Celebrating 36" Tall (or looking at GAm through new eyes) - 8/28/05
Associated parks:
None
She and I headed there first thing yesterday morning and went to the park so RedWife could have a "Me Day". Which she deserves - especially since I'll get a couple of those in 32 more days. So, when we left RedWife was still sleeping and we tiptoed out of the house. (This will be important later.)
Mind you, this is the little girl, who at the tender age of 2 months, was bounced upon her Daddy's knee to the sounds of a lift hill chaindog then bounced around and leaned left, right, to and fro - giggling all the way. The same one whose Mamma bought her an ACE membership when she was six days old. The same one who drags Daddy to the computer so she can watch the NoLimits coasters. The same one who asks me to read to her Roller Coaster as least three nights a week....
Well, I told her we were going for a ride and were going to do something very special today - not wanting to tell her about the coasters too soon, as the hourlong ride would become unbearable. So, as we neared the park, I told her where we were going and that she would see the coasters soon. Her reply was the expected, "Where, where, where?"
Soon we passed the last grove of trees and the Eagle and Raging Bull came into view. The sight was met by a frantic, "Coasters! Daddy Look! I found the coasters! Coasters! We go!" The hyper-enthusiastic response was equally matched by jumping body movements that threatened to break the five-point seatbelt harness child seat system from its' mountings.
We got there just as they opened the gates and she laughed in amazement at the Columbian Carousel.
She said, "Daddy, I ride the horsies...up there!" As she pointed to the upper deck. We waited our turn and went to the upper deck and rode a spin on the upper deck with her smiling all the way.
We then backtracked to guest services and got her measured officially and got her the wristband and the list of rides she could go on.
We then headed through Orleans as she marvelled at Superman and Batman (bad and inaccurate pun, I know). We looked at Triple Play but she said she didn't want to go on it (so forcefully so that I didn't ask her about any other Spin and Pukes for the remainder of the day).
She stared at the "Closed all day" sign at V2 and then we headed to Looney Tunes National Park and she rode the rides there until she said, "We go find coaster." (That's my girl!!!)
We then headed to Camp Cartoon Network and went straight to Spacely's Sprocket's Rockets. We went for the front row and she went, "Wheeeee!" interspersed with giggles all the way through it. We made it back to the station and she said, "We go again, Dadda!" Well, as they say, Lather, Rinse, Repeat....three times for a total of four laps.
She then rode the remaining rides in CCN and we headed out towards County Fair and I smiled as she rubbernecked at all of the people, games, lights and sounds of the midways.
We made it back to the front of the park, by the Whizzer and my ultimate goal of the day - to get her on the coaster that started my love of coasters many years ago. I picked her up and showed her how high it goes and asked her if she wanted to go on it. She said yes, so we got in line that was signed at 30 minutes (actually ended up being almost 40).
As we waited in line I recited from memory passages of the Roller Coaster book mentioned above. She was very well behaved in line...every time a train went by, I asked her if she was sure and she responded yes.
Finally we made it to the station and I chose the front row. The ride op (properly since he didn't see her wristband) asked me to put her down so he could compare her height to the airgate for a height check - which she passed. He still looked at me a little funny because she is a little young for the ride (she's only 2y 9m - turns 3 on 11/5). But she was all grins as we got on the coaster.
I continued to recite the book as we left the station and headed up the lift hill. Knowing that there are some decent laterals (especially for a little one) I braced her head by placing my arms out straight on either side of her head. As we zipped through the course, all I could hear is giggles and "Zipped" and "Zoomed" (lines from the book) from RedGirl in front of me.
As we hit the brakes, she turned, looked back at me and said, "Again, Daddy, again!" Unfortunately I had to say no, as it was already an hour past her nap time and the line was longer than it was when we got in line the first time - it definitely made me wish I took the gamble and bought the fastpass in the first place...
