Southerners Going North

[Philosoraptor]

Hello All! New member here. I've lived in the southeast U.S. my entire life (never been further north than Nashville). I've done Six Flags Astroworld, Fiesta Texas, Over Texas, Over Georgia, Sea World San Antonio, Universal Studios Florida (at least once a year), and Disney World. This summer I'm planning to make my first trip to the northern U.S. I'm definitely doing Cedar Point and King's Island and possibly others.

Can any of you give me some tips on visiting these parks (when to go? where to say? must do activities?) as well as any other parks I might want to hit while in the Ohio area?

 

Thanks!

[willthegolfer]

The new Kentucky Kingdom and Holiday World aren't far from Kings Island at all!

[DirkFunk]

Without knowing you or how long you're going for, it's tough to say. Do you specifically want to focus on parks? Then the prior suggestion is good.

[LiMiT]

Being that you are in close proximity to Missouri, I would also suggest checking out Silver Dollar City if you ever get the chance. In fact, there's a whole lot to do in Branson besides the park.

[simon8899]

I have my own tour planned in 2015. So far I've come up with this...

 

SF Great America (Chicago)

Cedar Point

Waldameer (Eerie)

Kennywood (Pittsburgh)

Hersheypark / Knoebels / Dorney's / SF Great Adventure (south of NYC)

SF New England (north of NYC)

Astroland et al (New York)

 

As I also want to do some sights in Chicago and NYC I plan 2 1/2 to 3 weeks on this trip.

[azza29]

^If you're going to SFNE I'd recommend making pit-stops at Lake Compounce and Quassy too. Boulder Dash and Wooden Warrior are both fantastic coasters!

[simon8899]

^not 100% sure I will do "north of NYC" on this trip, maybe doing a seperate trip sometime in the future. Will decide after it is known what coaster the NJ coastline parks will add after Sandy until the 2015 season.

 

But after seeing that one adds a Pinfari Zyklon makes me tend more toward SFNE...

[Tanks4me05]

If you are driving all the way up to Ohio and back and have enough money to do a big trip, I would recommend something consisting of a bit of the Deep South as well as the Midwest:

 

Day 1: Drive from Jackson (assuming you live in or near Jackson) to a hotel near Six Flags Over Georgia (5.5 hours.)

Day 2: Six Flags Over Georgia

Day 3: Drive from Six Flags Over Georgia to Lake Winnepesaukah (2 hours,) spend the afternoon there, and then drive to Pigeon Forge (2.5 hours.)

Day 4: Do a bunch of random crazy stuff in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, you won't regret it.

Day 5: Dollywood.

Day 6: Drive to Beech Bend (4.5 hours) and visit the park for the afternoon, then drive to a hotel near Holiday World in the evening (2 hour drive.)

Day 7: Holiday World.

Day 8: Drive to Kentucky Kingdom (about 1.5 hours) and visit the park for the whole day, then drive to a hotel near Kings Island at night (2 hours.)

Day 9: Kings Island.

Day 10: Drive to Cedar Point (3.5 hours) and stay in the park for the day; you might want to get up really early and get to the park when it opens, get up later and stay there for the afternoon and evening.

Day 11: Cedar Point for a second day. (It can be done in one day with the fast lane, but I like to stay for two.)

Day 12: Drive from Cedar Point to Indiana Beach (4.5 hours) and visit the park for the remainder of the day.

Day 13: Drive from Indiana Beach to a hotel near Six Flags St. Louis (5.5 hours.)

Day 14: Six Flags St. Louis.

Day 15: Get up earlier, drive from Six Flags St. Louis to Silver Dollar City (3.5 hours) and visit the park the whole day.

Day 16: Drive to Magic Springs and Crystal Falls (4 hours) and visit the park for the rest of the day.

Day 17: Drive back to Jackson, MS (5 hours.)

[Philosoraptor]

Thanks guys. Probably only going to have time for about a week and a half. Do you think King's Island and Cedar point deserve 2 days apiece? Or can they be done in one?

[Tanks4me05]

^In the case of a ten day trip, I would recommend:

 

Day 1: Drive 8.5 hours from Jackson, MS (again, pretending you live near there) to a hotel near Holiday World.

Day 2: Holiday World.

Day 3: Get up early to drive 3 hours to Kings Island, do Kings Island the whole day (Fast Lane may be needed to do the whole park in one day.)

Day 4: Get up early, drive 3.5 hours to Cedar Point, do Cedar Point the whole day (Fast Lane recommended to complete the park in one day.)

Day 5: Drive from Cedar Point to Indiana Beach (4.5 hours) and stay at the park the remainder of the day.

Day 6: Drive 5 hours Indiana Beach to the St. Louis City Museum, do the museum in the afternoon and evening, and then drive to a hotel near Six Flags St. Louis for the night.

Day 7: Six Flags St. Louis.

Day 8: Get up earlier, drive from Six Flags St. Louis to Silver Dollar City (3.5 hours) and do Silver Dollar City the whole day.

