There are few places where adults can experience the same magical feeling they felt as children.
For me, Kings Island reminds me of 10-year-old David. Cheers can be heard from far away. Funnel cake scent. The rush you get when riding a Diamondback or Beast.
But this 52-year-old amusement park is more than just an adrenaline place for me.
It's part of my family's story.
my childhood favorite park
I first visited Kings Island when I was four years old. It quickly became one of my favorite places in the world. I had my grandfather ride with me in the racer four times, twice with him in the front and twice with him in the back. That's when I actually had a backwards coaster.
Then my family and I made that park a regular summer hangout. We spent the weekend there. I will go there with my classmates. My friends would take me with their families and vice versa.
That was the anticipation I felt before Drop Zone (I won't call it Drop Zone) tower). Or the competitive juices that flowed when my friend and I competed in his 3-point shootout. We always wanted to win the jersey, but we just couldn't do it.
Those were the experiences that brought me back.
Even the tough days got better.
In 2010, I was on a trip to Kings Island during LeBron James' infamous “Decision” special. As a huge Cleveland Cavaliers fan, I was unsuccessful in my search for a TV. So I snuck into the bathroom and called my friend, who placed her phone next to the TV speakers (this was before FaceTime).
“I'm going to take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat,” I heard James say as I huddled in a corner next to a dumpster.
I was devastated and hung up. But at least the blue ice cream eased the pain.
The trip that changed everything
One trip during my freshman year of high school changed my life forever.
My friends and I went to Kings Island on a Saturday in May. There was a youth group event at my church the day before, and I found out that one of my friends from church was also going to her school the same day.
Her name was Macy. We've been friends for a while, but we've never really spent time together outside of our church friend group.
That day she didn't even play with her classmates and instead decided to go on rides with me and my friends.
And we spent some time screaming at Delirium. Eat a snack. She playfully teased me while I was on The Beast.
Our friendship started to feel…different.
My friend said she could tell we liked each other, but I had never thought of it before. I once “talked” to her best friend (you know, the word we millennials use before we start dating). She did the same to my cousin.
But after that trip, we started texting more. We started telling inside jokes more and spent more time with each other than with friends.
A few weeks later we were on a date.
Kings Island has a special place in my heart
May 14, 2024 marks the 13th anniversary of that journey. May 27th will be the 13th anniversary of Mace becoming my girlfriend and our 8th wedding anniversary.
Since that day in 2011, we have continued to visit Kings Island to relive the fateful day that changed our lives.
My mom used to buy me a season pass every Christmas. When she moved to Cincinnati in 2014, we used to go out randomly on weeknights. Or when you need to do something. One year, we had a seasonal meal plan and all I had to do was go to the park for lunch (I was a broke college student).
It was our second home.
I haven't been back since 2019. The last few years have been tough due to COVID-19, and in 2022 and 2023, his wife was pregnant so he couldn't go on rides. We welcomed our first two children that year.
But I still think about those memories often.
A trip with childhood friends. I attended a random concert at the Timberwolf Amphitheater in the park. Go there for high school senior skip day or have lunch at Festhouse. Or take a dip in Soak City's wave pool.
So, whether you're a 4-year-old going to an amusement park for the first time or you've been taking your kids to their favorite childhood parks, you too can enjoy some magic this amusement park season. I hope you can make some memories with us.