Safari Land, Villa Park, Il. 11/23

Associated parks:
None

Well, since we are strapped for TR's around here due to the offseason, hopefully this new facility just outside of Chicago is the right medicine for the offseason blues.

Got to the place around 1:00 pm. My first impression pulling into the parking lot was.... "wow". Very nice theming. They make the attempt to suck you into the jungle type setting even as you are parking your car.

They have life size gorilla with baby, elephant with baby, and giraffe with baby. They also have jungle type music pumped through speakers outside of the entrance. Very nice touch.

This place is pretty big. It used to house a Montgomery Ward outlet store. If you are a gamer, they have plenty of games. The place is spread out and very well done in placement. Here is what they have to offer.

1. Black light themed bowling.
2. Full service bar
3. Restaurant with plenty of food items at reasonable prices.
4. An indoor Tilt-A-Whirl
5. Hundreds upon hundreds of arcade and redemption games.
6. A simulator flight coaster machine that is very wicked. It actually flips you upside down in all directions.
7. A full size indoor go-kart track with dragster type cars. It navigates 2-storys. They also have a junior track for the littler ones.
8. Those inflatable bumper cars with the 2 shifts for steering. I like these.
9. A junior rollercoaster that actually... "packs a punch". The laterals on this coaster are insane along with a bunny hop that gives a great pop of airtime. This is one of the best kiddie coasters I have been on. The trains are very roomy with one big lap bar so you get great movement during the course. This is also themed very well.

Well, thats all I can think of. If you want to help beat the winter blues, give this place a try. Its got alot to offer. Here are some pics of the coaster.
http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery1628.htm

Thanks for reading.

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2 superheroes in Gurnee next season? Oh the humanity.

*** This post was edited by Chitown on 11/24/2002. ***

Chitown, thanks for the trip report. Glad to hear a good report from the place. Was the place very busy? I hope to go there sometime to help cure the off season blues too.

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Mike
Favorite Wood: Viper at SFGAM,Shivering Timbers
Favorie Steel: Magnum and Raging Bull

I live about 5 minutes away from Safari Land, haven't visited yet, but it sounds like good times. :)

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Never Has Gravity Been So Uplifting.

IMO, it really sucks, and is like an overgrown Jeepers when crowded. Don't even get me started on the operations...

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Favorite Coasters:
1)MF 2)Raging Bull 3) Magnum XL-200 4)Rock N' Roller Coaster 5)Raptor

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