I am going to PKI for the first time and need help

Hey guys I am going to Kings Island and need some advice. I would like to know what the chepest hotel there and within 20 miles too. I am going July 8th-10th for one of there concerts. It is a christan concert and have some questions.

1. The tickets are $70 for the concert and will that also include admit to the park?
2. How will the lines be?
3. What is there address for directions there I need the Street, City, State, and Zip code. I looked on the parks website and I put what they had in but it did not work for Map Quest so thats why.
Give me some other advice on what ever I will need that I should know about.

How will lines be? None of us have a crystal ball. So none of us can help you there. They could be huge. They could be non-existant. It could rain all day, it could be 72 and sunny. Who knows?

The directions on the website are your best bet. The actual park entrance has no real street address, so the best you could do would be some office. Use Mapquest to get you to the area and use the website directions to get to the park.

Check out the Baymount Inn and Suites. HAve a safe fun trip!

For directions:

Just get on I-71 and you are good to go. The park is right off the highway (unlike CP and GL). If you miss it, you need your eyes checked. :)

If you only care about being within 20 miles, I'd recommend using either hotwire or priceline to get a hotel. Hotwire lists a place in Blue Ash at $45/night for those dates. One in North Cincinatti (which will be farther, but still well within 20 miles) for $35---and it has a pool and breakfast.

*** Edited 3/30/2004 1:48:03 PM UTC by Brian Noble***

And if yo uwant to plan for best lines, head to HB land first, making your way to rivertown, then around to coney mall and action zone. Less lines, more ridey.

Hmmmm Boy, if I did have a crystal ball, and could see into the future, I would say it doesn't look good.

Not only is there a concert that day, but you're going in July. And two of those 3 days are a Friday and Saturday! I mean, you'll have fun and all, but PKI is like no other park when it comes to people saying, "Hey, let's go to a theme park today!" I've been there on a few days, mid-summer, where it made CP look dead!

How to beat the crowds-
My best advice to anyone would be get there before the park opens. Pick a ride, and have a back up plan for after that. Plan on staying until close most families at PKI seem to leave around 7:30/8pm. Action zone is almost always the busiest part of the park. Either hit that fist or after and in the middle of the day of Boomerang Bay opening up.

Hanabarbara Land is always busy in the middle of the afternoon, of course, due to all the little ones.

As for the park admission, and concert being the same. I don't really know on that one, it's been a long time since I've been to a concert there. I would assume not, but I'll have to check.

For Hotels-
If you're giving a 20 mile radius, that leaves a HUGE HUGE option for hotels. There are SOooooo many in the PKI area, I couldn't even really tell you where to start. The ones on PKI's exit usually go for around $115 that time of year. The ones the exit just South of PKI go for around 20-30 bucks cheaper. I think there is also a pretty nice and cheap Microtel around there too.

I hope some of this helps. Have fun, and let me know you if you need any futher help.

"The Future of Roller Coasters"
-RollerCoasterGod
http://OhioThemeParks.com

Amusement parks get busy in July? Get right out of town!

As far as I know your ticket price is included with your concert ticket. I would say that the park will be crowded, especially since it is Spirit Song. Hope you have fun, and start back in Rivertown or Coney Mall, everyone will be headed for Action Zone.

If you are coming from North, take I-71 to Kings Mills Rd and make a left. Follow the Kings Island sign. There is a McDonald on the left. You will make a right turn on the light right after McDonald.

If you are coming from South, get off at Western Row Exit. Go straight toward Kings Island. You CANNOT miss it.

20 Mile radius is rather large, but one suggestion is stay near Blue Ash which is south of the park. There are some Hotels in Pfeiffer Rd which is 3 exits away from Western Row. Also, there are some hotels off I-275 west of I-71. There are many places on I-275 where you can stay. There is a Days Inn and Holiday Inn near US 42 and I-275.

I would definitely recommend Priceline when going to PKI. We've gotten a room in Blue Ash between $25-$30 a night at places like Residence Suites. They're very nice rooms and it's convenient to the park (< 20 min.). Also, the towns of Mason and Loveland are good for rooms on Priceline. The Cincinnati area is great for Priceline.

I'm going to PKI for the first time this weekend and don't need help. (in fact, I've never been to Cincinnati even)

We decided to stay at the Cincinnati Marriott Northeast based on our preference for Marriott brand hotels and a quick search on marriott.com. (also could've checked PKI's site under "accomodations")

I looked a map and realized that to get to Cincy from Pittsburgh, I need to take I-70 to Columbus and hit I-71 into Cincy from there.

I got directions from I-71 south to the hotel from their website. (also could've gotten directions from home, but I think I can find my way to Cincy - alternately could've called and asked for directions coming in on I-71 South)

I'll get directions to the park at the front desk in the morning when we take off. (even though it shouldn't be hard to follow the bazillion signs pointing the way, that litter the surrounding area of every major theme park I've ever been to)

I don't care what lines are like because I've already commited to taking the trip and there's nothing I can do to change the ebb and flow of life itself.

Entire coaster trip to a park I've never been to in a part of the country I've never been to planned and taken care of in under 10 minutes. :)

-Gonch
A follower of the "look it up" philosophy ;)

MASTER!!!! :) :)

Like I said earlier, you can't miss this park. It's like SFGAm where it hugs the main highway.

PKI is a great park its my HomePark dont pass on a ride on the beast and if you can dont pass on Scooby doo's haunted castle its very fun very well themed and if you like thrill rides check out Delirium!

