Hit Big Splash Water Park This Summer for Tons of Water Fun!

Big Splash Adventure is a 40,000 square foot indoor water park-complete with a rare retractable roof-located in French Lick Indiana, and adventure unlike any other!  Big Splash has many thrilling, twisting, and exciting water slides and a whirling turbo bowl! The interactive Buccaneer Bay thrills and excites children of all ages—especially the 1000 gallon dumping bucket! The Splish Splash pool is perfect for the youngest of adventurers, and the activity center—complete with water basketball and other fun activities—is great for older kids. For adults, there is the adults only Palm Cove hot tub, and don’t forget the Lost River! The river flows lazily throughout the park.

Take advantage of these great deals going on Big Splash:

  • Big Splash Coupon offer #1: $4 off day pass admission.  Coupon would be good for 4 people, total of $8 value.  This would be good for day pass admission ONLY.
  • Big Splash Coupon offer #2: $20 off overnight stay.  Coupon would be good for a $20 value off an overnight stay only.
  • Shotz Coupon offer: $1 off Lazer Tag or Miniature Golf.  Coupon valid for 4 people, total of $4 value.  Only 1 coupon per family.
  • French Lick Ziplines Coupon offer: $10 off Zipline purchase.  Coupon would be good for 4 people, total of $40 value.  This would be good for zipline purchase ONLY.

All coupons would expire March 16, 2014.  Black out dates may apply.

This post may contain a link from a sponsor/affiliate of Just Trying To Save Money. Please see my Disclosure Policy

Looking for more coupons? Check our Coupon Database for the latest coupons!

Just Trying To Save Money

Disney Vacationing on Budget 2013

This year we are heading to Disney again for Christmas 2013 and I can’t wait to head back down to Florida! But with any vacation, there comes planning, packing and more planning! I don’t claim to be an expert on any of this but from years of experience of traveling with little ones, we have learned our fair share of what works and what doesn’t- so I thought I would share!

Here are some tips that we use to help our family stay on budget while vacationing to Disney: (this list will continue to grow as I post new ideas!!)

Here are some other great Travel Tips that may come in handy while heading out on vacation:

This post may contain a link from a sponsor/affiliate of Just Trying To Save Money. Please see my Disclosure Policy

Looking for more coupons? Check our Coupon Database for the latest coupons!

Just Trying To Save Money

Disney Travel Tip: Let The Kids Eat FREE

Travel Series Logo

Even though our Disney vacation is 6 months away, I feel that it will be here before we know. I want to make sure we have everything covered well in advance and one thing that comes to mind with our 3 food monsters, is how to afford meals while  on vacation.

One thing we are planning to purchase this time around to Disney is a Orlando Family Pack Discount Card from Kids Eat FREE Card! If you have never heard of Kids Eat FREE Card, here is the run down:

  • Purchase 1 discount card per child ages 11 and under ($20 each)
  • Receive one FREE kids meal for each full price paying adult
  • To use present the card to the server or cashier at time of ordering
  • Valid at only participating restaurants- restaurants may be removed from accepting card offer without prior notice
  • Kids Eat Free Card cannot be used with any other discounts or offer
  • 2 children with 2 Kids Eat Free Cards, will need 2 full price paying adult entree’s
  • Kids Eat Free Card offers child’s menu items that may vary from standard restaurant’s child menu choices in some cases
  • Kids Eat Free Card Meals may not apply to taxes, gratuities, bar drinks or carry out food
  • Card is Non-Refundable and Non-Transferable
  • Card expires 90 Days from first use

I know the first question you are going to ask is, why spend $20 per child to get FREE kids meals when there are other ways to save, right? Well spending this additional cost will depend on a few things and may not be a good option for every family!

