My son is all excited about his schools trip to Worlds of Fun here in Kansas city. The kids have their day mapped out as to which rises they want to hit and when. Roller coasters are the big hits with many kids only wanting to go for the most extreme. Now personally back when I was a kid I LOVED riding roller coasters but 2 years ago when we went to Disney and Universal Studios in Orlando I decided that was to be my last. My heart and body just cannot take them anymore.
Now as an alternative in South Dakota we always take a trip out to Wild Water West. For only $18 you can have a fun day of go karts, water slides, and the wave pool.
So I ask;
In your area, what is the most popular amusement park?
Are you a roller coaster junkie? if so what is/was your favorite?
Are there popular water parks or other amusement parks in your area?
Closest thing to my new digs in east Texas is Six Flags in Arlington. I’ve heard tell that many a Six Flags across the nation are nothing but shit holes, but ours is very nice (although it’s been a while since I’ve been – too expensive). Anyway, that’s still where everyone in the metroplex goes.
Yes. I think I like wooden coasters the best, because they’re all jostle-y and seem like you’re really getting a bang for your buck. So, I’m going to go with the Giant. Hell, for street cred, it’s even (sadly) killed someone.
There’s a water park in Arlington tied to Six Flags… Hurricane Harbor, perhaps? It’s clean and decent on rides, but lacks character or innovation. For that, you’ll have to head towards San Antonio for the greatest water park known to mankind; Schilltetbahn. They had the first water coaster, they’re nestled right on (and incorporate) the river. It’s beautiful, interesting and more fun than a barrel of monkeys. I love it so much that a million years ago when I got married, it was part of our honeymoon destination. If you’re ever in the area, I highly recommend you check it out.
I’m about 10 minutes from Six Flags America. It’s just okay; it sufficiently scratches that itch, but it’s kinda ghetto. If I want to drive an hour or so I can go to King’s Dominion, or Hershey Park in the other direction.
I’ve always loved the Rebel Yell, just for nostalgia’s sake, but The Great Bear and The Wildcat at Hershey Park are probably my favorites.
Six Flags America was converted from an old water park (“Wild World”), and the water stuff is all still there.
I’m in Atlanta, so the big amusement park is Six Flags over Georgia. I live 20-30 minutes from there (on a good traffic day), but I’ve hit the point where if I go, I’m too sore the next day - and I used to love the coasters. There’s also Six Flags White Water (which used to be just White Water) north of town, but I’ve never been.
Growing up, Lake Winnepesaukah was where we went - my father’s company picnics were often held there, and it was a fairly easy 10 minute drive from our house. That gave me a real fondness for the old wooden coasters, so any of those would definitely be my favorites.
We had a wonderful urban old-style amusement park, Idora Park, here in Youngstown, Ohio whose origins stretched back to the late 19th century.
Unfortunately, as the park was preparing to open for the 1984 season, a careless welder went on a break and left his torch going, and it burned half of the park’s major roller coaster to the ground and the hill at the end of the Rapids ride. The park was already failing economically, but that sealed its fate, and it closed at the end of that season.
Idora is still fondly remembered 30 years later by so many in this town, myself included. Even working there in the hot sun for an entire summer long ago didn’t dim my love for it.
The roller coaster in question, The Wildcat, regularly made the Top 10 list of the American Coaster Enthusiasts. The park also had a second less daunting but still fun coaster, the Jack Rabbit. In an effort to compensate for the loss of The Wildcat in that final season, the trains on the Jack Rabbit were reversed, and the name was changed to the Back Wabbit. So you went through the entire ride not seeing what was coming, but rather where you’d just been.
Pittsburgh has Kennywood Park, which still retains a lot of the feel of an old-time amusement park. It has three old wooden roller coasters, each of which is great in its own way, and some other classic rides that co-exist with the more modern stuff. It’s a been a few years since my last visit, but I want to get back there this summer for sure.
Personally, while I dearly love traditional parks, I have no use at all for modern theme parks, steel roller coasters, etc. Cedar Point in Sandusky is the big destination, and while I went a few times many years ago, it holds no appeal for me today at all.
I’m at the age when I should avoid those things and the fact that I have a fear of heights is also a big factor. But I love Schlitterbaun parks having tried both the New Braunfels and South Padre parks so I’m curious about the KC area one.
I’ve been to Worlds of fun a number of times but hadn’t been there in the last 10 years. For some reason the Roller Coasters and the super high rides don’t scare me as much as the plain old Ferris wheel that they had (not sure it’s still there).
Something about sitting in that little seat that rocks back and forth when you lean back just scares me silly.
Kings Dominion and Six Flags America seem about equal.
I’ve been on exactly two roller coasters in my life.
