Hey, X... Question about L.A. area parks

[Harpo]

I'm working on planning my summer coaster trip (just made the plane reservations today!), but I'm trying to find out info on 2 L.A. area parks, and the parks aren't responding to my queries. I was wondering if you may have any information that may help.

From their websites, I found that both Castle Park and Pharaoh's Lost Kingdom are scheduled to be closed Monday through Thursday. However, it looked like the schedules may have been through early May, and haven't been updated for the last 2 weeks of June. So, I'm trying to determine if their schedules are different for the end of June.

Have you had any experience with these parks in the summer? Do you know if they'll be open during the week?

Thanks!

(Right now, the schedule has me at Universal Studios from 10 to 12, Pacific Park from 1 to 2, Magic Mountain from 3 to 9, and Scandia from 11 (PM) to 12 on June 22, Adventure City from 10 to 12 and Knott's Berry Farm from 12:15 to 5:15 on June 23, and the two Disney parks from 8 to 8 on June 24. If I decide to spend more time at Universal, then Magic Mountain could get scrapped -- that's to be determined that day. Also, Scandia could occur on June 23, although I'd rather do it on the 22nd, allowing possibly extending the stay at Knott's, and/or visiting Disney on the evening of the 23rd as well as on the 24th. The 25th will then have Legoland from 10 to 2, Sea World from 3 to 6, and Belmont from 6:15 to 7:15. The San Francisco area happens on the 20th and 21st.)


Edit: Whoops! Nevermind. I just rechecked their websites for the umpteenth time, and they've both updated their hours. Looks like Castle Park will be open 10 to 5 Monday through Thursday, and Pharaoh's will be open 10 to 10. As a result, I'll probably add Pharaoh's on June 23, and I'll probably skip Castle Park unless I get done VERY early with Disney on June 24 (which is unlikely, but it could happen). However, I might consider rearranging the 23rd to start at Castle Park and Pharaoh's, then go to Adventure City, then Knott's, followed by the possibility of an evening at Disney, if time allows. As I recall, Castle Park and Pharaoh's are both very small, and they're fairly close together, so they wouldn't take too much time. Also, 2 hours is probably too much time for Adventure City, so I might consider such a restructuring. However, I'd really like to have dinner at Mrs. Knott's Chicken Restaurant, so that's got to figure into the equation somewhere.

[Xzentrificenceo]

Now that is just way to much planning for me. It is possible that I may be at SFMM or Knotts on one of those days. We have been thinking of KBF as a fathers day thing and I have not been out riding for over a month and need a fix SOON!!!

[raptorrvnge4928]

Hey Harpo? How do you do it man? I'd like to do a nice little coaster tour one day, but I couldnt foresee how it is possible, especially the way you do it. When you allocate time at certain theme parks, do you only consider riding coasters? Just kinda curious on your methods...

[Xzentrificenceo]

I totally did not notice that you would be hitting the SD area. We will for sure have to meet up at SW, and then Belmont (funny I have never ridden that coaster).

[Harpo]

You wouldn't believe the current plan for this trip! However, I don't have hotels booked yet, so it's still subject to some changes, but the flights have been scheduled.

During all these trips, I've found that approximately 1 hour per adult coaster is a good rule of thumb for getting on every coaster, water ride, and unique ride at the park at least once. Also, I intentionally overestimate the drive times, thereby allowing for unforeseen difficulties, which often results in my having some more time at the parks than I had planned. (I refer to that as the "slop" time.) For example, I'm flying into Spokane, Washington, and I'm allowing myself 1.5 hours to go the 53 miles to Athol, ID. I doubt the drive will take that long, but it allows me some extra flexibility. There are other drives with more slop, such as the 139 mile drive from Seattle to Vancouver, BC -- I'm allowing 3 hours for that drive, but it really shouldn't take more than 2 hours and 15 minutes. Those are just some small examples.

Naturally, to get all these parks in takes a lot of careful planning. I'll often spend around 40 to 50 hours planning one of these coaster trips, which involves researching the parks, mapping the routes, choosing the hotels, looking for discounts, and printing the final routes with hotels and parks included on the maps.

This trip will start with a flight to Spokane, WA, with a visit to Athol, ID, then Seattle, Vancouver BC, back to Seattle, Oregon, Reno, San Francisco area, L.A. area, San Diego area, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Denver, and finally Salt Lake, from where I will fly home after spending the night with my sister and her kids. I'm expecting to visit 28 to 30 parks, and I anticipate riding somewhere between 70 to 90 different roller coasters.

The biggest difference from my previous trips is that the parks keep getting farther apart. The northeast US is far better for doing a trip like this, as the parks are much closer together.

