BUSCH GARDENS TAMPA
Approximately 25 minutes away from
Among the
animal exhibits are Cheetah Run, Edge of Africa walking safari and Jungala,
featuring Bengal tigers, orangutans and a zip
line. The Serengeti
Plain can be toured in an open air vehicle for an upcharge (as of
2013, $19.00 to $39.00.)
The rides range
from intense coasters to Congo River Rapids to a sky ride. For kids there’s a Sesame Street Safari of
Fun and the Serengeti Railway among other attractions. Unlike Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Busch
Gardens Tampa actually has a wooden coaster.
Gwazi used to be a duelling coaster with Lion and Tiger sides but the
Tiger side was closed, so now only the Lion side operates.
There are
numerous dining options and an all-day dining deal is available for $32.99. Tickets are somewhat pricey at $89.00
although as of September 2013 the park was offering admission plus all-day
dining for that price. At this time
weekday admission tickets were available for $50.00. The park also offers entertainment in the
form of shows.
Busch Gardens
Tampa is an exceptionally beautiful and well-landscaped theme park. 5 out of 5 stars. For more information about Busch Gardens
Tampa, visit seaworldparks.com/en/buschgardens-tampa Photo courtesy
of coasterimage.com
BUSCH GARDENS
Located three miles outside of Williamsburg ,
Virginia , Busch Gardens Williamsburg is easily
accessible from three airports: Richmond , Norfolk and Newport
News Newport News USA
The park is divided into sections themed to represent
different areas of Europe and features over 50
rides and attractions. In Festa Italia,
you can ride Apollo’s Chariot, raft ride Roman Rapids, the bobsled ride
Elephant Run and a couple of others. In
Rhineland is Alpengeist, themed to resemble a
ski lodge or chalet, a carousel and a Ferris wheel. In Aquitaine
Dining options at this park are among the most eclectic to be
found at any theme park, with restaurants featuring English, Scottish, Irish,
German, French and Italian type fare. A
food and wine festival takes place during a limited part of the operating
season. Also on the menu is live entertainment, most notably IllumiNights, a
show featuring performances and fireworks, and multiple shopping options. Park guests can also get close to Clydesdales
and collies.
As of 2013, Quick Queue access to selected rides is available
at two levels. $30.00 will get you
one-time priority access to rides but for unlimited access the price goes up to
$55.00.
Busch Gardens Williamsburg is a gorgeous and imaginatively designed
theme park. 5 out of 5 stars. For more information about
the park, visit seaworldparks.com/en/buschgardens-williamsburg
Photo courtesy of coasterimage.com
CEDAR POINT
The “Roller Coaster Capital of
the World,” with sixteen coasters, Cedar Point is located in Sanduksy ,
Ohio , an hour drive from Cleveland .
Encompassing 364 acres and incorporating the Soak City
On a Lake
Erie peninsula, the park is beautifully scenic. With the addition of Gatekeeper in 2013, it
has taken on a new appearance, as part of this coaster overhangs the
entrance. Cedar Point features some
extreme thrill rides, most notably Millennium Force, one of only two Intamin giga
coasters in existence as of 2013. (Although worldwide there are four full circuit
coasters with a drop of at least 300 feet, the other manufacturers do not use
this terminology.) Millennium Force offers a breathtaking view of Lake Erie on the left from the 310-foot cable lift hill
and an even more breathtaking initial drop of 300 feet at an 80-degree
angle. Other notable coasters are the
wild and crazy Maverick, the 420-foot tall launch coaster Top Thrill Dragster
which accelerates to 120mph in 4 seconds, the delightful inverted coaster Raptor and
Magnum X-L 200, the first coaster to break the 200-foot barrier. For park guests who prefer something less
extreme, there are a number of rides suitable for families and children.
This theme park also features
live entertainment and a wide selection of restaurants and food concessions,
including those that cater to special dietary needs. It also offers Fast Lane access to rides for
an upcharge and V.I.P tours with a personal guide and immediate access to
rides, for a pretty hefty upcharge ($395 as of 2013).
