Tips for East Coast Trip

So, heres the schedule.

Sat- Geauga Lake
Sun- Kennywood
Mon- Hershey
Tues- Dorney
Wed- Great Adventure

I'm just asking on random tips, tips on where to eat lunch, tips on cheaper tickets etc. Any help is greatly appreciated.

One thing I can tell you about Kennywood is that their food prices are quite reasonable. The quality is generally good as well. Also at KW, do Exterminator followed by Phantom's Revenge first thing when the park opens. If you want to do Phantom again later in the day, wait until the second train is added. The line really shrinks then.

Your itinerary makes good sense. GL is the usually the least crowded of the parks so it is the best of the parks to do on a Saturday. They have lots of coasters and a waterpark so this should help reduce the lines.

Your distances are close enough that you can get to each of the parks at opening. This will allow you to get on some of the more popular rides before the lines get too long.

My tip would be add some time, stop at Knoebel's. I would sacrifice time at Hershey for at least a couple hours there. You don't need to pay to park or enter, and a few ride tickets will get you on a couple of great coasters at one of the most unique parks in exsistance.

That's a pretty solid lineup. When you're at Kennywood, be sure to check out the amazing flat ride collection they have, and be sure to ride on their unique log flume.

Follow the same rules at Hershey and Dorney, go for the Wild Mouse first, and at Hershey, the only waits you should get in are for Storm Runner and Great Bear. During the week, it's not usually crowded.

Skip Chocolate World in the morning, and save it for the way out. It will still be crowded, but it's a nice way to break up the day (and the air conditioning during the hottest part of the day helps, too).

For cheaper tickets to Hersheypark, stop at Giant (http://www.giantpa.com/), as they have a good deal on tickets. They are all over the place here (there are two within a short drive from the park, and one is right on Cocoa Avenue). Look at the Store Locator on Giant's web site for them.

If you are looking for a good breakfast around the Hershey area, check out the Cocoa Grill. Just make sure you don't get the waiter that looks like he will knife you in the parking lot on your way out. He scares me. *** Edited 7/27/2006 2:23:35 PM UTC by Arson***

Are you driving? Leaving from where? How long do you have?

Taking your comming from the west, This is what I would do if you have a full week.

Day one, Geauga, leave a bit early 6-7pm and drive to pitt.

Day two, Kennywood

Day three IDLEWILD 3hrs Lakemont 3hrs and Delgrosos. 1hr then drive to knoebels

Day four Knoebels

Day five Dorney
Day six Hershey Park

its a good doable trip.

Chuck

I agree that you should try to get in some more of those PA parks if you can find the time.

Lakemont has two wooden coasters. One of them, Leap the Dips is the oldest in the world and the only operating side-friction coaster in the country. This park is extremely inexpensive.

DelGrossos is a beautiful, well-maintained small park with a spinning mouse, a number of flats, and good food. Like Knoebels it has a free gate and low individual ride prices. A POP wristband is inexpensive as well. Delgrossos is only a 20 minute drive from Lakemont.

Knoebels -- All I can say is try to find some time for this one whether it be an hour or a full day. There are a bunch of good flat rides here along with the two wooden coasters. The park's bumper cars are highly regarded and the carousel has rings! The Haunted mansion is an excellent darkride. They have both POP and tickets on weekdays. Like KW, the park food is good and reasonably priced.

If you're doing Hershey on Monday, you can buy tickets from their website for $29.95. The special promotion is only good for admissions in July-- not tickets bought in July to be used later.

Guys, the trip is set in stone. If it was my choice, sure I would try to hit up some more parks.

Any tips on food? Or crowds?

Eat. Avoid. ;)

Do you guys know what parks let you in at 9:30 and what ones let you in at 10?

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Arson said:
That's a pretty solid lineup. When you're at Kennywood, be sure to check out the amazing flat ride collection they have, and be sure to ride on their unique log flume.

*** Edited 7/27/2006 2:23:35 PM UTC by Arson***

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I'm sorry, but I must have missed something. What exactly is unique about Kennywood's logflume? The only thing that might make it stand out a little is that it had two lifts, and that's not unique at all.

Ummm...the coaster-like drop and rise mid-course? Both Carowinds and BGT removed theirs...not many of those left on flumes ;)

*** Edited 7/27/2006 8:06:09 PM UTC by Mamoosh***

I thought it was the thought provoking discussion on where in the log you get the wettest. :)

Kennywood gates open at 10:30, attractions start opening at 11.

^ Speaking of modifying flumes, why did BGT & Carowinds do this? Also, why did SFGAdv and SFMM modify their hydroflumes? They basically took out one of the main things that makes them hydroflumes--the bunny hop after the main drop. Hersheypark still has theirs, and it works fine.