Reviews

Are Vessi Shoes the Perfect Theme Park Shoes?

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A day at a theme park can include miles of walking, water rides and potentially inclement weather. Getting blisters or wet feet can make this miserable and thus a good pair of shoes are vital to a good theme park experience. I have almost flat feet and have sometimes struggled to find comfortable shoes for long distances, especially with water involved. I heard YouTuber ElToroRyan talking about his Vessi shoes on one of his coaster videos and decided to give them a shot. That first pair of Vessis I got have been the best pair of shoes I’ve ever owned.

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Review of the New Penguin Trek Roller Coaster at SeaWorld Orlando

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I found myself in Orlando for a quick business trip which gave me an evening to check out the New Penguin Trek at SeaWorld Orlando. Penguin Trek is a sit down launched family coaster by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). It opened July 7, 2024 and is essentially a prototype, being the first B&M sit down family launch coaster. The ride is located in the Antarctica area of the park and replaces the Antarctica: Empire of the Penguins dark ride.

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Santa’s Land in Cherokee, NC. A Review of Our “Christmas in July” in the Smokey Mountains.

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The front sign for Santa's Land Fun Park & Zoo

We made an end of summer trip to the Smokey Mountains visiting Cherokee, NC for some whitewater tubing and a trip to Santa’s Land Fun Park & Zoo. In Georgia our kids started school August 1st which is crazy! Santa’s Land is sincerely both an amusement park and zoo that’s full of charm for kids and families. You can relax and ride all day for one low price with cheap eats under a beautiful tree canopy in the Smokey Mountains. We visited on a Saturday afternoon in summer and there were no wait times for anything even though the park felt like it was buzzing with activity. There’s not much here for adrenaline junkies, but tons of uniqueness and nostalgia that’s headlined by the amazing Rudicaoster, a “one of a kind” family roller coaster by Zamperla.

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The Flash Pass One Shot at Six Flags Over Georgia is a Great Value

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On my last visit to Six Flags Over Georgia I noticed for the first time several of these green signs offering the Flash Pass One Shot. When you follow the QR code you’re taken to the Flash Pass website where you can buy a flash pass for the day, the season and now a Flash Pass for a single ride. This “One Shot” is reminiscent of the Lightning Lane Single Pass at Disney parks where you can buy “skip the line” access to certain attractions. The cost seems to vary by ride and day (similar to the Disney system) and I’ve seen prices range on a Friday between $6 and $14 each. However, a Flash Pass on that same Friday went for $60 for the Standard (virtual line holder) Flash Pass all they way up to $145 for the Ultimate (no wait) Flash Pass. So if you’re a regular and only going for a few hours, Single Shots seem to be the way to go.

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Review of Wild Adventures Ultimate Animal Feeding Package. Amazing Family Activity and a Great Value!

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Animals are a huge part of the appeal of Wild Adventures in Valdosta, GA. It’s great to be able to look at them, but to have an animal experience where you can feed and interact with them will make your trip much more memorable. The Ultimate Animal Feeding Package at Wild Advantage is a great way to have several animal interactions together as a family. At under $30 and including a souvenir photo it’s a tremendous value too.

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Sweet Summer Nights at Wild Adventures has Awesome Benefits like 50% Off Food

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Sweet Summer Nights sign display outside Wild Adventures.

Have you ever heard of a theme park offerings 50% off of food? Me neither! However, this is exactly what Wild Adventures is doing on Friday nights this summer. We’re not talking off of a handful of select items either, but off of essentially everything. This discount made my awesome dinner of peach BBQ pork sandwich with two sides cheaper than a meal at the local Chick-fil-A at around $6. This is one of the huge benefits of Sweet Summer Nights at Wild Adventures for 2024 which runs through July 26th.

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Review of an Afternoon at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park

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Arial view of Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
View of Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk from Sky Glider

On a recent business trip to California I had a free afternoon and decided to check out the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. This seaside park opened in 1907 and is California’s oldest surviving park. Walking down certain parts of the boardwalk feels a bit like a trip in a time machine, but most of the rides are now modern with one huge exception, the Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster. The Giant Dipper is the signature attraction of the park dominating the skyline and it was the main reason for my visit.

Giant Dipper Roller Coaster
Giant Dipper Roller Coaster
Giant Dipper Roller Coaster
Giant Dipper Roller Coaster
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Review of the VIP Diamond Pass Lounge at Six Flags Over Georgia

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April 2025 Update: The Diamond Pass has now become the Prestige Pass in 2025 with the Cedar Fair merger.

This is my first year being a Diamond pass holder at Six Flags and therefore my first time having access to the VIP Lounge. I have to say this is an extremely nice benefit! The lounge is a great air conditioned space with comfortable seating, free soda and a wide assortment of snacks. At Six Flags Over Georgia the lounge is also centrally located just past the Marthasville Train Station near Acrophobia and in front of the great new Along the Rails Tavern. At the entrance they simply scan your physical or electronic membership card and you’re in.

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Review of the Beautiful New “Along the Rails Tavern” at Six Flags Over Georgia

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Six Flags Over Georgia has opened a new food and beverage location called Along the Rails Tavern. It’s described by the park as, “a relaxing outdoor patio located near the picturesque Marthasville Railroad Station”, they couldn’t be more right. With beautiful wood decking, great shade from the surrounding trees, a diverse drink selection and somewhat hidden location, this place is a real gem for the park. It also screams “hold your private event here” for things like corporate gatherings or coaster groups visiting the park. Something like a new bar doesn’t get the buzz of a new coaster, but wow what a great addition for the park!

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Get a Six Flags Diamond Pass for $100. A Great Deal with Admission to 27 Parks! A SFOG Review.

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Six Flags Diamond Pass

Update March 2025: The Six Flags Diamond pass is essentially no more. It has been replaced with the Prestige pass which does NOT have the “all parks” access. You can still get many of the same “all parks” benefit by buying anything as low as the Gold Pass and then get the All Park Passport which could be $75 to $150 more depending on your park. It is more expensive than the old Diamond pass with all parks for sure, but it’s also a lot more parks including all the legacy Cedar Fair parks and not just the legacy Six Flags parks. The Prestige Pass would also be required to get you into the VIP Lounge. The new price of the Prestige Pass at SFOG is $149 in 2025 instead of $100 in 2024.

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