Lagoon Discussion Thread

[Nrthwnd]

^^  

 

Heck, even I like this!

[dkepler]

I know things are closed until next season, however my youngest son was a little too nervous to go on Jet Star 2 the last time we went to Lagoon.  Can somebody give me info on age and/or height requirements?  Also, I know it has some sort of seatbelt for safety.  Not to sound paranoid, but can you tell me how the seatbelt works, meaning does it actually "lock" where it cannot expand upon dispatch, or when it clicks-in, or what?  Does it expand during the ride?  If somebody younger was being completely negligent, could they un-click-it themselves after dispatch?  Thanks for your help.

[thrillseeker4552]

The height requirement for Jet Star II is 50". However, all riders (kids or adults, doesn't matter) must ride in pairs. Nobody may sit alone in a seat. The seat belt connects across the front of the two riders. It is away from the body, unless you have two large adults, then it may touch the front rider. This is why two riders is required for the ride - if somebody rode alone, there would be a lot of extra room to slide around. I suggest taking a look at some offride photos or videos of the ride to get a better idea of the train setup. There is no restraint that tightly hugs any riders. The front rider protects the back rider, and the seatbelt protects the front rider.

With that being said, the ride is almost entirely positive-Gs and laterals, so there is no risk of "airtime" with a minimal restraint. It's a quite intense and whippy ride. If you're riding with your young son, the most secure restraint will honestly be your arms/hands, if you feel the seatbelt up front is not enough. However I definitely recommend you both hold onto the sides of the cars for control. You may do it instinctively! Oh, and no, you cannot unlock the seatbelt during the ride.

It is also worth noting that Jet Star II was closed for all of 2020, since it is impossible to social distance on the trains, and strangers/single riders often ride together on the ride. With COVID going the way it is, it could very well remained closed for 2021 as well.

[dkepler]

1 minute ago, thrillseeker4552 said:

Oh, and no, you cannot unlock the seatbelt during the ride.

It is also worth noting that Jet Star II was closed for all of 2020, since it is impossible to social distance on the trains, and strangers/single riders often ride together on the ride. With COVID going the way it is, it could very well remained closed for 2021 as well.

Hopefully once many people get vaccinated we will be post-COVID soon.

So, you said with 2 riders, the seatbelt isn't tight at all?  Also, you said you cannot negligently unlock the seatbelt during the ride, so at what point does it actually lock?  Does it lock the belt in position when you click-it manually yourself, or does it lock once the ride operator dispatches the train?

Thanks.

[thrillseeker4552]

The seatbelt reaches from the left side of the train to the right side (or it may be right to left, I forget). It is similar to a car seatbelt, where it is always retracting. So once it's clicked in, the belt remains taut and cannot be released. There is no way to tighten the belt against the rider like a typical roller coaster seatbelt. It is impossible for the rider to unlock the seatbelt mid-ride, whether purposefully or accidentally.

To be honest, the ride feels quite safe. I rode it when I was younger with my dad, and have ridden it as an adult with my younger sister, and it feels very safe. The train is quite cramped and has little room to move around anyway. You really don't even need the seatbelt to be honest (hypothetically). Obviously the seatbelt must be locked and secure for the ride to dispatch.

The ride has been operating safely for 45 years. Yeah, it's a bit sketchy when compared to modern coaster design, but I don't think you have anything to worry about.

Here is a link to a photo of the train from RCDB. It is not super clear, but it gives you a general idea. https://rcdb.com/198.htm#p=6642

[thrillseeker4552]

Lagoon has published their 2021 calendar on their website. They open for the season on March 20th, which is the earliest they have opened in recent memory. Great news!

Anyone planning on hitting up the park opening weekend?

[coasterbill]

Congrats to them. I love this park.

[prozach626]

Is there a skip-the-line pass here? We are thinking about taking a trip in April. We may start in Vegas for a couple nights, and end here. I don't want to go if lines are crazy.

[jonskinny12]

1 hour ago, prozach626 said:

Is there a skip-the-line pass here? We are thinking about taking a trip in April. We may start in Vegas for a couple nights, and end here. I don't want to go if lines are crazy.

No skip-the-line pass (other than for haunts, but you said April) and single rider lines will not be available when the park opens.

