Zingo! & Moosh at Pacific Park
Associated parks:
None
I now consider Scott my good luck charm because I scored a parking spot about 2 blocks from the pier on a crowded holiday weekend with just over an hour left on the meter...plenty of time to dart in, ride West Coaster, and leave [or so we thought]. A short walk and we entered thru the kiddie area, found a ticket both, and purchased tickets for the coaster. We briefly went into "emgee mode" and discussed how great it would be for the pier to add a wooden coaster and talked about where they could place it.
As we entered the WC's queue we noticed some changes had taken place on the pier. Inside the coaster's second helix, once home to a Chance Chaos, was an Eli Bridge Scrambler and a Moser Rides Freefall, which we at first mistook for some kind of new adult model Froghopper from S&S. While the freefall ride seemed to lack a line the Scrambler was very popular...more so than the Chaos had ever been. Good choice! Also the Sea Serpent's sign has been removed, probably for maintenance.
I then noticed another change: the coaster train's fifth car was back in service. On many of my previous visits over the past few years the fifth car had been removed and those queue rows blocked off. I'd always assumed it was because the airtime over the first drop [actually a double-down] was a bit more extreme than the park wanted for a family coaster, but perhaps there was a different reason? Whatever the case may be, it was back in service and Scott and I immediately headed for the very last row as we'd always wanted to ride in that missing car.
After a brief 5-min downtime we were grooving up the short lift. With the added length and weight of car 5 the pull over the top of the lift is much more pronounced than in the past and offers a nice slight pop or airtime. The train picks up a nice amount of speed heading for the double down, giving riders in the back seat a nice double dose of slamming airtime! The rest of the ride is a graceful rise into the second helix, which ends with a tight turn/rise into the break run. Lather, rinse, repeat....double rides are deluxe!
We continued our circular walk around the pier and noticed one more change had taken place. Where the pier's swing ride once stood is now a 12-hole pirate-themed mini-golf course. Next to the golf course is the arcade and I pulled out four quarters burning a hole in my pocket. We headed inside looking for some classic games and eventually found Centepede.
At $.50 a game I pumped in two quarters and we shared duties: Scott had control of the ball and I shot. We failed to make the high score list and moved on in search of Skee-ball, which we found on the other end of the arcare. We each played a round and Scott scored some tickets, which we gave to a young kid and his dad playing next to us. Because the visit lasted a bit longer than we'd expected we decided to head back to the car and leave the carousel for another time.
As we neared my car noticed a parking official making his rounds writing tickets...and as we got closer we realized he was about to ticket the Mooshmoblie! UGH! As we got within earshot I commented that I thought I'd timed it right to be able to return to the meter just before the time had expired. He said if we could put another coin in the meter he would not ticket us -- and my good luck charm pays off again ;)
While it would be nice if LA's only remaining seaside park was more of a full-fledged park it's still a great place to spend a few hours and the Morgan steelie is hella-fun!
Gonch - thanks! I take back most of the mean things I said about you ;)
We briefly went into "emgee mode" ...
Hmmm...the more I think about it, the more I realize that "emgee" is a ot like the word "pedantic." If you use it, it describes you. You have to be a total emgee to know what it means. ;) Ha!
By the way, P and I would really like to get out and try out that Morgan...heck, the one at Bonfante too now that I mention it.
Let me know if you and P make it up to my neck of the woods...and give me plenty of warning so I can make sure I'm not down in your neck of the woods ;)
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