by Electerik » Sun May 31, 2009 9:14 am
Despite its lack of theming (which wouldn't be appropriate in this case anyway), Indiana Beach is very nearly my perfect park: small but compact, filled with fun and unique attractions all piled on top of one another, and utterly and completely cracksmoking.
I'm still a bit worried about the new management--but thankfully not much has changed, so far. Hopefully, they realize and appreciate what a good thing they have.
I certainly do.
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- The park has two entrances. This is the prettier one, South.
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- Everyone has this picture, and everyone should.
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- I love crazy signs, and Indiana Beach is overloaded with them.
I'm not exactly sure what folks in wheelchairs are supposed to do here, incidentally. But, now that I think about it, I'm not too sure how folks in wheelchairs would be able to do much of anything at this park.
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- Let's start with the Giant Wheel. Ancient and terrifying ride panel? Check.
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- Pretty good view from up here.
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- The bulk of the park.
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- Under the Giant Wheel is the entrance to a mini golf course, which is in turn underneath the Hoosier Hurricane's far turnaround.
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- "Water Swing."
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- Maybe you'll get lucky and it'll land on the bridge.
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- Misty loves swing rides. Misty really loves this one.
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- The first of our two days in the park was "we're the only ones on the ride" dead.
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- Thank you for clarifying.
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- Slash Battle was closed both days, but I doubt we would have ridden it anyway.
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- Day two was much busier, mostly with annoying school kids. But the lines were still very manageable.
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- Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain: Never has a ride's shorthand name been more appropriate.
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- You come out of the station and ascend via elevator lift. Then you're tossed around like a beanbag while the track does things no track should do.
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- It's kind of like riding through Spider-Man when it's out of sync, in the backseat of the Georgia Cyclone.
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- Weird and brutal in a way that makes no sense and never fails to make me laugh the whole way. (Photo by Speedmetal.)
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- Looking down the main midway, contemplating having a "famous" taco. They're goood! (Photo by Speedmetal.)
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- Misty demonstrates how the car ride spends most of its time over water.
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- Unlike Cedar Point, Indiana Beach really takes advantage of its peninsula locale.
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- Yep, that's a coaster hiding behind all those waterslides.
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- A Galaxi ride op rewards himself for successfully dispatching yet another train with that equipment. (Photo by Speedmetal.)
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- All the water park stuff was still closed. But, again, that's not what we were here for.
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- Den of Lost Thieves is a really fun two-story shooting dark ride. (Photo by Speedmetal.)
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- Obviously not built as a shooter, but the conversion was well done.
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- Um, yeah....
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- We rode three times. I'm pretty sure I lost this one because I was taking photos.
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- The brief outdoor section.
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- The skeleton pops up out of the barrel. I'm guessing this is an original (pre-shooter) stunt.
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- The games are all on a card system. So what happens when you load up a card only to find that the computers that control it all are down most of the time? Park profit, baby!
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- I wanna win some tools!
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- I just like the name "Monkey Drop."
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- Misty preparing to win a stuffed tiger.
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- Misty, um, eating the stuffed tiger...?
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- Inarguable.
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- All the pinball machines were on free play. I'm not sure why, but we weren't complaining.
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- The park's sky ride is completely awesome and 100% "old school safe."
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- I was really happy to see this open (before Memorial Day). A proper restaurant at the park is always a big plus for me.
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- "That would suck. An arrow killed you? They would never solve the crime."
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- Let's check out the gift shop and then head back to the hotel.
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- I really just have no words for this. I even tried to delete the photo, but my finger just wouldn't let me.
Look, just be happy I didn't include the picture of an elf about to blow a crow.
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- Our hotel, inside the park. It was outdated--but clean enough--no internet access, and it cost $95 a night. But did I mention the part where it's inside the park?
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- Near said hotel is the park's newest coaster, Steel Hawg.
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- Even though it's right at the other (main?) entrance, it still feels really away from the park.
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- We didn't come here for this, and we weren't expecting much.
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- It was okay. A little painful in the shoulders, but not too bad. Once was enough for us, but I was happy it wasn't a lot worse.
Of course, if you like hangtime, you'll probably love it.
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- The entrances for the log flume and the Hurricane are right next t each other on the, er, "back" midway. (Photo by Speedmetal.)
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- Indiana Beach
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- Conveyor loading.
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- It's basic, but good.
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- Nice scenery, eh?
I'm not entirely sure what that sign means. It pretty clearly directed at the riders, though.
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- I didn't shave for a couple of days so I'd look more like a lumberjack.
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- To the left is Hoosier Hurricane's station, to the right is Cornball Express track.
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- It's actually not very wet.
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- Who's your hurricane, baby?
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- Built largely over the water, like so many things here. (Photo by Speedmetal.)
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- Looks kinda great, rides kinda dull.
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- The turnaround (above Island Golf).
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- Heading back in.
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- The entrance to Cornball is located in Kiddyland.
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- Or perhaps it would be more appropriate to say "above Kiddyland."
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- It's supposed to be a family coaster, but it's much more thrilling than the park's "adult" woodie.
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- Remove substances from mouth. Sure, why not?
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- I was blown away by Cornball Express on my last visit, and probably talked it up too much.
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- It was still pretty darned good this time around, just not quite up to my previous rides.
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- Cornball is built partially above Kiddyland, and wraps all the way around Tig'rr.
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- You didn't think I mistyped that, did you? Tig'rr is actually built on the roof a restaurant. I love Indiana Beach.
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- And Misty loved Tig'rr, declaring it the best ride of the trip. (And we rode Diamondback and Millennium Force on this trip.)
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- When in doubt, make a sign.
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- The train driver veers way off track. "Sir, that's the Hurricane. And we're heading for water." (Photo by Speedmetal.)
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- The train passes through Dr. Frankenstein's Castle twice through the same tunnel, yet the animatronic barker for the castle is different on each leg of the journey. Pretty cool.
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- Air Crow is the park's flyers--built over the water, of course. Dig the maintenance man working in the middle of the ride.
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- Even first aid is weird and cool. (Photo by Speedmetal.)
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- I foolishly passed on Dr. Frankenstein's Castle on my one previous visit, since it was an upcharge and I'm generally against those.
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- But it only costs $3.50, and I'm glad to pay it if that's what keeps all the stunts working.
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- The lobby. Much of the attraction is dark, obviously.
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- But I did snap a photo of the singing animatronic rock band!
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- View of the park from the outside balcony.
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- Next door to the Castle is a fun monster-themed shooting gallery. Lots of movement and not too tough to hit the targets.
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- One more ride we need to get! Another one that I passed on last time, the Shafer Queen. (Photo by Speedmetal.)
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- It's a half-hour paddlewheel ride out around the lake.
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- As you might expect, it's easy and relaxing, with lots of good views of the park.
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- Hoosier Hurricane, among other things.
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- Pretty much the whole park.
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- It was a great two days at one of our favorite parks. (Well, it was Misty's first visit, but it's one of her favorites now!)
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- I usually don't say stuff like this, but: Possibly my favorite photo of the trip.
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- Goodbye from Monticello, Indiana. And thanks for reading.
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Seeing how crammed it is it got me thinking what other parks that have that crammed attractions everywhere feel. Tivoli Gardens have it in some sections, and I think Blackpool Pleasure Beach also falls into this category. Any else?