  • First, what is the age of your child? Our oldest will be 12 so she will not be able to use this card, but our 2 younger daughters will be 9 and 5 when we head to Disney. So knowing that we can get 2 kids meals for FREE every when we eat at our favorite fast food places for our 2 youngest will be well worth the $20.
  • Second, is your going to eat a whole kids meal? My girls have bottomless pits so eating a full meal will be no problem for them. But if you have a child that eats very little or is a very picky eater, it may be easier to just allow your child to eat a smaller portion of your meal rather than give them a whole kids meal- saving you the $20 bucks.
  • Next, are you planning to eat out more than 4 times? If you are planning to cook all your meals at your rental house or from your hotel some how, this is probably not something you will want to purchase. But if you are planning to eat most of your meals at local restaurants, fast food places or at Disney, then you may want to consider purchasing this card.
  • Last, will you really save with this card? So I did a quick estimate of how many times we will eat out while on vacation. We do plan to eat most breakfast and a few lunches at our rental home, but we will have most dinners out! So with just one child eating out at  a place like Cici’s Pizza, which is on their very long list of fast food locations, you will save $5 per child, per visit. So say during our 7 day visit, if we eat out more than 4 times, we are saving money on our youngest daughters meals. So this will depend on how many times you plan to eat out and how long you plan to stay if this card will be a great deal for your family!

This card may not be for everyone, but for us, knowing we will not pay but just $40 for 2 of our girls to eat for the week, is a huge savings for us! I will of course have my coupon book with me and we will have plenty of food to snack on and eat throughout the day, but saving while eating out will help us keep our Disney Vacation on Budget!

Check out other ways our family plans to save while on vacation in Disney!

What ways do you save while vacationing to Disney?

This post may contain a link from a sponsor/affiliate of Just Trying To Save Money. Please see my Disclosure Policy

Looking for more coupons? Check our Coupon Database for the latest coupons!

Just Trying To Save Money

Disney Travel Tip: Save On Drinks

Travel Series Logo

With a family of 5, we tend to drink a lot! Especially when we are not at home, our girls think that they need to have something to drink every 5 minutes! So there are a few things we do to keep the cost of drinks to a minimal while vacationing in Disney.

  • Bring A Cooler- Disney allows you to bring a soft sided cooler. This is great to keep it full of bottles of water, bottled drinks, juice boxes, etc. Keep an ice pack in the bottom and you know have drinks that you were able to pick up at the Dollar Store, Target or your local grocery store at a better price than at the park! Just keep this in mind, Disney does not allow glass containers at any of the parks and no straws at Animal Kingdom due to safety of the animals.
  • Ask For A Cup Of Ice Water- This is probably my favorite part! Stop by any counter service restaurant and ask for a FREE cup of ice water (it is tap water). This is a great way to keep your family hydrated without the cost. Disney’s tap water does have a little bit of a funny taste and since my family is very picky when it comes to their water taste buds, I have another trick. Before you head to the park, fill your bag with drink mix packets (Kool Aid, Lemonade, Tea, etc) to add to the FREE cup of ice water! This will help satisfy their taste buds, keep them hydrated and keep money in your pocket! (EXTRA TIP: Buy a couple Filtered Water Bottles to make the tap water from Disney taste better!)
  • FREE Samples from Epcot Club Cool- There is a this great shop in Epcot that sells Coke Merchandise and gives you FREE Samples of Coke products from around the world! This is a great way to not only try out some great drinks from other countries but can quench your thirst with some sweet drinks!
  • Refillable Cups- Not all the parks offer this but both water parks at Disney offers a refillable cup for around $10 for unlimited drinks all day! This can be a great way to help spend less if you plan on getting several drinks throughout the day! Hot days at the park would make this deal worth every penny!

Check out other ways our family plans to save while on vacation in Disney!

What ways do you save while vacationing to Disney?

This post may contain a link from a sponsor/affiliate of Just Trying To Save Money. Please see my Disclosure Policy

Looking for more coupons? Check our Coupon Database for the latest coupons!

Just Trying To Save Money

Yo Gabba Gabba Live! Get The Sillies Out- Best Concert Yet!

Yo Gabba Gabba Logo

If you have little ones that watch Nick Jr, then you most likely know who Yo Gabba Gabba is! Well they are not only entertaining your little ones on the tv screen, they are hitting the road and visiting cities across the map to get your little ones up and moving!

