It’s hard to imagine people clamoring for jolts and thrills in such turbulent times. But economic and terrorist concerns are expected to propel people to amusement parks this summer.
Vacationgoers are looking to simplify and down-size, said Tim O’Brien, senior editor of the Amusement Business industry magazine. And they’re opting for amusement parks even though most venues, feeling the effects of a soft economy, haven’t shelled out money for major new rides.
“2002 is going to be a really good year for the parks–people are staying closer to home,” O’Brien said. But bigger crowds can be a hassle for consumers. That makes planning crucial. So try our tips and save your outing’s surprise twists and turns for the thriller rides:
Beat the waiting game. Sometimes, the waits for the bigger rides seem like a country line dance gone awry: wait, move around that rope and wait some more. Timing is everything, especially at the biggies such as Great America in Gurnee and Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. That was the opinion of Megan Amorose, 12, of Batavia after recently finishing a stint on the American Eagle at the Gurnee park. “Get here early,” she advised, “or stay until late after everybody leaves.” Scott Holmes of Marion, Ind., is a grass-roots aficionado as a member of the American Coasters Enthusiasts club, making many visits to Cedar Point, Indiana Beach, Michigan’s Adventure and others. He says Geurts’ strategy is smart, but takes it a step further: Arrive early and go against the flow of the crowd.
“Most people start at the front of an amusement park and work their way around,” he said. “Unless you pass an attraction with little or no line, start at the back of the park and work your way to the front.”
Reverse psychology also works for the amusement parks that adjoin a water park, notes Camille Jourden-Mark, Michigan’s Adventure vice president/general manager.
“Do it backwards,” she suggested. “Start with the water park. Then in the afternoon, when a lot of people are at the water park, the rides are shorter at the amusement park.”
Be age-conscious. You probably wouldn’t expect a 6-year-old to appreciate a seven-course French meal.
In the same way, little legs get tired pretty quickly at some of the more sprawling layouts. That’s why Cliff Jardine keeps bringing his boys back to the compact but ride-plentiful Kiddieland in Melrose Park.
“They just love it here,” Jardine said as he watched sons Michael, 7, and Matthew, 4, on a kiddie-car carousel. “It’s fun. It’s not too big. If you take them somewhere like Great America, it’s just too overwhelming for little children.”
Watch for hidden costs. Your wallet will get a workout at the theme parks—-plan on dropping a minimum of $100 for a family of four at the smaller places like Santa’s Village in East Dundeeand closer to $200 at a spread like Great America.
The costs don’t end with admission and parking. Some parks don’t allow food from home inside the gates. Some charge extra for premium rides. Then there are the midway games such as those found at a carnival, not to mention the souvenir shops.
Although it was her first time at Santa’s Village, Mary Ross of McHenry prepared for the outing with her children like a savvy veteran. Though Santa’s Village is one of the rare parks that allow you to bring in food (although most will let you go out to the parking lot or a picnic area if you brought a lunch), Ross pinched some pennies beyond the mid-day meal.
“We bring our own juices and little snacks, and we packed a lunch,” she said. “We avoid the Skee-Ball and the arcade if possible to make it not so expensive.”
Travel light. Parents aren’t pack mules, noted Pat Kiley of Wesley, Iowa, as she watched Vertical Velocity spur teen screams on cue at Great America.
“I wouldn’t bring anything more than a backpack,” she said. “You wind up carrying so much stuff around otherwise.”
Bear in mind that you can’t bring coolers into most parks. And you can’t bring anything on the rides at the bigger parks because your gear–especially cameras –could be dangerous to passersby below if you dropped it.
Got a purse or a backpack? You could ask a friend who’s not going on the ride to watch it. And many parks have free cubbyholes or low-priced lockers you can rent to stash your stuff. Also, if you’re bringing kids along, all those backpacks and paraphernalia can be a real hassle. For that reason, you may want to delay your stop at the gift shop until you’re on the way out.
For families with toddlers, some parks, such as Great America, rent strollers. If you’re traveling on vacation, some parks offer a kennel to house your dog for the day, but make sure you bring their food, advises spokeswoman Michelle Hoffman of Great America (which has a kennel).