Those planning to visit Cedar
Point should be aware that this park is heavily patronised and therefore almost
invariably crowded. A wait time of
anywhere from an hour to two hours to get on the most popular rides is not
uncommon, especially toward the end of the operating season when Halloween
festivities take place. Nevertheless, a
visit to Cedar Point is an experience worth having. From the point of view of theme park
aficionados, if you haven’t been to Cedar Point, you haven’t been
anywhere. 5 out of 5 stars. For more information about the
park, visit https://www.cedarpoint.com/ Photo courtesy of
www.coasterimage.com
DOLLYWOOD
In Pigeon Forge, Tennessee ,
an hour’s drive from McGhee Tyson Airport
in Knoxville , Dollywood is a theme park in the
foothills of the Smoky
Mountains USA
Among the many rides are Daredevil Falls
For a minimal upcharge, park guests can avail
themselves of the Q2Q electronic device, commonly known as the Q-bot, which
waits in the ride queue for them so that they don’t have to physically wait in
the queue.
Dining options are plentiful, with an emphasis on
southern cooking. The park also features entertainment with an
emphasis on live performances.
Auditions are held periodically.
As of 2013, a one-day admission ticket cost $57.00 but
Dollywood does offer a very good deal in that guests who enter the park after
3pm can return the next day for no additional charge. Parking is reasonably priced at $10.00 and unlike
many parks, Dollywood offers rain checks. The adjacent water park, Dollywood’s Splash
Country, is not included in the price of admission to the main park.
Dollywood is a friendly and scenic theme park which
makes excellent use of its mountainous terrain.
(This is especially evident with Wild Eagle.) 5 out of 5 stars. For more information about Dollywood, visit www.dollywood.com/
“The sweetest place on
earth,” Hersheypark is located in – where else? – Hershey ,
PA ,
about two hours northwest of Philadelphia
Hersheypark offers live
entertainment, including concerts on Sundays from May to the end of
September. It also offers multiple dining options, from
full service dining to food concessions tempting park guests with anything from
pizza to falafel to pierogies. As of
2013, park guests could buy a meal ticket which includes a 32-ounce souvenir
cup with 99-cent refills for $13.75.
Kosher, gluten-free, dairy free and vegetarian meals are among the many
choices. On the subject of comestibles,
it’s worth mentioning that the legendary Chocolate World is located just
outside the theme park. Many of
Hershey’s chocolate products and other confections are available for purchase
within the park itself. Hershey’s
fudge is especially delectable.
Fast Track access to rides
is available for an upcharge. This includes 9 coasters and Skyrush is not
one of them. The downside of the
program is that on a number of rides, certain rows are reserved for Fast Track
and these rows often end up empty, so that other park guests end up waiting
longer to get on.
This is a popular park and
wait times for some rides is significantly longer than for others. Those who want to ride Fahrenheit are in for
a longer wait because the trains accommodate only 12 riders whereas the trains
on Skyrush accommodate 32.
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The staff at Hersheypark is
extremely courteous and helpful, one more reason why a visit to the park will
usually prove to be a fun and rewarding experience. 5 out of 5 stars. For more information about rides at
Hersheypark, visit www.hersheypark.com/
Located in Santa Claus, Indiana , about a 45-minute drive from Evansville Regional
Airport
Unlike most theme parks,
Holiday World does not have any steel hypercoasters. What it does have is three outstanding wooden
coasters, a steel family coaster and the two longest water coasters in the
world. The park features numerous
family and kid rides along with a wide array of
food options catering to most dietary needs (veggie burgers are
available); the Holiday World website even includes nutritional information for
all food items sold at the park. It also
features live shows.
Another amenity offered by
this park is free soft drinks at drink stations scattered throughout the
park. As most theme parks charge close
to $4.00 for a soda, access to free refreshments is a great perk and a real
blessing on a hot day.
Ticket prices are
structured in such a way as to afford discounted admission for a two-day visit.
