2018 Trip Reports

[mhguy77]

I guess to sum up my concern.  I would ask why SDC was out of Preferred parking seasons passes 2 weeks after they went up for sale but they have "still" not run out of Seasons pass trailblazers?  The number of Seasons pass trailblazers sold governed by what, Greed?  or keeping a balance?  I have not read reports up to this year of people mentioning a tangible wait increase to ride because of the "Trailblazer' or as I like to call it  "paying to break the rules" pass.   SDC better figure out how to hold back these folks till every 3rd or 4th train and let several ride at once.  I believe the immediate ride program if continued unabated will overload the system and you will have unhappy regular pay visitors.   Getting greedy doesn't work in the end.   Disney is starting to get public fan pushback to money grabbing.
SDC wants to be careful while they are making money.  They are starting to get some big-time attention in the amusement world they don't want to have any avoidable short sited missteps.

[Coaster]

I have never seen the park as crowded in March as it was yesterday. I think TT definitely boosted those numbers, but also it turned out to be a great weather day. I think SDC may be in for another record setting year attendance wise!

[Okiebenz]

I have never in years pass notice a long buildup of trailblazers in line at rides before.  You would see one every now and then come thru but nothing like I was when we were there.  So we went back Friday and had breakfast at the Mill before opening.  We stayed until noon and the crowds were pretty light.  We walked on all of the rides we rode, all of the other coasters, barn swing, etc.  We even got to walk onto PK a couple of times in a row. I think the cooler temps and scattered rain that morning kept it light.  We then headed over toward valley road a little before were were going to leave because the app said TT was 0 minute wait.  It lied.  We started down the stairs and got to where the line was which was about half way down the stairs I guess.  I figured it was backed up due to the picture taking going on when you first go in.  I figured the bottom level would be clear and we might have a 20-30 minute wait despite the app saying 0 minutes.  As we are going down I notice people coming back up as they have given up.  When we got down far enough to see into the bottom level I could see the entire thing was full.  We decided it was not worth it and left.  Most of the people in the park that day were in the TT TNT area.  All in all Friday was a good day except for the valley road area.  Just our of curiosity I had been checking the app off and on today and every time I have checked the TT shows temp closed.  I bet there are a lot of angry people waiting in that line.

[Swoosh]

I have never seen the park as crowded in March as it was yesterday. I think TT definitely boosted those numbers, but also it turned out to be a great weather day. I think SDC may be in for another record setting year attendance wise!

It was this crowded opening weekend for Outlaw Run too

[shavethewhales]

For a major ride opening, it really wasn't that bad. I honestly expected the line to go up to the square. It did wrap around past the gift shop going the other way immediately after opening Saturday, and it did consistently back up past the ride sign in front all day. I also witnessed a lot more Trailblazers than I've ever seen, but for "Spring Ride Days" I guess that's to be expected. Wildfire had a 30+ minute wait, PK's line often stretched past it's archway, and both Thunderation and FITH were filling their queue lines. OR even filled a few switchbacks under the tent.

We will be back to normal operations before long. Once there's some more stuff going on and the newness of TT wears off a tad, the park will be more fun again. It's kind of depressing with so few of the shops open and not a lot going on besides people waiting in lines. Like I said earlier, April will be a GREAT time to visit this year. Summer will probably be pretty busy, and I don't even want to think about Christmas right now.

[Okiebenz]

One thing I noticed that I forgot to mention is that is seems to me a lot of the food prices have gone up this year.  It seemed like the items at the BBQ place down by the river have gone up.  The pizza place seems to gone up I believe.  The Mine is now $16.99.  I thought it was $14.xx last year, which was up from $12.xx from the year before I believe.  Anyway, just an observation. 

[sanddunerider]

Of course.. 
Food prices up 10-15%?   
SP prices were up about the same..
Anyone notice any other increases?  Drinks?     

Have to pay for that new coaster somehow!!.   LOL   

[Okiebenz]

I will say the new food places by TT seems pretty darn expensive to me.  I will also say at $16.99 I will not be eating a the Mine or Mill anymore.  We usually leave around 2 anyway when the crowds start getting big and will just go to Grand Country for buy 1 get 1 half off.  Drink prices were the same from what I can tell, at least for our grandfathered refill cups.  Buying new ones was $14.99 IIRC, which I am not sure if that is the same price or not.

[HumphreyHawk]

It’s crazy busy today....Thursday of spring break.  2.5 hr wait on TT.  The wait times on the app are not even close to being right.  0 time listed on FM but the line is out to the train station.  Ate at the new gator patch....good skillet.  Noticed they updated the bathrooms by the pix plaza...they look a lot better.

[dkparks]

Has anyone noticed where they are parking motorcycles this year? A couple years ago, the parking was on the left along the fence after you turned right at the main entrance. Then they moved them the the back of the greatly expanded handicap parking. Just asking as I will be visiting via 2 wheels next month.

[sanddunerider]

Last year they were using both areas..  I didnt see any pattern..  maybe just pull in and park..??

