Kings Island's 2018 Operation Calendar

[Sonofbeast2.0]

Kings Island's and Soak City's 2018 Operation Calendar is now live! Currently, as of 2:30 PM 1/8/17, it does not have the 2018 WinterFest hours.

Kings Island Official Website

[KingsMills79]

Any idea when single day Fast Lane prices will be released?

 

[KImom]

Exciting!!! Anyone go to the Gold Pass Preview day last year? I didn't but I heard that it was total insanity...like lines for food as long as you'd expect for a big coaster. lol  Any thoughts? Or was the person I talked to just exaggerating?

[Magenta Lizard]

^ no, that was pretty true. It was extremely busy. In past years it had only been for people who renewed by a certain date but last year was all passholders, and there was a new coaster. 

[thedaveyboyshow]

8 minutes ago, KImom said:

Exciting!!! Anyone go to the Gold Pass Preview day last year? I didn't but I heard that it was total insanity...like lines for food as long as you'd expect for a big coaster. lol  Any thoughts? Or was the person I talked to just exaggerating?

Complete mayhem and bedlam...but would not have given up the experience for anything!  I had a great time despite the lines, crowds, and everything else.  Being among the first to experience Mystic Timbers is something I will cherish for a very long time. 

[KImom]

8 minutes ago, Magenta Lizard said:

^ no, that was pretty true. It was extremely busy. In past years it had only been for people who renewed by a certain date but last year was all passholders, and there was a new coaster. 

I'm wondering if it will be less insane this year since there isn't anything big and new like Mystic Timbers.... hmmmm.....

Last year was my first year as a season passholder but we renewed this year. Can't wait! I might just brave the insanity. 

[dcactus73]

I have been planning on buying the package that has the food/drinks/parking/photo/fastlane etc... but it appears to be gone from the site. Does this normally go away and come back during the off-season? 

*Edit* It was called the All Inclusive Ticket. Is there a chance of this coming back before the park opens?

[Magenta Lizard]

^ I would say it is very likely to. They are probably waiting until closer to actual opening to finalize pricing on something like that. 

[harveyhaddixfan]

I wish they’d put it all on one page. I like to get a screen shot so I can keep it handy.

[KImom]

7 minutes ago, harveyhaddixfan said:

I wish they’d put it all on one page. I like to get a screen shot so I can keep it handy.

Here buddy, made ya one.

[chad_1138]

Keep in mind that the GP night last year was also on Good Friday with insanely great weather.  Between these 2 factors and the opening of MT, it was a perfect storm for large crowds.  We will be there again this year, can't wait!!!

[Gannersdaddy]

Wow, no closed Sundays in April?  I am super stoked that the schedule is out.  Now I can start planning days off for park time.

[TombRaiderFTW]

^ Well, except for April 15...

[Gannersdaddy]

1 minute ago, TombRaiderFTW said:

^ Well, except for April 15...

Ooops.  Sorry.  So excited the schedule was out.  Between Winterfest and Dollywood trips, this off season seems to be going quicker

[jimbo t]

6 hours ago, KImom said:

Exciting!!! Anyone go to the Gold Pass Preview day last year? I didn't but I heard that it was total insanity...like lines for food as long as you'd expect for a big coaster. lol  Any thoughts? Or was the person I talked to just exaggerating?

what is this gp day?????

[Gannersdaddy]

Just now, jimbo t said:

what is this gp day?????

April 13th.  And yes, last year it was crazy.  We showed up around 3 and they were letting people into the parking lot.  We looked for the KIC group that is usually at the front and found members at least 15 feet back from where they usually are.  Around 3:15, they started letting those that wanted to ride Mystic Timbers in, so we followed in a line down the right side of international street, around the Eiffel Tower towards the clock and then around Diamondback lake.  From there, they stopped us and slowly let folks into the line for Mystic Timbers.

We rode the 36th train of the day around 4 and did not even try again.  I was told the wait was 4 hours and snaked through the tomb raider building.  We did make sure our drink plan and funpix was lined out (no issues) and got 3 rides on Diamondback, as well as 1 on Vortex and Drop Tower.  We did not even try to eat, due to being happy about being back in the park and the lines.

