Pennsylvania Amusement Park 2012 Season Passes now available

Conneaut Lake Park, DelGrosso's Amusement Park, Dorney Park, Dutch Wonderland, Hersheypark, Idlewild and SoakZone, Kennywood, Knoebels, Lakemont Park and the Island Waterpark, Sesame Place, Waldameer Water World No Responses »
Dec 212011

Many of the amusement parks in Pennsylvania offer season passes for their guests.  In most cases these passes can be a considerable savings over purchases single day tickets if you visit the park three or more times.  Check out each park’s website below for details on their 2012 Season Pass offerings.

Conneaut Lake Park – Season passes are not available to Conneaut Lake Park.  Check the park’s website here for ticket information.

Delgrosso’s Amusement Park – Delgrosso’s is a free admission amusement park that offers season passes for rides and the waterpark.  Pass holders can bring a buddy for free on Tuesdays. A discount is being offered on the passes but no end date is listed.  Visit the park’s website for information here.

Dorney Park and Wild Water Kingdom – Dorney has a buy now don’t pay until March plan in place for their season passes until 12/31/11.  The regular season pass includes admission to all Dorney Park and Wild Water events plus free parking. A platinum pass is available that gives you access to all Cedar Fair parks (with a few exceptions) in the US.  Platinum passes do not include seasonal events at some parks. See the Dorney Park website here for details.

Dutch Wonderland – Dutch Wonderland has discount prices prior to 1/1/12.  Dutch Wonderland season passes include entry to all Dutch Wonderland events. Dutch Wonderland and Hersheypark combo passes (Gold passes) are still available for 2012. See website here for complete season pass details.

Hersheypark – Hersheypark has discount pass prices prior to 1/1/12.  Hersheypark Season passes include entry to all Hersheypark events and free parking. Dutch Wonderland and Hersheypark combo passes (Gold passes) are still available for 2012.  A Discovery Pass upgrade is also available that includes other Hershey attractions. See website here for complete details.

Idlewild – Idlewild & Soakzone has discount pass prices if you buy 4 or more.  They also offer a bring-a-buddy free day for season pass holders.  See website for details here.

Kennywood – Season passes to Kennywood are available at a discounted price through 12-31-11 and are further discounted if you buy 4 or more.  Season passes to Kennywood include regular season events but do NOT include Phantom Fright Nights. They do include buddy discount events. Visit their website here for details.

Knoebels – Knoebels is a free entry park and they do not offer season passes.  They do offer discounts on ride tickets and wristbands at certain times.  Visit their website here for details.

Lakemont Park – No information is available at this time.

Sesame Place – Sesame Place is offering a discount on their season passes through 12/31/11.  They have different types of passes which include free admission or discounts to SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and other parks or just to Sesame Place.  The passes include free parking and regular season admission only.  Choose carefully from their website here.

Waldameer – Though Waldameer is a free admission park, they do offer season passes to cover the cost of rides.  Waldameer is the only park in Pennsylvania to limit the number of season passes it sells, so make sure you get one early if you want one since they sold out last year.  Visit the website here for details.

Posted by ShawnMarie at 3:42 am Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Idlewild adds Oktoberfest to their 2012 season

Idlewild and SoakZone No Responses »
Dec 172011

Love to visit Idlewild but wish they had more lederhosen and strudel? Well you are in luck because beginning in 2012 Idlewild in Ligonier, PA, will open for two weekends in September to celebrate the German heritage with their Family Oktoberfest Weekends on September 8-9 and 15-16.  Lots of polkas, pretzels and kraut will be on hand plus you’ll have the opportunity to do the Chicken Dance!!!  What more could you ask for.  Put it on your calendar and check out their website here for more details.

Posted by ShawnMarie at 9:56 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , ,

2011 Golden Ticket Awards results - PA amusement parks make quite a showing!!!

Dutch Wonderland, Idlewild and SoakZone, Kennywood, Knoebels, Waldameer Water World No Responses »
Sep 232011

Knoebels is a big winner in the 2011 Golden Ticket Awards - Kennywood too!

Since 1998, the industry publication Amusement Today, has been awarding world-wide amusement parks with a coveted Golden Ticket to show they are the best of the best in the industry.

Even with the Disney giants figured in and parks in every other part of the world, our Pennsylvania Amusement parks continue to hold their own in the Top 5 of many of the categories.  You can see all the details here.

