Kings Island is a 364-acre amusement park in Mason, Ohio, about 24 miles northeast of Cincinnati, known for one of the densest roller coaster lineups in North America. Since opening in 1972, it has grown into a seasonal destination anchored by record-setting coasters, a full water park, and two of the Midwest’s biggest seasonal events.
This guide covers everything you need to plan a visit — current hours and ticket pricing, parking rates, season pass tiers and discounts, a full breakdown of all 15 roller coasters ranked by height and speed, height and bag policies, and the best times of year to go.
Quick Answer
Kings Island is a 364-acre amusement park in Mason, Ohio, owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. It’s open seasonally — daily from late spring through Labor Day, then weekends for Halloween Haunt and WinterFest — with 15 roller coasters headlined by The Beast (the world’s longest wooden coaster) and Orion (the park’s tallest and fastest ride at 287 feet and 91 mph). Single-day tickets bought online typically start around $45, parking runs $35–$45 per car, and Soak City water park is included with regular admission.
Planning Your Visit: Hours, Tickets, Parking & Passes
Kings Island typically opens on weekends in spring, moves to daily operation by late spring through Labor Day, then switches to weekend-only hours for Halloween Haunt in September and October and again for WinterFest in November and December. Exact opening times, closing times, and operating days shift throughout the season and around holidays, so always check the current calendar before you go.
Ticket pricing follows a tiered structure: single-day admission bought online in advance runs meaningfully cheaper than tickets bought at the gate, with online single-day tickets typically starting in the $45 range versus roughly double that at the turnstile. Military, veteran, and first-responder discount tickets are also sold online through ID.me verification, and Kings Island runs a free-admission Military Days promotion for active and retired service members around Memorial Day weekend.
Season passes for 2026 come in three tiers: Silver, the entry-level pass covering unlimited admission to Kings Island and Soak City only, with no reciprocal access to other parks; Gold, which adds reciprocal access to other Six Flags-owned parks in the Midwest region, including Cedar Point; and the higher Prestige tier, which adds broader access across the full Six Flags park network plus extra perks like complimentary beverages and VIP area access. Most season pass levels include free parking, while single-day guests pay separately — regular parking runs about $35 per vehicle and preferred parking (closer to the gate) runs about $45.
Skip-the-line Fast Lane add-ons are sold by the day or for the full season for guests who want to minimize wait times on the biggest coasters. For current hours, exact ticket prices, parking rates, and season pass details, check the official Kings Island website, which also lists Soak City’s operating calendar (Soak City is included with regular Kings Island admission during its season, which typically runs shorter than the main park’s).
The Complete Roller Coaster Guide, Ranked
Kings Island’s 15 roller coasters span wood, steel, inverted, suspended, and family formats, spread across nine themed areas. For sheer numbers, Orion (2020) is the tallest and fastest ride in the park at 287 feet with a 300-foot first drop and a top speed of 91 mph, built by Bolliger & Mabillard as a giga coaster. The Beast (1979) is the longest coaster in the park and the longest wooden roller coaster in the world, running 7,361 feet through 35 acres of wooded terrain with a ride time of over four minutes. Banshee (2014) is the world’s longest inverted coaster, and Diamondback (2009), a B&M hypercoaster standing 230 feet tall with a 215-foot first drop, reaches roughly 80 mph.
The rest of the thrill lineup includes The Racer (1972), a twin wooden racing coaster that opened with the park and is widely credited with reigniting worldwide interest in wooden coasters; Mystic Timbers (2017), a wooden GCI coaster built by Great Coasters International with a mid-ride shed twist; Flight of Fear, an indoor launched coaster; The Bat, a suspended coaster; Adventure Express, a mine-train-style coaster; and Invertigo, an inverted boomerang. Rounding out the roster are family and kids’ coasters — Woodstock Express, Great Pumpkin Coaster, Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers, Woodstock’s Air Rail, and Queen City Stunt Coaster — designed for younger or first-time riders.
