Im heading out on a Tuesday in late June which should be pretty buisy. I only have a day so Im buying a platinum flash pass. I really need to know what peoples must rides are, and any other advice for planning.
Top 5: 1) El Toro. 2) Maverick. 3) Millenium Force. 4) Diamondback. 5) X2. Coaster Count: 167 (41 Wood, 125 Steel) @Coaster_Cole on Twitter
I'm goin to say do X2 first, cause I didn't like that que when full the most. Experience as much as you can. Don't just be there for coaster coaster coaster, try to take in the setting of the huge park, I'm glad I did.
Yes, there is an extra charge for X2. I really don't think the flashpass is worth the $ on a weekday. Last summer in June on a Monday X2 was really the only ride with a line. Tatsu was a walk on by 6pm and Terminator never was over 45 min, even being brand new, but it was a walk on early. MM has the deepest coaster collection I have ever seen, mainly because they don't have an Iron Wolf quality ride. If you had to skip any, I would suggest Revolution, Colossus, and Batman if you have been on another. If you ride Goliath, I would advise riding within the first 5 rows on your first trip, because it is a grey out ride with extreme forces. I believe I got on more than 20 rides that day and I left at 8, when the park was open until 10. Crowd really died out around 6.
If it isn't a weekend the park shouldn't be totally packed. If you really feel like blowing 100 extra bucks for platinum flash pass with X2 you'll ride everything multiple times. If you don't feel like doing that you could sprint to X2 immediately when the park opens, then go from there. Try to ride everything because almost all of their coasters are awesome. It's also a really pretty park with lots of trees, but watch out for the hill of death. Most ACErs complain about the Orient Express because they can't climb the hill themselves.
Top 5 wood-5-Goliath 4-Ravine Flyer II 3-Phoenix 2-Voyage 1-El Toro Top 5 Steel- 5-Velocicoaster 4- Maverick 3- Fury 325 2-Steel Vengeance 1-X2 Coaster Count: 444
That's what I'm suggesting. The only ride I felt it was needed on was X2 on that Monday. I was there on Friday that week too and X2 was down almost all day. I managed to get in line right when it reopened in the afternoon, but I don't know how a flashpass would have worked in that situation. It's just pretty expensive for really 1 ride. Plus, you never know. If the park dies out in the early evening you may be able to get on it multiple times before closing. X2 has a direct impact on other rides wait times. When it was down that Friday, Tatsu and Riddlers had noticably longer lines in the evening.........When I checked in the flash pass booth, they told me Fridays are more busy than Mondays. So, I would guess tuesday would be a lower crowd day too...........One thing that helped me out that Friday, was being outgoing and talking to people in other lines. I knew about X2's operations that day without being near it's que at all. I went by it a couple of hours after talking to these other people, then talked to some people in the station from the exit line, got the scoop, hung around for about 5 min, and then was able to jump in a short line..........One thing I noticed about MM, is that it seems like more of a destination park than a regional park. Most of the people I talked to came from out of state. This may have been why they were so chatty.
One thing I forgot to add. You should have no trouble getting on 20+ rides on a Tuesday if you get there before opening and stay til close, with no flashpass. So like Woodland said, you'd just get a couple of rerides with flashpass.
If I remember correctly, flash passes were considerably cheaper on a Monday than they were on a Friday. X2 is really the best ride to use one on. I guess just get whatever you feel is the best value for you.