SFGAM Trip Aug. 10-14

[haydawg149]

ill be going to the park on the 11th and spend the rest of the days going areound twon as it is my first trip to Chicago. Any suggestions for Tourist attractions, & if you think to say " dont go to Navy Pier" we are, lol ive had a ton of people tell me not to go there, dont know exactly why but we are, and we are also going on the subway's that travel through the city and the buildings(moms idead, Dont ask)

and also it would be nice to hear some layouts to travel the park and when Deja Vu and some of the other "VERY" popular attractions will have "VERY" short lines.


Mitch

[Raging_Bull]

Well the only time that Deja Vu will have a "very" short line is during the first 20 minutes the park is open. Other then that expect around an hour, if not more. Everything will have a solid line since it is the summer, but you should have no problem getting on everything. [/list]

[Ilovthevu']

^It depends what you mean by everything. If everything means just rollercoasters, then I agree that you can get on everything in ONE day. You need at least two days for SFGAm due to the fact that there is a waterpark along with more than 30 rides in the regular park.

My favorite flats are Condor, Triple Play, Big Easy Balloons, Sky Trek Tower, Ricochet, Chubasco, and the Orbit. You probably shouldn't miss the East River Crawler next to Batman just for the fact I don't think there are many around. My opinion of the most intense ride in the park is Fiddler's Fling. (Yes, it's a flat.)

As for Chicago attractions, I really, really like the Museum of Science and Industry, and the Brookfield zoo (not in Chicago) in Brookfield. I know that the Lincoln Park has free admission, but it more like a ghost town (with animals, not people. It is pretty croweded.). The parking is also like $10 or something. Gurnee Mills (a HUGE mall) is right next to SFGAm also. As for Navy Pair, I do think it's boring, and rather just a tourist trap for useless stuff.

Restaurants I enjoy in Gurnee are Uno's Pizzeria, Olive Garden, Rainforest Cafe (in Gurnee Mills, and is also downtown Chicago) and Red Lobster.

[rct2wizard360]

If you want to get the most rides on coasters..theres a little line I always follow.

Wait at the County Fair chain drop at opening and get to Deja Vu.
Then I usually hit up Southwest Territory, then work my way over towards V2 and Batman. Once the clock hits Seven, stay over by V2 and Mardi Gras. The waterpark will have just let out, and Southwest is packed. Slowly make your way back over towards Southwest, and get in line for Deja Vu, or Raging Bull for your last dispatch.

And thats my advice.

[Raging_Bull]

If you want to get the most rides on coasters..theres a little line I always follow.

Wait at the County Fair chain drop at opening and get to Deja Vu.
Then I usually hit up Southwest Territory, then work my way over towards V2 and Batman. Once the clock hits Seven, stay over by V2 and Mardi Gras. The waterpark will have just let out, and Southwest is packed. Slowly make your way back over towards Southwest, and get in line for Deja Vu, or Raging Bull for your last dispatch.

And thats my advice.

I agree with all of that also make sure to get on Eagle in the morning, it will be a walk-on.

[haydawg149]

we are going to that mall, i think my mom said its one of the biggest, could be wrong. someone just told me it might have a waterpark in it . . . were hitting up Navy Pier for sure and going on the Seadawg speedboat ride.

I keep telling my mom to let us go to the park 2 days in a row with the VIP pass or something where u pay 15$ to get in the park the next day for free . . . my dad says we are going 2 days but my mom says no.

i told her its better, but she said no because her bad back so she cant go on rides, does anyone know if theres any way they'll give her a discount if she brings like a doctors not or something . . .


and abdout Deja Vu, why would i wait inl ine, how do i know if they'll even open it in the morning, and any suggestions on when i should get there.


thanks, Mitch

[Timmy179]

Her discount would be not having to pay full price the second day. Im almost positive SF does not sell spectator pass's.


It would be worth giving SF a call.

[sfgam]

I usually start at v2, batman, Iron Wolf, American eagle. I can get them all done by 10:45, and they will all basicly be walk-ons. Start in the back of the park, work your way to the front. Six flags does not sell spectator passes.

[haydawg149]

well i really wanted to hit Superman first since it would be my first flying and then batman and V2 and iron Wolf, and then VU then just do whatever. i could really care less if i get the other rides.

[punkbunny24242]

I will be there on the 14th and with this crappy weather I am hoping for very short lines

I also usually start with S:UF then King Chaos then Batman then V2 then V2 again and by the time I am done with just those it's usually only 10:30-11:00

[ihauntu2]

Looks like I'll be sneaking down on the 14th for a little in the evening.

[Danhockey04]

I will be there on the 14th with a rather large group, if all stays the same. A fun group of 10 ACErs.

[low42]

The last few times I've went I was able to hit S:UF, IW, B:TR, and AE all within the first hour. S:FU was about a 15-20 minute wait, the other three were walk-ons. But, then we got around to Deja Vu and the wait was unbearable. Next time we're gonna try going the other direction. Hit RB, Deja Vu, Demon, and Viper first and go from there.

