BrianL

We're going to Busch Gardens and Sea World next Friday and Saturday (8/1 - 8/2) and I'm trying to decide which park to do on Saturday. Normally I try to stay away from major parks on Saturdays, but can't this time. Would BGT be too busy Sat. to do all coasters a couple times, and all shows? Or are most of the GP about done with their park visits until Halloween? And do SWO on Friday? We'll also do a bit of SWO or BGT late Thur afternoon/evening, though we'll be in Orlando, so SWO would obviously be a bit easier.

Thanks a ton, guys. Looks like we're only going to do one day at SFMM anyway (not my choice, LOL). Probably nitpicking here, but is by chance any day Tue-Thr generally less crowded at SFMM? BTW, no events shown on their calendar. Can USH really be done in 1/2 a day without rushing around? The girlfriend is tired of me rushing around from coaster to coaster, so we need a few relaxing days, and save the rushing for SFMM. Plus we'll have a 10 year old with us, so we'll have do any older kids stuff that might be there. Also is PP and BP safe at night or should we hit PP after getting there Monday afternoon instead of after USH, and do BP on the free day (Sun or Thr)? KBF on Sunday would be good because of the increased chance of Xcel being open by then, but I'm not sure I can swing having to get a 3rd hotel to stay back up near it. Also KBF is open 1 hour longer on Sunday (though probably a more crowded day than Thr). Can anyone recommend some hotel zones that are safe, and/or some to stay away from? If SD is that expensive, is there another area nearby (or between SD and LA) that isn't? Gregg, feel free to mention some cool things to do in San Diego or OC. Brian

BTW, here are the park hours for those days. Mon 3/23: SFMM 10:30-6 USH 10-6 KBF 10-6 PP 12-7 LO (ltd. ops) LL 10-5 BP 11-8 SDZ 9-6 Tue 3/24: same as above Wed 3/25: same as above Thr 3/26: same as above Fri 3/27: SFMM 10:30-6 USH 10-6 KBF 10-6 PP 12P-6P LO, 6P-12A FO (full ops) LL 10-5 BP 11-10 SDZ 9-6 Sat 3/28: SFMM 10:30-10 USH 10-7 KBF 10-10 PP 11-12 FO LL 10-5 BP 11-10 SDZ 9-6 Sun 3/29: SFMM 10:30-8 USH 10-7 KBF 10-7 PP 11-9 FO LL 10-5 BP 11-10 SDZ 9-6

I'm looking for some suggestions for what days and how many to stay at the parks below. Although I'd like to experience SFMM at night, I'm thinking it best not to go on Saturday, or is it just as busy there any days compared to Saturday? -arriving Santa Ana Monday 3/23 ~1PM -departing Monday 3/30 (park trips through Sunday) *Six Flags Magic Mountain *Pacific Park *Universal Studios Hollywood *Knotts Berry Farm - I'm planning on doing KBF furthest toward the end of the week as we can work in, so maybe Xcel will be open. Is Jaguar still down too? If both are down, we may skip KBF. *Legoland *Belmont Park *San Diego Zoo Thought about SeaWorld, but SWSD just doesn't seem like enough bang for the buck.

This is a rough plan for a last minute trip for this weekend for me and my girlfriend: Thr 28th - drive from Nashville to hotel in a safe city near/before NYC. Fri 29th - (drive to) Coney Island, (Rye) Playland Park. (& quick sightseeing?). Drive to same hotel as Thr night Sat 30th - (drive to - unless Thr/Fri hotel is here) Dorney Park. Sun 31st - Hersheypark Mon 1st - casino, etc. Tue 2nd - drive to Nashville Any recommendations on where to stay on Thr and Fri night, on/near our our initial route from home to NYC? Per google maps, we would be going I-81 through Harrisburg, then I-78 through Allentown. If nothing else, maybe Allentown or Easton, PA (1.5-2 hr from NYC)? Although something closer to NYC would be better. Or how about something in NJ off I-287, not too far from I-78? Is Somerset, NJ a good area? How long would it take to do each of these parks? Could Hershey need 2 days for the park and Chocolate World on Labor Day weekend? Or Dorney, being a Saturday? I know traffic is terrible in NYC, so I'm hoping we can do Coney Island and Playland Park both on Friday. Should that be a problem? Also considering it's just the two of us, is Playland Park safe at night?

Thanks again for the advice. So how about doing Great America on the short fly in day (Wed) instead? Then saving SFDK for Friday. I don't want to be too rushed, and we want to see the animal exibits/shows. Would KGA take less time to do than SFDK? Also we might could hit KGA again for a couple hours on Thr. As far as flying into Oakland, it's $80 more per person than SFO, so that's out. And if we're going to KGA that day, we may or may not fly into San Jose anyway since it's down the street ($47 more). Is Saratoga generally a safe enough area to stay in, or does it have it's good and bad areas? Or would Santa Clara, around KGA, be better?

I'm planning this trip in July with my girlfriend, and it'll be our first visit to any of these parks. How much time do I need (say on a Wed) to ride all the coasters at SFDK, and see all the animal exibits/shows? I will be flying in that day, so wouldn't get there until probably around 12:30. Enough time or do I need a full day? They close at 8. I'll probably be flying into SFO since it's cheapest, and it's also closer to SFDK than SJC is. BTW, I'm thinking about maybe staying in Saratoga, since I'll be going to a concert there on Thr. Is it safe? I'm thinking: Wed 25th - flying in, arrive (probably SFO) around 11:30; Six Flags Discovery Kingdom around 12:30 - close (8:00) Thr 26th - (concert at Mountain Winery, Saratoga) Fri 27th - Knott's Great America Sat 28th - Gilroy Gardens 1/2 day; eat; Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk early evening/night What do you think? If I'm staying in Saratoga, I wouldn't need to go all the way back up to SFDK (and I'd be driving there straight from SFO). If not staying in Saratoga, it wouldn't matter which day I went to which, and could do Knott's instead on the day I fly in, or even Gilroy/SCBB, if those would take less time. Although it would be nice to buy a season's pass at Knott's before going to Gilroy though since I could use it there (and Gilroy doesn't seem to sell them). Can anyone recommend a safe area to stay, and a decent hotel? FYI, I really know nothing about the traffic and such in California, if you have any tips. I was only 3 when we moved from Sacramento. Thanks!