Friday or Sunday?

[harperwi]

I am trying to decide between attending IOA on Sunday, September 30th or Friday, October 5th.

Can someone please compare the crowdedness of the park on these two days of the week for me?

I'd normally steer clear of the weekends altogether, but the following factors are in play with my trip planning:

1) if I do IOA on Sunday, I save $100
2) there aren't really all that many attractions at IOA for adults
and I believe I could get them all done once in a full (9-7) day
even with lines (though I'd love to ride the front row of Hulk
like seven times if I could!)

Any help you can give me would be great! Thanks everyone!

Jon

 

[Robinrs]

Hi, Jon:

No doubt, SUNDAY is the best day to go. The crowds are less and IMHO, most of the "commandos" are still asleep! And if it saves you money, I say go for it?

What do you mean by "that many attractions at IOA for adults"? I really thought, with the acception of Seussland that they ALL were! At least, those of us who consider ourselves "adults"!

 

[harperwi]

Well, since I've been given the opportunity to clarify, I should have said "that many attractions for THE TWO SPECIFIC adults who will be going"

Based on the tastes of my partner, I suspect we will only go on Hulk, Spider Man, Dr. Doom, Dudley-Do-Right, Bilge-Rat Barges; J.Park River Adventure, Poseidon, Sinbad and Dragons.

That adds up to nine attractions in a 10 hour day. Compared to, say, Six Flags Great America, which we visited in June, that's fewer rides than there are COASTERS at 6 Flags.... That's all I meant.

In reality, we'll likely see some shows and do the Triceratops Encounter and other less major attractions, but on the MUST RIDE list, there are only nine, which we could definitely get done in 10 hours, one would hope.

I went to IOA about a year after it opened, on a Thursday, and I didn't have to wait for anything. I was amazed. I'm hoping that the reports of huge crowds now bombarding the park are greatly exaggerated (or at least not what *I* would consider crowded).

Thanks so much for the advice!

anyone else have a contrary opinion on the Sunday vs. Friday debate?

Jon

 

[robvia]

I'd say Sunday since you can save $100.

The locals will be in church, and others will be flying to start their trip on Monday. September 30th also wins because the 5th is the first day of the Halloween stuff. Unless that's something you're interested in. Even though it's at US, it will still draw some people to IOA for the day.
http://www.themeparks.com/unifl/horror2001.htm

 

[Robinrs]

Thanks for the clarification, Jon! LOL!

Just curious what time of year you went that it was empty on a Thursday? And believe me, on the wrong day you would never believe that the crowd situation truly exists!

 

[harperwi]

The one and only time I went to IOA was in March of 1999.

I didn't find the park crowded at all. I rode Hulk, front car, four times in a row, until someone threw up and the ride was temporarily shut down. During the shut down the line grew, so I moved on.

After that I marched around the park, hitting ride after ride (mostly just the list I made above). I didn't wait for anything, and in fact, when I was in the Toon part of the park, there was NO ONE. I took many many pictures of the cartoon characters and there is no one else in any of the pics! HAHA!

The only other ride I waited for was Dragons, and only because one of the trains was being exchanged for the other, so that line was also temporarily shut down. After about a 20 minute wait, though, in the front car line even, they were both up and running fine. I even got some GREAT pics (I know they're not allowed) of the other dragon coming straight for us before the twin vertical loops!!

I was all the way around the park by 1, then I rode the Hulk a few more times and went home.

Unfortunately that's probably not how things will be now, what with extra special perks for on-site guests (which I will not be). Still, one can hope for an incredibly slow day, right?

Hopefully Sunday September 30th will be that kind of day!

Jon