2015 Trip Options

Hi,

This coming summer, my mom and I are planning a roller coaster trip. We have decided on the southeast area, with Carowinds, Kings Dominion, BGW, and then either Dollywood or Six Flags America. Due to flights and prices, going to Dollywood may be too expensive. Is SFA worth a trip, or would more time at the first 3 parks be time better spent. Also, if possible, would Dollywood be worth the extra effort to go to, or should we save it for another time when it will be easier to get to? Any additional advice on the parks would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

SFA is a passable half-day park IMO. My first visit there we left after five hours or so because we felt like we'd done everything we wanted to. I'm slightly higher on some of their rides than most people seem to be, but I really enjoyed SROS and Batwing, and thought that Wild One (which a lot of people love), Joker's Jinx, and Roar were all at least decent. If nothing else splitting a day between it and DC is a possibility, though you wouldn't have much time in DC.

And with all that said, the fact that you'll be visiting King's Dominion and Carowinds on this trip makes me think that you'd probably be better off either trying to swing Dollywood (never been but heard awesome things), taking more time at the other parks, or just doing non-park stuff. There's really no reason to go to SFA for more than anything than a quick coaster run-through, and you'll be riding virtual clones of two of their rides at the other parks, so I don't think you'll miss it if you don't go.

Enjoy the trip!

Is SFA worth a trip

would Dollywood be worth the extra effort to go to

Is SFA worth a trip, or would more time at the first 3 parks be time better spent.

I wouldn't even bother with SFA unless you just want to do a credit run. The park is on a slow upswing, so I'd say try it in a few years. Maybe it'll actually be worth staying more than two hours by then.

Also, if possible, would Dollywood be worth the extra effort to go to, or should we save it for another time when it will be easier to get to?

Absolutely! It's a gorgeous park with excellent customer service and a great selection of coasters.

Advice on BGW:

When the park opens, you'll only have England and Scotland available to you. Get your fill of Loch Ness Monster now, as it will probably have a huge line later (I've seen it have full queues on lower crowd days). As soon as the ropes drop, head right for the new coaster in Festa Italia. Hit Apollo's Chariot and Grover (if you're into the kiddie coasters) immediately after. Either take the train in Festa Italia or walk over to the Skyride in Scotland and go to France (train will let you off in New France and Skyride will let you off in Aquitaine, both are the next stops) to ride Griffon. Work counter-clockwise through New France for Alpengeist, Germany for DarKastle, Oktoberfest for Verbolten, and end in Italy for Pompeii.

Other tips:

-Apollo's Chariot, Alpengeist, and Verbolten are all people-eaters, so lines are typically very manageable.

-Trapper's Smokehouse in New France is an excellent place to eat. However, don't follow the rule of "don't eat when everyone else does." If you don't eat there during the peak dining hours, there's a fairly high chance that you'll get lousy food.

-There's a convenient shortcut that runs from Scotland to Germany, but keep in mind that it's a LOT of stairs.

-Going from Germany to New France can be tricky, as the pathway is fairly obscure. At the fountain of the naked lady, there's an arch with a pathway leading to shops. That's the way to New France.

-I left out Ireland because I don't believe the simulator ride is open anymore. After your first go around, you should definitely explore the area as it has charm and there are nice animal exhibits nearby.

Hope this helps!

OP:

I got your PM, but for some reason, my response wouldn't leave my outbox. But here it is:

To be honest, I've never used their Quick Queue system before. That being said, BGW does get VERY crowded nowadays. They recently had to build a new overflow lot to double the number of parking spaces! If you go during the week in May or June, you may not need it. However, I'd still keep it in mind just to be safe. If you visit on a weekend (unless you go very early in the season), I would definitely buy it. Once you decide when you're visiting, check for special events happening that day. If something is happening, the park will most likely be crowded. Whether or not you buy it, you'll definitely have a wonderful time!

(Sorry to double post!)

I got your PM, but for some reason, my response wouldn't leave my outbox.

Messages stay in your outbox until it's read. I know it's a little confusing, but it's a phpbb thing. Once someone reads it, then it goes to the "sent" box.

OP:

 

I got your PM, but for some reason, my response wouldn't leave my outbox. But here it is:

 

To be honest, I've never used their Quick Queue system before. That being said, BGW does get VERY crowded nowadays. They recently had to build a new overflow lot to double the number of parking spaces! If you go during the week in May or June, you may not need it. However, I'd still keep it in mind just to be safe. If you visit on a weekend (unless you go very early in the season), I would definitely buy it. Once you decide when you're visiting, check for special events happening that day. If something is happening, the park will most likely be crowded. Whether or not you buy it, you'll definitely have a wonderful time!

 

(Sorry to double post!)

Awesome thanks! We'll keep that in mind when we go. We're planning to go on a weekday in early June so hopefully lines won't be too bad. Thanks for all the help!

Hit Apollo's Chariot and Grover (if you're into the kiddie coasters) immediately after. Either take the train in Festa Italia or walk over to the Skyride in Scotland and go to France (train will let you off in New France and Skyride will let you off in Aquitaine, both are the next stops) to ride Griffon. Work counter-clockwise through New France for Alpengeist, Germany for DarKastle, Oktoberfest for Verbolten, and end in Italy for Pompeii.