2013 Trip Reviews...

[How-doFolks]

good review mhguy77, too bad ya had to confront somenone like that, that is never fun or easy to do. we had 2 ladies do that to us on Powderkeg, at night, when we was there. AFTER we heard their friends tell them on the cellphone that they was almost to the front. & the line wasn't even that long!
it is great to see the park so busy this year tho', last Mon. was even busy.

so, how was our videos, folks? was we stupid, different, or what? make me laugh, we KNOW we'r dingbats!
c'mon people, ya all aint that mean!!   remember, we go just to ride stuff.

[Duelist]

Just watched your videos How-Do.  Those were hilarious!  Sorry it rained on you but sometimes that's better than 100 degree heat.  I loved the still pictures of the animals, especially the squirrel.  we have "beggar squirrels"  get right in our face when we eat at the back of the lumbercamp near the waterfall.  I wonder how many of them have high chloresterol from eating too many fries    Congratualtions to the newlyweds and thanks again for posting those!  Also thanks for obeying the rules and not using the video camera on the thrill rides- you're a true SDC Fan!!

[sanddunerider]

Mh- what a day!?  looks like it was a full one, I hope your company will come back some time when it aint so busy..

as far as midnite madness goes, according to "rumor" (or is it fact), they are going to have extended hours during the whole "new" festival next year..  so there will be 2 months or more of late hours, that will take some of the pressure off.

[Swoosh]

I always avoid parks (any of them) from Mid-July through Mid-August, and especially on the weekends.  This is the period of time that my group of friends has labeled as season of "guilt trips" -- what is a "guilt trip" you ask?  This is when the lazy parents finally realize that the summer is quickly coming to the close and they have done jack squat with their kids all summer.  So, because they feel GUILTY, they take a TRIP to the local amusement park, along with the other families filled with parents that are doing the same thing.

While at the park, which is a lot busier than normal thanks to all of the "guilt trippers" -- they complain about the long lines, high prices, warm temperatures, and other things that you really cannot control all the while making lives miserable for anyone, and everyone, around them.  They (guilt trippers) feel that they are above park rules, cut in line and are just plain out obnoxious - BUT, because this IS their ONLY trip this summer, they are ENTITLED to this preferential treatment.

We'll (my group) be visiting SDC again once we get to Fall Festival and the park is back to normal.  I love that time, because the AP holders come back out of the woodwork and actually KNOW and APPRECIATE the park and see it other than a "last minute trip" like a lot of the General Public.

Also -- like it has been said on here numerous times.  Avoid Moonlight Madness like the plague.  There is a reason it is call "Madness"

[How-doFolks]

thanks alot Duelist! next time i go i will have better ideas for the video. i atleast need to show some action!!

never thought of it that way, Swoosh. good post!

[Gilligan]

I've only been to Moonlight Madness once. The only thing I really remember a out it is the street dance. THAT WAS FUN! Several employees were on hand to dance. I remember Thriller, the electric slide, maybe polka, current music...something for everyone. Lots of people enjoying themselves.

[U Smell Smoke]

Good post MHGuy.  I agree with all your points.  But like Sanddune said, it should be better next summer when they spread the Madness out over a longer time frame.  I know I'll catch heat for saying this but...one of the things (and there aren't that many) that frustrates me about SDC is the fact they do not handle large crowds well...they just can't seem to keep the lines moving (with the exception of a couple of rides).  Unfortunately, with my work schedule, sometimes I have to visit during busy times and it frustrates me to see rides not ready to open on time, only running one train on a coaster, shops and restaurants closed, workers taking forever to load a ride, etc.  But it seems they are going to take MM more seriously next summer (now if we could just get them to take spring break more seriously) and offer a better effort. From what I have hear the "Great American Summer" has worked pretty well for Dollywood. 

[Joy]

I dunno, man. This past Wednesday was a really nice day for Moonlight Madness. We didn't get into the park until 6:30pm-ish, and we still managed: two rides on Outlaw Run; Wildfire; FITH; American Plunge; Lost River; and I think the other people in my group rode Thunderation a few times while I was in line for my second OR ride. It was the best time I've ever had during MM (except that Thunderation's crew decided to be playing non-country modern music).

