Do you actually have FUN at amusement parks?

I think that its a different kind of stress than the everyday stress of life. When I go to parks with friends it can be fun (yes annoying too) to wait in line. When you are running from one coaster to the next or one ride to the next, it can be great fun, but there is no fellowship that occurs. I have learned a lot about coasters just standing in line with other enthusiasts. And as odd as it may sound, I like the idea of being able to watch the ride and see it working as I'm standing in line (but not for 45 min like most lines are these days) it adds to the excitement of riding (even though I have been spoiled with short lines.) But for getting on a coaster, that kind of stress is a welcome release to the hustle and bustle of the everyday life.

First, I agree with Impulsive on the third post. I have owned Season Passes to CF & SF parks for 4 seasons, now. The only rush is to get to the destination. I bought my girlfriend her first season pass this year. She enjoys the fact that we can enjoy the day, relax and ride as many times as we wish knowing we will return.

Second, CP Lady, Moosh etc are absolutely correct. If you are with someone that complains, it's like nails on a chalkboard. Drop 'em off at Lusty's for some liquid cheer up, then meet us back in line.

Overall, season passes are worth the cash if you plan to visit 3 times at CF and twice at SF during the summer. The rush is over.

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There's nothing like a woodie...

I sometimes get like that. However if I where alone or without my parents it wouldn't be so bad. I drive to Sixflags Great Adventure, and I go for a few hours like I have been doing for many years now. However now that I am on my clock since im allowed to drive to the park with my friends or brother in-law. I take my time, I walk around eat a churro. I watch people on the rides which is something I have loved to do since I can remember.

I then get on a coaster when I feel ready to, and when I want to. IM not constantly being called on my cell phone to be treated by my father that we have to leave at 1pm before traffic gets us. Now if I want to stay stuck in 15mins of traffic, I don't care its not like I enjoy driving with speeding maniacs on the turnpike all the way home anyway. 45mins of that gets to you.

However if I go to any other park I still go with my parents because its just not too safe to travel alone. It also does not feel the same when your not with the people you would like ot be with. The last time I rushed rides was at PKD last season because I had my whole family with me, and by the time I got off Volcano as my first ride. My father was already offering to leave, and come back when it wasn't so hot, but you know that is pure bull.

Conclusion I hate being rushed. When I go to parks I take my time, I sit, I eat, I drink water, I enjoy more then rushing from ride to ride, but I enjoy watching the people hearing the sounds of happy riders coming off great rides, and watching a show or two. Rather then coaster 1 bounce to coaster 2, and have been stuck in line all day, and by the end of the day I can't walk because my feet are so num. If I miss the ride this time I get it next time. I just make sure I get on what I travled for. Odds are it will be there in a few seasons.

P.s I don't think parks are a good vaction for me. However if there is a park where I will b at. I will defitanly make the trip. Nothing like sitting on a hammick on my grandfathers land all alone with no noise in Puerto Rico. That is a great vaction, but a park would make it better. Too bad they only have one water park, and a traveling fair, and thats is it.
*** This post was edited by WoodenCyclone 7/11/2003 8:38:47 PM ***

There's very few places I'd rather be than in an amusement park. Even a real busy one, like SFGAm or CP on a Saturday in July is better than work!

Sometimes it's not an "absolute blast", but I'm happy and content. What else do you need?

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Without the chaindog, you'd never get up the lifthill...

Well, yes and no - I love the coasters, but hate waiting in line in 90% humidity around people who don't share the same standards of personal hygeine as I do. I am not one for park hopping, and the most I can do in succession is two days at any park. On the other hand, I had a three day pass for BGW (thinking HOW am I going to POSSIBLY spend three days in this park and still remain interested), and had a fantastic time - looking at the Clydesdales, spending the afternoon getting plastered drinking beer (it's fun to get loaded up at the park - I've only done it a couple of times but it's pretty cool), eating, seeing the shows, etc. When I go to the park, I try to have a relaxing time - I don't need to spend all day waiting in line for a coaster ride. It's not that fun, it's a waste of time, and frankly, I've done it enough that the thrill just isn't there for me anymore. Coasters are a wonderful part of the park experience for me, and the MOMENT it gets TAXING for me to visit a park, then I have to start to re-evaluate my priorities (which may explain why I have had a CP season pass for the past two years and have only gone twice per year).

It is a good question, though, Ride of Steel. When I was younger (I'm now 29), I really loved to visit the park and didn't care how long I spent in line. My focus has shifted now - I seem to get as much satisfaction out of watching other people have fun as much as riding a coaster myself. Being with someone I really care about is important, too, and if I'm in bad company, I could care less whether or not I got to ride TTD after only a half-hour wait (as if that would ever happen). Someone already said it in this thread - sharing your good time with people who are a lot of fun and who don't complain is more fun than any coaster ride.

Sometimes I wonder if I will maintain my interest in rollercoasters ten years from now. I'll only be 39 when that time comes. As it is now, I end my long days at the park with a stiff neck and usually a sunburn. That's NOT fun. But for now, I don't see any end in sight, and think that people who like coasters as much as I do are total bad-a**es.

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"That's DOCTOR Evil. I didn't spend six years in evil medical school to be called 'Mr. Thank You Very Much.'"

I have lots of fun at parks. To me, it's not rushing to get as many rides as possible. I don't keep a track record. I have no idea how many times I've ridden a particular coaster. I go because I enjoy the atmosphere of being in a park. I do enjoy coasters very much, but I like just being in a park with all the activity around me just as much.

