Noob coaster trip to LA

[disturboed]

Hi there all you crazy coaster peeps

 

What a great site this is, I have spent ages and ages looking over it and reading past trip reports and checking out all the fantastic photos and videos. Some of these are pure gold, great entertainment.

 

Anyhoo, onto my point. I will be venturing from the great Aussieland over to LA in late March next year (2012) and onto Vegas to attend the Monster Jam World Finals. What I would like to do is spend a few days in LA doing the theme parks before heading over to Vegas for the show.

 

I would very much like to visit Six Flags Magic Mountain, Knotts Berry Farm & Universal Studios whilst in LA. Now in March, that is the first month of our Autumn (sorry..... fall) so that should be springtime over your way. Are the parks open each day at this time or only certain days? Also, what sort of crowds can I expect at this time? If it helps, it would more than likely be 20 March - 22 March that I would be doing them.

 

The other question is, I am undecided about visiting Disneyland. Is it worthwhile for me to visit it alone? I wont have the rest of the family with me on this trip, just me! Or is California Adventure a better option? If they are best visited with a family in tow, I will give them a miss this time round and focus on the others and spend an extra day soaking up Vegas. Or, on the other hand, I will adjust my itinerary and arrive a day earlier and spend only the days I need to in Vegas.

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks in advance!

Edited September 18, 2011 by disturboed

[Top Thrill Dragster]

Knott's is open 364 days a year, however might not open or close early in the event of rain.

 

Six Flags is open usually on Saturdays and Sundays, and depending on local schools spring break schedules might be open during the week. Also, like Knott's, might not open or close early in the event of rain.

 

Universal and Disney are open 365 rain or shine.

 

Is Disneyland worth going to by yourself? YES!! Disneyland park is one of the best parks in the world! Be advise that California Adventure is undergoing a massive renovation, unless you purchase a parkhopper ticket, don't waste your time at that park.

 

Have fun!

[disturboed]

So, does anyone else have an idea of Magic Mountains days & hours in March? Hopefully they are open during the week at this time, otherwise I might miss out all together which would really suck!

 

I will look a bit further into Disneyland, but I was always under the impression (maybe wrongly), it was more family & kid orientated. There are a few good rides, but I don't want to go just for 1 or 2.

[rcdude]

Unfortunately, judging from the Six Flags calendar for 2011, it looks like you would likely be visiting before the park is open weekdays. I don't know if it would be possible, but if you extended your trip to arriving on Saturday, you could use Sunday for SFMM and other weekdays for the other parks you choose to visit, or get to Las Vegas before Monster Jam starts. Otherwise, you might have to miss SFMM. The other So Cal parks, however, are open seven days a week so you can visit those.

 

Here's my thoughts on what you should do:

 

Six Flags Magic Mountain: If it is operating, do not miss this park. It has the best collection of coasters anywhere, and has an incredible variety of ride experiences, including a couple that are one of a kind (at least in the USA). However, as mentioned above, they are probably only open weekends so you may not get a chance to visit. If visiting on a weekend, choose Sunday if possible. On most off-season Sundays, crowds are minimal ( even X2, the park's most popular coaster, is typically not more than a 4-5 train wait). On Saturdays, however, it is much more crowded. If visiting on a Saturday, be prepared to purchase a regular or gold Flash Pass. However, do not pre-purchase it, as the crowds might be low enough that it would be unnecessary, and even the regular level is moderately expensive. Their hours are typically 10:30 to 6 or 8, but this should be enough time for everything.

 

Knott's Berry Farm: If you only have three park days and you are going to SFMM, I would skip this park. It has one good roller coaster, but everything else is either not that great or SFMM has a better version. If you do go to Knott's, however, go on a weekday and it will likely be empty (2-3 train waits for all coasters). They are usually open 10 to 6 this time of year, but you will have more than enough time to do everything and likely will finish early. It's not a bad park, but if you have to miss one of the four you suggested, I'd say this would be the one to miss (assuming you could actually go to SFMM. If you couldn't, make sure to get to Knott's for thrills).

