Why does drinking always lead us back to Disney? Sept 2017 6/13 update!

[cajunfan]

Oh wow! I can't wait to hear about the trial run! Such a SMART MOVE!!!!!

 

[mickeystoontown]

You are soooo smart! Good idea on a trial run trip. That way, you'll get a feel for how they handle theme park situations (like you said, it won't be Disney but still)

 

[Chicago Mo]

Oh wow! I can't wait to hear about the trial run! Such a SMART MOVE!!!!!

I need to do an UPDATE!

You are soooo smart! Good idea on a trial run trip. That way, you'll get a feel for how they handle theme park situations (like you said, it won't be Disney but still)

Sometime i do think.. just not so often!




Alrighty it's been WAY too long!!! I need to do this update NOW!!!

 

[Chicago Mo]

The Great America Trial Run. ​

As you read we decided to do a Great America trip! Fun right? We thought so! So we looked into it all..
Thinking ahead (there I go again with this thinking thing) We knew we would probably go more then once. It's a pretty big park and i knew we wouldn't be able to get on everything, so why not get the SEASON PASS!!! YAY us!

ALL the kids were really excited to go! Come to find out Mia and Isabella have NEVER been to a theme park! So a first for my three and her two! WOO-HOO!!!
I wore my flip flops thinking if i can go to Great America and walk around there with them then there is no problem in DISNEY! so yes this was definitely a trial run for many things!

Talking with Maria the night before we had everything we needed plus a ton more since we were bringing our lunches AND enough water to fill a public pool...

We decided to leave at 8:30 i knew it was going to be about 45 minutes to an hour with no traffic... With rush hour i knew it would be an hour and a half ride.

I had to tell the kids:
1. this is NOT Disney
2. the park is going to be dirty
3. Rude people
4 if lost go to the employees!i will find you.
5 REMEMBER THIS IS NOT DISNEY

In the morning everyone was ready and waiting to go way too early! man alive these kids were excited!!!
Maria text asked how we were doing told her we were ready whenever they were Since we were taking two cars we decided to make one girls and the other boys! Yay US! FUN!

Massimo decided we were going to take 294 there.. I didn't want to say anything.. just wanted to be a go with the flow person at this moment... BUT I HATE 294!!!! ugh...

Once in the cars buckled up Maria looks at me... Says... ya know we can go our way and wait for them at the rest stop...

Damn... why didn't i think of that!!!! OH well. 294 here we come and yep. Traffic.

We talked all the way there about Disney the how's.. AS in i believe we will fly this trip. not looking forward to driving this year!!! of course my rules!!!
1. no crying
2 no whining
3 no fighting
4 no play fighting
5 no play crying
6 no play whining!

If your tired we stop! if you don't want to go on a ride don't! if your hungry we eat! simple! right?

we got there about 10:15 jumped out of the car Bella started to cry... Afraid of the roller coasters! again i assured her she doe NOT have to do anything she doesn't want to do. there is so much for everyone here. Lesson 1 from trial run Bella does not like BIG roller coasters.. Rule 1 and 2? out the window.
OK OK let go! hurried to the lines! on the way Porky pig and Bugs were out taking pictures so of course we jumped in line!
Porky was first:




























Like the picture? no? Probably because Maria tried to take the picture and didn't know how to use my phone so nope no picture...

No pictures whatsoever! sorry...

Lesson 2 from our trial run... Show Maria how to use the camera.

once inside we went left like i always try to do. us 5 Massimo and Mia went on the dark night ride. Maria which is cute jerky but cute i laughed hysterically at Tom and Massimo squished in together on this little train ride...

Oh Disney is going to be too funny... with these two.

So we ran around like kids going on rides some i didn't go yet Tom and Zack did like:

Ok MY video isn't uploading from my phone to photobucket for some reason so here is a you tube video of it.

Nope.

then it was time for lunch back to the cars we went!
Lesson 3- they need midday breaks. Massimo was a bit cranky from walking in the heat.

after lunch we decided it was high time to go check out the water park called Hurricane Harbor. we changed in our suits Meg is donning her awesome cast saver plastic thing can't get it wet 3 days before it comes off right?