[Joy]

I am so excited to hear that Flooded Mine is getting a lot of riders! I know it seems to be even more buried with the new buildings, but at the same time, anyone who sits down to eat is likely to see the ride and think "oh hey, we should ride that".

[mhguy77]

I am so excited to hear that Flooded Mine is getting a lot of riders! I know it seems to be even more buried with the new buildings, but at the same time, anyone who sits down to eat is likely to see the ride and think "oh hey, we should ride that".

Boy I sure hope you are right.  I have ridden that ride since I was old enough to ride on my own 30+ years and FM is a classic.  The guys there now take a lot of pride in their work and I hope they get lots of praises.   I hope SDC leave FM and FITH alone or just adds.  A rebuild concerns me because its the oldness that is the ride to me.  Recreations normally disappoint me, maybe I am just nostalgic and should wonder at the change.

[HumphreyHawk]

Trip Report from yesterday...

Good to be back in the city.  I took a season off last year so I haven't been since Christmas 2016.  Arrived at the park around 8:45 to a chilly 38 degree tram ride from Stop 2.  Meet up with a family that shared some passes for us (Thanks Olsen's)....they are die hard SDC pass holders and where ready to line up for TT as soon as we got through the gates at 9.  I wrangled by tentative 13yo to ride it with me with the help of the kids from the other family.  The had the ropes up behind the TT queue so we jumped in line before 9:30.  Though we where in a pretty good spot line up just outside the entrance with it moving.  Took the picture and the line stopped for us right before the stairs to the 2nd floor.  We enjoyed the pop/bluegrass music and the 1st floor line even erupted in the chorus of "freefalling" briefly.  I figured the ride was delayed due to temp but no one was updating the line.  Around 9:45 the announced they where warm enough to start testing with an eruption of claps from the building.  I thought the queue and building was pretty awesome....sure it could have been more (it always can be) but I thought is was great.  Got lined up and headed upstairs with our group of 5.  But immediate got mixed-up upstairs because one of the trains back cars restraints weren't working.  My daughter and I started backwards on the 3rd car....twisted around to take the first drop sideways!!!  Took both loops sideways.  My usually chicken of rides daughter yelled "LETS DO IT AGAIN!!", "THIS IS MY FAVORITE RIDE EVER", "I like going upside down".  Ended up waiting a little over 2 hours for the ride....45min of that waiting on temps and testing.

Ate at the Tator patch and the family sat around the new tables by the FM exit.  The layout is done well but it does feel extremely packed and crowded.  Food was good.  We went around the corner and rode FM.  The line was out the front by the train station.  The SDC app listed FM with a 0 wait time.  Even with that line it only took 15-20 mins to ride.  The trained marksmen in our group easy won....lol.  Overheard a GP talking about this ride possible being removed with their friend commenting back "they better not".

Went up to grand exposition for some of the younger ones favorite rides.  This is when I confirmed that the whole park was just crazy....not just TT area.  It was about as busy as I have every saw it.  Only a couple of Christmas weekends could match the mass of humanity that I had experienced before.  We spend 2 hours in GE...the kids split up and only got 3-4 rides in between the groups in 2 hours.  We headed over to FL but the lines where insane....kids played in the barn for a few then we risked trying Barn swing and OR.  Barn swings line spilled out into the path.  OR was listed as a 90min wait and they had the overflow lines beside the building backed up.  We moved on.....if we where going to wait....we'd wait on FiTH.  FiTH's line was backed up and crossed lines with the Powder Keg line up the hill!!!!  Longest I ever seen it.  Passed them both....headed to WF since my daughter was begging me to ride it for the first time.  Listed as a 60min wait the line was right at the start of the building.  Jackpot I thought....this shouldn't be too bad. 

Did you guys know that WF has a 2nd floor waiting que?  wraps around the gift shop?  I've rode this ride 30+ times and never had to use it.  Longest wait I've ever had for WF....ended up taking about 45mins and my 13yo got her first WF ride!!!  She loved it.  I finally have a coaster rider in my family!!!

We where done at that point.  Decided to hit Grandfathers mansion on the way out.  I of course stopped by the Mill to get some bread when the worst news of all was announced as I waited in line.  "Sorry folks, just sold the last cinnamon bread....I'll have fresh bread in 1.5 hours".  I walked up to the register and told him..."I'll wait....it's on of the shortest waits in the park right now".....he laughed. 

Random thoughts:
The intersection around the Casey Dugout, kettle corn, EH is just getting worse.  The lines from the food places kill the flow of traffic.  Same issues around the saloon at the other corner of the park.  It's very frustrating.
Tram driver 'jack-knifed' a tram on our way out.  They had to call for a backup driver to do some driving magic to fix it.
I'd be curious to hear the total numbers for today.  I assume it was high but not record levels.  The crowd has nothing to do but ride rides right now.

[KBCraig]

It’s crazy busy today....Thursday of spring break.  2.5 hr wait on TT.  The wait times on the app are not even close to being right.  0 time listed on FM but the line is out to the train station.

Sounds like they need a Waze version of the park apps, with real-time updates by users.