We wanted to make a quick couple hour visit to KI this past Saturday. We drove by the park around 10 and immediately turned around after we saw an almost full parking lot. It was certainly the fullest I've seen the parking lot in a long time. I haven't seen any trip reports from Saturday so I was curious to see if anyone braved the crowds and what ride times were like.

Well I was working that day and I think it was by far the busiest day.

it was CRAZY busy Saturday night. I arrived around 8:30 or 9 pm and the parking lot looked almost completely full. There were spots open, but they were hard to find.

Inside was really full and every ride I went on had a decent wait. Flight Deck took 30-40 minutes with AE and The Racer both taking 15-20minutes. All three of these are usually walk-on rides for me. There was a big concert going on at the time which I assume played a big part. It didn't really lighten up until just before Midnight. At 10:45 I went to The Beast and the line spilled out of the entrance. Most of the cue lanes were being used and I didn't get out of there until 11:45. At that point I looked at Diamondback, and there were still several cue lanes full waiting for that. I was able to squeeze in a ride on Vortex and Back Lot before leaving, but I RAN between rides to get those in.

I guess those wait times weren't really that bad compared to what some parks can have, but with a Gold Pass it doesn't seem like it's worth waiting that long since this isn't my only chance to try and ride. I may stay away on weekends until late August.

Saturday was the last day of Spirit Song, so that's why it was so crowded.

it was CRAZY busy Saturday night. I arrived around 8:30 or 9 pm and the parking lot looked almost completely full. There were spots open, but they were hard to find.

Inside was really full and every ride I went on had a decent wait. Flight Deck took 30-40 minutes with AE and The Racer both taking 15-20minutes. All three of these are usually walk-on rides for me. There was a big concert going on at the time which I assume played a big part. It didn't really lighten up until just before Midnight. At 10:45 I went to The Beast and the line spilled out of the entrance. Most of the cue lanes were being used and I didn't get out of there until 11:45. At that point I looked at Diamondback, and there were still several cue lanes full waiting for that. I was able to squeeze in a ride on Vortex and Back Lot before leaving, but I RAN between rides to get those in.

I guess those wait times weren't really that bad compared to what some parks can have, but with a Gold Pass it doesn't seem like it's worth waiting that long since this isn't my only chance to try and ride. I may stay away on weekends until late August.

Which in my case is why I do not wait more than 30 minutes for any ride since I live next to the park.

At 10 am, the traffic was backed up on 741 all the way to 42. It was the busiest day so far this year.

So far from my experience this summer, it has been packed almost every day. Especially all of Mason. I went to The Beach last Tuesday, and waited a half hour for all the slides. My friend said he went to KI on the same day and said it was HORRIFIC, and the line of cars to get it were backed up to the interesection (I forget what it is) right before the entrance.

Extremely crowded, got there about 5:30, and waits were tolerable on Adventure Express (about 10 minutes) and Racer (about 5-10 minutes if you take out the time I wasted in the front of the line before moving to a different car). Outside of that everything was insane and got worse as the night moved on. Diamondback was lined up outside the queue, The Beast was about 80 minutes as every lane was open and the line started near the vending machines. Flight Deck was backed up to the Vending machines. There was even a line to some of the restrooms, not to mention the food lines. Still had fun and the night ride on Diamondback was amazing. The bigger question was some people had unlimited drink wrist bands, is this an option for anyone to buy or was it through some group activity such as one of the two major companies that came there that day?

Wrist bands are only available to groups, as I understand it...

The worse line was the line to get down from the Eiffel Tower. It was wrapped all the way around the tower about 11:15-11:30.

You are correct Terpy, It was for GE out of Louisville.

The worse line was the line to get down from the Eiffel Tower. It was wrapped all the way around the tower about 11:15-11:30.

That is awesome, did they set off the fireworks ot 10 or 12? You are now allowed on the tower while they shoot off fireworks but only a limited number of people.

The worse line was the line to get down from the Eiffel Tower. It was wrapped all the way around the tower about 11:15-11:30.

That is awesome, did they set off the fireworks ot 10 or 12? You are now allowed on the tower while they shoot off fireworks but only a limited number of people.

Shot them off at 10p. I was in line for Diamondback at the time, about a 50-55 minute total wait for that ride.

No way will the park be setting off fireworks at midnight. There are more than enough noise complaints from the neighbors as it is...

Spirt Song is a yearly event that runs Thursday, Friday and Saturday and is always well attended and the park is always crowded and more so on the last day of the event. Unless I had tickets to the 3 day event as a season pass holder and lived locally, I would stay away from the huge crowd. When the park is so crowded to make all lines on rides longer, it would not be worth my effort to take in the thrill of another ride on the roller coasters.

After a visit to Cedar Point on a mildly crowded day, and seeing and waiting in a 45 minute to 1 hour wait for Maverick during ERT, I have learned to appreciate 15 minute wait times. Any time you see that 1/4 hour wait, it's always worth it to take a gamble and see if it is right. Kings Island is different though as the rides are not as big and in abundance as Cedar Point.

No way will the park be setting off fireworks at midnight. There are more than enough noise complaints from the neighbors as it is...

Good thing those complainers don't live downtown or in N Ky on Firework Fridays with the Reds. Especially this Friday night with a post game MC Hammer Concert, and on field presentation of the 1990 World Championship team members prior to the fireworks show. If its a long game could be 11-11:30 before the first one is fired off. LOL.

No way will the park be setting off fireworks at midnight. There are more than enough noise complaints from the neighbors as it is...

Good thing those complainers don't live downtown or in N Ky on Firework Fridays with the Reds. Especially this Friday night with a post game MC Hammer Concert, and on field presentation of the 1990 World Championship team members prior to the fireworks show. If its a long game could be 11-11:30 before the first one is fired off. LOL.

It is a different crowd in surrounding Mason.

Does anyone have a guess on how busy it will be this friday the 16th?

It is the time of year a lot of people take vacations. I imagine it will be crowded until school resumes.

Does anyone have a guess on how busy it will be this friday the 16th?

Yes.(Beast Man inspired by Terpy.)

To which Terpy would add, as he always does, that weather is also a major factor.

Currently, the Mason weather for then is iffy:

Thursday Night and Friday

Partly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows around 70. Highs in the upper 80s. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Friday Night

Partly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the upper 60s. Chance of rain 40 percent.

National Weather Service

Terpy, who knows Terpy

who remembers Bring a friend free in 04, horribly packed had to drop off my brother it was out to western row

Yes I know some crowded times, I love it when it is like that however I do not ride anything because of the line lengths but I can have fun doing anything there.

Saturday was a hot mess in terms of crowds, but I always go into an amusement park expecting Disneyland length crowds. When you wait in line for 2 hours for the Nemo ride at Disneyland, suddenly 30 minutes doesn't seem so long.

who remembers Bring a friend free in 04, horribly packed had to drop off my brother it was out to western row

I do, unfortunately. It was not a fun day to be at the park. It was essentially a busy Saturday x2. I went once and in about 8 hours I rode the Antique Cars (although now I wish I could go back to that for just a day to do that again) went up in the Eiffel Tower, rode Adventure Express and saw a show. I don't recall all my wait times but I do recall seeing lines for a few games in Coney Mall. Yikes.

Lines for the games? P T Barnum would be so proud!