‘dark ride’ (meaning indoor), the voyage began outside where passengers were loaded, and then your boat would float along a waterway into a building that looked like a giant TV screen. Inside, the Hanna-Barbera characters of the day came to life. I have to confess that at the time, I really didn’t watch any HB cartoons so I didn’t really know these characters. I certainly was familiar with Scooby-Doo, but most of the others (Bristle Hound, Banana Splits, even Yogi Bear) were relatively lost on me.
An early version of the entrance - a little before my time.
As our boat would drift into the building, I remember being greeted by a giant snail just outside the entrance. He would address both those entering (”Welcome to the Enchanted Voyage”) and those exiting (”Thank you for riding…”). The first sight upon entrance was a multi-colored tunnel through which the boat travelled as the music began to fill the pathway. Most of the scenery has been long forgotten, but I do recall one section of the ride included a haunted forest area, and another -the big finale- was designed to look like a circus. This scene included a giant calliope that was ‘wearing’ huge tennis shoes which tapped to the beat of the song. Just before exiting, your boat would go up a miniature ramp and then careen down a very small hill.
As you exited through the giant mouth of a clown, his teeth would appear to be closing down on you… but would stop just in the ‘nick of time’ before allowing you safe passage into the bright daylight. There you would receive a farewell message from that snail.
There were two components of the ride that I remember most. The first was a scene near the beginning of the ride with a ‘big man’. I didn’t know it at the time, but this was a representation of Gulliver from Gulliver’s Travels. This was my favorite part of the ride. I believe my early request to ride the Enchanted Voyage was, “Can we ride the big man ride?”
The second portion of the ride that was burned into my brain was the song that played continually throughout the ride. Although, to this day I can vividly and distinctly remember the tune and, to some extent, the voices singing it, I had only the vaguest recollection of some of the lyrics…until I recently found them in their entirety:
Cartoon friends and funny faces
Jinx and those little meece he chases
Ant Hill Mob, the Wacky Racers
Live in my TV
I’m friends with Fred who yells out Yabba Dabba Dabba Doo
Bosom Buddy Barney too.
And Scooby Dooby where are you.
I love that mumblin’ bear
I laugh at him until I hurt
And when it’s,
Banana Splits
You don’t eat them for dessert
Bristle Hound is not a stranger
He saves Lambsy when in danger.
Yogi Bear outsmarts the ranger
All in my TV
Those happy friends who live in my TV.
So far, efforts to find a recording of the song - or better yet, a video of a ride-through - have proven futile. However, I did recently hear that Kings Island was using the theme song as the load music to a relatively new attraction called the Action FX Theater.
The Smurfs Enchanted Voyage that replaced this ride, remained open from 1982-1992. The Smurf version kept only a few elements of the original ride, although the boat path was the same. I remember one single frog animatronic on a lily pad that was exactly the same (see photo at right). Gulliver’s head was replaced with Gargamel’s creating a new type of ‘big man’. In 1992, the entire boat ride was eliminated, the building was gutted, and the attraction was replaced by the Phantom Theater. This remained in place until 2002 and the building now houses Scooby-Doo and the Haunted Castle. At least Scooby feels at home.
For additional photos from the Enchanted Voyage, click here.
I don’t remember the Enchanted Voyage, but I always liked the Smurf Ride. The last few times I was there I kind of wished that it was still there. I don’t really remember anything about the Phantom Theater, and I’m pretty sure I never went into Scooby Doo and the Haunted Castle.
We just went a few months ago, and I can’t believe the kids’ section. There’s some crazy stuff there now. I miss the Hanna Barbara theme (even if I never really watched too many of their cartoons).
Chris Tangeman
September 24th, 2006
This is where dad hides his lemons.
Suet
September 26th, 2006
The best time i ever remember having as a kid at kings island was inside the enchanted voyage ride, i wish they would bring it back as a retro ride for people who are all grown up now to share some of their childhood happiness with their own kids.
william south
November 13th, 2006
Fair is fair. I linked to this blog entry to explain the EV ride. So here’s the mp3 my friend dug up.
http://www.kiasylum.com/features/kitunes/4.mp3
Stephanie
May 11th, 2007
I was twelve at the time KI opened, and I first learned about Kings Island at the Sid and Marty Kroft “summer home” show “Circus Seventy!” at Coney Island, back when it was still a full-scale amusement park down by the Ohio. I memorized huge chunks of that presentation, recounting all my friends with how big the park would be, of what ride would move from Coney to the new park, and what new rides would be there. I remember the first eventful summer when I was allowed to go with not my parents, but kids my own age, to the new, dazzling, Kings Island.
Five years later, I was working there. The dazzle isn’t as dazzling when you have just finished scrubbing out the greasepit at the Columbia Palace (the “Chicken Pit”) and are making the long, partially lit walk back to the locker rooms. The patrons are long gone, the last of the Litter Gitters have swept up and gone, and you would clear the long, flashing light tunnel, and there…lurking in the semi-dark at the crest of the asphalt, was…that damn snail. Smiling his fiberglass smile, still running on automatic at midnight and beyond, when you were dripping with sweat and grease, you could always count on his cheery “Have a HAP-py Day!”
