Jump to content
  TPR Home | Parks | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram 

Help plan SFStL, HW, WoF, SFGAm trip


Recommended Posts

I hope this isn't against the rules or anything. I've read the park guides in the park index and all that sort of thing. I just need to know if this trip sounds doable, as me and my friends need to set a week and get hotels straight extra early... All that jazz. Just a note, we all will have SF season passes.

 

Okay, so we start in VA, and leave on a Saturday. Drive to the Louisville area and get a hotel there for the night. On Sunday we go to Holiday World. Is Sunday insanely busy there in, say, mid July? We do plan to hit the waterpark for a while, and I know they close at like 8:30. Hopefully it's enough time to do everything and get re-rides. After the park closes, we plan to drive a few hours to Mt. Vernon, Illinois to spend the night.

 

The next day, we leave on the 2 hour trip to Six Flags St. Louis. It'll be a Monday, so I'm guessing I shouldn't need Flash Pass? I'm already breaking the bank quite a bit for this trip, and only plan to use Flash Pass at SFGAm. After the park closes for the night, drive 2 hours to Columbia, so we're already halfway to our next stop for tomorrow, Worlds of Fun.

 

Tuesday, hit WoF. I hear lines on weekdays are usually not a problem here. We'll spend the night in Kansas City, and Wednesday will be our pure travel day, since we have to travel all the way to Gurnee.

 

Thurs and Fri will be SFGAm. I chose 2 days because I know how tricky Chicago weather is and how bad the crowds can be at the park. I'd be using Flash Pass on Friday, as I expect it would be more crowded? Then we head back to VA starting Saturday.

 

I guess my main questions are: Does the whole trip sound like it's doable? What are the rain policies at the parks? (I know the official statements, but some parks are more strict, like Cedar Fair sometimes close most stuff in anything above a drizzle.) Any specific helpful hints anyone would like to give me?

 

Sorry if this post is against the rules. I read the rules and didn't see where it would be. I DID read the park guides first.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 21
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

The trip is doable. I can't comment on the rain policies of Holiday World or Worlds of Fun, but it takes a lot for Six Flags to close. The only problematic rides you might run into are V2 and Raging Bull which will close if the weather is an issue.

 

There are some other parks you might want to consider if you want to credit whore including Grizzly Jacks Enchanted Forest in Utica(2hrs from SFGAM) or the Azoosment Park in East Dundee(1hr from SFGAM). The drive from WoF to Gurnee will be extremely boring, so you might want to take a little break if you want/have time. Neither park is terribly expensive, and Enchanted Forest is right by Starved Rock State Park if you are into nature/culture.

 

Edit, SFGAM will close down rides in rain, but from my experience, it takes either a lot of rain or a thunderstorm. The only exceptions are the aforementioned Raging Bull and V2.

Edited by Airtime&Gravity
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your plans for the trip sound fairly solid. I havent been to Holiday world on a weekend so i cant say how long the lines will be, but you should be able to get all the credits in one day regardless. Six flags STL and Worlds of Fun shouldnt be much of an issue. On mondays Six Flags STL is usually kinda slow, unless you plan to hit the water park. Even then its entirely doable. Worlds of Fun is similar from my limited experiences at the park. I dunno about Six Flags Great America though, since i have not gotten the chance to go to that park yet.

 

In regards to rain policies, Six flags STL is a bit strict on rain policies and will close the coasters during the rain. Holiday world has one of the most liberal rain policies I have ever seen at a park. Seriously one time last year it was 60 and raining consistently and they kept all the coasters running even though there were few people in attendance. That led to some awesome situations including getting to ride the voyage by myself.

 

Have fun, Six flags is my home park so feel free to ask anything else

 

-Kafka-

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Six Flags Great America is a busy park every day of the week, but the weekends are insane! flash pass or not the lines are always long on the weekends at SFGAM.

 

Holiday world get's busy in the summer, and July is no exception. again it will be packed on the weekend especially in the Splashin Safari

 

Six Flags St. Louis does not necessarily close the rides in the rain, I have ridden the Eagle, Boss, Mr. Freeze all in the rain sometimes very heavy at times. They will however close the rides down if Lightning is within a certain radius of the park, and if I'm not mistaken its like a 10 mile radius.

 

as far as the crowds go at Six Flags STL, the only time crowds are large in the park is when there is a concert going on, or if its a "Bring a friend free day" for season pass holders. otherwise ride times are always at a minimum especially during the weekdays. The water park during the summer packs the folks in all the time. sometimes it gets to having a wait to get in, and people have been known to stand in line for 45 minutes + to get into the water park. I have been in there when it's to capacity, and it's not a fun time...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, I may upgrade to doing both days at SFGAm with the Flash Pass instead of one. I know it's one of the busiest parks in the country. I probably won't use the SFStL waterpark, as I will have used HW's the day before, and theirs looks better anyway.