Day 9: Drive to Magic Springs and Crystal Falls (4 hours) and visit the park the rest of the day.

Day 10: Drive back to Jackson, MS. (5 hours.)

 

I honestly would recommend to try to get someone to go along with you, particularly so you can drive in shifts.

[cal1br3tto]

Based on both my own very limited experience, and common advice others can probably back me up on:

 

One day is fine for Kings Island, especially since they now have Fast Lane.

 

Two days has long been recommended at Cedar Point, partly to account for unpredictable weather conditions that could close down some rides. I personally think there's a lot to do on property, so I'd go for two days even with Fast Lane. For all the crowds, it can be a relaxing place to wander or check out the array of non-coaster attractions.

[coasterbill]

^^I like your thinking but I'd suggest going to Dollywood instead of Holiday World, then go 4 hours to Kings Island. Dollywood usually closes early so you can start driving after you leave the park and just drive until you get tired... then get a room somewhere. For Cedar Point I'd do 2 days if at all possible.

 

You could also totally switch it up and do this. (You'll need a few extra days for this, but you could also shave a day by leaving one evening after work (I'm assuming that's the reason for the limited amount of time), driving part-way to Dollywood and finishing in the morning.

 

This method has the benefits of El Toro, Phoenix, Skyrush and I305 but you'll miss Outlaw Run.

 

Day 1: Drive to Dollywood, spend the evening in Pigeon Forge

Day 2: Dollywood, Drive to Kings Island after you leave, finish in the morning if needed

Day 3: Kings Island, Drive to Cedar Point, finish in the morning if needed

Day 4: Cedar Point

Day 5: Cedar Point. After you leave get on I-80 east and drive until you're tired. If you want you can probably leave before the park closes to have more time to spend at the parks the next day.

Day 6: Take I-80 to I-476 to get to Great Adventure (this is about an 8 hour drive). On the way stop at Knoebels and Dorney if you want. I only suggest Dorney because you'll drive through Allentown and will actually be able to see it from the highway you'll be taking. You can ride everything there in 2 hours... don't buy Fastlane, you won't need it regardless of the day or time of year. If by chance you're at Knoebels and you realize it's the best place in the world and you don't care about Dorney... I can't blame you for that. Just stay at Knoebels all day.

Day 7: Great Adventure (Buy a Flash Pass, scroll to El Toro, repeat...). After you leave drive 2 hours to Hershey

Day 8: Hershey, drive 3 1/2 hours to Kings Dominion

Day 9: Kings Dominion, drive to Busch Gardens

Day 10: Busch Gardens, drive towards Carowinds until you're tired

Day 11: Carowinds (you'll need to finish driving to Carowinds in the morning but it's pretty much on your way home so it makes a nice last day... if you get to this park a few hours late you'll be fine)

Day 12: Drive 9 Hours home

[larrygator]

Thanks guys. Probably only going to have time for about a week and a half. Do you think King's Island and Cedar point deserve 2 days apiece? Or can they be done in one?

 

You'll need Fast Lane to guarantee finishing Cedar Point in one day.

 

Probably the same for Kings Island. At the very least, Fast Lane will help you enjoy your day at the park in a less stressful way. When Diamondback opened lines were insane just for that ride, would expect the same for Banshee this year.

 

Unless you know the park will be empty, whenever your time is more valuable than your money, get the Fast Lane.

[larrygator]

I don't know if the City Museum in St. Louis is as much fun if you end up traveling solo. But at that point in the trip you might need a park free day. Here is what I would recommend. Similar to a previous suggestion.

 

Day 1: Drive from Jackson, MS to Bowling Green. (Leave early enough in the morning do Beech Bend at night)

Day 2: Be at Holiday World at opening

Day 3: Kentucky Kingdom

Day 4: Be at Kings Island at opening (with Fast Lane) leave park before close starting driving, you don't want to do the whole drive to Cedar Point the next morning

Day 5: Be at Cedar Point at opening (with Fast Lane) drive at least half the distance to Indiana Beach this night

Day 6: No need to rush to be at Indiana Beach at opening. Start drive to St Louis at night (this will be your toughest driving day)

Day 7: City Museum (optional if you are traveling alone)

Day 8: At opening SFStL, leave before close to drive towards Branson

Day 9: At opening Silver Dollar City

Day 10: Drive back to Jackson, MS.

 

I would visit Beech Bend and Kentucky Kingdom over Magic Springs since Kentucky Rumbler is far better than anything at Magic Springs and Lightning Run has lots of potential.

[LiMiT]

^That's probably your best list. Also, it might be okay to put SFGAm in the list somewhere...it isn't far from Indiana Beach (relatively), but you might have a hard time getting to St. Louis from there. Just a suggestion if you're up for it.

[Tanks4me05]

^^hmmmmm, that looks like to be the best option. The reason why I suggested Magic Springs is because going from Magic Springs can shave off up to 4 hours from that final drive home, and I never personally really liked the idea of doing a super long drive home as the "grand finale" of a trip.