XYZ's Marvelous Midwest Mania!

[XYZ]

 

Hello inhabitants of TPR,

 

I'm going on an amazing trip to the Midwest to check out a ton of parks there and I would like to see some suggestions from the locals of the area to help me out.

 

So far this is the itinerary:

 

--------------

 

FRI 8/15: Fly into Indianapolis

(Overnight in Louisville)

 

SAT 8/16: Holiday World

(Overnight in Louisville)

 

SUN 8/17: Kentucky Kingdom

(Overnight in Cincinnati)

 

MON 8/18: Kings Island

(Overnight in Mansfield)

 

TUE 8/19: Cedar Point

(Overnight in Sandusky)

 

WED 8/20: Cedar Point

(Overnight in Sandusky)

 

THU 8/21: Waldameer/Conneaut

(Overnight in Sandusky)

 

FRI 8/22: Buffer day

(Overnight in Indianapolis?)

 

SAT 8/23: Fly back home from Indianapolis

 

-------------

 

The buffer day is a free day where if there is a day of bad weather, I am able to delay going to the parks for a day and if the week is all good weather, I might be able to do an extra park (perhaps Indiana Beach or Kennywood)

 

 

So, people who have experienced these parks, what are some things I should know when going on this trip?

 

(Also, I will be posting the photo trip reports of each of these parks in this thread after I go on this trip.)

[KI Kidd]

Alrighty...first of all this sounds like a great trip! Lots of great parks and coasters to hit! I'll give my advice a park at a time as I have been to all of them except Conneaut.

 

 

Holiday World: Plan on getting there at opening if possible and make a beeline for Voyage when the park opens you should be able to get in 2-3 rides with little or no wait. Gobbler Getaway (shooting dark ride) is right there as well and is a fun ride. If you are planning on hitting the water park be at the entrance when the park opens and head directly to whichever of the Mammoth/Wildebeest/Zinga/Bukali quartet that you are most looking forward to (I would personally suggest Wildebeest) and then afterwards get in line for your second choice. Since it is a Saturday there is a possibility of a pretty packed Splashin' Safari. The lines in dry park really start to thin out after lunch (even on weekends) and you should have no trouble getting multiple rides on all three coasters if you so desire. Liberty Launch is a surprisingly fun S&S tower but is really the only stand out flat ride. I suggest riding Raven in the very back, Voyage in either the very front (smoothest seat) or very back (more out of control feeling), and Legend wherever as it is more about the laterals.

 

Kentucky Kingdom: Ah good old Kentucky Kingdom. First piece of advice, don't wear a speedo, breastfeed, or be disabled. (Just kidding). Lightning Run is the star of the show here. It is great the Thunder Run is running again (and running better then I remember it running ever before) but the new kid on the block steals the show. I went on a weekday and really had minimal waits all around. Lightning Run's restraints are very restrictive to bigger riders so if you or anyone you are with is on the hefty side I would advise them to take advantage of the test seat. (As a point of reference I have a 38" waist and just barely fit.) I didn't spend any time in the water park on my one visit this year so I can't help you there.

 

Kings Island: Monday should be a good day to be there and unless marathoning Firehawk or Backlot Stunt Coaster is your plan you can get everything done without Fast Lane. I would be there at opening and head back to X-Base and get in line for either Firehawk or Flight or Fear and then ride the other once you get off the first. I would then suggest going to Backlot Stunt Coaster. Everything else except Invertigo has pretty good capacity and shouldn't have waits longer than 20 minutes. Beast, Vortex, Banshee, and Diamondback are all have great capacity and really can be ridden at anytime. Drop Tower, Delirium, and WindSeeker are the big flats and especially Drop Tower shouldn't be missed. The Cirque Imagine show is incredibly good for a show at a Cedar Fair park.

Coasters that are best in back: Banshee, Diamondback, The Bat, and Invertigo.

Coasters to ride in specific seats: Vortex ride in 5-1 and only in 5-1 (this is crucial), Racer and Beast are both best in the second to last rows

The rest can really be ridden wherever. Banshee and Beast are absolutely fantastic night rides if you are going to be there after dark.

 

Cedar Point: There really isn't a 'wrong way' to do Cedar Point, because its Cedar Freaking Point. If you have a Platinum Pass or are staying on site take advantage of the early entry and get a few rides in on Maverick and Millennium Force before the crowds get there. Both of these rides can have long waits on otherwise slower days. Just before the park opens to the public go and get in line for Dragster. This will take your three longest waits out of the way early and open up the rest of your day to do as you please. The rides at the front of the park (Raptor, GateKeeper, and Blue Streak) have much shorter lines in the evening. Many suggest starting at the back of the park and working forwards throughout the day, while this strategy is a sound one if you get the big three out of the way early there won't be too many rides with crazy long lines.