Oh, this might help. The first time I took one of these trips was in the summer of 2000. I started quite a bit more modestly, with only 13 parks in 11 days. The trip started at Cedar Point, then Geauga Lake, then I did 11 parks in Pennsylvania before driving home. A smaller trip like that one is a good way to get a feel for just what you can do in a day, or a week, etc., thereby getting your timing down for planning bigger trips. I found that I had lots of unexpected time left over, so it helped me decide that I could pack more into future trips.

[billybgate]

Sounds like a hell of a lot of work Harpo!

hope it all works out...

What you doing in Seattle???

Jo

[Harpo]

Seattle was a bit of a complex one.

I'll actually start June 17 at Silverwood in Athol, ID, from 11 AM to 2 PM. Then, I'll drive 6 hours (327 miles) to Seattle, where I'll go to Fun Forest from 8 PM to 9 PM. Then, I'll drive 3 hours (139 miles) to Vancouver, BC.

On June 18, I'll start at Playland in Vancouver, where I'll be from 10 AM to 1 PM. Then, I'll drive 165 miles (3.5 hours) to Wild Waves/Enchanted Village where I'll visit from 4:30 PM to 7 PM. Then, I'll drive 4 hours (204 miles) to get to Turner, OR where I'll start out on June 19.

Of course, if the parks and/or drives don't take quite as long as scheduled, that's a bonus! I visited Fun Forest in the late 90's, so I know it won't take long, unless I also choose to go up in the Space Needle, which, if I'm ahead of schedule, could happen. I've not been to Silverwood, Playland, or Enchanted Village. I just wish the coasters at Puyallup were open this time of year -- I really enjoyed that wood coaster when I rode it in the late '90's! Ah well, maybe on another trip!

[billybgate]

Ahh, Space Needle cool....

Visited Seattle 3 times when Dad was working there!

Didn't know there was all those coasters round there.. If I did, I would have insisted on going :D

Jo

[Xzentrificenceo]

Oh there are just a few coasters in the Seattle area. The one at the Seattle Center is a mouse coaster, but at Enchanted Village there is Wild Thing a Steel looping and Timberhawk the newest coaster to the area, it is a wooden

[Harpo]

If I'm not mistaken, Timberhawk is a S&S coaster. I'm eager to try out an S&S wood coaster. I'd planned on doing that at Timber Falls Adventure Golf in the Wisconsin Dells over the Memorial Day weekend. I was unable to reach them by phone, and they didn't respond to my email, but their website showed a picture of the coaster with people on board, so I guessed it was open. But, when I got there, I noticed some rather significant gaps in the track, and the flat metal strips on the rails were still missing for most of the ride. 4 people with hammers were working on attaching the rails. I was told that they hoped to be done and open by June 10th -- based on how much was still missing, I think that might be a bit optimistic!

Anyway, I'm hoping to get on an S&S wood coaster on this coaster trip! (Much of the CCI staff was hired by S&S, so I'm expecting that they should be really good coasters.)

[Xzentrificenceo]

I may also get my first ride on timberhawk in early July. We are heading to Seattle for the 4th, and seeing that I will be just a few minutes away am have my pass I will try to go for a ride.

[holy_reality]

that's a crazy trip!!! :confused:

I wish I had the freedom and $$$ to do that... well I guess I have the freedom to....

You do know about how mandatory it is that you wait for the very very very back row (do not settle for one row up, for a shorter wait, that is a fatal choice to make, one row makes all the difference in the world) of the silver train (just go ahead and let someone cut in front of you to get this situated if need be, the silver train is better, somewhat) of Ghostrider, right?

If you've never been on this before and you do it right, (don't let them staple you, sit forward in your seat and prop your legs against the lap bar) you will never forget it.

Normally I'd worry about hyping up a ride so much that no expectations about it can possibly be met, but if everything works out and you get in the back of the silver train on Ghostrider..... it'll be a transcendental experience, to put it lightly.

Then again if you've been on HIGH QUALITY woodies before, like shivering timbers, stuff at holiday world, etc.... maybe this won't be special to you.... it was my first (and only) truly class A wooden....

It's not something to be missed, even if you wait 3 and a half hours, do the very back. (i waited that long last year... ugh...... they are so inneficient in the station)

the key is leaving that lapbar around 3 inches loose and once the ride gets going, fidgeting with the seat belt enough to let you get your butt off the seat, but no more, and having it tight enough to come in handy in emergency.

You'll be able to feel what settings are right.

/me loves Ghostrider but hates how crowded and lousy Knott's has become.

[Harpo]

You really don't need to hype GhostRider with me -- it's tied for my favorite wood coaster (along with Wildcat at Hersheypark).

X -- sorry I didn't meet up with you on this trip! I checked my email when I was able, but it was a busy trip -- checking email wasn't always an option!

Have you tried out Revenge of the Mummy at Universal? Not exactly a wild coaster, but it's a really fun ride with some great theming.

Timberhawk was a huge disappointment. I expected much better, since most of the CCI people were hired by S&S. I thought the ride was rather dull. It also wasn't as smooth as I would have expected for a newer coaster.