11 Best Kings Island Tips That You Can't Miss
In this page, we will go over the best Kings Island tips that will help you arrive at the park extremely prepared, and know all of the 'hacks' to maximize your time and money.
1. Do the Park Backwards
If you take a look at the Kings Island map, you'll notice that a lot of the most popular rides such as Mystic Timbers and Orion
Most visitors enter the park and hang around the attractions closest to the entrance.
By entering the park, heading to the back, and experiencing the park from the back to the front, you'll deal with much fewer crowds & lines.
This will provide you with a much better experience overall, as you'll ride more and wait less, and you'll be able to knock out your must-do rides early in the day as well.
2. Don't Pay the Full Price
Save Money and Receive your tickets Instantly.
When you purchase Kings Island tickets with us, you can Save $30+ per ticket, and you'll also be able to skip the line by going straight to the gate.
You can learn more about our process and how we're able to do this through our Authorized Theme Park Ticket Reseller page.
3. Know About Fast Lane
For an additional cost, a fast lane pass in Kings Island allows you to skip the regular line, and access a faster line to quickly ride your favorite rides rather than waiting in a long line.
After purchasing your pass, you will receive a wristband which will give you access to the 'fast lane lines'.
All that you have to do is show your wristband to the ride operator at the entrance of the ride.
There are two types of Fast Lane passes, and we've explained what each one includes, the differences, and the cost on our Kings Island Fast Lane page.
4. Know That the Park is Cashless
Kings Island currently does not accept cash as they have made a transition for guests to use cashless payment options.
Guests will be able to use a 'Cash-to-Card Kiosk' in the park to load their cash into a pre-paid card that they will be able to use at the park.
5. Know What You Can Bring
Visitors can bring unopened or empty water bottles, baby food, and food for visitors who have special dietary restrictions into the park.
Other than that, no food, snacks, or drinks are allowed to be brought into the Kings Island park and Soak City water park.
We've broken down the exact items that you can bring into the park, what we recommend, knowing about refillable stations around the park, and what's prohibited in this page.
Our guests will find additional Drink Refill stations have been added around the park this year. #KI45 pic.twitter.com/YZK5lAC9g1
— Kings Island (@KingsIslandPR) April 9, 2017
6. Rent a Locker
Lockers can be some of the most valuable perks of a theme park.
Whether you plan on bringing any items into the park such as a bag or purse, and decide that you want to ride any rides, you'll want to invest in a locker.
Lockers are available in the park and you can drop your clothes and bags off there, go on with the rest of your day, and conveniently return to change whenever you need to.
You can rent a locker with a credit card.
7. Know How Parking Works
There are two types of parking available at Kings Island:
- General Parking
- Preferred Parking
General Parking
General Parking is going to be your most basic and cheapest option when parking at Kings Island.
It's also the most common parking choice amongst visitors.
General Parking will be $25 consistently every day of the year, for one car, motorcycle, or RV/Camper.
Preferred Parking
Preferred Parking will provide you access to park closer to the entrance of the park, at a higher cost than general parking.
Preferred Parking prices change daily and are $35 online and $40 at the gate.
8. Arrive Early
This will normally give you the edge in being able to head directly to your must-do rides & experiences, without dealing with the heavy lines.
Additionally, the park normally takes a few hours to fill up, which will give you a few hours of a more laid-back experience.
Make sure that you know the Kings Island hours, as they are often different (typically around 10 am) depending on the day which you are visiting.
9. Know What to Wear
Knowing what to wear to Kings Island is extremely important, as dressing incorrectly for any theme park can negatively affect your experience for an entire day
You'll want to dress comfortably but with a hint of athleticism.
The following list is a basic rule of thumb, but you can find all of these items explained in detail in our what-to-wear guide.
- Athletic Shorts or Khaki Shorts
- Short Sleeve Athletic Compression Shirt/Dry Fit Shirt
- Walking/Running Shoes
- Spare Change of Clothes
- Sunglasses
- Hat
- Sunscreen/Sunblock
- Extra Pair of Socks
10. Consider a Season Pass
If you are planning on visiting Kings Island at least two times in one calendar year, you may want to consider purchasing a season pass.
Not only can it save you quite a bit of money in the long run, but you'll get season-long access to the park along with additional perks.
There are two different options that you can choose from that vary in perks, access, and price.
Depending on which one you choose, perks can include a discount on food and merchandise, discounts on all-season parking, and photo upload options.
11. Download the Kings Island App
The Kings Island app is a must-have item for your visit.
You'll be able to plan your visit from the app, order food, see the park hours, and park map, see the showtimes, see the restrooms, and much more.
The app makes it a seamless experience for visitors before the park, and when they're at the actual park.
Additionally, wifi is available for use at the park.
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