I think I'm pretty much done with my trips there this season until Fright Fest, just because the park is starting to get so busy now and I was spoiled with not having to wait in long lines, haha.
Reality check: Yeah I might go a few more times before then but we'll see.
Anyway, after a long night of partying at the clubs last night I wanted to sleep in today but I promised a few buddies from Chicago that I would meet them there by noon...
Slept in until the sun melted me into my bed(10:00am), got ready putzed around and finally headed out(Noon). I am so sick of the construction on the Marquette Interchange. I have to go like 5 miles out of my way just to get onto the I-43 South on ramp. The traffic got ridiculous before the tolls since they were backed up about 3 miles but lucklily I had my iPass transponder thing so yayy, breezed through the last mile before the tolls.
Cruised to the park and got there in 30 mins(no cops out I guess) and saw that the parking lot was totally crowded! Thankfully, once I got through the parking toll it didn't look as bad. I got my usual spot in Lot 25. I got all my stuff and headed to the entrance and beat Holli and Ken by 20 mins(since the Chicago traffic was worse than the Milwaukee traffic). We went through the front gates and FINALLY weren't stopped by the people that do the Palm Pilot survey things.
I will be cheating and looking @ the park map during this post since that is the only way I will remember what we did.
We decided to go to Hurricane Harbor first since we'd never been there(including when it was open last year). We rented a locker and fit all our stuff into just one! They charge $12 but it lasts the whole day which is pretty cool and worth it. We all changed into our swim gear and then put all our other stuff back into the lockers(you can access these as many times you want before 7pm and don't have to keep dropping quarters like you have to do @ Noah's Ark in Wisconsin Dells).
The thing that sucked is that I realized that my swim shorts didn't have a draw-string in it(I forgot that I pulled it out on that pair) so grrrr, take a guess what kept happening while we were there...
Anyway, headed to Tornado first. This is the new ride for the season and on previous visits I saw it being built and it was neat to see it running. The line looked really long when I parked but when we got there it was only a 5 min wait. There are 2 different types of tubes. One is a green one that seats 2 people and the other is a big yellow 4-seater. So yeah, we grabbed a yellow one. Once we started, OMG the water was FREEZING only because we weren't wet yet. We had no clue where we were going since the beginning is in an enclosed tunnel. Once you go through a few turns you go on a HUGE drop. I was backwards and didn't see it so it took me by surprise. Definitely the best part of that ride. Before we knew it, we were in the huge funnel and banked back and forth a few times. The banking was fun and insane @ the same time. Finally you splash into the bottom pool thing.
So we started walking around to check out some other water slides and I hated being barefoot since the pavement was 5,000,000 degrees. That was painful.
Next, we went to another slide complex that had these "toilet bowl" looking slides on it. We grabbed a couple of 2-seater tubes and went on a slide(either Hammer Head or Barracuda, I don't know which is which but it was the blue one). Ken and Holli went on one and I went alone on the other. It was a cool slide and pretty fast but I hated all the waterfalls that pelted you in the face whenever you went from the open part of the slide back into the enclosed part. Then we went on the "toilet bowl" slide. It was either Vortex or Typhoon. Me and Holli rode together and we went on the blue and green one. It was fun but the part where you are in the bowl took too long to get through since you have to swirl around until you get to this tiny opening. I thought for sure we were gonna get stuck @ some points since we were barely moving. And, yep my shorts were pretty much down at that point, bah.
Edit: oops, forgot to mention that we went in Hurricane Bay, the wave pool. The water was so warm and awesome! But the waves were pretty lame.
Then we went on Castaway Creek. I guess this is one of those "lazy river" type rides but there are jets and waterfalls(like @ Noah's Ark). That was fun except, again, shorts kept falling down. We had fun pushing Holli under the waterfalls and holding there and she was screaming. Good times. There was one point where jets were spraying from all directions and that was pretty cool but blinding.
Pulled my shorts back up and then we walked around and went to the coolest part in the waterpark which was Skull Island. I thought for sure that this was a kiddy thing but OMG this was awesome! We walked through all the sprayjets, net-crawl things and the bridges. At one point when we made a turn I got nailed by the dumping water thing (Holli and Ken made it through and lol'd @ me). We kept going all the way to the top to the purple slide which was defintely the best body slide I have ever been on. That sucker was so fast and furious. LOVED IT. This was the coolest part of Hurricane Harbor.
We were starving by this point so decided to go on one more slide and then head out.
