East Coast Flag Flight - need lots of advice
I have been fortunate enough to be able to do a second coaster trip with my brother this year, and I need some advice on some of the finer details....
The Flight (already booked):
Land in Baltimore, MD (BWI) on Fri, 10/3 at 10:20 a.m.
Leave Baltimore, MD (BWI) on Sun, 10/5 at 7:05 p.m.
The Plan (as we have season passes):
SFGAdv on Friday night (open 5-11)/Saturday morning (open 10 a.m.)
SFNE on Saturday sometime (open 12-10)
SFA on Sunday (open 12-10)
The Questions:
SFGAdv
1. Do you think we'll be able to do most of the big stuff (Chiller, Nitro, Medusa, S:UF, Batman) SFGAdv on that Friday night (the first of Fright Fest)?
2. If so, do you think we could get in all 12 credits that night?
2a. To get all 12, would you recommend the extra $30 for Q-bots?
SFNE
3. To get to SFNE, we'll have to go around NYC. What's the fastest way to do this, considering traffic?
4. How many hours would you plan for?
SFA
5. We'll have to get all we can on Sunday from 12 p.m. to about 5 p.m., when we have to leave for the airport (BWI). Think it's possible to hit all the coasters in that time?
Thanks a ton for all of your guys' help!:)
Later,
EV
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"Here's the thing about living in the past. If it was so good, then how come it didn't last?
If it helps you, I'll put it in a phrase. Those were the times, but these are the days." - The Human League
FYI, that's the weekend of Knoebel's PPP event, which many consider as good as if not better than SRM. Consider a change of itinerary, it's not far from Baltimore at all!
mOOSH
As good as SFNE is, you're biting off way too much adding it in. NYC is a big roadblock, whether you go through it or around it. Just getting in GADV and SFA would fill up that whole time frame.
If you need to cram in more coasters, I'd suggest Dorney or even Wildwood instead of SFNE...and if you want to go to a GOOD park instead of a Six Flags, go to Knoebels on that Saturday for PPP!
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Mike Miller - SFMM: We don't care. We don't have to. You all keep coming back anyways, no matter how bad we treat you.
Yes, you should be able to hit all the big rides and more on Friday night as long as you're there right at opening. Friday nights get busier as October goes on. Since you're going on the first Friday, you should be OK. Viper doesn't seem to be open much on the Friday nights and it'll definitely only be one side of Chiller and Rolling Thunder operating. Unless it's really crowded, I wouldn't spend the $30 on the Q-bot.
As others have said, if it's at all possible, try to get to PPP at Knoebels on Saturday instead. It's well worth it!
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Sue Barry
CoasterSue@aol.com
Eric - That plan is way too ambitous. Even if you could make it to all three parks, you probably wouldn't have time to enjoy them.
Bass' Dorney suggestion is a good one.
I'd skip SFNE, and hit Dorney on the way back down to Baltimore from Jersey. Going all the way up to Mass. is pushing it.
EchoVictor said:
SFNE
3. To get to SFNE, we'll have to go around NYC. What's the fastest way to do this, considering traffic?4. How many hours would you plan for?
There is never a fast way through New York City -- particularly coming from New Jersey.
The fastest, shortest way is what Mapquest will suggest . . . take the New Jersey Turnpike northbound into I-80/George Washington Bridge. Cross the GWB into Manhattan and take the Cross Bronx Expressway. At the end, it'll split, heading south the Throgs Neck Bridge or north to the New England Thruway.
Keep in mind that the traffic in Connecticut, particularly through Bridgeport, can be as bad or worse than New York City.
Mapquest says it's a 4 hour trip and, depending on how you drive, that's probably accurate. If you use the speed limit as a suggestion, anyway. Note that the speed limit through Northern New Jersey, New York and much of that part of Connecticut is 55.
Also, depending on what time of day you're traveling, you could bear witness to the weekend migration of New York City yuppies. Getting caught in that traffic is miserable.
If you're renting a car, maybe it'd be easier to grab a returning flight from Bradley International in Connecticut instead of braving New York City twice? I hate to do it twice in a single day. . .twice in a weekend isn't much better.
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--Maddie--
What do I Listen-To?
thanks so far for all of the good thought-starters.
Yeah, I realize that braving NYC twice is really pushing it, but S:RoS at SFNE is quite the draw. Also, ERA (they make GT40 kit cars) is on the way up as well...
Dorney is definitely on the radar. I have a CF season pass as well, but by bro' doesn't. The thought was to go cheap, as we both have SF passes. BTW, our cheapness is what drove the flight into Baltimore ($97 round-trip from Milwaukee, yeah!) and it's already bought.
Hmmmmm, I had no idea that PPP was that weekend!:)
What do you guys think of Dorney in the morning and Knoebel's on Saturday night?
Later,
EV
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"Here's the thing about living in the past. If it was so good, then how come it didn't last? If it helps you, I'll put it in a phrase. Those were the times, but these are the days." - The Human League
...umm, provided it hasn't closed for the season by then, anyway.
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--Maddie--
What do I Listen-To?
Drove to Allentown Saturday night and stayed across from the park. Sunday morning I knocked out Dorney in an hour (two rides on all the adult coasters), and then headed down to SFA. I rode everything (adult coasters) at SFA at least once, with multiple rides on Wild One and S:RoS, and left to drive back to Pittsburgh in the evening.
If I were you, here's what I'd do:
Fri night/Saturday morning - SFGAdv
Saturday afternoon/night - Knoebel's, PPP, and then drive to Allentown.
Sunday - Dorney am (quick credit stop), SFA afternoon until you need to leave for the airport.
If you're not into rushing through Dorney so fast, just skip it. You'll get to SFA sooner that way, and won't feel rushed on Sunday.
However, it's a LONG drive from Knoebels to SFA...3-4 hours IIRC. If you can handle driving at night, I'd suggest tackling all or at least some of it Saturday night. You're also going to be short on time at SFA, and that place is a real crap shoot in terms of crowds at that time of year (we got really lucky back in 2001, but it was reportedly packed the Sunday before we visited). If it's empty you'll have no problem getting it all done by 4. Make sure you leave early enough to make it to BWI in time for your flight home, as security lines can be brutal on Sundays.
Also, make sure that you get to GADV, Dorney and SFA right at opening. Ride Chiller first at GADV, and Batwing first at SFA.
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Mike Miller - SFMM: We don't care. We don't have to. You all keep coming back anyways, no matter how bad we treat you.
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