 

Universal Studios Hollywood: I have a hard time recommending this park unless you are either: A. a show person or B. a movie buff. The park isn't really an amusement park, but is instead a movie studio with a few shows and rides. Including the Studio Tour, there are only four rides in the park, and there are five shows as well. That's about it. This park is pretty expensive for what it offers ($77), but if you do choose to go get there early and you will be done in 2/3 of a day easily.

 

Disneyland Resort: You really have two options for the Disneyland Resort: Disneyland only or a combo ticket. If you have never been to Disneyland, or at least to a Disney park, I would strongly recommend you visit. Disneyland is, at least in my opinion, the best park in California. Even if you are by yourself, you will have a great time. The park is not really a thrill park, but does have a few roller coasters and other moderately thrilling rides. However, where Disney really excels are immersive, themed rides. If you are into dark rides, you will find the best in the industry (except possibly Harry Potter, which I haven't been on) at Disney parks, and even fairly standard rides are more enjoyable in a nicely decorated landscape. Now, if you want to do Disney California Adventure Park as well, you will have a few actual thrill rides. California Screamin' is one of the best coasters in the state (I like it better than 14 of the 18 at SFMM, and all but one at Knott's) and Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is a really good drop ride. However, there are only about five or six rides at DCA that are not dressed up carnival rides. Whatever you do, don't buy a ticket to DCA only as it is not worth $80 and can be done in a half-day on normal weekdays. The combo ticket for $105 is a bit pricey, but it is worth it for what you get. You'll have to decide for yourself whether the extra attractions are worth $25 more.

 

In short, here is what I would do if I were you: if it is possible to extend/shuffle your trip so you can do SFMM on Sunday, do SFMM sunday, Knott's or Universal Monday, Disney Tuesday, and the fourth park Wednesday if you want to do all four. If you can only visit midweek, plan to do Knott's Disney, and Universal for now, and if SFMM says they'll be open, you can substitue that for Knott's or Universal. Be aware that if rain is forecasted, Knott's and SFMM will likely not open or will have numerous closed attractions, so you may need to rearrange your schedule last minute (it doesn't rain much here, but March is a popular month for it). Disney and Universal will not close in the rain, but certain outdoor attractions will not operate.

 

I hope this helped, and whatever you do I'm sure you'll enjoy your trip. None of the parks in So Cal are really bad, some are just better than others.

[WFChris]

Also, unless you like hanging out with yourself in lines (I definitely do not), I absolutely recommend finding some people here on TPR to go to the parks with. It was a dream of mine to go to KI and finally the opportunity arose, but I went by myself and just really had an awful time. I have met up with some TPR members here to go to SFMM with, and I really think it makes the trip a bajillion times better. Good luck with your planning!

[Andrewoplis]

Out of the 4 you motioned I would recommend Skipping Universal and going to Disney. Like someone said before, its not much of a park and it's pretty pricy for what it is. Disney, on the other hand, has LOTS of great rides and shows, instead of just a few. The other thing is that the distance between Knott's and Magic Mountain about an hour with no traffic, but this is LA its that's completely impossible. Try to make Knott's and Disneyland your 2 "priority" parks, and if you can, go to Magic Mountain.

[805Andrew]

Magic Mountain may be open during the week if it is during their Spring Break. Check their website in the coming months (early 2012) to see their March 2012 schedule. If not, then go there on a Sunday if possible and it shouldn't be too crowded. Make room for SFMM on your schedule, it is definitely worth visiting for the awesome collection of coasters. X2 and Tatsu are not to be missed. Three of my top 5 coasters in CA (and 6 of my 10 in CA) are at Magic Mountain. March is a good time to visit SFMM if the weather cooperates, as it is a lot less crowded than Summer or October. Discounts are plentiful for SFMM: on their website adults pay the kids price, hotel lobbies will have coupons, sometimes McDonalds will have coupons (or another fast food place), and sometimes they do the Coke can promotion where you bring an empty Coke product can (Coke, Sprite, Fanta, etc.) and you either get a 2 for 1 admission or pay the kid's price (check with the park first by calling them).

