Picnic shelter removal

So with the picnic pavilion having been removed out front, what is the current options for packing a cooler? Are we eating in the parking lot again, or are some of the old umbrellas and tables still available out front? I haven't been to the park yet this year, but am going on Sunday and would like to know if I need to bring some lawn chairs along with my cooler.

There are still some picnic tables in the area behind the Season Pass Center near GateKeeper's turnaround. I haven't seen them during the main part of the day to see how busy they have been.

I was thinking about the picnic shelters a couple of weeks ago, after I bought the "Rollin' Through the Years" book and was flipping through it. I remember when I was a kid, the picnic shelters were one of the first things you saw after you went through the gates into the park. I'd go through and glance at the shelters and there, in the morning gloom, would be dozens of coolers and bags sitting in "claimed spots" on the tables.

Back then you could leave coolers and bags out on the tables and know they'd be there, untouched, when you returned for lunch. I don't think you could do that now, even if the shelters were still there.

I have an easy fix for that. Sign Shop just needs put this up, “Attention! Make sure you only open your cooler! Barnyard associates have place a cooler with a rattle snake 🐍 in it on a random table. Do not open a cooler that is not yours. Please and thank you.”

Just seems like more work to leave the park, and eat a sandwich in the car. The CP food has come a long way, why not give it a try? Better yet, but an all day dining plan. They aren't crazy expensive and you can eat every 90 minutes

I don't need to eat every 90 minutes, my system just can't handle that much greasy food any more, and I am not a fan of $11 beers, though I usually suck it up at least once during the day and grab a cold one at the aforementioned inflated price. And I enjoy relaxing for a few minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the park. The picnic shelter was great because you could watch Blue Streak while you ate.

Cargo Shorts said:

I have an easy fix for that. Sign Shop just needs put this up, “Attention! Make sure you only open your cooler! Barnyard associates have place a cooler with a rattle snake 🐍 in it on a random table. Do not open a cooler that is not yours. Please and thank you.”

"And for added excitement, we've loaded the rattle snake into a trebuchet!"