On Wednesdays, May 15 - July 31 (excluding July 3), Gold and Platinum passholders may bring up to four (4) friends for $19.99 each when tickets are purchased in advance online.
Another way to save is on kids admission. For every regular adult ticket purchased online, one child under 48” can get into the park for free. The Kids Free Admission Offer is valid through June 14 excluding Saturdays.
>> Kings Island announces free admission for kids this spring
WHAT’S NEW THIS SEASON
Highlights this season include the new Kings Mills Antique Autos attraction and Miami River Brewhouse as well as the re-imagined International Street. On top of that, it's the 40th anniversary season for The Beast roller coaster, so there will be plenty to celebrate and see.
Soak City water park will open for the season on May 25.
Here's a look as some of the updates and additions new this season:
>> New attraction coming to Kings Island in 2019
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Kings Mills Antique Autos
One of Kings Island's most beloved attraction, the antique cars ride, is returning to the park when it opens this Saturday. The new Kings Mills Antique Autos family ride will have guests board replica classic touring cars and take a leisurely drive around a scenic track equipped with a small rail to keep the car on the path. The ride will be comparable to the original Les Taxis antique car ride, combining nostalgia with new enhancements. The cars are 2/3 scale replicas of the 1911 Ford Model T; though all-new, they will retain the vintage feel of the original Les Taxis. The new ride is located in Coney Mall, across from the Juke Box Café and alongside The Racer roller coaster. The ride will be a quarter mile in length and last approximately three minutes. Get ready to feel nostalgic in a good way.
>> 5 new things at Kings Island in 2019
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
International Street
When Kings Island first opened to the public in 1972 park designers wanted a dramatic welcome. Incorporating elements from around the world with a boulevard of shops and restaurants on International Street was what was settled on with five European countries represented featuring France, Spain, Italian, Swiss and German influences with a one-third scale replica of the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris, France as the centerpiece.
"International Street hasn’t had a major makeover since the park opened; 47 seemed like a good age for a face lift. As per the original vision, International Street will continue to whisk guests away from reality. Crews have installed more than 130,000 pavers, the landscaping is being enhanced and improvements to the building façades have been made," writes Natalie Belfiglio, King's Island's Social Media Coordinator in a recent blog post. "The Royal Fountain has been updated and will now have choreographed daytime and nighttime shows. The shows will feature water that will shoot 50 percent higher into the air and the ability to individually control each of the fountain’s new 112 nozzles and 176 LED lights. Be sure to mark your calendars for Memorial Day weekend to be the first to see the debut of the new fireworks finale and stage shows.
>> 9 things you didn’t know about Kings Island history
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
The Festhaus Glockenspiel
The Festhaus Glockenspiel characters have been completely restored and are ready to announce the next quarter hour to park guests as they did until 2009. Restoration to bring both the glockenspiel and entrance of Festhaus back to life, included installing a new clock supplied by The Verdin Company, headquartered in Cincinnati and new hand stenciled artwork on the building’s exterior. Five fiberglass glockenspiel characters, each over four feet tall, were completely restored after falling into disrepair.
According to Kings Island General Manager, Mike Koontz, restoring Festhaus’ exterior and glockenspiel pays homage to a building in the park with rich history.
“Above the doors to Festhaus are the lyrics to an old German Oktoberfest song,” Koontz said. “Translated, it says ‘A toast. A toast. To cheer and good times,’ and that’s what Festhaus has always been for Kings Island. A place where families can come together and create memories while eating together or enjoying a show. It seems only fitting that we restore the glockenspiel, to help bring back those memories and help today’s friends and families create new ones.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
The Beast
When The Beast first opened April 14, 1979, it was the longest and fastest roller coaster in the world. It still holds the title as the longest wooden roller coaster in the world at 7,359 feet.
It has since given more than 54 million rides, the third most in the park’s history, behind the Racer, with 105 million rides, and the K.I. & Miami Valley Railroad, with 56 million.
The 2019 season will mark 40 years since The Beast was unleashed at Kings Island in 1979. As part of the ride’s 40th anniversary celebration this year, Kings Island will turn back the clock with a throwback to the original “flame-themed” color scheme on each of the coaster’s three trains. The train colors were red (front cars), orange (middle cars) and yellow (back cars) when The Beast debuted.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
New dining
Kings Island will continue to build on its dining experience in 2019 with the opening of a new restaurant. The Miami River Brewhouse will be located in the Rivertown area of the park directly across from the award-winning Mystic Timbers roller coaster.
The menu will feature taps from local breweries as well as appetizers, salads, gourmet sandwiches and premium burgers.
Selections will include:
- Pull-apart bread – cheddar, garlic butter, scallions with beer mustard and Sri-Rancha (appetizer)
- "That's One Big Pretzel" – Bavarian twist with bacon jam and beer cheese (appetizer)
- Texas Bahn Mi – smoked beef, cucumber, carrot, cilantro with Sri-Mayo served on French bread
- London's Bridge – fried cod, cheese, tartar sauce served with super slaw
- Big Bacon Burger – a double patty burger with Havarti cheese, candied onion, bacon jam and sliced bacon
- Impossible Burger – vegan burger with herb mustard, cucumber, lettuce, tomato and onion
Last year Kings Island opened Coney Bar B Que, featuring various barbecue favorites including St. Louis-style ribs, pulled pork, rotisserie chicken and Queen City Sausage along with a fresh selection of side dishes.
Miami River Brewhouse will be included in the park’s dining plans.
WANT TO GO?
What: Kings Island
Where: 6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason
More information: 513-754-5700 or visitkingsisland.com
Opens: April 20, Soak City Waterpark opens May 25
Daily operation begins: May 15
Hours of operation: Varies. Check the website for details of the date you plan to visit — www.visitkingsisland.com/explore/calendar-and-hours
Dining plans: Kings Island offers an all-day dining plan and a season pass dining plan, which allows diners to choose from one of several entrees and a side at participating locations for two meals. Plans can be purchased in person at the park.
Save money: The best ways to save money are by purchasing tickets in advance online.
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