Amusement Park Tickets

We drove to Kennywood Amusement Park, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, one of the oldest ones in the US. We had been taking about going to it for many years, ever since we saw it on TV about ten years ago. The park opened in 1901 with the Old Mill, a boat ride through a building. Over the years the theme of the ride has change. Today it is called Garfield’s Nightmare, a 3-D cartoon about all the things that Garfield loves turns to haunt him. But the original boats and mill are still there. Next came the Kennywood Train, a ten-minute ride through the history of the area. Then came the rollercoasters. The Jack Rabbit was built in 1923. It starts off low to the ground and then ascends about halfway through the ride. There are a couple of very good drops with great airtime. The final historic coaster is the Racer. Two cars start off side by side and run on one continuos track so that when they return to the station, the are on the opposite side. There are only two others like it in the world: one in Mexico City and one in England. All of these rides are on the Historic Places Register.

Of course there are other great coasters. The Phantom’s Revenge is a metal coaster. Every hill has airtime. In other words, you spend more time out of your seat than on it. Another woody is the Thunderbolt. This was pretty good too. What can one say about the Exterminator? You sit four abreast in a car and ride in an enclosed building. The ride starts off simple enough with cute displays of exterminators and the usual hills and tight turns. Then the room becomes totally dark and the car begins spinning, continuing with the hills and turns. It is quite an experience.

The shows were fun too. They had three of them: the Kenyan Acrobats, whom we had seen at Wild Adventures, a dog act and a magic show. They were pretty good.

If you go to Kennywood, you have to have their fries. They are some of the best we ever had. Better than Great America in Gurnee, IL and just as good, if not better than the ones in Newfoundland.

The color country of southern Utah! That’s our logo. We used to be the fruit basket of America because I can remember the old white sign with the faded cornucopia and it’s colorful fruits pouring from it’s mouth. It was such a tired, old sign and probably painted sometime in the early 70′s. But I always liked it. It gave me the sense that there was such an abundance of nature. With a good 7 months a year where the sun shines warm enough to keep things growing, it was easy for nature to produce. And an abundance of nature is what southern Utah is.

So why did southern Utah’s logo get changed to the color country? From my window I see mountains that are purple, blue, green, red, white, pink, black, coral and brown. And these aren’t just subtle hues of each color. I’m talking full value. I’m surrounded by these colors and sometimes it just blows my mind how varied in color and rich this landscape is. In fact I have been told, and even with all the traveling I have done, have yet to dispute. That southern Utah is the most colorful state in the u.S. Even possibly in the whole world. It is also my understanding that Utah is the state with the highest concentration of national and recreational parks, boasting Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, Snow Canyon, Red Cliffs, Moab, etc. And all being absolutely stunning.

One thing about being from Utah which has amused me to no end are the reactions I get from various people when asked where I’m from. And when I answer there are 2 standard replies that I have pretty much heard across the board. Reply a: Why would you live there, you cant drink in Utah? Reply b: Wow! You are so lucky. And 9 times out of 10, reply a has never even visited Utah. Coming here changes you. It’s silent, strong, striking and it’s beautiful.

Amusement parks and theme parks have been continuously entertaining guests for centuries. They whisk people away from the real world and immerse them in a fantasy environment packed with rides, entertainment attractions and plenty of food offerings. A great deal of walking is required due to typically large areas over which attractions are spread. This can be a good or bad thing, depending on how you feel about walking. You can reasonable expect to walk three to ten miles during a day spent in a large park. The biggest complaint most people have is long lines at rides and food counters. The good news is you can easily cut down considerably on the amount of time you spend standing in lines. All you need is a basic understanding of crowd flow and park layout combined with a little preparation before you leave home. Commit to arrive early.

The world’s first amusement park reportedly opened way back in 1583 in a community north of Copenhagen, Denmark. As you can imagine, its offerings were primitive compared with high-tech attractions common in today’s parks. Most parks in the United States evolved from the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. The country’s first real “theme park” was Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Conceptualized by Walt Disney, it was years in design by Walt and his “imagineers”. So, what is the difference between amusement parks and theme parks? There are commonalities – rides, entertainment and food. However, theme parks add a dimension by creating an environment centered around a theme or variety of themes such as space travel, movies, sports, cartoon characters or music to name a few. Most theme parks are divided into several individually themed sections. Disneyland originally had five themed areas, each unique and rich in detail.

Successful theme parks draw large crowds daily. Popularity brings long lines, starting at the booth leading to the parking lot. Go early to beat the line of cars lining up to get in. This will also get you up front at the entry point. Avoid waiting in long lines all day inside the park by learning the lay of the land before you leave home. The easiest way is to simply visit the park’s website and check out the map. Some parks are designed in a “loop” or large circle-like pattern. Guests move around the loop going from one ride to the next. Other parks use a “hub and spoke” configuration, similar to the one introduced at Disneyland. The hub and spoke design is used at most Disney parks. Guests enter and head down a street or path in the direction of an icon in the middle of the park. From there, guests can choose from several “spokes”, each leading to a separately themed area. There are other designs but the two mentioned here are most common. Most parks offer two or three “main attractions” or “headliner rides”. These draw big crowds immediately after the park opens its gates. Crowd favorites are generally on opposite sides of the park or in different areas and are rarely situated next to or near each other. Most big parks also offer shows, concerts, parades or fireworks. Learn showtimes and major ride locations in advance so you can prepare your walking route and schedule.