We went on the Wahoo Racers which was pretty cool. This is one where you grab a mat with handles. There was NO LINE! We got right up to the top and got to race together. I was on the yellow one on the very right side. This thing is totally fun and you go face first and have no clue where you are going...and then suddenly are out in the open on a double drop slide. On the second drop I felt my shoulder "pull" a bit since we were going so fast which scared me but luckily it was all good.
Then we were over it and pretty cold(except for our feet which were being ignited on the stupid pavement). and decided to change and go eat.
What I love about Hurricane Harbor:
-Lockers(they take credit cards)
-Clean changing areas, even the floors! Anyone who has been to Noah's Ark will appreciate that.
-Showers(even individual ones)
-VERY short lines(at least today)
What turned me off about Hurricane Harbor:
-Million degree pavement barefoot
-You have to trek through too much of the regular park to get to the entrance
-NO MIRRORS!
-Too hard to navigate through(too many dead ends)
-Nasty BBQ stench(I HATE BBQ food)
So we rode in Ken's jeep and went to Chilis by Gurnee Mills. We had lunch and each got a margarita, Ole'!
Then headed back into the park to go on some rides and coasters. It was horribly busy(compared to my last few trips this season)
First we went on the Whizzer. Only a 10 min wait. There was no line but the station queue was full and we rode the back 2 seats. I still love this one so much. This was my first coaster as a kid, aww.
Then we went on the Orbit. Only had to wait one ride cycle.
Next went on the Demon. The line queue was all the way out to the rock thing under the lift hill. It was only a 10 min wait. Rode the last two seats in the yellow train. I always make sure to ride this when I am there.
Giant Drop was next. Only a 10 min wait. They key to getting the "drop feeling" in your stomach is too keep your eyes open and look straight down.
After that we went on Raging Bull. This was kind of a wait. I didn't keep track but the last 3rd of the second switchback was full. And just like on Giant Drop, we were so hot in line! Ugh. We sat in the back row.
Next, we went to the Viper. Another long line, not sure how long. I sat in the 3rd row. I remember a post in this forum(I don't know who or when) that the 3rd seat is the best one. I sat there. I decided that both the front and back part of this coaster is the best. The back is cool because of the drops but the front half rocks since you get shot up the hills. So much fun. The seatbelts lock up pretty high and I was barely in my seat the entire time.
Then we went on the Trailblazer. This ride is so underrated. I love this one and it actually has "substance" to it when you go down and swing back up again, only to switch direction for the 2nd half. RIDE THIS(if you haven't yet).
After that we went back into County Fair(after getting an Icee) and the Revolution is still closed. Boooo! I loved this one last year.
Anyway, we decided to go on the Dare Devil Dive. I've been on this one @ Cedar's Point or PKI(or both, I don't remember). We didn't have our season pass coupon things with us so we got the 3rider rate anyway. Why am I always stuck on the side where you have to pull the ripcord?? Ugh, that is so scarry. Oh wait, the worst part is where they have you stand on the bar and tip you forward! It feels like you are about to fall on your face.
Then we went on the American Eagle. LONG LINE! I don't remember how long it took but only the blue side was open(I prefer the Red side because of the "bunny hops").
Next, we headed off to Iron Wolf. Not a bad line at all. Only about 10 mins and we got the back seat. I totally felt that "drop" in my stomach on the first drop and didn't have as much headbanging as I normally do(even though I was wearing sunglasses). The ride op was hillarious and kept calling it by the wrong name on purpose(and of course everyone in the line freaked out about it)
Headed to Fiddlers Fling next. This thing is fun but wayyy too painful when you get squished.
Went on V2 next. We got the 2nd and 3rd rows(I was in the 2nd). Not a long line but the station and stairs were packed. It was only a 20 min wait though(unlike the 45 min wait I am used to)
Then it was off to Whirligig(swing ride). This thing kinda scares me because of the small chain holding your swing but whatever, had fun on it.
After that we went on Batman. My fave coaster.
We sat in the back row and it was great. I like the front better(only on this one).
Next it was off to the East River Crawler. Cool ride and short line. The ride op working it was great!
We were going to skip Ragin Cajun but there was a short line so we waited, rode it and were bored on it. I love wild maus coasters but this one is a loser.
Then we went on King Chaos. We rode it 4 times in a row!!! Didn't even have to re-enter the line. The first time wasn't so great since there were cell phones, change, etc flying all over the place.
Second last ride was the Condor! So much fun. I took a pic from my phone on this and will post it @ the end.
Finished off on Superman: UF. Got the back row and it rocked as always.
There was still an hour left but we all wanted to get out of there. We said our goodbye's and I headed to Frenchy's to get some more limited edition Ring Pops which I inhaled on my ride home.
And because I am IN LOVE with Condor here is a pic I got of it just before it started:
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