Walking in we noticed a booth renting inner tubes. Ask what they are for... The employee informs us- EVERYTHING. every ride every pool etc. Geesh! OK well i guess we have to have these tubes. 35.00 later the kids go off Maria and i take first shift in watching our stuff. Watching everything going on around us. We notice we didn't NEED these tubes.. there are free tubes for everyone to use. yet with the rented tubes you didn't have to wait in a line for the lazy river... Seriously?

Tom decided to take Mia and Meg on this toilet bowl ride thing. They see employee #1 who hands them the inner tube for this ride (ya know didn't need the rented one we paid for) let them in the line 45 minutes later they are at the top tun in the slide they start to board the tube when the employee stops them.
Meg cannot ride it with her cast...

WHAT?

So apparently there are rides where casts are not allowed. Umm WHY weren't they told at the bottom where employee #1 handed them the tube? waited 45 minutes then no?
I love Disney. this would NEVER happen in Disney.

Tom, Meg and Mia, are umm... Not so happy with the guest relations of the employees of this park! they want to leave and go on roller coasters. OK cool. one more float in the lazy river. time to change into clean DRY clothes. then we are out.
In the changing room i look on the floor it's FILTHY.. I mean there is gross things all over... i don't know to put this.. but there was a.. umm... used feminine.. well i can't bring myself out to write it... Changed i try to find an attendant NO ONE can be found.
Gross--- Yet you see signs all over the place stating it's the cleanest park in America...
I beg to differ...
We spent a total of 3 hours here. and a waste of time.
Dropped all the wet stuff back to the car let's go ride some fun stuff!

we did a few little things but what we ALL were looking forward to was the new Goliath!

WOOHOO! We figured the line was going to be ridicules. The 5 of us plus Mia would do this monster of a roller coaster while Massimo Bella and Marco would go and do whatever they all wanted to do and would meet back up later.
the beginning of the line there is a employee handing out tickets... Like the lunchmeat counter at a grocery store. Meg takes the ticket, with her cast and in line we go.
an hour and a half later we met up with employee #2 who takes the ticket then we head upstairs where we meet up employee #3 who asks Meg and i where we want to sit. she points to the middle somewhere.. This is where employee #4 comes up to say....
I am sure you guessed...
She cannot ride with a cast on.

Oh i exploded...

The ONE and ONLY employee who saw the cast told another employee (yes we are on 4 now)

told him to give us a like FP for another ride. as i am complaining on the ill informed employees who work here


he rolled his eyes at me.

Explosion #2.

Needless to say Meg and i walked.. no stormed out..

Ok OK.. I am not mad over the fact she wasn't able to ride the rides.. I understand rules. I understand safety I TOTALLY GET THAT... what i was blowing my top on was the fact ALL of these 'employees' allowed us to get in line!!!!! I would NEVER have gotten in line HAD the million (ok 5) employees SAID something like I see your in line i just wanted to inform you your daughter will not be able to ride said ride for safety concerns with her cast. HEY OK! we will go ride something else. no harm no foul. But when my daughter is CRYING over waiting in these lines to be told ugh.. no. at the top waiting in FOREVER lines well.. bad great america.

after everyone else got off the ride we went to the Demon rode that one and left.

Yes i wrote a letter to Six Flags
If you want to read it this is it:

