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The Ultimate Guide to Kings Island - Top Eleven Thrilling Coasters and Rides

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The Ultimate Guide to Kings Island - Top Eleven Thrilling Coasters and Rides

Sports & Outdoor Travel Theme Park Guide

From some of the most thrilling roller coasters in the world to the 16-time award winning kids area and regions premier water park, Kings Island has more than enough rides to keep the whole family busy. In addition, Kings Island also hosts a full line-up of entertainment including gravity defying acrobats, roaming acts, and dancing-in-the-street. Whether you are visiting Kings Island for the first time, or an avid addict who knows the park inside and out, Check out the following ultimate guide to Kings Island before you go. I believe you’ll make the most out of Kings Island with these tips and tricks.

Cover Photo: Andrew Borgen on flickr.com(CC BY-ND 2.0)

Kings Island Basics

Located just north of Cincinnati, Ohio, Kings Island consistently ranks among the highest attended seasonal amusement parks in the country. This world-class theme park boasts more than 100 rides, 36 water slides, and the world’s longest wooden and steel-inverted roller coasters.

Address: 6300 Kings Island Drive, Kings Island, OH 45034

Opening Time: park operating hours vary a bit, most days opens at 10:00 am, closing hours range from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Tickets Prices for 2019 & 2025

Daily Admission Tickets: as low as $41.99

Two Days Tickets: as low as $72 (Enjoy two visits of your choice any day the park is open to the public during the 2019 season through October 27, 2019)

2025 Gold Pass for just $104 (Unlimited Visits to Cedar Point every public operating day in 2019 and 2025)

2025 Platinum Pass for just $191 (Enjoy all the benefits of the Kings Island Gold Pass in 2019 and 2025 with the added benefit of enjoying all Platinum Passholder exclusive privileges at all Cedar Fair Parks across the country, including Kings Dominion, Cedar Point and more)

Book Kings Island Admission tickets from Expedia ，Viator, TripAdvisor where you can find the best tickets deals. Plus don't forget to earn up to 4% cashback from Extrabux!

Kings Island Car Rental

If you need to rent a car to Kings Island, you can book at Dollar Rent A Car, Europcar, Avis, Thrifty, Hertz, Sixt Rent A Car, CarRentals.com. Don't forget to earn up to 6% cashback from Extrabux!

Parking Prices for 2019

2019 Daily Parking: $17/ea (Buy 2019 parking online in advance and save $3 off the price at the Kings Island tolls)

2019 Preferred Parking: $27/ea (Park closer to the Front Gate in 2019)

Free Parking for Gold Pass & Platinum Pass Holders

Kings Island Map 2019

Kings Island Thrill Rides & Roller Coasters Ranked

With so many thrill rides and roller coasters in the park, there is no way I can tell you about each one. But here are a few favorites that I think you shouldn’t miss.

The Beast is the longest wooden terrain roller coaster on Earth at 7359 feet long with a 4:50 ride time. It features two lift hills and three tunnels. The 540-degree helix tunnel after the second lift was the highlight of an exciting ride through the forest.

Mystic Timbers which was voted “Best New Ride in the World” by Amusement Today. This 109-foot-tall wooden roller coaster features 16 airtime moments through wooded terrain along 3,265 feet of track at speeds up to 53 mph.

Diamondback is a steel hypercoaster built by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger and Mabillard. The 215-foot-tall coaster, opened in 2009, reaches 80 mph before executing a signature splashdown element. The ride features 10 vertical drops overall including drops of 193, 131, 129, 110 and 106 feet, two helixes – one at 323 degrees and the other at 287 degrees – and a splashdown ending.

Flight of Fear is a LIM-launched indoor roller coaster built by Premier Rides. It features four inversions, including a cobra roll, sidewinder and corkscrew. The bulk of the ride itself is located in a massive show-building that contains dozens of colored gel lights which disorient riders after the 54 mile per hour launch.

Invertigo is a Vekoma inverted, looping shuttle style coaster, with a 138-foot hill. Scream your face off as you soar at speeds reaching 55 miles per hour through three inversions forward, and then backward.

