6/6: Short TR for a short trip with a short kid

My first trip to the Lake this year, and it's a four hour surgical strike, with my five year old daughter:

We get there around three, make a beeline for Looney Tunes . . . er, Fun Zone. A quick spin on the balloon ride and train ride, followed by a clamber on the nets. Rocket Sled Relay is closed. (Villainboi, where art thou?) Kids' rides were on rotation.

Next up, we check out Shipwreck Falls, which she is old enough to ride this year. Decide it's not warm enough to get that soaked today. (Okay, I decide, she protests.) Check out Big Dipper, which must wait for next year. When did they yank out all the measuring posts at the ride entrances?

She's hungry, so we hit Jukebox Cafe. Nice renovations. Same crappy food. A chicken finger platter, a burger platter, and two drinks checks out at $22. Not very nice.

Americana beckons. One of my favorite Ferris wheels for its great views on both sides. I see that Dominator is only running one train. Thunderhawk is down completely.

We high-tail it around the lake to Happy Harbor. The golf cart . . . um, shuttle, is closed, but there is no sign posted on the RWB end. After fifteen minutes waiting, passing good Samaritans tell us of the sign on the opposite end. >(

Crowds throughout the park are light, but not what I would call "ghost town-ish".

A spin on Thriller Bees by ourselves, then she settles into 45 minutes on the nets. She's starting to get bored of the toddler play area, but can't quite figure out why. Too cute. One ride each on kiddie tea cups and the tiny ballon ride. Follow up with rides on the pirate boats and Bounty. On the latter, a lame ride with virtually zero air time.

With only an hour left until close, we head back around to hit the prize of the day: Grizzly Run. She's never been on, though she's slobbered enough at it from the viewing platform over the years. Now she's over the magical 46", so we hit it. Instant adoration. She loves it. We ride it two more times, getting quite damp from the splash-over in the process. Lots of people have complained about GR, but after having not ridden it in close to a decade, I can say I still like it. It's nice to have a raft ride that doesn't drench you with waterfalls. And the theming and tunnels and canyons are still A-one.

Observations: I hate the electronic lockers. The computer wouldn't take my debit card, we had problems at the end of the day getting back into our locker. Not to mention $6 for a small locker is highway robbery.

Most coasters seemed to be running one train, though of course that wasn't the focus of this trip.

Employees run the usual gamut, from exceptionally nice to one notch away from 'back alley mugger'. One employee at the Happy Harbor popcorn stand who gave me a dollar too much back in change, when I pointed it out and handed it back to her, gave me a surly expression and only said "Thanks" after I said it first. *shakes head*

Skyscraper is very forlorn, as is the station for Bellaire Express. (Think Loopy already pointed this out.)

They need benches along the path around the lake. That is a l o n g way, especially when you have to carry your fifty-pound kid on your shoulders for half of it. ;)

I was surprised how little I missed seeing X-Flight, heading in and out of the park. It didn't seem odd at all.

My final thought: the park doesn't feel dead. There is still a lot of energy, and a lot of good things going for it. That being said, I am rather curious and even a bit suspicious about CF's game plan to turn the place around.

Okay, maybe not so short a TR. Sue me. ;)
*** Edited 6/7/2007 8:27:17 PM UTC by Ensign Smith***
*** Edited 6/7/2007 9:02:57 PM UTC by Ensign Smith***

Ensign Smith said:
Check out Blue Streak, which must wait for next year.

You mean Big Dipper?

Ah, yes, I always do that. Thanks for pointing it out.

you better come back to visit Kidworks this summer...I dont start till this Monday.

I guarantee you'll see us! Do you know which rides you'll be staffing yet?

Ensign Smith said:

It's nice to have a raft ride that doesn't drench you with waterfalls.

I think they used to have one like that at the point ;)

Very nice TR!

I don't know how many times we said, "let's go ride the log flume" today while we were at CP. Very sarcastically of course. ;)

We miss WWL when it's hot and you don't want to get completely soaked.

Ensign Smith said:
I guarantee you'll see us! Do you know which rides you'll be staffing yet?

Im the Kidworks TL
so its all the attractions down there except rocket sled ride.

Which is sadly where I come in HAH! Since staffing was SO low this week, we had to cut the NON-popular rides in the area, so we made the decision (another business decision? :rollseyes: ) to cut the operation of that during the week, and operate it during the weekends. Like you said previously you'll be back, so come back and go down the slides :). But the reason you had to wait for one train (assuming I know the day you were at the Lake was raining) operation, is due to the new CF policy on rain, after a rainshower/thunderstorm, we must go down to one train until a supervisor calls and tells you otherwise.

BTW: I probably walked past you as I was "ACTING" TL of Kidworks while PeterB is not here, and the ATL is at school still (freakin minors ;) ). *** Edited 6/9/2007 1:15:50 AM UTC by Villainboi***

So is Rocket Sled Ride considered a non-popular ride? During the summer the line can get most of the way down the steps on both sides. Although I'm sure it requires the most ride ops of any of the attractions at Kidworks, so that would probably be a consideration not to open it...

See both of you guys in a week or two!

I guess so... That's what I inquired when I asked my sup this afternoon. Haha! I can't wait to see those LONG lines :).

acting TL...dont let it go to your head :)

I process in tomorrow. All my friends graduated today and my roomates and I are saying goodbye :(

Oh Peter, Ya know I just couldn't let go of the clipboard ;). I didn't let it get to my head, actually I was quite happy to hand it over to the ATL :).

my clipboard now...muhahahaha