Here is a list of all the reported wins for Pennsylvania Amusement Parks in the 2011 Golden Ticket Awards – arranged by park:

Knoebels
1st Place – Best Food (They beat Epcot and Busch Gardens Williamsburg, know why? Funnel cakes, potato pancakes and waffle Ice Cream sandwiches – that’s why!)
1st Place – Best Carousel  (Still grabbing the ring!)
2nd Place – Best Park (This means little ole’ Knoebels beat out ALL the Disney parks!)
#2 Wood Roller Coaster – Phoenix
3rd Place – Friendliest Park
3rd Place – Best Halloween Event
4th Place – Best Dark ride for the Haunted Mansion (betcha the Black Diamond shows up in 2012!)
Kennywood
1st Place – Best Funhouse/Walk-Through attraction – Noah’s Ark (Classic!)
4th Place – Best Halloween Event (Be scared, be very scared!)
4th Place – Best Carousel (It’s a nice one!)
8th Place (2 way tie) – Best Park (tied with Tokyo DisneySea in case you wonder)
#5 Steel Coaster – Phantom’s Revenge
Idlewild & SoakZone
1st Place – Best Children’s Park (In the world!!! Wow!!!)
Dutch Wonderland
5th Place – Best Children’s Park (PA has 2 in the top 5 in the world, what a great place to have kids!)
Waldameer
#6 Wood Coaster – Ravine Flyer II

 

So, did you notice a few big parks in PA that were not listed?  Yep.  Hersheypark and Dorney Park didn’t make the short lists on any reported categories, but they probably were in there someplace – just not at the top.

So why are Knoebels and Kennywood so successful in this contest when Hersheypark and Dorney aren’t?  I think it is because they are unique and they have a devoted following.

In Knoebels’ case they are still family owned and they just handle things differently than a corporate run park – free parking, free admission, affordable food and a bring your own food policy, etc.  No corporate park would go for that since it leaves too many profits to chance.  They keep a stable of classic rides running when others have given up on them. But most of all they take care of their employees and their community and people love them in return.  I didn’t see anyone taking up a collection to fix Hersheypark when it flooded this year, but that is exactly what Knoebels fans did for them.  That tells you how the people love this park.

And Kennywood, though corporate owned now, had been a family owned park forever before that and is a fixture in the Western PA area.  They have classic rides found no place else and an old carnival feel that is rare in an urban setting.  Kennywood makes you wish for the good old days – except you don’t need them ’cause they are still right there, but with a healthy dose of the best of the new stuff too. Kennywood’s employees have fond memories of working there unlike some other park’s employees who would rather forget working at the park. Kennywood also has a generations old devoted following like Knoebels and people go to bat for them no matter what.

All in all I think that is the secret.  If the park loves the people, the people will love the park and it shows in every way.

Congratulations to all our parks!!!

Posted by ShawnMarie at 9:02 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Want to find some Thrills and Chills this Fall? Check out all the Halloween offerings from Pennsylvania Amusement Parks

Conneaut Lake Park, Dorney Park, Dutch Wonderland, Hersheypark, Idlewild and SoakZone, Kennywood, Knoebels, Sesame Place, Waldameer Water World No Responses »
Sep 232011

Bumper Cars re-themed for Halloween during Hersheypark in the Dark

If you like Halloween AND you like amusement parks AND you live within driving distance of the state of Pennsylvania, you are one lucky person. Our amazing Pennsylvania amusement parks have conjured up 9 different Halloween festivities encompassing parks across the entire state.

Whether you want to be a little scared, a lot scared or positively terrified – Pennsylvania has got a park for you.  Here is a complete listing of Halloween park festivities including links to the park’s websites to make it easy to get all the info you need to plan your trip.

Please BEWARE that some of the activities are not appropriate for younger children or those who frighten easily.  I’ve tagged the general audience type at the beginning of the entry to make it easy to tell what is appropriate for you.

 

Happy Halloween!!!!

 

Conneaut Lake Park
FAMILY FUN: CLP is haunting its classic amusement park this fall on September and October weekends for young and old during their Ghost Lake event.  With 8 layers of haunting and a wonderful past midnight schedule, this is not to be missed.  Check out their website here.