[cheermommy]

We were there two days (all day) during Moonlight Madness and had a great time!!!!!! Lines weren't that bad last week Sunday and Tuesday.

[KBCraig]

I always avoid parks (any of them) from Mid-July through Mid-August, and especially on the weekends.  This is the period of time that my group of friends has labeled as season of "guilt trips" -- what is a "guilt trip" you ask?  This is when the lazy parents finally realize that the summer is quickly coming to the close and they have done jack squat with their kids all summer.

I don't know about guilty parents. Most families don't have the flexibility to just pick up and go whenever they want or the kids are bored -- not everyone is a teacher with summers off, yanno. 

Also, summer vacation varies a lot regionally. In the South, schools let out early to mid May, and start back in the middle of August. In the Northeast, school runs until almost the end of June, and doesn't start back until after Labor Day. In northern New England, family vacations are just getting started in the middle of July.

[misskim]

Eh. We go towards the end of July not out of guilt but because we like to take a trip to end summer and sort of celebrate it. However, this was our first trip during Moonlight Madness. We went Saturday July 20, the first day and found that by noon it was too crowded for our enjoyment. We waited 20 minutes to get on The Flooded Mine after lunch and that was enough to have me ready to leave the park. We went back on Wednesday of that week and the crowds were very low and my family seemed to either walk right onto everything or they waited through only one cycle of the ride. Unfortunately, we had a group of 10 which is never the best situation for park touring because you've always got someone who wants to do the opposite of everyone else, someone who needs to use the restroom, someone who won't eat at a certain restaurant... We ended up leaving in stages that day and I was among the first to leave. Just not enough shows going during Moonlight Madness for me.

[Swoosh]

I don't know about guilty parents. Most families don't have the flexibility to just pick up and go whenever they want or the kids are bored -- not everyone is a teacher with summers off, yanno. 

Yes, because most people don't work just 5 days a week either... oh wait.
The fact of the matter is most wait until the last minute to go on a trip and then wonder why everything is so busy -- well because everyone else did the exact same thing

[chittlins]

Got to the park at about 2:30 yesterday. We took the kids to GE to knock out those rides while waiting for the last dog trick show of the day. The line at the kiddie coaster may have been the longest wait in the park so my coaster shy Son finally decided it was time for Thunderation which was walk on. Well, now he's coaster boy. Finally over his fear of lift hills he was ready for the others and then the rain started. Got toOutlaw Run just in time to watch it close. Seems restraint issues were going on as in not releasing at the end of the ride. It hadn't reopened as of 8pm. (Read on Screamscape they were rejecting lots of riders on Sat with suits watching, may have been the size of the crowd there but its speculated they adjusted the restrains tighter which seems to fit with the issues they had on Sun). So kids hit Lost River several times, there was no wait. I've now been to the city 5 times this year Outlaw Run was open twice and PK once. The rain stopped it yesterday whichwe all know about its issues there. It was a great visit due to the fact my Son is ready for the big boy coasters after not having any fear of a water slide of any size for two years.

[qwed94]

Swoosh- Im having a bad day, so guess what?
Not everybody gets paid to go places and try different parks on their family vacation either. Some people cant always plan their trip weeks (or months) in advance either. Sometimes things happen in daily life that takes money that would normally be spent on vacations also.

What Im trying to say is, most people over the age of about 18 realize that "people have zero control over anything" even though everyone wants to think they can control everything. We didnt even get to pick what we would be on earth (meaning person or animal, male or female, ETC) We dont control weather, nor do we control unforseen circumstances.

Oh yeah one piece of advice NEVER say NEVER!!!!  You just might find yourself on a family vacation during (your admitted) taboo time.

[KBCraig]

Yes, because most people don't work just 5 days a week either... oh wait.

I didn't know we limited park attendance to people living within 150 miles. That's pretty much the limit (and pushing it) for people to make a weekend trip.