We were there this week - on Wednesday - and it was absolutely horrible. I NEVER want to go there ever again!! It was a complete and total disaster. The only good thing was that the kids all got in free - and I was discounted. We planned the trip because my daughters each earned a free ticket through a home school reading program (read x hours this month for a free ticket). I knew I would also have my 18 month old with us (free since under 2) and he wouldn't be able to go on a lot of the rides my girls wanted to go on, so we invited a 10yo friend of theirs to come too. I then saw a free ticket on a box of lunchables, so we bought the lunchables, threw the food away, but kept the ticket to get the friend in free also, and to take $10 off my ticket. Really good idea. If I had paid full price for all of us, I would be even less happy than I am. But I now know why they give away so many kids tickets - there isn't much there for them.
First it took us three hours to even get into the park! The parking situation is a complete disaster - totally disorganized (and they charged $15 for it). The park opened at 10:30 - we live an hour away so left at 9:30, but did not enter the park until 2:00 PM!! If you have ever sat in a car with 3 excited girls in full sight of an amusement park for 3 hours, but not able to go in, you can begin to see how frustrated I was before we even got in.
The Thomas themed area has 4 rides - that's it. They are made for little kids - which is fine. My daughters are small and had no problem going on all of them. Their friend was too tall and not allowed on them. Adults are NOT allowed on the rides with children (anyone over 53" tall I believe). So there was another woman there whose 2yo wanted to go on a ride, but they wouldn't let the mom on with him.
All of us were able to go on the carousel - which we went on twice, and also the little train that runs through the Thomas area ( 2min ride). That's it.
The rest of the park is really made for older kids. If you love roller coasters, you could probably have a lot of fun. There is almost no rides for elementary aged children at all. There are some arcade games, but they charge for them and they cost quite a bit.
You are not allowed to bring any food in and they charge a fortune. $4 for a bottle of water. I bought 4 small ice cream cones for almost $30! Highway robbery. Probably the best part of being stuck in the parking lot for 3 hours was the kids ate lunch in the car before we went in.
The worst part was through no fault of ours, 2 of the girls got lost. My 8yo and the 10yo went on the New England Skyway by themselves. It is an overhead cable car type ride that gives you a view of the park. The baby was too small, and my 7yo didn't want to go. So we waited at the entrance for the ride to reappear. When 15 mins had passed, I asked the operator how long the ride was and he said "Oh, it's only one way" They have no problem letting 2 children on the ride alone with absolutely no notice that they were being left alone at the other end of the park!! There was absolutely no sign up at the end we got on saying it was only one way. I grabbed the 2 kids and followed the ride overhead and found the other end. The girls were gone (although there was a sign there it was one way). Looked around no one has seen them. Thought they must have gotten back on so went back to the other end, watching for them above me. They weren't there either. I obviously started getting frantic. Tried to get an employee to help me and all he said was "I'm sure they'll turn up soon." I go to the Lost Parents Area and it is closed! So I am walking around the ride area frantically searching for them (dragging along a 7yo and an 18 month old), when finally another employee says "Are you looking for 2 girls?" and he describes them. Turns out he brought them to guest services when he saw them. So I ran there and Thank G-D they were OK. But truly they were missing for about an hour. The girls also told me that when they were left off at the other end and tried to get back on to go back to where I was waiting that the ride operator called them "stupid" and told them they would have to leave!
We left at 5 o'clock after only 3 hours there, and honestly I can't see where we would ever go back again.
