USA Trip 2010

[andyuk200523]

Ok, here goes, I am looking for some advice on Parks, I have made a rough idea of Itinerary for my mega trip (got permission from the wife to leave the country for just over a month )

 

I can figure out Hotels/Motels, Car Rental and flights etc, just lookign for any advice on parks which I will be passing on my way cross country that I really should not miss out as this is a once in a lifetime thing for me, been planning something like this for years, can only now just afford it!

 

Also, what is the best time of year roughly for quiet park visits?

 

Day 1 - Arrive Orlando (Old Town Visit)

Day 2 - Islands of Adventure

Day 3 - Universal Studios

Day 4 - Disney Studios

Day 5 - Animal Kingdom

Day 6 - Busch Gardens

Day 7 - Relax!!!

Day 8 - Travel to Six Flags Over Georgia (450 miles)

Day 9 - Six Flags Over Georgia

Day 10 - Travel to Dollywood (spend afternoon at park) (215miles)

Day 11 - Travel to Williamsburg (479 miles)

Day 12 - Busch Gardens Europe

Day 13 - Kings Dominion (69 miles)

Day 14 - Travel to Philadelphia

Day 15 - Day in Washington

Day 16 - Hersheypark

Day 17 - Dorneypark

Day 18 - Six Flags Great Adventure (449 miles)

Day 19 - Day In New York

Day 20 - Six Flags New England

Day 21 - Travel to Kennywood (afternoon on park) (498 miles)

Day 22 - Travel To Cedar Point (afternoon on park) (191 miles)

Day 23 - Cedar Point

Day 24 - Travel to Kings Island (afternoon on park)(212 miles)

Day 25 - Kings Island

Day 26 - Travel to Holiday World (afternoon on park) (198 miles)

Day 27 - Travel to Six Flags Great America (354 miles)

Day 28 - Six Flags Great America (evening flight to Texas)

Day 29 - Six Flags over Texas

Day 30 - Flight to Los Angeles

Day 31 - Six Flags Magic Mountain

Day 32 - Sightseeing

Day 33 - Universal Studios

Day 34 - Knotts Berry Farm

Day 35 - Disneys California Adventure

Day 36 - Sightseeing

Day 37 - Travel to San Fransisco

Day 38 - Sightseeing

Day 39 - Great America - Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Day 40 - Afternoon Flight back to UK

 

 

Hope anyone can help, want to make this a trip to remember!

 

Andrew "Maybe slightly crazy doing it all in one, but you only live once!" Shakespeare

[SharkTums]

I've got to be honest, this sounds like you haven't really put much thought into this trip.

 

And one trip or not, it's too much.

 

You're passing by some really good parks, allowing too much time at some and not enough at others. Flying for one day just to SFoT? If you're going to do a crazy flight for one random park I could think of some better ones than that!

 

Also, you give yourself a relax day within the first week, but then not again for like three weeks? Obviously you'll be renting a car for this and I hope you have some people to split it with cause it will be very expensive picking it up one place, dropping it another, like three times.

 

Sorry to be kind of negative, but I think this is way too much, and not very well thought out.

[andyuk200523]

Honest and understandable response, thanks

 

I am used to the driving so thats not a problem, already got the money thing sorted, had a few rough quotes and am fully aware of the costs involved in the travelling side of things.

 

 

What other parks would you suggest....

 

....basically I have taken the parks I have always wanted to visit and tried a route around them

 

(The relax day in the first week was actually a reserve day in case anythign else came up I fancied doing!)

 

I appreciate the honest replies, makes me realise what I may have missed out!

 

Andrew

 

P.S. This isn't a fully definintive list........Just an idea, so changes will more than likely be made, this was primarily a way of visiting all of the parks I have wanted to visit since I was in my early teens!

[Erik Johnson]

I would have to agree with Elissa. If I were you I would try to focus on a couple of geographical areas instead of trying to do parks across the entire country. I would focus on parks in the East Coast and maybe a few in the Midwest for one trip. With your current schedule, you are spreading yourself too thin. For example you simply need more time at Dollywood than an afternoon. You will also need more than one day at Cedar Point because there is always a good chance it will rain for a part of the day. If you are going to visit Florida, unless you have already been there, you are going to need more time. It would be a shame to only be a hour away from Busch Gardens Tampa and not go. The same goes for Epcot and Sea World. For many of these parks they are only open from about March to September.

[monsterfan99]

I also agree on the staying to one area, but I'm also insane enough to do the same trip if I had the $$$.

 

I can help you some with the SF Great America part. With the drive from Holiday World to Great America will be around 7 hours without traffic. If you drive around 4 hours the night before, you can get to Great America the next day by around 1ish and give yourself more time there (or even make a stop at Kiddieland, it's on the way up here.)