I only went a few times last year so maybe someone else can speak to the lines in the current state. But crowds don't get crazy very often at Lagoon, especially in the spring. In April I'd be more concerned with operations and rides that haven't open yet. The spring prior to Memorial Day is usually hit and miss with rides that aren't ready yet or running at limited capacity (pre-COVID). You can have some fantastic days at the park in the spring though, especially if the weather is iffy/overcast. You're no stranger to this but in April it could be 30 degrees and snowing or 85 and sunny.

Also, not trying to bring a mask debate into this, but Utah's mask mandate is ending April 10. No idea what this means for Lagoon or if the county will do anything differently, but just a heads up in case you didn't know already.

[thrillseeker4552]

3 hours ago, prozach626 said:

Is there a skip-the-line pass here? We are thinking about taking a trip in April. We may start in Vegas for a couple nights, and end here. I don't want to go if lines are crazy.

There is no skip-the-line pass, as previously mentioned. I have never had issues with crowds in April. The only real crazy crowded days at the park are in September and October when the weather is perfect and Frightmares attracts a ton more people in the park than usual. Otherwise the park is usually pretty manageable when it comes to wait times, especially in the Spring where many people don't even realize the park is open and usually don't visit until the Summer.

[grsupercity]

Didn't this place open some restaurants in the off season? Did anyone go?

[VegasBaby]

10 minutes ago, grsupercity said:

Didn't this place open some restaurants in the off season? Did anyone go?

They opened a new beer garden restaurant last year and it was actually really good.  The menu wasn't huge but we liked everything we tried.  They had about 20 different beers on tap with heavy emphasis on local brews.  A big plus was that it has indoor seating, which was really nice as our visit was in July.  The park was still limiting capacity in July and we went on a Tuesday, so there really weren't any lines.  The longest lines we waited in all day were for Cannibal and Rattlesnake Rapids, and those were only 15 minute waits.  Most of the rides were walk-ons or a 1-2 train wait.  I don't think it will be very busy in April but I'm not sure if they are still limiting capacity or not.  

[Zand]

Finally getting to this park next month after last April's trip got cancelled. Always kinda been a bucket list park for me and combining that with some of the country's finest skiing will make for an awesome week.

 

Does anyone know yet if any rides will be down for maintenance to start the season or is it too early to tell? I'll be there April 18th so hopefully any early season kinks will be worked out by then.

[grsupercity]

14 hours ago, VegasBaby said:

They opened a new beer garden restaurant last year and it was actually really good.  The menu wasn't huge but we liked everything we tried.  They had about 20 different beers on tap with heavy emphasis on local brews.  A big plus was that it has indoor seating, which was really nice as our visit was in July.  The park was still limiting capacity in July and we went on a Tuesday, so there really weren't any lines.  The longest lines we waited in all day were for Cannibal and Rattlesnake Rapids, and those were only 15 minute waits.  Most of the rides were walk-ons or a 1-2 train wait.  I don't think it will be very busy in April but I'm not sure if they are still limiting capacity or not.  

I meant during the winter when the park was closed didn't they keep the craft beer garden restaurant open?

[Edgar Allan Pooh]

^ yes. Yes they did. I wanted to get down there sometime in the winter, but could never quite justify the drive (at least, without being able to ride some coasters as part of the trip). 

I've got my season pass, and am super excited for the 2021 season. Especially with them opening a week earlier than usual this year. Unless I manage to make it to Silverwood or Adventuredome this summer, it looks like it's going to be mostly Lagoon and a bunch of water parks -- but hey, I'm not going to complain, that should still be a lot of fun.

And don't quote me on it, but I've been hopping on some of the livestreams Lagoon does on their Instagram page, and I believe Julie said that they are planning on operating Jet Star this season. Things can always change, of course, but I'm excited -- haven't been on Jet Star in a while. 

[Velcro]

Didn't this place open some restaurants in the off season? Did anyone go?

Yes. It's open daily from 11am to 7pm. I've gone a couple of times. Really enjoy it. I went last week and could hear some of the rides testing. Can't wait for Lagoon to open next weekend.

[thrillseeker4552]

On 3/12/2021 at 7:58 AM, Zand said:

Does anyone know yet if any rides will be down for maintenance to start the season or is it too early to tell? I'll be there April 18th so hopefully any early season kinks will be worked out by then.

I would anticipate everything being open when you visit. Even if you get unlucky with weather (April in Utah is quite unpredictable...), most rides will operate in rain or cold temperatures. As long as there is no crazy thunderstorm or snowstorm, you're good.

