BDFS

Nevermind.

Holiday World. Hands down. Absolutely loved Thunderbird, and .... that was it.

Which wasn't any more exciting than Hurricane Harbor... Which is why I didn't even bother mentioning it. That isn't even a little bit correct. HH has nothing on Splashin Safari! That's like, your opinion man. I wasn't impressed to the point I feel the need to return anytime soon. To be fair, I'm not a big fan of ANY waterpark.

WHOAAA..... We are getting an alpine coaster in Misery?! You have just made my day. Granted, it's only 33 minutes into Thursday.

Which wasn't any more exciting than Hurricane Harbor... Which is why I didn't even bother mentioning it.

We went earlier this year. You're not missing much. Your money is better spend elsewhere at Silver Dollar City or Holiday World, unless you plan to visit Cedar Fair's other gems, specifically Fury 325 and whatever park it's in. On that note, If given the option, I would scrap our entire park from Screaming Eagle to Justice League for a clone of Fury 325, a beer stand, and a porta potty. You can even sell off the rest of the acreage to be used for the worst smelling landfill in the country and I would still visit at least once a year, as opposed to the current park. I still don't "get" the sudden love for Holiday World. Other than Thunderbird, I wasn't impressed with any of their wood coasters. Sure, the first hill for The Voyage is fantastic, but I was ready for the ride end as soon as we hit the bottom. It's a helluva lot rougher that The Boss. I prefer American Thunder, Pandemonium, Batman, and Mr. Freeze to the three woodies at HW. Hell, we had 2 day tickets to use this past May, and left a day early. I still have no desire to return. I did enjoy the free drinks, so it wasn't a complete bust.

American Thunder is hella fun in the late afternoon until close. Plus... no lines, multiple succession rides, ride photo posing practice, etc.

This week should be a great opportunity to get your fill of coaster rides considering it's hotter than hades here in the StL, and everyone will be hitting Hurricane Harbor. I'm taking all of the kids, nephews, and nieces tomorrow. I'll be the Dad at the bar in JB's around 5p until closing time.

Highland Fling is having the same issues that it has had for years and is not at risk for removal. Tidal Wave is certainly a more likely candidate as its age is beginning to catch up with it and popularity seems to be rather low. I just always assume Highland Fling is down because someone puked... again... and they are cleaning it up.

Pandemonium, aka Tony Hawk's Big Spin, at SFSL. It's like buttah.

Count me as yet another Boss fan. As for the roughness of the ride? I just hit The Voyage at Holiday World three weeks ago, and that coaster just turned my spine into dust. I absolutely hated everything about it after the first drop. I can ride The Boss multiple times per visit, and feel nowhere near the pain I experienced on a coaster that most people swear by as one of the best woodies in the world.

I'm ALWAYS "one of those guys" when it comets my first visit to a theme park. No worries! We hit SDC twice a year, and our food routine is as follows: 1) Eva and Delilah's bakery on the left as you first enter the park. I think. I'm horrible with eatery names, but trust me... you'll smell it before seeing it anyway. Order anything you like, including cinnamon rolls as big as your head, and have them save it for you to pick up on your way out of the park. Just do it. 2) House made chips, and pork rinds (Don't scoff!) are found down the left side of the park, near the entrance to Wildfire, the log flume, and Fire in the Hole. Pork rinds in a small area just past the woodworking viewing area. The chips are at the larger restaurant with a ton of outdoor, shaded seating. Can't miss it. 3) Succotash. Served at a couple different locations. We get it at the little place right near the entrance to Thunderation. 4) Wife swears by the Apple Fritters, but I don't know which bakery she gets them at, as she usually wanders around the shops while we ride coasters. 5) I've tried many of their "skillets" for breakfast. Enjoyed all of them, so pick what you like. SDC has, IMO, the best food by far of any theme park. If you don't gain a few pounds during your visit, you're not doing it right... and it's just plain un-"Murrican" not to do so. Thank you so much! I can't wait!!! I also agree that the BBQ at SDC is ok at best. There are plenty of skillet, deep fried, etc. options to make yourself sick on. Just a side note... it turns out we attended SDC last year on one of their busiest days of the year in June, (eavesdropping on park employees dressed as Hillbillies discussing park operations was a hoot) and we still found even the longest waits to be faster than expected. The last 90-60 minutes of daily operations are also a great time to get in some extra time on the coaster(s) of choice. Of course I mean Outlaw Run. Still my favorite woodie. Aaaack! Almost forgot... If you need a break fro the heat, go visit the old ladies making fudge and wisecracking throughout the process. I love them so much. The train ride is also a must. Sit on the right hand side, middle-ish cars if possible.

Oh yes... so much THIS!

