Elitch Gardens, Lakeside, and Lagoon

[sixflagsguy5]

Here's the deal... I'm flying to Denver next week and then driving to Salt Lake City. We're booking flights in the next few days, so I need any information that people have.

 

1) Have you been to Elitch Gardens, Lakeside, and/ or Lagoon this season? If so, please post which coasters were operating and which were closed when you went.

 

2) Are any of the coasters under a major rehab right now?

 

3) Have you ridden the Alpine coaster in Park City, Utah? What do I need to know?

 

Any other information would be great. I would just like to know if any of the major coasters at any of these parks have been down so far this season. Most parks won't tell you if their rides are closed, so it's best to hear from people who have visited the parks. I would hate to show up to Elitch Gardens and miss Twister II or Half Pipe...

 

 

Thanks

[Goliath513]

Although I haven't been to Elitch's or Lakeside yet this season, I can assure you that Flying Coaster at Elitch's will NOT be operating. In fact, maybe after your visit here, you could let us know if they have begun taking it down yet. Management has said they are "moving the ride to a new home." Everything else at the park should be operating. Halfpipe often breaks down, but it's a powered Intamin, so nothing out of the ordinary. The only advice I can give you is bring Advil for after you ride Mind Eraser. At the end of last season, it felt was worse than ever.

 

 

As for Lakeside, there is about a 90% chance that Dragon Coaster will be closed. I've never seen that thing open, yet RCDB lists it as "operating." Don't even try for the Kiddie Coaster credit there because they won't let anyone over 54" ride. Cyclone and Wild Chipmunk should be operating and are both great coasters. I doubt they'd open the park if they knew Cyclone was going to be closed.

 

I have been to alpine slides Park City, Utah, but that was before the Alpine Coaster was built. They are considerably longer than other alpine slides I've ridden.

 

If you're looking to ride alpine slides, visit a park with an old atmosphere (think Knott's without the Cedar Fair intrusion), there is a park in Golden, CO (about 20 minutes west of Denver) called Heritage Square that has alpine slides. There is also a small fairground style amusement park just below the alpine slides that has several kiddie coaster credits that you could get if you wanted to. There has been talk about closing down the alpine slides, but the shops and rides are there to stay.

 

Have fun in Colorado!

[cathyJ]

Thats good advice Goliath513 but I should add to those who are planning to visit Denver for Elitches andLakeside try to avoid watching local Denver TV if you can...mainly the local newscasts. Why? Well a few months ago when I was in that city, Denver's KCNC "CBS 4 News" did a story about "how to beat the great depression" and in the story "suggested" that for 2009 Elitch Gardens and Lakeside should be on a rotating weekend schedule. In other words..Elitches would be open two weekends a month while Lakeside would be open the other two...and neither park should be open on weekdays. The purpose? Because for Lakeside and Elitches to be open 7 days a week and at the same time, well that would be totally unfair for the local Colorado kids who can't afford to go to an amusement park this year. Anyway even though this is only KCNC's "opinion" some are taking that as fact even though its not true. If an out-of-towner would have seen that newscast..chances are they wouldnt even bother hitting either park.

 

Besides if Elitches had plans on doing this then why in the hell are they selling season passes? LOL

 

and I am not going to begin about KUSA's "9 News" story I saw last year where between Elitches and Lakeside..3000 employees had lost their jobs due to the great Denver depression.

I seriously doubt that. Hmmmm...if I counted the number of employees between both parks..I doubt I will get 2000, much less 3000.

[sixflagsguy5]

Thanks a lot for the info. I know that the Flying Coaster at Elitch has been SBNO for about a year now.

 

I just looked on Park City Mountain Resort's site and noticed that between April 12th and May 22nd, they are switching from their Winter season to Summer season. So nothing is open there during that period of time. Normally I would put my trip off another week to get this coaster in, but I can't for this trip. I tried calling them up and nobody answered unfortunately.

 

So as I was writing this post I did some research on other alpine coasters in Colorado/ Utah using a coaster counter website. I found that there's a park called Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. They have some really crazy stuff there. They have an alpine coaster and they also have a ride called Swing Shot. I believe it's a typical S&S Screamin' Swing. The difference is that on one of the swings you hang 1,300 feet over the colorado river!! I'm not a flat ride person, but I do love heights, so I'm gunna try to check out this place. I think they had something about it in Rollercoaster or ACE news a few years ago. It's right off of I-70.

