OT: weekend trip Storyland, NH or York Animal Kingdom, ME?

[savvy?71]

I'm going to be radical, and say go to Santa's Village! It's north of StoryLand, and half as crowded. It's really magical, and there are a ton of shows, rides, etc. Much less traffic than North Conway, and you get to drive through the mountains to get there!

StoryLand is great, we used to love it. When we discovered Santa's Village, we decided it was much better bang for our buck. They have live reindeer you can feed and pet! You can take pictures with Santa. You can ride the all-Rudolf carousel...just go to their website and check it out.

I used to blow off SV, even when I was a kid, always preferring SL. Well we took the kids to both this summer and I was *SO* impressed with SV.

Yes you have to head North a smidge more, but wow, so worth it.

Cleaner, less crowded, friendlier, prettier....just the lay out of the park, the landscaping...it was like you were lost in a woodland paradise. And with the Christmas aspect, it was indeed magical.

I couldn't believe how, at the Gingerbread house, that my kids walked in, not another child in there, and we got to pick our freshly baked choice of cookie, and have the decorating station all to ourselves.

I love Storyland, and spent my childhood going back and forth to the White Mountain region, but I cannot recommend SV enough.

I do think it would appeal more to the toddler set, but I saw plenty of older kids too.

 

[savvy?71]

One poster mentioned the traffic in North Conway. It can be very bad in the summer all the way through Conway Village & North Conway. If you decide on Storyland send me a pm and I will give you a bypass around all the traffic. If you do not already know about it.

This made me smile; as were were driving along the Kancamagus, I happened to be talking to my mom on the cell phone. She reminded me to grab the short cut to SL if I wanted to avoid Rt 16 thru NC.

 

[PatsMom]

I'd pick Storyland over York's Wild Kingdom. York was pretty run down the last couple of times I was there and traffic was pretty bad. Santa's Village is also nice. I prefer it to Storyland. Either will definitely use up a day and even at 13 months we see kids looking like they are enjoying it.
Someone suggested eating at the Red Parka Pub - very nice place, good food. But get there before 6. Six is when Storyland closes and the place starts to get packed then. We eat there once a month or so and during the summer tourist season we plan to arrive there around 5 or 5:15. Also, if you wait until 6 to leave Storyland, traffic going south on 16 will back up horribly from the lights at Glen Corner. There is a way around that and if you PM me I can share. Also, if you decide to head south to North Conway or Conway at that time, traffice will back up a long way from the first set of lights going into North Conway - again, there are a couple ways around that. If you stay at a hotel in North Conway, you could be near the outlets - Mom could get in some shopping time. Most hotels have pools and the kids might enjoy that. If you are coming up 93 and over the Kanc, if you want to avoid Conway you can take a road from the Kanc into Bartlett Village. You can avoid lots of traffic that way. And even traffic in town isn't bad. There are a couple of ways around most of the common backups. We are not crazy about all of the tourists who invade our towns during the summer and winter but we are generally nice because we do recognize that people come and spend lots of money and are very important to the local economy!

Someone also recommended avoiding the Muddy Moose - kids like the theming of the restaurant but I"ve never been crazy about the food or the service. Most restaurants are pretty kid friendly since we are a tourist area. Breakfast at Glen Junction restaurant is nice if you want a place to stop on your way to Storyland - they have a train that runs around the room that fascinates a lot of the little kids. Storyland's food isn't bad - they'll let you bring in a picnic but unless you are on a real budget, it is easier to buy stuff there. The Red Fox in Jackson has decent food and as someone said a great play area for the kids. If you try for the brunch, go early - long waits are fairly common during heavy tourist season. We also like Delaney's Hole in the Wall in North Conway. Good food and they have paper tablecloths so the kids can color. Another big hit with little kids is ice cream at the Glen Dairy Queen. Elvios makes great pizza. One place a lot of people rave about that we dislike is Horsefeathers. The bar is great but we've never gotten what we consider to be a good meal there.

Have fun with the kids at Storyland if that's what you decide. It hasn't been hot here this summer - we are wearing jackets today. But it has been rainy.

 

[savvy?71]

My family always went to Horsefeathers, Red Parka Pub, The Blueberry Muffin Shoppe (closed after 2), and The Cliffside.

My favorite was always the RPP and I was thrilled to see it was still there this summer (I hadn't been up that way in years).

Horsefeathers used to be reliable but it really has become more of a tavern atmosphere--fun, but food isn't top priority.

I love the DQ ! Always a fun place were people are chatting and waiting.

In general I cannot believe the growth along 16 in NC. It's nice to drive through, as it's kind of nostalgic for me. What's nicer is finally getting to Storyland and being amazed that it's basically the same adorable fun place!

