Do you plan other theme parks like you do Disney?

[marriedmarylander]

I was just thinking about all the planning, itineraries, method of visiting attractions, etc that goes on with Disney. Not just what day to go to each park, but some people break it down by what time to go to each attraction at the park. I was curious if you do this with other theme parks as well? Not just Orlando area (Universal) but just maybe a local amusement park in your area?

I realized that each summer we go to a local amusement park on a Saturday in July when it's crowded and hot and we wait at least 2 hours to get on the rides. We got done the water park and entire park (Kings Dominion which has a lot of roller coasters) by about 7PM and the park closes at 10PM. I realized we never planned everything out or figured out the best day to go (obviously not Saturday). But we just went in the park and rode the good rides first and just went in any kind of order.

It makes me wonder why I stressed over my Disney itinerary

 

[maxaroni]

Not at all....we've done Hershey Park, Knoebels, our local Six Flags and there is no thought to it at all. We go and have fun.

I guess with Disney, it's more of an 'event' for us. It's more magical and special than anywhere else There is also just so many choices and options that it becomes overwhelming without any planning. Heck, planning Disney is so much fun!

 

[Sorcerer Figment]

Well, the only other park I really go to is Dollywood. And there's no real need to. It's a fun park, but there's less to see and do. Plus, I'm not too heartbroken if I miss something. Now if only there was a Dolly walkaround character...

 

[Marseeya]

Local theme park:
$90 all-day ride tickets for family of 4 + 2 friends for kids
$50 food tickets
$30 souvenirs

In all, about a $200 day altogether after gas & incidentals.

Walt Disney World:
$4500 9 night stay at AKL, 8 park hopper MYW w/dining for four
$200 gas money for trip
$150 kennel for dog
$1000 souvenirs & incidentals (including guidebooks & TGM)


You betcha I'm doing more planning for the WDW trip!!!

 

[jsmla]

I love to plan trips. Simply adore it. Now that we're on WDW autopilot (After 25+ trips we should be!) I'll plan trips for family and friends. Heck I'd plan trips for complete strangers if they'd let me.

The difference b/w Disney planning and other types is the sheer volume of information available. Disney is planner's heaven. The only place that I've found that even comes close is Las Vegas and it's a poor, poor second. I'd love to get all compulsive about our Discovery Cove/Seaworld days but I can't find 70,000 people to help me!

Jennifer

 

[Amy&Dan]

I didn't even know there were any other theme parks out there!! Seriously, I don't plan cause I don't go! We live 30 minutes from a Six Flags and have never been. My kids are the only kids in the Denver Metro area who have been to Disney 7 times in 12 months but have never been to the local amusement park. My 8 year old saw a commercial for Six Flags the other night and they showed Bugs Bunny in it. She told me that looked like a dumb park with that pathetic rabbit. She isn't familar with the Warner Bros. characters!

 

[va32h]

We used to live about 15 minutes from Busch Gardens Williamsburg (which is a beautiful park, BTW) and never did any planning for our visits there. Except to remember which restaurants we didn't like for lunch.

Now we live about 45 minutes from a Six Flags, and we've been there twice - didn't make any plans then either.

Other parks don't seem as crowded - I also found that there weren't any "must sees". If one line was too long, we'd just find another ride.

I do like to be on hand when a park opens though - same as Disney. And I try to buy my tickets ahead of time, so we don't waste time at the entrance.

 

[MommytoMJM]

:\ I really don't plan WDW out that way either, but we live so close we can go often so we plan around meeting others there, what MJ wants to do, etc.... If we spend all day in Fantasyland, so be it...but if we could only come once in a while, I may do it differently....we also have passes to SW and BG Tampa, and we don't plan those either.....which is odd because I am a HUGE planner in other areas!

 

[Jamesbyr]

I tried to plan a trip to SIX FLAGS GREAT ADVENTURE in New Jersey. But the park was playing games: they opened some rides late, and scattered them around the park. We were left running from place to place ("Look! The parachutes are running! Aw! They stopped again!") The Batman ride closed because of a hint of a storm." We would just have to come back, in that logic.
No way.

 

[Tink&SquirtsMom]

Nope. In fact we take annual trips to Disneyland primarily in the summer and a few off season. I don't plan those the way I am this trip either, and we still never wait more then 15-30 minutes (depending on how bad the park is) just by using common sense. But given the amount of money invested in this trip, that we are going in summer, that we've never been to WDW and that its soo much bigger... well we are planning this trip like crazy.