Do you love coasters? Read the ultimate coaster review!
Written: May 25 '00 (Updated May 11 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great rides! Great Fun!
Cons: long lines and pricey admission
The Bottom Line: Though Kings Island can be pricey and have long lines, the thrills from the rides make it a worthwhile way to spend a day (and money) in Cincinnati.
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| riri's Full Review: Paramount's Kings Island |
Are you looking for roller coasters full of loops speed, and general excitement? Look no further than Paramount's Kings Island just north of Cincinnati off I-71. It is home to many fantastic coasters! The park also includes other thrilling rides as well as rides for the younger set.
Roller coaster highlights:
Son of the Beast -- This is the new coaster this summer. It is exhilarating! I rode it the first weekend it was open! It is the fastest, highest wooden coaster and also the only wooden coaster to do an upside down loop. The give of the wood causes for heart pounding swaying of the structure as you are riding. It is truly breathtaking!
Beast -- This is a tried and true classic coaster. It is the longest wooden coaster in the world, nearly 5 minutes. There are three tunnels and a wild ride through the forest. It is always a treasured ride for me!
King Cobra -- This is a stand up roller coaster. You stand with bars around your shoulders and are supported by a bicycle seat. The first hill goes right into a loop. The ride ends with a sideways loop. Great ride with a line that is usually very manageable.
Face Off -- This roller coaster was new last year and is the scariest one, in my opinion! You are sitting with your feet suspended and you are facing the people across from you. The coaster is pulled up slowly allowing you to feel like you are nearly falling out of the seat. Once you are at the top, the train is let go and goes upside down in loops and corkscrews throwing your feet into the wind. Great Fun! The ride takes you up the other side where you are let go again and do the whole thing again, only backwards. This is truly one of my favorites! The drawback is the consistently long line.
Outer Limits -- This is an indoor coaster. The best part of this ride, similar to a souped up Space Mountain, is the take off. It shoots you out of the gate at 64 mph! While you are in line there are videos and a whole story going about finding a ufo. The ride is a blast in the ufo. It makes the line pass more quickly anyway.
Vortex -- This is a classic metal roller coaster full of corkscrews, loops, and hills. The tall first hill offers a great view of the rest of the park. The line for this ride moves very quickly, seldom taking more than 20 minutes.
Thunder Express -- This is a more tamed down coaster, using the theme of Indiana Jones. It's a good one to break weary coaster riders in. The experience is enhanced by fog machines.
Top Gun -- This is a suspended car coaster. The line is usually not too long and is another good break-in coaster.
Beastie -- This is a mini version of the Beast found in the kiddie part of the park.
Other Great Rides:
Drop Zone -- This is a belly in your throat ride! You are in seat around a big pole, looking out toward the park. Your feet are dangling. You are lifted to the top of the pole (this is the highest ride in the park). Once you are at the top, there is a momentary pause to build suspense. Just when you think you can't take it anymore, the seats drop to the ground! You are in freefall for what feels like a long time. Super ride!
White Water Canyon -- This is the ultimate in water rides! You ride in a raft with several others through a river of rapids. You are guaranteed to get wet on this ride! There are also stations where people can pay money to shoot water out of tubes and directly on your head! this is great for hot summer days!
Climbing walls, bungee jumping, giant trampoline, helicopter ride -- These attractions have been added as an extra expense in the park. Ok, I guess, but if I am paying all that money to get into the park I don't want to spend more on additional rides.
Eiffel Tower -- This is a mini version (1/3 the size) of the one in Paris. It is fun to take an elevator to the top and see all the park.
007 James Bond ride -- This is a ride where you watch a big screen and sit in seats that move with the movie. Fun to be part of the action, but far too much violence (a la 007) for me.
My complaints about Kings Island are the normal ones for an amusement park -- long lines and the pricey admission ($38.99). There are rides that I mentioned before that are fun and have relatively short lines, but for the new ones expect at least an hour or two on a crowded summer day. Usually there is at least one discount program running to take $5-10 off the admission price which helps. Of course, the best is getting friendly with someone who works there and gets several free tickets throughout the season!
I highly recommend Kings Island if you are a roller coaster enthusiast or just going to hang out with friends for the day!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
riri
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Member: Ri
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Reviews written: 59
Trusted by: 28 members
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