Planning a trip to Ohio this summer .... is it worth the trip to go to

[coastermom]

Kings Island from Cedar Point ?    We are getting season passes to DP with the Platinum Passes so we get CP is it worth the trip to go to Kings Island ? Also how great is it to stop at Knobles on the way to CP on RT 80 ? Is it worth to get the ticket books at Knobles or is it worth it to go for a wrist band pay one price day ?? Any help is great guys !! thanks 

There is also a trip planned to Kings Dominion too since we will have the passes!! I am thinking there is going to be a lot of coasters in my summer !! 

[AV Matt]

Yes, absolutely go to Knoebels and Kings Island!

It's a bit of a drive between CP and KI, so plan on maybe two half-days or an evening and then a full day the second day. There is MUCH to do there and many things that warrant re-rides. I could (and have) marathon Racer alone. Also their waterpark is included with admission so if you like water and get bored with the ride park (hard for me to imagine as it's one of my favorite big parks around), then you can fill part of the second day with that.

Knoebels is a no-brainer. I go there about 6 times a year! The full-price POP wristbands are totally worth it of you'll be there all day and plan to ride the coasters many times. If you don't ride the coasters much, the tickets can go a long way. But they also have specials throughout the season when the POP is half price or at least discounted. All of the details and dates are usually  listed on their website. If nothing else, it would be a great place to stop for a couple of hours of cheap fun along your long I-80 drive.

Also consider Kennywood in Pittsburgh! Another GREAT park that deserves at least a full day and many revisits in the future! Heck forget about going to Ohio and just go to Knoebels and Kennywood.

[jimmybjammin]

Last year in May I went to both KI and CP during one road trip, it was well worth it for two days at each park as many coasters are excellent at each.  Despite many of KD's coasters being similar to KI's, both parks as different enough to warrant the trip to KI at least once. KI's unique rides such as the Racer, The Beast, Diamondback, Flight Deck and Firehawk are enjoyable and worth many re-rides. Try to use early ERT there to get in position to make your way to be on the first couple trains for Firehawk when KI opens to everyone else. Firehawk has only two trains, is popular, and the wait time gets, then stays high unlike any other ride there besides Invertigo which is just brutal and not worth it.

Also, the drive between KI and CP, if you go slightly out of the way using the interstates, is almost 5 hours, so you'll want to keep that in mind and try to do it in the afternoon when both parks are the busiest so you end up in the other park during the night hours. The Platinum Pass gets you all the perks at each park like ERT, so it's best to take advantage of it's early morning hour as those rides are very busy during the peak of the day and will let you cross them off your list.

The kings island resort and conference center has a shuttle to the park every 15-30 minutes, it's restaurant has decent food and that hotel is very value driven, there are a lot of restaurants and fast food places around that area of Mason within a couple minutes by car. If you're staying at CP, I recommend Hotel Breakers for location, just keep away from Breakers Express. The Express' south side is near the train tracks on the mainland which you may hear all night and defeats the purpose of staying at one of the park's resorts as you have to cross the bridge to CP with everyone else.

I haven't been to Knoebels or Kennywood, but both are excellent parks from what I've read and saw online every time I looked. I agree with Matt that Knoebels should be included if you can do it as it's right off I80. Kennywood is more out of the way in comparison. Regarding Knoebels and the long drive to CP from NJ, I think you would want to spend a night near Knoebels and head to CP the following morning to "recharge." I always declined the stop there because the drive at night to CP would be more difficult to find compared to the "right off the interstate" convenience of KD and KI.

[AV Matt]

IMO Cedar Point is super easy to find at night as well. Just follow the signs from I-80. Not hard at all.  Kennywood and Knoebels are a little harder. 

[dkny6363]

getting to kennywood can be horrible. Cedar Point is very easy to find.

[AV Matt]

Yeah Kennywood is tricky even in daylight. 

[WadeJ]

Just don't make the same mistake we did.  We left CP too late in the morning and didn't realize how long it REALLY takes to get to KI. And it isn't a half day park so I missed out on quite a bit.

[Bubba Z]

Regarding Knoebels and the long drive to CP from NJ, I think you would want to spend a night near Knoebels and head to CP the following morning to "recharge." I always declined the stop there because the drive at night to CP would be more difficult to find compared to the "right off the interstate" convenience of KD and KI.

I'm thinking he is talking about the drive out of Knoebels, not so much finding Cedar Point at night ?

[AV Matt]

I think he's implying that Cedar Point isn't as easy to find as KI and KD since it's not right off an interstate exit ramp.

[jimmybjammin]

I meant both that CP isn't right off the interstate and that it's another 6 hour drive from Knoebels when I may be tired. That can easily become a long day in my book when my morning started with a 4 hour drive to Knoebels. I'd prefer splitting it or driving straight through which is a shorter day of driving, giving the couple hours of fun at the end as the "reward" where I can walk to a bed at Hotel Breakers. Everyone has their own preference.