 

Thanks for all the help so far. Looks like I don't really have anything to worry about with STStL and WoF. I'm glad I planned in 2 days for SFGAm, even if one of them is a Friday. Hopefully that'll be enough to do everything. It was when I went to Cedar Point, so I'm guessing it will be for Six Flags.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The trip is very doable! It actually sounds like a really fun trip. As I've been to every park that you plan on heading to, I could give you some hints at all the parks.

 

At Holiday World, if you do start with the water park, I'd only hit the two important slides (Mammoth and Wildebeast) as they will most likely have an hour+ line, and they are very unique. All the other slides are pretty generic, and if the park is busy, you'd want to try to ride the roller coasters before the day ends. I'm not sure if Raven is getting a 2nd train this year, but when I visited in 2010, the Raven only had one train.

 

Six Flags St. Louis is such a beautiful Six Flags park, one of my favorites in the whole chain. I would assume you wouldn't need a flash pass. I've been to SFSTL many times during the summer for the past couple years, (2001, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) and it seems that every time I visit, the park isn't as busy as you would expect. The park crowds are spread around nicely, and Screaming Eagle usually had the longest line during my visits (30 minutes, if even that).

 

Worlds of Fun.... I'm not sure what to say other than that it is really boring. On my visit, the park was EMPTY. Every ride was a walk on, every coaster was running one train (Except Spinning Dragons) and it was just quiet. I got to ride everything, but the park was really, meh. If there is any way you could visit Silver Dollar City instead of Worlds of Fun, you'd have a much better time. The rides are much better, the atmosphere is a lot more enjoyable, and Silver Dollar City has lots of trees that offer trade, because most of Worlds of Fun is out in the sun (true rhyme).

 

As for your last park, Six Flags Great America, I don't think you should spend two days at the park with the flash pass. Saturday would be must more crowded, and that would be the day you'd want to get the flash pass. What I would do is come on that Friday, and ride the roller coasters that aren't on the Flash Pass. (American Eagle, Rajun Cajun, Little Dipper, Spaceley's, and X-Flight if it isn't on the Flash Pass) and then on Saturday, get the Flash Pass and get all the other missing credits and big rides that are also on the Flash Pass.

 

The only thing I would worry about if it would rain, would be launching roller coasters. As those tend to be more cared for after a rain shower, Vertical Velocity will be tough, so I'd that right away when you have the chance. Mr. Freeze's launch is indoors, so that won't be a problem. And if you choose to do Silver Dollar City, Powder Keg will be a tough ride to open after it rains.

 

Hope I helped a bit! Good luck with your trip, and have fun

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Raven was running two trains last year so I'd be shocked if that weren't the case this year as well.

 

As others have said start your day in Splashin' Safari and get in line for whatever ride is at the top of your list (I'd assume Wildebeest or Mammoth). The lines for all three coasters usually die down significantly around lunch time so that is often a great time to ride. Have fun sounds like an awesome trip!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seems very doable to me. Here are my thoughts on each park:

 

For SFGAM you should only have problems in the rain for the Whizzer. I've seen Little Dipper closed quite a few times in the past two years, so you might want to get on that somewhat early in the day. Little Dipper also gets a long line because of its low capacity. One switchback can take 45 minutes. In the past, most people have gone to the Raging Bull side of the park right at opening. This year most people will probably go to Raging Bull or X-Flight first, so you can easily do Batman and V2 in ten minutes if you do those right at opening. I agree that 2 days is a good idea to play it safe as far as weather and crowds. The park can get very busy in July, and things like bad weather don't really seem to have a huge effect. I've never done the flashpass here, because it is my home park and I usually only spend a half day in the park. If Raging Bull is over a 45 minutes wait, you're probably best off getting a flashpass. Even if the lines aren't bad, the flashpasses are always a good way to make your day more exciting.

 

For SFSTL, keep in mind that it gets very hot and humid at this park. In the peak of the summer, a lot of people will go to the waterpark. I really don't think you'll have a problem with ride lines. Expect the Boss to be rougher than most coasters you've been on, but try it in the second to last row. It really is a completely different experience at night.

 

For Holiday World, make sure you have you room booked ahead of time, because there are not a lot of hotels near the park and rooms fill quickly. I haven't been to the park in a few years, so I can't give you much help besides that. I definitely suggest checking out the waterpark and seeing everything that the park has to offer.

 

I've never had problems with lines at WOF. The parking lot is kind of far away from the entrance, so keep that in mind when planning what to take into the park. I think you'll run out of things to do if you spend an entire day there, but maybe that's just me.

 

One thing to keep in mind is that you could go from WOF (Kansas City) to SFGAM (Gurnee) by driving through Des Moines. This would allow you to take a 2 or 3 hour stop at Adventureland.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

SFGAm will certainly be crowded in mid-July, but you could probably still hit everything in that time without a Flash Pass, though the lines will be long.

