elitch gardens

I am going to elitch gardens later this year. Does it have good rides, if so which ones are worth it if the lines are long. Also should I expect long lines, or is it a small enough park that it should be pretty short lines?

It's a small enough park to have fairly long lines, really.

I think the Flying Coaster is a hoot, even if it's somewhat tricky to locate. Twister II is... passable. It's got a somewhat slow moving line and just misses being a decent ride.

Essentially, it's an interesting mix of clones and sequels combined with a decent collection of newish flatrides. The observation tower is kind of neat, though. If you look carefully across the highway, you can see a Lakeside billboard.

For what it's worth, Lakeside's an inexpensive park w/ short lines and rides comparable in quality, if about 30 years older. Near complete o-plane series, though. It's a cool park at night.

You could start by telling us when you're going, that helps... And I don't know why you would pass Twister II, the only unique coaster there.

im most likely going in late july

I've been there once, and I thought it was ok. The Boomerang, just a standard Vekoma Boomerang. The Mind Eraser is a pretty nice inverted coaster. Twister II is actually a pretty decent woodie, but I've only seen it run with one train. Sidewider, now that's a nice coaster. Luanches you out, not too fast, dips down into a loop, comes back up into another station, then launches you backwards back into the first station. The one thing that I really remember was that the restraints were very comfortable. I can't say anything about the Flying Coaster, because the last time I was there it hadn't been built yet. Hope this helps.

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Colin - while I'm sure you'll have fun at SFEG I have to agree that it would be a shame to pass up Lakeside. Cyclone is the best wood in Denver, they have a fun Schiff Mouse [or is it a Herschell?], a great whip and other flats, and the park has a ton of beautiful art deco neon throughout.

Moosh

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"It looks smaller than I imagined, but still looks to be a great ride." -- CPLady

The mouse coaster is a Miler .
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Lets' save the Vancouver PNE Coaster before its'too late!

D'oh! I quick jaunt to rcdb.com would have verified that for me...thanks, RSA!

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"It looks smaller than I imagined, but still looks to be a great ride." -- CPLady

Moosh- The Lakeside Whip was in shambles all four times I went this past summer. But the Rock-O-Plane was running well. One thought....why the hell don;t they have brakes on the flyers. You just sit in that cart for 5 minutes waiting for the ops to get the thing stopped. Hilarious!!!

I'll be the third to say Lakeside is worth your time. Only $12 for an unlimited ride band. The Wild Chipmunk is absolutely awesome...some very intense air-lateral combos. The Cyclone IS the wood of Denver (seat 1-2 by yourself)

And the best part about Lakeside....the lines are never long. Longest I had to wait on a Friday night was 5 minutes for the Cyclone :>)

But SF Elitch is decent and worth a visit. Don't be expecting a ton of thrills....Sidewinder is the gem of the park (front or back seat for airtime pops off the flats)

CJ - the whip is *still* being worked on? Yikes! I haven't been to the park since I lived in Denver in the mid-90s but my one ride on it was phenomenal...on par with Kennywood and Knoebels. I wonder what's taking them so long? I'd hate to think they're giving up on it completely. If they are I can think of a great park in southern Indiana where I'd love to see that Whip relocated to [hint hint Paula].

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"It looks smaller than I imagined, but still looks to be a great ride." -- CPLady

I would be going from about 10, maybe later, too 7 take or give an hour or 2. The lakeview place doesnt seem like it would be that good all day because soem their site it looks like they dont have that many rides. My mom would be dropping me, my brother (and probably his girlfirend) off and I wouldnt be able to go to the other park after a little while if I got bored
*** This post was edited by colincsl 2/10/2003 3:11:58 PM ***

SFEG is actually unique considering its placement between dowtown Denver, and a river that I know not the name. Exciting setting and sure-to-be exciting rides!

Colin - you won't need all day for Lakeside, only a few hours. If possible see if you can have your mom take you to Lakeside after you're done with Elitch Gardens. Its a quaint park that I bet she'd even enjoy, even if she doesn't ride anything but the train around the lake [which I highly recommend].

Lakeside is best visited at night anyway.

Moosh

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"It looks smaller than I imagined, but still looks to be a great ride." -- CPLady

SFEG may have slightly (and I mean SLIGHTLY) more rides total than Lakeside, but if you like parks on the sole basis of how many rides they have, rather than the quality of the park itself (and the rides therein), I truly think you're making a mistake. I wouldn't suggest more than 2 hours for SFEG. The coaster selection is really quite bad: the only coaster there I haven't been on (Flying Coaster was built after my sole trip to Denver in 1999) is probably the best. I base this on the fact that the other rides present are bottom of the barrel clones and a badly designed wood coaster. Frankly, the best thing there was a Top Spin in 1999. They've added very little since then.