 

I would put Disneyland ahead of Universal and Knott's, especially if you have never been to a Disney park. Disneyland has Indiana Jones Adventure, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Matterhorn, and the new Star Tours which are all very fun and kind of thrilling. Disney California Adventure has California Screamin' (one of my top 5 coasters in California), Tower of Terror, Grizzly River Run, and Soarin' Over California which are all great as well. If you are by yourself you may be able to do both of these parks in one day and it will leave you wanting more so you will want to come back to visit it with your family/friends in the future. A Disney park hopper is really expensive, I would check out LAFunTickets.net and consider buying a one day hopper from them. I used them last September (2010) and got a one day hopper ticket for $55. They normally range from $55 to $70. You pick the day you want to go (can be a few days or a few weeks in advance) and reserve your ticket and pick it up and pay for it (in cash) the morning you go to the park. They have a office in a Shell station near the park (listed on their website) where you pick up the ticket and return it at night (unless your the last day on the ticket card like I was, so I got to keep it). It sounds sketchy but it worked for me.

 

On Knott's, if you have time for a day here, I would go here. Knott's is more than just coasters, it has some good water rides like Timber Mountain Log Ride (not to be missed), Perilous Plunge (bring a water poncho if you don't want to get soaked), and Bigfoot Rapids. Knott's has some interesting older rides like Calico Mine Ride and the Stagecoach though they are not thrilling. Knott's also has a good selection of flat rides (unlike SFMM) like Supreme Scream, Rip Tide, Screamin' Swing, and of course the new Windseeker. Knott's best coasters are Xcelerator, Ghost Rider (though it is kind of rough), Montezooma's Revenge, and Silver Bullet. You easily get a discounted admission to Knott's with a coupon from Burger King or Ralph's (supermarket chain) or hotel lobbies, or buying from Knott's website.

 

Universal Studios is a place I would go to if you are a movie fan or have an interest to movies, how they're made, and like movie based attractions. USH only has a handful of rides, so you'll want to see some shows here too. The Studio Tram Tour is not to be missed and takes 45 minutes. King Kong 360 3D is part of the Studio Tour and is not a separate attraction like the park markets it to be. After the Studio Tour, Jurassic Park is the best ride here in my opinion. The only thrilling part about it is the final drop, but the rest of the ride is interesting with great theming and animatronics (and no hippos get shot at). The Revenge of the Mummy (the park's only coaster) and The Simpsons are other must rides in the park. I would definitely do the Waterworld show here as it has great special effects, and Shrek 4D and Terminator 2 3D are also worth doing. Too bad you going to miss the new Transformers ride by a few months, a much needed addition to USH. Tickets for USH are pretty expensive for what the place has, and I would rank USH the 2nd most overpriced park in CA, after Sea World in San Diego. You can shave a few dollars off that ticket with a coupon at many hotel lobbies, if Coke happens to be doing specially marked cans at the time, or from buying a ticket in advanced from Universal's website.

 

Las Vegas has some fun attractions worth checking out since you are going there. If you are driving there you'll notice a hyper coaster going around a casino at the state line. It is Desperado at Buffalo Bill's and might be worth a quick stopover to get the credit (if its open). There is another hyper coaster going around the New York New York Casino on the Strip in Vegas. While a lot of people don't like that coaster (its a Togo), I rode it in the front row at night in April 2010 and enjoyed it. It is quite pricey at $14 a ride (or $10 a ride if you print a coupon online like I did - Google search "New York New York Rollercoaster Coupons"). I would definitely go up the Stratosphere. For about $30 you get a tower admission plus three rides (one on each). The view alone is worth it, the rides at the top of the tower would not be exciting at ground level, but up at the top it makes all the difference. The Vegas Strip has a lot of cool casinos worth checking out (if just for the theming) like The Bellagio (my favorite), Caesars Palace, The Venetian, The Mirage, Treasure Island, Mandalay Bay, Luxor, New York New York, Paris, MGM Grand, Aria, and many others. Las Vegas also has the indoor Circus Circus amusement park, which has a coaster, but I haven't been there so I can't comment on it.