Anyways, I'll be going on the 17th. That's my only day available to go the rest of the this year. Plus, there is no way you would catch me there on a weekend. I know it's usually busy during the week anyway this time of year, but I'm still hoping for some respectable line times.

[haydawg149]

Trip Report:

Got to the park around 12:00 because it took my sister 2 hours to find a pair of tennie shoes to wear because she was stupid enough not to bring any with her as she knew we would go to SFGAM . . .

Family was in AWWW . . . we went to Superman and my little brother was freakin, it was about a 45min wait. Me and my sister rode with 2 other boys while my family rode in the train after us. headin up the lift hill the supports were absolutely covered in gum, so i joined in and spit out mine but i missed . When we hit the bottom of the pretzel loop i blacked out for a few seconds because it was too intense for me.

Next we hit up Batman and it was about a 45min wait also. I hate to say this but i hated it. the drop was to forceful and it banged my head on the Inline and corkscrews, hate the wingovers, i just didnt like the turns becuase of the force. we then headed over to V2 to find it closed . . .the it started to down pour so we headed into a looney toon store. we headed over to iron wolf which was closed but we asked an operator and he said it would reopen so we were like third in line. we had to wait in line for about 15mins because of the testing they had to do they sent the trains around about 7 or 8 times.

After we got off of Iron Wolf i wanted to get on Deja Vu but the line was 2 1/2 hours long because with all of the switchbacks open it was still a long ways out of the queue. My mom and dad took my little brother to Deamon but about 20mins until they were on it broke down going up the lift hill . . . Me, my older brother and my sister went to American Eagle (backwards) which was a walk-on. I hated it, too boring and too many brakes.

Me, my brother and my sister headed over to Raging Bull with an hour wait. while in line it had a brake down which lasted about 15 minutes. my brother left and my sister and I got into the second row. then i met up with my parents and me my dad and my younder brother went on whizzer which was a bad idea. I liked the high banked turns and all but i thought there were a couple of parts that were too rough ! !

We headed to Batman and decided to get on Deamon which was about a 15minute wait. I got on the last seat which was freakin awesome on the first drop, Tons of airtime ! ! ! I loved the tunnel with the lights and the corkscrews hurt my head because of the tilted turn before them. then we met up with the rest of my family and rode on Batman with my brother and dad. 15min wait got in the 5th row and then rode it again in the 4th, and for one last time i rode it in the fron with my sister with my shoes off, yes i know i said i hated it but my sister said she wouldnt go on Deja Vu with me unless i did.

We then headed over to Deja Vu only to find the wait an hour and a half wait, so we headed over to Raging Bull which had a 20 min wait and then down to 10mins which we rode 4 times . then me and my sister headed over to Deja Vu with a 45 min wait at about 8 o'clock. That ride made my dad. we met three gay guys and they were hilarious. they kept saying they were gonna die and they were gonna pee there pants.

Deja Vu freaked my out so bad I screamed the entire ride. when we came back up the back spike some pennies flew and i tried to get them but when we leveled out they dropped. then we headed out after buying some souvinears. We left and we ate at Joe's Crab Shak which was okay but not Totally Awesome, dont know why they are absolutely Big and Famous. . . got a souvinear shirt and then went back to the hotel.

I had another chance to go but i would of had to go by myself which i didnt want, but if i had someone to go with i would have.( wish i had a laptop to ask if anyone from here was going . . .

[punkbunny24242]

Wow it did downpour?? We left at 1:30pm and it was starting to look cloudy.. good thing we left.

So you liked Deja Vu... good. I got front row second train today

[haydawg149]

i liked it but it was freaky ! ! !

[punkbunny24242]

Where did you sit?? Front row is the only way to go!!

I know on my 1st ride on Deja Vu I didn't even know what happened... it was like a blur

[Binks Drake]

I was at the Park for 14 hours yesterday...Don't ask how that happened. And no. It never rained. (At least when I was outside, I was inside for a few hours.

[haydawg149]

Yea the next day after we went it was clear as day and sunny outside, I was so PO'd. I also got to include i went to Navy Pier and the Gurnee Mills Mall, one word "Humungous" ! ! ! that mall is literally 4 times the size of our mall here in Omaha. Navy Pier was cool but we didnt ride the speed boat but i went in the maze which was so stupid, these little kids were screaming with all of the airblasts and the elevator with the scrolling wallpaper was too funny.

On Saturday Night we rode a train downtown and you could tell we'd never been on a train before . . . . We went to the Sears Tower Sky Deck and were the last group up there. The elevator ride was fast, i fell down when it started and my ears started to hurt because they started to pop ! We took lots of pictures and bought some postcards. On the elevator ride down it felt like you were freefalling which made me have to go to the bathroom.

We ate Mcdonals's which there are on every corner, "There Everywhere" ! ! ! and then we went back to the hotel and went swimming.