 

A big word of caution is if you come up and taking the full day to drive, try your best to hit Chicago 11am-2 pm. If you hit the area then, you will miss most of the traffic. If you can't hit drive then, try your best to drive closer to night. The traffic leaving is no where near as bad as hitting morning rush hour going in.

 

If you are only doing one day, the Flash Pass might not be a bad idea. All the coasters (minus Demon and the Vekoma Jr.) get long lines very fast. Superman alone is well over an hour within the first 30 minutes of opening. The water rides are just as bad as well, although Buccaneer Battle should help. I'll be at Great America a ton this year, so if you need any help with planning a day there feel free to ask.

 

On the flight to Texas after SF Great America, where are you flying from? I ask because you are going to be around 2+ hours (with traffic) from each major airport in the area. If you can return the rental car around Great America, you can take the Metra train into Union Station. From there, they have routes to both airports. That should save you some time (the trains are always on time.) Milwaukee, WI is a further drive but cheaper prices on flights.

 

Hope the trip is great.

[larrygator]

I think their are 2 key parks you will pass very close to but have left of the list are Knoebels and Indiana Beach. You'll be close to or pass a lot of other decent sized parks (Wild Adventures, Six Flags America, Lake Compounce, Kings Dominion Rye Playland, Sea World Orlando) but I wouldn't swap out any of your suggested parks except maybe Dorney.

 

It also looks like you only have a half day at Kennywood. I made that mistake on my first visit in 2001, you need a full day there to absorb the whole park.

 

One month does sound like a long time to be driving on the road. I know after 17 days on a bus visiting amusement parks most people need a break. Add the aggravation of driving and less sleep and it very well could be too long, but if you think you can handle it, more power to you.

[Jinx]

You're going from King's Dominion to Philadelphia and then the next day says "Day in Washington"...Washington is in between Richmond and Philly so you would want to do KD, Washington, Philly. I also don't know about Dorney, it's not horrible, but nothing too special. It's also out of your way if you're coming back to GAdv and you can do the whole park in half a day easily. Also it says 449 miles after GAdv..not sure what distance you're referring to but Dorney is only 100 or so miles from GAdv and GAdv is about an hour from NYC.

 

Also, if you're going to Disney you should really do all the parks. Studios and AK don't really require a whole day, MK typically does and I personally could spend 3 days in Epcot! I haven't been to California in forever so I don't know if both parks there are doable in one day.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

You could combine DCA and KBF into one day as they are only 8 miles apart from each other and neither one of them require a full day.

 

Why did you leave out Epcot and Disneyland park from your list? Your leaving out two of the best parks ever created, especially Epcot.

 

Also Universal Studios Hollywood and sightseeing could be combined into one day as well since you are just one stop on the subway from the walk of fame from Universal.

[matt_g]

Are you really going to enjoy doing quite so much at once? I can't really imagine doing parks non-stop for a full month. If you've done this sort of thing before then that's one thing but it sounds like you might not have done. I would seriously consider having a (cheaper) 2 week slower-paced "cut down" version, even if you might not be able to come back.

[ajinaz]

From experience I can tell you that by days 10-14 you will be miserable. I know you said that you drive alot but it is not the same. Walking through parks and standing in lines only to get in a car and drive gets very exhausting very fast. If all things were the same for me I would spend a casual week in the NE and then fly to Florida for ten days and hit all the parks and relax a bit too. I would then fly to California for a week and hit the parks in Southern California and build in a couple beach days. You could then head home with a 2 day layover in Ohio to hit CP.

[usctrojansrock11]

ive been thinking about something like this for a long time

but

this is the way i would do it.

and its probably gonna cost more money.

 

 

fly to boston

then six flags new england

then lake compounce

then darien lake

MAYBE coney island

down to six flags great adventure

swoop right up

then hit dorney

then hershey

then knobles

then a long drive to kenneywood

then cedar point

indiana beach

six flags great america

relax maybe

but then heres an option

go through iowa

hit adventure land

then go to worlds of fun

or

go straight down from sfgam to kansas city and worlds of fun

anyway

after worlds of fun

go down to branson

silver dollar city

then swoop up for a long drive to six flags st louis.

then go through the bottom part of illinois

holiday wotrld

then kentucky kingdom

after that

kings island

then a REALLY long drive to six flags america

then kings dominion

busch gardens europe

carowinds

then dollywood

then six flags over georgia

then a long drive down to florida

for all the orlando and tampa parks

then relax again

then either drive or take a flight to texas

hit their parks

then grand canyon

then up to las vegas

then northern cal parks

then take another long drive

and get all the l.a. parks.

then your trip ends.

you would hit every major amusement park in the USA except for lagoon

mischigans adventure

frontier land

and elitch gardens

 

 

however this would take forever to figure out everything

but if you are really solid to do this

this is the best way to do it.

tell me wat you think.