Maximize your family fun with a plan, and remember these important points:

• Purchasing tickets online, by mail or phone is your first time-saver because there will be no waiting in the line at the box office on the day of your visit. Have your ticket in hand and breeze on in!
• Special events like shows and parades draw crowds away from rides thereby reducing wait times.
• Make sure you leave ample time for parking and shuttling to the gate. You want to be at the gate at least twenty minutes before the official park opening. This will help you get a jump on things. Most people will arrive at the park between 10am and Noon. Arrive early and beat the crowds!
• On busy days in peak season some parks open earlier than the posted opening time for crowd control purposes. Sometimes they open early during off-season. Always show up early.
• If your chosen park is laid out in a loop, veer left and move in a clockwise fashion because most people will do the opposite.
• At opening, move quickly – but don’t run – to the most popular attractions. Do your first ride and move quickly to the next big one. You might need to cross the park and do extra walking, but you will save time waiting in line.
• After hitting the most popular rides you can relax your pace.
• Most people eat lunch between 11:45am and 1pm meaning longer waits if you join the crowd. Why not plan to eat during the off times? Less time in line at lunch means more time for the rides.
• Typically after 3pm the number of people leaving the park will outnumber people entering by a ratio of 3:1. If you book an extended stay you can apply this knowledge for future visits to the same park within your vacation package.
• Crowds are biggest around major holidays and in peak season. Avoid these times when possible.
• Find out in advance when the park has special promotions targeting “locals”. Avoid those days when possible.
• Many popular parks will gridlock between Noon and 3pm. Use this block of time to visit less popular attractions, walk-through exhibits, interactive displays, browsing and exploring.

Research and plan before you go! It is fun to do and will help you save time in lines once inside the park.

The City of Angels is as exciting as it is diverse! Bangkok is a melting pot of striking fragrances, visual pleasures and happening lifestyle. The place offers a wide scope to the travelers to explore the hidden secrets of this land. Be it stunning holy places, fantastic fortresses, world-famed floating markets or vibrant nightlife, each of these eminent places in Bangkok has a unique fascinating story to tell.

Here are the most loved and popular activities that the tourists who book flights to Bangkok must experience to make their Bangkok holidays enjoyable.

Shopping Sprees

A holiday to Bangkok without shopping sounds unimaginable. Shopping in Bangkok thrills and delights shoppers from all over the world. From the glossy and towering shopping malls, to the chaos of its legendary energetic street bazaars, Bangkok offers all sorts of pleasures that one must incorporate while planning for holidays to Bangkok and booking air tickets for the same.

Moreover, the floating markets in Bangkok offer a wonderful opportunity to get glimpse of the local lifestyle and mesmerizing culture of the city. Damnoen Saduak, one of the largest and trendiest of all floating markets, attracts numerous travelers from the UK. The small markets including Tha Kha and Ampawa, proffer the more local flavors of this majestic place.

Vivacious Nightlife

Bangkok has a status for wild and exciting nightlife. As the sun fades, the traffic subsides and the mad rush of the city gets over, Bangkok turns into an unusual world with its electrifying and most happening nightlife. Bangkok’s nightlife includes clubbing, excellent dining, bar flying, recreational pursuits and cultural shows. The city’s nightlife is stress-free, secure and very pleasurable. One does not need to get dressed up and spend a huge amount of money to be a part of the hottest clubs in the city such as Route 66, Bed Supperclub, Glow Narcissus and Q Bar.

In addition, the superlative hotels are often excellent centers for nightclubs and discos that are quite cheap and tender very good ambiance. Pubs and bars are dotted all over the city out of which many are specialized in live music with lip smacking food. Such a pulsating nightlife of Bangkok is the main reason that number of airlines offering cheap flights to Bangkok have increased in the past few years.

Historical Museums

Bangkok museums provide an interesting and enriching insight into the city’s unique tradition and customs. The museums here display some of the most awe-inspiring and strangest leftovers of the past that narrate stories of the glorious culture of Thailand. Distinct from many museums around the globe, Bangkok’s museums have inexpensive doorway fees. The most renowned museums such as Royal Barge Museum, Bangkok National Museum and The Ancient City have been drawing the history aficionados to book flights to Bangkok to travel through the city for experiencing its pleasurable sights.

Theme Parks

Bangkok theme parks are a fun way to fall apart from the usual walking and visiting the attractions. These theme parks have been really popular among the travelers booking flights to Bangkok. The amusement parks such as Bangkok Planetarium, Dream World, Siam Park and Mall Ngamwongwan Water & Playland offer all sorts of entertainment options for infants to teenagers. These amusement parks flaunt swimming pools, adventure rides, water sports, hobby classes and a range of restaurants offering yummy food.

Temples or “Wat”

The temples in Bangkok are an exclusive part of the capital’s heart and essence and make travelers crave for cheap flights to Bangkok. The awe-inspiring designs and the dazzling beautification of the Bangkok temples make them stand out of all. Temples in Bangkok are inclined to be crowned with green and orange roof tiles, gold covers and thousands of multicolored glass mosaics. The majority of temples have a dominant Buddha emblem made up of brass or bronze, and a collection of diminutive sculptures of diverse designs.

Most visited Bangkok temples including Wat Phra Kaeo, Wat Arun, Wat Suthat Thepwararam and Wat Pho have played fundamental roles in the expansion of Buddhism in Thailand.