For my 30th birthday, I'm making my husband take me to Kings Island. I LOVE amusement parks, but haven't been in about five years.

Anyhow, I just discovered this site last week -- kudos to those in charge of it! I love seeing all of the historical photos and information. I first went to KI when I was about 6. I would love to find those photos, but have no idea where to start looking. I'm also enjoying perusing these forums.

I'm trying to remember what all I used to take the park. Here's what I came up with... does anyone have any other suggestions?

Sunglasses

Sunscreen/lip balm

Fanny pack (does anyone have a better alternative to the fanny pack?)

Comfortable shoes

Plenty of cash

Thanks in advance!

Andrea

Fanny packs are a pain. ( I never wear one.) I just would take a pair of baggy cargo shorts or just take your wallet in the park with your sunglasses. You can leave the sun screen in your car and use it before you enter and midday about 2:30 or 3:00 just in time to leave the park for a late lunch. I would also advise to secure your wallet to a belt loop or something. Chances are it won't fall out of your pocket but you never know. I have a wallet with a chain on it when I go to the park just for that reason.

PS: Try not to carry much into the park since carry that all around can be a pain.

Good points, thanks!

Oh don't forget your camera!

Yeah bring a camera so we can see plenty of pics from your trip on here. And make sure when you get on Firehawk if you do to secure all loose articles or they will fall out and that is a given. And make sure you check your seat before you get up out of a ride for things that have fallen ut of your pocket. Jeeze i sound like a mom.

Tylenol is a must if you are over 25, and you plan on riding Vortex or SOB.

Ah, the camera. Right!

Thanks for the Tylenol tip. I'm definitely not 25 anymore. I THINK SOB was open the last time I was there, but I never got a chance to ride it.

I'm pretty sure we're doing a two-day trip. Travel on Sunday, go to the park Sunday, stay in a hotel (not sure where yet), go back to the park on Monday and then go home. I was trying for a Monday-Tuesday trip or Tuesday-Wednesday trip, but it wasn't happening.

Ah, the camera. Right!

Thanks for the Tylenol tip. I'm definitely not 25 anymore. I THINK SOB was open the last time I was there, but I never got a chance to ride it.

I'm pretty sure we're doing a two-day trip. Travel on Sunday, go to the park Sunday, stay in a hotel (not sure where yet), go back to the park on Monday and then go home. I was trying for a Monday-Tuesday trip or Tuesday-Wednesday trip, but it wasn't happening.

Heh, I'm 17 and I still bring Tylenol whenever I go. I ride Vortex and SOB so much that it'd be pure idiocy to not bring some.

Ah, the camera. Right!

Thanks for the Tylenol tip. I'm definitely not 25 anymore. I THINK SOB was open the last time I was there, but I never got a chance to ride it.

I'm pretty sure we're doing a two-day trip. Travel on Sunday, go to the park Sunday, stay in a hotel (not sure where yet), go back to the park on Monday and then go home. I was trying for a Monday-Tuesday trip or Tuesday-Wednesday trip, but it wasn't happening.

Heh, I'm 17 and I still bring Tylenol whenever I go. I ride Vortex and SOB so much that it'd be pure idiocy to not bring some.

Amen! I'm 17 and do the same thing!

Also.....

Wear light comfy clothes. Cotton is pretty amazing when you spend the whole day at the park. Especially if you go on White Water canyon or a different water ride. chaffing is a major pain and makes it really hard to enjoy the park. Last trip I wore Jean shorts and rode WWC I had to go buy a pair of shorts from the emporium out money I could have easily saved haha.. Enjoy your trip and BE SURE to ride The Beast at night. That one ride is worth the whole ticket!!

Enjoy your trip and BE SURE to ride The Beast at night. That one ride is worth the whole ticket!!

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I don't know about that, The Beast is fun but I don't think it's worth $45. I prefer FoF and Firehawk personally.

Fanny packs are a pain. ( I never wear one.) I just would take a pair of baggy cargo shorts or just take your wallet in the park with your sunglasses. You can leave the sun screen in your car and use it before you enter and midday about 2:30 or 3:00 just in time to leave the park for a late lunch. I would also advise to secure your wallet to a belt loop or something. Chances are it won't fall out of your pocket but you never know. I have a wallet with a chain on it when I go to the park just for that reason.

PS: Try not to carry much into the park since carry that all around can be a pain.

I do wear a fanny pack as I prefer not to leave the losing of my wallet and keys and such up to chance. I really don't find them to be that cumbersome at all, and I'm used to wearing them. I used to carry an eyeglass case with me for my glasses, and it fit in a fanny pack rather nicely. Now that I have contacts, I can't break myself of the habit, and I keep my wallet in my front pocket, so that might be a bit painful on some rides.

If I didn't have a DSLR camera, I might take a camera with me all the time. It's just too big to lug around and have to worry about securing or leaving in the station. Other than that, make sure you wear comfortable shoes, obviously. That's one of the things that always seem to give me problems, especially after water rides.