There are more waterparks than there are amusement parks in this area. I’ve been to the one at Six Flags, not sure about the one at Kings Dominion; I’ve also been to Water Mines in Reston, Pirate’s Cove in Lorton, and possibly Great Waves in Alexandria. This was all part of volunteering at a summer camp for one season.
My family used to go to Six Flags over Texas just about every summer. We missed a couple of years scattered in there, although one of those was spent at Astro World in Houston. I used to like roller coasters, but those days may be over.
I took the wife to Ocean Park in Hong Kong early in our marriage and got her to go on the triple-loop roller coaster. Twice. That was her one and only roller coaster. And we did hit some in Disneyland in California. Now we feel too old.
During the 3 years I lived in Youngstown (2004-2007), I heard about Idora Park from coworkers who loved it growing up. I always imagined it as similar to Lake Winnie, which I linked upthread, in some ways and I wished it had still existed.
I checked out the Lake Winnie website…very cool! Looks like it does have some of the same feel as Idora, and some of the same rides.
The Fly-O-Plane looks particularly intriguing. I think the only other time I’ve ever seen something like that is in the couple of old Our Gang comedies that have scenes from a west coast amusement park.
By the way, for those interested, a museum devoted to Idora Park opened a couple of weeks ago. Several months ago, I attended an organizational meeting put on by the couple that operates it, but I haven’t got out to the museum itself yet. I plan to do so as soon as I can.
Meanwhile, there’s a wonderful shot taken from the top of The Wildcat on their home page. (Refresh the page if you don’t see it the first time 'round.)
I don’t do water parks, but we usually take the grandkids to Worlds of Fun once a year (usually in October when the weather is cooler, the crowds are smaller, and they have the Halloween decorations up). I love riding the coasters and was thrilled when the boys were finally big enough to ride with me. I remember doing a lot of arm-twisting to get them to go on the Prowler with me - I felt a little guilty because they were so scared, but when the ride was over the first thing out of their mouths was “That was awesome! Let’s do it again!”
I can’t ride the Timber Wolf anymore. I get bounced around too much and I’m bruised and sore when it’s over.
Right there with you. There’s a god-awful pic of me floating around somewhere from the Timber Wolf from years ago when it first opened. I look like I belong on a green version of The Walking Dead.
I shouldn’t have gone in the first place (hideous lifelong motion sickness), but…
The Ferris Wheel and carousel are about as much as I can handle these days.
We take the kids to WOF about once a year. I really dont do rides anymore. But then my kids are old enough I can just give them money and a cell phone, drop them off at the gate, and let them have a good time on their own. If we lived up closer to WOF I’d consider getting a season pass. The ferris wheel is still there and looks great at night.
We may try Schlitterbaun. It sounds cool but I dont see me doing any rides or slides. Dang I’m such a wimp now!
Chicago suburbia so the Six Flags in Gurnee is the place to go. I’m a traditionalist and still enjoy the American Eagle the best. I like the other loop-dee-loop and novelty coasters as well but I’d feel like the trip was wasted without a ride on the Eagle.
Another DC Suburbanite here, I am a little closer to Six Flags America than King’s Dominion. It’s been years since I have been to Six Flags, but I remember enjoying the Roller Coasters. Tomorrow I am going to King’s Dominion for the first time ever. My wife and son are not Roller Coaster people, and I hate waiting in line by myself, so I probably won’t ride many tomorrow. We used to go to Busch Gardens Williamsburg on a regular basis, and I rode every ride but the Griffon. It is a stand-up rollercoaster with a 200 foot vertical drop, and I did not have the cajones. The “cars” are 10 person wide racks, stacked 3 deep, so if you are on the end, you are 10 to 15 feet out on either side of the track. It also corkscrews. I can take any sit down coaster, but if you are standing or hanging from it, its not for me.
I’m in Central Florida, so I have all the Disney World parks, the two Universal parks, and Sea World within 30 minutes of me. Busch Gardens Tampa is about an hour away.
I love coasters, but mostly only those that are smooth and don’t make my head bash into the overhead restraint. I got knocked wickedly the other day riding in the back on Rock’n’Roller Coaster. Every time I get on that thing, I come off telling myself, “never again.” Then I can’t resist the launch and get back on a few weeks later.
My favorite coaster in Florida is Manta at Sea World. Favorite all-time is Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain, near where I grew up in SoCal. California Screamin’ at California Adventure is also a lot of fun.
We have several water parks in the area - Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon, Aquatica, and Wet and Wild. Also Discovery Cove. I was supposed to be on my way to Aquatica at this very moment to try out a new slide they just installed, but it’s too chilly for a water park today. In May. In Florida. Go figure.