Watch the discounts. If you plan to visit a park more than once, don’t pass up the season ticket. It has the best savings over the long haul. Two-day passes proliferate, too, in case you want to hit some rides you missed the first day.
Again, planning and research will save you money. Some parks offer discounts through supermarkets and soft-drink cans. You can also save some bucks by ordering tickets directly through the park instead of a service like Ticketmaster. Also, many of the facilities have a water park as well as an amusement park. In those cases, a decent discount is offered if you buy admission to both.
Got all that? It may sound like a lot of work, but planning can save time and money and eliminate unpleasant surprises. That can help you and your family thrive, and not simply survive, your vacation. Enjoy.
Survival guide for a day at the amusement park
What to wear and do?
It’s element-ary. May was cold. July may be a sauna. You never know what Chicago weather might hold. But for certain, if you’re not weather-wise about your trip to a park, you won’t be amused. Be smart, rain or shine:
GET A CLUE Marnita Taylor, who was chaperoning a school group from Gary, Ind., at Six Flags Great America when we caught up to her, suggested watching a little TV before heading for a park. “Check the Weather Channel,” she said. “On a day like today, we have heavy coats, gloves, hats. So that’s important. Last year when we came it was raining.”
SAVE YOUR SKIN In the summer, shielding yourself from the sun is crucial. Even if the sun isn’t shining slather on the sunscreen to protect yourself from those UV rays.
DRINK UP Taking care of the inside of your body gets overlooked, noted Bryan Edwards, a spokesman for Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. That means fluids, fluids, fluids. If you didn’t bring a water bottle, don’t sweat it, he said: Most parks have drinking fountains, so you can buy one bottle of water or one soft drink and fill ‘er up with free water as many times as needed as you make your way around the park.
Get on track
Trying to decide which area amusement park to pack up and haul the family to? These quick facts will help. For more detailed info on each park, go to www.metromix.com.
BIG CHIEF CARTS AND COASTERS
Wisconsin Dells, Wis. 608-254-2490
Travel time: 4 hours, 39 minutes (193 miles)
Admission**(family of four)$132
Key attractions: Roller coasters, go-carts
Line waiting times: 30 minutes during peak hours
CEDAR POINT
Sandusky, Ohio 419-627-2350
Travel time: 7 hours, 3 minutes (291 miles)
Admission**(family of four) $168
Key attractions: Roller coasters (most in the world with 15). Wicked Twister is new.
Line waiting times: Figure at least an hour on the busiest rides. Season passholders get in early and avoid long lines.
INDIANA BEACH
Monticello, Ind. 800-583-5306
Travel time: 2 hours, 55 minutes (114 miles)
Admission**(family of four) $72
Key attractions: Boardwalk, roller coaster, carnival-type rides. New: Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain, a mine ride revamped into a coaster.
Line waiting times: Not more than 20 minutes, except for Den of Lost Thieves, which can be up to 45 minutes.
KIDDIELAND
Melrose Park, 708-343-8000
Travel time: 25 minutes (12 miles)
Admission**(family of four) $72
Key attractions: Carnival-type rides, log waterfall ride
Line waiting times: Usually not more than 10 minutes
MICHIGAN’S ADVENTURE
Muskegon, Mich. 231-766-3377
Travel time: 5 hours, 18 minutes (212 miles)
Admission**(family of four) $92
Key attractions: Roller coasters, carnival-type rides. Six new rides.
Line waiting times: 30 minutes max during peak times
SANTA’S VILLAGE
East Dundee 847-426-6751
Travel time: 1 hour (39 miles)
Admission**(family of four) $80
Key attractions: Carnival-type rides, petting zoo, pony rides. Three new rides this year.
Line waiting times: Up to 20 minutes
SIX FLAGS GREAT AMERICA
Gurnee 847-249-INFO
Travel time: 1 hour (40 miles)
Admission**(family of four) $160
Key attractions: Roller coasters, thrill rides; also, Eagle will go backward as well as forward this year, and Space Shuttle America simulated ride and the IMAX movie “Fly” make a comeback.
Line waiting times: Figure an hour or more for the most popular rides, such as Raging Bull and Vertical Velocity, at peak times
**Approximate costs
*From Yahoo! Maps