[tdaun]

 

On 3/12/2021 at 7:58 AM, Zand said:

Finally getting to this park next month after last April's trip got cancelled. Always kinda been a bucket list park for me and combining that with some of the country's finest skiing will make for an awesome week.

 

Does anyone know yet if any rides will be down for maintenance to start the season or is it too early to tell? I'll be there April 18th so hopefully any early season kinks will be worked out by then.

April shouldn't be very crowded, it's usually still light crowds around that time. May & June was when it would start to get busy because of the extended hours and they would host dance competitions but I would assume they won't host the competitions this year with COVID still around. Crowds will be especially light if there is any prediction of rain, the best is when a fast moving thunderstorm rolls through because it clears the park out and people usually don't come back after so you pretty much have the park to yourselves. I've only been to the park on 1 Sunday and it was the least busy I've ever seen the park (besides rain days) and general consensus has always been that Sundays are the least busy days. So if you can make it on a Sunday that will also work in your favor.

 

On 3/11/2021 at 12:47 PM, prozach626 said:

Is there a skip-the-line pass here? We are thinking about taking a trip in April. We may start in Vegas for a couple nights, and end here. I don't want to go if lines are crazy.

Everything should be open by that point except the water park, maybe an upcharge attraction, or maybe a water ride; usually by April everything has been open in the past.

[VegasBaby]

Great video on the 100th anniversary of Lagoon's Roller Coaster:

 

[JJLehto]

Nice! Wasn't a bad ride, ya know going in w realistic expectations, and gotta love just being able to say "Lagoon's Roller Coaster" 

[vertigomkie]

Excited to make there in May, it’ll be my first visit too—has anyone gone to Antelope Island near the park to view the salt lake sunrise/sunset on a trip visit to Lagoon? Worth it for a half day Lagoon/half day Salt Lake or does Lagoon really deserve a whole day?

[tdaun]

On 10/27/2020 at 7:25 AM, coasterbill said:

If it's anything like it was 2 years ago you can straight-up wheel in a cooler full of beer. I think they've also since built a beer garden. Maybe a local knows more about the specific rules...

PS: God, I love this park. I hate how much I love this park because it's in the middle of nowhere but I love this park.

I'm pretty sure they allow it, I don't drink but I know it was a big topic of discussion on the parks socials and other forums if they would ban outside beer. From my understanding the only new rule is that you can't bring beer into the biergarten and you can't take beer purchased there out. They have security posted to make sure of this (or at least it was that way in 2019). I sat out last season but from everything I heard nothing changed with those rules.

[Edgar Allan Pooh]

On 3/26/2021 at 2:19 AM, vertigomkie said:

Excited to make there in May, it’ll be my first visit too—has anyone gone to Antelope Island near the park to view the salt lake sunrise/sunset on a trip visit to Lagoon? Worth it for a half day Lagoon/half day Salt Lake or does Lagoon really deserve a whole day?

Antelope Island is great. I usually go there once or twice a year. Just look out for the no-see-ums. They bite. 

In the summer, I can easily spend a whole day at Lagoon -- but this includes the water park, Pioneer Village, getting a funnel cake, doing repeat rides, playing at the arcade, etc., plus I usually have to go on Saturdays due to my schedule. If you get there right at opening, you can do the coasters pretty quickly (Cannibal's line builds up pretty quickly but is fast-moving; Spider, Jet Star, and Wild Mouse get long and slow; Colossus' line is fast-moving). When I'm busier with school and such, like right now, I'm also content to just go for a few hours and hit up the major coasters. Last weekend was surprisingly busy, but I suspect things will start to even out over the next few months until we hit summer. 

[Zand]

So in the past year I kind of made a rule for myself...no new parks during COVID. I broke that rule on Sunday and immediately wished I didn't. 

First off...for COVID protocols the park kinda talks a big game but doesn't enforce anything at all. In most of the lines they had an employee (usually a younger one) walking around with a sign that said something like "Please Social Distance, Masks Required in Line" but there was 0 personal space at all nevermind social distancing. Id say a good 25% of the people in the lines were just wearing the masks on their chin and some didn't have one at all. Occasionally the employees would say something, but then keep walking and the person would just laugh after they walked away. 

