Help Planning Great Roller Coaster Trip West Coast

[kjcolv]

2 Years ago my then DS 14,11,8 and I planned the "Great Roller Coaster Tour" visiting CP, PKI, PKD and BGW in 10 days riding 41 different roller coasters. We live in FLorida so we have done WDW, USF and BGT plenty. We are thinking of a West Coast version, going to DL and SFMM, the question is what else should we do?? I like to add something non theme park or a water park or two. Our last trip was great but it is a logistical challenge, finding hotels, transportation, discounts, and planning for the best days. We left the weekends for travel days and visited the theme parks on weekdays. These boards (and a few others) were a GREAT help and saved me $$ and precious time. I felt so in the know. We'd love your suggestions and hints. Thanks

Roller Coaster Mom!!

 

[GrumpyMom1]

Sounds like a fun trip!

Knotts has several roller coasters, is close to Disneyland, and has a water park next door so it may be a good choice.

 

[CalGal]

If you like wooden roller coasters, Knotts Berry Farm has one of the countries' best (according to one of those "top ten roller coaster" shows). It's really awesome. At the same time I watched this top 10 show, I saw a program following a group trying to break a world record for the most roller coaster rides in a 24 hour period. They started at Santa Cruz Boardwalk, home of the classic Giant Dipper, and then went to Great America in Santa Clara home of several stomach turners. They then went to Six Flags Marine World before heading down to LA (traveling over night). In LA, they did Knotts and Six Flags and a couple of small parks. They did not include Disneyland but still managed to hit around 40 rides in 24 hours. Of course, the parks accomodated them so that they had no lines.

As far as water parks, there's a water park next to Knotts as well as a water park next to SFMM, but I haven't been to either. There are several scattered throughout California. San Diego area has some nice attractions as well (zoo, animal park, Lego Land (nice for younger kids and pre-teens), Sea World, etc.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>I've been on Ghostrider @ Knotts, and it's my favorite wooden rollercoaster, as well as one of my top 5 -- I love that ride!

As for water parks, I like Raging Waters, but Hurricane Harbor next to Magic Mountain is also fun; plus, you can get a discount when you get both Magic Mountain and Hurricane Harbor tickets (both run by 6 Flags)

 

[kjcolv]

Thanks for the suggestions. Looking forward to Ghostrider, we are big fans of the Beast and look forward to comparing. Limiting yourself is the biggest challenge (but that is often helped by the budget). So many choices. While DL isn't a roller coaster haven being from Florida we can hardly make the trip and not check DL out as well. We will probably buy SF annual passes as we can use them at SFG, and are looking at the Citypass for DL and KB and the San Diego attractions. At the moment I am leaning towards splitting the trip up that way, DL, KB, SFMM and Legoland for my younger two. Not sure about Sea World, how does it compare to the Orlando Sea World?? We are in the process of budget neogtiations!! (No food in the parks and budget hotels rather than on property!). Please keep the suggestions coming.

 

[Tink33]

If you are traveling to San Diego, don't forget the Giant Dipper at Belmont Park.

http://www.giantdipper.com/

 

[Elk34]

I watched National Lampoon's - Vacation last night. It was fun to see that Wally World is SFMM. They show Colassus a lot on the movie. That is one huge wooden coaster. I've never been to SFMM but it would be fun to go just to say I've been to Wally World.

"Sorry Folks. Parks closed. Moose out front should have told ya." -- great line.

 

[kjcolv]

Never made the connection on Lampoons Vacation, we will have to rent it for pre trip viewing, I make shirts for our trip with a checklist on the back listing all the coasters and we check each one off as we ride it. It's a great souvenir and a great conversation topic when you are in line (people often want to know where I bought them). You can hear people talking about them to each other "Look at those shirts" "Have they ridden X yet?" It's really funny. At any rate we will have to list SFMM/Wally World!!