028-Lance and PlexYo Gabba Gabba! is an award-winning, live-action television series and live stage show whose unconventional formula has created a triple stacked fan base, making it one of the most popular entertainment properties among preschoolers, parents and indie music lovers alike. The television show, now in its fourth season, airs several times a day on Nick Jr.

Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out! marks the third tour for the successful Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! concert series. The first tour, Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: There’s a Party in My City!, launched with a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and a performance at the White House in 2010.  Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! 2010 tour played to sold out venues in 60 cities. Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: It’s Time to Dance! enjoyed repeat success in 2011, energizing audiences across North America at over 120 shows.

yo gabba gabba crewFeaturing the one and only DJ Lance Rock, plus Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee, and Plex, and of course, hip hop legend Biz Markie- this show is packed with fun and get up and dance music!

yo gabba gabba biz mark

I love that they introduce all the characters- this was a big help for the hubby to know who was who when our girls started yelling and getting excited for certain ones!! This show keeps you moving and dancing for the entire 80 minutes, just enough time to let the little ones have a great time, but not too long to allow them to get bored!

         yo gabba gabba sillies out           yo gabba gabba party in my tummy 2

You get to hear all your favorite Yo Gabba Gabba hits like:

  • yo gabba gabba bubblesThere’s A Party In My Tummy, So Yummy
  • Get The Sillies Out
  • Biz’s Beat of the Day
  • Don’t Be Afraid
  • Bubbles
  • Good Bye Song

 

 

You can head on over to Nick Jr and print your very own sing alongs for your favorite Yo Gabba Gabba song to know all the words!

good bye, good bye yo gabba gabba

The Good Bye Song was extremely difficult for our youngest! She immediately began to cry and say she wanted to stay with Yo Gabba Gabba! Just goes to show just how much she loves them and how much fun she really had- as well as the others who packed the house (see picture below)!!

yo gabba gabba full house

For a complete list of tour dates, cities and show times, visit www.yogabbagabbalive.com

Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! is a state-of-the-art production and an interactive experience that offers audiences of all ages the opportunity to witness their favorite characters come to life when DJ Lance Rock and fans say the magic words, “Yo Gabba Gabba!”. Hip-hop legend Biz Markie will join the cast on stage for Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out! with Biz’s Beat of the Day. The show will also feature Super Music Friends and Dancey Dance guest performances. Past Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! guest performances have included Devenda Banhart, Cold War Kids, Matt Costa, Kid Koala, Moby, DMC (Run DMC), Shaggy, Snoop Dogg, Dave Grohl, Jon Heder, Talib Kweli, Mix Master Mike, Nicole Richie, Kid Sister, Keri Russell, Lou Diamond Phillips, Jason Reitman, Zac Brown and the Drive By Truckers and more, while Christina Aguilera, Jessica Alba, Jason Bateman, Travis Barker, Brendan Fraser, Heidi Klum, Chris Noth, Gwen Stefani, Brooke Shields, Dennis Quaid and others attended with their families.

About Yo Gabba Gabba!: Yo Gabba Gabba! premiered in the U.S. on Nickelodeon in August, 2007 and currently ranks as one of the most popular series on television with broad appeal among preschoolers, parents, teens and adults. The award-winning series is created by Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz. The live tour is produced with DHX Media by S2BN Entertainment. Yo Gabba Gabba! infuses retro-style and beat-driven music to teach simple life lessons. The series and the live show stars DJ Lance Rock (Lance Robertson) and a cast of colorful characters, including: Brobee, the little green one, Foofa, the pink flower bubble, Muno, the red Cyclops, Toodee, the blue cat-dragon and Plex, the yellow robot. Today’s most popular names in movies, television, music and sports flock to the groundbreaking series, including series regulars Biz Markie and Mark Mothersbaugh, and guest stars such as Fred Armisen, Erykah Badu, Jack Black, Anthony Bourdain, Devo, Flaming Lips, Meta World Peace (Ron Artest), Tony Hawk, The Killers, Jack McBrayer, MGMT, Mos Def, The Roots, Andy Samberg, The Shins, Sarah Silverman, Amare Stoudemire, The Ting Tings, Weezer, Jimmy Eat World, Elijah Wood and Weird Al Yankovic, among others. Yo Gabba Gabba! apparel, CDs, DVDs, books and other merchandise are sold online and in mass and specialty retail stores nationwide in the U.S. The series, now in its fourth season, airs several times a day on Nick Jr. and in several major international territories, including Australia, Canada, France, Israel, Latin America, New Zealand, South Africa and the U.K.  Visit www.yogabbagabba.com.

