Upcoming trip to PKI - 6/4

[Maverick]

Hey all:

A few of us from NorCalCoasters.net (five to be exact) will be heading on out to the midwest in a little under two weeks for a much anticipated coaster trip. That being said, one of our stops during this one week roadtrip is Paramount's Kings Island on Sunday, June 4. I've been to the park twice before and had a blast, even though this was close to three years back. Any advice on how we should hit the park to maximize our time there? Any must see attractions besides the rides? Any place we need to eat at, besides getting some awesome Skyline?

Also, any suggestions on where to stay would be helpful. We're in the area for one day only and then driving up to Cedar Point the following day, so a nice place that's affordable and close is what we're hoping for.

Below is a itinerary of our trip and while it seems very crazy and jam-packed, we're looking forward to it. Anyone ever do any sort of similar type of trip? Any words of advice (besides sleep)?

Friday, June 2

-Depart from Oakland, CA at 10:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 3

-Visit Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom (Park open 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)

-Stay the night in Louisville

Sunday, June 4

-Depart from Louisville, KY to Kings Island, OH

-Travel Time: 2 hours and 20 minutes; 129 miles

-Visit Paramounts Kings Island (Park open 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)

-Get lodging in Kings Island, OH

Monday, June 5

-Depart from Kings Island, OH to Sandusky, OH

-Travel Time: 3 hours and 59 minutes; 219 miles

-Visit Cedar Point Amusement Park (Park open 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.)

-Depart from Sandusky, OH at 9 p.m. to Gurnee, IL. Stop mid-way for the night.

-Travel Time: 5 hours and 45 minutes; 335 miles

Tuesday, June 6

-Arrive in Gurnee, IL

-Visit Six Flags Great America (Park open 10 a.m. until 9 p.m.)

-Depart from Gurnee, IL to St. Louis, MO Stop mid-way for the night.

-Travel Time: 5 hours and 48 minutes; 354 miles

Wednesday, June 7

-Arrive in Eureka, MO

-Visit Six Flags St. Louis (Park open 10 a.m. 9 p.m.)

-Depart from Eureka, OH at 8 p.m. to Santa Claus, IN

-Travel Time: 3 hours and 42 minutes; 225 miles

-Arrive in Santa Claus, IN at Midnight check-in to Santas Lodge.

Thursday, June 8

-Visit Holiday World & Splashin Safari (Park open 10 a.m. 7 p.m.)

-Dinner at Schnitzelbank German Restaurant in Jasper, IN (Open until 10 p.m.)

Friday, June 9

-Visit Holiday World & Splashin Safari (Park open 10 a.m. 7 p.m.)

-Visit the Holiday Drive-In in Rockport, IN (Evening)

Saturday, June 10

-Depart Santa Claus, IN to Louisville, KY

-Travel Time: 1 hour and 25 minutes; 79 miles

-Visit Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom for a few last rides! Leave the Park at 4:30 p.m.

-Depart from Louisville, KY to Oakland, CA at 6:30 p.m.

Anyways, like I said any suggestions would be helpful and are much appreciated. Also, would anyone be interested in joining us for the day? We figure the bigger the group, the more fun.

Either way, thanks in advance for your help!

-Maverick

[Gordon Bombay]

You! You are still dangerous, but eventhough your a snot nosed junky fly boy I guess we can give you some hints on visiting the park. Since its a sunday it will be decently crowded. If coasters is your biggest thing definently hit up The Beast, Son of Beast, FOF, IJ:ST, and Vortex since theyre pretty unique. Theres a lot of negativity latley on this site about the park but we still have a great park and I'm sure youll have a great time. Theres plenty of hotels nom ore thant 10 minutes down the highway in either direction so it wont be hard to find a place to say. As far as food, I reccomend eating outside the park to save money, theres two sky lines (one exit north, one exit south) and on the fields ertel exite theres a hooters, mcdonalds, wendys, burker king, applebees, ocharleys, CHIPOTLE, frisch's, but these are sometimes crowded after the park closes with kids after work. Have a fun and safe trip!

[TopThrill]

Here some of my tips for your trip this upcoming June.

Kings Island, if it turns out to be a warm dry day it'll be somewhat busy. So try to get there early to get in some of the major rides, before the lines get busy. The ones you can't miss are, The Beast, Son of Beast, Flight of Fear, Face/Off, Vortex, Racers (Both sides), Delerium, Drop Zone, and if it is warm jump on White Water Canyon(if you ride it bring an exrta pair of cloths). And to save some money, eat outside the park, but make sure to get your hand stamiped. And yeah Fields Ertal exit has some good places to eat. Now I may go up on my day off, still don't know.