I'm not much of a worry wart about COVID. I've traveled numerous times in the past year on planes, trains, and buses. Been to quite a few parks, ski resorts, casinos, sports games etc. I've felt slightly uncomfortable a couple times (previous top 2 times were the boardwalk in Wildwood on a Sunday and a couple lines at Hershey), but Sunday at Lagoon blew all those away. My wife was trying to get me to leave after an hour or two because she was even more uncomfortable. I know it's Utah and I should've kind of expected it to be not great, especially on a 65 degree day in full sun, but damn. If you're nervous about social distancing and that kind of stuff, I'd say don't bother with Lagoon until this is over unless it's a dead rainy day or something. Anyway, onto the park review...

At arrival I wanted to get the most anticipated ride out of the way first and headed right for Cannibal. The line stretched past the Ferris Wheel, but then I remembered that this park doesn't actually have queue lines for its rides for some reason. So the crazy looking line was only about 20 minutes and I scored the front row. I think I overanticipated this ride as it wasn't quite as great as I was expecting but it's still a really good coaster. It's extremely smooth and flowy, but not the most forceful coaster. The elevator lift and first drop were terrific. 

I wanted to ride Samurai as I've never ridden a a Top Scan before, but I walked by it as the line was very packed in and overflowing (this is one of the few rides that actually has a dedicated line). We walked past a few more rides and coasters and eventually came to the Log Flume. Not sure why, but they didn't allow single riders so I got put with another group. Layout reminded me of the old flume at SFNE with some low to the ground turns and one drop. Not a great flume but there's no such thing as a bad flume.

After visiting the village and checking out a few barns and museums in the quiet back of the park, we headed back towards the madhouse front of the park, past a closed Wicked (which I was looking forward to but knew it was unlikely to be open) and got in line for Colossus. Running two trains and they run Knoebels style dispatches, so it wasn't even 10 minutes from the entrance to sitting down. Good classic Schwarzkopf with pretty forceful loops and good helixes. Wish there were more of these coasters around.

Continued on to Spider which had a line out the entrance path and unfortunately this line crawled. Pretty good ride though with a long layout and decent amount of spinning. Very tight and uncomfortable legroom, and I'm only 5'8". 

Passed up the long line for the standard Wild Mouse, but couldn't pass up a ride on Rock-o-Plane. This thing was a mashup between a Skydiver and a Zipper and thankfully allowed single riders (although it was a tight squeeze for me) as my wife wouldn't go near the thing. I almost made myself hurl before it even started because it's super easy to get flipping and it can flip very fast. If i were still 15 I could've ridden this over and over but after 1 ride I was seeing stars. Loved it though, Knoebels should get one of these.

Headed for Roller Coaster next which was running two trains and also had a very fast crew. Thought I scored by ending up with the back seat but they mandate two riders in the back so I had to switch with a pair in the middle of the train. This place is bizarre. Anyway, for a 100 year old coaster it is super smooth. Not a ton of airtime but a perfectly acceptable family classic.

We stopped at the Biergarten for lunch which was very good, although it had me longing for BGW. Definitely one of the better park lunches I've ever had. 

Headed back in Cannibal's direction, past a broken down Samurai but got distracted when it started testing, so I got out of line to go wait by the entrance. Unfortunately after 15 minutes or so an op came down to tell the growing line that it wouldn't be opening. Big bummer that I missed this and Wicked as they were among the top things I was looking forward to.

Finished up the day with the spinning car Ferris Wheel, which was unique for sure and had some great views. The line was over 20 minutes but they were only loading 8 cars out of 40+ which was kinda lousy.

Had to pass up on the Jet Star as my wife didn't want to wait in any more lines and they don't allow single riders. Ended up passing up the family coasters as well and eventually just made our way out of the park. With the park doing 0 enforcement of their policies, we just didn't want to be there any more. Definitely mad at myself for breaking my own rule and putting a bad taste in my mouth at a park I've never been to before. But a little more enforcement on their behalf would go a long way. Looking forward to going back some day and getting a better experience.

[coasterbill]

People are generally over it and even parks that did a great job with covid protocols last summer are struggling now. The data coming out now is highlighting just how insanely rare outdoor transmission is with even incredibly left-leaning publications calling for an end to outdoor mask mandates (and I'm someone who is generally very pro-mask but data is data) but if that doesn't put you at-ease then I would not recommend that you visit a park right now. Most parks don't have enough staff to enforce this and compliance is going to get worse every day from here-on-out.