SPECIAL CODE WORDS: YUMMY IN MY TUMMY

I received tickets to one of the above mentioned shows in order to conduct this review. No other compensation was received and as always my opinion is 100% my own!

This post may contain a link from a sponsor/affiliate of Just Trying To Save Money. Please see my Disclosure Policy

Looking for more coupons? Check our Coupon Database for the latest coupons!

Just Trying To Save Money

Yo Gabba Gabba Live! Get The Sillies Out- 50 Cities See Tour Dates

Yo Gabba Gabba Tour Logo

YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE! GET THE SILLIES OUT! TOUR

Tickets and Gabba Party Packages Now on sale

(November 20, 2012)- The sillies are crazy little creatures that live inside of us and need to be shaken out! DJ Lance Rock and everyone’s favorite cast of colorful characters are calling all fans to get ready to jump, shake and shimmy them out at the new live tour Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out!. The Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get The Sillies Out! will visit more than 50 cities across the U.S. in 2013.  Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! is touring in support of their first national beverage launch, a new line of toys, a new line of kids sportswear and a DVD/ CD collectors edition.

For a complete list of tour dates, cities and show times, visit www.yogabbagabbalive.com

Yo Gabba Gabba! is an award-winning, live-action television series and live stage show whose unconventional formula has created a triple stacked fan base, making it one of the most popular entertainment properties among preschoolers, parents and indie music lovers alike. The television show, now in its fourth season, airs several times a day on Nick Jr.

Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out! marks the third tour for the successful Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! concert series. The first tour, Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: There’s a Party in My City!, launched with a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and a performance at the White House in 2010.  Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! 2010 tour played to sold out venues in 60 cities. Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: It’s Time to Dance! enjoyed repeat success in 2011, energizing audiences across North America at over 120 shows.

Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! is a state-of-the-art production and an interactive experience that offers audiences of all ages the opportunity to witness their favorite characters come to life when DJ Lance Rock and fans say the magic words, “Yo Gabba Gabba!”. Hip-hop legend Biz Markie will join the cast on stage for Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out! with Biz’s Beat of the Day. The show will also feature Super Music Friends and Dancey Dance guest performances. Past Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! guest performances have included Devenda Banhart, Cold War Kids, Matt Costa, Kid Koala, Moby, DMC (Run DMC), Shaggy, Snoop Dogg, Dave Grohl, Jon Heder, Talib Kweli, Mix Master Mike, Nicole Richie, Kid Sister, Keri Russell, Lou Diamond Phillips, Jason Reitman, Zac Brown and the Drive By Truckers and more, while Christina Aguilera, Jessica Alba, Jason Bateman, Travis Barker, Brendan Fraser, Heidi Klum, Chris Noth, Gwen Stefani, Brooke Shields, Dennis Quaid and others attended with their families.

About Yo Gabba Gabba!