 

[MandaMom]

kjcolv

what a great idea with the shirts my dh and I have to do that. We have also done Busch Gardens in Tampa, Cedar Point (lived in Ann Arbor Michigan for 2 years and still have family in the area, short trip to Ohio) IOA, SFMM, what is billed as the highest drop rollercoaster near Las Vegas Nevada/Stateline, the coaster at NewYork NewYork in LV and the one on the Stratosphere in Las Vegas.
We have also ridden all the roller coasters at Six Flags Marine World, Santa Cruz Boardwalk, Paramount's Great America and of course DCA's California Screamin, MGM Studios Rockin RollerCoaster (Can't wait for Expedition Everest coaster at Animal Kingdom. We have yet to go to Knott's Berry farm although we have heard that it is a lot of fun.


I have a question for you do you list all the roller coaster's you have ridden or just the theme parks you have gone to?

Thanks for the great idea hope you don't mind if I use it.

Wow, your getting pretty close to Barry Hom's total I remember reading when he reached 100 and I am sure he is well over that now.

MandaMom

 

[kjcolv]

Feel free to use the idea. That is the beauty of these boards, sharing great info. We did the shirts just for each major trip. The last one read "2002 Great Roller Coaster Tour" with a photo of CP's Blue Streak on the front. The back listed the 4 parks and the coasters at each park with a check box beside each ride. We travelled with a sharpie pen and made a great production out of getting off the ride and checking one another's shirts. We ended up doing a lot of washing in the sink of the hotel and hanging up to dry, but it was a highlight of the trip (and cut down on how many shirts we needed to pack!). I printed a copy of the list and the picture and made a great collage of the trip. At each park we bought one photo of us from one ride as a keepsake. My boys still proudly wear their shirts and talk about the trip. Just last night they asked "We're going to do shirts again aren't we?".

Your idea of a shirt with all the coasters we've ridden is a great idea as well, I don't know if we've ever counted up the list but it has to be substantial. Of course we also include all the kiddie coasters, people thought we were crazy getting in line to ride Top Cat Taxi Jam, but we had to check it off our shirt!!

 

[exDS vet]

SFMM has probably the best collection of roller coasters around. My faforite there is the Vipor, but Collusus is great and Goliath is huge. I believe it reaches 88mph!!! The newer ones "X" and "Deja Vu" were both closed last time I visited, but they look awesome. Then there's "Revolution." This classic was the worlds first steel looping coaster. It was also featured in Nat. Lampoon's "Vacation." But it was also featured in the movie "Rollercoaster."

Knott's is now a Cedar Faire park, and the first coaster that they brought to Knott's was "Ghost Rider". It is awesome, and so big that it extends outside the park and onto the street. It's not as big as "Beast", but I know you'll love it. Knott's has a few other coasters as well. Montezuma's Revenge, Boomerang and Jaguar are just three of them.

DCA has California Screamin' of course as well as Mullholland Madness (a mad mouse type coaster). And of course DL has the classics.

This should keep you quite busy.

 

[Firefly777]

California Screamin' is tamer than many coasters you'll find, but to me it is pure fun and shouldn't be missed. The launch is very fun and there are many different elements in the ride. I would put it right above DL's Space Mountain in intensity. It is also very long. I think it is the longest steel roller coaster in California.

 

[kjcolv]

SFMM really is the focus of our trip, we are buying season passes so we will have time flexibility there. We had considered returning to CP this year but made the decision to check out the west coast. Having literally grown up with WDW we feel an obligation to visit DL and DCA. And Legoland, well one son is a legomaniac and dreamed of visiting legoland for years. We get to cover all our bases this way. While in San Deigo we plan to stop by and ride the Giant Dipper as well. We so enjoy comparing the different coasters. We have our own running lists; best launch, best seats, best view, best theming.... It's a family project!!

