Non-Disney vacation: your input, please

[englishteacha]

We're considering a non-Disney vacation this summer. My DH and I ride roller coasters, and some guys he knows are going to the following parks:
Holiday World (IN), Paramount's King's Island (OH), Cedar Point, Geauga Lake (OH). We're considering joining them at a couple of those parks. The question is, how do we get there from Maine? Here are the options as I see them.

Drive to PA to Dorney Park, purchase season pass which gets us in everywhere except Holiday World. Stay the night in PA.
From PA to Ohio (Geauga, CP, PKI), staying the night at least 5 nights in 2-4 different cities. Then from PKI to Holiday World in Indiana. We'll stay a couple nights near there, then work our way home.

OR we could fly to OH (flights to Cleveland from Manchester NH are pretty cheap), rent a car, then drive to the other parks from there, purchasing our season passes at one of the other Cedar Fair parks, probably Geauga Lake.

So, would you drive or fly? Flying saves one night each way in a hotel, but requires a rental car.

I'm also having sticker shock at hotel prices, which we'll need whether we fly or drive. We usually camp with our ancient pop-up camper, but we won't be traveling with it this year. Any advice on finding good deals on clean, inexpensive lodging? (I love my camper because I know it's clean!)

Thanks for any input you can share.

 

[lisajl]

Sorry, no real help here. We live in Ohio and I hate Kings Island and Cedar Point.
But hey, we are coming to Maine in June!
Hope you get some help for your vacation!
Lisa

 

[Rock'n Robin]

There are many hotels in Sandusky that are perfectly fine. You do not have to stay in one of the CP owned hotels. All you miss out on is an early entry. If you still drive over and get in line at open, you should be fine. Don't know about King's Island as I haven't been there since 85!
Are you really an English teacher? I am too.
Robin M.

 

[englishteacha]

I should mention that we went to Cedar Point and Geauga Lake in 2005, stopping in PA at Dorney and Hershey on the way there and back. We brought the camper and stayed in Huron, OH. Since Cedar Fair bought Paramount's parks, PKI is included in their season pass. We didn't go to PKI in 2005 because it cost so much more. We figured that if it's under the same pass this time it might be worthwhile. Plus, I REALLY want to go to Holiday World, and PKI is on the way.

Would you look for a "chain" hotel or the smaller independent ones? It was great staying in Huron last time as all the traffic to CP was from the west, and we had no traffic at all.

Yes, Robin, I teach 8th grade English. I think I might go for my Master's in library science though. Being a school librarian seems like my perfect job. I love books, and the idea of working with kids but not having to grade them is very appealing!