Funtown Fest Photo TR

[mrceagle]

Funtown Fest is a 1.5 day long ACE New England help event. Funtown Splashtown USA in Maine is were it all takes place. I arrived for my after noon shortly before 7:00 after spending some time at Nearby Palace Playland. Got checked in and meet up with a few friends. The sun was going down ERT was right around the corner.

 

We did a quick ride on Excalibur before hitting a few other rides. Astrosphere was a top f list ride. We stopped to eat and talk. No one was that worried about rides since we had all day on Sunday.

 

We got in a night ride on Dragons Descent as it was closing. they shut some of the lights down. It’s a fantastic ride and such a good view from the top. I could see the city lights in the distance. It’s very tranquil until you plummet to the ground.

 

The end of the day was all about ERT on Excalibur. I did well stopped and babysat so my Friend and his wife could ride a couple times together. In all I got 18 rides in that night. Best of all was last right of the ERT. Already double rides we cam into the station, they slide us through with loud cheering. As we enter after our third Circuit we rolled through the station to Thunderous applause and howls for a fourth and Final ride of the night.

 

It was Midnight and I said good bye t a couple of Employees I wouldn’t see again this weekend. We walked out the Maintenance exit by Excalibur to get out. Then it was off to my car for a 2.5 hour ride home.

 

I got 4 hours of sleep and it was time to go back. We got to the park just before morning ERT time. We walked into the Maintenance are by Dragons Descent and walked down to Excalibur. We had ERT for 9-10. I was able to get in another 8 rides in the morning and 12 throughout the day.

 

 

Galaxy was out first time for the operating day. We had a good group so the baby pass-off and extra runs got me a couple rides in a row. I hit Galaxy a total of 6 times since it may be gone next year.

 

 

The parks Astrosphere was next in line. The ride is easily the best indoor dark ride out there with lights, lasers, projection, strobes, black lights, and a great sound track. One of the best rides in the park I made sure to get a few rides in during the day. I got 5 rides in.

 

 

Though it was too cold I took a walk around the water park, Splashtown, to see the new slides I wanted to get some use out off the multi pass. The 2 new slides look great. They added allot of lounge space and connected the water park to the 2 food stands in that area which was a good use of resources.

 

 

 

We walked over to the rides are by the entrance and took a spin on the Barney’s Cars. It’s a nice car ride the cars are not your traditional antique cars which is nice. The layout is a bit small but wraps around that particular ride area. We then hopped on the Balloon Farris Wheel since it’s in that same section. We skipped the bumper boats.

 

 

Most of the day was spent talking with Friends and fellow ACE members. Our group had been big but it was getting smaller my brother and Sister in law left. Dave who shared many memories form the TPR trips he’d been on needed to leave soon so it was off to the Flume as a last ride for him.

 

Dave left and it was Down to 2 Ace members their son and I. We opted to Jump on roulette. A nice ride and they give you a good cycle on this one. His wife and I went on Astrosphere again since she was watching her son on the earlier ride. We talked about parks while in line and Family inline Commented on my Canobie Star blaster shirt. They take 2-3 trips a year to Canobie, would be more if Canobie had a season pass. So I talk them about the pre season Sale passes that can save them some money. Astrosphere was good but not as good as the other operator that day.

 

They had to leave after that. I took the opportunity to take in a few rides no one else wanted to. First up was the parks Tea Cup ride. This is a make tea cup ride. The Spinning movement is good and very forceful. Bu the cups are nearly impossible to spin unless you get a good one. Ride defiantly needs a refurb.

 

I hit the Rides along the back tree line: Sea Dragon, Standard model with a nice Fountain around it. Thunder bolt, a Chance Flying bobs, nothing amazing a bit slow but they run it forward and backward so it saves itself there. Flying Trapeze, it’s a chance YoYo nothing too amazing but a nice ride for the park.

 

I walked the park having been on nearly everything. Played some skeet ball which was a rip off. The ball count was short and the ticket setting really high so you could normally only get 1-2 tickets. You needed 26 tickets to get a small prize. Notices all the games were overly expensive almost nothing under $2 dollars.

 

It was hot but my brother drove of with my bathing suit and unfortunately my phone as well. I went into Splashtown, took some more photos, and used one of the water features on Portland Pirates paradise to cool off a bit. I would have bought a bathing suit but not at $22 dollars. If they were say $15 maybe even $18 I would have. I watched a band that was performing that day to fill time.

 

I opted to hit the Go carts since I had some time before my brother and sister in law got back. So I hoped in line. It took maybe 10-15 minutes to get on. The ride is OK but nothing special. The go carts aren’t in great shape. My car floored driving very defensively couldn’t catch up to the cart in front of me that was bouncing around the corners slowing it down.

 

When my family got back it was basically a last few rides. Flume, Astrosphere, and a couple last rides on Galaxy since it’s up for sale. We grabbed fried dough and wrapped up our day.

 

 

 

 

Overall it was a nice weekend and Funtown has grown a bit since my last trip. It’s cleaned itself up slightly also. But they still have a bit more to do. This is a park with allot of Potential to be a great park. Hopefully one day it will get there.