As of 2013, general admission is $44.95 at the gate ($39.95 online),
with a next day admission ticket priced at $27.00. It’s not clear, however, whether the lower
price for a second day is available with an online ticket purchase. Either way, purchasing a two-day ticket will
result in a saving of at least $8.00.
Park guests should be
prepared to walk up and down a number of hills.
The staff at Holiday World
is among the friendliest to be found at any theme park. They will go out of their way to be helpful,
assisting park guests with anything from navigating the park to getting driving
directions to and from the park. 5 out of 5 stars. For more information about Holiday World,
visit www.holidayworld.com/ Photo of The Voyage courtesy of
www.coasterimage.com
In Doswell , Virginia , 20 miles north of Richmond
and 75 miles south of Washington ,
D.C.
Kings Dominion offers live entertainment in the form of
a musical extravaganza, light show and karaoke, to name just a few
attractions. Not all of these
attractions are open throughout the operating season; some are available only
through September 1.
Due to the popularity of this park, ride queues often
tend to be long, so the best option for getting in as many rides as possible is
Fast Lane. In order to have access to
Intimidator 305, it is necessary to upgrade to Fast Lane Plus, $70 as of 2013. Fast Lane Plus customers do not have access
to the front row on I-305.
The staff is congenial and the park provides storage
for loose articles which cannot be taken on rides. On Volcano, a staff member actually wheels a
cart through the loading station in order to collect any items that cannot not
go along for the ride.
With shopping, multiple dining options (including an
array of choices for vegetarians or others with special dietary needs) and some
of the best rides to be had anywhere, Kings Dominion is a theme park in which
park guests will not be disappointed. 5 out of 5 stars. For more information about Kings Dominion, visit https://www.kingsdominion.com/ Photo courtesy of www.coasterimage.com, a great website for
coaster pix.
KINGS ISLAND
Located in Mason , Ohio ,
approximately equidistant from Cincinnati and Dayton , Kings
Island USA
There are
enough rides and attractions to appeal to any taste and age group. The non-coaster rides range from the White Water
Canyon Soak
City
This is a very
popular park - the second most visited
in the USA Kings
Island
KNOEBELS AMUSEMENT RESORT
Located in rural Elysburg Pennsylvania ,
way off the beaten path (nearly 3 hours from Philadelphia Phoenix , consistently ranked among the top ten
wooden roller coasters in the USA
The park features over 60 rides, including the lesser
known and aptly named Twister, another wooden coaster. Other
attractions include but are by no means limited to a 148-foot drop tower, haunted
coal mine, swinging pirate ship, log flume and carousel dating back to 1913.
This park is very nicely laid out with bridges leading
from one section to another. Dining options are plentiful, ranging from
waffle ice cream sandwiches to pierogies to burgers and similar fare. Lacto-vegetarians can actually get a grilled
cheese sandwich (a rare offering at parks) or a plate of mixed veggies. The park also has a picnic area and adjacent
campground.
One of the wonderful things about Knoebels is that
admission is free! So is parking. Whereas most parks charge a moderate to
hefty entry fee, Knoebels charges only by the ride. Rides
range in price from $.075 to $3.00 (scenic sky ride). As of 2013, the cost of a ride on Phoenix
Knoebels is a charming and very affordable place to
visit. 5 out of 5 stars. For more information about Knoebels, visit www.knoebels.com/ Photo courtesy of Coasterimage.com
Located between
Muskegon and Whitehall , Michigan Michigan USA
Otherwise the
ride lineup at the park is less than stellar.
After Shivering Timbers, the best ride is undoubtedly Thunderhawk, an
invert. There are two kiddie coasters,
a nice touch because it makes the park very family friendly. Other rides include but are by no means
limited to Bumper Boats, Flying Trapeze, (a swing ride), a Ferris wheel,
scrambler and Tilt-A-Whirl. The water
park features wave pools, tubes, rafts and slides.
Dining options
are primarily barbecue, burgers, hot dogs/corn dogs and chicken fingers. The park does have an outdoor family grill
and offers ice cream sundaes along with the funnel cake omnipresent at theme
parks. They also offer freshly cooked
chips.