Yo Gabba Gabba! premiered in the U.S. on Nickelodeon in August, 2007 and currently ranks as one of the most popular series on television with broad appeal among preschoolers, parents, teens and adults. The award-winning series is created by Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz. The live tour is produced with DHX Media by S2BN Entertainment. Yo Gabba Gabba! infuses retro-style and beat-driven music to teach simple life lessons. The series and the live show stars DJ Lance Rock (Lance Robertson) and a cast of colorful characters, including: Brobee, the little green one, Foofa, the pink flower bubble, Muno, the red Cyclops, Toodee, the blue cat-dragon and Plex, the yellow robot. Today’s most popular names in movies, television, music and sports flock to the groundbreaking series, including series regulars Biz Markie and Mark Mothersbaugh, and guest stars such as Fred Armisen, Erykah Badu, Jack Black, Anthony Bourdain, Devo, Flaming Lips, Meta World Peace (Ron Artest), Tony Hawk, The Killers, Jack McBrayer, MGMT, Mos Def, The Roots, Andy Samberg, The Shins, Sarah Silverman, Amare Stoudemire, The Ting Tings, Weezer, Jimmy Eat World, Elijah Wood and Weird Al Yankovic, among others. Yo Gabba Gabba! apparel, CDs, DVDs, books and other merchandise are sold online and in mass and specialty retail stores nationwide in the U.S. The series, now in its fourth season, airs several times a day on Nick Jr. and in several major international territories, including Australia, Canada, France, Israel, Latin America, New Zealand, South Africa and the U.K.  Visit www.yogabbagabba.com.

This post may contain a link from a sponsor/affiliate of Just Trying To Save Money. Please see my Disclosure Policy

Looking for more coupons? Check our Coupon Database for the latest coupons!

Just Trying To Save Money

Have You Met Someone On A Flight? #ConnectingFlights

I have heard of canceled flights or delays lead to on flight romance and who knows it could happen! But it is even funnier when it happens to be 2 bloggers in an airport! See what all they happen to “bump” into in this super cute, must see video!

Have you ever met someone while flying? I have only flown two times and both were with my hubby and one time with our 2 oldest daughters! The only person I met was the flight attendant that was trying to help me maintain my cool! Turbulence was not my friend, and staying calm in front of my kiddos was all I needed to accomplish that day!

Not having a lot of flying experience I do recall a friend of ours grabbing a flight to Florida to only learn that the lady next to them was their long lost relative, an great aunt I believe. After about an hours of talking about where they grew up, our friend mentioned their grandmother’s family nick name and it clicked for the lady that they were related! It amazes me as to how large this world is and yet how small it can be! You never know who you could met on your next flight!!

#connectingflights at Sears

This is a sponsored post, I am a Sears blogger, though all opinions are my own.

This post may contain a link from a sponsor/affiliate of Just Trying To Save Money. Please see my Disclosure Policy

Looking for more coupons? Check our Coupon Database for the latest coupons!

Just Trying To Save Money

Travel 50 & Beyond Magazine Just $6.39 a Year

DEAL
OF THE DAY – NOVEMBER 9, 2012
TRAVEL 50 & BEYOND MAGAZINE

On sale today only for just $6.39 for 1 Year



Travel 50 & Beyond is the
only national travel magazine designed for folks age 50 and older who take 80%
of all U.S. vacations. The magazine has a mission to provide information for
active, travel-ready readers who demand quality and value when seeking enriching
domestic and international travel experiences. Every issue provides well-written
content and practical travel tips covering spa weekends, dude ranch getaways,
escorted small group tours, expeditions, cruises, learning vacations, rail, RV,
romantic and outdoor adventures for short trips, month-long journeys,
multinational treks or quiet meanderings along back roads. Travel 50 & Beyond
offers best value recommendations on domestic or worldwide vacation
destinations, so you spend less time planning and more time enjoying your
vacation. If you love to travel, then Travel 50 and Beyond is the magazine for
you.

Order your subscription today for just $6.39 for
one year!

 

 

This post may contain a link from a sponsor/affiliate of Just Trying To Save Money. Please see my Disclosure Policy

Looking for more coupons? Check our Coupon Database for the latest coupons!

Just Trying To Save Money

FREE Disney Cruise Line Vacation Planning DVD

Get Your FREE Disney Cruise Line® Vacation Planning DVD.

This post may contain a link from a sponsor/affiliate of Just Trying To Save Money. Please see my Disclosure Policy

Looking for more coupons? Check our Coupon Database for the latest coupons!

Just Trying To Save Money

Family Fun Halloween Weekend at Cedar Point

I have passed Cedar Point several times in my life while playing on a traveling softball team growing up, but we never had time to stop and visit! So when my family and I got the opportunity to check out Cedar Point, I was more than excited! We live 4 hours away from Sandusky Ohio, so I knew I would need to be prepared for just about anything.