 

Ragin' Cajun will also close down fairly quickly in the rain. Whenever you opt to ride Ragin Cajun, use the single rider line.

 

Since you're going two days, I'd recommend starting at X-Flight at opening on one of those days. On the other day, you should there before opening, get in line for Superman, get that done quickly, and then head to V2, Little Dipper, and Batman in that order. If you don't get there before opening don't bother with Superman and just head to V2. That way you'll get at least one ride on each of those before the lines get ridiculous.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Worlds of Fun.... I'm not sure what to say other than that it is really boring. On my visit, the park was EMPTY. Every ride was a walk on, every coaster was running one train (Except Spinning Dragons) and it was just quiet. I got to ride everything, but the park was really, meh. If there is any way you could visit Silver Dollar City instead of Worlds of Fun, you'd have a much better time. The rides are much better, the atmosphere is a lot more enjoyable, and Silver Dollar City has lots of trees that offer trade, because most of Worlds of Fun is out in the sun (true rhyme).

I wouldn't characterize Worlds of Fun as boring, myself. I enjoyed both the charm (yes, even though it's a Cedar Fair park...most of them are somewhat charming to me) and the ride collection. I suppose it could be hard to fill a day there if there are no lines, though.

 

That said, I personally don't know the logistics of replacing WOF with Silver Dollar City on your itinerary, but I can vouch that it's an excellent park, and I'm sure many would choose it over WOF.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd give Worlds of Fun a big lead over Dorney Park. The whole atmosphere at Worlds of Fun is actually really nice, it has a lot more 'soul' than Dorney (trees over pavement) - and they have some outstanding rides. Mamba is my favourite Morgan hyper, Prowler is probably my favourite GCI and Timber Wolf is (in my opinion) quite an underrated experience! They have a ton of flat rides too - don't forget to try the Rotor (Finnish Fling) and Cyclone Sam's, an awesome indoor Wipeout.

 

Silver Dollar City is second to none and in a different league entirely.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had the opposite reaction- I would go to Dorney a few times a year, enjoy myself every time and could stay there all day. When I went to WoF my friend and I were so bored we left after just 3 hours.

 

I guess the big difference for me was operations. Dorney always tends to run 2 trains on everything and not have any lines when I go. WoF had only one train on everything with waits around 30-45 minutes of listening to pop music at deafening volumes and the ops belittle the other rides in the park. Patriot was a bad Talon clone, Mamba wasn't all that different from Steel Force... the only positive I had about the park was Prowler, which is a great coaster. It was the beginning of the season, but Timberwolf never opened, the park was in pretty bad shape (opening delayed a bit to get bulldozers out of the way).

 

If you could do Silver Dollar City, I'd definitely recommend it instead. It would be further out of your way though, and more expensive...

 

Otherwise, I might consider spending a day in St. Louis, and visit the arch and City Museum, or try for pushing up the others and Indiana Beach (I've never been there though, but I'm trying a similar trip this summer as well, and that's my plan).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The problem you will have with adding Silver Dollar City is that it's really tough to do in just one day unless you get there the night before and are there right at opening and stay until close. There's so much to do at the park and you'll want to take your time to check out the different shops, food, and crafts-people. There's a lot to do at that park besides roller coasters (and rides). If you do choose to add this park, I'd suggest planning two days there. Also make sure you do your research on the hotel you are staying at, because there are a lot of low quality hotels in that area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, I'll probably stick with WoF. (I want to visit as many parks in the US as I can before I get too old, and, well, it's a park.) I do plan to go on another big trip after I finish grad school in 3-4 years, and maybe Silver Dollar City can be on that one. It is one I intend to visit at some point. (Maybe a Schlitterbahn, SFFT, SFOT, Sea World, Frontier City, Silver Dollar City trip?)

 

If we get bored at WoF, most likely we'll go back to the hotel for a while or see a movie or something then go back later in the day for night rides.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Living in KC and having made the drive to Chicago many times, here's the BEST tip I can give you.

 

Do NOT take I-70 back to St. Louis and then up I-55 to Chicago. I-70 is a very busy highway, and I-55 is insane during the summer, and the (seemingly) constant road construction is a pain, you can get stuck for an hour or more, easily on I-55 during the summer due to construction or accidents.

 

Instead take I-35 North to Des Moines, IA (you could do Adventureland, its worth going to, you can usually do the coasters in a couple of hours, or save it for another time) and then head East on I-80 to the Quad Cities (Davenport and Bettendorf , in Iowa; and Rock Island and Moline in Illinois.) From there it's about 6 of one or a half dozen of the other, you can continue on I-80 or I-88 to Chicago. We usually go up I-88, as our family is in the north part of Chicagoland, near Great America. Once you get near Chicago, expect traffic, sometimes it moves, other times you don't.

