Kings Island is a 364-acre amusement park in Mason, Ohio, situated about 24 miles northeast of Cincinnati. Taft Broadcasting opened the park on April 29, 1972, in part to replace Coney Island, a beloved Cincinnati resort that repeatedly flooded along the Ohio River. From its first season, Kings Island earned attention as a serious roller coaster destination, and The Racer—a twin wooden coaster that debuted with the park—is widely credited with reigniting worldwide interest in wooden coasters during the 1970s.
Over five decades, the park grew into one of the most coaster-dense destinations in North America, spanning 364 acres with 15 roller coasters, a 33-acre water park, and nine themed areas. Today Kings Island is owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, following a merger completed on July 1, 2024, and draws around 3.5 million visitors per year.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Mason, Ohio (24 miles NE of Cincinnati)
- Opened: April 29, 1972
- Acreage: 364 acres
- Roller Coasters: 15
- Signature Coaster: The Beast — 7,361 ft, world’s longest wooden roller coaster
- Tallest / Fastest Coaster: Orion — 287 ft tall, 91 mph (B&M giga coaster, opened 2020)
- Water Park: Soak City — 33 acres
- 2023 Attendance: 3.488 million
The Coaster Collection
Kings Island’s coaster lineup is its calling card. The Beast, which opened in 1979 and was designed and built entirely in-house by park staff, remains the longest wooden roller coaster in the world at 7,361 feet, threading through 35 acres of forested terrain at up to 64.78 mph. Designated an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark in 2004, it has carried more than 54 million riders and received a refurbishment in 2022 that steepened its first drop from 45 to 53 degrees.
The steel roster is equally impressive. Orion, a Bolliger & Mabillard giga coaster that opened in July 2020, stands 287 feet tall with a 300-foot drop and reaches 91 mph—ranking among the fastest rides in North America and representing the largest single investment in park history at $31 million. Banshee (2014) holds the record for the world’s longest inverted roller coaster, and Diamondback (2009) is a hypercoaster topping out around 80 mph, giving Kings Island four headline coasters that each hold or have held a world record.
Beyond the Coasters
Soak City, a 33-acre water park that opened in 1989, adds a full warm-weather counterpoint to the thrill rides, featuring wave pools, a variety of water slides, and Tropical Plunge—a seven-story water slide complex added in 2016. Nine themed land areas across the main park offer experiences ranging from toddler-friendly zones to high-intensity thrill sections, making the park a genuine all-day destination for groups of mixed ages.
Kings Island’s seasonal events stretch the calendar well beyond summer. Halloween Haunt runs on weekends from September through October with haunted houses, mazes, live shows, and scare zones woven through the regular attractions. WinterFest transforms the park from mid-November through late December with more than five million color-changing lights, holiday entertainment, and ice skating on the Royal Fountain—cementing Kings Island as a year-round draw for the Greater Cincinnati region.
Explore more: Theme Parks.
Kings Island FAQs
What is the tallest roller coaster at Kings Island?
Orion is the tallest and fastest coaster at Kings Island. The Bolliger & Mabillard giga coaster stands 287 feet tall, drops 300 feet, and reaches a top speed of 91 mph. It opened on July 2, 2020, as the seventh giga coaster in the world.
What makes The Beast at Kings Island famous?
The Beast has held the record for the world’s longest wooden roller coaster since it opened in 1979. At 7,361 feet long and racing through 35 wooded acres at nearly 65 mph, it was designed and built in-house by Kings Island staff and is an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark.
Who owns Kings Island?
Kings Island is owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. The park was founded by Taft Broadcasting in 1972 and passed through several owners before Cedar Fair acquired it in 2006. On July 1, 2024, Cedar Fair and Six Flags completed a merger of equals, bringing Kings Island under the Six Flags banner.
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Photo: Oldiesmann / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.