HPCrazy

Wow! I must say this has to be one of the best Kings Island PTR's I have ever seen! Excellent photos! I think the park has really changed for the better under Cedar Fair (all the former Paramount Parks have). I see a bright future for Kings Island and the rest of them. The Holiday World section was good too. Great job! By the way, this is really pumping me up for my rides on Firehawk, Diamondback and, again, with the Beast when I go out there this August!

Lightning Racer at Hersheypark on April 11th!

Great to know about the rear lot. I would think not as many people park back there, even on non-busy days. I guess it would be worth it, especially to ride some coasters.

You actually read my mind! I brought this up over at Coaster-net about changing my mind and doing Firehawk first. I've also heard over at KICentral and KIExtreme about the singles line for Diamondback. I've done this with Fahrenheit last year and waited only five minutes for the third row and plan on doing it again this year if the line is a nightmare again. Between here and Coaster-Net, you guys have really given me alot of good pointers and I appreciate all the help! Thanks so much!

Hercules - Dorney Park Laser - Dorney Park Hypersonic XLC - Kings Dominion (then Paramount)

Ooooh mini golf! Sound's like my type of thing. The cruise doesn't sound like it would do me or any of us justice but the golf would! Is there a site for the place I can check out? I also think the Battery Park idea that someone suggested earlier in this thread is another good one. Thanks for all the great ideas and pointers guys! And if it's true that anyone can park in the back parking lot for access to the park, it seems that would make for a nice way to get in and out of the park and possibly avoiding the gridlocks later on in the day (besides seeing most of the park on your way in and out).

I bet that has some people ticked. Hopefully they'll have the situation resolved come June 7th when I go. That is about a month away.

I know what that is like when waiting in a ride line. My friend Alex also comments on the rudness of those guests as well. I'm glad you are not like that though.

Breakers Express guests probably park in the main lot, am I correct? If so, parking may not be that much of an issue unless there are hundreds of people already there before they let the CP Resort guests in first.

Do you always park back there when you go to the park? And they let you park there the whole time?

Are you referring to the lots by Soak City/Challenge Park (where Magnum goes by)? Is anyone allowed to park back there? I ask because I thought that was strictly for Soak City/Challenge Park guests. We will be staying a Breakers Express and have the five min or less drive to the park itself. Doesn't really matter to me if I walk to Maverick from the front gate.

I'm going to be there June 7th, not June 1st -

Thanks guys so much for the Dragster advice! It's beginning to sound more promising. As long as it's not over an hour or so, I may end up going for it.

Great T/R! I'm glad you had a blast! This just makes me excited through most of this summer for when I go back out there again. I know my friend Alex is very excited as he never did either park before. I am really considering a night Beast ride after reading this report!

We are planning on arriving in Sandusky on Saturday and check in at Breaker's Express when we get there. Rise early on Sunday and do the early entry into CP, and then go to Kings Island on Monday. I don't know how the crowds will be on a Sunday and Monday in August at either park. That's one of the reasons why I started this thread, to get some expertise from CP and KI experts on here. Thanks for the imput about Dragster, Yamez. Maybe we can swing by it when I finish up with Millennium Force. I think my dad thinks I should ride it too because he did mention to me that it would be like I rode the second tallest coaster in the world (or one of the tallest) - lol!

That's a relief. I do know that Maverick and Millennium Force are part of early entry (unless that changes this year). I am planning on doing Maverick first, and then Millennium Force. Maybe after those two, I'll see what Dragster is like, you know, not long after opening. I'm sure there are CP experts here that know about that. Oh and DBru, thanks for the encouragement about me riding Dragster. While I don't have a problem with it, it's just trying to find the appropriate time to ride it so I am not standing in line for an hour or two.

Well I want to do Maverick first and depending on what the wait time is for Dragster after that, it may eat up the rest of early entry time. I heard that and Maverick get the most people. I am assuming that is correct.

Of course Storm and Runner will both be open by then, besides the Boardwalk too. I'm going June 7th with my friend and that is also one of the reasons we're going at that time, besides liking to go early in the season.

