Cedar Point and Kings Island feature new coasters in '25
Why it matters: This is the first full season after the parks' parent company, Cedar Fair, completed its merger with rival Six Flags last July.
A season pass add-on now gains access to over 20 parks across the country.
State of play: Cedar Point's season begins May 3 and roller coaster enthusiasts anticipate the opening of Siren's Curse later this summer.
The ride will have a unique tilt feature, with a "broken off" section of track lowering into place for the first drop.
Words don't do it justice … watch the animated video and be prepared to gasp.
🎢 Top Thrill 2 is expected to be back up again this season.
It debuted a year ago, but was quickly shut down with mechanical issues.
The Millennium Force coaster also celebrates 25 years since opening as the first giga coaster (over 300 feet tall).
The intrigue: Kings Island is already open and has its own coaster debuting this summer — inside Soak City water park.
RiverRacers will use water jets to propel riders through dueling slides at speeds up to 30 miles an hour.
The Beast had some of its famous wooden track replaced, while the kid-friendly Queen City Stunt Coaster was rebranded to feature landmarks of nearby Cincinnati.
🎟️ Daily admission starts at $45 for Kings Island and $50 for Cedar Point.
Plus: The All Park Passport add-on starts at $80 and gets you into many other Cedar Fair and Six Flags parks.
The closest drives from Columbus are Michigan's Adventure (5 hours, 30 minutes; opens May 23) and Six Flags Great America in Illinois (6 hours, 15 minutes; open weekends until mid-May).
💭 Alissa's thought bubble: I grew up in Sandusky with Cedar Point practically in my backyard, so this time of year always brings a wave of nostalgia.
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