"I am very disappointed in your team members. We are first time season pass holders thinking we would love Great America (SIX FLAGS) This was my triplets first time going and figured we would want to go back again and again great family time! We were very wrong. our day started very well treated by several team members like we mattered- they were kind and welcoming. Until we entered into Hurricane Harbor. We were told we HAD to have the inner-tubes because EVERY ride there needed them. OK we bought several for both my family and a family we were traveling with. No we did not NEED them. My daughter has a cast on her hand because she broke her finger. First let me say i am aware of rules I abide by them as i know it's the safety of your guests in the park, not trying in no way break rules here. Plus its my daughter and i would no way shape or form put her in knowing danger. i brought her cast saver so she can go on a few of the water rides. My husband took my daughter and our friends daughter on the Tornado. the team members let them go through waited in line for over 45 minutes. the tube set down they were boarding THEN the member said my daughter cannot ride because of the cast... WHY weren't they told this IN THE BEGINNING when the team member gave them the tube? instead they waited in this horrendous line excited to go on then slapped with a NO all the way at the top. HAD we known she could not ride with a cast she would have NEVER gone into the line. In the changing rooms there was a USED feminine pad on the ground!!! WITH CHILDREN around. not to say how filthy the ground was. I searched for a team member to find NONE!!! i was disgusted ready to leave. the children wanted to go on more rides. so we stayed. the one ride everyone was in anticipation for was the popular Goliath. this was to be our last ride of the day and headed in that direction. Team member handed us tickets handed my daughter a ticket WITH HER CASTED hand said nothing. we waited for an hour and half came upon another team member fanning herself with an empty nacho container took my daughters ticket who put it in this jar WITH HER CAST-ED HAND and were allowed in. The anticipation was heightened watching train after train we were next this team member asked where we wanted to sit we didn't care. until another team member (i sadly forgot his name maybe Luke) came to this THIRD member to say.. She has a cast, and cannot ride. WHAT? we passes 3 team members NOTHING was said to us until ONE who apparently knew his job to say no. clearly i had had enough. which i pointed out we passed all of these team member NOTHING was said to us about not being able to ride- and why in God name would i wait in an hour and a half line if she could not ride? i would have taken her to something else!!! another team member said they were sorry the other employees should have said something. YA THINK? they were going to let us ride something we had already rode to go threw the exit entrance. whatever fine. My daughter is crying as SHE put it they broke my heart twice. Then this team member who had to hear my rant about terrible employees uninformed unaware of what if going around them--- decided to roll his eyes at me. That's was it my patience was undone you DO NOT roll your eyes at me. this was NOT my intention to put my daughter in harms way HAD i known she would not be able to ride I WOULD NOT HAVE STAYED IN LINE. needless to say this man-child had an ear full from me. what TERRIBLE customer service!!! Never had i witnessed such rude attitude from a theme park! i thought you would want to keep people happy and bring them back? Not this family-- we did not take the exit ride thing they tried to give us and walked out. There was fiddler's fling right outside she said she would like to ride this one. OK. the Team member who first noticed the cast (he had blue glasses and i believe his name was Luke) was here, we talked i explained all i have above if we knew, i follow rules, not in the type who will willingly put my daughter in danger, he profusely apologized, looked my directly in the eye had wonderful disposition understood my frustration from the days nonsense. The operator from this ride called a manager for me. where about 6 team members came to hear me complain- they just said we will note it. NO you need to INFORM your team members to be able to spot casts or other activities INFORM your guests so this type of behavior does not happen again to another child who will be greatly upset! leaving the park the kids wanted to jump on one more ride so the demon we went it was park closing, he team member in the front of the ride was extremely nice had a personality and asked CAN SHE RIDE with a cast. he said Yes. in which i explained i will be back if she can't! we laughed and off we went. no problems! all the team member were wonderful here as well. Gave my son a ball at the end for no reason! So you do have several nice and wonderful employees but SEVERAL who are ill informed on safety-rules-non attentive-and just plain rude. I am now stuck with a season pass. The reason behind this email is to inform you the team members need a LOT more training before being allowed to interact with guests."



I haven't heard back.. Just your normal robo email. we are forwarding your comment to the correct department.. blah blah


I will post how I think Disney should go with them next year!!!

