Photo TR: Lagoon & Celebration Centre (w/ SONIC BOOM)

A couple weeks ago, I took a day trip up to the Salt Lake City area. The plan involved taking an early flight from Phoenix up to Salt Lake City, renting a car, and driving up to Lagoon to make it in time for opening.

Then, if time allowed, I would make my way up to Logan to pay Celebration Centre a visit. Celebration Centre, if you didn't know, is S&S Worldwide's family entertainment center. Here you can find several of their inventions, including the one-of-a-kind Sonic Boom.

Anyway, after driving back down from Logan, I would take an evening flight from Salt Lake City back home to Phoenix.

I'm happy to report that everything went according to plan. In fact, I was even able to get Southwest to put me on an earlier flight home!

Now on to the pictures.

And inside Pixy Prize, you will find... these. It was at this point that I left the park.

Game Time is where you will find Pixy Prize, of course.

Finally, one quick stop inside Game Time, the park's arcade.

Making my way toward the park exit, I snapped this photo of their wave swinger. Gotta love the mountain backdrop at this park.

Finally, few people realize it, but the pioneers were responsible for Arby's. That's why they have this Arby's Museum in this section of the park.

That's right--phones!! Yay!

Finally, I had to visit the Telephone Museum. Wanna guess what's inside?

And also this creepy doll.

Inside is this detailed model of a circus.

This is the Circus Building. I don't know what this has to do with pioneer times, but we'll just forget about that for now.

Stoves!!

Stove and Hardware Museum! I wonder what's inside.

Oh! Why, it's meat! And also cheese.

Pioneer Village also features a number of displays. For instance, this meat shop. What could be inside?

It's also where you'll find Rattlesnake Rapids. Since it was 103 degrees, the line was approximately five miles in length. I did not ride, but it sure looks nice, right?

Off to visit the Pioneer Village section of the park now. It featured this church, so I took this lovely photo of it.

Samurai, the park's other Mondial ride, appears to be undergoing some major work. I love a good Top Scan, but it was not to be on this day.

The Flying Aces were awesome. Very, very good stuff here. Overlooked but highly recommended.

And these piles of guano!

Such as this custom lamp...

The Bat (junior suspended) is another spot where you can find interesting theming touches.

Jet Star 2 is a nice-looking ride, though again there's no shade over its queue.

Some shade at Lagoon! This nice area is in the heart of the park.

No, I'm not gonna say it.

The wooden coaster at Lagoon is a classic old ride, but it could use some TLC.

The station was nice and open. And I found the operators here to be quite efficient--generally each train was dispatched before the other one had returned, so there was no time wasted sitting on the brakes.

Onward to the wooden roller coaster.

I wanted to ride again, but sadly the length of the queue would not allow.

Speaking of queues, I should note that many of Lagoon's are not shaded. While the park boasts a lot of trees, waiting in line in the sun took its toll. On the day I visited, it was 103 degrees, so more shade would have been much appreciated.

Overall I thought Wicked, especially the first half, was very good. The top hat may be the best one out there--a nice pop and float all the way down. Hope to see more of these.

The restraints were mechanically interesting and worked well.

That's right, Wicked is now open!

This primary-color-barrel theming can mean only one thing!

I really wanted to ride CliffHanger, but sadly never got around to it. It's one of two Mondial rides in this park.

Nevertheless, Spider was an enjoyable ride.

I was disappointed, however, that guests were not allowed to sit on this very inviting fence.

The queue itself had nice touches too, like this castle-like structure and spider-web lamps.

Next, it was time for the Spider, a spinning mouse ride. I was impressed with the details, like this big spitting spider statue, that Lagoon put into its newer rides.

Dramatic queue flyby!

Colossus was a near-duplicate of Dorney Park's Laser. It seemed to run a bit more smoothly and quietly. It also has three trains (but was running one at the time, which was fine).

Once the ropes dropped, the stampede headed to Wicked!

But, ha-ha, it's closed. I moved on.

Once inside the park, it was time to wait at the ropes.

I found the park to remind me somewhat of Worlds of Fun in that there are "islands" of very shady trees.

