What are your ideal vs. reality plans for 2021?

[JRice92]

Ideal: 

Texas trip in June: Over Texas, Sea World San Antonio, Fiesta Texas, along with ZDT's, Kemah Boardwalk, & Galveston Pleasure Pier. This trip I already have a group for and have a plan made.

Rough trips being considered are Indiana/Ohio/Pennsylvania 

Realistic:

I live in Orlando so all these parks will be visited multiple times.

 

[Satans Hockey]

Ideal:

Nickelodeon Universe at American Dream for a fair price

Six Flags Great Adventure 

Halloween Horror nights in Orlando

Busch Gardens Williamsburg for their food and wine festival 

Realistic:

Nickelodeon Universe will probably raise their prices even more

I don't plan on going to any parks at the moment, I've already decided on not renewing my Universal Orlando passes and I wouldn't have renewed my Cedar Fair passes in hindsight but I'm really happy I had dropped all the dining passes when I renewed for 2020 last year. I'm keeping our Busch/SeaWorld and Six Flags passes but that's mainly because I'm locked into cheaper prices than if we cancelled and then bought new ones in the future. I'm not buying dining passes for Six Flags for next year though and was able to get a refund for them for 2020 since we hadn't been to the parks at all. 

[RAWKIN_coaster38]

Ideal:

Germany - Because I'll say this every year until I get to finally go. I doubt '21 will be the year, but I can dream, right?

NE Trip (PA, NY, NJ) - I wanted to go this year but didn't get the chance, obvi

Florida - Kinda in the middle of Ideal and Realistic. Since I'm moving and it would be too far for me to drive, I'd have to fly, but flights are pretty cheap. As far as places I want to fly to in '21, FL takes backseat to CA, but FL would be my second choice.

 

Realistic:

SFStL - It'll be my home park

Worlds of Fun - not too far, plus I've never been so I want to go

SDC - It's pretty likely that I'd make a point to visit SDC at least for Christmas, and it's not too far

Kings Island - I'm sure I'll have to go to Ohio for some reason, but if not, I'll make it a point to go anyway, especially if KI does Haunt this year!

Cedar Point - Very likely that we'll visit Toledo, and CP isn't too far out-of-the-way

California - Very realistic for me to visit the state, whether it's realistic for me to visit the theme parks or not depends on what the state is going to do

Other parks in the Midwest - Usually I throw in a couple other parks into my year that are within a day's drive of where I live, so there are a fair amount of Midwest parks that would be realistic for me to visit.

 

 

[bill_s]

Ideal: Virginia parks proceed to kick ass and I feel no need to travel.

Optimistic: Lightning Rod and Steel Curtain, both first park visits.

Realistic: Pantheon, LR, November Days again at GrAdv. 

[cfc]

My family was planning to take Mom to Disneyland for a Christmas present in May 2020. We all know how that worked out. So, I guess the only "sure" thing is trying again in 2021. I imagine it won't be realistic before midsummer. At least Mom has filled out her paperwork to get the COVID vaccine (she's in assisted living). 

Other than that, who knows? 

[IronWolfman]

IDEAL:

SFFT/SWSA in mid-January.

SFMM in late spring.

Luna Park/NYC in mid-July.

Southeast/MidAtlantic (SFOG/Dollywood/Carowinds/BGW/KD) in mid-August.

Lagoon/Silverwood in mid-September.

& additional trips to WA state & NorCal that aren't coaster related.

REALISTIC:

There are a few upcoming circumstances that will determine if I can make ANY of these plans happen at all, but granted those work out-

SFFT/SWSA trip.

SFMM but whenever it is allowed to reopen.

Luna Park if NYC allows it to reopen by July.

Southeast trip could just be SFOG & Dollywood.

Silverwood but no Lagoon, and just one other trip to WA state.

There's of course still so much riding on when parks reopen, keeping my job, how my last semesters in college work out, etc., but I'm still fairly optimistic. 

