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Parents’ amusement park survival guide

Plan in order to get the most out of a theme park visit with little ones.

Staff photo by Justin McClelland The WindSeeker, King's Island new 301 foot thrill ride, opened Tuesday, June 21.

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By Debbie Juniewicz, Contributing Writer Updated 9:25 PM Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Laughter and excited screams echo through the park as each ride looks taller and faster than the last.

So, what could a toddler or preschooler and their family possibly find to do at an amusement park? The answer might surprise you.

Ohio amusement parks Kings Island in Mason and Cedar Point in Sandusky, have as many or more attractions for the younger set than they do for the thrill-seekers. Kings Island has been tapped by Amusement Today as having the Best Kid’s Area for 10 consecutive years and Cedar Point, which boasts 17 roller coasters and the title of Best Amusement Park in the World, has four areas designated for young children with 32 rides geared to the park’s youngest visitors.

“With all of the rides, shows and attractions we have, families with young children can play for a full day,” said Don Helbig, Kings Island public relations area manager.

But a day at the amusement park can be more stressful than fun if parents are unprepared. Advance planning and strategy, however, can make the day enjoyable for the entire family.

What to expect

Rides: Old-school kiddie rides were pretty much the same — plop your child onto a miniature car or motorcycle and they would ride around in circles for a few minutes with horns beeping and lights flashing.

Not any more. While traditional children’s rides are still a part of the amusement park experience, newer rides allow mom, dad, big brother or, even, grandma to ride side-by-side with the littlest park guests.

Climb on to Linus’ Launcher at Kings Island’s Planet Snoopy and fly around face down or take flight at Cedar Point’s Camp Snoopy on the Balloon Race ride. Both parks have a variety of rides designed for parents and their children to ride together.

Entertainment: It’s not just about the rides. Kings Island’s show schedule includes several kid-friendly performances including “Charlie Brown’s Pirate Adventure” and the “Peanuts Party in the Plaza.” Cedar Point has the “All Wheels Extreme” show, with skateboarders and in-line skaters. Both parks have Snoopy-themed ice shows, perfect for taking a break in a cool comfortable theater, and offer character meet-and-greet opportunities.

New this year at Kings Island is Dinosaurs Alive! The interactive attraction, which has a $5 additional charge, lets pint-sized paleontologists see more than 60 life-sized dinosaurs and even search for bones at the kids dig site. Parents can take a shady break on a nearby bench while their curious kids unearth bones.

Fireworks or pyrotechnics can be the finale for the family’s day of fun.

Dining: Traditional park fare, like french fries, pizza and soda, is still available but so too are healthier choices like fresh fruit, yogurt and grilled chicken wraps.

“We have really diversified our offerings,” said Bryan Edwards, Cedar Point sales promotions manager. “And some of those changes came as a result of feedback from moms.

And if the heat is getting to you, both parks also offer free cups of water at concession stands throughout the park.

Convenience: Both parks have family care centers with changing stations, bottle warmers and quiet areas to feed babies in a private atmosphere. There are also first-aid stations and family restrooms.

Helbig suggests parents make guest services their first stop.

There they can pick up Kidtrack wristbands for the family and a Parent Swap form. Near Kings Island front gate is a measuring station where children can receive a wristband so they know what attractions they can ride without having to be measured every time.

Tips for tackling the park with toddlers or preschoolers in tow

Sales promotions manager Bryan Edwards knows firsthand what it takes to have a fun family day at the park and not just because he has worked at Cedar Point for the past 20 years. Edwards is the father of three children 6 and younger. His advice:

Wear sunscreen. You don’t realize how much sun you are exposed to when at the park. And not just the kids, make sure mom and dad lotion up as well.

Bring along sippy cups or water bottles. The kids will run around the park all day, they need something to drink. Cedar Point and Kings Island offer all guests free cups of water upon request. The cups are perfect for refilling sippy cups.

KidTrack. This is especially important if you have some older kids that like to run off without you. Parents can get a wristband for the kids for free at the park at Guest Services. On the inside of the wristband, parents can write their cell phone number. If the kids get lost, employees have been trained to look for the wristband and call the parents immediately.

Parent Swap. This is great if mom and dad want to ride coasters. Again, you can get a free Parent Swap form at Guest Services, which basically allows one parent to wait in line for a coaster. The other parent and kids can go play or grab a bite to eat. After the first parent rides the coaster, he or she will go down the exit, take the kids from the other parent, and the other parent walks up the exit ramp and gets right on the ride. So both parents can ride, and the best part is the kids don’t have to wait in line for something they can’t ride.

Go online and see what rides your kids can ride ahead of time. All rides have height requirements or restrictions on who can and can’t ride. There’s nothing worse than talking up a ride to your kid, then finding out when they are standing in line that they might be too short to safely ride.

Bring a wagon or stroller. Those little legs are going to do a lot of walking. If the kids can ride from kids’ area to kids’ area, they won’t tire as easily and won’t be a bear later in the day.

Come to the park when it is less busy. Weekdays in early summer are less crowded. Friday nights in September and October are also perfect times to come to the park.

Divide and conquer. If you have multiple kids, you want to split up the group to ride as many rides as possible. The kids don’t want to sit and watch their older brother and sister ride something they can’t.

Find family rides. There is nothing better than riding a ride with your kids. Find those rides that mom and dad can ride with the kids. Seeing the excitement and smiles on your kids’ faces is priceless.

Don’t force. If your kids really don’t want to ride something, don’t make them. They are more apt to want to go on their own than to ride a ride that mom and dad forced them on.

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