Gold Pass/Early Ride Times 2018

[chibul]

Hey everyone,

Just a quick question. I'm going to the park Sunday and was wondering where to find info on what the early ride times are this season and for what rides.

Thanks!

[harveyhaddixfan]

Here ya go.

[chibul]

33 minutes ago, harveyhaddixfan said:

Here ya go.

I searched and searched and couldn't find that. Probably going blind, haha. Thank you!

[Stoan]

Is it me or did they change it from an hour to 30 minutes? I can't remember very well.

[harveyhaddixfan]

It’s been 30 min for the last few years. Cedar Point is an hour. And they actually start putting people through the gate 15 minutes before that so that you’re in the park right on time.

[King Ding Dong]

34 minutes ago, chibul said:

I searched and searched and couldn't find that. Probably going blind, haha. Thank you!

It is under the Tickets section.  Not the most intuitive place to put it, at least for me, as I already have a pass.  

[Creed Bratton]

37 minutes ago, Stoan said:

Is it me or did they change it from an hour to 30 minutes? I can't remember very well.

It was one hour for a season, maybe 2...but yeah. 

[VortexBFForever]

I remember it being an hour in 2010 and 2012. But in 2011 and since the 2013 season it has been 30 minutes. I wonder why it's not an hour like Cedar Point's early entry...

[Tera Ryzing]

Probably because it's an incentive to stay in the resorts.

[malem]

When ERT was a full hour in 2012, it was only one ride (Diamondback), and the first half hour was very sparsely attended.

Since 2013, it has been 30 minutes but with more rides.

[King Ding Dong]

IIRC the past couple of seasons it has just been two big rides plus PS, this year it is 3.  That seems like a good number to me.   (And of course the fountain ERT)

Probably hard for most everyone but Malem to get all three done in 30 minutes.  

[kikid74]

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/tickets-passes/season-pass-early-ride-times

Mystic Timbers, Banshee, Bat (and select Planet Snoopy rides) through June.

Mystic Timbers, Diamondback, (and select Planet Snoopy rides) July thru October.

Doesn't apply to Friday night openings during Haunt/Winterfest.

I personally prefer the Dback/MT combo and wish that if MT is open early that Dback would be as well. The times I went last summer, they didn't open the gates until 9:30 exactly...and we always hit MT first since those lines were the worst. I think we once hiked across to Banshee after riding MT and got there just as 10am was rolling around...future visits, we just rode MT twice, then hopped in line for the Dback 10am opening. 

[BoddaH1994]

I did ERT for the first time in many years on Friday.  I do agree that the Mystic/Banshee combo was a little weird.  Especially since you had to go out of one Gold Pass checkpoint and into another one.  Oh well, beggars can't be choosers.

[jcgoble3]

11 hours ago, VortexBFForever said:

I remember it being an hour in 2010 and 2012. But in 2011 and since the 2013 season it has been 30 minutes. I wonder why it's not an hour like Cedar Point's early entry...

In 2010, it was one hour on Saturdays and 30 minutes on Sunday through Friday. I believe 2011 was the same. People then clamored to go one hour every day, which happened in 2012, and then as @malem noted, hardly anyone showed up for that first half hour, after which we lost the full hour completely as in 2013 they went to 30 minutes every day, including Saturdays. The length of ERT hasn't changed since.

[Creed Bratton]

You also have to remember, when asking about Cedar Point being an hour.....CP has many resorts that offer ERT for the guests....if they all came in at a 1/2 hour before park open, it'd be filled with extremely long waits (although some days it can be for the full hour anyway). They also have most major coasters on ERT and various flats. 

[King Ding Dong]

Most major coasters scheduled on ERT.   The Intamins can be a little slow waking up.  

[JubJester]

2 hours ago, King Ding Dong said:

The Intamins can be a little slow waking up.  

Careful now. Certain somebody may be coming after you...

[King Ding Dong]

Bring it on, I am on very solid ground with that one.  

[Humblememes]

I'm more excited for the exclusive night rides this year. This year i'm actually able to go to most nights to get more night rides on Mystic Timbers and see Blackout maze early.