Chicagoland Credits and Michigan's Adventure!

[milst1]

I recently attended my fraternity's annual convention in Chicago, and then Cheryl met me and we went a-whoring for credits, first in the Chicagoland area, and then we zipped up to Muskegon for Michigan's Adventure. Enjoy the report! Day 1: Chicagoland!

Our first stop was Go Bananas in Norridge. As you can see, they have games, birthdays, rides, and a monkey. And bananas.

Some places are skittish about letting adults in without kids, which really sucks if you're a childless credit whore pushing 50. I've never been explicitly hassled because Cheryl and I go as a couple. Of course, we've dealt with the "no-kids-no-ride" challenge. I think it's simply discriminatory. In any case, we'd called ahead this time.

Why go to Rainforest Cafe when you can have this?

Credit.

Haunted Trails in Burbank was an interesting place.

In most ways it was a standard FEC, with a birthday party room, video arcade, batting cages, go-karts, and rides.

The difference was a haunted mini-golf course with pretty good theming. I also see on the website that they have a theater that presents educational programs. Crazy.

CFTBL

18th Hole.

Credit.

Safari Land is another FEC.

I know you're wondering: Yes, they have giraffes.

And elephants.

And an indoor Tilt-a-Whirl!

Credit.

Santa's Village AZoosment Park was the last FEC of the day. This park actually has quite a history.

This park in Dundee, Illinois was actually one of 3 different Santa's Village parks built in the 1950's. The first 2 were in California, opening in 1954 (before Disneyland!), and 1957. The Illinois park opened in 1959. All 3 parks eventually went bust.

The Illinois park lasted longer than the others, finally going bankrupt in 2006. This park has had 8 different coasters over the years.

The new owners re-opened last year, giving over part of the land to a paintball facility.

Tons of kiddie flats and it was crowded.

Live carousel. Cheryl found this disturbing.

You could ride in Santa's sleigh pulled by draft horses. There were some reindeer but they had the day off it seems. Cheryl finds all animal employment disturbing. She even asks about Mickey Mouse's hours and working conditions.

There are animals, because it's an AZoosment park.

Abandoned funhouse beyond the fence.

Credit.

We then drove up to Six Flags Great America in Gurnee. It was pretty packed.

We had two credits to get here. During our visit to SFGA on the *amazing* TPR Middle America Tour of 2011, American Eagle Red only operated during part of the day and we missed it.

The other credit we needed was X-Flight.

It was hot and crowded. We only had a couple of hours because we had a dinner date with an old college buddy that evening. We sprang for the obscenely-priced Platinum Flash Pass and guess what? No Flash Pass on American Eagle! Then we got line jumped by one kid. When another kid tried to follow, I blew up at him. I don't feel good about this. But sometimes you have to yell at those smaller and younger than yourself in order to feel like a man.

On the plus side, American Eagle was a lot of fun.

First time I've seen one of these at a Six Flags. Are they an upcharge? Have they been installed at other Six Flags parks?

This was the other credit we needed. One annoyance was that there was only a turnstile and no park employee when the Flash Pass line merged with the regular line. I don't mind getting what I paid for, but when you actually have to merge with people giving you dirty looks, that sucks. There should be someone there to stop traffic and let you in.

This was my favorite element, spinning to get through the opening in the tower. These rides are fun, and I'm sure they're great for the park as they are family-doable and re-rideable. I can understand people really liking these coasters, but they're just not my thing.

I did like X-Flight better than Raptor at Gardaland, but I have to say that, if I had to pick a coaster model that was going to become popular and get built at many different parks, this wouldn't be it. As "wing riders" go, I strongly prefer Furius Baco or the 4th Dimension coasters. Of course, they're less family-friendly. And to be sure, I've got nothing against B&M. I'd rather that every park build a B&M Dive Machine. Did Busch Gardens work out some exclusive agreement that prevented duplication at other parks?

Thanks so much for checking out Part I! Coming up, Part II! Michigan's Adventure!

[cfc]

My parents have 8 mm footage of a family visit to the California Santa's Village. I vaguely remember visiting the place when I was a wee lad.

Edited August 18, 2012 by cfc

[G$ Kurt]

That is a lot of whoring you did there! Shame I didn't see you at Santa's Village, I guarantee I was there as I am everyday. And for the record we are currently refurbing that funhouse. It will be open in the park in time for for our Harvest Festival.

[milst1]

My parents have 8 mm footage of a family visit to the California Santa's Village. I vaguely remember visiting the place when I was a wee lad.

 

There were two in California, one in San Bernardino County (Skyforest) and one in Santa Cruz County (Scotts Valley). I would have to guess you're from Southern Cal, Chuck?

 

I found a fansite for these parks. Apparently they had quite a following.

[milst1]

That is a lot of whoring you did there! Shame I didn't see you at Santa's Village, I guarantee I was there as I am everyday. And for the record we are currently refurbing that funhouse. It will be open in the park in time for for our Harvest Festival.

 

Yeah, I had a Lola Starr Coney Island shirt on and Cheryl had a retro Great Adventure shirt on. Not really standard coaster enthusiast garb.

 

Cool to hear about the fun house. At which attraction would we have found you?

[cfc]

My parents have 8 mm footage of a family visit to the California Santa's Village. I vaguely remember visiting the place when I was a wee lad.

 

There were two in California, one in San Bernardino County (Skyforest) and one in Santa Cruz County (Scotts Valley). I would have to guess you're from Southern Cal, Chuck?

 

I found a fansite for these parks. Apparently they had quite a following.

 

Nope--the one in Santa Cruz County. I grew up in central California (about two hours from Santa Cruz).

[Godwyn]

That haunted mini golf looked pretty cool. Will have to check that out when we go on our credit whoring trip up to Chicago. I've actually been inside of Safari Land years ago, but we didn't get the credit. That was before we became whores.

[gisco]

Nice report so far Martin. Love the kiddie credit whoring!

[cal1br3tto]

Now that, that is some serious credit whoring. Kudos.

 

Unfortunately I was in the same boat as you with American Eagle Red. Hopefully next year will be the year I end up finally getting it, along with X-Flight.

[chadster]

Glad you got Safari Land, went twice to get it earlier this year and they kept closing early :/

[Jew]

Reminds me of TPR's "7 parks in one day" adventure we did way back when! Nice report!