 

 

 

 

[Rai Fox]

I'm just planning things for later in the summer and fall, so I don't think there's a huge gap between idealistic and realistic here.  Got a cottage booked for Knoebels again at the end of August; that's the really important one, and I'm fairly sure things will be at least semi-normal by then.   I really want to get out to Indiana Beach and show them some support too.

Other than that, I'm figuring I might just save up my vacation time and travel money for fall and see how many halloween events I can get to.  With the air miles I have saved up now, it's pretty much anything goes there.  I'd love to see SFFT for Halloween.  Maybe Knotts too, though I'm leanings towards saving that for when I can be there for the Boysenberry festival.

[SharkTums]

These are all some great plans and it's encouraging to see how smart and realistic all of you are!

[dmh1079]

I'm not really thinking of anything too crazy, so ideal and realistic are pretty much the same.  It's looking like 2021 will include:

Pennsylvania Trip

Orlando/Tampa Trip

 

I guess ideal would be a spring break Virginia trip in late March/early April, but who knows how things will be by then.

[tndank]

I did 26 days in parks across the country this year.  I hope to do many more next year.

Planning:

SFStL, SFFT, BGW, SFA, SFGAd, SFGm, Holiday World, SDC, Mt Olympus, Silverwood, Lagoon, Universal, BGT, SWSA, and SWO.  Dollywood is nearby so I'll be there a few days.

 

Realistic:

I think I'll get to all the above.  Would have hit several this year if things had been normal. If things really progress, I'd love to do Scary Farm / MM again or do Halloween in the UK and visit my brother.

 

[pianojohn]

Well....first I am hoping and praying to return to my dream job of playing piano at WDW, a job I held for 21+ years.

If that happens (hopefully spring-ish), here are my plans:

IDEAL:
CoasterStock at KI in May.  I planned on going last year but...well...you know.

CoasterMania! at Cedar Point in early June.  Already booked my Breaker's Hotel room!  Fingers crossed

Denver in mid June to graduate with my master's degree from Univ. of Denver. And since I'm there, Lakeside, Elitchs (if it's still open) and MAYBE a trip up to Lagoon before flying back home.

Virginia maybe July-ish. Need to get to BGW and KD to ride their new stuff!

Cleveland in August for my nephew's wedding.  Which means more CP (I do have a Platinum Pass!)

October  Knott's Scary Farm/Disneyland

REALITY
Putting it out there for the universe to hear me!  Make it happen!

AND WEAR A F*CKING MASK!!!!!!!!

 

[grsupercity]

Ideal would be 

Beech Bend, Islands of Adventure, Wild Adventures, SFOG and Kings Dominion 

 

reality prly will be 

Beech Bend, Cedar Valley, and SFOG

[thrillseeker4552]

Ideal:

1. Multi-park trip on the East Coast in June that would include American Dream, SFGAdv, Dorney, Knoebels, Hershey, Kennywood, Kings Island, and Cedar Point. If the parks are open and travel is possible, this is fairly likely.

2. A few Lagoon trips scattered throughout the year.

3. Silverwood in July or August.

4. Knott's, SFMM, or SWSD, whenever they open. I am honestly not expecting them to open for many more months.

Realistic:

1. Big Apple Coaster, Stratosphere Tower, and/or Adventuredome in January.

2. Numbers 2 and 3 from above.

[dankeykang]

59 minutes ago, thrillseeker4552 said:

Realistic:

1. Big Apple Coaster, Stratosphere Tower, and/or Adventuredome in January.

I was contemplating going to Vegas next month as well... but I think I'm going to postpone for a bit since Big Apple Coaster is closed all through January.  Hopefully the June trip works out for you!

[thrillseeker4552]

^Oh dang. Thanks for the info! It was originally planned to re-open next week (presumably with the new trains).

And yeah, I'm hoping June works out too. I have a feeling most things outside of California will at least be open.