We packed our rental car and headed out at 7am sharp on Saturday! Our girls were so excited that we were getting to go to Cedar Point, they couldn’t keep still most of the way! My hubby was unable to come, so it was a girls day out, just myself, our 3 girls and my mom! But we are already making plans to head back next year so that he can go- since we loved it so much! Once we arrived our girls mouths just dropped! I honestly could not believe how big this place was! We visit Kings Island all the time, a Cincinnati local amusement park, but Cedar Point is so much larger!

I was so excited to see all the Halloween decorations, every spot of the park was decorated in some way! There were tons of tombstones, ghosts, pumpkins, skeletons and zombies! But I have to say my favorite was the Micheal Jackson and zombie display.

 

With more than 70 rides, not including the water park, you will need more than 1 day to visit! We did get to ride a few rides before the down pour came and then several more after it stopped. We were warned by friends and family that it can get windy and cold since it is right off the water, but we were not really prepared for the 4 hours of rain! But it was nice to get to see all the shops and food places that Cedar Point has to offer while we waited for the rain to stop. We got to taste their very delicious pumpkin cookies, caramel apples and hot apple cider, which I had never tried until then and now love it! Yummy!!

 

 

We checked out all the family friendly Halloween fun that Cedar Point has to offer like:

  • Charlie Brown’s Funtime Frolics
  • Sideshow – A Carnival of Magic
  • Gypsy FortuneTellers
  • The GoodTime Ghouls – A Halloween Hubaloo!
  • Monster Midway Invasion Celebration
  • Peanuts™ Halloween Show & Costume Contest
  • Monster Under My Bed
  • Skeleton Crew

You can stay until dark and check out their scary Halloween Weekend that is more for the older kids and adults rather than the youngsters! We left before it all started but I heard it is a great scare!!

I was the only one that wanted to ride the Top Thrill Dragster, even after seeing it in person I still wanted to ride! Going 0 to 120 mph in just a few seconds, blasting 420 feet in the air and arriving back in just 17 seconds seemed like something I could handle!! Although I did not get to ride it due to the rain, it is first on my list when we head back in the spring! We rode MaxAir, Skyhawk, Antique cars, and the Ferris Wheel just to mention a few!

There is even a mobile app that you can use to navigate through the park! Our 4 year old is a pro at the Kings Island app so we just handed the phone to her and let her navigate us through the park! She can tell you where every ride is and how tall you have to be to ride each ride. It actually has been a great addition to our trips!

Parking is $15-$25

One Day Cedar Point – Regular
Online: $44.99 / Gate: $54.99 / You Save $10

Sunday 4-Pack Special
Buy four or more tickets online and the price drops to just $35 each
Valid any one of the following Sundays:  October 14, 21 or 28
Available online only:  $35.00 each

Friday / Sunday Starlight Ticket
$35.99 / Valid Fridays after 6 p.m. or Sundays after 4 p.m.(October 7 after 5 p.m.)

Saturday Starlight Ticket
$42.99 / Valid every Saturday during Halloweekends after 5 p.m.

Pay Once Visit Twice
Online: $82.99 /You Save $26.99

If you are looking to stay for the weekend or even the week, there are many places to stay near Cedar Point! They have their own hotel, cabins and even campgrounds to stay at while visiting! Plus grab a discount ticket when you stay at any of these locations! Hope you can make it up to visit Cedar Point some time soon to check out this great family fun park!

I received admission tickets for myself and my family from Cedar Fair to visit. This post in 100% my own opinion!

This post may contain a link from a sponsor/affiliate of Just Trying To Save Money. Please see my Disclosure Policy

Looking for more coupons? Check our Coupon Database for the latest coupons!

Just Trying To Save Money

48 Hour Special at Great Wolf Lodge, $159 a Night- HURRY!!!

Great Wolf Lodge just released a HOT deal that you won’t want to miss! Now through October 5 at 11am, you can book overnight stays for just $159! Select rooms and nights are available, book now as they are filling up very quickly!