I am guessing it is open to all passholders, new and renewing.  As it says on the webpage:

A 2018 Gold or Platinum Season Pass includes many season pass benefits, including the opportunity to be among the first to experience the park’s lineup of world-class rides and attractions before Kings Island opens its gates for the start of its 47th season by attending an exclusive Gold Pass Preview Night event on April 13.

Take advantage of this Gold and Platinum season pass perk and be among the first riders of the year on Mystic Timbers, voted “Best New Ride” in 2017 by Amusement Today. Challenge The Beast, Banshee and Diamondback roller coasters. Families can enjoy spending the evening together in the 17-time, award-winning Planet Snoopy kids’ area. Classics like the Grand Carousel, K.I. & Miami Valley Railroad, Monster and Scrambler will also be waiting for its first riders of the season.

Gold Pass Preview Night also offers the first look at what’s new around the park, like new food menu items, games and merchandise.

Gold Pass Preview Night Hours: 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.

[jimbo t]

12 minutes ago, Gannersdaddy said:

April 13th.  And yes, last year it was crazy.  We showed up around 3 and they were letting people into the parking lot.  We looked for the KIC group that is usually at the front and found members at least 15 feet back from where they usually are.  Around 3:15, they started letting those that wanted to ride Mystic Timbers in, so we followed in a line down the right side of international street, around the Eiffel Tower towards the clock and then around Diamondback lake.  From there, they stopped us and slowly let folks into the line for Mystic Timbers.

We rode the 36th train of the day around 4 and did not even try again.  I was told the wait was 4 hours and snaked through the tomb raider building.  We did make sure our drink plan and funpix was lined out (no issues) and got 3 rides on Diamondback, as well as 1 on Vortex and Drop Tower.  We did not even try to eat, due to being happy about being back in the park and the lines.

I am guessing it is open to all passholders, new and renewing.  As it says on the webpage:

A 2018 Gold or Platinum Season Pass includes many season pass benefits, including the opportunity to be among the first to experience the park’s lineup of world-class rides and attractions before Kings Island opens its gates for the start of its 47th season by attending an exclusive Gold Pass Preview Night event on April 13.

Take advantage of this Gold and Platinum season pass perk and be among the first riders of the year on Mystic Timbers, voted “Best New Ride” in 2017 by Amusement Today. Challenge The Beast, Banshee and Diamondback roller coasters. Families can enjoy spending the evening together in the 17-time, award-winning Planet Snoopy kids’ area. Classics like the Grand Carousel, K.I. & Miami Valley Railroad, Monster and Scrambler will also be waiting for its first riders of the season.

Gold Pass Preview Night also offers the first look at what’s new around the park, like new food menu items, games and merchandise.

Gold Pass Preview Night Hours: 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.

awesome ...thanks for the info .I hope to make it this year for the preview night it sounds like a great time. thanks jim

[Stoan]

Hmm, I guess it's early, but I am surprised there isn't any Buy-Out-Days

[TombRaiderFTW]

^ If I'm not mistaken, they have the same buy-out days they usually have: the first Sunday in the season, the two weekends in September, and the first Haunt Saturday till 7pm.

[Voicetek]

Is it just me, or does having a Gold Pass feels like less and less of a perk with each passing year.  At this point I feel like they should just drop the word "Gold" and just refer to it as a Season Pass since basically everyone who gets a pass has a Gold Pass.  Please understand that I'm not complaining, just expressing my opinion based on my observations as a pass holder for the majority of my life.  Lately, though, there really doesn't seem like there is much difference between Gold and Regular.  Yes, Gold offers "Perks" but is it really a perk when everyone has one? Is a Gold Pass Preview Night really a "Exclusive" when the lines are longer than a regular operating day? If a Gold Pass is there to offer people exclusive events, then I feel it should be a little harder for everyone to obtain one.  Again, I'm not complaining and not trying to start a big discussion.  Just voicing my opinion of the whole thing based on my observations.

[KImom]

21 minutes ago, Voicetek said:

Is it just me, or does having a Gold Pass feels like less and less of a perk with each passing year.  At this point I feel like they should just drop the word "Gold" and just refer to it as a Season Pass since basically everyone who gets a pass has a Gold Pass.  Please understand that I'm not complaining, just expressing my opinion based on my observations as a pass holder for the majority of my life.  Lately, though, there really doesn't seem like there is much difference between Gold and Regular.  Yes, Gold offers "Perks" but is it really a perk when everyone has one? Is a Gold Pass Preview Night really a "Exclusive" when the lines are longer than a regular operating day? If a Gold Pass is there to offer people exclusive events, then I feel it should be a little harder for everyone to obtain one.  Again, I'm not complaining and not trying to start a big discussion.  Just voicing my opinion of the whole thing based on my observations.