For 2026, the park’s newest attraction is Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare, an indoor dark ride built by Sally Dark Rides featuring 26 interactive scenes where guests use spellbound flashlights aboard ‘enchanted opera boxes.’ It’s a dark-ride experience rather than a coaster, so it doesn’t change the 15-coaster count, and it occupies the same building that formerly housed Boo Blasters and the original 1990s Phantom Theater.
Height Requirements & Bag Policy
Kings Island’s height rules run in tiers. Rides in Planet Snoopy, the park’s kids’ area, start as low as 36 inches. Family-style coasters generally require 40 to 46 inches. The park’s 48-inch tier covers The Beast, Mystic Timbers, The Racer, and Adventure Express, while Banshee sits at 52 inches. The tallest requirement, 54 inches, applies to Diamondback, Orion, Flight of Fear, and Invertigo. A few attractions, like the Eiffel Tower observation deck and the carousel, have no posted minimum. Kings Island measures riders at each ride entrance rather than issuing wristbands, so always check the posted sign — minimums can be adjusted for safety.
Kings Island does not enforce a mandatory clear-bag policy for general park entry; standard backpacks, totes, and fanny packs are generally allowed through the main gate, though all bags are subject to search. Halloween Haunt nights bring stricter bag-size limits after 4 p.m. Separately, the park’s tallest thrill coasters — Orion, Diamondback, Banshee, and Mystic Timbers among them — run a strict no-loose-items policy at the queue, meaning phones and other loose articles must be stowed before boarding. Rental lockers near these rides are available at a flat rate of about $5 per day, transferable between locker locations.
Best Time to Visit
Weekdays in May, early June, and August tend to have the shortest lines, since school-age crowds peak on weekends and around July 4th. Arriving at park opening and heading straight to headline coasters like Orion or The Beast before mid-morning is the most reliable way to beat the biggest waits.
Fall weekends bring Halloween Haunt crowds, while November and December weekends draw families for WinterFest, so those dates run busier despite cooler weather. If you’re chasing shorter lines specifically, a Tuesday or Wednesday in the first half of the season is typically the best combination of full ride operations and light crowds.
Beyond the Coasters
Soak City, Kings Island’s water park, is included with regular park admission during its operating season and adds wave pools, slides, and a lazy river for guests who want a break from the coasters. Camp Snoopy anchors the kids’ area with Peanuts-themed rides sized for younger riders, and the park’s seasonal events — Halloween Haunt in fall and WinterFest with its light displays and ice skating in winter — draw crowds well outside the core summer season.
Kings Island hours, tickets, parking, and coasters FAQs
How much are Kings Island tickets in 2026?
Single-day tickets bought online in advance typically start around $45, while gate prices run significantly higher. Military, veteran, and first-responder discount tickets are also available. Exact pricing changes throughout the season, so confirm current rates on the official Kings Island website.
How much does parking cost at Kings Island?
Regular parking runs about $35 per vehicle and preferred parking (closer to the entrance) runs about $45 for single-day guests. Most season pass tiers include free parking as a perk.
How many roller coasters does Kings Island have?
Kings Island has 15 roller coasters, ranging from record-setting thrill rides like The Beast and Orion to family and kids’ coasters in Planet Snoopy.
What is the tallest and fastest ride at Kings Island?
Orion, a Bolliger & Mabillard giga coaster that opened in 2020, is the park’s tallest and fastest ride at 287 feet tall with a top speed of 91 mph.
Is Kings Island open year-round?
No. Kings Island operates seasonally — daily from late spring through Labor Day, then weekends only for Halloween Haunt in fall and WinterFest in November and December.
Is Soak City included with Kings Island admission?
Yes. Soak City water park is included with regular Kings Island admission during its operating season, which typically runs shorter than the main park’s season.
Which season pass tier includes access to Cedar Point?
The Gold pass tier adds reciprocal access to other Six Flags-owned parks in the Midwest region, including Cedar Point. The entry-level Silver pass covers Kings Island and Soak City only, and Prestige extends access across the full Six Flags network.
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