Hey guys, thanks so much for the pointers! I never knew there was a Battery Park there. So I'm guessing it's along the lake if you can see Cedar Point from there. Maybe that is something to check out and take some pictures. How far is Battery Park from Breakers Express? I haven't been to Perkins in a long time. They have a few around here (York and Hanover) so I don't know how the quality of the food is now. I remember Midway Market from my last visit, but alot of those other places just opened in the past few years so they would all be new to me. Again, thanks so much for the suggestions! Edit: I just checked out the menu on Berardis website and it looks like a pretty cool place. Thanks for letting me know about it.

I know I have probably mentioned this in the past but I will be going back out to Cedar Point and Kings Island on August 15-18 for my second time since 1998/99. We are also taking my friend Alex who has never been to either of these parks before. I wanted to know people's suggestions (especially from the CP & KI experts on here) on crowds and wait times to help me think things over accordingly. First off, we plan on picking up Alex and leaving sometime during the day on Saturday, getting up to Sandusky later that afternoon, check in at the Breaker's Express hotel and get our CP tickets there and such, and then just wind the day down so we won't be so tired in the morning. Some questions about this part: -What's there to do in the Sandusky area as far as killing an evening (mini golfing, eating, etc) -Good place to eat breakfast the next two mornings (Sunday and Monday) or is there a place at Breaker's Express? Also, since we will be staying at Breaker's Express, we will be taking advantage of the one-hour early entry into CP on Sunday morning, so my goal is to do Maverick first (can't wait to compare it to Fahrenheit!) and then Millennium Force (if they will be running during this time). Would these be good first two choices for the early entry? I am not sure if I will do Dragster or not those two are on my "goal list" for the day. Some questions about this part: -Once the rest of the park opens, what would be a good ride to start off with? By this time I should have Maverick done and maybe Millennium Force. -Best times to ride the other coasters (except Dragster) -Best place(s) to eat, should we decide to eat in there? After we're done with CP, we will be staying at Breaker's Express that evening and will rise early to make our trip down to Cincinnatti. We are planning on arriving at King Island sometime on Monday morning, just not sure when yet - will be around opening though. But before we get there, we plan on going to our hotel which will be the Comfort Inn at the Fields Ertel exit off 1-71 and buy our discounted tickets there. I remember we stayed at the same place before when we last visited. But anyways once we get to the park and get in there, I plan on doing Firehawk first and save Diamondback for later. Why? I've been hearing alot of people saying about the wait for Firehawk and that there is a "single rider line" at Diamondback. Since these are two of my "goal rides" for the day, I figure get Firehawk out of the way and have that credit done first and do Diamondback later with it being a "people eater" as alot have said, and the singles line cutting back on wait time, which worked perfectly for me on Fahrenheit last year since Alex didn't ride with me. I also plan on doing both a "day" and "night" ride on the Beast since we plan on being there til close. I've ridden the Beast during the daytime on my last visit but I have heard incredible reviews of rider's experiences on it in the dark, so I am really looking forward to that! Some questions about this part: -Am I wise at doing Firehawk first or should I do Son of Beast first, instead? -Since I only rode Beast, Racer (forwards) and Adventure Express on my last visit, when would be good times on riding the other coasters? -This may sound odd and I can't remember, but are those helicopters in Nick Universe for adults too? Or is it strictly a kiddie ride? I was actually thinking of taking a spin on it for some fun (I remember it as Yogi's Sky Tours on my last visit, but never rode it). -Best place(s) to eat, should we decide to eat in there? I think that's about it. I definitely will have a PTR after the trip, and will be excited share my second trip out to Ohio's two mega-parks!

The coaster looks so mejestic, even better with the blue sky! Many thanks to all you guys for posting so many wonderful pics on here. The anticipation is really building as this is one of the coaster that "I will ride" on my Cedar Point / Kings Island trip in August!

My friend and I usually eat between Minetown Restaurant and the Subway by Sidewinder and Storm Runner. Minetown offers good pizza and salad that I always go for and I also crave for a tuna or meatball sub from Subway. I always hear people crave for that Freeman's place that we keep discussing about, I know the smell down there is tempting. Nice pic! I'll check out the rest in a few minutes. They are really making process and I can't wait to see the whole SEA-qual up and running come June 7th! I'll be sure to take lots of pictures.

I've ridden Apollo's Chariot and I thought that was intense. I can't wait to compare this one to that coaster.

Those were some great pics of the trains and riders. It sort of gave me some inspiration when I go out there this August and take pictures.

Wow, I loved the pictures! Again, just making me very excited for August!