Advice on family oriented parks

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halltd said:
Hey, I gave more options than Disney.

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Just referring to your love for all things corporate ;)

^ Yea... I know I've got the "ya'll" thing going from a mom, sis & brother that live in Georgia.

Thanks again; lots of research ahead of me. I'm on my way to someday wearing on ACE shirt!

(PS: we will, of course, hit the home park at least a few times next summer. Life would not be complete for me now in the summer without a few times of 17 seconds of pure adrenaline rush! :))

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Mamoosh said:
http://www.rcdb.com/pr.htm?nearpark=1&pstatus=141

Hope that helps ;-)

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rollergator said:
P.S. http://www.coast2coaster.com/ - I have no *affiliation*, just an affinity... ;)

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No one ever gives Gonch any love on this front. :(

...and I have total affiliation. :)

^affiliation....and affection.... ;)

GG - Use THIS link instead: http://www.coasterimage.com/mapindex/map-united-states-parks.html

:)

Gonch, you just get so taken for granted around here. :) I'm impressed to see how much the resolution has improved on the mapping. (Of course I always have to look for my house. I could actually make out the grill standing on the deck.)

Anyways, I think the idea of a Kennywood- Hershey- Dorney- Knoebles loop still might work for you, GG. Only Dorney doesn't have a dark ride, and they all have a good to great variety of flats. Even though Knoebels and Kennywood have only a handful of coasters, they're all re-rideable, so you'll easily get a dozen coaster rides in. I think both your thrill-seeker and adrenaline-challenged sons will find enough coasters and other rides they like. And tell Dad to stay till closing, traffic isn't that bad at all.

RGB, going to ask for a commission from the PA tourist promotion agency.

Did we not mention advice on Family parks? Unless Dorney and SFGADV have radically changed and SFGADV has taken some steps to.

Id consider neither family parks but THRILL parks only.

Family parks IMHO. Kennywood, Idlewild, Knoebels, Waldameer, Lakemont/Delgrossos, Hershey, HW, IB, Adventurland Iowa, Dollywood, SDC, Wild Adventures, Cypress, Disney/Universal, Mt. Olympus, Geauga (Whoops) Id even call Worlds of Fun a family park.

None really strive to have the biggest or best of anything but ALL offer a huge variety of things to do both flatridees and coasters and some have great darkrides.

Chuck, who's missing many a park here but those I've been too.

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janfrederick said:
Perhaps you could take the Pony Express out to Cali.

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It's to short.=-)

Here is one nobody mentioned. Mt Olympus, this park has a little of everything. A really good woody, some other nice woodys. A water Park, Go Carts, Miniature golf, an indoor waterpark, an indoor amusement park Entrance to the Ducks. Adrenaline junky= Hades, non junky= Go Karts and waterpark. Dad can stay at the value hotel in walking distance and leave in the morning with no traffic. Mt. Olympus isn't the best at anything, but good at many different things. Warning, theming is cheesy but a nice park to visit and not real expensive especially with a hotel package.

You should try out Great America in Cali, or Dorney, MIA would be great, or even Valleyfair or Carowinds.

Since when is Great Adventure in Santa Clara and Valleyfair a 2-day drive from Cedar Point?

Here is one nobody mentioned. Mt Olympus...

Read Good Grief's reply to my "more info" post. I'd think the Wisconsin Dells area would be too far given their travel limitation...not to mention is loses in the "quantity/quality" game.

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Charles Nungester said:
Did we not mention advice on Family parks? Unless Dorney and SFGADV have radically changed and SFGADV has taken some steps to.

Id consider neither family parks but THRILL parks only.

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Actually, this is what the original post said...
"I am looking for theme/amusement parks that have a good variety of middle range coasters & dark rides. Something the whole family can enjoy together without splitting up."

I mentioned Dorney since it does have a number of coasters-- I did mention it doesn't have a dark ride. But it also has a really good flume ride, and some decent flats. I recommend it as another park to visit for someone who travels from out of state to eastern PA since it's only about 70 miles from Hershey.

Like everything else everyone mentioned, it's just a suggestion for GG to decide whether or not it suits her and her family.

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Charles Nungester said:
Did we not mention advice on Family parks? Unless Dorney and SFGADV have radically changed and SFGADV has taken some steps to.

Id consider neither family parks but THRILL parks only.

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Actually Chuck, I really wanted to mention SFGadv. for one of her criteria--middle range coasters. I count five: Runaway Mine Train, Blackbeard's Lost Treasure Train, Skull Mountain, the new for 08' Dark Knight (I can't imagine it'll be too intense), and Rolling Thunder.