The ride is long gone. For a while, they turned it into a haunted theater. (I had tried for years through the company suggestion box to get the park to put in a haunted house like they had at Old Coney down by the river, but they wanted none of the idea back during my time there.) Finally, when Paramount bought the park, it became the Scooby Doo ride it is today. And the perky, peppy, pink and purple snail? You need look no further than Cincinnati’s massive international grocery store, Jungle Jim’s north of town. Sitting in the parking lot, you’ll find him waiting to greet incoming customers. Though thankfully, his head no longer bobs and he doesn’t talk, because some of us who worked there would probably beat him to death with a shovel if he tried.
Andrew Bartmess
June 12th, 2007
This page is great. Thanks for the memories! Special thanks to Stephanie for posting the Enchanted Voyage theme. I too thought the ride was one of the best parts of the park. In fact, the Hanna-Barbera theme of the park in general was, in my opinion, what made Kings Island a special place.
My first visit to the park was a coincidence with the filming of the famous “Brady Bunch” episode there. I remember Ann B. Davis was a really nice person and the fans adored her. The rest of the Bunch came off as a little snooty and acted like celebrities who were a little too full of themselves. But hey, that’s showbiz.
BR
June 30th, 2007
I loved this ride when I was little! It has been a tradition for me to ride this (even as it is now) every year when I come to PKI. I remembered everything about it in detail and was looking for pics when I came across this site. I also loved the smurf tunnel!! I was kind of mopey when they drained the water and made it into the “Haunted Mansion” but it was still entertaining and and still had some robots too. Now it’s just “dumb” in the dullest sense. No robots! Only lame cardboard cutouts. And you can’t really pay too much attention to the scenery because you’re too busy trying to shoot at these stupid little scooby snack thingys. Don’t get me wrong, Scooby Doo is my all-time favorite cartoon character, but what they have made this once enchanted and cool place into is, in my opinion, just plain cheap and lazy. I’m debating breaking my tradition with it all together.
Julie
July 16th, 2007
I love this ride more than anything in my youth, it was an airconditioned wonderland, I always dreaded the blast of hot air when leaving through the clowns mouth at the end.The snail that greeted everyone before the ride said “Hello, how are you?Enjoy the ride and have a Happy Day!”The entire song to this ride can be found here!
http://www.kiasylum.com/features/kitunes/4.mp3
What a great memory!
i miss it
Carl
August 16th, 2007
This picture was taken at fearfest at kings island, it’s funny but also sad.
Carl
August 16th, 2007
Based on Andrew Bartmess’ comment above, I traveled to Jungle Jim’s to catch a glimpse of the great snail icon. Unfortunately, the only snail I found was this:
Clearly not our snail…
Brad
August 16th, 2007
Thanks for the posting. Ihave looked all over for that theme song to the Enchanted Voyage ride and found it here. It brings back so many good memories.
I only wish the ride was still there so I could take them to enjoy it. Then again with all the “cool” rides now they may very well find it silly.
Bill Kramer
September 20th, 2007
Been looking for the lyrics to that for a long time. My mom always liked the ride cause it was air conditioned. I liked the ride as well. Thanks for a great site.
John Sutton
September 21st, 2007
thanks for the great memory!
I grew up in West Chester, OH, about 15 minutes from KI and have some of the greatest memories as a kid with a season pass from 1980 to 1991. Good times.
scott
December 11th, 2007
THANK YOU SOOO MUCH for finding the theme song. I have been looking for it for YEARS! The enchanted voyage was my favorite as a kid. I on;y wish it was still there so I could take my kids to it. It has never been the same since they changed it. Maybe if we gather enough signatures, we can convince them to bring it back
. Thanks again to Stephanie!!!
Richie
January 27th, 2008
EV is a ride filled with childhood memories for me as well. However, I would like to make one correction: It was not converted to the Smurfs until 1984.
Mark
February 2nd, 2008
After additional research and memory-delving, I have determined that the park began its conversion to the Smurfs at the end of the Summer season in 1982 and re-opened with the Smurfs in the Summer of 1984.
Brad
February 2nd, 2008
Rarely did I have quality time to spend with my late Father when I was small. He worked all the time. But I was at Kings Island the day it opened & he took me on the Voyage. It then began a ritual that it would be the first & last ride we would do. I can sing that theme song & always remember to say as the snail always did…” Have a Happy Day ! ” If I could wish one thing back…It would be the original Kings Island where a family could be a family & have great memories…not just thrills!
Tammy
May 7th, 2008
Did anyone else download the theme song? The link above is dead.
Brian
May 21st, 2008
Being a native Cincinnatian, I totally remember this ride! It was my absolute fave. I can still remember the tune, and in fact that is how i found this site, googling the words to the song.
Awesome.
holly j
May 25th, 2008
I downloaded it just in case the website shut down.
http://h1.ripway.com/exposevil/enchantedvoyagemusic.mp3
Carl
July 8th, 2008