Michigan's Adventure serving Beer

Timber-Rider, coasterbuzz's very own Paul Harvey. There's always a "rest of the story" isn't there?

Think about the children!!!

How can they afford an $8 beer on their allowance?

I can't believe how many times a year this cones up. That people are that convinced alcohol is typically used in a destructive way by all people. Honestly.

Carrie J. said:

I should probably visit Elitch's this summer. I see it every work day from my office.

You're not missing anything. I was in Denver on business a few years back and was thoroughly unimpressed.

I was surprised at the number of good beers and microbreweries in the area, though. I was thinking that since it's the home base of Coors Light that it'd be all Coors everywhere, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Same way with guns. Honestly.

I once rode Bloomsburg Fair's "Flippin Out" ride after a game of beer pong. I chose poorly. :D

But I'm with Jeff on this one. I don't think most people are going to care if there is beer at a park (Epcot excluded). I don't believe most people even think about drinking before going to a park as being a necessity or even "fun". I would imagine that the average park goer that actually rides the rides says, "Gee, I spent x amount of dollars to just get in here. Why would I drink a bunch of beers, feel sick on the rides, and probably get kicked out?" Most people understand there is a time and place for everything. And sometimes, people just want A beer. One. Not 10.

kpjb said:

You're not missing anything. I was in Denver on business a few years back and was thoroughly unimpressed.

Honestly, that's why I didn't make it a priority last summer. From what I can see, it looks like something I could manage during a lunch hour.

My first wife lived there for a number of years and had a similar opinion. Granted, she is well-traveled as far as parks go (we were married at my peak obsession), so I don't know that she would qualify as an "average" guest either. I do hear that the place has improved a bit since Herschend took over.

I don't drink much, but even I know that having a beer or two at an amusement park, in front of children even, is no big deal. I mean, some parents have a glass of wine when they take their children to dinner. Some parents have get-togethers with friends and family and have alcohol available there.

The people against it just don't know what it is they are against. Sure, there are people who abuse alcohol, but that is not who the amusement parks are catering to when they offer alcoholic beverages. They are catering to those who may have a beer with friends after work, or to those who may have a few beers with dinner.

We don't need to shield children from seeing people drink beer. Just let them know that drinking alcohol is something adults might do, and show them that adults can drink without getting poopfaced. Show them how a responsible person drinks alcohol.

And if there is a person who is clearly drunk and acting like a dingdong on $8 beers, they will be taken care of by security, of course. This is no big deal at all.

Elitch is a decent little park, but I have a sentimental attachment to the place. I could spend all day on the Sidewinder.

However, I haven't been in there in 3 years. I worked there for 10 seasons and was unfortunately shown the door during the PARC era. Now if only they would get a new ride that isn't in Kiddieland, maybe I'd suck it up and visit again.

If enjoying a cold brew is not something you think you should do, then don't.

Honestly.

In responce CP Chris. Admission is $28.00, and people spend just as much money on beer at a rock concert, and drink plenty of it. Not to mention all the weed and drugs done while drinking. My problem with the park serving beer, is who is going to be the one to serve it? And who is going to be watching to see who is too drunk to be served? I am thinking about people's safety here, and know that most people who go to drink beer at an amusement park, and are going to drink to get their money's worth, and for those who I have seen doing it, usually get hammered, and have started their drinking long before the enter the park, and probably will go to a bar when they leave.I worked at meijer, and we sold all kinds of alcohol, and we were told not to sell to anyone that looked too intoxicated to buy it. My reason, is not because the park is serving beer, it is that a lot of people can not consume alcohol, and stay remotely sober. I have a friend who gets so wasted, he acts like a fricking jerk, and falls down every ten feet. Someone you do not want behind the wheel of a car. The park should take this into consideration, and I will hope to god if they do start selling beer, that nobody will leave and cause an accident.This isn't like Cedar Point, where your hotel might be a few miles away. Michigan's Adventure is in the middle of nowhere, and it's a long distance trip. Something that a bunch of drunk drivers could end real fast, most likely for someone who never saw them coming. I have very low tolerance for drunks, and it's sad that a family park would even hint at catering to them.

Hey lostkause. When I was at Cedar Point with my brother, and saw that couple that was bombed out of their minds. Not one employee said a word to them, they entered the park, went to the beer garden to consume more alcohol, and they were so drunk they could hardly stand, and no park employees gave a damn. Then they get back into their SUV and leave. They were parked a few spots over from us, and left the same time we did, and argued over who was going to drive, when they couldn't even hold onto the keys! My brother decided we should make a run for it, while they were still un-mobile.If you are wondering we left right as the park was closing, so a lot of people were leaving the park at the same time. But, that is something you don't forget. Like the guy at Six Flags who just got a brand new Daffy Duck hat, and went on Shockwave, and refused to take off his hat...well he came back without it, and demanded for someone to go and get it for him. People are stupid.

Your questions and ideas are built on the ridiculous assumption that people drink just to get ****ed up. That's the argument someone makes every time this subject comes up.

This just in... consuming alcohol is not indicative of a problem by most adults.

Hey Bunky666. People do bring alcohol to the parks in their own coolers. I have gone with two diffent friends, on two different trips, and not only did they want a drink first, they also wanted to whip out the weed and get high. I was driving, so I did not do any of that, and I never would. Though I mistakenly ate some of my friends brownies, not knowing they were made with pot.So people most certainly do drink, among other things before entering a park, and you can bet if they thought they could have a beer they would do that too. It's those people that concern me. Just like the rock concert folks who are so wasted they have to be carried out of the arena, and I have seen that happen a lot. Went to a Poison concert, and was buzzed myself, even though I had nothing to drink, and don't smoke. Went to a def leppard concert, and there was so much pot in the air, it formed a cloud. 50 people went to the hospital from that concert. It was also 105 on the concert field with 25,000 people.

Jeff, just one person is all it takes to cause a major accident, and that is one person too many.

Timber-Rider, just curious, but how do you know in such detail what they did at various locations? Did you follow them around to observe them throughout your visit? Just asking because I find your comments curious as I usually don't stay with the same strangers while entering the park, during my visit in the park and then leaving the park to go to a vehicle after my visit.

Anyway, I noticed that there are people that look at alcohol consumption as something evil, shouldn't be done with kids around, etc. We must have a somewhat prude and puritanical society as kids in many parts of Europe can be seen enjoying a glass of wine with their parents while having dinner at a restaurant. I won't even start about all the nude beaches in Europe... :)

Hey Pete. No we did not follow them around the park, but this couple was so wasted, they were hard to miss, and we saw them many times while waiting in line for various rides. You should also know that my brother Dennis (Who passed away last april of Cancer) Was a former air force cop. He was stationed in Germany, and a majority of the arrests he made while there was giving tickets to and arresting drunk service men. So, he spotted this couple right away, and he was very upset that they were allowed to stagger through the park and nobody was saying or doing anything to stop them.We actually tried to stay away from them. But, it seemed every where we went, they were not far away. And, since they were parked near us, we just happened to be arriving at our cars at the same time. My brother wanted to report them, but, didn't know who we should report them to. So, he just let it go. He said, they were lucky he wasn't still a cop, he'd slap a tire lock on their car, and they wouldn't be going anywhere.

So clearly, based on your extensive experience, everyone who consumes alcohol is drunk and irresponsible. I'm glad you're here to set us straight.