 

http://glenwoodcaverns.com/ngc_thrillrides.html#canyon

 

Edit: Swing Shot is not an S&S Screamin' Swing

Edited April 30, 2011 by sixflagsguy5

[angryemobeaver]

Lagoon looks like a really great park! Be sure to post a PTR. Also there is this really cool somewhat amusement park in Logan Utah (I think thats where it is) and they have some neat attractions. Also, I believe S&S Is centered there and they sometimes have rides and coasters set up for people to ride, but I'm not quite sure if anyone can go ride them or if they even do that anymore.

[ragerunner]

I have been to Elitch twice so far this year. The coasters were all running last weekend and the lines were fairly small. Check out Ghost Blasters it a decent shooting dark ride. The new Survivor show is actually quiet good and worth the time. The only rides that has not been open was Disaster Canyon, the tower and Shipwreak Falls (althought they were testing Shipwreak last weekend). The water park opens on the 16th.

[larrygator]

Lagoon looks like a really great park! Be sure to post a Photo TR. Also there is this really cool somewhat amusement park in Logan Utah (I think thats where it is) and they have some neat attractions. Also, I believe S&S Is centered there and they sometimes have rides and coasters set up for people to ride, but I'm not quite sure if anyone can go ride them or if they even do that anymore.

 

Unfortunately, Celebration Centre closed last year.

[Big Mike]

Awesome thread topic!!!

 

I will be making this trip to the same parks in August, so any info I can find here on this thread will be extremely useful!!

 

Do you know what that "fairground" amusement park was called?

 

Peace, Big Mike

[Goliath513]

Thanks a lot for the info. I know that the Flying Coaster at Elitch has been SBNO for about a year now. That kind of sucks that two of the coasters at Lakeside are hard to get on. I'm usually pretty good at getting on kiddie coasters, so we'll see what happens.

 

I'm not sure how their operations are early on in the year as I usually go during the late summer / fall. And don't even bother with the Kiddie Coaster. They won't let you on. (That's coming from someone who got on Jr Gemini at Cedar Point last year without a child)

 

I have been to Elitch twice so far this year. The coasters were all running last weekend and the lines were fairly small. Check out Ghost Blasters it a decent shooting dark ride. The new Survivor show is actually quiet good and worth the time. The only rides that has not been open was Disaster Canyon, the tower and Shipwreak Falls (althought they were testing Shipwreak last weekend). The water park opens on the 16th.

Didn't the pump for Disaster Canyon break last season? Good to see they fixed it and have it running. The waterpark is worth going to if you go on or after the 16th. It's too bad you're not going the following week because that is when Hyland Hills Waterworld opens up.

 

Do you know what that "fairground" amusement park was called?

Fish N Farm is the name of the small fairground style amusement park inside Heritage Square in Golden, CO. Admission is free, so you buy tickets for the rides. They have a Miner Mike and a Python Pit. Both credits are attainable (I got them last year).

[themeparkman25]

I work at Elitches now!! I will probably be working the Boomerang just because it is the most fun ride to operate (for the few rides I am actually trained on haha).

 

Half pipe has been having its days recently where it hasn't been running. I am not sure if it is due to the cold Denver has had the past couple of weeks, or for other reasons not known to me.

 

Sidewinder actually valleyed about a week ago due to the cold. So if it is a cold day you visit the park, I hope it isn't, than that too might not be running.

 

Flying Coaster is done for. It is still standing and nothing to my knowledge has happened about dismantling besides the removal of the trains.

 

Besides that, Boomerang, Twister 2 and Minderaser have been running fine.

 

On a side not too, the alpine coaster at park city resort is pretty fun. I would definitely advise checking that and the one in Glenwood Springs out.

[Carnage]

Considering how bad Tomb Raider at PCW is, I'd think that Elitches is doing you a favour by closing Flying Coaster.

[cathyJ]

If you have the time there is the "Candy Cane Coaster" at Santa's Workshop near Colorado Springs.

 

However the thing is, I really dont want to bring politics in this but in this case ,it can not be helped, is that Santa's Village has very close ties to Focus On The Family and Exodus International. So if an adult wants to ride this coaster, they really need to be legally married in the eyes of the law ( hey we are taling Exodus International Here ). In other words, if your wife/husband is with you..no problem. Otherwise, you would have much better luck at Fish & Farm since we are talking about the exact same type of coaster.

 

Last year I had friends from the Denver suberb of Aurora who went to Santa's Village and no sooner as they got into the park they were reminded by their staff about the Focus On The Family connection so they went to Elitch Gardens.

[linearinduction]

lagoonisfun.com is a great resource for anything Lagoon related. All of Lagoon's Roller Coasters, Rides, and attractions should be open, barring any unforeseen circumstances. Roller Coaster, Fire Dragon, and Wicked are totally different rides after Dark and really Shine.