Coasters to ride in back: Millennium Force, Blue Streak, Corkscrew (surprisingly forceful pop of air on the camelback), Raptor, GateKeeper, and Wicked Twister

Coasters to ride in the front: Maverick

Coasters with specific seats: Magnum in 3-1

The rest can really be ridden wherever.

 

Waldameer: Not a whole lot of planning necessary on this one. Its a fun park but not really an all day one. Crowds were very light when I was there in 2011. Ravine Flyer II is incredible in the back but is really the only 'must ride' in the park.

 

 

If you are a real credit whore there is a Tivoli at the Indianapolis Zoo if you have time to hit it. I hope you have a great time, I hope this helps, and I can't wait to see your TR!

[XYZ]

Alrighty...first of all this sounds like a great trip! Lots of great parks and coasters to hit! I'll give my advice a park at a time as I have been to all of them except Conneaut.

 

 

Holiday World: Plan on getting there at opening if possible and make a beeline for Voyage when the park opens you should be able to get in 2-3 rides with little or no wait. Gobbler Getaway (shooting dark ride) is right there as well and is a fun ride. If you are planning on hitting the water park be at the entrance when the park opens and head directly to whichever of the Mammoth/Wildebeest/Zinga/Bukali quartet that you are most looking forward to (I would personally suggest Wildebeest) and then afterwards get in line for your second choice. Since it is a Saturday there is a possibility of a pretty packed Splashin' Safari. The lines in dry park really start to thin out after lunch (even on weekends) and you should have no trouble getting multiple rides on all three coasters if you so desire. Liberty Launch is a surprisingly fun S&S tower but is really the only stand out flat ride. I suggest riding Raven in the very back, Voyage in either the very front (smoothest seat) or very back (more out of control feeling), and Legend wherever as it is more about the laterals.

 

Kentucky Kingdom: Ah good old Kentucky Kingdom. First piece of advice, don't wear a speedo, breastfeed, or be disabled. (Just kidding). Lightning Run is the star of the show here. It is great the Thunder Run is running again (and running better then I remember it running ever before) but the new kid on the block steals the show. I went on a weekday and really had minimal waits all around. Lightning Run's restraints are very restrictive to bigger riders so if you or anyone you are with is on the hefty side I would advise them to take advantage of the test seat. (As a point of reference I have a 38" waist and just barely fit.) I didn't spend any time in the water park on my one visit this year so I can't help you there.

 

Kings Island: Monday should be a good day to be there and unless marathoning Firehawk or Backlot Stunt Coaster is your plan you can get everything done without Fast Lane. I would be there at opening and head back to X-Base and get in line for either Firehawk or Flight or Fear and then ride the other once you get off the first. I would then suggest going to Backlot Stunt Coaster. Everything else except Invertigo has pretty good capacity and shouldn't have waits longer than 20 minutes. Beast, Vortex, Banshee, and Diamondback are all have great capacity and really can be ridden at anytime. Drop Tower, Delirium, and WindSeeker are the big flats and especially Drop Tower shouldn't be missed. The Cirque Imagine show is incredibly good for a show at a Cedar Fair park.

Coasters that are best in back: Banshee, Diamondback, The Bat, and Invertigo.

Coasters to ride in specific seats: Vortex ride in 5-1 and only in 5-1 (this is crucial), Racer and Beast are both best in the second to last rows

The rest can really be ridden wherever. Banshee and Beast are absolutely fantastic night rides if you are going to be there after dark.

 

Cedar Point: There really isn't a 'wrong way' to do Cedar Point, because its Cedar Freaking Point. If you have a Platinum Pass or are staying on site take advantage of the early entry and get a few rides in on Maverick and Millennium Force before the crowds get there. Both of these rides can have long waits on otherwise slower days. Just before the park opens to the public go and get in line for Dragster. This will take your three longest waits out of the way early and open up the rest of your day to do as you please. The rides at the front of the park (Raptor, GateKeeper, and Blue Streak) have much shorter lines in the evening. Many suggest starting at the back of the park and working forwards throughout the day, while this strategy is a sound one if you get the big three out of the way early there won't be too many rides with crazy long lines.

Coasters to ride in back: Millennium Force, Blue Streak, Corkscrew (surprisingly forceful pop of air on the camelback), Raptor, GateKeeper, and Wicked Twister

Coasters to ride in the front: Maverick

Coasters with specific seats: Magnum in 3-1

The rest can really be ridden wherever.

 

Waldameer: Not a whole lot of planning necessary on this one. Its a fun park but not really an all day one. Crowds were very light when I was there in 2011. Ravine Flyer II is incredible in the back but is really the only 'must ride' in the park.

 

 

If you are a real credit whore there is a Tivoli at the Indianapolis Zoo if you have time to hit it. I hope you have a great time, I hope this helps, and I can't wait to see your TR!

 

Wow, I really appreciate the effort into creating this post for my trip.