Just curious as I'm only going in to my second season as a passholder, but what kind of perks did they used to offer? What kinds of things would you like to see? And...if there are so many passholders now, what could they offer that would make sense? This sounds like a fun discussion to start...

Also - is this somewhat of an industry theme? I have heard similar complaints from Disney passholders that there's minimal perks nowadays compared to prior times. 

[Voicetek]

I guess when I say "perks" I'm talking about the perks that are offered with the Gold Pass (Early Ride Times, Preview Nights, etc).  The things I've been seeing in recent years though, is that pretty much everyone seems to have a Gold Pass, and it seems like Gold Passes are offered longer than they used to be.  Now, I'm not against anyone buying a Gold Pass.  By all means, if a Gold Pass is available for purchase, of course you should buy one.  However, when you get to exclusive nights and find out they're not so "exclusive," then it makes you wonder what the actual perk of having a Gold Pass really is.  Being admitted into an "exclusive" event should feel special.  It's not though, cause everyone else is there too.  So in my opinion, it kind of defeats the purpose.

And maybe others on here can clear things up, but does it seem in more recent years that the Gold Pass is available for purchase longer than it used to be? Heck, now it seems like the Gold Pass is available towards the end of one season through about May of the next season.  It feels like back in the day, the Gold Pass had limited availability - like you only had a short amount of time to purchase one before it disappeared.  Maybe it's just me, perhaps I'm not remembering correctly.

[Joshua]

I think people are just used to the idea of a Gold Pass. It's been around long enough. And everyone knows, "You gotta go Gold!" It's a no brainer.

To be honest, I'm not even sure if I can think of a single reason why they should limit its availability at all anymore.

 

[malem]

The chance to buy a gold pass expires around Memorial Day, as it has for years. The change has been that (gold) passes for the next season have gone on sale earlier, but that offer doesn't include gold status for the current season.

[Voicetek]

My question is this: If they're not going to limit it's availability and events are no longer truly exclusive, then why offer both the Gold Pass and Regular Pass options? My opinion is that they should just merge them and have one option.  Why in the world would someone buy a Regular pass over a Gold one? Just seems odd to have both options.  Platinum options makes sense since it offers more benefits, so maybe they just have two options - Gold and Platinum.

[KImom]

4 minutes ago, Voicetek said:

My question is this: If they're not going to limit it's availability and events are no longer truly exclusive, then why offer both the Gold Pass and Regular Pass options? My opinion is that they should just merge them and have one option.  Why in the world would someone buy a Regular pass over a Gold one? Just seems odd to have both options.  Platinum options makes sense since it offers more benefits, so maybe they just have two options - Gold and Platinum.

I completely agree...ummmm...go look at the prices on both right now. The gold pass is actually cheaper. Wth...

Based on all I've heard about the sneak peek night, they should at least consider running two of those vs. just one. Imagine being one of those teenagers working a food venue getting baptized by fire on a day that isn't even opening day. lol

[Joshua]

Time's have changed. We as a culture have gone mobile and through social media, with just one click, we are able to keep up to date on the park's events. People are more informed about preview night now. Also consider that last year debuted Mystic Timbers and that a couple years back, it was on a Thursday. 

[malem]

38 minutes ago, Voicetek said:

My question is this: If they're not going to limit it's availability and events are no longer truly exclusive, then why offer both the Gold Pass and Regular Pass options? My opinion is that they should just merge them and have one option.  Why in the world would someone buy a Regular pass over a Gold one?

Regular exists such that only people who buy early get the best deal. Those who wait until peak season to buy their admission have to pay more to get less.

Having regular passes on sale now shows how great of a value Gold is in comparison.

[DubVLegend]

Man I really would like to see some more days where they are open until 12 or 1 am


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[harveyhaddixfan]

You could say that Platinum is the new Gold. But I’ve found the only advantage is you get admission to all parks and a 20% discount on food and merchandise. One could argue that they should add Platinum only extras like more ERT. Open the park an hour early for Platinum (like they already do at CP) and half our early for gold.