 

There have been some less than stellar comments made about lagoon, it's policies, and it's operations. It's best to check your other park experiences at the entrance gate and go in with an open mind. Some of these policies are, there must be 2 Riders in a Train on all of Lagoon's Roller Coasters. Fire Dragon has assigned seating and Loads from the Front of the Train to the Back. There must be 2 Riders in the Front and Last Row of the Train, wherever that "Last Row" may be, on Fire Dragon, Roller Coaster, Puff, and The Bat.

 

Check out Historic Pioneer Village and it's exhibits. Pioneer Village has everything from Civil War Cannons and Guns, to Currency, Antique Carriages, Clothes, and Medical Equipment. Lagoon also has some pretty nice Live Entertainment, especially Rock U2 The Top. Also, Flying Aces, Lagoon's Flyers, Snap quite easily. For discounts on admission tickets bring in a Coke Can before Noon for $5 off. Depending on when you come, I might be able to score some deeper discounts.

 

Lastly, Don't forget to visit Cowabunga Bay in Draper, as TPR's own Montezooma is the Owner and my Boss.

 

- Sid

 

P.S. - Big Mike, long time reader/fan, let me know when you have dates you will be in Utah, because I'm sure those of us at LiF could throw you a Party at Lagoon.

[Big Mike]

That is a deal good buddy, (sometime in the 1st week of August), and I already have a stop at Cowabunga planned out

 

 

Peace, Big Mike

[sixflagsguy5]

Considering how bad Tomb Raider at PCW is, I'd think that Elitches is doing you a favour by closing Flying Coaster.

 

Yeah, that's why I'm not upset at all. The one at Rye Playland isn't much better plus I'm not a huge fan of flying coasters.

Edited April 30, 2011 by sixflagsguy5

[bspellx5]

Kind of off topic, but I was wondering. Is Elitch Garden's Rainbow still up?

[Goliath513]

^ I think I saw it up and running when I was there for Fright Fest last fall.

 

^^ Compared to Super Flight, Flying Coaster was enjoyable (and that sucked hard).

[themeparkman25]

Kind of off topic, but I was wondering. Is Elitch Garden's Rainbow still up?

 

It is standing but has yet to run this year. It is still early though where I guess they could fix and get it running before the real season starts.

[sixflagsguy5]

I just got back from Elitch Gardens a few minutes ago. I'll give a mini park review, but not a full trip report.

 

So I was really looking forward to this park, just because it is one of the few former Six Flags parks that I have not been to (only missing Discovery Kingdom and Mexico). I got to the park at 8:45am, because they opened at 9am today. I was very impressed with the employees during the first hour I was there. I managed to get on everything except the kiddie coaster and half pipe within the first hour. They opened up Twister II about 45 min after opening and Half Pipe didn't open until about 11am. Half Pipe was open for about 20 minutes and then closed down again after that (they cleared out the line too). I happened to get to ride it in that 20 minute operating interval.

 

I missed out on Ghost Blasters unfortunately, but due to time/ money constraints it was worth not riding it. I would have had to pay $35 for a taxi otherwise.

 

My observations:

 

-They had everything operating except for their rapids ride and maybe some flats.

 

-The ride operators were very friendly for the most part. Some were too friendly (trying to by funny by being annoying on the microphone).

 

-Their SLC (Mind Eraser) was very rough compared to the other 8 that I've been on. I rode in the front row.

 

-There were a ton of 8th graders and freshmen in high school, because of a band day type thing at the park.

 

-They are very strict on maximum height restrictions (Half Pipe, kiddie coaster).

 

-They never updated the music clips for their games. The clips are from 2001 if I had to take a guess.

 

-The waterpark looks very nice. From what I noticed, they have a stingray (halfpipe), fast body slides, toilet bowl, large family raft slide, and much more.

 

-The skytower was closed, but the ferris wheel has a nice view of the park and waterpark- perfect for picture taking.

 

 

I'll give an update for Lakeside, Lagoon, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, and possibly some kiddie coasters in the area. Time for me to get some Chipolte!!

[linearinduction]

Hey sixflagsguy5,

 

When will you be coming to Lagoon?

 

- Sid

[Goliath513]

-They are very strict on maximum height restrictions (Half Pipe, kiddie coaster).

What is their policy on the kiddie coaster? Child required? Maximum height of 54?

[sixflagsguy5]

36"-54" I didn't bother asking about if I needed a kid. I'm pretty sure they won't let you ride even with a kid though. I checked back over there and saw a train full of all kids with parents in the exit. Usually parents will ride with their kids if they're allowed to.

 

I did some research on it. It's an Allen Herschell Little Dipper model. At all the parks I've been to I've only gotten on one of these- it was at Little Amerricka. My experience with these is that they won't even let parents ride with their kids.