 

Hope this helps and have fun in So Cal and Vegas.

Edited September 18, 2011 by 805Andrew

[IggyACE]

I have been doing this trip (LA-Vegas for MJWF) for the last five years. Last year the way Easter fell was the first year SFMM wasn't open during the week. I had to go to Sea World as in 2010 we did KBF and I didn't have passes this year. I would go to LA early even if SFMM was closed as there are plenty of parks to keep you busy.

 

Craig

 

p.s. Don't expect Outback Thunda to be in it!!!

[disturboed]

Wow, thanks so much to all who have replied so far, some great info &tips there.

 

I had a much more in depth look at the Disneyland website last night and made the decision I should infact visit it as every one has suggested.

 

I sent an online enquiry to SFMM regarding whether they might be open during the week or not, but they were spectacularly useless in their reply (check in Jan 2012 they said). I would definately like to have this on my itinerary though, so have looked at the possibility of leaving a few days earlier to get a sunday in. That would leave me extra day to do Disneyland and then I might head to Vegas a day earlier to do my sightseeing there before the Monster Trucks instead of after. Then leaving a day earlier than I had planned. I think I can make that work.

 

p.s. Don't expect Outback Thunda to be in it!!!

 

LOL, yes I know, we came soooooo close in 2010. Ever wonder why there was such a delay in annoucing the 24th truck? Then it was set for an encore run, got a body shipped over and everything to be put on Krmel's Blue Thunder, but Clive had to stay behind and it was the first WF he missed since the beginning. Oh well! But Thunda's gonna have a big run in the states in 2012, keep your eyes peeled! Now back to your regularly scheduled programming......

 

 

 

Anyone else with tips or experiences or whatever, please feel free to chime in, I'm all ears!

[IggyACE]

What ever you do, head out early Friday as traffic is heavy later in the evening getting to Vegas. We left San Diego two years ago at 5:30 and it took almost 7 hours to get there.

 

Are you doing Double Down tickets? Is this your first time at the World Finals?? Reason being I suggest not staying at the host hotels. The shuttles can take hours to get you to and from the event. Parking at the event isn't to bad but can be a mess getting out. There is a decent hotel (nothing fancy) less then a mile from the stadium and in walking distance called Sienna Suites. They all have a kitchen area so you can head back after the pit party and make dinner before the event.

[travanx]

Also remember that SFMM and Disneyland are over an hour away from each other driving without traffic. As well as Vegas is the worst going up Friday after work at 5pm and coming back to LA Sunday mornings. Keep those in mind while you plan out your trip. I would say that you can't miss Disneyland or SFMM. I would think walking down Hollywood and seeing the Walk of Fame or walking down Rodeo Drive during the weekday would be more interesting and cheaper than going to Universal Studios. At least you can probably see famous people doing that and see something very different than in Aus.

 

If you are going to Vegas I hope you are over 21 to really enjoy that place.

[disturboed]

Thanks guys again for the extra tips, VERY handy!

 

To answer Iggy's question, yes I will be getting a double-down package and yes I am a WF virgin. I did check out those host hotels and decided to pass on them anyway. $150 a night is a bit much.

 

As to travanx's question, yes I am 21. Just with 15+ years of experience!

 

I have re-jigged my planned itinerary and now I will arrive a couple days earlier than I planned and I will leave a day earlier as well. Given that, I will probably now head to Vegas on the Thursday instead of the Friday to do my Vegas sight-seeing before the World Finals event. I will then return to and flyout from LAX on Sunday night.

 

I'm going earlier to be in LA by sunday so I can at least do SFMM if they haven't yet opened full time. At least I can be guaranteed I can go this way. I'm definately going to add Disneyland to the list as well.

 

I've just had a great idea! Who's up for a Damo's noob coaster bash next year???????