 

This is from my personal experience, on a route I travel at least two times a year. You can still be delayed either way, but I feel you're less likely to be delayed going up through Iowa, and it's only a difference of less than 30 miles or so, about 30 more to go north through IA.) It's a long haul, but worth it. Peace.

 

PS if you're looking for something to do, if you get bored, you can go to Union Station near downtown Kansas City (about 15 minutes away) and check out the Screams of the Past: The First Five Roller Coasters at Worlds of Funexhibit with working models of the original five roller coasters from Worlds of Fun along with some coaster artifacts, historic pictures and memorabilia. I know the guy who put the exhibit together. It's free too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I drive between Des Moines and Chicago about once every month and have really never seen any traffic except for the crossing at the Mississippi when everyone at Iowa State and University of Iowa are headed home for spring break or winter break. So I agree with KCForce that the Iowa route is probably better.

 

As far as choosing parks, if you plan on driving to Texas at any point, then I agree you should do WOF instead of Silver Dollar City. It's easier to group parks that are nearby so that you don't have to add a "remote" park to a future trip.

 

Overall I think it sounds like a pretty solid trip. I'd definitely consider doing Adventureland on that wednesday. Also, when you're really bored driving through Iowa, maybe stop at the I-80 truck stop. They advertise it as the world's largest, but I don't think it really is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd say Worlds of Fun is comparable to Dorney, but I decidedly prefer WOF. While I liked the atmosphere at both, WOF seemed quite a bit more charming. However, Dorney probably wins for me in the coaster collection (with WOF having better wood by far). At WOF Prowler and Mamba are my top favorites with Patriot and Timber Wolf as runner-ups, and at Dorney I enjoyed Steel Force, Talon and Hydra best with Possessed also being decent.

 

The problem you will have with adding Silver Dollar City is that it's really tough to do in just one day unless you get there the night before and are there right at opening and stay until close. There's so much to do at the park and you'll want to take your time to check out the different shops, food, and crafts-people...

I absolutely agree. I spent a full operating day there in 2010 (when it closed at 10:00, I believe) and by the end, I practically felt like I wanted to stay forever. Depending on your interests, one full day could be fine, but there really is a lot to do and see there. Anyway, holding off until it fits better in your itinerary sounds like a good plan.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't go to SDC...it's fun, but you're way more likely to run out of things to do there than at WoF if you're looking for rides. WoF has a ton of flat rides and it has more coasters than SDC. SDC is fun and while the atmosphere is incredible, it's very family oriented - on a trip with friends I'd choose WoF. The one train at a time on coasters is dumb, especially on Mamba, but in July I would expect them to run more than one. I you ride one flat ride at Worlds of Fun, you MUST ride Cyclone Sams.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like SDC and I like WoF, but for a 7 day trip I don't think the extra 7 hours of driving to include SDC is worth it.

 

I actually think WoF is the 3rd best park in the Cedar Fair chain so maybe I'm biased.

Edited by larrygator
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did a trip like this last summer. I did kings island, strikers, coney island, sfstl, and worlds of fun. I was supposed to also do adventureland(Iowa)), vallyfair, mall of america, and sfga, until I had car issues

 

We were going to also do silver dollar city, but it was just too far of a drive out of the way for us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hit up all of these parks last, so here's my take:

 

At Holiday World, if you get in the waterpark at a decent time, you should be able to hit up more then just the tho big slides, it all depends on how much you like waterslides. During the time that the waterpark is open, the coasters' lines will be considerably shorter.

 

For me, SFStL is the most meh park of the bunch. The park is missing that one standout attraction, but for me The Boss and BTR top the rides they do have. This park will definitely not take all day, and I'd even recommend going to the City Museum for the night. Might be a long day, but doable for sure.

 

World's of Fun really shocked me. It really is a quite beautiful park. Prowler is a great GCI and Mamba and Patriot complete the big three. Don't miss Cyclone Sam's and FInnish Fling, two great classics. Nightime don't miss attractions include Prowler, Starlight Spectacular, and the TRAIN. Seriously, do not miss the train!!! Overall a very charming park, especially for a Cedar Fair park.

 

Like some have said, SDC would be a good alternative for WoF, not because it's a bad park, just that SDC is that good. I'd put it right up there with HW.

 

SFGAm to me, is an inbetweener park, not quite big enough for two full days in the park alone, but more then enough for one day. With Fastpass, I've been able to get 2-3 rides on all the big coasters, plus a few flats in 8 hours. If you do get the Flashpass, you should have some extra time to check out the waterpark which is excellent. Make sure to check out the drop door slides.

 

Good luck on your trip, you should have an excellent time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use https://themeparkreview.com/forum/topic/116-terms-of-service-please-read/