Are these real-time wait times?

The wait ranges on this page are typical and historical, refreshed nightly. When a live board shows at the top, its numbers are posted waits from the last few minutes. For live waits and drop alerts all day, use the Ride Ready app.

Are the dip windows guaranteed?

No. They're high-probability windows, not guarantees. Skip's alerts in the app catch the changes.

Is Ride Ready affiliated with Kings Island?

No. Ride Ready is independent. We use publicly posted wait data and our own ride database.

Which ride has the longest wait at Kings Island?

Of the 6 featured rides on this page, The Beast. On a typical Friday, its median posted wait peaks around 60 minutes near 10pm.

When are lines shortest at Kings Island?

Around 6pm. On a typical Friday, posted waits on Kings Island's 6 featured rides average about 23 minutes then, against about 36 at 10pm.

All parks / Mason, Ohio

Kings Island wait times

Mason, OH · 31 rides · Open 6pm–12am today · Fri, Oct 23

Packed 10/10

Is Kings Island busy today?

Packed today. Expect long waits.

Halloween Haunt

See the crowd calendar

Live waits and drop alerts are free in the Ride Ready app.

See live waits

Location Mason, Ohio (suburb of Cincinnati)
Opened April 29, 1972
The trick Orion and Beast are evening risers. They get worse at night, not better. Rope-drop them.
Best for Coaster enthusiasts · wooden coaster fans · families with teens

From the strategy guide

Three plays that save the day.

Rope drop

Flight of Fear first, then Orion

Start with Flight of Fear, allowing 45 minutes in line, then walk two minutes to Orion. Budget about 80 minutes for the pair before heading to Rivertown. The Beast, Mystic Timbers and Diamondback carry the route into early afternoon.

Read the full play 02

The late repeat

Watch Flight of Fear for a late dip

The September 8 hourly profile drops from around 45 through the afternoon to 20 at 9 PM and 15 at 10 PM. Check the live wait and closing time before heading back for a second lap.

Read the full play 03

Every headliner

When each coaster actually dips

Typical waits and the windows the data trusts for all six tracked coasters, from 520,000+ measured waits.

Read the full play

Read the complete Kings Island strategy guide

Top rides at this park

The 6 rides worth planning around.

Typical wait ranges from 780,000+ historical samples, the model's best dip windows, and the alert thresholds Skip will pre-fill if you set this park as your home in the app.

Area 72

Flight of Fear

Indoor LIM launch · 4 inversions

25–40 min Headliner

6pm ↓ best ~11pm 11pm

Best window: Rope drop · optional late repeat
Set Skip alert at: ≤ 25 min

Start here before Orion. The September 8 hourly data shows about 45 minutes from late morning through the afternoon, then 20 at 9 PM and 15 at 10 PM. We don't have an opening-hour measurement, so budget 45 minutes rather than counting on a walk-on.

Area 72

Orion

B&M giga coaster · 287 ft · 91 mph

10–25 min Headliner

6pm ↓ best ~8pm 11pm

Best window: After Flight of Fear · fairly flat through the day
Set Skip alert at: ≤ 25 min

Two minutes from Flight of Fear, with a September 8 hourly profile around 10 to 15 minutes. Take it second, then head to Rivertown. Check the live queue before committing; typical waits aren't a guarantee.

Rivertown

The Beast

Wooden coaster · world's longest · 7,361 ft

45–50 min Headliner

6pm ↓ best ~7pm 11pm

Best window: Morning · or after fireworks
Set Skip alert at: ≤ 35 min

About 25 minutes at open, and it holds around 30 all evening as riders queue for the night ride. Bank a daylight ride for insurance, then go back after dark: the pitch-dark 540-degree helix is a completely different ride.

Rivertown

Mystic Timbers

GCI wood coaster · 109 ft · 53 mph

20–25 min

6pm ↓ best ~6pm 11pm

Best window: Opening 90 min
Set Skip alert at: ≤ 30 min

Highest-rated ride in the park. Climbs from 18 at open to 37 at 3 PM and never drops back. Catch it during the Rivertown sweep after Area 72 while waits are still reasonable.

Rivertown

Diamondback

B&M hyper coaster · 230 ft · 80 mph

20–40 min

6pm ↓ best ~6pm 11pm

Best window: Opening 90 min · late-day plateau dips
Set Skip alert at: ≤ 30 min

Climbs from 18 at open to 39 at 3 PM, then plateaus. Chain it after Mystic Timbers during the Rivertown sweep. Alert catches any late-day plateau dip for a re-ride.

Action Zone

Banshee

B&M inverted · 167 ft · 7 inversions · world's longest inverted

15–30 min

6pm ↓ best ~6pm 11pm

Best window: After 7 PM
Set Skip alert at: ≤ 25 min

Flat all day in the 17–36 min range with a solid ~29% evening drop. No strategic urgency in the morning. Use as mid-day filler or a strong evening pick when waits fall to the low-to-mid 20s.

Within ±15 min on 71% of days 104 days tracked

Wait times by hour