Traveling from South Carolina to New York...

[jarmor]

Well, my aunt died and I figured I could use this road trip as way to hit up some parks going and coming. Unfortunetly I will be driving since a flight from columbia would be like 500-600. So I ask you guys do you know any parks in the path of my journey?? All I am aware of is Six flags America and Kings dominion. I wanna be able to hit a park going and hit a park coming back.

 

All help and suggestions would be appreciated!

[SharkTums]

So I assume you're just heading up I-95? Where in New York? (Cause that may change the route) How far off I-95 are you willing to go?

 

SFGAd would be an obvious choice. It's only about 7 miles off the NJ Turnpike (which is basically I-95 through Jersey).

 

And like you already mentioned SFA and Kings Dominion are also super close and easy to hit.

 

Busch Gardens is about an hour off the 95 in Williamsburg.

[jarmor]

Thanks for the feedback! I will be traveling to Jamaica NY. My primary choices from what you wrote would be BGW and great adventure. I haven't been to BGW ever and it's been a while since I been to great adventure (the year after nitro open!).

 

Again thanks for the feedback and more is welcomed!!

[larrygator]

I would certainly recommend the two parks you suggested.

 

FYI - Clementon is not only a short drive from the NJ Turnpike (but not recommended for your time or money)

Dorney is about an hour west of your route.

 

Your route is likely to take to right past Coney Island (Astroland and Deno's). If you can stand a little pain on top of your sorrow, the Cyclone is worth sampling.

[jarmor]

^Thanks for the suggestions!

 

You know what...dorney came to mine at first also but I thought meh. With all the flack hydra gets I didnt think anything worth while would be there. I have ridden the traveling version of laser uncountable times so nothing really changes with that lol. And besides im boycotting cedar UNfair ! It's been about 4 years since I rode the cyclone (matter of fact I was visiting my aunt and went to coney by myself lol).

 

How is clementon? Im not a major credit whore so is there anything there worth while other than the coaster that changes it name every season? Im not really pressed for time per say...I was planning on getting on the road tuesday morning at like 130am and be at kings dominion by opening and stay till about 2 or so then its on the way to jamaica. I would probably have about another 6-7 hour drive ahead of me from that point.

[carolinacaniac]

If you are going to BGE, I know of a route from I-95 through North Carolina you could use so that you wouldn't have to back track on I-64 from Richmond. Let me know if you would like to see it for consideration.

[jarmor]

If you are going to BGE, I know of a route from I-95 through North Carolina you could use so that you wouldn't have to back track on I-64 from Richmond. Let me know if you would like to see it for consideration.

Yes please let me know since I may want to go there first then Sfgadv coming back!

[CHILLERLC1]

You would want to do Busch Gardens, Kings Dominion, Six Flags Great Adventure. If you were allowed one park it would be Six Flags Great Adventure. BGE is closer to you so definitely go with the park farthest away.

[jarmor]

Ok I have made my plans set in stone! I will be leaving tonight so I can make it to SFGadv tuesday morning for opening...and on my way back, make it to BGE for opening thursday morning!

 

So anyone wanna meet? I dont know exactly what I will be wearing but Im black with dreads lol. Maybe easy to spot me in BGE but I dont know soo much about SFGadv!

 

You can also let me know here if you are gonna be in the parks!

You will probably find me wearing some bright colors in this fashion!

[carolinacaniac]

Hey Jarmar,

 

sorry for the late reply, but I hope this route helps you out for your drive home.

 

When you leave Busch Gardens, head down on I-64 South.

 

Once you get to the Hamprton area, you will want to take I-664 towards Suffolk (I believe it would be I-664 south).

 

From there, you will want to get on US-58 at exit 13A. Stay on US-58 until you get back on I-95 heading towards Rocky Mount, NC.

 

This is the same route I use to get to and from Busch Gardens with the exception that at Suffolk, I head south on US-13 to get back to Greenville.

 

Hope this helps you save some time on your return home!

 

Gary T.

[bgeguy]

^He would take I-64 East, then join 664 East at the Hampton Colisuem.

[SharkTums]

So anyone wanna meet? I dont know exactly what I will be wearing but Im black with dreads lol. Maybe easy to spot me in BGE but I dont know soo much about SFGadv!

 

OMG!! I love that you have a sense of humor! We'll miss you by a bit yet again. One of these days we WILL hang out!

[carolinacaniac]

^He would take I-64 East, then join 664 East at the Hampton Colisuem.

 

Thanks for the clarification on I-64, although I don't think it would be East on 664 to go towards Suffolk, but rather West if not South.

[bgeguy]

Correction, 664 is N/S. How could I be so stupid, I live here anyways and travel it weekly.

 

Oh, the US-58 exit is in Chesapeake, not Suffolk. The MMBT connects Newport News to Suffolk but comes around back into Chesapeake as it ties back into 64 and then 264 in Portsmouth.