My 3yr old daughter is till raving about how she rode Cinderella's coach

However, she told Cinderella "but you aren't the *real* Cinderella" ( I wonder how many times SL's Cinderella hears that)

 

[PatsMom]

My family always went to Horsefeathers, Red Parka Pub, The Blueberry Muffin Shoppe (closed after 2), and The Cliffside.

My favorite was always the RPP and I was thrilled to see it was still there this summer (I hadn't been up that way in years).

Horsefeathers used to be reliable but it really has become more of a tavern atmosphere--fun, but food isn't top priority.

I love the DQ ! Always a fun place were people are chatting and waiting.

In general I cannot believe the growth along 16 in NC. It's nice to drive through, as it's kind of nostalgic for me. What's nicer is finally getting to Storyland and being amazed that it's basically the same adorable fun place!

My 3yr old daughter is till raving about how she rode Cinderella's coach

However, she told Cinderella "but you aren't the *real* Cinderella" ( I wonder how many times SL's Cinderella hears that)

A friend of DD's played Cinderella last summer. She heard frequently that she wasn't the "real" Cinderella. And she really looked the part - very blond and pretty. She is coming to WDW with us next week and at 17 one of her goals is to meet the "real" Cinderella. In the summer I avoid 16 in NC like the plague. And they keep adding more strip malls! The Cliffside Restaurant went downhill for a year or two and then closed. It is now apartments. But it made me think of another good place to eat - the Lobster Trap on the West Side Road has reasonable prices and good food. We also see people lined up waiting to get into Margarita Grille (formerly Margaritaville and no relation to the Jimmy Buffett restaurant). We've eaten there and the food was OK but it has a more "bar" atmosphere than we care for.

 

[savvy?71]

A friend of DD's played Cinderella last summer. She heard frequently that she wasn't the "real" Cinderella. And she really looked the part - very blond and pretty. She is coming to WDW with us next week and at 17 one of her goals is to meet the "real" Cinderella. In the summer I avoid 16 in NC like the plague. And they keep adding more strip malls! The Cliffside Restaurant went downhill for a year or two and then closed. It is now apartments. But it made me think of another good place to eat - the Lobster Trap on the West Side Road has reasonable prices and good food. We also see people lined up waiting to get into Margarita Grille (formerly Margaritaville and no relation to the Jimmy Buffett restaurant). We've eaten there and the food was OK but it has a more "bar" atmosphere than we care for.

I felt bad for SL's Cindy, but out of the mouth of babes, what can you do?

My dd sat with her, hugged her, but only called her 'princess'. She even asked about her dress (it looked nothing like Disney's Cinderella's of course), and that it looked like SW's. Cindy said she borrowed it from her

Clearly WDW made an impression on my 3 yr old

That's a shame about The Cliffside but then again, it's amazing some things stick around as long as they do. I have a strong connection to North Conway/The White Mountain region from childhood.

 

[miprender]

Storyland is much cleaner and nicer!

Not true... I was at SL in July and SV just last week and both were equally cleaned. My mother actually could not get over how clean the bathrooms were at SV.

 

[savvy?71]

Not true... I was at SL in July and SV just last week and both were equally cleaned. My mother actually could not get over how clean the bathrooms were at SV.

I agree

SL does a great job considering their volume, they have family rooms, mothers' rooms, and plenty of restroom locations...but the entire park at SV, from grounds to rides to activities to restrooms seemed always 'just cleaned'

 

[MamaOfTwoPrincesses]

Wish I had seen the shortcuts *before* we went to North Conway few days ago!

We were just up at SL and SV this past weekend and had a great time, despite the rain. See the last posts in my pre-trip report for a bunch of picts. Both parks are very clean and everyone who works there is very friendly. My girls are 6.5 and 3, and this was our 4th annual trip. They both really enjoyed our trip.

Coming home was quite an adventure. It should have taken about 3 hours to get to the Boston metrowest area - but it was more like FIVE. First traffic got all tied up as we approached 93 S. THEN the weather hit. Oh my GOSH! We had hard, heavy rain, thunder, lightening, flooding, and HAIL. Thank goodness the girls were watching a DVD and had no clue what was going on. The last 45 minutes just as we got onto route 2 were the worst. I felt like we were driving in a lake. I was convinced that we would come home to no power, but luckily, the lights were on when we got home.

But we did have a great trip.

I also need to recommend Southwick Zoo. We love it there, and this reminds me that we have yet to take a trip this summer. We also love Davis Farm, and have been 4 times already!