 

[hydster]

We LOVE SFMM!! Go at least twice a year to that park and have a blast every single time we go!!! I think X was our most favorite followed by Goliath! If you have the time and want to wait for the front on Goliath it is definitely an adventure! You get going so fast that it is almost impossible on the G force turn to keep your hands up above your head!!! I'd definitely do SFMM but I dont know when you are going! BEWARE that if you go while school is still in session in California and the park is still only open on the weekend..it is CROWDED with alot of teens and they can be a bit "annoying" so to speak! Also it's been a few years since we've gone (surgery and family matters) but the last time we went they offered a "fastpass" type thing but it did cost money! We decided to try it and thankfully we did! It isnt unlimited Fast Pass but I think we got like 10 of them or something and it was well worth the $$$$ to get them! SOme of the lines were taking 2-3 hours just to get on!

Heidi

 

[MandaMom]

thanks for replying to my post

I have to reiterate what the poster above me has said. Depending on the timing of your trip lines can be very long. Legoland is especially excruciating. We love both the Dragon and the Technic roller coasters but the lines to wait on the weekends during high season were intolerable. We waited 2hours for one ride. Something i'd never do again. They are just not as good as Disney in loading people or organizing the line. having said that they have recently put little playpen areas filled with legos etc for kids to play in while the parents wait in the queue.

Good luck I am sure you are no stranger to lines since you have been to so many amusement parks.

MandaMom

 

[Party Teacher]

Hi Kjcolv,

We live about 5 minutes from SFMM and would be more than happy to send you a current park map. My son works there on the weekends. I'm not sure anyone mentioned the new coaster. It's called SCREAM and looks like a lot of fun. It's a floorless coaster located near Colussus. Also, Hurricane Harbor is debuting a new tube ride this year called the Tornado. If you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to answer them for you. e-mail me directly if you like.

Party Teacher

 

[kjcolv]

A map would be great as well as some suggested hotels. If we can offer any assistance for FL sites, let me know.

 

[hydster]

If you want to stay right near SFMM we always stay at the Hilton Garden Inn Valencia which is basically at the bottom of the entrance hill to SFMM. http://www.hiltongardeninn.com/en/gi/hotels/index.jhtml?moreDesc=true&ctyhocn=VALVHGI

If you want a more "centrally located" hotel between SFMM and Knotts or Disney you'll need local recommendation. We either stay at that hilton or at a hotel near Disney but not in between

Heidi

Edited to add this information about the fast pass's at SFMM

FAST LANE PASSES
Shorter Lines...Limited Waiting...No Kidding!



Fast Lane passes can be purchased for $15 at the ticket booths, the Fast Lane booth (behind Guest Relations in Six Flags Plaza) or at the Guest Necessities Center.
A limited number of Fast Lane passes are available for purchase each operating day.
The passes will be available only while supplies last and are valid only on the day of purchase.
The rides available for Fast Lane vary from day-to-day (please check with the host/hostess at the Fast Lane booth for a list of specific rides available for Fast Lane that day).
Each FAST LANE pass is good for four priority boarding opportunities: 1 person x 4 rides, 2 people x 2 rides, 4 people x 1 ride ... it's your choice!
The FAST LANE program does not require any sort of reservation or pre-determined arrival time. Simply choose your ride and follow the FAST LANE direction.

Also if you are going before April 30th they have a deal on the SF website that you can buy them online and they have to be used before the 30th of April for a price of $29.99 where regular prices at the "door" are 46.99 for just MM or 56.99 for MM and HH and Parking is an additional $8.00.

Starting in April the park is open every day with different hours. Also April 17-18 is a drill team competition so if you go beware it is CROWDED~! We did that once for a cheerleading competition...oh my lord! I think we rode 4 rides all day long from opening to closing!!

 

[kjcolv]

Thanks, would you consider it within walking distance?? I was wondering if I could let my 16 yo son come and go on his own.

 

[hydster]

Yes you could probably walk it althoug it would be quite a walk. To get into Magic Mountain you go up a hill and around a corner..I'd say it's about .25 of a mile or so from the hotel to the entrance. We didnt want to walk it but if your son really wanted to go on his own he could do it. We are MUCH older than 16 though so for us we'd rather just take the car! LOL I'm not sure if the hotel has a shuttle that would take you back and forth since it is pretty close but you could always ask.