For Cedar Point, if you want to get some extra stuff, stay at Breakers Express. Its just one mile south of the park on 1201 Cedar Point Drive. Agian like Kings Island, get there early to get the major rides in, beause those lines will get long. The rides you can't miss are the number one Steel coaster in the world Millennium Fore, the 3th ranked Magnum XL 200, the 7th 420 foot Top Thrill Dragster, and the number 11th steel coaster Raptor. The other ones you can't miss are, Mantis, Mean Streak, the classic Blue Streak, Power Tower. There prices are somewhat down compaired to PKI's are.

At Holiday World, you won't spend alot of money there. The only things you spend money on are, admission to get in, food, and a locker. Parking, Enterce to there water park, inner tubs, and soft drinks (Pepsi products) are free all day. The rides you can miss are, The Raven, The legend, Freedom Tower, seeing and meeting Santaclaus , and there new coaster The Voyage . They do have a fun and wet water park, but in both wave pools theres no inner tubs allowed in.

I didn't really remeber must about SFKK when I went there, so I can't give much info about that.

Hope this helps, and if your driving the long distance from Calf to over here thats one long trip! But hope you have a good time and drive and stay safe.

[Maverick]

Hey thanks for your guys' suggestions and input thus far! It is much appreciated. As for us driving out to the Midwest from Northern California, no way! We're flying out from Oakland International then landing in Louisville after two short layovers.

As for getting to the parks (mainly PKI and CP) at opening, that is our initial plan. I'm just hoping we're also able to get some rest along the way. Yea right...sleep is for the weak!

[The Interpreter]

Actually, on a big trip like that, getting to parks at opening and staying til close is an important part of getting all the rides in. Rest is very important, too.

The solution, for me and many others I know, is simple. Get to the park at opening come Hades or high water. Enjoy the golden hours until the rest of the public wakes up, packs the car and gets there (especially on Saturdays). Get in as many rides as you can. As the park gets packed and the humidity (that we have abundance in the Midwest) gets atrocious, leave the park--getting your hand stamped and saving your parking lot re-entry, check into your motel/friend's, etc., and sleep. Come back two or three hours before close, when many of the public have gone home, or began the long journey back to their homes (many of the visitors are either season passholders or daytrippers).

You will be refreshed, renewed, ready to drive the next morning, and will enjoy a much emptier (by comparison) park than if you stayed during the midday rush.

You can save more and enjoy even more if you plan a meal for the journey either to your sleeping place or back to the park.

(THIS is one of the major reasons that Six Flags proposed NO REENTRY policy was dumb!)

As for SFKK, be warned that the back portion of the park (where Thunder Run, Twisted Twins, Chang and T2 live) does not open until an hour after the front section opens (where the mouse and Greezed Lightnin are)

[BoddaH1994]

Wow... sounds like an AWESOME trip! I hope you guys have a good time, and be safe!

[Captain Nemo]

Thats one wicked trip Maverick! Have fun, hope the parks wont be to crowded.

[TOPGUN1993]

Ride DEMON DROP at Cedar Point it's the best !!!!

[TheKlockster]

Demon Drop is darn good - but I like Drop Zone better. Demon Drop is really scary - and fun though. They both are AWESOME.

[KIBeast]

The best advice that I was given was to start at the back of the park and make your way to the front. Last time I did this, The Beast was a walk-on in the morning as people tend to head to Action Zone first.

[The Interpreter]

The best advice that I was given was to start at the back of the park and make your way to the front. Last time I did this, The Beast was a walk-on in the morning as people tend to head to Action Zone first.

That is excellent advice for any park.

Also, if you want to get a lot of rides first, avoid the newest ride. For example, so far this year at Holiday World, Raven and Legend are either walk-ons or darn near it!

[Maverick]

Again, thanks for the tips!

As for those of you who have driven the drive from PKI to CP, to get there at opening (or a little before) what time would you suggest getting on the road by? I did a Mapquest search for directions for much of the trip and it mentions it's close to about a four hour drive. That true? While I have been to both parks before (though it's been a while), I have never done the drive from one to another.

We'll also be taking tons of photos and filming a DVD of the trip, so we'll post some photos and a TR during our stops along the way. That is, if we're not sleep deprived by the second day of the trip! Lastly, any of you planning to be at the park the day we'll be there? If so, maybe we can set up a bit of a meet up.

T-minus 9 days and counting...

[Bush985]

Thanks for all the words guys. I'm going along with Maverick on the trip. Really can't wait for the big trip. I work at PGA, so it will be interesting for me to see another Paramount Park.

Can't wait for the trip! Anyone going to be at the park on that day? It would be nice to meet up with some new people. Also as Maverick mentioned the whole ordeal will be caught on video and released on our DVD later this year.

Can't wait!

-RD