Florida vs. Texas
I had been looking to go back to Florida for my most anticipated roller coaster of 2011, Cheetah Hunt. But, while the trip would have had some high quality rides like my all-time favorite Kumba, Rip Ride Rockit, the Wizarding World, and re-rides on great coasters like Mummy, Montu, etc., the number of new rides would have been very low. Meanwhile, Texas will be packed with rides that I’ve never been on. And of course the main attraction will be Texas Giant, my #2 most anticipated coaster of 2011.
So, this year I’m going to finally conquer the Lone Star State by visiting Six Flags Over Texas, SeaWorld San Antonio, and Six Flags Fiesta Texas. I’ve been itching to make it down there for years.
I’m also hoping to make it down to Six Flags Over Georgia for Dare Devil Dive. With Atlanta only about 4 hours away it’d be an easy trip for me and I haven’t been on a roller coaster with a drop steeper than 90-degrees yet.
Where Are You Headed in 2011?
With theme park travel about to be in full swing I figured it’d be cool to discuss where everyone’s planning on going this year. And, if you need any advice on choosing which parks to visit I’ll try to help. I invite everyone else to chime in with their take too.
Are you sticking with your local park or headed on to a new park far from home? Are there any big roller coasters that you’re looking forward to or milestones in your coaster count? Leave a comment below and take the poll below.
[poll id=”28″] [Image credit – Flickr User me and the sysop]
Coaster Critic 
43 responses to “2011 Theme Park Trips – Where Are You Headed?”
Joel,If you are heading to Texas this year,you can't miss going to Kemah for the great Gravity Group coaster Boardwalk Bullet!! And what about Schlitterbahn?
I will be going to Six Flags Great Adventure, Dorney Park, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and maybe Six Flags New England. Not sure about new england yet.
Parks visited in the past: BGE and Kings Dominion. New parks for this year: Cedar Point, Kings Island, Carowinds and Dorney Park. I'm itching myself to try some new coasters. In a few weeks we'll be going to Carowinds for our first long trip of the year. I love the coasters at KD and BGE but I've been so many times it doesn't have the same rush as getting on a new coaster. You'll Love the beyond 90 degree drop as you get ejected forward out of your seat. As far as coasters I'm looking forward to are Intimidator, The Beast, Diamondback, Millineum Force, Maverick, Magnum XL-200, Top Thrill Dragster, Top Gun and Hydra.
Probably going to go to TGE sometime soon, and may be going to BGW and/or Hersheypark.
Already got back from SFOT, but thinking of goin to San Antonio later in the summer for Sea World and SFFT, if I do that I'm totally driving back up to tackle the Texas Giant, Shockwave, and Big Spin which I missed. Also circumstances make it so I'll finally hit up Ohio this summer, CP/KI, and I'm hoping to do a big New York/New England trip if time and money permits. As for return visits, SoCal sometime for Green Lantern and Star Tours 2!
I'm just staying in Minnesota and Wisconsin Dells this year. While I'm in the Dells over Memorial weekend, I intend to ask for information on their project 2012 that they've announced. I also intend to revisit my home park Valleyfair! on July 4th for fireworks and car alarms (the fireworks set off car alarms due to their proximity to the parking lot). Hopefully I'll also see somethig for what is coming next for the park.
Disney World, Wizarding World, and my home park SFSTL for me.
I know I'll be going to my homepark Six Flags St. Louis, and hopefully will get to go to Florida and go to some new parks. I just might get to Cedar Point for the first time for summer break.
Hmm, Lake Compounce, probably Cedar Point, hopefully Kings Island and Indiana Beach on the CP trip, outside chance at SF Discovery Kingdom, Coney Island (if that counts), and looking to late 2011/early 2012, one of the Florida parks
NEW: Dollywood and Wisconsin Dells
Old: Kings Dominion, BGW, SFGA, SFNE, HersheyPark, Holiday World, Knoebels, Lake Compounce, Michigan's Adventure, Cedar Point
Trust me. I thought about Kemah Boardwalk, but it just didn't make sense to include a third city in such a short trip. Plus, I'd be going out to Kemah for just one coaster. While I love everything that I've ridden that Gravity Group has made, it just didn't make sense for this trip. Maybe Kemah will add another coaster or that eco-park, <a href="www.earthquestadventures.co mwww.earthquestadventures.com” target=”_blank”>EarthQuest Adventures will finally get made. Then I can make a Houston trip.