[DoinItForTheFame]

This is based off all the plans we have:

IDEAL:

USO

IOA

Carowinds

Canada’s Wonderland 

Sadly...

REALISTIC:

USO

IOA

SDC 

 

im ready for life to return to normal.

[RAWKIN_coaster38]

I forgot to mention Holiday World! I'm definitely planning on attending Holiwood Nights. Anyone else planning on attending the event this year? I'll add in Kentucky Kingdom as well if they do another enthusiast event on that weekend.

Someone else mentioned Coaster Stock and CoasterMania. I'll probably try to hit those as well, but I'd rather attend Holiwood Nights than CoasterMania if they conflict this year (anyone know if they do?).

[IanKgtr]

I've lived less than 3 hours from Lightning Rod, The Voyage, and Kentucky Kingdom's RMC (soon to be RMC's?) – for seven years – and have never ridden any of them.

Time for that to change.

Anything else in a day's drive of Nashville I'm leaving out?

[michaellynn4]

Depends on how far you consider a day's drive (everyone seems to have their own tolerances for time behind the wheel), but SFOG and Carowinds are certainly not outside the realm of possibility.

[tndank]

36 minutes ago, IanKgtr said:

I've lived less than 3 hours from Lightning Rod, The Voyage, and Kentucky Kingdom's RMC (soon to be RMC's?) – for seven years – and have never ridden any of them.

Time for that to change.

Anything else in a day's drive of Nashville I'm leaving out?

Rampage in Birmingham.  Kentucky Rumbler at Beech Bend is decent and they have Michael Jackson's Sea Dragon.

Indiana Beach is <= 6 hrs.

Six Flag StL and Silver Dollar City are under 8 hrs from Nashville.  That's usually about my 'days drive' radius. 

[KBrylczyk]

Ideal -

International trip to Europe to visit extended family and introduce the wife to Europa and Phantasialand, among others.

Realistic -

With a little bit of luck I'll be able to enjoy Halloween again.  This year the only options were pretty godawful drive-through attractions.  I ended up getting way too into Ghost Adventures and other ghost-y TV shows to scratch the itch of missing haunted houses.

[Haymaker]

11 hours ago, IanKgtr said:

I've lived less than 3 hours from Lightning Rod, The Voyage, and Kentucky Kingdom's RMC (soon to be RMC's?) – for seven years – and have never ridden any of them.

Time for that to change.

Anything else in a day's drive of Nashville I'm leaving out?

Kings Island....

[FeelTheFORCE]

Ideal:

• I wanted to do a Kings Island, Kentucky Kingdom, and Holiday World trip this summer that never happened, so ideally I'd like to try that again in 2021.
• Dollywood
• Disneyland
• Carowinds

Realistic

• The Kings Island trip could realistically still happen, but that's a "wait and see where the world is" type of deal, and something that can be planned fairly spur of the moment.
• Cedar Point
• Kennywood

 

No complaints if my "realistic" list is all I do in 2021 (or even just CP), but I do miss trying out new parks that I've never been to.

[AndrewA86]

 

Spring break trip- Busch Gardens Tamps and Orlando parks (minus Disney) if Iron Gwazi is open. If not, probably a combination of Six Flags over Georgia, San Antonio parks, and Six Flags over Texas.

Cedar Point/ Kings Island- multiple visits

Fly into Philly-  Knoebels, Hersheypark, Dorney Park, and Great Adventure.

Kentucky Kingdom/ Holiday World/ Indiana Beach road trip. Can probably throw in another visit to Kings Island too.

Fly to Virginia for Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

Fly into Pittsburgh for Kennywood. 

Whatever trip I didn't do during spring break.

 

As long as all the parks mentioned above are actually open I feel like those plans are very realistic. I'm a teacher so I've got the whole summer...

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Ideal

Texas park tour in March
European park tour in August
Orlando Halloween event tour in September
Return to CA parks

Realistic
US park summer road trip - region TBD
Orlando park tour in September
Not holding my breath waiting for CA parks to *maybe* reopen