hey guys,

first off, i want to say i love your forums. i am a member of sfog.net and i love the info that you have here.

this post is in regards to my "first trip to Kings Island". i say -first- because i haven't been since i was a young child and i really don't remember any thing from the trip.

i was wondering if anyone had tips for a first timer, traveling with 2 friends on a sat. and sun. trip is 12-15.

thx

Well, Saturdays aren't bad for the first half of the day anyway. If I were you, I'd hit the low capacity coasters first--Firehawk, Invertigo and Son of Beast to a lesser extent. Runaway raptor isnt bad, but it is also low capacity and is in nick land. Diamondback moves people through pretty quickly, so you shouldn't have more than a 30 min wait even during the busiest part of the day. If you want to cool off, whitewater canyon, wild thornberrys and congo falls are the water rides, along with a small water element in nick land. Of course, there's also the waterpark too, if you have time. It is included with park admission. Most of the flat rides will only have a 2-3 cycle wait, except maybe Delirium, but even with a fairly full que, it shouldnt be more than about 6 cycles since the ride seats 50. All of the other coasters have lines that move quickly. Whatever you do, don't miss Diamondback--it's the newest coaster and in my mind, the best one in the park.

If you like shows, KI has a lot of great shows..an ice show, an 80s music show and a country music show to name a few. Fireworks are at 10 PM as the park closes and if you're in line for a ride at 10 PM when the fireworks begin, you will be allowed to ride. Have fun!

Definitely make time for the shows. In the last few years, the shows at KI have gotten a lot better than what they used to be. They are a must when going to KI for multiple days.

My itinery would have the shows put in there on Sat afternoon and Sunday morning.

Hey peeps,

Could anyone suggest a good hotel to stay at? I plan on coming down for 2 nights in August and I'd like to have a hotel that's within 5-10 miles of the park and isn't too expensive (Under or around $100 a night)

Also, I'll probably go to the park on either a Wed/Thurs or Thurs/Fri during the last week of July or the first week of August. How bad will the crowds be?

Finally, I was lucky enough to ride Tomb Raider (which I loved) before the sale, and now I've read all kinds of bad stuff about The Crypt. Did they really remove most of the effects? And is Backlot Stunt Coaster even worth it? Or was that ride screwed after the sale as well?

Thanks for the help. I'm a HUGE Cedar Point fan, but I've only been able to attend KI 3 times so I'm not up on the info.

Well if you go on a saturday in July then the park is open to midnight. Also yes the Crypt was put in a crypt basically. BLSC is a very under-estimated coaster.

There are number of inexpensive motels about 1 exit south of the park, in an area called Fields Ertel. just go on orbitz or expedia and search around. Many, if not all of them offer AAA discounts if you're a member. There are also a couple of places about 1 exit north of the park off of 71. The two hotels closest to the park--KI Inn and Great Wolf Lodge, will cost more than you're willing to spend.

Cool, thanks for the help, I'll check em out