Plans for summer 2011

My girlfriend and I are going to Phoenix in August. We were planning on taking the 6 and a half hour drive to six flags MM, but we both started to realize how much that turn our relaxing resort vacation into a go-go-go trip. After being so excited to finally go to SFMM, I called it off with a compromise. I told her I would forget about SFMM, as long as next year we went on a roller coaster oriented vacation, which we haven't done since Cedar Point, 5 years ago.

Here are the plans, so far. I live in St. Louis.
Day 1 - Drive 6 hours to King's Island.
Day 2 - Drive 6 more hours to King's Dominion
Day 3 - Drive an hour and a half to Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Day 4 & 5 and maybe 6 - Spend relaxing at Virginia beach and making the fiance (by that time we will be engaged) happy.

I figured the over all cost of the trip to be between 600-700 dollars, before food. We're moving in together this winter, so we decided we'd do a cheaper vacation, next year. We usually fly everywhere, and stay in resorts. This time we're going to drive and stay in cheaper, but clean hotels. Can anyone think of any other parks to hit on the way there or back that wouldn't put us out of the way more than an hour or so? Any advice or tips? All of our park time will be during the week.

Holiday World seems like it's not too far out of the way. It's pretty much directly between you and Kings Island. And on the way back from VA Beach, you could take a slightly more southern rout that would take you through Dollywood. Oh, and Six Flags America is about an hour and a half from Richmond, so if you want to spend an extra day there, that may be of interest. I have to warn you, though, that SFA sucks.

Anwyay, that sounds like a great trip! Have fun!

Holiday World is a great park, but we've already been there the last two years. Dollywood might be an option.

What's so bad about SFA? It looks like it has a couple decent credits.

Hmm, Well next year hit me up with a message and I'm willing to meet you out at Kings Island if you would like me to go. Dollywood is ok but they don't have many rides there, I've been there a couple times but still its fun.

What roads are you going to take from Kings Island to Kings Dominion? My Microsoft Streets and Trips calculates the distance from KI to KD at 527 miles and 8 hours and 45 minutes trip.

From Kings Island I suggest you take I71 south to I275 south then get on Route 32 to Piketon, then 23 to Portsmouth, then up the Ohio River to Huntington, West Virginia where you can get on I64 east. I64 takes you through the Appalachian Mountains. It's all up hill to Beckley, West Virginia. Then coming off the Appalachian Mountains there's a 5 mile downhill grade and you better have good brakes. In a word, the trip to Kings Dominion isn't an easy trip. You could go up through Pennsylvania but the Pennsylvania turnpike is expensive and it goes through the Appalachian Mountains also. I suggest you spend two days at Kings Island, a day to get there and then a day to enjoy the park, and do the same as you're going to Kings Dominion. Your schedule looks way too exhausting to suit me with little time to spend at the parks and way too much time on the road. But that's me. If you're young and don't mind sitting in the car for 8 hours, go for it. But I think you'll regret it.

Edit:
By the way, if you try to make the trip from KI to KD in 6 hours, be prepared to pay a speeding ticket.

boneplaya change your avatar to less than half that size

I'm a little east of St. Louis and google maps + map quest said it would be a six hour drive. Who knows.

Goes to look up for himself...

Distance: 524 miles. About 9 hours and 11 minutes.

I just looked it up again. From Godfrey, Illinois to King's Island is 6 and a half hours.


I-70 E
373 mi 6 hours 29 mins
- more info ?????????

Godfrey, IL

1. Head north on Isabel St toward Nelder Dr 0.2 mi
2. Turn right at Pearl St 0.2 mi
3. Slight right to stay on Pearl St 115 ft
4. Turn right at N Humbert Rd 2.4 mi
5. Turn left at Union School Rd 0.8 mi
6. Turn left at Seminary Rd 0.7 mi
7. Take the 1st right onto IL-255 S 15.6 mi
8. Take exit 30 for I-270 toward Kansas City/Indianapolis 0.3 mi
9. Keep left at the fork to continue toward I-270 E 0.6 mi
10. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for I-270 E/Indianapolis 0.5 mi
11. Keep left at the fork to continue toward I-270 E and merge onto I-270 E 7.9 mi
12. Merge onto I-70 E
Entering Indiana 209 mi
13. Take exit 69 to merge onto I-465 S/I-74 E 16.9 mi
14. Take exit 49 to merge onto I-74 E toward Cincinnati
Entering Ohio 87.4 mi
15. Continue onto I-275 N (signs for Dayton) 2.8 mi
16. Slight right at Ronald Reagan Cross County Hwy (signs for Ronald Reagan Hwy/Blue Rock Rd) 3.0 mi
17. Continue onto OH-126 E 12.6 mi
18. Merge onto I-71 N via the ramp to Columbus 8.9 mi
19. Take exit 24 for Western Row Rd toward Kings Island Dr 0.8 mi
20. Merge onto Kings Island Dr 1.6 mi
21. Turn right at Great Wolf Dr 0.3 mi
22. Turn right at Columbia Rd 0.5 mi

Kings Island Amusement Park
Mason, Ohio 45040

This Summer, I have so much plans for my family.
We're planning to visit at least 2 theme parks while the weather is perfect.
The first theme park we have in mind is Universal Studios Hollywood. I've always wanted to visit Universal Studios and feel like a celebrity.
The second theme park is Busch Gardens. I've been to BUsch Gardens already that's why I know what's in there. I'm thrilled to ride their new roller coasters and see new attractions in the park.

I also check out http://themeparkdiscounts.org/ all the time since I hate spending, and I love saving money

Lollllllll. Wat.

^Busch Gardens is awesome. I'm going a week before Cheetah Hunt opens... Futhck my life.

If we're talking about our own plans now...

This summer, I have two major plans ----> Valley Fair on the reg, and a trip to Mt. Olympus with my friends as a celebration of our graduation and eventual parting at the end of the summer...

[Coasterkidmwm]

You're going to insult your friends with Wisconsin?

Well, Mt. Olympus is pretty fun. I live 10 minutes from Wisconsin so we've been dealing with them our whole lives. And by dealing with them, I mean driving with them on our roads. So... yeah. I don't know what it is that makes them suck at driving.