They were just testing the wooden coaster when I got there.

I made it to Lagoon by 10:15 a.m. With the park opening at 11, my timing was impeccable.

We flew over the Grand Canyon! (That's it down yonder.)

My day began with a 7:05 a.m. departure from Phoenix in the comfort of an exit-row window seat.

Continuing the saga...

Mission accomplished, I made it back to the airport early enough to take an earlier flight home.

So, two parks visited and 1,200 miles traveled in one day. When's the next day trip?

Finally, you're hoisted to the top of that tower. It's 367 feet tall--the world's tallest drop tower. There's a mannequin of Stan Checketts on top that you'll see if you think to look above you instead of down at the ground.

After about ten seconds, you drop, and drop, and drop some more, reaching a claimed 100 MPH top speed.

Once you enter that rusty tube, the floor of the capsule compresses the air inside, which is allowed to escape from holes in the side of the tube. It makes a tremendous sound (hence the hearing protection).

There's no magnetic or mechanical braking system at all--what slows you down safely is the limited rate at which air can escape from from the holes in that tube. Simple, effective and totally unique. Worth the drive.

Looking up from the passenger capsule.

The passenger capsule for Sonic Boom has two seats with simple lapbelts. You get in, buckle up, and put on hearing protection.

Yes, it's rusty. Yes, it looks homemade. Shut up, pay your $10 and ride it.

The star attraction, however, is Sonic Boom.

With the old-style seats!

It also has one of these...

And a Screamin' Swing.

For instance, this Skycoaster.

Upon arrival at Celebration Centre, this is what you see.

The facility features miniature golf, go-karts, arcade, meeting space, and a few other notable things.

Now it was time to hit the road! Destination: Logan.

Great report. Makes me really want to make the trek up to Lagoon. I have been debating driving up there, but I think flying into Salt Lake might work better.

That has to be the most in depth review I have seen of Lagoon, ever. Such an obscure park that looks very nice.

Sonic Boom still looks like a ride that would make me crap my pants and fear for my life though.

Awesome day trip Photo TR!

Sonic Boom looks so unsafe, what ever I would still ride it, it looks insane. Wicked looks also looks pretty insane, almost looks like a Euro Fighter.

Lagoon looks cool, sorta like a parking lot park in places but in other places it looks really well-themed.

I'd pay $10 to ride Sonic Boom.

That sonic boom looks very interesting.

Not quite as tall as our Giant Drop here in Australia (393ft) but looks like a very interesting and different ride experience.

Cool trip report. Celebration Center is a place I would like to visit, if only for Sonic Boom. I can't believe that the height restriction for Sonic Boom is only 46", and it's too bad that it such an impractical idea, so there will probably never be another one built.

Also, interestingly, your expierence at Lagoon seems to be the polar opposite of the last Lagoon TR that I saw here. Coincidentaly, I believe that the guy who wrote that Lagoon TR was also from Phoenix, Arizona.

Holly *&^^!!!

No brakes!??!

Looks insane, insane I say.

We're going to Salt Lake on a road trip later this summer, might have to stop in for a look see.

Great TR, you never really hear much about lagoon but it looks very good. Sonic Boom looks insane too, I'd ride it.

That's awesome. Although I'd figure they'd have a coaster prototype somewhere in that park. . .

OMG I cannot believe the line for Wicked was that big. How long did you wait? I was going to try to do the park in like 3 hours a few weeks ago but decided to skip it, looks like that may have been a dream! Plus, the park looks a lot nicer than I had imagined, almost a half day park!

and no way in hell would I do the sonic boom.

Also, interestingly, your expierence at Lagoon seems to be the polar opposite of the last Lagoon TR that I saw here.

Yes, I certainly didn't think it's a bad park. But at the same time, there are a lot of things that they could do to take the park to the next level. Things like more shade, maybe some more investment in maintenance on certain rides and various park areas, etc.

Their waterpark is also rather small compared to other "free with admission" waterparks, so there's not as much of an "everyone's in the waterpark, so the lines in the dry park are short" effect such as you might find at Dorney, Holiday World, and similar places.

