Inexpensive eats/admissions on a Coaster week? Need your help!

So, my brother and I are planning a North Central coaster week to really use those CF platinum passes.

This is the trip we are considering:

6/6: Friday, Cedar Point (Free, plus Coastermania!!!!)

6/7: Saturday, Conneaut Lake ($20)

6/8: Sunday, Waldameer ($30)

6/9: Monday, Darien Lake ($40)

6/10: Tuesday, Niagra Falls

6/11: Wednesday, Marineland ($43)

6/12-6/13: Thursday & Friday, Canada's Wonderland (Free!)

We are trying to do this trip on the cheap as our big coaster vacation is in August (Kennywood, Dorney, Knoebels, Hershey, and either Kings Dominion or Six Flags America..followed by OSU v. Navy in Baltimore). We are both coaster club members (me on CB, Nick on GOCC). Jeff...do we get discounts at any of the above parks that would less than what we have listed above? If not, wondering if there is a second coaster club I can join that would pay for itself in the admission discounts for both trips?

Also, do you all have any ideas for cheap eats along the way (save the normal chain stuff)? For hotels, we are planning on a combination of low cost motels and my Marriott/Starwood hotel points.

Thanks so much!

Jen and Nick

While you are in the area of Darien Lake / Niagara Falls, you should check out Martin's Fantasy Island on Grand Island. The Silver Comet is a really fun under-rated woodie. After 5 admission is only $15.95. They do have some discounts for all day admission listed on their website.

HighSpeedThrillCoaster said:

While you are in the area of Darien Lake / Niagara Falls, you should check out Martin's Fantasy Island on Grand Island. The Silver Comet is a really fun under-rated woodie. After 5 admission is only $15.95. They do have some discounts for all day admission listed on their website.

I knew someone here had to have been there and ridden Silver Comet. I'm considering if that would be worth a quick stop when I swing up to the Falls for a day and a half to meet the in-laws for a trip down to CP.

Sorry to interrupt your thread, Techie.

It was a long time ago, but yeah, Silver Comet kicked pretty serious butt. Rode it during a slight drizzle (and re-rides)...it was REALLY good even at noontime.

edited to add: Not sure if you're familiar with Tim Horton's - not great, but different (for us from FL at least), inexpensive, and most importantly - open later than most stuff on the other side of the border.

Check to make sure Conneaut Lake is actually open the time leaving for the trip. Just to save you from driving out of your way. If CLP is open, you can probably knock it out in half a day and head to Waldameer.

Holiday World is the only one I know of that discounts on admission products (link on the club page).

Thanks all...we did look at Martin's...but it's not open at the times we are going to be near Buffalo/Niagara Falls. I am a bit bummed about that as you all speak very highly of a few of their rides.

On paper, Conneaut is supposed to be open the day we plan to go there. Does it have a history of unexpected shutdowns?

Me likey Tim Hortons. Their chocolate sour cream donuts are incredible. Their coffee not so much :)

Thanks Jeff for the CB discount info. I'm wondering if joining ACE would make sense. I think it would break out to about even, not sure it's worth it.

I was wondering if we could knock out both Waldameer and Conneaut in the same day. I don't want to run thru the parks..but growing up going to CP several times a year, I wonder how quickly we'll get bored. My brother can always find a craft beer or something fun nearby though!

Anyone is welcome to join us for a day if they'd like. I promise we don't bite :)

Well, yes, there's some history of unexpected shutdowns. But more recently there's an expectation of a permanent shutdown...

I go to the store and buy pop and snacks the day before my trips, and load up my cooler with goodies. That probably saves me money that I would have spent at the convenience store throughout my trips. I also splurge a little bit, getting snacks that I might not normally buy because of the price.

Sometimes I will eat outside the park before I arrive, and again after I leave, so I don't have to eat all of my meals at the park. Not only is that a good idea for saving money, but you can probably find better quality food outside the park too, depending on the park.

Everyone loves the park food experience, but I always welcome getting out of the busier park for a more relaxing meal at least once.

You could pack sandwiches in the car, if you really want to. I don't think I have ever done that though. Even if you were not taking a trip, you'd have to eat anyways, so the money you spend on food doesn't really have to be considered too much of an extra expense.

Yes, Conneaut and Waldameer can be done in the same day. I would suggest Conneaut at opening and head to Waldameer when your done. CLP shouldn't take that long and it's only about 45 minutes to Waldameer. You'll definitely need more time for Waldameer and you'll be able to get a couple night rides on RF2.

And since RF2 doesn't open with the park it should be open when u get there.

Too bad Fantasy Island won't be open. We went last summer for the first time ever and Silver Comet is a lot of fun. It alone is worth a $15.95 evening admission.

Check Tops for discount admission to Darien Lake. And definitely being food to that park. There's nothing around for miles, and food inside the part is insanely expensive (even for an amusement park) and it's pretty awful. But Ride of Steel is not to be missed, Viper is pretty fun, and it's a fun park.

I don't know if heading an hour east to Rochester is in the cards, but SeaBreeze is a fun little park. And if you make it to Rochester you have to try a Garbage Plate (or any of the countless imitations).

Have a fun trip!

rollergator said:

It was a long time ago, but yeah, Silver Comet kicked pretty serious butt. Rode it during a slight drizzle (and re-rides)...it was REALLY good even at noontime.

edited to add: Not sure if you're familiar with Tim Horton's - not great, but different (for us from FL at least), inexpensive, and most importantly - open later than most stuff on the other side of the border.

Glad to hear the praise for Silver Comet, I'll definitely try to work that in on my trip back up north. Okay, my interruptions on the thread are done.

Is Conneaut Lake going to be open this year?

Right outside of Waldameer is Sara's which is a ice cream diner of sorts with hot dogs, hamburgers, shakes, etc. Most of the local places in downtown Erie are cheap by this Pittsburgher's standards.

^Yes Conneaut is set to open this year, but check their calendar as they are not open every day.

You might be able to shave a few dollars off at Conneaut by buying tickets rather than ride all day. Blue streak is 3 tickets or $3. There's not a whole lot else there. Also I could be remembering wrong and the website doesn't mention it, but I could swear when I bought tickets there was some discount if you bought a bunch at once, like 20 for $18 or something. But they've changed ride operators so I could be remembering the old one and not the current one. Just something to keep in mind when you're there at the booth.

If you're doing Conneaut and Waldameer in one day, you could time it so you get to Waldameer after 5 p.m., which will save $4 per wristband. That would still give you 5 hours of park time, which I think is plenty (including multiple night rides on RF2).