Special thanks to my brother-in-law Todd for providing the first audience-submitted park hack! Here is what he sent:
Hack = Friends. I have a friend who works at P&G who could get me a really good price on a season pass. Then you and Andrew have given me access to deals that season pass holders have for their friends. So, for me, a good hack = friends with passes or access to passes on the cheap. I believe employees can often get season pass deals for their friends/family too!
Todd J.
Liberty Township, OH
Park Hack Category: Money Saving
The first time my wife and I took our kids to Kings Island was on a Bring a Friend Day. These days are normally jammed with people, but on this day, many years ago, the weather was cold and rainy. We got into the park cheap and had a great time! I think this is a clever way the park expands its customer base. Families can test to see how their kids handle waiting in the ride queues and riding on the thrill rides without a major investment.
If you’re a Gold Pass member, you can use it to build your popularity! Even if you just invite friends to ride with you in your car, you can save them about $20 in parking alone. If you go through the trouble of standing with them as they making their purchases for things like food or souvenirs, you can also save them 10% off the prices. With a little effort, you can add up many benefits of friendship.
The days that parks schedule Bring a Friend Days change every calendar year. They often pop up whenever the park wants to boost attendance. So keep an eye on your park’s website, in our case watch visitkingsisland.com, for the latest information.
Corporate Benefits
There is another money-saving angle that I only just recently learned about. There are a few days at the beginning and end of the season when large corporations rent out the park. GE, Kroger, and P&G are a few of these large Cincinnati-based companies. If you learn that a friend is going to one of those closed event days, you can actually buy Gold Passes through them. You might even be able to get other kinds of tickets, meal plans and other things during these events at a substantially reduced rate! I’m sure these details fluctuate depending on the particular promotion, so read the rules and limitations.
If an employee or associate of one of these companies isn’t going to the event, you might still be able to buy tickets through the promotion. It never hurts to ask! Maybe they can even bring you along!
Local Business Deals
If you don’t have friends at these companies, you should get out more. Just kidding. You can stop in at Kroger and possibly Meijer locations and often get a better price on tickets through their customer service counter.
Image by Kevin Phillips from Pixabay