Indiana Beach (IB) Discussion Thread

[9Armgeddon4]

I'll going up to Monticello Tuesday night to Thursday this week with a couple friends and we will be going the park Wednesday. None of my friends have ever been to the park so I already told them that there's a chance not all the rides will be open. We're probably explore Monticello Thursday before we head home.

[Stealth2k]

When is the best time to visit this place. I was going to go their on a thursday night in a few weeks and then trip over to Holiday World the next day. Does anyone know if they are still closing rides randomly because I'm hoping I can at least get on Cornball Express and Steel Hawg. Thanks!

[Canobie Coaster]

I would highly recommend doing the coasters in the order of priority in case any close for whatever reason. I'd recommend Cornball first, then Steel Hawg, then Hoosier Hurricane. Lost Coaster only has one 8 person train so that line is going to move painstakingly slow (full queue is an hour wait). It could very well break down but it's super fun. Due to the line, I'd save it after you've gotten on all the other coasters.

[BryanRph]

Tig'rr fits a lot of track in a small space!

I went to Indiana Beach yesterday for the first time and wanted to share some pics of this gorgeous little park. I often felt like IN was more a high-end fair midway rather than a theme park, but with a couple good coasters thrown in. That's not a bad thing, as we had fun all day, but there were several odd things I've not seen anywhere else. Ride capacity was low on many rides and, as others have mentioned, ride maintenance seems like a challenge.

 

The coasters:

Dragon Wagon is terrible. Kiddie coasters aren't supposed to hurt. Tig'rr is a fun throwback. Lost Coaster is really unique and fun. Hoosier Hurricane has a classic wood coaster feel and looks great as it spans almost the whole park. Cornball is excellent for its small space. I love how it shares support structure with the Hurricane. Steel Hawg is also a fun, compact coaster with maybe the fastest lift hill I've ever seen!

 

Flats:

A lot of classics that are made special by unique placement over the lake. Even the antique cars drive mostly over the water. They are clearly out of space, which made some ride locations seem haphazard, but the park is small enough that backtracking isn't a big deal. The magic carpet ride was a highlight, as I hadn't ridden one of those in a long time. Several flats didn't run all day :/

 

Pictures:

Gorgeous view greeting us as we cross the bridge from the south parking lot

Hoosier Hurricane diving to the water

Lost Coaster over the lake

Now it's Cornball's turn to go swimming

Cornball Express gets a regular soaking from the log flume

Steel Hawg from a distance

The lift hills of hurricane and cornball share space nicely

The back coils of Tig'rr

I love how some flats are out on the lake

A cloudy view of Steel Hawg

Hoosier Hurricane's lift

IB uses nearly every inch of available space!

Steel Hawg break run

[Canobie Coaster]

Great photos of the park! I had the same issue during my visit as a lot of rides were down. Fortunately for you all of the coasters were running. Cornball was only running for like 30 minutes total during my visit so I consider myself fortunate to have ridden it. Steel Hawg got stuck on the MCBR. Then Tig'rr and Dragon Wagon never opened. If only they could get everything open this would be one of my favorite parks based on the ride collection they had.

[Arthur_Seaton]

I missed out on Cornball and Lost Coaster credits when I visited (both were down the whole time), and the operations were so bad on Hoosier (single-train, only partially-filled due to busted restraints), that I was only able to get one ride in despite the park being fairly quiet (it opened late for a tiny window of time, and the line was close to an hour). I ended up leaving after just a couple of hours because the place simply wasn't conducive to riding rides (several rides were broken, and morning ride maintenance didn't even begin until after the park had opened). Having said that, the setting is charming, and I could easily imagine spending a relaxing weekend there, but only if the park was functioning properly. The haunted house was amazing, and Steel Hawg was really fun (despite its astonishingly-tame first drop). Hopefully the current management won't bankrupt the place in the time it takes them to get their act together.