I'm ALWAYS "one of those guys" when it comets my first visit to a theme park. No worries! We hit SDC twice a year, and our food routine is as follows: 1) Eva and Delilah's bakery on the left as you first enter the park. I think. I'm horrible with eatery names, but trust me... you'll smell it before seeing it anyway. Order anything you like, including cinnamon rolls as big as your head, and have them save it for you to pick up on your way out of the park. Just do it. 2) House made chips, and pork rinds (Don't scoff!) are found down the left side of the park, near the entrance to Wildfire, the log flume, and Fire in the Hole. Pork rinds in a small area just past the woodworking viewing area. The chips are at the larger restaurant with a ton of outdoor, shaded seating. Can't miss it. 3) Succotash. Served at a couple different locations. We get it at the little place right near the entrance to Thunderation. 4) Wife swears by the Apple Fritters, but I don't know which bakery she gets them at, as she usually wanders around the shops while we ride coasters. 5) I've tried many of their "skillets" for breakfast. Enjoyed all of them, so pick what you like. SDC has, IMO, the best food by far of any theme park. If you don't gain a few pounds during your visit, you're not doing it right... and it's just plain un-"Murrican" not to do so.

Brilliant! Thank you, to each one of you for responding! We are really looking forward to our trip, and we hope that with the possibility of rain 2 of the 3 days, we will still manage get every ride in multiple times. The Wife made an executive decision, and we will be staying in Jasper instead of Evansville to cut down on travel time and from the park. Appreciate the suggestions! Peace!

I'm pulling The Coaster Kid out of school two days early, and we are making our first trip to Holiday World Wednesday night! WOOT! We are hitting the park from Thur-Sat. but will be staying in Evansville because it looks as if there is absolutely nothing else in and around the park in terms of restaurants, hotels, or shopping. (The non-coaster enthusiast wife will be tagging along.) Any suggestions for first time visitors to HW, and the Evansville area?

I've been around long enough to know better Ugh okay....there has been a couple users speculating if I really know what is being added in 2016. The answer is yes. I know the big picture even though some details are a bit vague & sketchy. I guess I'll just save you all the time and give it away (or at least part of it) right now. We all know that SFSL has really gone big with the "Coaster Capital of Missouri" thing since 2013. With that being established, you can bet that the park will never have any less than nine coasters, because going backwards wouldn't reflect well on the coaster capital slogan, right? So if the park does get rid of the Ninja at some point, either a new coaster needs to be introduced either the following year or the year before. So if you're still following me, look at the park as a whole. Now once you've done that, consider this: What if corporate doesn't want to install a new coaster the year before or the year of Ninja's demise. Well, as you can imagine, that leaves the marketing department in a tough spot. But don't fear, as tough spots are the places in which marketing departments can shine the brightest. What does this mean for the park? (Don't worry, that question is rhetorical, as I'm about to tell you.) It means a brand spanking new slogan! One that not only matches but exceeds the Coaster Capital of Misery...err...Missouri. In 2016, Six Flags St. Louis will open a new (or refurbish an existing) store...*cough* Colossal Closeouts *cough*. This store will still sell souvenirs, but it will be a bit specialized. It will be home of the largest selection of drink coasters that feature different rides in the park. This will give birth to the new slogan... The Coaster Coaster Capital of Missouri! Prozach, may I suggest a possible switch to lexapro or zoloft? I'm not sure if the prozac is working too well for you. Love, Josh Been gone for a few weeks, but dammit, HW, this had me literally laughing out loud. Thanks for that.

DILinator... G Force... Thank you so much for your responses. We are staying at Breakers, so the advice on early entry is fantastic. I know I was asking for help late in the game, but I've been putting in for OT at work on every weekend this year to not only pay for our crazy vacations this Summer, but *shudder* school tuition for the kid. Just got off work at 11p, and realized I hadn't asked for any tips in regards to CP until 6 hours before we plan on heading out the door, so you have no idea how grateful I am to you both for such detailed info on such very short notice. Thank you.

I almost feel guilty interrupting the current topic, but... I will be making my first trip back to CP in 15 years, and will be bringing my 10YO along for his very first CP visit. We will be staying on the property, and will hit everything we can over both Monday and Tuesday at the park. I know a lot has changed since 2000, so are there any tips/suggestions from the CP veterans in house? Must ride? Must skip? Must eat? Schools are going back in session here in Missouri, but I have no idea what the schedule is for Sandusky, and the surrounding communities. Should we go into both days expecting a typical, super busy Summer crowd? Any advice is greatly appreciated, so I thank you in advance. Here's to a safe 8+ hour drive tomorrow from St. Louis.

Trip Report for Thursday, June 4th. The Coaster Kid and I arrived at SFStL around 10:50 am. It rained. We left at 2p. Good times!

Wholeheartedly agree. It's still smooth as buttah.

American Thunder is still the best "bang for the buck," in my personal opinion, than any other ride in our home park. If I'm picking one ride for the day at SFStL, it's this one.

Go on... *drools*

Dude! Epic trip, and an even more epic report! Thanks for sharing. I now need to get myself to Dollywood!

Not soon enough. You never know it could be Screaming Eagle too. With Six Flags just renovating Cyclone and Colossus... Personally, I'd love to see Screaming Eagle re-tracked. I already love the airtime you experience on it, and I imagine it would only make a very fun ride great again. I love the out and back layout of a more traditional coaster, so I'm a big proponent of anything they can do to keep The Screaming Eagle running for another 30-40 years.