As of 2013,
Fast Lane, allowing almost immediate access to rides, is available for as
little as $35.00 when purchased online.
This is a bargain, as equivalent programs at other parks usually involve
an investment of $50.00 and up.
SILVER DOLLAR CITY
Located in Branson , Missouri at the site of the historic Marvel Cave USA
The park has a distinct old west flavour which extends to the wardrobe of the staff. Even the loading stations of the rides are filled with artifacts that revert to an earlier era and summon images of the old mining town over which the park was built. A prime example of the décor is the stagecoach replica outside Outlaw Run. There are so many things to do and see that a single day at this park is hardly sufficient. Park guests can watch leatherworking, glass blowing, pottery and baking demonstrations among others. An hour-long tour of the Marvel Cave
As of 2013, a Trailblazer pass affording priority access for up to 8 rides (those using this for Outlaw Run are limited to one) was available for $32.50. At $58.00, admission tickets are in the mid price range for theme parks and seniors get only a $2.00 discount.
Dining options are plentiful with an emphasis on country cooking.
Silver Dollar City
SIX FLAGS FIESTA TEXAS
Located 15 minutes from
downtown San Antonio in a beautiful setting, Six
Flags Fiesta Texas
The park has rides for
every age and inclination. Those seeking
high thrills can ride the 20-storey tall Sky Screamer while the little ones can
ride Kiddie Koaster along the water.
Whistle Stop offers a railway tour of the park. A
water park separate from but bordering the main park offers additional
attractions including a wave pool carved into the shape of the state of Texas
Dining options are
plentiful and range from ice cream on freshly baked waffle cones to turkey legs
and sausage to nachos and chicken strips to Chinese food. Beer and margaritas are available. For entertainment the park features several
shows including one with a live band.
Like all Six Flags parks, this
one offers the Flash
Pass
Six Flags Fiesta Texas is a scenic theme park with some good rides and a
friendlier staff than can be found at some of the Six Flags parks in the
eastern part of the USA
SIX FLAGS GREAT ADVENTURE
Opened in 1974 and located in Jackson , New Jersey , between New York and Philadelphia (about an hour drive from either city), Six Flags Great Adventure is the world’s largest theme park with 510 acres. It boasts numerous rides and attractions, including thirteen roller coasters, the Hurricane Harbor
Historically, the park featured a drive-through safari. With the institution of the Safari Off Road Adventure, park guests can travel through the animal preserve in a safari style vehicle with a knowledgeable tour guide.
Throughout the operating season, Six Flags Great Adventure features concerts and animal shows. It also features a variety of restaurants and food concessions which cater to almost every taste. Costumed characters are in abundance. One of the add-ons available at this park is the Flash Pass Flash Pass. Flash Pass
One thing this park, unlike most, does not offer is discounted admission for seniors. Another thing it doesn’t offer is storage bins for loose articles in the loading stations. However, it does periodically run promotions that enable visitors to obtain tickets inexpensively. A recent promotion offered one-day admission tickets for $39.99 with three-day advance purchase online.
With nice landscaping, easy accessibility from I-195 and a stellar ride lineup, Six Flags Great Adventure is a theme park worth visiting. 5 out of 5 stars. For more information about the park, visit www.sixflags.com/greatadventure
SIX FLAGS
Located in Agawam , Massachusetts , 17.2 miles from Hartford ’s
Bradley International
Airport , Six Flags New England opened
as Riverside Amusement Park Hurricane Harbor
Like all Six Flags parks, this theme park offers the Flash Pass Flash Pass
There are multiple dining options, and like other Six
Flags parks, this park offers a season dining pass. As of 2013, the pass cost $74.99 and included
two meals on each visit to the park.
For season pass holders who visit frequently, the dining pass is an
option which represents a significant savings over buying individual meals.
For entertainment, the park has a repertoire of shows
and also hosts local entertainers who perform live. It’s easily accessible to residents of both Massachusetts and Connecticut New England , visit www.sixflags.com/NEWENGLAND/ Photo courtesy of
www.coasterimage.com
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