Working Full-Time and Visiting KI

[Miythandria]

For the first time in over 20 years, I now have a full-time position.  Day shift, 8am-5pm.  For all of you who work a full schedule, do you have any advice on scheduling my visits?  

[MDMC01]

This will be first full season doing this as well... I'm considering going on some Friday nights after work. Honestly, I'd try to go Sundays as well. And Saturdays for people watching.   But seriously, if you think you can go to the park after work on summer/Haunt nights (When the park is open until 10 PM or later), go for it. Also take advantage of off-days to go to the park. Enjoy your job and the upcoming season! 

[Hoeter]

I work Monday thru Friday. 3 of those days I work 9AM to 6PM, the other two I work 11AM to 8PM and the other 7AM to 4PM.

Numerous visits last season and the season before were after work. I usually hold off until the park starts doing 10PM closes. Going up to the park when getting off at 6PM isn't worth it for me when the park closes at 8.

I try to visit during the week as much as I can, as wait times could be significantly less.

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[CoastersRZ]

I have had a full time job (usually 8-5), since 2010.  My visits often are in the evenings after work.  I tend to avoid weekends, except for pre and post season when the park is weekends only.  A couple of years ago, I worked at the park during Haunt.  That made for long Friday`s when I worked 8 hours at my full time job, then worked another 8 or so hours up there.

 

My visits to Kings Island have become less then they used to.  I attribute it more to both getting older, and getting a beautiful wife.  She loves roller coasters too.  Almost all of our trips and vacations involve roller coasters too.  We went to Disneyland on our Honeymoon!  (And on a recent trip to Memphis to see her brother and their new baby, I managed to find a small roller coaster at an FEC in Cordova, TN.   I still average about ten visits a year.  

 

I am sure that number may increase once we have kids, which is something that will likely happen in the next couple of years.

[The Interpreter]

And some work full-time 9-10 hours away, and still get to Kings Island multiple times. It can be done.

It's about choices.

[BeeastFarmer]

I took an opportunity to work PT hours with FT pay and benefits in order to enjoy life more, and as an extension of that, enjoy roller coasters.  Currently, I am picking up as many extra shifts as possible to fund my summer adventures.  Choices, indeed!

[flightoffear1996]

I have been full time since I can't remember. The park its about 30 minutes from my work and 45 minutes from my house.  I usually get a babysitter pick the fiancee up and head to the park for a few hours and back I'm back by 10:30-11:00.  Sunday mornings aren't very crowded either.

[medford]

Its easy to make work, it just depends upon your parameters.  If you live "far away" (ie an hour + in my book) its tough to work a full day, scoot to the park for a few hours, drive back home, then go to work the next day.  Certainly not impossible, but not something I'd be willing to do regularly.  So in that case, its a matter of using vacation time at the park mid week or hitting it up on the weekends, which I'd suggest getting there early before the crowds hit.  If you live close, its easy to make it over in the evening on a regular basis.

 

I literally drive by KI every day after work, up 71N.  My wife is a teacher, so she has the summers off.  We'll usually meet up at the park once a week, mid week  in the evening around 5:30.  Having season passes, and going that often, there is never pressure to hit one ride or another, we can put off a long line today for something else, and try the other ride later.  Its rarely all that crowded mid week in the evenings anyways to actual deter us from riding anything due to lines alone.  We have young kids, a 7 year old who is officially too tall for many of the rides in Planet Snoopy, a 3 year old who just grew up to Woodstock express at the end of last season and a new born who won't ride anything but the Train and "parking lot experience" for the next year or two.  With my wife off in the summer, the kids bedtime slips significantly later in the summer than during school.  B/w the pool and KI, they're often not in bed until 10:00 or later in the summer; they get to sleep in as long as they like on the other end.  Planet Snoopy is often "dead" in the last hour or so, many leave the park, some hang out front for fireworks, rarely is there much of a line.  I feel like mid-week you could probably knock out 80% of Planet Snoopy in the last 2 hours most mid week nights (don't know about weekends), so if you find yourself in that stage with young kids, you can get plenty done in a short amount of time.  Other areas of the park are fairly manageable as well.  (all mid week-evenings) Adventure Express rarely has a wait, Racers wait is short, Banshee line goes quick, Beast is about 15-30 minutes until maybe it gets close to fireworks.  Diamondback can be a bit longer, 30 minutes is typical.  The 7 year old didn't hit 54" until late last season, so we didn't get to try Flight of Fear or Firehawk with him to know what to expect there.  Stunt Track can be hit or miss on lines in the evening, sometimes 30 min+ sometimes, its 5 minutes.  Don't know about Invertigo, the wait for The Bat is typically short, longer to walk back there than to sit in line most evenings.  Most of the flats have short lines as well mid week-evenings.

 

One thing to beware, is that many food stands start closing up early, so if you don't eat by 8, service becomes worse and food has sat out longer.  It can take some time to exit the park if you wait for fireworks, either sit in the park and enjoy some ice cream, or leave a few minutes early or as the fireworks are going off to save a few minutes.