Enjoy your trip and BE SURE to ride The Beast at night. That one ride is worth the whole ticket!!

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I don't know about that, The Beast is fun but I don't think it's worth $45. I prefer FoF and Firehawk personally.

My favorite rides...

1) FoF/ Beast at night

2) Beast

It's always a tie between those two. In my opinion FoF is the best steal coster in the park HANDS DOWN!!

I like having a fanny pack too. I carry sunscreen as I need to use it more often than most since I burn easily. Not to mention, I had sunscreen in my cargo shorts one time and after I exited Delirium, it had squeezed a whole bunch of it in my pocket...what a mess! Plus, I like having my money in front of me in large crowds.

The Beast at night is awesome! Firehawk is the best coaster KI has installed since Invertigo.

OK.

I sometimes use a fanny pack at the park, and the only problem I've ever had is that the roller coaster restraint systems often crush whatever is in it - sunglasses, sunscreen, etc. So I started stowing the fanny pack in the storage bins while riding the coasters - but of course that defeats the purpose if you put your wallet in it etc.

The other thing I often take with me is a small bottle of hand sanitizer. People have been handling the ride restraints all day long, and I don't trust that every one of those people has clean hands

One thing I will do from now on though is rubberband my wallet closed. I don't have nor do I want to deal with a wallet chain... however I did lose my wallet once on a roller coaster. Luckily it landed on the catwalk and a ride op was able to retrieve it for me. But it very easily could have flown open on its way down, spewing its contents all over the place. So in the rare case that this ever happens again, I at least know it will stay shut. Cargo pants/shorts with velcro'd flap closures would be a good preventive measure to keep it from getting lost in the first place of course. Not trying to finagle your cellphone out of your pocket while on the ride is also a good preventive measure (that's how my wallet fell out... it was on Adventure Express of all places, while stopped just outside the station)

And lastly... if you happen to carry a pocketknife with you (I do) or have any such items on your keychain, make sure you leave it in the car.

I beleive they make you check the pocket knife at GR and you have to get it as you leave the park. At least that was the case a few years ago.

I beleive they make you check the pocket knife at GR and you have to get it as you leave the park. At least that was the case a few years ago.

Yeah I think that's what happened to me. Much easier to just leave it in the car. Of course for me the hard part is remembering to leave it in the car

Leave the samurai swords at home. Check!

Leave the samurai swords at home. Check!

*Gasp* What are you going to do for protection without your samurai swords? Every child/parent combo in KI should be equipped with one, if you ask me. But then again, nobody ever asks me....This may be why.

Individually packed handwipes are nice. Not just your hands but to wipe your face. Hot weather+ dust= grimey face.

And if you have any allergies to pollen or mold, remember that early August is terrible around here in that regard.

I would say to take a face mask to prevent the occasional cicada attack but I haven't been to the park lately to find out if they are still a big problem....

Are they?

I would say to take a face mask to prevent the occasional cicada attack but I haven't been to the park lately to find out if they are still a big problem....

Are they?

They haven't been that bad the past two times I've gone to the park. It's now safe to ride in the front seat of SoB and front/back of Invertigo

Must rides

Son of Beast

Flight Deck

Drop Tower

Delirium

Invertigo

Adventure Express

Viking Fury

Racer

Flight of Fear

Firehawk

Shake Rattle & Roll

Vortex

Beast

Crypt

Eiffel Tower

Also, make sure you take pics of the 09' construction!

They haven't been that bad the past two times I've gone to the park. It's now safe to ride in the front seat of SoB and front/back of Invertigo

Yeah, I'm really hoping they're gone by the time I go (early August). I know they're harmless, but they seriously creep me out.

<---- Not a big fan of bugs, spiders, snakes or bees.

These are all great tips, thanks! (I'll definitely take some allergy meds.)

I'm currently checking out some hotel threads. Haven't decided where to stay, though. (Somewhere definitely under $100, though.)

Yeah, light clothing that dries fast is a good idea.

My suggestion is a bikini top.

As of hotels I would like to recommend The Kings Island Resort. It is obviously not a 5 star hotel but it is decent and has a shuttle service to KI, so you don't have to pay for gas or parking. I will bring up a link in just a sec.

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-hotel-323320-kin...erence_center-i

Let me go find the home page too.

Here it is

http://www.kingsislandresort.com/

It is ok but not great. I hope my advice was helpful!

Yeah, light clothing that dries fast is a good idea.

My suggestion is a bikini top.

I concur on both counts!

Did you mean light as in weight or light as in color?

^ YES!

Doesn't matter the kids age, but write down what they are wearing. I was separated from my eleven year old at Holiday world and I had a hard time describing her clothes........I even forgot she was wearing glasses. Or take a picture of them that day with a cell phone or camera. Enjoy your trip!