When to visit KI this week?

My brother is playing in a ball tournament right outside of Cincinnati starting on Friday, so I am planning on visiting Kings Island while we are in the area. We have the choice of going to the park on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, but each of these choices comes with a catch, so I'd like some help from you guys.

Obviously, the park will be the least crowded on Thursday. I don't mind waiting in lines, but my friend that's going with me does. The catch: if we visit on Thursday, we have to leave the house around 6am and drive to Cincinnati, PLUS, we'll have to watch all three days of my brother's tournament. (Don't get me wrong, I love a good baseball game...but their games tend to get pretty long and boring.)

If we visit on Friday, we will already be in Cinci, so we can sleep longer, and skip a day of baseball. Also, the weather forecast is better this day than the others. The catch: crowds will most likely be heavier than Thursday, and I'm afraid we won't have time to get in all the night rides we'd like to. (The Beast, Diamondback, Flight Deck)

The park is open till midnight on Saturday, so I wouldn't be too concerned about getting in multiple night rides, and again, we could skip a day of the baseball tournament. The catch: I'm sure that Kings Island is packed on Saturdays, and if the lines are unbearable, we probably won't have a very good time. However, there is a 30% chance of isolated storms on this day, so might this scare away some of the crowds?

I'm having a really hard time deciding what we should do, so I'd really appreciate any help you all have to offer. If you were in my situation, which day this week would you visit Kings Island?

I'd say Friday based on your scenarios. Saturday will be a lot busier no matter what the forecast, and I don't think Thursday will be that much better than Friday.

Also, don't worry about missing anything as you'll definitely be able to get everything in. Good luck!

Dan, do you have a CF platinum pass or a member of a big coaster club that has 3 letters. If so KI has ERT on Diamondback and Beast at 9:30 Sun-Fri and 9:00 on Saturdays. I don't know if a CB card will get you in for these too?

As to your situation, I would go for Friday.

^It will not...but based on his other post asking about tickets, sadly, no PP for him!

What I ever would do without mine, I dunno, and I somewhat hate talking to GP'ers about theme parks when in their mind...they're factoring in the cost of going to parks into the equation in their minds!! (since the cost for me was paid a long time ago!)

I know what you mean tig. We just got our 100th different coaster. If it wasn't for CF & SF passes this would not have been possible.

It's funny...I renewed my SFKK pass this year, but have only used it once (at SFStL), but I don't have a CF Platinum Pass, but this will be my 2nd visit to KI this season, and I went to CP for two days back in June...

Does anyone know how much it costs to do the Slingshot at KI?

^Prices vary...usually tickets can be bought cheaply in the morning, but honestly, since this is prime season time, getting less than $10 right now on any day other than a rained-out day would be rare.