We did one more ride on the carousel, stopped at the gift shop to buy her a "Tweetybirdie" T-Shirt and headed to McDonalds for lunch and headed home. Five minutes after leaving McD's, (almost as soon as we hit the interstate) she was sound asleep.
Flash forward to when we got home. I lift this limp noodle of a toddler from her car seat and she snuggles into my shoulder. As soon as we hit the air conditioning of the house, she pops up and says, "Where's Momma? Wanna tell about coasters!" I saw that our bedroom door was closed which was a good sign that she was up there taking a nap herself. I told RedGirl that Momma was taking a nap and that she needed to go back to sleep and that Momma would be awake when she woke up later.
Flash forward two and a half more hours (5pm - a total of 3.5 hours of nap) when we decided it was time to get her up. When she saw her Momma, she just started talking a mile a minute (like toddlers can do) talking about the horsies, the rides, and the coasters, Whoosh! ZIP! Turns! and the matching body movements.
Anyone who wants to remove the Whizzer because it is too old/slow/boring (and I never was one) just needs to ride it with a young rider and see it through news eyes. If you were to compare their reactions to riding TTD to her reactions to riding Whizzer, I'll give you one guess at who was more happy/elated/gleeful.........
--George H
Mike
redman822 said:
Redgirl finally hit the magical 36" tall so she could ride some of the rides (aka coasters ;) ) at SFGAm."We go find coaster." (That's my girl!!!)
We made it back to the front of the park, by the Whizzer and my ultimate goal of the day - to get her on the coaster that started my love of coasters many years ago.As we hit the brakes, she turned, looked back at me and said, "Again, Daddy, again!"
Anyone who wants to remove the Whizzer because it is too old/slow/boring (and I never was one) just needs to ride it with a young rider and see it through news eyes.
Wonderful TR...*wipes away tear*. A young child, a great dad, and an Anton terrain coaster...what more could you want? :)
redman and redgirl both have excellent taste! ;)
redman822 said:
Anyone who wants to remove the Whizzer because it is too old/slow/boring (and I never was one) just needs to ride it with a young rider and see it through news eyes. If you were to compare their reactions to riding TTD to her reactions to riding Whizzer, I'll give you one guess at who was more happy/elated/gleeful.........
Or maybe the fact that the Whizzer placed fifty in the last Golden Ticket ratings, above all but two of the coasters at Six Flags Great America?
I unfortunately cannot say that I started out on Whizzer. I went for biggest and scariest for my first coaster, which at the time was the American Eagle. Whizzer was my second and I instantly fell in love with it. It has a wonderful layout with great interaction with the trees. Yeah, it doesnt turn you upside down seven times or have a huge, steep drop, but it is still more thrilling than most coasters I have been on.
I like to rate coasters on a giggle factor. If the ride can make me giggle like a little school girl, it gets bonus points. Thats why rides like Gemini and Whizzer are so high up in my personal ratings. Not thrilling, but a heck of a lot of fun.
I love taking kids on their first ride. I have had the privelage twice now and the smile afterwards is so rewarding. Looks like you have a great riding partner now. :)
Certain victory.
Haha no I'm not giving Patrick the finger 
Here's to a budding coaster enthusiast!
Thats why rides like Gemini and Whizzer are so high up in my personal ratings.
Amen Brother! Gemini made me giggle. Twas my favorite ride at Cedar Point, beating out all the 200+ footers, launchers, etc.
You finally got to experience that magical moment that I experienced with Jasmine. Whizzer was her favorite ride back when she was about 3 years old.
Unfortunately now that she is 10, she considers it boring and won't ride unless coerced. :)
Everytime I get on Whizzer, it also brings back past glorious times with my parents and the wonderfull Marriott days. I recently relived my daughter's first experience with my girlfriend's daughter. She was hesitant to ride but afterwards, she fell in love.
SFGAm better never remove this coaster. It just pleases generation after generation.
My favorite MJ tune: "Billie Jean" which I have been listening to alot now. RIP MJ.
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