[bjcolglazier]

As a full-timer 3 hours away with 3 kids in school I definitely recommend Sundays.  Being so far away we can't pop in of an evening, but just about always Sunday mornings are not crazy busy.  Often on a Sunday morning we will get up early, make the drive and hit the park for early-ride-time, and then be heading back home by 2pm.  4-5 hours of lots of good rides, and still home for dinner.  Always worth it.

[Gannersdaddy]

We try to plan and I will take a lot of half day vacations.  Now that the calendar is out, I have started planning. As we are about 1.5 hours out, I watch the weather as well.  Only got hit with that once last year.

 

We tried to go some when the schools in Cincinnati were in session, but who would have thought that they bussed them in a couple of time (I dont recall that when I grew up there).

 

Hopefully you get some vacation time at the job.

[electricsun]

First, congrats Miythandria and MDMC01 on the full time jobs!

 

I have a salaried (not hourly) full time job and have am lucky to have some flexibility in my schedule. There are a few days each season where I will decide to make an evening trip to KI. I'll come in a bit early (or work later on another day) and leave between 3-4. It is about 1.5 hour drive from my work to KI and an hour and fifteen minutes between my home and KI. For me, a 4-5 hour visit is worth that drive. If I want a full weekday at the park with friends/family, I can take a vacation day. Oddly enough, I do enjoy weekday evening trips quite a bit. The majority of the guests seem to be more relaxed, I get to see the park at night, and the lines aren't as long. 

 

Barring that, Sunday's are a gem. They are typically not as busy as Saturday's and can provide a good number of rides. 

 

I've learned to manage my expectations. When I visit on a weekday evening after work, I have a specific goal in mind and have a few "must rides". I make that a priority and anything else is a bonus. I feel as though I have that luxury with KI since I can visit as often as I do. 

[ohioparksrock]

Luckily I'm a stay at home parent but my husband works in Blue Ash. He will pop in around 4/5 (or we pick him up on carpool days), have dinner with us, and ride till 8 or 9. It's a long day for him but its something he enjoys. Even working full time, he made 28 visits to KI and 6 to CP!

[jbum123]

Full time job in the sports and entertainment industry so its not a 9-5 or M-F in Columbus and we still make it to either KI or CP almost every week during the season. Sundays are amazing as are Monday evenings.

[Miythandria]

Thanks for your input, everyone.  

 

I'm an older person (note that I've had a pass since 1986) who still loves KI.  To me, that was my number one problem with having a full-time day job. Plus, my home is 1 hour from the park.  A bit west of Dayton.  AND I still need to finish my accounting degree.  I'm thinking that I will utilize those April/May chilly weekends a great deal.  Sadly, my accounting books are too thick to carry with me and study while in line.     I am hoping that, during the summer, I can get one evening and one weekend day per week.  

[The Interpreter]

You can do it.

Good on you!

And older?

I was at Kings Island's opening day...and not as a child.

[KIDB]

I work 7-3 but live 1.5 hours away. During 10pm closing time, we head over there sometimes for a 4-5 hour trip. We don't do Saturday's during summer peak but have found that most Sundays have minimal crowds, no matter what time of the season. Admittedly, I can take off pretty much whenever I want so we do a lot of Tuesday/Wednesday trips at the very beginning of the summer to maximize our time.

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[Voicetek]

I've been working full time since I was 16 (now 35), plus I fit college in there too.  I've never missed a season visiting the park.  It's quite easy to make it to the park being a full time employee.  During the summer, they're open til 10.  When I worked til 6, I would head out to the park and get there around 7.  That's 3 full hours during a summer week night.  That's more than enough time to do anything you want.  I'd also make it out on the weekends when I wasn't working.  Even though weekend crowds are worse, sometimes that's your only option to visit the park. 

 

Check out the park's operating schedule and compare it to your work schedule.  Shouldn't be hard at all to plan some visits to the park. 

 

Goodluck!

[Tanna]

I only live thirty miles away.

I've always worked at least full time. I always went in the evening when my work wrapped early, and just spent a few hours. I usually went weeknights. Having a pass meant it any trip to KI, no matter how short, was a plus.

Once we went, and hit all the rides in a row, snap, snap snap, in an hour.

[Top Flight Back Deck]

In the words of Shia Labeouf

 

Just do it.

 

Don't let your dreams be dreams.

[The Interpreter]

As sponsored by Nike.

Gym shoe philosophy.

[Top Flight Back Deck]

Forward thinking gets things done.

 

I mean, yesterday you said tomorrow...

 

So just do it.

[Miythandria]

I am, guys.  

[ohioparksrock]

The 8pm close days in May are my full time working husband's favorite days to go. He will leave at 4:30 or so and we will ride everything in the park multiple times in 3 hours AND eat dinner!

[Miythandria]

If I wasn't an hour away, that would be so perfect, Ohioparksrock.  

[Tanna]

The 8pm close days in May are my full time working husband's favorite days to go. He will leave at 4:30 or so and we will ride everything in the park multiple times in 3 hours AND eat dinner!

That's what we do, too. Other people go to Applebee's or a bar, we go to KI for dinner. It's a great night out, and breaks the monotony of the week.

(I do wish KI would consider a Frisch's, though.)