How was your trip?

History Buff · July 17, 2009, 12:06:23 AM

Ah, Bastille Day! All the best citizens were probably storming the jail. Viva la France!

shavethewhales · July 18, 2009, 09:40:12 PM

Had a pretty good day in the city today. It was just me and the parents this time, and I pretty much split off and amused myself most of the time while they took care of some of their Christmas shopping a few months early.

Got there almost an hour before park opening via the shuttle and headed to PK first thing for a few rides before the lines hit. Then I headed over to the expo, stopping at TGS first, to see if any of the issues with the employees had been resolved. From what I could tell, they have been. Everyone was friendly and courteous to me at least.

Spent a long time checking out the construction site - I'll post my observations there in the construction forum.

I noticed some various improvements around the park including even more theming to the coaster queue lines and some touch-ups to the Fireman's cemetery. I guess some of that might have been from last year, but it was good to notice again if so.

The only downside to the day was the increased cost of food. Still better than most parks, but they've definitely upped their prices a bit. Drinks especially bugged me. I seem to remember being able to buy a bottle of soda for less than or close to $2 in the last couple of years, but now the lowest price is $2.50. That's a lot better than the upwards of $3.50 at Cedar Point, but I can never bring myself to pay twice as much for something like a drink just because I'm on their property. At least they still have water fountains.

Overall it was a really good day. Good weather, nice employees, and some great food.

shavethewhales · July 19, 2009, 09:42:16 PM

Had another great visit today. A lot more of the same, but today I also stopped by the magic show. It was GREAT: very energetic and humorous with a few great tricks thrown in. I also ate at the Lumber camp and had a full meal with dessert for less than $12. Maybe food prices haven't gone up as much as I thought.

I noticed that every single special effect and novelty the park had was running. Even the ghost trap below Huck Finn's Hideaway was working, and I'd never even seen it work before. It looked like the park had been gone over with a comb and everything was fixed up. Even the Expo had a couple of theming additions, and the trees are really starting to fill the place out. It's hard to believe it was a parking lot 3 years ago.

All the craftsmen were out all day doing their stuff. Even the steam-powered saw near the homestead was running.

History Buff · July 19, 2009, 10:19:28 PM

Nice. I've never seen the ghost trap doing anything except hanging out. Maybe there was heightened paranormal activity around that area.

Joy · July 19, 2009, 10:40:41 PM

I'm so excited, after over a year of waiting to get back to the park, I'm finally getting back there next weekend. And for two days! We'll be there Sunday and Monday, so we'll be there for the first day of Moonlight Madness! YAY!

Man, I cannot wait for this. I think what I'm gonna do is focus on pics & video on Sunday (since it'll be my 1 1/2 year old niece's first time there), then leave my electronics at home on Monday and just make myself fully enjoy myself. I've found that since I got a camcorder and digital camera, I haven't let myself get immersed enough in the park with focusing so much on camera shots and stuff.

Joy

History Buff · July 19, 2009, 10:46:27 PM

^You should try taking extreme closeups of signs and weird angles of things for some stupid online fan game! You'll get some strange looks. It really makes you appreciate the finer points.

Joy · July 20, 2009, 12:56:02 AM

LOL... I might just do that... I feel like I haven't gotten to contribute too much here yet. I want to take TONS of photos and video; kinda stock up, as it were. LOL

Joy

Firstvisit1967 · July 20, 2009, 09:16:46 AM

My wife loves to take photos of the park. With kids and without them. We could put a book together from all the pics we have of SDC and the cave. I think that is why we plan two days now. One for pics the other for fun.

That is one great thing about SDC. When I was a boy you could see the park in about six hours. Now it takes at least two days to do everything. They need to open early in the morning so the guest have more day.

KBCraig · July 21, 2009, 12:20:09 PM

Quote from: Firstvisit1967 on July 20, 2009, 09:16:46 AM
When I was a boy you could see the park in about six hours. Now it takes at least two days to do everything. They need to open early in the morning so the guest have more day.

Or stay open later. I've always thought it was crazy that they close when there's a good 2-3 hours of daylight left.

Joy · July 21, 2009, 04:06:50 PM

I think "Moonlight Madness" should just be regular hours, at least during the summer. Especially now that they don't have CC open.

Joy

oldsdcer · July 21, 2009, 07:47:25 PM

stay open later would be great. The coasters are more fun in the dark.

Joy · July 22, 2009, 12:43:28 AM

I can't wait to be at SDC for Moonlight Madness next week! I've ridden Wildfire in the dark (during Christmas), but none of the other rides. It's gonna be awesome!

Joy

Firstvisit1967 · July 22, 2009, 07:14:54 AM

It would be nice if they could stay open until 8 P.M. in the summer. It is really a sad time with the kids when you have to leave right after dinner.. 7P.M. seems to come up so fast.

StaceySue · July 22, 2009, 11:56:34 AM

Quote from: tinaalsgirl on July 22, 2009, 12:43:28 AM
I can't wait to be at SDC for Moonlight Madness next week! I've ridden Wildfire in the dark (during Christmas), but none of the other rides. It's gonna be awesome!

Joy

Be sure to tell us everything! I wonder what it's like to ride those rides in the dark without a coat and gloves.

We hope to go to Moonlight Madness next year.

Joy · July 22, 2009, 01:23:28 PM

Oh, don't worry, I plan to write a very extensive trip report. Seeing as how this is going to be my niece's introduction to SDC, and my probably-future-bro-in-law's first trip since he was very young, it's gonna be FUNNNNN!

And I'm hoping to get down to Marvel Cave on Sunday and get on Doc's tour. It'll be the first SDCFan member I'll have ever met!

Joy