Two years ago, Kings Island saw a huge jump in the number of fights and ejections that happened in the park. Due to this, they decided to make major changes to their rules and curfews. Changes that I believe were rushed, drastic, and unnecessary. These new rules have only made it worse for families.
The biggest change that Kings Island made was to their curfew. Their new rule stated that, “all guests ages 15 years old or younger must be accompanied by a chaperone who is at least 21 years old in order to be admitted to, or remain in the park.” The rule also states that, “The policy will be in effect Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. local time, and all other days at 4:00 p.m. local time.” This was definitely the change that stirred the community the most because it caused a lot of problems for families with children under that age. For example, if you’re working a 9-5 job, parents don’t have time to drop their kids off at the park at 10:00 AM. They also don’t have time to pick up their kid at 4:00 p.m. when they supposedly would be getting kicked out because they don’t have a chaperone with them.
Here’s why I have a problem with this rule. Kings Island employees don’t even enforce it. I’m 15, which means these rule changes apply to me. I got so tired of having to go at 11 a.m., and leaving at 4 p.m., So I decided I was just ” going to go into the park at 3 p.m. and stay until they kicked me out. What I found was that the law enforcement and employees cannot tell someone’s age. I was able to just walk around the park after 4 p.m. problem-free. There is absolutely nothing stopping 15 year olds from walking around the park problem-free after the curfew.
This rule made it hard for families, so you would think Kings Island would do something to soften the blow. After all, these rules seem to have come into effect overnight, but no. In fact, Kings Island’s Gold Pass price is still the exact same price sitting at $120. Combine that with their already exorbitantly high food and drink prices, you can start to understand why a lot of families shed away from buying a Gold Pass this year.
From my personal experience, Kings Island’s attendance seemed to be at an all time low this year. Lines that used to be hour long are now 20 minutes at max. It’s especially empty in the park during the weekdays. It’s almost like a ghost town, as rides have little to no line at all. What is more interesting is that during the weekend, it’s almost impossible to get on a ride at all. This difference is, without a doubt, a direct result of the change in policy at Kings Island.
Kings Island was one of my favorite places to go but as the rules have changed and the curfews have tightened, my friends and I have resulted to finding other places to hang out.