What says summer more than fast rides and overpriced food? Nothing, and Kings Island is a summer rite of passage for Harrison students and families.
So many of us relate to the excitement that comes before the first Kings Island trip of the year. Just this year, on Passholder Preview day, I was full of excitement to go to Kings Island, as my best friend’s mom had just bought me a summer pass. The park was jam packed; every line was over an hour long wait in the hot sun. I’m typically not the bravest when it comes to tall and fast roller coasters, but I was coaxed by my friend into getting in the line for Banshee. After an hour and a half, I found myself buckling into the seat with a death grip onto the handlebars before the ride even started moving. I remember looking at my friend’s boyfriend and then everything went black. Clearly, I wasn’t out long enough because I woke up completely upside down and immediately started screaming my heart out. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only coaster I passed out on that day…
But despite stories like this, Harrison can’t get enough of our nearby theme park.
Many students at William Henry Harrison High School visit Kings Island frequently. Pass Holder preview day (or faint on roller coaster days, for me) is something students look forward to so much that they’ll have passes pre-ordered before temperatures have even reached 60 degrees. The majority of Harrison students prefer to purchase a pass over buying individual day-time tickets. For people that go often, buying a pass saves a ton of money. Most people usually go once a summer or once a month, but there are a few who go various times per week.
On the official Kings Island website, you’ll realize the prices of passes are pretty extreme. The majority of Harrison students would say that Kings Island is overpriced, but there are a few who think the prices are justified. Tickets aren’t the only pricey factor of visiting Kings Island. There are many restaurant options that are loved by Harrison students, though they can be expensive. Many believe investing in a drink add-on to your Kings Island pass is very beneficial and could help save a few dollars in the long run.
Students at Harrison have many mixed opinions on what their favorite rides at Kings Island are. Results have proved that the more dangerous the ride is, the more favored it is. The coaster that Harrison students love the most is Orion, known as the tallest roller coaster at the park. Many people also enjoy The Banshee and Diamondback. The Beast, which according to the Guinness Book of World Records is the longest wooden roller coaster, is the next highest ranked Kings Island ride by Harrison students.
Harrison High School students were asked about the competition of other theme parks against Kings Island, and it’s safe to say that other theme parks don’t have a chance to compare. Of course, some people disagree. Many students enjoy theme parks like Universal Studios or Stricker’s Grove better. One student even went as far to say they’d prefer “literally any other theme park.” But, many students like Kings Island the best.
Kings Island is somewhere that many students from Harrison High School go to every year. Going to opening day is comparable to walking into the cafeteria in the morning due to the sheer number of students from Harrison you’ll find. Remember how I said Banshee was the first roller coaster I passed out on? Well, The Beast was the second. So, if you plan to go to Kings Island this summer, be sure to prepare yourself better than I did if you want to avoid missing out on half of the ride.