Lord Gonchar,

Good for you... and you picked well. The Cincinnati Mariott Northeast is the better of the hotels in the area (as far as I can tell) and is literally right down the interstate from PKI.

You will not need directions to get from the hotel to the park, since you will pass PKI on your way to check in.

FYI.... PKI is one of the few parks I know of that has a limited number of signs in nearby areas directing you to the park. Outside of the interstate exit signs.... there is not much.

Reason? You can see the park (Eiffel Tower, Drop Zone and SOB) for miles driving either direction on 71.

Have fun!

Shaggy

"I'm going to PKI for the first time this weekend and don't need help."

Isn't it great what info you can find if you just look? I laugh at some of the posts asking for simple info like park hours or driving routes. It amazes me how lazy some people, expecially those with access to the internet, can be.

mOOSH

Moosh,

Would you happen to know where I could find a calendar with coasters on it?

Shaggy ;-)

*** Edited 3/30/2004 6:58:31 PM UTC by Shaggy***

LOL Shaggy!

Case in point, this thread: http://www.coasterbuzz.com/forum.aspx?mode=thread&TopicID=37310

Is it really that hard to spend a few minutes searching the internet? If you have questions about a park or where to stay, why wouldn't you start WITH THE PARK'S WEBSITE?????

mOOSH [venting]

I totally agree, Moosh.

There's three basic pieces of info for planning a coaster trip.

1. Park info (check the f'n website)

2. Lodging (check park sites, hotel sites, travel sites, visitor bureau sites - your choice)

3. Directions - (check park site, a 'mapquest' type site, hotel site [if lodging applies] or, get this - a map)

It's not at all time consuming. I use RCDB.com, mapquest.com, marriott.com and occasionally google exclusively to plan trips (sometimes various travels sites if a flight is involved). I've been all over the country and seen and done things and parks that I had abosutely no familiarity with in areas I'd never been to all using just those 4 or 5 tools. I've done everything from day trips to a single park to 8 day long multiple park tours and never had a problem finding the info, finalizing plans or executing the whole ordeal.

I guess travelling could be difficult for some people, maybe I have a 'knack' for just knowing where I'm going. Maybe I'm even just not a 'control freak' who needs every last detail spelled out before I leave the house (although I've been told just the opposite). I travel 99% of the time with two small children my wife and more often than not a "third wheel" friend who enjoys the trips and helps making ride rotation with small kids a reality.

I've never been lost, without a room, short of cash, unable to find something, temporarily insane or charged of a felony while on my trips.

We live in an amazing time with a vast wealth of info at our fingertips - planning things like a coaster/park trip is one of the simplest things to do in life anymore.

EDIT - Oh, and on the "crowds" subject - sure we give the standard smart ass "crystal ball" answer around here, but like the rest of planning; common sense applies. Most times you'll have a specific day you can visit, in which case there's nothing you can do about it but hope for the best.

If you're more flexible then that, common sense really comes in handy. Peak summer months will be busier. Weekends will be busier. Individual day weather will affect crowds. Plan as best as you can with the options open to you and hope for one of those special "walk-on days" to bless your trip.

accuweather is another site I add to the mix if I have a range of days to choose from. Factor in the time of year, day of week and forecast and you can pretty much determine (as well as anyone) what kind of crowds to expect.

OK, I'm done...

EDIT #2:

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Shaggy said:

The Cincinnati Mariott Northeast is the better of the hotels in the area (as far as I can tell) and is literally right down the interstate from PKI.

---

Yes it is. And here's what gets me - the standard room (1 King or 2 Doubles) is only $99 a night this weekend. Even the 'cheap' hotels are only going to be 1/2 that at the absolute best.

(priceline, etc would probably swing a better deal but I like having more control over where I choose to park my personal being for the night, and sometimes I think people spend more time dealing with priceline than the few bucks you'd save make it worth)

Even in our situation (preferring Mariott hotels) - the three closest hotels were a Springhill Suites 3 miles away. The Marriott Northeast 5 miles and the one we chose 11 miles away. To me the driving distance involved between the three is irrelevant. 3 miles vs 11 miles is nothing so it comes down to the hotel. Springhill's are very nice with all suites which would've been perfect if we had the kids with us, but it's just mom and dad this time. Their rate for this weekend was $59, but it's limited service. For $40 more the full serve Marriotts have room service, restaraunts and bars. To me the $40 is worth a "nicer" hotel and those additional convieiences. We'll get in in the evening, have dinner at the hotel. Have a few drinks in the lounge and just chill. Totally worth it to me.

The reason we chose the Marriott farther away was that we're familiar with the company who owns it (they own the big marriott in Cranberry - just north of Pittsburgh) in fact both hotels were build from the same specs. The one here is very nice, so why not use them in Cincy. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

On a side note, with a room like you get at the Springhill for $59, I can't even imagine why anyone would consider saving a few bucks at a Super 8 or Red Roof or "off brand" property. The $20 you save is buying a much nicer, spacious room and (for someone like me who is all "ewwww" about hotel rooms) additional piece of mind. Yes, $20 is $20, but if your whole trip hinders on that $20 bill, maybe you're cutting it a little too close. Probably just me...

*** Edited 3/30/2004 8:12:09 PM UTC by Lord Gonchar***

Thanks guys for all that help :) I have another question though I am going to do a search for a hotel and what is the city they are in or can you tell me whats the closest one to it?

I also have a question on the age for a hotel I am 18 and I went to one of the site hotels there and said I have to be 21 is this for all hotels? If not which one can I get for being 18? *** Edited 3/30/2004 8:11:28 PM UTC by Carstenka***