Jump to content

Great America..


Steff

Recommended Posts

my wife and i took my daughter and my nephew there this past sunday. It was about 94 degrees or so outside so as you would expect the waterpark was jammed packed. However...it made the rest of the park empty...so my wife and i (who haven't been there since '89) were stunned when we stood in line for the Demon for a whole 6 minutes!! and this was about 2 in the afternoon on a sunday. we spent all week telling our daughter that for the bigger rides we used to stand in line for an hour or so. it was amazing how many times we hit the roller coasters in a day. Also surprising..after all this time..the Demon still rules!!!!!!!!

 

We did venture into the waterpark for a while. about 4 pm or so. it was the longest line we had all day to get in. What i couldn't figure out was they have a sign up that says the max capacity is 7100 people but after looking at their locker sut-up and talking to a couple of park employees they have about 1000 lockers. My wife and i had to take turns going in the water and watching out stuff by the beach chairs. It kind of sucked but i guess if you get there early enough it would be ok.

 

 

juddling

 

 

:cheers :gosox3:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i dont know how prevalent this is in other parks, but Holiday World(In Santa Claus, Indiana) has free drinks and free sunblock, and the food was good and reasonably priced(hamburger 3 Bucks, 14 inch pizza with saus and pep 14 bucks). We had a great time there despite the drive. Its also rated the cleanest waterpark in the world, and I cannot disagree. In the part of the park with the rides, they have the number 1 and number 4 wooden roller coasters in the world, and they are awesome.

 

If you are looking to get away and avoid the uber-crowded parks in Chicago and the Dells, this is the place to go.

 

www.holidayworld.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE(RibbieRubarb @ Jul 21, 2005 -> 10:29 AM)
We got Season passes to Great America! I love going there, but the Water Park is out of control.

 

June was busy but fun. We had a great time up there...but July has been insane!

 

Get there early, it opens at 11:00am, or forget it.

 

We got there at 12:00pm, it was crowded as all hell. The lines to go on any of the slides were too long. The kid area was over-populated by Teenagers and adults who didn't want to hang out at the over-crowded areas.

The wave was never much of a wave pool anyway, but it's a nice big pool.

But now they have it fenced off, something they didn't do in June. They only let a certain number of people in at a time. f***ing Stupid! The staff were rude to anyone who asked why.

"Because we can" was the company line, I guess.

The lazy river line is asinine. Only one entrance, one time around and that's it...Unless you rent a blue raft to carry around the whole day, then you can cut to the front and stay on as long as you want. But those prices are horrible.

 

The food is bad and costs more than the general park's food.

 

Upon leaving (around 2:00pm) we noticed there was now a line to get into Hurricane Harbor. Waiting time 45 minutes. They let people only when people leave. When we got out to the Southwest Territory, we noticed the end of another line under the train bridge! These were people waiting in line to wait in line to get in!!!

 

That line was a 90 minute wait!!!

 

Six Flags did NOT anticipate the crowds for this new water park. They are seriously unorganized and under prepared to handle this.

 

The regular park is still tons of fun!! Crowds are smaller too during the day.

 

I've been to the Disney water parks many times. I have never seen people treated like this. More people in their parks than Six Falgs, but the lines are moving. The wave pool (and what a wave, wow) is open for all. The lazy river has no line becasue you can get on and off anywhere. You don't have to rent a raft...etc. I will enoy this again in November.

 

They should take a page out of Disney's book on how to treat the patron.

 

My analysis:

Skip it. Go to other parks in the Dells.

If you have young kids try Cypress Cove in Woodridge, it's awesome!

 

This new waterpark sounds a lot like Magic Waters here in Rockford. I haven't been to it in quite awhile because it's so damn expensive but it's usually pretty fun when we do go. The wave pool is huge too.

 

Next month we plan on going to the Dells and hitting a couple of different waterparks and rides. We just found out the huge go-carting place (they changed their name and I can't remember it) has a waterpark as well. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE(kyyle23 @ Jul 21, 2005 -> 01:53 PM)
i dont know how prevalent this is in other parks, but Holiday World(In Santa Claus, Indiana) has free drinks and free sunblock, and the food was good and reasonably priced(hamburger 3 Bucks, 14 inch pizza with saus and pep 14 bucks).  We had a great time there despite the drive.  Its also rated the cleanest waterpark in the world, and I cannot disagree. In the part of the park with the rides, they have the number 1 and number 4 wooden roller coasters in the world, and they are awesome. 

 

If you are looking to get away and avoid the uber-crowded parks in Chicago and the Dells, this is the place to go. 

 

www.holidayworld.com

 

 

Anyone ever been to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Oh.?

It makes Great America look like the swing set in your back yard. It is for the SERIOUS rollercoaster fan, not for kids. Seriously, you need 2 full days and you might see it all. There is also a huge water park inside and beaches with hotels nearby off Lake Erie (I think). Only 4 hours away and worth every minute and dime. We went there a few years ago and swore we'd never go anywhere else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE(Steff @ Jul 21, 2005 -> 02:16 PM)
Been there. That trip is next month. As for it being for "serious" coaster riders... adults... my 12 year old nephew seems to handle them just fine.