 

[DisneyKT]

Were leaving this Sunday for SL and SV and to walk some nature trails. I love NH. We rode up MT. Washington last year all I have to say is Wow, hang on to yourself LOL. We stay at a friends house in Bartlett.

I also have to say I went to Southwick Zoo last week never been before, what a great zoo.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

Were leaving this Sunday for SL and SV and to walk some nature trails. I love NH. We rode up MT. Washington last year all I have to say is Wow, hang on to yourself LOL. .

We just hours ago got home from driving up Mt Washington. I remember my mom "being scared" when we went up as kids. I guess I thought she was kidding. Ha! I told my 12 year old if we went up it again, we'd be hiking!!! I'd contemplated taking the shuttle, but watching them zip around the curves made me glad to be in my own car!! I don't know why I'd thought any of it was a good idea, lol.

We were at SV Monday, too! (In the rain -scared any crowds away, at least!)

 

[savvy?71]

We just hours ago got home from driving up Mt Washington. I remember my mom "being scared" when we went up as kids. I guess I thought she was kidding. Ha! I told my 12 year old if we went up it again, we'd be hiking!!! I'd contemplated taking the shuttle, but watching them zip around the curves made me glad to be in my own car!! I don't know why I'd thought any of it was a good idea, lol.

Funny...all these years going to the White Mountain region and we never drove up Mt Washington. I've hiked it many times! I need one of those bumper stickers about 'this car climbed mt washington' and change it to 'these legs climbed mt washington'

The idea of being in a car going up always made my stomach lurch

 

[MichelleinMaine]

Funny...all these years going to the White Mountain region and we never drove up Mt Washington. I've hiked it many times! I need one of those bumper stickers about 'this car climbed mt washington' and change it to 'these legs climbed mt washington'

The idea of being in a car going up always made my stomach lurch

They did have a bunch of shirts that said "this body climbed Mt Washington"!

I hate it because I actually had DH's car today. The kids told me it wasn't fair to put it on MY car (since my car didn't go,lol) but I'm not putting it on DH's car and letting people think HE drove up!

He's just going to totally freak out when I actually get the pictures downloaded and he sees exactly what the drive entailed,lol. He's not from around here and I don't think gets what exactly driving up a mountain means

I gave my DS my camera to take pictures en route. I'd like to actually see too. I was totally concentrated on that skinny 10 feet of pavement. Didn't see ANYTHING else!!!

I'm seriously hiking next time!!

 

[miprender]

Wow... there is no way I will EVER go up Mt Washington in a car or on the Cog Rail. Have you ever seen the history on the Cog Rail and when it derailed? I am vertically challenged and the thought of driving up then down that small little windy road .... Not for me.

But I give people credit that have driven up. You must have nerves of steel.

 

[DisneyKT]

Hi all just wanted to say I came back from NH on the 21st.* We had a great time at SV, SL and we also did the Flume Gorge. My DS fell asleep so we had to carry him half way, my DH said he was just faking. LOL.

We had great weather. I love NH I wish I had more time to spend up there. I would love to hike more trails but with the kids not going to happen.
My son who is 2 had a blast especially at SV.* He loved the Humbug ride.Just thought I would fill everyone in.

 

[npmommie]

Wow... there is no way I will EVER go up Mt Washington in a car or on the Cog Rail. Have you ever seen the history on the Cog Rail and when it derailed? I am vertically challenged and the thought of driving up then down that small little windy road .... Not for me.

But I give people credit that have driven up. You must have nerves of steel.

omg , 2 summers ago, we drove up mt washington, i drove just to be sure there would be no zipping up the road! plus i knew if hubby drove he would also be looking all around........
BUT............I WILL NEVER DO IT AGAIN.......i am scared of heights and had no idea how skinny the road is and just how close you come to the edge!!!! lol
my kids were ecstatic though, "mommy look how high we are!!!"
i almost had a panic attack, and at the top all i could think of was i HAD to drive back down to get off the darn mt.

 

[miprender]

omg , 2 summers ago, we drove up mt washington, i drove just to be sure there would be no zipping up the road! plus i knew if hubby drove he would also be looking all around........
BUT............I WILL NEVER DO IT AGAIN.......i am scared of heights and had no idea how skinny the road is and just how close you come to the edge!!!! lol
my kids were ecstatic though, "mommy look how high we are!!!"
i almost had a panic attack, and at the top all i could think of was i HAD to drive back down to get off the darn mt.

You are so brave... I hope you bought one of the bumper stickers for your car!!

My brother and brother in law actually hiked up to Mt Washington a few years back in August and couldn't get over how high they were when they finally reached the top. I will have to take everyone's word for it, because like I said I am just a scaredy cat when it comes to heights.