So I know that we still have about two months until the park opens, but I want to get this up and running now.
To start with, I have been extremely lucky and can now take a trip to London this upcoming new years as well as going to New York with my choir in the next month. Basically, I have been working hard to save up for these trips and I have come to the conclusion that I have just enough money to squeeze in a Six Flags trip this summer. The only problem is that my planning has, in the past at least, been plagued with a number of things: friends cancelling, friends getting tired and leaving early, getting there too late, not having enough cash for a flash pass, friends making the trip their birthday bash, etc. In any case, I want to make my one trip this year really special.
I know that we will be going opening to closing and we will be getting a regular flash pass--I'm not sure how many people are going yet, but we will be doing these things (I will MAKE them happen). Do you guys have any other tips on how to make this one trip the best it can be? Thanks so much!
Last Visit, American Eagle BACKWARDS 5 times in a row right before the park closed. I cannot WAIT to go back for Fright Fest!
For me, if I'm only going 1 day to Six Flags Great America, I wouldn't want to go when the park first opens, and I would want to wait until the waterpark & the shows open (such as Grand Music Hall). Going the beginning of the season for instance, the park could have a bunch of technical difficulties for the rides and roller coasters. Certain coasters might only run 1 train like Superman has been doing early on which makes the line longer. Certain flats might not be open. The earlier you are going, the greater chance for rain and coldness, and the park shutting down early. I think even the first week of June, I believe that not every flat is open on the weekdays (or they only have specific times when some flats are open and some are closed). So based on time of year, I would choose later June / early July (but NOT July 4th week). Fright Fest is another option, but thing with that time, is that rides are going to be packed. Yes, you could have the Flash Pass, but I believe that, that is based on the time of the lines. If the line for Raging Bull is 1 1/2 hours, than you still have to wait that amount of time, but just not in the line. So, I wouldn't go Fright Fest for your only time unless you just love Halloween / haunted houses to death.
"I've been staring at the world, waiting. All the trouble and all the pain we're facing. Too much light to be livin' in the dark. Why waste time? We only got one life. Together we can be the CHANGE. So go and let your heart burn bright"
Just one trip, huh? That's tough. I work a lot of outdoor sporting events and I've seen entire weekends wiped out because of rain. To pinpoint one day to make everything happen right — weather, low crowds, everything functioning, your group being able to go, etc. — that's really tough.
My girlfriend and I go once a month when the park is in season and we get about one or two really awesome trips per year, one or two where the crowds are bad and one or two (usually early) where either the weather or the day we went means the park isn't running everything. That means your odds of a great trip, depending on timing, are about one in three.
Mr. Vu was spot on in saying the time of year makes a huge difference. A few gut things come to mind:
The best times my girlfriend and I have had at the park have been on days when it rained early and threatened much of the rest of the day. People get scared by the rain, or the chance of it, and either leave or don't come. But if it dries out, everything still runs, the lines are short all day and miniscule late, and it's awesome. But if you have to pick one day, now to plan for everyone ... no chance of predicting when that day might be. Might you be able to pick out a three or four-day stretch where you say, "Hey, let's go on one of these days, depending on the conditions?"
A large group is going to have varying wants. To me, the biggest question is if they're going to want to see the waterpark or not. If they don't care about that, your options open up a bit.
If they want to do the waterpark, your day is going to kind of have to follow a certain pattern. Do the stuff in Southwest Territory first, then hit the waterpark early — it sucks to get there later and be stuck without a locker because they're all taken, or find that you have to wait 45 minutes just for Lazy River. Go early, though, and you can leave early, plus you can keep your stuff in the waterpark locker most of the rest of the day. Just remember to go pick it up in time.
Even if you're not planning on hitting the waterpark, I'd still pick a day when the waterpark is open because it does thin out the "dry park" crowds. Furthermore, remember that the waterpark does better the hotter it gets. So a better day to hit the dry park is actually a hotter day, while a better day to hit the waterpark is a mild day (it's still no fun going to the waterpark when it's cold). They'll often even keep the water park open an extra hour if it's really hot & busy, which makes being in the dry park that much better.
Keep an eye on the park website. They don't necessarily publicize all their special days, but there are some you may want to avoid. For instance, the cheer competition day has eight gazillion people there. Yes, some may be hot cheerleaders in your age range if you're under 18 (I'm way too old, and not single, to be going to the park for that now), but for the most part, it's a ton of giggly girls running around all day, shrieking deafeningly on every ride and clogging the lines.
Last thought, and some "old man" advice: If this is a really special group, plan on doing something kind of special with the group as a day "highlight." Maybe agree on some rules such that you have a go-kart race with a trophy on the line. Maybe you decide ahead of time you'll split the cost and get an old-timey picture. Maybe you all agree you'll get one shot together near the Carousel or on SkyTrek with the skyline in the background (I actually don't think you're allowed to do this, but I'm not sure -- don't ride it often enough). Anyhow, save the memory. The park is great, but it's the people you go with that make it special. My profile pic is of my girlfriend and I riding Columbia in the same seat I remember riding it with my Mom and my sister as a small child. It's really, really special to me. Make the little things count.
