Yeah, I know. That’s what I was referencing. They mention getting buses every few years but so far have not, partly because the park is just so big, not like Yosemite which really had to do something about the congestion and pollution in the Valley.
I think if they were going to limit personal vehicles, it would be in the Old Faithful area & the thermal areas nearby. I could see that area being bus only, you can barely get around there now. I don’t visit there except in October or if someone makes me 
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Yes. We have YART.
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We have a small local amusement park where we get annual passes. My children like to go. We’ve also been getting season passes to Sesame Place. It’s not very close, but we can do it as a day trip. When my DC are a bit older, we’ll probably go to Six flags which is about the same distance as Sesame place.
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Lol, I didn’t realize how old this thread was.
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I know some boards don’t like old threads popping back up but we don’t have those rules and you added a great piece here!
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I’m on Long Island so I’ve got Adventureland (only been once) and a huge water park, Splish Splash which we go to every year, usually a couple times, especially as we’re only 15 mins away. Definitely not a vacation, but it’s a good day trip and it’s put every other water park I’ve been to to shame lol
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We’re about 30km (12 miles?) from Canada’s Wonderland but we hadn’t been in the 3 years we’ve been in Toronto until this year. We got season passes because, in order of importance, 1) it’s fun (and there’s a water park attached), 2) I wanted to get a sense of what thrill-level DS7 could handle before I booked our FPPs, 3) the passes are cheaper than 3 days of tickets, and 4) season pass holders can enter an hour before everyone else and I wanted the whole family to see the advantage of rope drop. It’s fun to have as an option for any weekend/summer week day we aren’t busy. The crowds on sunny afternoons are crazy, though, and the food options are not great.
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My worst park day ever happen at CW two years ago! We are outside rochester and I have family all over Canada, so I grew up attending CW very often. Well I made the mistake of taking my family there two years ago on the first warm sunny day Toronto had had in eight months. It was first day of opening season. Wish I could find my TripAdvisor review because it was that remarkable.
Oh no! That sounds awful, I’m sure the crowds were bonkers.
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We have season passes to our local park. We’ve been there four or five times so far this year. I love going for 3-5 hours at a time. We had the place to ourselves on Tuesday. They have free parking, a large water park and you can bring in coolers. It’s great.
Also to add, they don’t just let you bring dogs into the park… but let them on some of the rides.
I’ve been with my dogs on the train, the antique cars, and the carousel.
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How I see Disney and universal, they are masters of the theme portion of theme parks. Even silly, boring rides, can be pretty great with the level of quality they have.
Six flags type parks are the masters of thrills. My wife and I will semi regularly tour up and down visiting what may be considered others “local parks” by this description.
Our last big trip was a 23 day day trip hitting 21 parks starting from New York. We went down the east coast first hitting six flag and cedar point owned parks… Bush’s gardens Williamsburg also thrown in there. Once we made it down to Florida, we tossed in Disney, universal, sea world, busch gardens. Then made out way east hitting parts on the way to six flags in Texas. Then went up the interior states back to New York getting some parks like silver dollar city, Dollywood. Then the same year, as we weren’t wore out, took a plane to CA, rented a card, then hit parks for two weeks on the west coast.
If I was picking my favorite non Disney / universal park… it would be Busch gardens, VA. The Griffin is such an awesome dive coaster for a thrill ride. They also have dark castle as a dark ride… which was a pretty unheard of concept for a regional park that was closed a portion of the year. They also have a launch coaster similar to Hagrids… random track drop and all. Walking around the area of the park feels a lot like Epcot, where you enter various different countries. BG though is a step up with how beautiful the park looks. Foods on point, and the shows are some of the best I’ve seen.
Another strange note on traveling around… roller coaster designs tend to push boundaries and be more extreme in places where the weather keeps the park closed… and areas where the weather tends to be nice year road… specialize in indoor attractions.
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I realize this is an old thread, but figured I would chip in anyway. We live about an hour from a Six Flags park and we have memberships which cost my family of five a grand total of $27 a month, including parking. We go about four times a year, sometimes more, so it’s definitely worth the cost. We appreciate the coasters, which is our main reason for going. Our trips there are completely independent of any trips to Disney or Universal.
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How many in your travel party? I can’t imagine what this event cost you, but it sounds wonderful!
2, otherwise it might not of ever been attempted. lol. It wasnt too bad for price as we went as budget as we could on everything. Even had some meal options and a portable stove thing you could power from the cigarette lighter.
For our upcoming Disney / Universal trip which is 10 days, we will for sure spend more.
Yep. Dollywood all the way for us too. We’re about an hour away. However, we gave up season passes last year because we went to Disney. Couldn’t swing them this year either but I really hope we can scrounge enough to get them again for next year during the holidays this year. You gave a wonderful description! I concur with everything you said on the draws of Dollywood.
Your trip sounds amazing! I’d love to do something like that.
We like the North pole in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
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I have never heard of that. What is it like?
It’s Christmas themed obviously. It’s at the base of Pike’s Peak and small but very cute and fun. Mostly for kids but I still enjoy it as an adult. Lots of theming and never crowded. And quite a workout since it is in the mountains! Up hill down hill all day long. And of course Santa’s House is right in the middle. I have to be honest I’m not fond of Christmas, but it’s so fun even I love it. Our favorite part is always making S’mores in the big fire pit. I believe it’s fairly cheap as well. Like maybe 20.00 per person, but don’t qoute me on that.
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