MASON, Ohio (WJW) – Kids under the age of 15 will no longer be allowed inside one Ohio amusement park during evening hours unless they are accompanied by an adult.
The policy change at Kings Island in southwest Ohio, near Cincinnati, goes into effect Saturday, April 22, 2023, according to a post on the amusement park’s Facebook page.
King’s Island explains the policy change is due to “increasing incidents of unruly and inappropriate behavior across our industry and at other major entertainment venues. “
King’s Island is owned by Cedar Fair, the same company that owns Cedar Point. There are currently no plans to introduce a chaperone policy at Cedar Point, spokesperson Tony Clark told FOX 8 News in an email.
“However, we will continue to evaluate our park safety policies and make modifications based on the needs and behaviors we are seeing,” he wrote.
As of 7 a.m. Friday, Cedar Point’s Code of Conduct posted to their website only stated, “We strongly recommend that minors (under 18) be accompanied by an adult.”
King’s Island’s policy states, “All guests ages 15 years old or younger must be accompanied by a chaperone who is at least 21 years old in order to be admitted to, or remain in, the park after 4:00 p.m. local time to close.”
The policy goes on to explain one chaperone may not accompany any more than ten children under the age of 15, and must be available by phone.
“We believe these changes will help ensure that Kings Island continues to have a positive atmosphere where generations of families and friends can gather for a day of safe fun and good food. Millions of guests have counted on us for exactly that, and we will continue to deliver on that promise for generations to come,” the policy states.
Chaperones must be able to present a valid government-issued photo identification with a date of birth when they enter the park.
Children, 15 and under, found inside the park unaccompanied by an adult could be removed from the park, according to the policy.