I still need to do a midwest trip and do SFSTL, Silver Dollar City, and Worlds of Fun. Maybe next year.
Nice lineup. That's a lot of parks. Let me know how you like Hades. It's one of my favorite woodies, but I've heard it's gotten rougher and I'm not surprised from that park's operation.
I already hit Dollywood last week … 40 rides on Thunderhead put it in my #8 spot. Very friendly ride crew there. I was the "designated single rider" and was pretty exhausted by the end of those 40 rides. For the first timne ever, I bought a season pass to my home park, Kennywood, hoping to squeeze in some weekday after-school trips. I have a Cedar Fair pass, too, and will start off with either Carowinds or King's Dominion next weekend, depending on the weather. I have a passport, so crossing into Canada for Canada's Wonderland is a possibility. My big trip will hopefully be to Wisconsin Dells and I may also use my Cedar Fair pass to snag ValleyFair while I'm up in that part of the country. Ah, the joys of being a teacher and having summers and weekends off. 237 coasters and counting!
Going to SFNE – going to finally try out Superman/Bizarro! 🙂
P.S. I'll make sure to steer clear of Cyclone.
Just Cedar Point for me
Cyclone is getting at least a partial topper track treatment so it shouldn't be so bad
I am going to Carowinds this Friday and Saturday, any tips or advice?
As I am English, I will visit Thorpe Park on (american date) 04/12/11. I am very excited!
I've already been to the Disney Florida parks, Busch Tampa, Sea World Orlando, and Universal Studios Orlando, so far this year.
Next will be Cedar Point and Great America, followed at some point by Michigan's Adventure and King's Island. The real decision this year is whether to go to New England by way of Canada, or hit Virginia. Wisconsin Dell's and Holiday World are both probable as well.
I can't wait!
Are you going to Lake Compounce too? I actually think Boulder Dash is much better than Bizarro (or anything else, for that matter).
I agree with you about Boulderdash. I love the way it rages through the woods!
If you have to chose just one park this year, that would be a good choice IMO.
Will do. I fell in love with Hades early on during its construction when I saw that photo if a contractor standing next to the track in the tunnel. That track was ninety degrees up… ON THE WALL! I've heard it was really tasty, at least a couple years ago. Are they notorious for low maintenance up there? Tell me it ain't so. Why do parks build great woodies and then ignore them? Holiday World needs to hold a week long workshop on the care and feeding of wooden coasters. They are far too many coasters that I've ridden that were good, smooth and a lot of fun when new that I now deem unrideable, or just bearable.
I'm planning on doing a big 3 week trip in the USA with on the planning
– Kings Dominion
– Carrowinds
– Six Flags America
– Six Flags Gread Adventure
– Hershey Park
– Dorney
– Six Flags New England
All of these are firsts for me
Later this year I also plan on returning to:
– Walibi World (Goliath rules)
– Alton Towers (last time thirteen was still in the works)
So lots of new coasters for me 🙂
I'll be heading home to Utah this Summer and plan on visiting Lagoon. I'm looking forward to riding Wicked. I'm also going to plan a day trip to Busch Gardens Europe and Kings Dominion. For those who have been to both, which would you recommend if I only have time/money for one of the VA parks? My kids will be going with me; I have a 5 and 1 year old. From what Coaster Critic says, it seems like Busch Gardens might be the better choice.
Going to WDW right after I graduate in May! So pumped to get away from all the stress of life and just chill out at the hotel (Port Orleans Riverside) and ride all the rides.
Jill, that's a tough one. I'd say that Busch probably has a better themed kids area with the new Sesame Street area near the entrance. Your kids should love it. There's even a small steel coaster in that area that your 5 year old might want to conquer.
Kings Dominion's kids area is nice too, and maybe larger. But that park has a Snoopy theme for the kids.
If it was just about the coasters I'd ask which would you want a large number of coasters or a fewer number, but better more memorable coasters. But since it's about the kids too, it's tough.
If you're trying to rack up a bunch of new coasters then go to Kings Dominion. If you won't be riding as many coasters and would enjoy a beautiful highly-themed experience (that also has a few super high-quality coasters and indoor themed attractions) then go to Busch Gardens. Since you have the young kids wouldn't coaster riding (for you) be a bit limited?