 

Dorney Park
FAMILY FUN: For the younger set, DP is putting on a Boo!Blast during the daytime hours on the weekends during September and October.  Meant for children 56 inches or shorter, this event features rides, crafts and special PEANUTS character activities.  Check out the website here.
13 AND OVER ONLY: For those 13 and older DP puts on a night time fright time with their Halloween Haunt during October and November.  Don’t plan to wear your costume to this one, but prepare to be scared with 8 outdoor mazes, 4 indoor mazes and 2 themed shows in addition to most of the regular park rides.  Check out the website here.

 
Dutch Wonderland
FAMILY FUN:  On weekends in October Dutch Wonderland features Happy Hauntings including trick-or-treating, themed rides and storytelling.  Dutch Wonderland’s main age group is ten and under but this truly is a family park with parents often having as much fun as the kids.  View their Happy Hauntings video at their website here.

 

Hersheypark
FAMILY FUN:  On weekends in October Hersheypark turns itself into Hersheypark in the Dark for families with all ages to enjoy.  Trick-or-treating, re-themed rides and special Halloween treats are featured throughout the park. Check out all the details on what’s going on at Hershey in and out of the park at the Halloween in Hershey website here.

 

Idlewild
FAMILY FUN: Just voted the best children’s amusement park in the world for the second year in a row by Amusement Today (Hooray!!), Idlewild is again putting on their HallowBoo event on October weekends.  With trick-or-treating in Storybook forest plus themed rides and attractions, you can be sure a good time will be had by all.  Check out their website here.

 

Kennywood
OVER 13 ONLY:  It’s Kennywood’s Phantom Fright Nights 10th anniversary beginning Sept 30th and you can bet they will pull out all the stops.  Open till 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, an amusement park at night is definitely a scary place to be – add in the ghouls, vampires and zombies and, well, bring it on!  Check out their website here.

 

Knoebels
FAMILY FUN: They survived the flood and scored a Golden Ticket for Best Amusement Park food (beating out EPCOT!!!!) and now they’re ready for some Hallow-Fun Nights on October weekends at Knoebels.  With themed rides and special snacks and crafts, Knoebels is a fun time for the entire family. Check the Knoebels website here.

 

Sesame Place
FAMILY FUN: It just so happens that my favorite muppet is hosting a Halloween party at Sesame Place beginning on Sept. 24th.  The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular takes place during Sept. and Oct. Weekends and features re-themed rides, 2 mazes, 3 Halloween shows and the Sesame Street characters dressed up in their Halloween best.  Geared toward the younger set but fun for anyone who has a soft spot for Sesame Street, it’s not too spooky, but lots of fun.  Check out the website here.

Posted by ShawnMarie at 8:09 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Idlewild and Soak Zone Trip Report - sort of - July 8, 2011

Idlewild and SoakZone 2 Responses »
Jul 082011

Idlewild was closed.

I started out very early this morning to visit Idlewild and Soak Zone for the first time so I could add information here for you if you plan to visit.  The trip out took longer than the 3 hours it was supposed to and it certainly did rain in places, but I don’t mind visiting amusement parks in the rain.  Usually it means shorter lines.  Well, today it meant no lines.  As in, the park was closed.

I arrived at the park at 1 pm after 4 hours of driving to be told by a very nice young man wearing a yellow raincoat that the park had closed due to heavy rain.  I was certainly disappointed.  But, well, that is the way it goes sometimes I guess.

So why didn’t I check the weather before I left?  I did.  It said 40% chance of rain and scattered storms with occasional heavy downpours.  I said to myself, OK, no big deal because Idlewild’s website is pretty clear that they keep things going if it rains – unless it is a downpour or storm and then things will shut down until it is over.

It actually says: “If it rains – Sorry, we do not issue rain checks or refunds. An overcast day means shorter lines and just as many thrills! Most rides and attractions continue to operate in light rain. In the event of heavy downpours or an electrical storm, many rides and attractions will close until the storm has passed and then reopen.” in the general information section.

So why didn’t I check in on my way to make sure they were still open?  It wasn’t raining that hard and I don’t have a smart phone or internet to access while traveling.  Because of the statement on their website I never in a million years thought they would close or perhaps I might have called to check at some point during my trip.  If it had said, “If consistant downpours occur we will close the park” or something like that I may have not made the trip.  But I did and they were closed and I turned back home once I took the lone picture of the park you see above.