 

[annegirl]

Ugh. So frustrating. We had a season pass to Great America when we lived in Kenosha. And we loved going. But you are so right about the cleanliness and attitude. We just had to prepare ourselves for it every time. But that cast thing- that would have irked me to no end.
I remember the first time we went I saw the signs all over that were claiming it was the cleanest park in the country. Then I used a bathroom and I came out and said to my husband.... they must not have Disney on the list of competitors if they can claim that. Cause this is ridiculous.
I was also told the first time we went into the water park that we needed a tube but I decided to not get one anyway and was SO glad when I found out just like you did that no, we did not need to rent one.
So crazy.
The other thing was that all my friends would go all the time and then complain to me about disney saying that it was so expensive so after my first time at six flags I had to tell them that all the merch and food there was every bit as pricey as disney but no where near as good!
It was a fun little family outing but it is NO disney. That's for sure!!
The Demon was Abi's favorite ride in the whole place by the way. I hated it. I would get off it and feel like my head was going to fall off.

 

[goofymimi]

So sorry you had a bad experience at Six Flags, that is just unacceptable!!

 

[Clio]

Sorry about your experience at Great America. I would have been very angry, too.Maybe they should put their phones down and pay attention to the job. No one could see her cast? Six Flags used to used a now closed amusement park here. I think we went only once and that was back when Saturn had annual picnics for the owners of their cars. We never went back. It doesn't seem like they train their employees very well.
Liz

 

[JKeenz]

Ugh I would have been LIVID!!! Sounds like a frustrating experience to say the least!
I would say that maybe we get spoiled by the (usually) awesome guest services at Disney.... BUT I don't think we are spoiled! I think that should be INDUSTRY STANDARD! Six Flags has enough parks around the country to develop and meet a standard of excellence. So disappointing.... We have one in Western MA, which is a good 2+ hours from me, but needless to say I won't be going there any time soon! Good for you for sending off the email. I hope you hear back! Keep us posted!

On a good note, glad that you got in a trial park experience with your friends! So exciting to plan a trip with good people. And what a great idea to do a trial run at a local park. I might steal it if we start talking more seriously about a trip next year with my friend and her family.

 

[Jacqui]

I am coming out of lurking to comment about your Six Flag's report. We also bought season passes this year for the first time. My kid's are DS 10 & DD 8. Shortly after buying the passes, my DD broke her collarbone, so we did not get to go until the Saturday before you went. I completely agree when you say this is NOT Disney. I also agree with everything you said about the cleanliness, my DD & I were so disgusted by the bathrooms! They were nasty!!! Also, after we were finished with one ride, I believe it was the Eagle, the girls behind us started dropping multiple F-bombs. We were still sitting on the ride and I think they were having a competition over who could drop more. I told my son you would never hear that in Disney. Unfortunately, we didn't pack a lunch and two pork sandwiches, a cheeseburger and a chicken sandwich with drinks cost us $72.00. We will pack a lunch next time. When we were getting in line for the Demon I missed the sign stating that I could not wear my purse on the ride. I saw the lockers but we were all so excited about the kid's first time that I didn't realize that I HAD to lock up my purse. It is a cross body type, so nothing too big but they wouldn't let me ride with the purse. The girl told me that I could lay it on the table in the center, yeah right with my wallet and phone in there, I don't think so. As I was waiting for my family to get off the ride, I saw another woman with the same type of purse, so I asked her what she did and she told me she rode the Demon with the purse and that no one had said a thing to her! Later, I went back on with my kids, while my DH held onto my purse, there was a family of 3 on the ride also. Before we took off the young DD, maybe about 6 or 7, gets off the ride crying hysterically. I see her father also get out of his seat and figured he would wait with her while the mother rode. NOPE!! He let the DD go stand behind the gate by herself and he jumped into the seat that the DD left. And the employees allowed this to happen!!

 

[Denovagirl]

What the $%@^$#^%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my gosh, I am so seriously ticked off just reading that! I wanted to chunk my phone across the room! That is absolutely unacceptable behavior! Someone at some point should have caught you MUCH sooner to let you know. Seriously, even entering the park with a cast, team members should be trained when taking tickets to mention that "just so you know, there are certain rides that do not allow riders with a cast, so you may want to ask at each ride BEFORE getting in line."

Ugh. I am so mad for you right now. This needs another gif...