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I'd rather be in my boat with a drink on the rocks,
than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.

I never feel to ride all the rides. I usually get a headache before I could do all that anyways.

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"Here's my ten cence, my two cence is free"-Eminem

I'd love it just to go to CP for an evening and get a few rides in. I guess maybe I feel this way because I don't go to parks that often and I sorta build up anxiety to get everything accomplished.

I love skiing and luckily there is a 25 trail ski place at my fingertips. I just love going there after school and getting a few runs in. Its always fun.

I don't think I ever got stressed out at a park. Well maybe the time I thought I lost my keys at SFA. Luckily or unluclily I locked them in the car. Thats probably the most stressed I was.

I tend to rush when I first get to a park I've never visited. Get on as many coasters a quiclky as possible. Once I get most of them in and know I'll get on the rest later I tend to slow down. I rarely take in the shows at parks they just don't appeal to me. If they have a rare or original ride you bet I'll go on it.

Nothing beats going to parks and eating the foods they are known for, Knoebels fresh cut fries and Cezaris pizza, PKI's Skyline Chili, and Kennywood's Potato Patch Fries!

If you tend to get stressed out doing somthing you like it may be time to sit back and think about the reason your doing it. Is it just to ride more coasters than someone else? Or to have fun trying new rides with a few friends and having a good time? Or are you planning your trips with several parks in one day only giving yourself a few hours at each park.

I found out that parks don't need 10+ cooasters and 100 rides to spend an entire day at. Somtimes two good coasters and 3 or 4 good flats will be enough to keep me happy all day!

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Signature will be closed today. Sorry for the inconveinance.

WIMPS!!! YOU ARE ALL WIMPS!!!

I'd use a less PC term, but I'd like to still be able to post every now and again. I am 36, and when I go to a park, I run from ride to ride with as much as I can muster. In fact, I am STILL faster then my kids!

I DO NOT WANT TO RELAX! I go to coaster parks because I am an adrenaline junkie. IF I wanted to RELAX, I would go somewhere ELSE besides a park with rides that shuffle my body in directions I don't experience everyday.

There is the beach, and even bingo halls for all you worn out young'uns.

Me, I will enjoy everyday to its fullest, and when at a theme park, enjoy my day the same as I did when I was 30 years younger.

The rest of you are WIMPS.

Sprig

At SF parks I feel like I don't have to rush since I have a season pass. When I go to any other park I run from ride to ride to be sure the trip was worth the money.

I don't feel rushed esp at CF parks got season passes, as for other parks and CF parks its not the rushing, its the other people in the park that piss me off, Esp when they run into you, I've dropped 3 people in the past at parks, if you run into someone say sorry, Running doesn't make the line move any faster, I can hit just as many rides if i run or walk, al running is gonna get you is an elbow to your gut or a trip on your face. I have a friend in a wheel chair and another friend that has a genetic blood/ skin disorder that causes there feet to blister excessivly when standing for long periods of time and when they get stepped on, so that can be rough esp with all the morons running around, So to answer the question I enjoy riding the coasters but actually hate going to parks. Plus I usually go to the parks with a gimp so we usually have a boarding time book and avoid most of the lines.while your in line were on a bench in the shade.

Somtimes I do feel rushed but I love flat rides so I take my time. I think the best time I've had this season was about a week ago when I was at PKI and road 3 rides the entire day but had fun by taking in the shows and bsing.

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Hi.....whats your name again?

Visit the 1st and only Jeff Siebert Fan page!!

I have a great time at parks. I don't need to be constantly riding to enjoy the park as a whole. We have a trip planned in August for a week and I'm only hitting three parks, 2 days at each park. If I tried to hit a park a day I would burn out quickly and just feel too rushed. I like to see the shows, ride all the flats (we have such a litmited selection at SFStL that I need to get my rides in at other parks) and just generally take it easy.

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Jeff-Jeff

If a park is an easy day trip (or even an easy over night trip) I don't feel rushed... I can go back when I please. On my initial visit (such as PKD) I do try to get all coasters in with at least 2 rides (though some only rated one) while noting areas that I want to spend more time in on a return visit. The return visit is always more relaxed.

Parks like Hershey (season pass) and Knoebels being so close never seemed rushed... I can definately return when ever I want.

However, parks that are more distant where I will not return often get the "rush treatment". The trip later this summer will include a few of these... PKI, Holiday World, Indiana Beach, SFGrAmer (if we actually stop here), Michigan's Adventure and SFWoA. And please don't respond "what ever you do, do not rush Holiday World..." A full day is planned at each of these parks... but on the larger ones, there will be a "rush" to get in the big coasters while the rest of the park will have to wait and be experienced only if there is time.

However, on a long trip to a park I will not get a chance to return to very often, I will try

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Kind of hard to take a post as objective if a park or coaster name is part of the "user name"

If you take an easy-going approach and don't try to count rides / coasters, you can have an enjoyable day, especially if it's a nearby park. I'll generally ride a few coasters, then just walk around and enjoy the park atmosphere, sampling rides here and there as I go.

I think it may help if you don't bring a map or a set schedule. For instance, on a recent trip to Dorney I knew I had to ride Talon, but I didn't look at anything else much ahead of time. Then, I could ride whatever looked fun (and had short lines), taking them for what they offered. If you make up a list of rides you *have* to hit ahead of time, the visit becomes more hectic and disappointing.

Also, season passes seem to help as well. If I know I'm not paying anything for this particular visit (well, technically I am, but it isn't for a specific day), I tend to be more flexible about taking naps, arriving/leaving early, etc.