What will make you visit a distant park?

I was planning on making a multi-park trip this summer from Atlanta up through the midwest and it made me think of a question to put out there: What are some things that would motivate you to drive at least 600 miles or so to visit a park or multiple parks?

I would drive quite a ways if they were offering me a billion dollars. ;)

Anything to get a credit!

If I can ride something unique that I couldn't elsewhere, that's motivation enough. When I get sick and tired of everyone and their dog exclaiming how good such-n-such is, then I gotta go see for myself. Dollywood has jumped up the list of "must-do's" because of all this Thunderhead brouhaha.

The thrill of riding something new, especially if its well recieved or traveling back to places I loved the first time.

Not to metion, I love road trips! In two weeks this summer Im starting in WI, going to Yellowstone, dropping down to Denver, then hitting the Austin/New Braunfels/San Antinio section of Texas then traveling up to Santa Claus and I cant wait.

Why do people choose to go to Florida on vacations as opposed to staying home?

I spend each summer going to distant parks. When you have been to your "home" park more than 100 times, and start riding the bumper cars and everything else you have never been on because you are so bored with the park's current line-up, you go to those distant parks.

New and different and vacations in general are worth it to me!

The first year of visiting distant parks, we traveled to every park within 6 or 7 hours of our home (Chicago). With those parks already visited, and many miles on our car,we have started flying to various destinations.

FYI: And the flying bit is not all that expensive versus a car, especially with the price of gas. Southwest is offering flights from Chicago to Pittsburgh for $29 one way (Kennywood). Sometimes just getting out of dodge and going somewhere different is enough.

See, it's interesting that you are leaving Atlanta to go to "distant" parks, when I am heading to Atlanta tomorrow for a quick visit and $49 SF season passes).

NOTE: I do not work for SWA, so sorry if it sounded like an ad. Just trying to make a point. *** Edited 4/15/2005 6:47:16 PM UTC by ltlbat***

Reputation and word-of-mouth is what makes us go to parks. Later this month, we're heading to Dollywood for the first time. We've heard so many good things about Thunderhead (of course) it's hard not to go.

But it is not just what enthusiasts think that helps us decide where to go. I listen to co-workers and friends about parks they have enjoyed. We have young kids so it helps if the park is kid-friendly.

Fortunately, I don't need much motivation because I love to travel and visit new parks and always look for a new excuse to do so. To be more specific, like others have said, word of mouth on certain parks or rides certainly help me prioritize where I'm going to go next.

what makes me want to do it? different coasters.

This summer I will be driving 1900+ miles during 2 weeks in August to hit Hersheypark, Kennywood, Wyandot Lake, Kings Island, Kentucky Kingdom, Holiday World, Cedar Point, Geauga Lake, Knoebels and Dorney Park. Call me sick but I may add some smaller parks also.

Already being there is usually my reason. Last year we went to St. Paul for Hockey World Cup. I made a point of it to go to Valleyfair. Anytime i've looked for places I'd be travelling to for something else, I try and find what parks are in the area so I can visit them.
I'm hoping to find an excuse to be out east sometime next year, and that might just call for doing a coaster road trip. Get a CF and SF pass and go hit the likes of Dorney, SFGA/NE/DL and then probably also Kennywood, Geauga Lake and Cedar Point on the way back. This kind of trip would really be the exception though, usually I just go to a park because I'm in the area.

Just because it's something different to see. At a park I've never been to before even the mundane things can seem more interesting. Sure, a mine train is still a mine train, but it different than the one I've been on so many times since I was 6 that I have the track memorized.

I won't be doing the multi-park excursion again though. 2 parks on a single trip, maybe, but no more. I burned out by the third park and was starting to get bored. I'm sure I would enjoy the park if I went back again just to visit it.

I am in agreement with everyone here, when I first started taking road trips, my first destination was CP, it was about 500-600 miles one way from where I live.

Granted, TTD was down (darn it) but just getting there and pulling up to the gate and seeing the atmosphere of all the rides was beautiful.

Also, my buddy and I are flying to Philly for a week to enjoy HP, Dorney, SFGad and maybe take in an Orioles game while visiting DC.

I like to incorporate some kind of professional sports game when I travel now so that breaks up the monotony of just going to parks to ride coasters and also do some sightseeing of this great land we call America, some of the cities nearby parks have a lot of cool things to see.

As a Phillies fan, am I supposed to be insulted?

Generally, I only visit a "distant" park (more than a half-day's drive) if I'm on an airplane, and only for one of three reasons:

1) I'm already in town (or passing through) for other purposes.

2) It's the annual get-out-of-winter-in-February trip (which means either Southern California or Central Florida)

3) I have a free flight burning a hole in my pocket.

I have three ENTIRELY different reasons, LOL:

1) Never been to the park before and/or heard good things, or

2) Good friends are visiting the park for the first time and I can make it, or

3) The park is "nearby-ish" to a remote park that I *have* to visit...

I think the better question, really, is "What keep you from visiting a distant park"...;)

Bassistist forces me to go against my will ;)

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RatherGoodBear said:
As a Phillies fan, am I supposed to be insulted?

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Isn't that part of BEING a Phillies fan? ;)

Other than FLA when i only go to theme parks, there are other factors invovled.
Me and my wife love American history so when we plan a vacation i try to pick a area that will have some theme parks in the area and also places of note in American history so we can do both.
If i really like the park we have visited i will try to go again in a couple of years but wont go again if the park was subpar.

It started out like an innocent habit. We always visited the parks nearby parks like La Ronde and Paramount Canada's Wonderland. But then I watched Discovery channel and was introduced to a whole new realm of temptation.

At first the voice in my head was very faint. "Drive 300 miles to ride The Comet. You can drive by mountains and Lake Placid. That will be nice too."

Then it became louder and more insistent. "You're going to a family reunion in Minneapolis. Insist that you detour south of the great lakes. Stop by Cedar Point a couple hours. Remember that Discover Channel program on Millennium Force? That's it, just one more fix..."

It was like getting hooked on drugs. The next thing I knew, I jiffy-markered a map of the Northeast, marking every little amusement park from Cincinnati to Halifax. Long weekends were not for camping or hanging out with friends anymore, I had to get my fix. "Kennywood sounds nice." "Hershey has roller coasters beside the chocolate factory!?" "Knoebel's coaster is supposed to be better than The Comet. Let's see for sure." "Why not Geauga Lake?" "I heard good things about Busch Gardens Williamsburg." "We can ride Superman: Ride of Steel a few more times before our 5 hour drive home..."

And then the girlfriend bought into the addiction... We're both hooked now. We even worked a roller coaster into our wedding. No, we didn't get married in a theme park. But after the ceremony, we only had to walk five minutes to get our wedding pictures taken on a real roller coaster.

Annual vacations started to take on the taint of a coaster addict. "I know, when we're in Florida, let's skip Disney World this time and check out Busch Gardens Tampa and Universal Islands of Adventure."

Now, local parks aren't good enough anymore. We've already visited five different theme parks in 2005 -- the local parks won't open for weeks. I have a season pass! Weekend jaunts to Cedar Point and Las Vegas are already booked! I need more! I need more!!!

This message was brought to you by A.C.E. - Addicts of Coasters of Earth. *** Edited 4/15/2005 10:55:56 PM UTC by greatwhitenorth***

I sm really wanting to go to california to ride X. Now I wouldn't becuase it has too many problems.

Everyone who rides X says it's the best coaster they have been on(ok not everyone).

So if it ran consistantly I would consider flying down to ride it.

I think the number one reason people would go great lengths to ride coasters is word of mouth. And I would fall into that catagory