What Happened to the Recording Studio?

When I was in Jr. High / High School I remember CP had a recording studio. Some buddies of mine did a cover of Wannabe by The Spice Girls. They called themselves "The Spice Boys". It was hilarious.

If I remember correctly it was somewhere near the Raptor / Sky Ride area.

Does anyone know when this was taken out? What took its place?

I think my friends got a casette tape. Did they ever cut vinyl?

I believe that was adjacent to Pagoda Gift Shop; cassette tapes were the only option.

I could be completely misremembering, but I'm pretty sure it was in the building right next to the Pagoda, and it currently is sitting unused. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

It became a shop for hats, shirts, and glow things I think. Isn't that now being revamped into the new Sweet Spot?

There was a SuperStar Studios by the Centennial Theatre that was replaced by the Midway Market in 1997, I think.

It kinda sucks that the park took away these, I mean, I've never done one, but now the park has too many gift shops and souvenir stands! I guess if the park cant think of something to add to the midway, and there's extra space, they plop in a gift shop.

I'm going to place my money on the idea that if "Super Star Studios" was as profitable as it needed to be, it would still be there. So while you can say the park took them away, the reality is the public stopped caring.

I do remember it, and I recall a friend doing a hilarious recording of Aladdin's "I can show you the world" with my sister circa 1992.

Kevinj, I agree... But I still see MissMaverick's point... The quirky unique stuff like that has a certain charm to it. I get that it needs to be profitable, but part of the charm of the park is seeing stuff you don't other places!

Kings Island has this laser beam maze thing that looks cool. I've never tried it, but it looks fun. It's not something you see every day.

I personally would pay good money to get my own custom rendition of "Baby Got Back" recorded!

It's pretty much in the same category of novelty stuff as the vintage/old-timey photo place. Stuff that in a way is pointless but is unique and is definitely part of the amusement park experience.

I want to say it was there through at least '98 from seeing it marked on the park map, but I'd have to dig up that map to double check.

But that's just the thing; it quickly became non-unique. You could do the same thing in our local mall in Defiance, Ohio. If it was something you can't do other places (I agree with your sentiment, there Matthew) then it very well might have lasted longer than it did. It was fun, but apparently lost its appeal to the masses.

The funniest aspect of the place was that the recording was pumped out into the midway while it was being made, which was a lot like watching (listening to) the first week of American Idol.

It is now the new the Sweet Spot.

In the age of YouTube and computers with cameras, it's pretty silly to think you need a "recording studio."

And everyone who used it was awful. :)

^ I know I personally don't miss those awful renditions of "Love Shack" (mostly from teenage girls) blasting down the midway. I would equate it to nails scratching across a chalkboard. Haha.

BTW, There were 2 versions of this recording studio, both in the locales talked about.

The first version was in the area up front to the left of the Sky Ride station (in a building that doesn't exist any longer). It was there from 1986-1996 and it's building removed at the end of the 96' season to make way for Midway Market.

The other version was in fact in the spot now occupied by the new Sweet Spot. That version lasted from 1997-2006, and was removed to make way for the Odds and Ends stand. Just some useless info for ya.

Just think, there was a full 20 years of these awful recordings blasting on the midway, hard to believe.

I'll never forget the time my new at the time step-sister, who thought she had the best singing voice in the world, sang My Heart Will Go On at this. It felt like we had to wait forever outside for her to record it and then wait some more for it to be played over the speakers. And then it was, and I wanted to crawl in a hole and die. It was so terrible and everyone in the park in that area was listening to it. I was mortified for her. Ahh, good memories.

^ I'm sorry, I can't help but to laugh hard at this. I assume she is no longer in the picture.

Coco's step sister certainly was not the only bad singer at that place. Matter of fact, I can't remember walking past there even once when I didn't cringe at the singing coming over the speakers.

Years ago at Geauga Lake, myself and two friends did the recording studio thing they had.

We did Stop In The Name Of Love by the Supremes. Myself and one fellow regarding it as a joke, and the other fellow truly believing he was channeling Diana Ross realness.

We were awful.

I know you can get Karaoke everywhere... But the true "recording studio" experience? I still think that would be unique.

I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that modern mainstream music has more vulgarity than in the 70's and 80's...

Looking at some recent hits... Trap Queen, All About That Bass, Ayo, Sugar, Talking Body, Fancy...

All of those songs are pretty mainstream "Pop / Top 40". They all have vulgarity in the lyrics.

Those are songs people would want to sing, but CP is a family park. You couldn't count on people *not* singing the curse words, so you'd have to turn off the speakers that play into the park (which were part of the appeal).

For a few years in the early 2000's, they had a Superstar Studios Video booth where you and your friends could record a video in a green screen booth/room.

You could even take your recording from the Superstar Studios Recording booth and bring it to the Video booth and lip sync to yourself in your video.

It was in a hidden area behind the Demon Drop. I believe it was removed for the 3 Point basketball game.