We were all set for a full day of water play and fun rides as we headed to Kings’ Island Amusement Park is 21 miles North of Cincinnati, Ohio and only 2 hours away from Columbus, Ohio, making it perfectly located. In fact, Kings Island Amusement Park is the largest Midwest amusement and waterpark and has something for everyone.
Each time we venture to a new theme park (new to me) I really like to learn about the park, and pass on tips, tricks and anything that I learn that will make your experience even better than mine. The idea of travel and destinations like Kings Island Amusement Park is enjoyment. If you follow my tips, and read up just a bit, your day will flow perfectly.
I truly believe that every vcation experience takes a level of planning and once that is done, it is all about letting the good times roll. Lavishly live travel out loud to the largest Midwest amusement and waterpark, where fun happens all day, every day. Travel to Kings Island Amusement Park and experience the destination.
10 Tips For Visiting Kings Island
It seems like every time I begin making plans for anywhere we are going to visit I come up with tips based on what we learned and experienced. Today at Kings Island Amusement Park, I believe I created tips for visiting Kings Island Amusement Park based on what we learned while experiencing the park.
Tips that make it easier to plan, easier to understand what you are about to head into, seem to just be calming, so I hope these are beneficial to you as well.
Food, Beverage, and Experiences At Kings Island Amusement Park
Tip 1 ~ Buy The 2016 Souvenir Drink Bottles
Dehydration during the summer months in amusement parks is real. You have to stay hydrated while you are walking the park, riding and enjoying yourself. Drinks averages about $4 per but, if you are there all day, plan on about 5 + drinks for 12 hours and you are at about $20-25.
Get online, before you ever head to Kings Island and buy the Souvenir Drink Bottles because after 2 refills the bottle pays for itself. In fact, if you live nearby and you bring the drink bottle back, it is only $1 refills each time.
I suggest the online method of purchase because in park the drink bottles are about $14 each, with free refills for the rest of the day (what a deal) but if you buy them online they were only $11 each, an even better value. There are refill stations all over the waterpark and the amusement park and most restaurants/eateries will also fill them up.
Staying hydrated is easy, and when you ride, you just leave your bottles in the ride area, and claim them when you get back.
Tip 2 ~ Food
Grab The All Day Dining Deal
You can read my food Finds HERE, but know, there is something for everyone, there are lots of places to eat at from sweets to treats, and the park is allergen friendly and latex free.
We did not see anyone bringing in coolers, (there are pavilion areas, but they are not in the park) and in fact the system that is in place the All Day Dining Deal, makes it possible to never reach for your wallet and dine all day!
Tip 3 ~ What You Won’t Need
Less is definitely more when you visit Kings Island Amusement Park. Most people entering had just a smaller backpack, with minimal items, and I would suggest sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and a place to safely place your phone while you are riding (and not your pocket)
Tip 4 ~ WiFi & #KIBestDay
Now remember, I was coming out of Hocking Hills where we had NO Cell signal, no WiFi, and no GPS, so this was an extreme find, lol!
I was so happy to find WiFi that worked throughout the park. The WiFi was strong, and it allowed me to stay in touch while we were on the go. In fact, we took some great photos and I posted them because time spent at Kings Island Amusement Park deserves the hashtags #KIBestDay – you will understand once you go there.
Tip 4 ~ Weekday Park Going
My suggestion is as weekday jaunt to Kings Island. The lines are not bad, you don’t really need to Fast Lane Plus it, but if you do, you will really experience the ENTIRE park with ease. We really never stood in a long line and in fact the lines were not bad anywhere around the park. Our longest line was in Planet Snoopy at Surf Dog where we loaded and waited for about 15 minutes.
Tip 5 ~ Get To The Most Popular Coasters First
Diamondback is quite popular, boasts a nice big drop and can be seen throughout the parks. Get to this ride if you want to start your day off right, and then cross it off your list of rides. I also noticed a decrease in the line size on this ride at the end of the night, so perhaps you want to hold till the end of the day?
Tip 6 ~The Mobile App
The Kings Island Mobile App is free and fabulous and on my phone. We marked my car parking, navigated where we were in the park to where we wanted to go all day long. In addition, when we wanted food, we just went to the app and it told us how far we were from the particular food we were looking for.
The app also has bathroom locations, and ride wait times, and it can tell you when the shows are as well. This was a very useful tool and we all made sure it was on our phones while we were there. Sometimes while person was looking up food, the other was looking up rides. While ride times did not matter too much, because we had the Fast Lane Plus, the lines do meet and merge on some rides, so the Fast Lane Plus helps to a point, but there are still some waits.
Tip 7 ~FAST LANE PLUS
Get ready for the Ultimate in Kings Island experiences because the Fast Lane Plus will get you through the lines like lightening. You get to enjoy all the Fast Lane attractions, but wait there’s more!…..unlimited rides on the Banshee, The Beast, Firehawk, and Fast Lane Plus in SOAK CITY (the waterpark side) with unlimited rides on Tropical Plunge, Zoom Flume, Thunder Falls, Rendezvous Run.
Tip 8 ~ It’s Cool In Soak City
Hello to fun and no waiting. Here’s the deal, you and I both know that at any park there will be some waiting that is just to be expected, but if you can take the wait out of the possible wait, you have a wonderful day and we did!
The SOAK CITY is where we found the most value (though it helped us through the entire park as well), but zipping through lines and getting to the Zoom Flume without waiting was priceless and something we did a lot!
I have to say, I did not like when people shot us glares of ‘how dare you’ then again I thought, “why did you buy these passes?” they rock it. Every park has their own system, but these are just a brilliant way to get your attractions in and move throughout the park.
Your admission to Kings Island includes Soak City, and it’s a blast. Get wet, slide, swim in the wave pools (yes there are a few!), splash in the lazy river or just hang out, there is something for everyone.
How about chairs? There are loads of chairs, you just have to look around and people are always moving so don’t get discouraged, chairs are poolside and I found 3 and lounged!
Tip 9 ~ Souvenirs & Photos
I loved the stores in the park and one that reminded me of a large Florida-theme park was the Glass Blower’s Shop. This is a nice contiguous store, that goes part way down International Street. Honestly, inside there we were able to purchase some really nice sweatshirts and the price was Under $25, which is nothing for an in-park purchase.
Additionally, the cashier took our photo for us, in front of the Eiffel Tower as it was the end of day and the sun looked perfect against this awesome architecture.
The top of the Eiffel Tower will give you the best views of the park and landscape…. if you are ok with heights. Get up there, photo and remember that the end of the night also offers grand photo opportunities in front of it as it is lit at the base.
Tip 10~ Plan On Walking
You will walk more than you think and in fact you won’t even realize it, so don’t forget to stroll, and take in the small things like this cool landscaped clock fixture located near the base of the Eiffel Tower, all of the beautiful flowers and many of the stores and their products.
Kings Island Amusement Park Is A Destination
Kings Island is an experience that allows you thrills, fun, entertainment and great food. It’s nice to be able to find it all at one location.
I suggest purchasing tickets online before you go, adding in the Fast Lane Plus or at least the Fast Lane. Buying these online saves you time when getting into the park and also saves you money. Don’t forget to buy your souvenir drink cups online ahead of time too to save money and keep hydrated and of course, the All Day Dining Deal which you can read more about here.