[gerstlaueringvar]

Been to the park, got the credits, can't stand it, left after a few hours without riding Lost Coaster and Cornball.

[Canobie Coaster]

I really hope someone else buys this park and runs it to their potential. I was hopeful what I experienced in late May was just early reason jitters. Doesn't seem to be the case now.

[larrygator]

Apex Parks Group Launches New Oktoberfest, Halloween Horror Events, Reciprocal 2018 Season Pass Program And All Season Dining

Aug. 4, 2017, 01:18 PM

 

ALISO VIEJO, Calif., Aug. 4, 2017 /CNW/ -- Apex Parks Group has announced the launch of new Oktoberfest and Halloween Horror events to take place at their parks nationwide as well as a new program that offers Season Pass holders free admission to all 16 Apex parks. Season Pass holders will also be able to purchase a new "All Season Dining Pass" allowing them to pay once and eat all year for free including a meal and snack on every visit to the guest's home park.

 

"By creating fun, new events, we are enhancing the value of an Apex Season Pass and giving guests another reason to visit their favorite family entertainment venue," said John Fitzgerald, Apex Parks Group CEO. "With the added benefit of a reciprocal Season Pass program, our valued guests can visit an Apex park just a few miles away, or on the other side of the country."

 

Thirteen of Apex Parks Group's 16 properties will celebrate Oktoberfest with a combination of specialty food offerings, regional and national beer events, live entertainment and traditional fall décor. Boomers Modesto, CA, Indiana Beach Amusement and Water Park Resort in Monticello, IN and Fantasy Island Amusement and Water Park in Grand Island, NY will also host Halloween Horror events. Despite the terrifying name, Halloween Horror will deliver haunts that are both wild and mild with trick or treat trails, haunted houses, scare zones, live shows, and ghouls at every turn. Both Oktoberfest and Halloween Horror are brand new events for the parks featuring seasonal themes that have proven successful at amusement parks around the world. These two new events join Declaration Celebration and our traditional Easter Egg Hunt in the Apex's event calendar line-up.

 

The following Apex Parks Group properties have also launched their 2018 Season Pass program with the lowest price available, and more perks than ever before – Indiana Beach Amusement and Water Park Resort, Fantasy Island Amusement and Water Park, and Big Kahuna's Water and Adventure Park in Destin, FL. Guests can purchase their Season Pass before the end 2017 and receive free admission for the rest of 2017, Season Pass perks that kick in immediately including free and discounted tickets for friends, free parking, free admission to Oktoberfest and Halloween Horror (where offered) and free admission to any Apex Parks Group property in 2017 and 2018.

 

As yet another first for Apex Parks Group, Indiana Beach Amusement and Water Park Resort, Fantasy Island Amusement and Water Park and Boomers Modesto will all introduce "All Season Dining Passes" giving Season Pass holders an opportunity to pay once and eat all season for free. An Apex All Season Dining Pass includes one meal and one snack on every visit (valid at guest's home park only). All Season Dining is available to Season Pass holders only. Making the value even greater, Apex Parks will also begin selling a Premium Souvenir Beverage Bottle for $19.99 and a Premium Popcorn and Cotton Candy Bucket for $14.99; these Premium offerings include free refills at any Apex Parks Group property. A combo including both the beverage and snack premiums is available for $29.99.

 

"The more frequently guests visit our parks, the more fun they have. An Apex Season Pass delivers the best value to our guests," added Fitzgerald.

 

For park specific Season Pass pricing and information, visit apexparksgroup.com and "pick a park" to discover details.

[prozach626]

Oktoberfest, eh? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Voyager6442]

I've visited Indiana Beach twice, the last in 2014, and I missed Lost Coaster each time. What do you think my chances of getting to ride it would be if I go next week? Thanks.

[Canobie Coaster]

Oddly enough, after Hoosier Hurricane that was the only other coaster that ran reliably during my visit last year. It broke down within the last half hour of park closing, but that's a minor miracle considering that it has an elevator lift and the general state the other rides were in.