Great Wolf Lodge – Cincinnati/Mason

This post may contain a link from a sponsor/affiliate of Just Trying To Save Money. Please see my Disclosure Policy

Looking for more coupons? Check our Coupon Database for the latest coupons!

Just Trying To Save Money

Save 20% off Holiday Inn

Holiday Inn

Expires:9/30/2012
Coupon Code: No Code Required
Your HTML Code:

Holiday Inn – 20% off
(see all Holiday Inn coupons)

This post may contain a link from a sponsor/affiliate of Just Trying To Save Money. Please see my Disclosure Policy

Looking for more coupons? Check our Coupon Database for the latest coupons!

Just Trying To Save Money

Kings Island- Our Summer Vacation Spot!

For Christmas last year our girls received passes to our local amusement park Kings Island. Located in Mason Ohio, about 25 minutes north of Cincinnati. We have visited a few times here and there over that past 10+ years, but with small children, we just never felt that we could go. With a now 11, 8 and 4 year old we thought this would be a great time to grab our Gold passes and spend the summer riding rides, eating junk food and getting wet at the new water park! We did just that and more!

My hubby had 2 weeks of vacation this year, one in February and one again in October, so a summer vacation was out of the question! So we planned our summer with FREE movies at the theater, FREE bowling days, park visits, swimming at grandma’s and craft activities at home. We threw in a few days that we thought we would head to Kings Island, but by summer ends we realized that we had visited Kings Island 21 times! So needless to say our girls had fun!

With more than 50 rides and attractions in the main park and more than 30 water rides, it’s hard not to have a good time! There is something for everyone! My new favorite has to be Wind Seeker and Diamond Back. Our 2 oldest girls love Diamond Back now that they are both tall enough to ride it! Our 4 year old loves Boo Blasters and my hubby loves anything that doesn’t make him sick!!!

Our family favorite Soak City water ride is the Zoom Flume. The line was always really long for this so until a couple weeks ago we had not rode it. But we just happened to snag a day that rain was heading in and the lines started dwindling so we jumped in and rode it right as it started to sprinkle. It was great! Everyone in our family was tall enough to ride it, which make it even better, but it was like riding a raft down a twisting river! This weekend is the last weekend that Soak City will be open for this season!

Planet Snoopy is of course our 4 years old favorite part of the park, even if our big kids won’t admit they love it as well! She not only gets to ride most every ride, she gets to see all the fun characters from the Peanuts Gang!

With rides like Surf Dog, Woodstock Express, The Great Pumpkin Coaster, Linus Launcher and many more, any little one will have fun riding these larger than life attractions!

The only attraction so far that we have not had a chance to visit is the Dinosaurs Alive! It has more that 60 life like dinosaurs on 12+ acres of forest, you get a up close picture of how dinosaurs move, eat and interacted! It is an additional $5 per person to visit this attraction!

There is even a mobile app that you can use to navigate through the park! Our 4 year old is a pro at this app! She can tell you where every ride is and how tall you have to be to ride each ride. It actually has been a great addition to our trips! With our 4 year old only being 43 inches, there are a lot of rides she can not ride just yet. So she gets to man the navigation through the park to keep her busy when our older girls are riding something she is too small for. She even tells people standing next to us all about the ride we are waiting in line for from this app! She thinks she is their spokes person apparently!

Don’t forget to Register your Kings Island pass to earn great FREEbies and deals at Fun Perks. Just for registering our Gold Passes we received FREE drink wrist bracelets- we were able to get FREE drinks the entire day. The more you shop at Kings Island the more perks you receive and it is FREE to register! Do remember to use all of your perks for this season since they do not roll over season to season!