Let's talk about Lakeside now. They only have 3 coasters, and one of them is a kiddie. But hell, SFEG only has 6 coasters, and one of them is a kiddie too. Lakeside's wood coaster is actually good: Its twister half DOES something. And their wild mouse is an old Miler design; my favorite non wood mouse ever built. Lakeside is also religious at night. No park (and I mean NO PARK) looks like Lakeside at night. Take this from a man who's ridden coasters in 7 nations. The flat rides are quantatively better: Satellites, Roundup, Loop O Plane, Rock O Plane, Flyers, etc.

So, if you want to find yourself paying $8 for a crappy hotdog with fries and a drink just before you jump into the kiddie area's ballpit to try and find something bordering on entertainment, have fun with a full day at SFEG. If you want to make the smart call, think about going on a weekday to SFEG for about 3 hours (starting at opening), leaving, going to Casa Bonita (the most bizarre restaurant I've ever visited) for lunch/dinner, then spending the rest of your well earned money and time at Lakeside.

-Alan

Ah...Casa Bonita! Did you witness the cliff diving, Alan? Yes, folks...cliff diving Acapulco-style *inside* a restaurant!

Moosh

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"It looks smaller than I imagined, but still looks to be a great ride." -- CPLady

An Arrow Shuttle Looper botom of the Barrel? GASP! SACRILEDGE!!!!!! He's a witch burn him!!!!!

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Da Poodle

Coming in 2003-The Spawn Of Magnum!

*** This post was edited by MagnumForce 2/10/2003 4:51:54 PM ***

Man I miss Colorado. I lived right in the middle of Elitch Gardens and Lakeside in the early 80's. I lived right up the streat from Centennial Elementary school. The wood there at those two parks were, as far as can remember, the first wood I have ever been on.

Can you still pay 5 cents and get into Lakeside? We use to do this as a young poor kid like I was and beg for arm bands from people leaving the park. Is the fun house still there? I loved that monkey cage and the spinning wood disk thing and the spining tunnel. Even as a youngster I really loved that park. Is the haunted ride still there?

A question about Elitch. Anyone here get the chance to ride the two woods at the original park, Wildcat and Mr. Twister? I loved those from what I can remember about them. Elitch also had a great saw mill log flume ride and a neat dark ride where you rode on hanging cars and went through a western jail break. Man what memories I have from that place. The last ride they added to old Elitch before I moved was a Shoting Star I believe if I remember right.

And talking about Casa Bonita, my father was actually the store manager there for the length of time I lived in Denver. We ate there like ever other night since it was free. I loved the Minning eating area and the lower area that was in a cave with stalagmites and stalagtites. They had a neat play house cave thing and a cool arcade. LOL, memories.

Oh yeah, that Wild Chipmonk is the best wild mause ride I have ever been on. I dout that I could fit into thoughs little torpedo cars anymore though :( . So how is the new Elitch wood compared to the old ones anyway?
*** This post was edited by Rider 2/10/2003 6:20:54 PM ***

Hmmm, I actually think Flying Coaster is the worst coaster in the park, and the top spin isn't all that great either (if you like 400 tons of pressure on your thighs, this ride is for you)! In my opinion, Mind Eraser and Boomerang seem to be maintained pretty damn well. Like other have said, Sidewinder is a blast; it's only too bad about all those stairs. ;)

Twister II isn't all that bad anymore. I actually like it just about the same a Cyclone.

And would I ever eat an $8 dollar hot dog at SFEG? No, I'd either use a coupon that ACE provides :), or just have a squishy. How hard is that?
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Rider-I think they still have "nickel nights" occasionally. :)
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Rider - I have fond memoried of the old Elitch Twister and Wildcat. What great rides those were. I especially loved the view from the top of Twister's lift...the mountains off to one side, skyscrappers off on the other.

The dark ride was gone by the time I made it to EG for the first time [1993]. I do remember the flume being pretty nice, though, especially since it was built under the Wildcat. The last "new" ride added to the park [the same year they closed] was a Chance Skydiver.

Moosh

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"It looks smaller than I imagined, but still looks to be a great ride." -- CPLady