Trick Track isn't just for coasters TR. Idlewild

Come along, Come along, To the castle hug and song :)

Sat, June 14th. Idlewild, Ligoneer PA.

After arriving at the park at about 9am we were told to line up at the ticket booths. Idlewild does not charge for parking, However to recieve a ride pass you purchase it as you enter, Sort of like buying everything at the parking booth.

10am we get in and get our parking spot, Rain had been aparent recently as the parking lot was full of mud pits. We eventually found a somewhat dry area and parked near the picnic groves.

Very aparent at Idlewild is that it is a family picnic park much like its been for well over 100 years. After making our way past the shelters we seen what would be my 200th coaster, Rollo Coaster :). It looked to be never more than 20ft off the ground and built on a hillside. Never the less, I was anxious to ride.

Well the rides do not open at 10am at Idlewild, The park does but the rides wait till 11. This gave us time to explore.

First stop, Storybook Forest.
Storybook Forest opens with the park and it is at the east end of the park. It is a hillside full of sceenes and props of all your childhood stories. I thought the whole thing was extremely well done and a very long adventure covering about 20-30 Mother Goose tales and even some Brothers Grimm. The only thing I felt could have been better about it was to tell the whole tale of each story, (Some did while others did not) It's kinda hard to remember some of these things being near 40 and no kids.

After our long tour of Storybook Forest. (Took about a hour and half) We made our way over to Hoot and Hollar for a ride on a very well done but less elaberate version of the Crazy House. I wont give it away but it's a neat visual/sensory experience that can be had sitting in one spot without moving!

Another thing in this area was a version of a Crooked House done up as a Hotel that had been dynamited. Pretty cool for the visual head game sceene.

Yes, I wanted to ride the coasters but Idlewild is not like that, It's not about the rides at all even though they have them. We strolled along taking things in and took a ride from time to time.

Next we hit the outdoor whip, First of three on our trip. Pretty good whip :)

Its almost 1pm and we still had'nt ridden a coaster, time for #200 Rollo Coaster. Rollo Coaster is built on a hillside along the midway and is barely visible from any part of the park. The hillside is wooded and the coaster rides the hillside for the most part and is never very tall at any point. The cars are simular to PTC jr trains but are not. Not restraints whatsoever, There is a grab bar that you can hold onto but nothing there to keep you in. Up the first lift we went and what followed was a mini Raven trip through the woods, Not many real forceful moments but there was a lot of moments. The most memerable was a drop/slight turn to the right/drop sort of double down element that was very thrilling and a strong latteral turn around. Rollo Coaster while being only 900ft long was quite fun and very worthy of my #200 coaster.

Next stop was a ride they call the TRINADO, If you ever seen a Condor, It is something simular looking but the ride is very different. The ride feature coaster like motions of drops and dives.

Ok, The last ride Im commenting on is the WILD MOUSE. This model is a Vekoma and I think it's the only Vekoma Mouse I have ridden. WOW, I termed it the Mega Mouse when I seen it cause it was huge, probably 80ft tall and very long. This coaster also rest in a grove of tall trees (Of which the whole park is full of).

Mega Mouse features tons of drops and turns and some strong upper part zig/zags, What was funny about it was the lifthill features TRICK TRACK, Thats right, From the start you go up the lifthill at a tilted angle :) I gotta say this, this mouse had the most forceful latterals and most Airtime of any mouse I have ridden and it is my FAVORITE standard mouse.

Mr. Rogers Trolly of Make Believe.

This was so well done, I couldn't believe it, A full size Trolly takes you on a journey through the Land of Make Believe featured on Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and all it's charicters. The king gives you a mission and on your journey you participate in the mission interacting with each and every charicter of the Land.
Well done IDLEWILD!

A quick train ride back through the forest and across the beautiful creek that flows through the middle of IDLEWILD and remembering IDLEWILD was a Kennywood park brought us to our last stop of the day. POTATO PATCH FRIES! A perfect lunch of chicken strips and potato patch fries for a mear $4.65 sent us back to the van with a larger smile than we already had but it was 3pm and we had to make a 4hr drive from there to Lancaster so we left Idlewild with a lot accomplished in a short time and memories galore.

Next TR, Dutch Wonderland/Williams Grove

Charles Nungest

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Charles Nungester.
It's official Lesourdsville Lake is closed for 2003

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Glad ya had a grand ole time!

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