4 hours later I got home and found this message on the Idlewild website:

“ATTENTION: Due to heavy continuous rain moving into our area throughout the day, the park will be closing today, July 8, at 12:00pm.”

I’ll have to try to visit again next year when I hit Kennywood.  Way too much driving for one day.

Note from Amusement Park Mom 7/9/11: I spoke via email with Idlewild to get more information on their weather policies.  They are going to take a look at their website’s rain information.  Closures are a possibility for extended periods of bad weather like yesterday’s.  They told me the park was nearly empty but those that did attend were given tickets to return another day.  Hopefully they came back today – it was beautiful.  Thanks to Ed for answering my email!

So I would urge you to pay close attention to the weather and Idlewild’s website if a lengthy period of bad weather is scheduled to move in.  If you are in any doubt about making the drive – short or long – give them a call to see what it’s like in their neck of the woods.  You can find their contact information on their website here.

Posted by ShawnMarie at 7:58 pm Tagged with: , , , , ,

Visit Idlewild and SoakZone's new Wowabunga wave pool video!

Idlewild and SoakZone 2 Responses »
Jun 162011

I haven’t been out to Ligonier, PA yet to check out SoakZone’s new Wowabunga wave pool, but here is a great video showing you what to expect when you visit SoakZone.

Posted by ShawnMarie at 8:30 pm Tagged with: , , , , , ,

National Amusement Park Historical Association Recognizes 3 Pennsylvania parks

Idlewild and SoakZone, Kennywood, Knoebels No Responses »
Apr 292011

NAPHA, the National Amusement Park Historical Association, has announced its 2010 survey results and according to a news release by WPXI in Pittsburgh and it appears Pennsylvania has a lot to be proud about.

As soon as I get the rest of the results in my NAPHA newsletter, I’ll post the PA winners here.  If you love amusement parks and want to make sure they are around for generations to come, consider joining the National Amusement Park Historical Association.  Not only do they protect the past of great amusement parks but they help secure their future as well.  Check out their website here.

Posted by ShawnMarie at 7:32 pm Tagged with: , , , , ,

2011 Opening Days at Pennsylvania's Amusement Parks

Conneaut Lake Park, DelGrosso's Amusement Park, Dorney Park, Dutch Wonderland, Hersheypark, Idlewild and SoakZone, Kennywood, Knoebels, Lakemont Park and the Island Waterpark, Sesame Place, Waldameer Water World No Responses »
Apr 282011

We’ve got the best Amusement Parks right here in Pennsylvania to visit and the season is officially starting this weekend in many parks.  To view the opening date for YOUR favorite park (or perhaps a new park you’d like to visit) check out our list below.  

Please note that parks with water features may not fully open until later in the season – usually Memorial Day weekend – so be sure to click on the name of the park to go to the calendar page on their website for more details on what activities will be available.

Posted by ShawnMarie at 8:22 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It's winter, what's happening at Kennywood, Idlewild and Sandcastle? Lots.

Idlewild and SoakZone, Kennywood No Responses »
Feb 182011

Kennywood

The Pittsburgh Tribune has a wonderful article with pictures here about what takes place at these Pittsburgh area amusement parks in the off season.   Check it out.

Posted by ShawnMarie at 9:33 pm

2011 Season at Idlewild and SoakZone to include a new family wave pool

Idlewild and SoakZone 2 Responses »
Dec 012010

If you’re planning on making the trip to Idlewild and Soak Zone during summer 2011 (I know I am!) you’ll be thrilled to hear there will be a new major water attraction.

SoakZone is adding a large zero-entry wave pool to their lineup that is so great they won Golden Ticket for being the World’s Best Children’s Park.

For you numbers junkies, SoakZone’s wave pool is smaller than that of Hersheypark’s The Shore, but is still a mighty fine piece of water.  Here are the numbers on the SoakZone’s new pool:

  • Water Capacity: 280,600 gallons
  • Total Water Volume: 7,508 cu. ft.
  • Water Surface Area: 14,728 sq. ft.
  • Deep End Width: 70 ft.  (6 feet deep)
  • Shallow End Width: 137 ft. (zero entry)
  • Pool Length: 182 ft.

The beach area will have first come first served seating and cabanas will be available to rent.  To see the statement published today by Idlewild and SoakZone, visit their website here.

Posted by ShawnMarie at 9:07 am Tagged with: ,
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