Tips To Know When Visiting:

  • Grab a Cup of Water- Kings Island offers guests a FREE cup of ice water at any food service location during your visit.
  • You Can Leave & Come Back- If you prefer to visit Kings Island and then head out for lunch or back to your hotel or home for a nap (we did this a few times with little ones) then you are more than welcome to! Be sure to get your hand stamped when you leave for re-admittance for the same day!
  • Don’t Bring Your Own Food- You are not permitted to bring food and drinks into the park. There are several great places to eat at the park but with a family of 5, it was a little expensive. But remember they offer FREE water and allow you to leave if you need to, to go out to eat.
  • Bring Your Dog- Don’t want to leave Fido at home while at the park? Stop by the Pet Care Center at the front gate entrance and pay $20. Enjoy the park while Kings Island Pet Care Center tends to your dog!
  • Want to Smoke- There are designated area’s throughout the park to allow you to take a smoke break if you want. This also allows those of us that don’t smoke to have a smoke free experience.
  • Child Safety- There are several services that Kings Island offers to help those parents with small children. Parent Swap- allows only 1 parent to have to stand in line for themselves and a small child. Keeping the little ones happy with the other parent without everyone having to stand in long lines. You will need to stop by the Guest Service Center to get a Parent Swap Pass.  They also have Kid Track- a service to help reconnect a lost child with their parent quickly! Stop by the Guest Service Center for full detail.
  • Get Your Child Measured- There are several height measurement stations through out the park. This Kings Island employee will measure your child and place a bracelet on their wrist announcing their height. This is great for those little ones that are just above the next level of height requirements. This bracelet will get them through the line quicker. It allows the employee running that attraction to quickly know how tall the child is without having to stop loading others and measure your child!
  • Rain Rain Go Away- If you visit Kings Island and it begins to rain, find shelter until it passes. Kings Island does not offer refunds or another ticket for bad weather!
  • Lockers Are Available- If you are heading to the Soak City especially you will most likely have a bag full of items with you that you may not want to tote around all day. They have several size lockers to accommodate your belongs. Soak City lockers do offer a discount if you use the lockers after 5pm!
  • In A Hurry, Grab A Fast Lane Pass- Kings Island does offer a Fast Lane pass for select attractions for an additional fee. We have never purchased one, so I honestly have no idea how expensive they are. But if you are short on time and want to by pass long lines then it may be worth the extra cash!
  • Stay Near By- There are several hotels to stay at that are literally walking distance from the park. Great Wolf Lodge has it’s very own walking path directly to Kings Island.
  • Enjoy Your Visit- Even though we have been 21 times already this year, we still have a great time each visit. There are always things that we just don’t get to and plan to accomplish it on our next visit. These trips with your family will be memories your little ones will remember their whole lives if you make it a fun trip! So head to Kings Island for some old fashion family fun!

This post was not sponsored by Kings Island or Cedar Fair in any way. This post in 100% my own opinion to help inform you of a local attraction that my family loves!

This post may contain a link from a sponsor/affiliate of Just Trying To Save Money. Please see my Disclosure Policy

Looking for more coupons? Check our Coupon Database for the latest coupons!

Just Trying To Save Money

Hit The Bowling Alley During Your Staycation

Our girls love to go bowling and what better way to go than for FREE! Check out how Katie at Cincinnati Cents used FREE bowling to keep their summer staycation on budget!

Have something you want to share with our readers? Check here to see how you can share!

This post may contain a link from a sponsor/affiliate of Just Trying To Save Money. Please see my Disclosure Policy

Looking for more coupons? Check our Coupon Database for the latest coupons!

Just Trying To Save Money

Melissa & Doug Trunki Just $30 each

We are planning our vacation for October and I came across these super cute Melissa & Doug Trunki for around $30! How cute are these things! They have several designs to choose from, so this way no fighting over who has which one!

With Subscribe & Save, if you do not want to continue your subscription, you can just cancel it once your first shipment arrives. To snag savings on shipping, take advantage of FREE Super Saver Shipping for orders over $25 or be an Amazon Mom or an Amazon Prime Member and get FREE Two-Day Shipping.

Don’t forget to check out my other Amazon Deals for more savings.

This post may contain a link from a sponsor/affiliate of Just Trying To Save Money. Please see my Disclosure Policy

Looking for more coupons? Check our Coupon Database for the latest coupons!

Just Trying To Save Money