 

That's like 8th grade, he's not a little kid. I was like 5 foot 9 at 12 years old.

I think the height requirements are tougher there too.

Anyway, kick ass place. What's the other huge park in Ohio?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE(Steff @ Jul 21, 2005 -> 09:53 AM)
Article says the lifeguard asked her to leave the pool..  :huh

I dunno if I would sit that close to the pool. I'm waaaay weird about public pool water in, around, near my mouth.  :ph34r:  :puke

 

Most public pools have so much clorine in them that you can barely stand in them without your eyes burning...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE(LosMediasBlancas @ Jul 21, 2005 -> 02:30 PM)
That's like 8th grade, he's not a little kid.  I was like 5 foot 9 at 12 years old.

I think the height requirements are tougher there too.

Anyway, kick ass place. What's the other huge park in Ohio?

 

Kings Island outside of Cincy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE(Iwritecode @ Jul 21, 2005 -> 02:46 PM)
Most public pools have so much clorine in them that you can barely stand in them without your eyes burning...

 

 

Another reason not to have an infant near the water..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was at Great America/Hurricane Harbor about two weeks ago (tuesday the 5th, i believe).

 

Huricane Harbor was over crowded, so after an hour, we went to the rides. To our suprise, we were able to get on Superman in less than 30 minutes, and Batman in about 10 minutes. And the line to the other rides were extremely short, too.

 

By the way, i believe Hurricane harbor is only open to 7. So im sure the ride lines will get a lot longer at that point.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I live 3 miles from Great America and didn't see or hear anything about that dude dying. Where did you get that article from?

 

Anyway, I hate Great America. I worked there one summer during high school and they treat their employees like crap. Good eye candy though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:finger you all for making me very homesick. I lived about 20 minutes from Great America, it was my first "real" job. For about 10 years I would get an annual pass and ride my motorcycle over to the park after work. Parking right up front, make a loop hitting all the coasters.

 

Now I'd have to endure a 4 hour drive to San Antonio.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So we got to Great America about 10:30 on Saturday.. hit a few coasters then went into ther IMAX to watch the Nascar movie. Pretty good, interesting, etc.. Came out and it was pouring rain. Went to get the pass to come back the next day and decided in line that we'd just get a season pass. So we're waiting in line.. and along comes a heard with that "we're not waiting in this line" look on their faces. The parents hang back while the kids move in for the kill.. they get up front and scream "mom, dad.. come on it's our turn...!!!" The 20 or so of us they passed just sighed..

 

The next morning we go over there about 9:30 and get in line for the water park. We're about 15th in row and standing there for a bit when Jim and I strike up a conversation with a nice couple in front of us that had a 5 year old boy. The boy makes a comment about all the kids going in and out of the line. There was no use in explaining "line jumping" to him... :rolly

 

About 10 minutes before the park opens this woman comes roaring up behind us.. "excuse me, pardon me, can I get past, etc, etc... " I start to respond to a question from the woman we were talking to and I say "I don't really understand...." when I am promptly cut off by the "excuse me, let me past" female who says... "I am not cutting in line.. my kids are up there.. ". Without missing a beat I respond.. "of course you are, but it's not worth making a fuss over". The crowd behind us starts hootin & hollering and clapping. It was pretty comical. So the day goes on. Nice place that water park is. We pretty much hung by the bar all day watching the baseball games that were on and venturing to the wave pool or a slide when it got to hot. About 6:30 we left and went to ride a few more rides before we were going to leave. We go over to Deja Vu.. We're in line and there is a group of 12 or so youngins in front of us. They see the fast pass lane and for whatever reason they jump out and go there - without fast passes. Of course the guy says no can do kiddo's and sends them back.. they go to get in front of us and the 2 older ladies behind us say.. "umm... no. End of the line kids". They start screaming "we were here.. bla, bla, bla..." looking to Jim and I for support of which they got none. The GA worker comes over and tells them end of the line or the exit.. choose. One of them starts screaming.. "this is BS. Always trying to oppress us..." :o in their best gangsta voice mind you.. and soon they were all accusing GA of being racist. Ya know.. because they were making them go to the end of the line that they got out of ... :unsure: The 50 or so of us that heard all of this started laughing hysterically.. poor kids.. they actually thought they were being oppressed. Don't know what happened to them. They were fighting all the way until we got to the top of the stairs. I was surprised at how often both days people just cut in front of others. I mean we're all in line for the same thing, right..? And it's not like the lines were that long anyway (average wait both days was less than 30 minutes). More shocking is the adults that do this.. using their kids as an excuse.

 

Anyway... thanks for the heads up on the park. Overall we had a great time. Other than that stupid 20 on/ 10 off rule in the wave pool anyway. Even as hot as it was yesterday with only 7100 in the water park there was still room to move and get food/drink. If you do go though I suggest doing it first thing so that you can get a lounge chair or table. I think it would have sucked if we didn't have those things.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...