I hope this helps. Any question around my two Virginia parks is a difficult one for me to answer. 🙂
Sounds like fun Doug. That's a great way to celebrate.
See my Intimidator review for ride tips. There's definitely more airtime towards the front of the train.
Let us know if you see any signs of the B&M wingrider. And if you get any construction photos or pictures of teaser photos send them in and I'll post them.
Cheers.
Which Canadian and New England parks are you thinking about visiting?
I almost did a Canada's Wonderland/Marineland trip. Maybe next year.
Easter will kick off my park season this year for Springtime in the Park at Hershey. Assuming gas doesn't hit $5 a gallon everywhere I'll be repeating last years mecca to Cedar Point in May. June will bring a return to Kings Dominion. Can't wait to check out the renovations to I-305!
For my new parks, I will be taking a trip in August to north Florida, so on my way down or back, I really want to stop at Carowinds. And, somewhere in between all that, I need to get to BGW and/or Kennywood.
Coster riding is difficult with kids, but I always manage to get in a couple of rides. My husband and I take turns watching the kids so that each of us can ride solo.
Maybe I'll plan a trip for Kings Dominion without kids to conquer all the new coasters and plan on taking the fam to Busch Gardens since I will realistically only get in a couple of coasters anyway. I haven't been to Busch Gardens since 91'! It has changed so much with Bad Bad Wolf gone and all the new rides.
Finally someone that has been or is going to Lagoon! Wicked is so amazing, even though it isn't neccesarily big. The launch up the hill is phenomenal, and instead of slowly cresting the top of the hill, it gave me loads of airtime, the most I have ever felt! And the ride restraints are perfect! Just watch out because they are tight, and the ride ops press them down as hard as possible. You might find it hard to take a full breathe (no kidding).
That is good to hear Frog! I rode the Sponge Bob coaster when I was in Minnesota last Summer and thought that Wicked might be kind of like that; The SB coaster wasn't bad, but I didn't like the way it crept up the hill. I wished that there had been a launch on the Sponge Bob ride so that I could have experienced some air time on that first hill.
I was born and raised in Utah, so Lagoon was the best theme park I could get to growing up. The white woodie there is also really fun too.
Hey Brian I'm also going up to Hershey on Easter. The rest of my year will include a trip to six flags great adventure, Moreys Pier, probably a Dorney trip and a Knoebels trip. Also, I will hopefully get down to Orlando and get some new parks in.
First significant trip will be to head down I-4 to Tampa for the opening of Cheetah Hunt. In July, gonna be hitting up Six Flags America, Hershey Park, Dorney Park, and Six Flags Great Adventure, all which will be new trips. Sometime later in the year before the season ends I want to hit up Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Kings Dominion, and Carowinds.
Oh, and of course I'll continue to hit up Seaworld Orlando and Universal Orlando regularly.
Yea….
I'm just going to my home park, California's Great America once or twice every week since it's the only thing to do in the Santa Clara Valley. I think it's fun and I would reccomend people to go there. Because Great America is in real bad shape, I'll type this:
SAVE GREAT AMERICA by going there if you're going to San Francisco.
I know it's a weak "advertisement", but I'm just trying to make a point.
Well I am pretty young (12) so I can't really plan trips for myself. The only time I get to go to parks is usually at me and my little brother's birthday and since we live in Florida we are restricted to Florida Parks. But we have a good coaster lineup this year. We have four parks lined up. My brother's birthday was in middle of June. So we got to hit both Universal Parks which we went to 3 years ago. For my birthday in early October I am hoping to get Busch Gardens (home to my favorite coaster Kumba and new Cheetah Hunt ride) and Seaworld which I have never been to.
2011 Pass to Kings Dominion [new home park]
New parks; BGW done over Easter. Doing PA and New England loop early this fall… Hershey, Knobles, maybe Dorney, Compounce, SFNE, maybe [SFGA old home park]
2112 big late spring loop… from DC… Kennywood, CP, Kings Landing, Holiday World, Dollywood, Carowinds, Kings dominion.
I just hope I can manage the whole loop.
Currently on my three park trip to Hershey Park, Dorney Park, and Six Flags Great Adventure. Finally getting a decent dose of Intamin (being from Florida). These coasters are awesome so far! Top 3 so far are Farenheit, Hydra, and Possessed.