Sigh.. I am really having a hard time getting over this... BUT the beginning of your day was better. I was giggling at all the lessons you learned! Good thing you did the trial run!!

I was giggling until the thing in the bathroom...

How did your feet hold up in the flip flops?

Well, just goes to show, we try and we try and we try, but NOTHING even comes remotely close to Disney... these places are practically forcing us to empty our pockets to Disney.. the Six Flags here by me is the same, usually pretty disgusting, hardly fun, and always disappointing. How does it stay in business?!?!?

 

[STLMickeyMom]

......I don't know what to say.....what a non-magical park experience! Poor Peanut, getting her little heart broken again and again. I want to say I hope you try agin and that it's a much better day, but then again I think just get your butts to Disney and experience the magic!!

Glad you did learn a few things for the trip though!

 

[Wood Nymph]

Poor Meg. She must have been really disappointed. Your whole experience sounds like a nightmare.

We went to Great America a few times, even did the season pass thing one year. But it wasn't a place we enjoyed enough to go to more than those few times.

 

[DMGeurts]

Oh Poor Peanut, how awful!!! And so disappointing. This makes me so angry... I totally understand you... Even though this isn't Disney... They shouldn't have even let you get in those lines in the first place. Just awful!

I sure hop you hear back from them, because they really need to do something to train their employeed properly.

Hugs to Peanut! And Momma!

D~

 

[Pluto0809]

What a horrible experience! I felt so bad for poor Meg while reading that. I guess we are all a bit spoiled by Disney customer service.

Oh and I have ridden a version of that King Chaos ride and loved it! Of course that was before I started having motion sickness issues. I would definitely ride it again though if I didn't have motion sickness!

 

[Chicago Mo]

Ugh. So frustrating. We had a season pass to Great America when we lived in Kenosha. And we loved going. But you are so right about the cleanliness and attitude. We just had to prepare ourselves for it every time. But that cast thing- that would have irked me to no end.
I remember the first time we went I saw the signs all over that were claiming it was the cleanest park in the country. Then I used a bathroom and I came out and said to my husband.... they must not have Disney on the list of competitors if they can claim that. Cause this is ridiculous.
I was also told the first time we went into the water park that we needed a tube but I decided to not get one anyway and was SO glad when I found out just like you did that no, we did not need to rent one.
So crazy.
The other thing was that all my friends would go all the time and then complain to me about disney saying that it was so expensive so after my first time at six flags I had to tell them that all the merch and food there was every bit as pricey as disney but no where near as good!
It was a fun little family outing but it is NO disney. That's for sure!!
The Demon was Abi's favorite ride in the whole place by the way. I hated it. I would get off it and feel like my head was going to fall off.

yeah love the signs CLEANEST THEME PARK IN THE COUNTRY... what country? because it is NOT the grand U.S. of A! You cannot even put great america and Disney in the same category. they are SO SO DIFFERENT!!! nothing alike.
YES! What is the deal with the innertube! No matter now i will not step foot in the water park ever again.
Your right again! prices are outrageous! and for CRAP!
there are several rides i will always love! the demon being the top!

So sorry you had a bad experience at Six Flags, that is just unacceptable!!

I agree! I think Disney just ruined every other theme park for us! LOL

Sorry about your experience at Great America. I would have been very angry, too.Maybe they should put their phones down and pay attention to the job. No one could see her cast? Six Flags used to used a now closed amusement park here. I think we went only once and that was back when Saturn had annual picnics for the owners of their cars. We never went back. It doesn't seem like they train their employees very well.
Liz

exactly. these employee just didn't care about ANYTHING except when they got off work. trash.

Ugh I would have been LIVID!!! Sounds like a frustrating experience to say the least!
I would say that maybe we get spoiled by the (usually) awesome guest services at Disney.... BUT I don't think we are spoiled! I think that should be INDUSTRY STANDARD! Six Flags has enough parks around the country to develop and meet a standard of excellence. So disappointing.... We have one in Western MA, which is a good 2+ hours from me, but needless to say I won't be going there any time soon! Good for you for sending off the email. I hope you hear back! Keep us posted!

