Kings Island Ohio... Worth it or Not???

Ok so so i live about an hour and 20 minutes from the great CP. However, just for the thrill of new coasters that i've never rode before, would it be worth it to drive 3.5 hours all the way to Kings Island Ohio???

I think it is, I've heard positive reactions from a friend of mine who went there.

Ok. Let me help out a little on this. I am just about the opposite of you, where Kings Island is closer to me. If you have been to Cedar Point (which you obviously have) then Kings Island might be a bit of a let down. Its not that Kings Island is a bad park, its just that if your going for strictly coasters, Cedar Point is the winner by a long shot.

Personally, if I were living up where you are, I would try to visit Kings Island at least once, just to experience it and as you say "for the thrill of new coasters that you've never rode before." But be warned, if you decide to go, do not expect Cedar Point. If you visit the park with an open mind and not comparing it (at least until after you visit) to another park, I think you would enjoy it.

I know I like both of the parks, just for different reasons [:)]

I think it's worth it, if only to say you've been to another park. I mean, KI is a great amusement park, and they have some good coasters, but like someone else said, do not go down there expecting a Cedar Point. I say go for it.

All I have to say is, wait for whatever they are building to open next year before you go.

I would probably lean toward the yes side. They've got a decent Vekoma flyer, a sweet custom Arrow, a fun Arrow swinger, a Premier Jokers Jinx copy, a classic racing woodie, and of course the Beast. I would do yourself the favor of not going on Son of Beast, I heard it's REALLY painful.

^^^Can't be any worse than mean streak at CP, and if it is, thats a plus, i like getting my ass kicked

I heard it's much worse that Mean Streak.

And when my family rode mean streak my mom got a headache, my dad hurt his back to the extent he had to go back to our room at the breakers and i i thought that was the worst ride i've ever rode. But sob is worst than mean streak?

yes. it is worth it. it is one of the top 5 coaster mecca's in the US

if its less than a 6 hour drive any park is worth going to so get your butt there, get some pictures of your day out and have a great time doing it

[gouldy]

if you drive properly it won't be three and a half hours away, drive at 120mph at least and it'll be like what, an hour?

To be fair, it's a 3 and a half hour drive from where I live to get to Oakwood, and it's a 45 minute drive (30 minutes if I drive properly) to Alton Towers. And I would say it is WELL worth going to Oakwood to ride different stuff, so I guess it would be exactly the same thing for you... apart from the fact that you're talking about 2 much much MUCH better parks

IMO, Mean Streak is worse than SOB. The main rough part on SOB is the first double helix. The rest of the ride isnt too bad now with the renovations.

ok well for me i live about an hour from 6flags great adventure in Nj and get sick of the same stuff and will change it up and drive the extra 2hrs to go to hersheypark or dorneypark just for a change. I have also made 2 trips out to Ohio just to hit both parks. i must say cp is the best run park that i have ever been to. but i liked ki too, so much that if i make a trip out there i have to go to both just b/c they both offer great rides. the beast is tied at the top of my woodie list w/el toro. but i would def recommend going there...whats the worse that happens? you don't like it and you don't go back. enjoy....(fyi back of sob is extreme...front is better)

I've never been to either place I can compare that to Dorney and Hershey
It was good to ride other coasters besides dorney's
so I say its Worth it

Having been to both parks say, 10 times each, KI's atmosphere is a lot of fun. For all of you that said SOB is rough, last season the ride was closed and resmoothed, trains were replaced with lighter ones, and sadly, the loop was removed. The ride does not run insanely rough anymore, and it still to me is a huge thrill.

For me, I would go to KI if I were you because the different varieties of rides they have. Make sure you ride Beast if you go, especially at night. You simply can't forget Vortex, which is one of my all-time favorite steel coasters. With this being said, KI may not be a CP, but it beats CP with its Wooden coasters, and to me the park layout seems better. Stay away from their lame waterpark though.[:O]

Kings Island sucks. It's a nice park but the best coaster is Faceoff (Topgun is cool too I guess). If you're only in it for coasters, I wouldn't bother. The Beast is extremely overrated. But yeah, I will say the atmosphere is nice.

I would check out your distances for Indiana Beach. That park might not look like much on RCDB, but it's pretty much the most amazing park I have ever been to. There is a LOT to do there. I got pretty bored at Kings Island, after riding everything worth riding multiple times, but I spent a full day at Indiana Beach and didn't want to leave.

Also, Son Of Beast IMO was worse than Mean Streak. But both are pretty comparable in that they're stupidly big, long, drawn out, uneventful, and boring. Son of Beast one ups it with the extreme jack hammering in the bottom of the first helix.

Edit: Cornball is insanely fun, too.

PKI is definitely worth the trip and has many some good rides. As with any decent amusement park, you are going to have to wait in line for the more popular rides, especially "The Beast." The only thing I really don't like about PKI is it's layout.

I am in a similar situation, except CP is 3.5, and KI is about 5. I have decided to wait and see what the current project *cough* hyper *cough* turns out to be before I make any definite decisions.

I had a great time at PKD, even though my home park is SFOG. Now, why did I tell you this? Because both parks have their own unique thing about them. Considering that there are 13 coasters there, why not go?

http://rcdb.com/pd12.htm

...And only two-maybe three of them are worth riding. KD's lineup is much more solid.

for one...Freddie couldnt be more wrong about kings island(I still dont know why he thinks IB is better.

Kings Island is mu home park. It is definetly worth the visit. The best oaste I think is Firehawk, but its just a vekoma flyer. Son of Beast is rough UNLESS you ride in the very front. Beast is awesome. Vortex is a great custom looper, however it does jerk you around a lot. Backlot stunt coaster(Italian Job) is great but short. Flight of Fear is my second favorite steel coaster there. Its indoors and is pretty fast. The flat rides are similar to CPs. So nothing new there except for the crypt which is tame but it flips you upside doen a few times. Invertigo(Face off) is good too but its just an inverted bommerang.

hope that helps

You guys may think I'm nuts, but my favorite coaster from KI is definitely Flight Deck. The close calls with the huge supports scare the I Love You! out of me.

Video link of KI: http://www.coastercrazy.com/forum/links_goto.asp?id=361

since they've put the g-trains in, sob is probly the smoothest wooden coaster in the park. trust me, i ride beast, the racer, and sob all the time. probly been on sob over 200 times. the rose bowl is a little rough, but for how many g's you pull in it, it is gonna be somewhat rough. but this year it is by far a lot better. i work both beast and sob on a regular basis, and they are both great world class coasters. kings island is a great park and should be visited atleast once, if only to ride the beast, but i would also advise waiting till next year.