[carolinacaniac]

It's cool, easy to get mixed up since interstates generally follow the rule that odd routes are North/South, and even routes are East/West. I know I-440 that surrounds Raliegh is also North/South

[jarmor]

So anyone wanna meet? I dont know exactly what I will be wearing but Im black with dreads lol. Maybe easy to spot me in BGE but I dont know soo much about SFGadv!

 

OMG!! I love that you have a sense of humor! We'll miss you by a bit yet again. One of these days we WILL hang out!

 

You should see me after a few drinks lol!

 

Well I went to great adventure and what an adventure it was! The first "adventure" was leaning on a ticket booth to only discover it was covered in wet paint...but no wet paint sign. So I politely grabbed the dudes from the lockers and advised him that wet paint signs would be greatly appreciated. I guess they thought I was gonna blow up and start apologizing but I told them im ok it only got on my arm and not my shirt. Man! are the park guest at that park overly rude!!! Complaining about not being able to go to kingda ka and having to wait until 1030. im like this...it was stated what time the park open so why act suprised when they GENEROUSLY let you in the gates before 1030 to get closer to kinda ka and you are stopped at the ribbon. Some people were calling security d!cks, assholes, and just being plan old rude.

 

Then my second "adventure" pushed her way to the front of the crowd with her son demanding to get on kingda ka! Her reasoning was she is a season pass holder and they get to ride early. Then persist to point to an empty train exclaiming that riders were on it. Security told her that isnt this season. She then ask them how long they worked there because they maybe too new to know. Her son then told her he doesn't think they are doing it because if it were still a policy they wouldn't be the only season pass holders asking for it lol. She continued her rant and said she wanted to talk to guest services because it states it on the website. By this time my brother turns his back and starts laughing to himself. She then snaps at him and this is how the convo went...

 

Her: What are YOU laughing at?

 

Me: He's laughing at YOU making a fool over yourself after you have gotten your answer but still cant understand that that policy isnt here anymore and you wont let it go because you arent getting the answer you want! Now THATS what he is laughing at.

 

Her (obviously upset at what I told her) goes on to call me an idiot and other stuff...

 

Me: You can say what you want...I bet you wont get on kinda ka before 1030! Even your son understands!

 

Now security is trying to cool everything down....

 

Her: You need to just mind your business!

 

Me: If you werent soo loud I wouldnt have heard your business. And it doesnt matter what customer service tells you, they can tell you martians came and stole all season pass policies, you STILL gotta wait to ride!

 

(mind you she showed up 5-10 minutes before 1030 anyway!)

 

After that security intervined more and I kept on laughing and texting my friends about what just happen. Poor security,,,try to controll the crowd from running but everyone ran anyway. I just dont get it...it's not like the ride wont be open the entire day or something ?

 

I walked and finally got to the line. Apparently this kids dad ran and left him and he was now behind me and he tried to go past me to get to his dad. My arm went to the bar and I told that little boy if he wanna ride with them they need to come BACK to him! It was soo funny when he dad asked him to come up there and he tried to say I wouldnt let him but he couldnt get his words out lol. Ok bout Kingda Ka...well it is my first accelerator coaster but honestly I wasnt impressed. Shaky launch, not much airtime. Basically lives up to the one trick pony it is. My brother was deathly scared to ride because he hasnt been to a theme park other than carowinds 6 years ago. I rode it again to make sure I wasnt being unfair but nothing changed...but it mananged to unbutton my shirt to the last button on both trips lol. After that we went over to Dark Knight.

 

Man what a let down lol! Why is it soooo loud unreridable. It was basically a wild mouse in a box 1/3 themed...thats all im gonna say about that. Went to nitro after that and man, that ride is supreme! I already knew what to suspect but my brother didnt see the layout from the line. He nearly died lol. He said he would ride kinda ka again before he rides nitro lol. El Toro was down all day while I was there. The lines were awefully long the entire day for everything. I was really looking foward to el toro but I guess I will catch it another day...

 

Thanks for reading. here are the pict's!!

Cool looking coaster!

Pretty animals,,,

That looks soo much fun,

I forgot medusa was in the park lol.

another angle of it!

the shot everyone has...

Loop then BRAKES!

Im soo crushed...it should have been me hit by the lighten...on second thought lol...nah!

GEEZ LOUISE!!! it seems as if everyone in the park came over to this area.

There he/she is and when I turned around from taking this shot I saw this...

on the way to kingda ka

waiting to get in the gates

Told ya I would have had on bright colors!

lots of red in this shot!

The security driving made the dude move the cones by the entrance AND the cones by the car. He could have gotten his lazy ass out and move them!

the gates!

At this point I was soooo scared of that coaster

another shot of it...

I remember I use to be sooo excited about this coaster now im like...meh!

Looks fun but i'll pass

pulling up...first one there!