Add in the four B&M's to the mix and I think they'd have a lot of fun. They've already ridden Dragster, so they could compare the fraternal twin Kingda Ka, and then finally, if they can handle Millennium Force, they'd love El Toro. They'd feel right at home with the ultra-fast cable lift and the super steep drop. Would they know what to do with the airtime though? Hmmm...:)

The only "bad" apple I see out of the whole park might be Great American Scream Machine, but it does have its moments where it's not so bad. Last summer was one of them for me. My friend said to stay off the right track of Rolling Thunder as well because of the turnaround.

I had a great time there last July. The park was clean, and operations were great. They also had the double skyway running, and they have a log flume. The Temple of the Tiger show rocked as well. Beat that, Cedar Point.:)

And as always, I'd recommend Hersheypark to anyone. Plenty of middle range coasters (with some extremes starting to pop up), a free (if not really big) waterpark, one Sally darkride, the Hershey Chocolate World Tour, and quite a few flats the whole family can take in. The only downside to Hershey I can see is the downsides and upsides in some areas. When they say steep area, they mean it!

I wouldn't recommend Holiday World to a family who wants to travel until they get a little bit bigger in the themepark side (which they are doing). Yes, I know there's still some announcements to be made, but without a steel coaster the whole family can ride, I'd be worried that the three woodies might be too much, or wouldn't provide enough to do since they come from America's Rollocoast.

Now if they can split the day in Splashin' Safari, then I think they'd have a phenomenal time.

I'd recommend SF just for the lower height requirements compared to the CF parks...then I realized it wouldn't be a problem with kids that are 5 or 6 feet tall. :)

But it is a major gripe about CF parks. There's so much more we can ride at SF parks as a family that we can't at some other parks.

^ my nephew can ride way more coasters at CP than he can at SFGam. Maybe it's just that park but I find CF to be more kid friendly when it comes to coasters.

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Intamin Fan said:

if they can handle Millennium Force...

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I can handle it just fine, (;)) however the main thing was not to split up & to experience the park as a family together. :)

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Would they know what to do with the airtime though?

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Tell me! Tell me!

Addendum to info: the boys aren't into water parks (go figure?), but we love flumes that don't drench you. (Missing White Water Landing right now :( ) And I hate spinning flats that require massive doses of antiemetics. After all the tips I'm vacillating between a Kennywood/Hershey trip or Universal. *** Edited 11/16/2007 10:23:18 PM UTC by Good Grief***

I would pick a Kennywood, knoebels, Hershey trip over Universal however Universal IOA is a MUST do at least once in your life. The three parks above have a ton of variety, Neat fun family coasters and a ton of flats too boot not to mention two of the greatest darkrides on the planet.

Noahs ark and Knoebels Haunted mansion.

Chuck, who says you could make very affordable stops at Idlewild, Lakemont and Delgrossos in one day rent a cabin at Knoebels and visit the other two parks from there. *** Edited 11/16/2007 10:37:58 PM UTC by Charles Nungester***

Just don't vacillate too much, or you'll need some of those anti-emetics. :)

Idlewild, Lakemont, and Del Grossos are not good choices. Her teens would be bored and it would be a waste of time and money.

Kennywood and Hershey seem like the best choices.

Well consider Idlewild and Delgrossos quick just over halfway stops to Knoebels.

TWo very interesting coasters at Lakemont and a couple really good flats.

Sorry but I gotta say, someone calling the only coaster of it's kind left NOT worth it needs a reality check.

Chuck, who knows Moosh loves all parks and coasters and is trying to help her.
*** Edited 11/17/2007 12:17:34 AM UTC by Charles Nungester***

Chuck - My recommendations have nothing to do with the park's "worthiness." I'm trying to suggest the best parks based on her requirements and what her family enjoys. Her kids have been going to Cedar Point for years...do you think they'll be happy with Lakemont's two "interesting" coasters? And they'll most likely view Idlewild as a kiddie park (which, for the most part, it is)...they'll be bored in minutes there!

Go back and read her posts...you'll discover it's you who needs the reality check.

mOOSH

I see nothing wrong with a hour or two stop on the way to ride The worlds only side friction and probably second best first drop woodies in the world (Lakemont) Delgrossos I would agree. I found it boring and totally kid orientated but thats changed some.

Seven bucks a head? Totally worthwhile and really not taking away from anything else. Ride bumper cars, The spider and twister while your there and if you haven't ridden a Tobboggan, We'll youve been warned :)

Chuck, who says it's fine if they do. it's fine if they don't. Just making suggestions

Stop making suggestions? She asked for suggestions. lol