Banshee opened April 18, 2014 as the the world's longest inverted coaster, at more than 4,124 feet of track length and a two-minute, 40-second ride cycle. It will include seven inversions and, interestingly, will reach its top speed of 68 miles per hour in the middle of the ride’s course, not at the bottom of the 150 foot first drop.

Backlot Stunt Coaster is a Premiere Rides LIM Launched coaster themed to a car chase. The ride featured on-ride audio (a technology usually reserved for Disney and Universal Parks), and its trains were 3/4 scale replicates of BMW's MINI Cooper, the cars featured prominently in the finale of the 2003 film.

The Bat is considered to be one of the best suspended coasters in the world. It is well known for its swinging, serpantine movements over rolling hills and streams. This Arrow suspended coaster takes riders to speeds of over 50 mph. Flying through trees and over hills, this intense attraction sends riders swinging outwards thanks to the train design.

Delirium is a rotating pendulum ride that spins riders as they swing through a series of massive, increasing arcs over the park. The disorienting attraction reaches a maximum height of 137 feet and speed of 76 mph.

Drop Tower is the world's tallest gyro-drop (alongside its sister at Kings Dominion), standing 315-feet tall with a 264-foot drop. The ride releases and you drop -- you plunge -- you are completely emptied into a free fall of 26 stories, reaching frenetic speeds of up to 67 miles per hour.

The incredible WindSeeker tower ride takes the typical yo-yo swings to a new level. The attraction reaches a top speed of 30mph and tilts riders at a 45-degree angle. It's dizzying height of 301 feet (yes, that's 30 stories) promises views of almost the entire park and out as far as 18 miles on a clear day.

Eiffel Tower – this isn’t exactly a ride, it is a 1/3 scale replica of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. You can ride one of two elevators to the top of the tower (300+ feet up) for a birds-eye view of the park and surrounding countryside.

If you visit Kings Island with your young children, you can bring them to Planet Snoopy area. With 20 kid's rides like Character Carousel, Sally's Sea Plan, Snoopy vs. The Red Baron, Joe Cool's Dodgem School, Kite Eating Tree, Surf Dog, Woodstock Express, your kids will have a fun day here.

Visiting Kings Island on a hot day? Soak City will cool you off. It is a water park that is part of Kings Island and is included in the price of admission. There are areas for children as well as slides for adults.

Splash River, Aruba Tuba, Splash Landing, and Lookout Lagoon are Suitable for family fun. Zoom Flume, Tropical Twister, Tropical Plung, and Pineapple Pipeline are highly recommended for thrill-seekers.

Hotels Near Kings Island

The Price of Comfort Suites near Kings Island starting from $76. This modern, 3-story hotel near Interstate 71 is 0.7 miles from the Beach Waterpark and only 5 minutes from Kings Island. Free buffet breakfast, free WiFi in public areas, and free self parking are provided.

The Price of Hampton Inn Cincinnati-Kings Island low to $123. This contemporary hotel is 3 miles from Kings Island amusement park and a 6-minute walk from The Beach Waterpark. An indoor pool, a fitness center, and a 24-hour business center are available at this smoke-free hotel. Free buffet breakfast is provided, as well as free WiFi in public areas, free self parking, and a free manager's reception.

If you are seeking for more hotels near Kings Island, visit Travelocity, Trip.com & TripAdvisor where you can find the best vacation hotel deals. Plus don't forget to earn up to 4% cashback from Extrabux!

A Few Tips for Visiting Kings Island

1. Know the Height and Weight Restrictions before you go, if traveling with children or those with different physical abilities.
2. Download the Kings Island app. The app allows you to note where you parked, find ride wait times and height requirements and so much more.
3. Consider Purchasing a Fast Lane Pass. You can skip the line on 20 rides including Banshee, Diamondback, Vortex, and Drop Tower.
4. Take the train over to Soak City, or on a “circle tour” of the park.
5. Watch the evening fireworks at the top of the Eiffel Tower.
6. Stay at park at least two days, three if possible. Then you can devote one whole day to the water park and spend another day or two in the main park.

Hope you have a thrilling day at Kings Island!