Here's what's new at these 7 drivable amusement parks 🎢🎡

Victoria Moorwood, Cincinnati Enquirer
·4 min read
Kentucky Kingdom is one of several nearby amusement parks with new attractions this year.
Kentucky Kingdom is one of several nearby amusement parks with new attractions this year.

Amusement park season is in full swing.

Where else can you eat an ice cream-topped funnel cake, plummet hundreds of feet and then cool off in a wave pool?

One aspect that makes the annual trip to theme parks exciting is the unveiling of new rides and attractions. Here's what's new at seven popular amusement parks within driving distance of Cincinnati.

Amusement parks: The most popular attraction at (darn near) every Ohio theme park

Wild Mouse is a new roller coaster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, this year.
Wild Mouse is a new roller coaster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, this year.

What's new at Cedar Point in 2023?

The Boardwalk, a new area with rides and restaurants, opened at Cedar Point along the Lake Erie shoreline this year.

Described as a "modern-day take on the experience of yesteryear" on the park's website, the Boardwalk features a modernized grand pavilion, dining options and waterfront bar. Thrill seekers can find lots of rides – new and old – like the new Wild Mouse roller coaster.

📍1 Cedar Point Drive, Sandusky, Ohio. Distance from Cincinnati: 4 hour drive.

What's new at Kings Island in 2023?

Adventure Port, Kings Island's new themed area, opened this month.

According to the park's website, the area is located between Coney Mall and Action Zone and is themed after "the myths of an ancient civilization and its mighty city." It includes two new rides, Sol Spin and Cargo Loco; Enrique's restaurant and the Mercado dining area.

📍6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason, Ohio. Distance from Cincinnati: 30 minute drive.

What's new at Kentucky Kingdom & Hurricane Bay in 2023?

Kentucky Kingdom, the state's largest amusement and water park, will debut new attractions this summer. For the month of July, visitors can watch the new "Summer Blast" fireworks show Friday and Saturday nights starting July 7.

The park will also host various magicians, musical acts and entertainment groups, such as the XPogo Stunt Team, WOW Water Circus and Comedy Kingdom.

📍937 Phillips Lane, Louisville, Kentucky. Distance from Cincinnati: 1 hour, 42 minute drive.

Big Bear Mountain, the largest roller coaster at Dollywood, debuted this spring.
Big Bear Mountain, the largest roller coaster at Dollywood, debuted this spring.

What's new at Dollywood in 2023?

Dollywood unveiled Big Bear Mountain, the park's newest and largest attraction, in the park's Wildwood Grove area this spring. The roller coaster takes visitors on a nearly two-minute ride and is the longest coaster at Dollywood, with 3,990 feet of track. It's also the first to have onboard audio and music.

📍2700 Dollywood Parks Blvd., Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Distance from Cincinnati: 4 hour, 32 minute drive.

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What's new at Holiday World & Splashin' Safari in 2023?

The biggest change at Holiday World & Splashin' Safari this year isn't a new ride: the theme park is going cashless. Visitors can now use Mastercard, Visa, Discover, Apple Pay and Google Pay to make purchases around the park.

Holiday World also offers HoliCash, a free service that allows you to electronically load money onto a park account and pay via wristband.

📍452 E Christmas Blvd., Santa Claus, Indiana. Distance from Cincinnati: 2 hour, 36 minute drive.

Walt Disney World Resort's Tron Lightcycle / Run ride is based on the movie, "Tron: Legacy."
Walt Disney World Resort's Tron Lightcycle / Run ride is based on the movie, "Tron: Legacy."

What's new at Walt Disney World Resort in 2023?

Tron Lightcycle / Run, a new roller coaster inspired by the sci-fi movie "Tron: Legacy," opened at Walt Disney World Resort this spring. The ride is located in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom.

Plus, there's more new stuff on the horizon. Mirabel, the animated star of "Encanto," will get her own meet-and-greet in Magic Kingdom this fall. Journey of Water, an attraction inspired by the 2016 film "Moana," will also open in Epcot later this year.

📍1180 Seven Seas Drive, Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Distance from Cincinnati: 13 hour, 24 minute drive.

What's new at Kennywood in 2023?

Kennywood is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year with a new ride, restaurant collab and events all summer long.

Spinvasion, a space-themed spin ride and the first of its kind in the U.S. according to the park, is now open.

Primanti Bros., a sandwich shop chain founded in Pittsburgh in 1933, also opened its first Kennywood location this month.

📍4800 Kennywood Blvd., West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. Distance from Cincinnati: 4 hour, 49 minute drive.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What's new at Dollywood, Walt Disney World Resort in 2023?