[Carnage]

 

this is the best way to do it.

tell me wat you think.

 

That order has quite a bit of backtracking. Like you start on the east coast, head to the midwest, then back to the east coast, then all the way across the country ...

[paintballer]

Flying for one day just to SFoT? If you're going to do a crazy flight for one random park I could think of some better ones than that!

 

 

I think SFoT isn't some random park.. And may I ask whats better that he's not already going to hit?

[BeemerBoy]

Flying for one day just to SFoT? If you're going to do a crazy flight for one random park I could think of some better ones than that!

 

 

I think SFoT isn't some random park.. And may I ask whats better that he's not already going to hit?

 

Knoebels, Epcot, and Indiana Beach.

[dougstanton]

I know I am clearly going to be in the minority but I visited both Indiana Beach and Knoebels for the first time this past summer and didn't see what the big deal was. Cornball Express is very average with numerous rides I could place above it. I will admit that Phoenix was fun, but after all of the praise it got on here, I expected a lot more.

[larrygator]

^Based on Mitch's Poll you are in the minority, but hey it's an opinion.

 

Personally, I love both Phoenix and Cornball Express. However, what makes these 2 of my favorite parks are the incredibly run flats, atmosphere, great operations and wonderful fellow guests.

 

If you take away all those elements and the eclectic food at Knoebels, then I would agree that the parks are average.

[paintballer]

Flying for one day just to SFoT? If you're going to do a crazy flight for one random park I could think of some better ones than that!

 

 

I think SFoT isn't some random park.. And may I ask whats better that he's not already going to hit?

 

Knoebels, Epcot, and Indiana Beach.

 

I'll give you Epcot, but I agree with the guy above, I really didn't fin Indiana Beach.."Great". Yeah, I had fun, and I consider coming back, But I also think that SFoT has a wider selection and is worth making a detour for. Knoebles, same thing. Unless Flying Turns opens, it's just kinda there... Nothing big..

[dougstanton]

^Based on Mitch's Poll you are in the minority, but hey it's an opinion.

 

Personally, I love both Phoenix and Cornball Express. However, what makes these 2 of my favorite parks are the incredibly run flats, atmosphere, great operations and wonderful fellow guests.

 

If you take away all those elements and the eclectic food at Knoebels, then I would agree that the parks are average.

 

I agree on the atmosphere but felt that the operations were rather poor at Indiana Beach, of the 5 coasters (at the time), only Cornball and Hurricane were running. I can't comment much on Knoebels. It was a park that we only spent about an hour at, simply grabbing the credits and moving on with our trip. Our group found both Twister and Phoenix to not be worth paying for a second ride. Honestly, I found Phoenix to be more of a better Thunderbolt at SFNE.

 

To the OP, I can tell you that even at the best parks 40 days is ridiculous. After graduating high school in 2007, I thought it would be great for my first true trip with only my friends to be a cross country roller coaster trip for 17 days. After about a week of long drives, lack of sleep, and non stop coasters, we wanted to head home. This past summer's trip was more reasonable, about 8 days.

[paintballer]

 

To the OP

 

To those internetly challenged people, OP stands for Original Poster

[BeemerBoy]

Treating Knoebels like a credit run should be considered a crime.

[Hercules]

^ I have to agree with that as there is a whole lot of stuff there that needs to be taken in. However, I can totally see why people would do it, so people don't "get" Knoebels until they go there. I know someone who was going to Knoebels as a credit run park, have plans to take the rest of the day to travel to Ohio, but ended up spending the entire day at Knoebels because they didn't realize what it actually was.

 

Personally, I'm not a total fan of the park. I love the rides, the flats, the food, the hilarity that is the ride ops etc. However, I just can't stand the area, the "clientele", and the woods. I'll be making many a quick stop during my lunch breaks this summer, but I probably won't spend more than 30 minutes at a time at the park, just because I have experienced it completely a bunch of times before.

[larrygator]

^Jay - some of the GCI guys go there on weeknights to take out frustrations on the bumper cars. You consider that if the job gets stressful.

[dougstanton]

Treating Knoebels like a credit run should be considered a crime.

 

We wanted to enjoy the park but didn't enjoy the trashy people or atmosphere . I really wanted to love Phoenix as well. It just didn't happen...for any of us. Maybe we caught it on a bad day though, right?

[King of Ka]

I don't remember seeing any of these trashy people I hear people talking about.... anyway, having been to both SFGAdv, Hersheypark, and Cedar Point (but not much else), and Knoebels is still my #1 park.

[dougstanton]

I think the main problem with Knoebel's is so many people are attached to it because of its history, etc and you go in with the mindset that you are supposed to like it. Honestly, I feel like most people only like it to jump on the bandwagon. I can't imagine placing Knoebel's above a park like SFGAdv, Hershey, or Cedar Point.