On a good note, glad that you got in a trial park experience with your friends! So exciting to plan a trip with good people. And what a great idea to do a trial run at a local park. I might steal it if we start talking more seriously about a trip next year with my friend and her family.

YES! that Disney... just ruins all other theme parks! you just expect the best in everything and sadly nothing compares!!! NOTHING!
Safety should be industry standard. I wasn't being a spoiled brat. about this. I just think their employee need a tremendous amount of training!!!
IF i hear anything within the week i will SURE to post it!
It was a GREAT idea to do this trial run with them. I know what to expect when we go.. I know how to plan for them! we are a go go all day family in the parks, and i see they won't be. GOOD TO KNOW!

I am coming out of lurking to comment about your Six Flag's report. We also bought season passes this year for the first time. My kid's are DS 10 & DD 8. Shortly after buying the passes, my DD broke her collarbone, so we did not get to go until the Saturday before you went. I completely agree when you say this is NOT Disney. I also agree with everything you said about the cleanliness, my DD & I were so disgusted by the bathrooms! They were nasty!!! Also, after we were finished with one ride, I believe it was the Eagle, the girls behind us started dropping multiple F-bombs. We were still sitting on the ride and I think they were having a competition over who could drop more. I told my son you would never hear that in Disney. Unfortunately, we didn't pack a lunch and two pork sandwiches, a cheeseburger and a chicken sandwich with drinks cost us $72.00. We will pack a lunch next time. When we were getting in line for the Demon I missed the sign stating that I could not wear my purse on the ride. I saw the lockers but we were all so excited about the kid's first time that I didn't realize that I HAD to lock up my purse. It is a cross body type, so nothing too big but they wouldn't let me ride with the purse. The girl told me that I could lay it on the table in the center, yeah right with my wallet and phone in there, I don't think so. As I was waiting for my family to get off the ride, I saw another woman with the same type of purse, so I asked her what she did and she told me she rode the Demon with the purse and that no one had said a thing to her! Later, I went back on with my kids, while my DH held onto my purse, there was a family of 3 on the ride also. Before we took off the young DD, maybe about 6 or 7, gets off the ride crying hysterically. I see her father also get out of his seat and figured he would wait with her while the mother rode. NOPE!! He let the DD go stand behind the gate by herself and he jumped into the seat that the DD left. And the employees allowed this to happen!!

I am glad i have you out of the balcony and posting! welcome!

First i hope your DD is OK? Broken collar bone is no fun at all. I hope she healed quickly!!!

I agree with everything you said. I cannot believe the prices!!! for mediocre food. 72.00?!?!? are you kidding? what a rip off!!!
Yep the people in Great America v.s the people of Disney are two totally different worlds!!! there is no comparison.
NO WAY! No disney would never allow that poor child to endure any of that! Poor baby sitting there alone crying! how awful!!

What the $%@^$#^%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my gosh, I am so seriously ticked off just reading that! I wanted to chunk my phone across the room! That is absolutely unacceptable behavior! Someone at some point should have caught you MUCH sooner to let you know. Seriously, even entering the park with a cast, team members should be trained when taking tickets to mention that "just so you know, there are certain rides that do not allow riders with a cast, so you may want to ask at each ride BEFORE getting in line."

Ugh. I am so mad for you right now. This needs another gif...

Sigh.. I am really having a hard time getting over this... BUT the beginning of your day was better. I was giggling at all the lessons you learned! Good thing you did the trial run!!

I was giggling until the thing in the bathroom...

How did your feet hold up in the flip flops?

Well, just goes to show, we try and we try and we try, but NOTHING even comes remotely close to Disney... these places are practically forcing us to empty our pockets to Disney.. the Six Flags here by me is the same, usually pretty disgusting, hardly fun, and always disappointing. How does it stay in business?!?!?