[jarmor]

I just read Griffon isnt open...is it still down???

[niiicolaaah]

^^Sounds like you experienced New Jersey's finest! Stupid Great Adventure.

 

I hated the pre-show for Dark Knight, how about you?? The people were being so loud and stupid, and that room is so echoy, that I have no idea what happened.

[dammie16@vt.edu]

Wish I caught you earlier, but you mght find it anyway.

 

Since you were (or are?) headed to Jamaica you can hit up Coney Island and catch Cyclone!

 

I lived about 30 mins East of Jamaica til' I went to college and I've NEVER been on the Cyclone, it is crazy.

[jarmor]

^^Sounds like you experienced New Jersey's finest! Stupid Great Adventure.

 

I hated the pre-show for Dark Knight, how about you?? The people were being so loud and stupid, and that room is so echoy, that I have no idea what happened.

 

Everything about dark knight basically sucked! lol I really was expecting alot from that coaster (even knowing it was a mouse and all) but Skull Mountian gave it a run for it's money as far as theming! They basically put up a steel frame and covered it with siding. No actual insulation or walls from what I can see. I mean you can pretty much hear everything from outside of the building when walking by

 

Wish I caught you earlier, but you mght find it anyway.

 

Since you were (or are?) headed to Jamaica you can hit up Coney Island and catch Cyclone!

 

I lived about 30 mins East of Jamaica til' I went to college and I've NEVER been on the Cyclone, it is crazy.

 

I decided not to do coney island since I have done it several times in the past and nothing has changed. But thanks!

 

 

Ok yesterday on my way back...once finding out Griffon was closed, I decided to go to kings dominion instead. And to my suprise DOMINATOR was DOWN also!!! Just my luck! But I decided to go in anyway since I was doing the 29.99 after 4 ticket. The park had a crowd but it wasnt crowded. I first went to Itali....err...back lot stunt coaster. I have to admit I really liked the coaster. The helix was pretty intense and all the effects were working. Although there was no audio on the cars it was still a really fun ride. I strongly feel now that hard rock park should have opted for this shelf model instead of that lame coaster it has now from premier coasters. They could have themed it up soo nicely and it would still be a family coaster. Now remember I'm with my brother and he has never been on pretty much any type of roller coaster that KD has so we headed to FOF. I just told him it was a "ride" based around space lol. He actually watched it launched but didnt say much about looking at it.

 

When we launched he went crazy lol. He was like "where did all of this come from" lol. He didnt see the ride building in the back. Now, while we are talking about FOF...what is up with the que building? Is that a haunted house inside of it for the halloween event or one of cedar fairs bright ideas? And who's idea was it to turn all the lights on in the building and have absolutely no themeing working in the que area?? And I think they have brighten up the lights in the ride building and not use as many colored spotlights as it use to. Anyway...moving right along...my brother LOVES top spins (i mean after all thats all our fair gets that's kinda cool" so he wanted to ride tomb rai....ummm...the crypt. I have heard horror stories on this site about it being a nut cruncher so I was abit worried but I had a blast on that thing and it didnt hurt my nuts at all. I guess its from all the usage they get lol...oops TMI!!

 

From there we went on to avalanche. He was stoked when he saw it had no track lol. I finally got the courage to ride drop zone. I have never been on a bad drop tower and this one is the most frightening. We went over to ricochet and I told him this is the "better dark Knight" and pointed out that this one isnt loud or vibrates lol! I decided to go take a spin on grizzly. That is one great coaster. It packs a mean punch and very fun...to me.

 

While leaving out I decided to go check out dominators area and saw some construction workers panging on a section in the cobra roll. I decided to pull out my phone and try to get a shot of the crane near it then some fat park employee chick comes over and act like she was dick tracy or someone. SHe was all like they dont like their pictyres taken and blah blah. Now mind you, I am on a 1.3mp CAMERA PHONE! There is no way I would have been able to get a clear shot of their bodies let alone their faces. I basically told her no and just walked away.

 

Well thats it folks and I will post the pictures I took with my phone as soo as I can!

[griffon]

So... no El Toro, no Griffon, AND no Dominator? I have to admit I feel really bad for your luck on the trip. You'll have to come back sometime!

[jarmor]

Yeah I was gonna let myself get down but I did get to ride rides like kingda ka, stunt coaster, drop zone, dark knight, and the crypt for the first time and got to get back on nitro, flight of fear, and grizzly!

[YoshiFan]

That season pass holder at Great Adventure was referring to rise and scream. It used to be Monday - Friday every day in the summer for an hour before the park opened with ERT for SP holders on select coasters. This year it is only 3 days all on Saturday's, the last one was yesterday.

 

They never used to let people that far into the park until around 2 weeks ago. They used to keep the rope at the carousel and it was a running of the bulls. I guess they didn't want to take a chance on someone getting hurt or maybe someone did get hurt.