Lake Michigan Ferry - CoasterBuzz

I am trying to plan a trip to Michigan Adventure for sometime in August. I live by Milwaukee, and I was wondering if anyone from WI has ever tried taking the SS Badger car ferry across the lake, then go to the park. The ferry lands about 30 miles north of the park. It takes 4 hours for the ferry to cross. I believe there is a ferry that leaves at 12:30 AM. So that means(with the time zones in mind) that I would arrive in Michigan around 5:30 AM. I would probally spend the night in Michigan, depending on what time the ferry departs from there. Has anyone every tried doing this, or tried planning it? What do you think Mamoosh?

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If you haven't rode Raging Bull in the back row you haven't lived. The feeling on that first drop cannot be explained in words!

You can find the ferry schedule here: http://www.ssbadger.com/schedule.asp . Looks like it departs Wisconsin at 1:30PM and 12:30 AM (redeye) (CST). Friends that have rode it say it was fun and worthwhile, but I haven't had the opportunity to try it myself yet.

MiA's open 11AM-9PM, so the timing's a little awkward unless you were planning on going the next day.

Next year they are opening a high speed ferry line from Milwaukee directly to Muskegon. That is when I am planning on making my first visit to the park. Anything to avoid that Chicago traffic!

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Bob Hansen
Resident Airtime Whore

Kick The Sky said:
Next year they are opening a high speed ferry line from Milwaukee directly to Muskegon. That is when I am planning on making my first visit to the park. Anything to avoid that Chicago traffic!

I needed your advice, not your dreams.

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If you haven't rode Raging Bull in the back row you haven't lived. The feeling on that first drop cannot be explained in words!

I live in Green Bay, and would LOVE to use SS Badger to cross when going East to just about anywhere, especially Muskegon! The problem: round-trip fare for a car and a family of five comes in around $372!

I'll suffer a lot of aggravation to save $300+!

Even if you don't have a spouse/significant other and kids, round-trip for just you and your car is a major $176. A motorcycle cuts it to $140.

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Projected count for 2003: 32 parks & 110 coasters. Actual as of 6/30/03: 20 parks & 78 coasters.
http://home.earthlink.net/~boyydz/index.html
*** This post was edited by ACBLuke 7/8/2003 11:27:24 AM ***

I'd go for it. If you take the early ferry, sleep on the trip across the lake, then find a place for a long, leisurely breakfast.

If you take the afternoon ferry, you'd likely want to spend the night and hit the park the next day, then take the 7:55 pm ferry back.

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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead
http://www.webtechnik.com/ebony/CPLady.htm

I never realized how EXPENSIVE those ferries are... for a round trip including my wife, taking our car would total $254!!! I'd deal with the hassles of traffic for that price...

EDIT: ACBLuke said pretty much the same thing...

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--George H
---Currency tracking experiment... http://www.wheresgeorge.com (Referring to The "George" on the $1 bill - Not Me)
*** This post was edited by redman822 7/8/2003 11:43:11 AM ***

Doesn't it also take about the same amount to time to drive as the ferry ride?

The drive to MiA from Chicago isn't that bad folks, I've done it many times.

That's all well and good, chris, and I even agree that the drive to MiA is easy, but what does Mamoosh think?

Dawn,

'Moosh? Think? C'mon....that's a stretch!!! ;) ;) ;)

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--George H
---Currency tracking experiment... http://www.wheresgeorge.com (Referring to The "George" on the $1 bill - Not Me)

I don't know what (if) Moosh thinks, but is there a Post-Modern Vekoma Mad House on the ferry?

BackSeat BULLer said:
I needed your advice, not your dreams.
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It isnt a dream. This is happening next year. The service will only take a couple hours to get across the lake. And as for adding advice, I was adding something related to the conversation. I wasnt trying to hijack your thread. I think your attitude sucks.

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Bob Hansen
Resident Airtime Whore

Kick The Sky said:
I wasnt trying to hijack your thread.

chris was trying to though

I enjoyed the Cape May Ferry, although that was only one hour [and just over $50 for our car and 4 passengers]. If the drive time from Chicago to Muskegon is the same as the ferry crossing why not save yourself the money and just drive? Heck...spend the money you save on the ferry on a luxury hotel room or something!

mOOSH

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A random Mooshter's Dawntionary listing: Negligent [adj.] - the condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightie.

Where are the 'luxury hotel rooms' in Muskegon? ;)

Who said it had to be in Muskegon?

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A random Mooshter's Dawntionary listing: Negligent [adj.] - the condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightie.

Mamoosh has spoken.

You could probably get a luxury hotel room in Grand Rapids, but the place is swarming with Dutch people...with their 4+ kids and their wooden shoes.
*** This post was edited by dawnmarie313 7/8/2003 1:04:35 PM ***

Are there haunted swings in Grand Rapids?

Dutch people! My god, they have such huge families, no one could ever get a room.
*** This post was edited by chris 7/8/2003 1:04:26 PM ***

Nah... you'll find the dutch families in the campgrounds. Much cheaper! ( I can say that... I'm dutch ;) )

I just did this trip this weekend! I also live in the Milwaukee area and took the Ferry over. It was really a nice way to make a road trip more fun and relaxing. We took the afternoon trip that leaves at 1:30 and were still able to get to the park for over an hour of fun since it closed at 9pm and then played all for Saturday and drove home Sunday afternoon after a few more Timber rides. It really is a nice and relaxing change to the road trip but by no means quicker.