That said, I certainly wouldn't mind owning the place. Salt Lake City is a fast-growing area, and Lagoon has no significant competition. Not a bad position for a park to be in.

OMG I cannot believe the line for Wicked was that big. How long did you wait? I was going to try to do the park in like 3 hours a few weeks ago but decided to skip it, looks like that may have been a dream! Plus, the park looks a lot nicer than I had imagined, almost a half day park!

My wait for Wicked began just outside of the (very small-looking) official queue space, so I didn't wait in that long line spilling out into the pathway. Even so, I waited about 40 minutes. Knowing that, I certainly wasn't about to wait in the now much-larger line (and it pretty much stayed that way the whole time I was in the park).

I should point out that I was in the park on July 5, so there was probably something of a holiday/vacation-day effect when I was visiting. I don't know if such long waits are typical for the park.

Oh man, I have GOT to try out Sonic Boom, I haven't hear dmuch about the ride and had no ide ait was still up.

I also had no idea Lagoon had a Jet Star 2... a visit to this area is definately going to have to happen.

Normally when Wicked's Line reaches the Spider Sign, it's only a 30-35 Minute Wait. It's very true that the Lagoon needs to take it to the Next Level. I'm hoping this will happen when they install their next "Large Roller Coaster" that will open sometime in the next 4 Years.

Sonic Boom is an Awesome Ride! The first time I rode it in September, I didn't get any ear protection and the "Boom" wasn't all that loud.

Is the white tower with the steps right behind the Sonic Boom new? I don't remember it from the original pictures of Sonic Boom that were posted when it was first built. And if it is new, do you know what it was? I'm guessing it is just a bungee tower based on the large cantilevered platform.

As for Lagoon, I will have to make a trip out there later this year. I think I will probably skip Logan, but I will add in the zip lines and mountain coaster in Park City.

Wow. Sonic Boom looks like it would be quite a rush. I would love to ride it!

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't S&S power build Sonic Boom, is there any info on it on the web? Also how much did it cost to build?

I'll stop asking questions and I'll Thank you for the Photo TR

Thanks for the photo TR, Lagoon look like a nice place but not worth the effort of travelling there or is it?

Here are some pictures of sonic boom and a video!

www.johnnyupsidedown.com/eventSIL.html

Awesome photo tr! Sonic Boom looks insane!

Sonic Boom looks like a great thrill. I don't think it would do well for a major theme park just because of the fact that it appears to have a really low capacity, but it would be better off at a FEC type of place. I wonder how it's reliability is?

I wouldn't be surprised if its reliability is good because it really has nothing to it and with no magnetic brakes or anything really mechanical in that tube its should be up quite a bit.

As I've been told, Sonic Boom is a Prototype and there will not be another one Manufactured for anyone!

I was at the park this same exact day! Its a shame you weren't there for closing, because the nightime/sunset rides at this park have been spectacular this year, with the smoke from the fires and the such.

This particular day was pretty dang good crowd wise. I go to the park quite often and have had empty days and days where I wanted to leave. This day was perfect, although I spent 4 hours at Lagoon-A-Beach.

I'm glad you enjoyed your trip, hopefully you'll be able to make it back someday. It is true, Lagoon does need to take it up to the next level, however they have been getting constantly better since the addition of The Spider in 2003. I have nothing but high expectations from Lagoon in the future.

This was the sunset that night. This was taken in line for The Spider. The full 10 MP quality version is my wallpaper

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't S&S power build Sonic Boom, is there any info on it on the web? Also how much did it cost to build?

Not sure how much it cost to build; I'd guess a few hundred thousand dollars. And yes, it's an S&S creation--basically a prototype and proof of concept.

Thanks for the photo TR, Lagoon look like a nice place but not worth the effort of travelling there or is it?

Well, Lagoon is a nice enough park but I'm not going to rush back. Salt Lake City is a nice area, though, with plenty to do, so perhaps I'll find myself back sooner than I think. If I make it back to Lagoon, I'll try to make sure it's during a less-busy time of year.

Thanks for the replies folks, glad to know you enjoyed this report!