Thank you for feeling my pain!!! it was awful! I would think yours would be better! apparently all Great America's are distasteful?
Good Question i am still waiting on my reply for that place.

......I don't know what to say.....what a non-magical park experience! Poor Peanut, getting her little heart broken again and again. I want to say I hope you try agin and that it's a much better day, but then again I think just get your butts to Disney and experience the magic!!

Glad you did learn a few things for the trip though!

I can understand it's NOT Disney, which i told the kids over and over again. I was not expecting greatness, but i do expect safety and efficiency which it didn't have either one.
Oh we will be back because we are a glutton for punishment.
This time meg won't have a cast on

Poor Meg. She must have been really disappointed. Your whole experience sounds like a nightmare.

We went to Great America a few times, even did the season pass thing one year. But it wasn't a place we enjoyed enough to go to more than those few times.

Oh Poor Peanut, how awful!!! And so disappointing. This makes me so angry... I totally understand you... Even though this isn't Disney... They shouldn't have even let you get in those lines in the first place. Just awful!

I sure hop you hear back from them, because they really need to do something to train their employeed properly.

Hugs to Peanut! And Momma!

D~

When we went it wasn't this bad.. I am not kidding when i tell you it was nasty! ugh the ill mannered ill informed MORONS who work there.

Thank you she is fine now. you know kids, they forget quicker then dug with a squirrel!

What a horrible experience! I felt so bad for poor Meg while reading that. I guess we are all a bit spoiled by Disney customer service.

Oh and I have ridden a version of that King Chaos ride and loved it! Of course that was before I started having motion sickness issues. I would definitely ride it again though if I didn't have motion sickness!

blah.. No way no how was i getting on that thing... No tea cups either.

 

[OregonMomToWDW]

Wow. I am sorry that the experience was so frustrating. Poor Meg. We make it a game now as to how the other theme parks are lacking behind Disney when we go to non-Disney parks. The employees all seem to react like it was either this or McDonald's and McDonald's wouldn't hire them, so they were stuck doing this. It is sad that Meg had to suffer as a result.

When we went to Universal, it got so annoying because on the majority of the rides, they didn't allow any backpacks or purses, even the crossbody type. Always having to put it in their free 45 minute lockers and hoping the line wouldn't take that long or riding the ride in shifts, so someone could be purse watching. Our second day, I went with the water pak thing I had bought for the water parks. Put our tickets and money in and had it under my shirt. That was better but still a hassle.

 

[KatMark]

I had no idea you had this going.

As for resorts, my order of choice of your suggestions would be: Boardwalk (use the quiet pool), Poly, Yacht Club, Beach Club. I was not a fan of the Beach Club at all. And the monorail is NOT all it is hyped up to be lately with the "closed hours" etc.

We have not been to Great America since our kids were about 8 and 10. We had some really nasty guests we dealt with on a ride (I won't even go into the language being spewed all over the place) and the customer service was awful.

 

[cajunfan]

Oh, wow. So sorry for such a horrendous experience!

I am glad that you did learn some things about the family and their traveling style. I would get them to go again with you all...see if it makes a difference second time around. I am starting to be a little concerned about my trip next year, but I have told them that I will be touring by myself if I feel like I need to. I so wish my son could be off and come with us. But it will be his last semester of college, so he will not be able to do so. I have thought about bringing my sister with me again (just her no little ones), as she will tour like I do! (and listen to what I say!)

 

[cinderkelly]

So sorry you had such a bad experience at Great America It's days like those that remind us just how wonderful Disney is. I would have been livid. I hope you get a decent response back from them.

 

[Llobal]

Six Flags over Georgia in Atlanta is only about 1.5 hours away from me but i've yet to take my kids (8 & 9) bc i don't want them to be dissapointed. With the height requirements my daughter is too short for the stuff she would want to ride. Food prices were awful for what you get. Its also not the cleanest or happiest place to be. That being said, i havent been there myself in a couple of years so it could be even worse! When coworkers give me crap over planning another trip to Disney i just tell them its 1000x times better than 1 day at six flags and worth it to me.