Schools are back in session, the tempertaures are going down, days are shorter, and slides and pools have been emptied.
This does not mean, however, that you have to wait until next year to enjoy your favorite coasters, thrill rides, and pleasure rides.
Paramount's Kings Island is closed to the public and season passholders on September weekends due to company buy-outs, which have been typical for decades. PKI however will reopen in October for FearFest on Friday and Saturday nights, and Nick-or-Treat on daylight hours Saturday and Sundays . Hours are: 5pm-Midnight on Fridays (excluding Sep. 30), 10am-Midnight on Saturdays, and 10am-8pm on Sundays.
And for those procastinators, the first weekend of November (5-6), the park will be open 10am-6pm (both Sat and Sun.)
However, if you can't wait until October, there are three places to get your thrills in on September weekends. Closest to Cincinnati is Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, which has good coasters and thrill rides like Chang, Thunder Run, Greezed Lightnin', Twisted Twins, and more. Six Flags will be open to the public Saturdays and Sundays in September and October, and Fridays in October (also on Sep. 30)
If you seek even more, Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH is a great option. CP is open Friday evenings, as well as Saturdays and Sundays. A good time to go is this coming weekend (16-18), which is a "bonus weekend," in between the regular operating season, and HalloWeekends, which begins on the 23rd. On Fridays, some less popular rides may be closed (as some college student employees are commuting to Sandusky for the weekend) - but this makes for good ride time at Millennium Force, Raptor, and Magnum as big crowds are not expected. Also on the 16th through 18th, there will be a boat show in the Marina, and the Johnsonville Big Grill tour will stop at CP that weekend too. It will also be the last weekend Soak City is scheduled to be open, so if you love water fun, you may be in luck!
However, take note that Top Thrill Dragster is eperiencing some mechanical issues, and may possibly be closed for the remainder of 2005.
You might think that Cedar Point may be a lot to handle, but for those who want more, Geauga Lake is a great side item, or a trip within itself. Less than 5 hours from Cincinnati, and located southeast of Cleveland, Geauga Lake has an impressive collection of coasters, both wood and steel, as well as some flat rides from intense to light, and even a monorail! There's X-Flight, the region's only lay-down flying coaster, and Dominator, a great looping coaster where riders are placed right above the track, but without the standard floor found in most coaster trains. Don't miss the Big Dipper, the oldest operating coaster in Ohio (1925), and ride in the front of the classic trains for some of the best airtime around! General admission is only $24.99, which is a great deal great noting the 10 coasters and many more rides and attractions Geauga has to offer.
Also, if you're there this coming weekend, check out the 25th annual Oktoberfest, the park's version of this German classic!
Before you go, check out the websites or call the parks for more information, such as pricing and hours - you might just get an experience unlike one offered during the typical hot summer day.
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