[Voyager6442]

If I went to the park next week, would I be likely to find a lot of the rides not operating? If so, I'd rather save the visit for another time. Thanks.

[Canobie Coaster]

I've only been to the park once. It was a Saturday night on Memorial Day weekend. Are there any locals who can give a better answer? From the recent TRs I've seen, it seems that there will be rides down but it's Russian Roulette as to what will be down on a given day.

 

Double Shot, Den of Lost Thieves, Tig'rr, Air Crow, and the Kiddie Coaster were all closed for what did not appear to be maintenance related reasons. Steel Hawg got stuck on the MCBR and went down for the day. Cornball Express maybe ran for a half hour total (they were looking at the train when it returned to the station after each ride).

[Arthur_Seaton]

If I went to the park next week, would I be likely to find a lot of the rides not operating? If so, I'd rather save the visit for another time. Thanks.

I actually called the day before and the morning of my visit there as it was a two-hour drive from where I was staying. I was told that "every coaster should be running fine," only to arrive at the park and find that both Cornball and Lost Coaster had sections of track removed. If you're going specifically for Lost Coaster, it might be wise to at least try calling ahead of time (although that didn't work well for me), and I'd still proceed with caution. There's plenty of cool stuff to do there, but they're clearly struggling to keep the place operational right now.

[Canobie Coaster]

^ Based on that I definitely wouldn't trust the answer. The park does have a strong enough collection of rides to absorb some being down but it still shouldn't be that way.

[drummermattk]

Hello all, i was posting in regards to my upcoming visit this friday to the park. This will be my first time there and would like some info on what to do first, rides to skip out on, great places to eat (with reasonable prices) and great places to get souvenirs!

[Canobie Coaster]

Based on my experience, a ride could close at any given point and not reopen (assuming it even opens for the day).

 

For that reason, I would recommend hitting Cornball Express first in the back seat since that ride was insanely good and a top 5 wooden coaster for me. The ride only ran for about a half hour during my visit due to an issue with the train.

 

After Cornball, I would hit Lost Coaster since that ride had one of the worst capacities I have ever seen on a coaster. When every other ride was a less than 5 minute wait, Lost Coaster had an hour wait. If you want any rerides on it, you should get them before the line forms. Make sure you ride going in reverse.

 

From that point, you shouldn't have any issues with lines, just closures.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

^^ Make sure you do Fascination and the upcharge haunted house!

 

Really, Indiana Beach is pretty straightforward. All the places to eat are cheap, all the rides are good, you'll have fun. Don't go in with super high expectations or you may be disappointed, but be realistic and the place will be a lot of fun.

[jray21]

Playing Fascination is always a good decision.

[prozach626]

Hello all, i was posting in regards to my upcoming visit this friday to the park. This will be my first time there and would like some info on what to do first, rides to skip out on, great places to eat (with reasonable prices) and great places to get souvenirs!

How was your visit?

[drummermattk]

Hello all, i was posting in regards to my upcoming visit this friday to the park. This will be my first time there and would like some info on what to do first, rides to skip out on, great places to eat (with reasonable prices) and great places to get souvenirs!

How was your visit?

Check out my Trip Report Here!

[jedimaster1227]

Playing Fascination is always the best decision.

Fixed.

Edited November 24, 2017 by jedimaster1227

[slickpoetry]

For those who care about this park, or the food within, The Taco Shoppe (which has always been an independent contractor renting space from the park owners) has announced this will be their last season at Indiana Beach. Future plans for an alternate location are not yet determined.

[prozach626]

^I'm a little confused. Is it gone forever or just moving?

 

I follow this park on FB and I have to say I'm getting pretty tempted to take a trip there. Seems like they're really trying. It's only four hours away. It looks quirky AF and they push their roof top bar area like nobody's business. Are any of the coasters tolerable, or are they all rough?