Seeing as how the kids have never been before, I tried to explain it to them, but it just didn't work. They kept trying to figure it out..thinking with "fair" in the name, it was like the County Fair they went to a few weeks ago. Sort of...but not really. They had just been to the Mall of America Nickelodeon Universe a few weeks ago...sort of like that...but bigger...and outdoors....but not really either. Valleyfair has a water park in it and rides that really get you wet.
We have seen it as we have driven into Shakopee, but just some outlines of rollercoasters, and I don't even know for sure that Gwen would know what she was looking at. So we went, all packed and ready before the park even opened that day. They had just changed to a later opening time that week of 10am. So we heard the fanfare and musical opening ceremony that they do. Not exactly worth coming out to see, but bringing Brian, and how far I remember having to drive to get out there when that was where we lived, it was just ODD.
I cannot remember the exact year that I had been there last...but I know I had ridden on Wild Thing roller coaster. Since then, they had gotten Renegade and Steel Venom. I believe that puts their total to 6. We walked through from the front and worked our way around. We hit the old time cars since that was right at the entrance...looked at the Wave for a bit because that can be interesting to kids. Gwen got a big splash right where she was standing and she wasn't very happy about that. But at least the kids had their swim gear on so it would dry quick.
We tried to convince Trevor to go on the Corkscrew roller coaster first since it was the first one we came across, but he couldn't do it. So we went on the ferris wheel instead. That way we could see the whole park and tell which roller coasters were the highest. At that point, he was willing to go on High Roller. Gwen and I hung out in the Camp Snoopy part of the park...it took over for the Berenstein Bears park. There were a few nice rides for her and I could see when the boys came around on the coaster. Trevor said it was awesome. Unfortunately, a few minutes later, Brian found out he lost his phone. I thought FOR SURE that meant it flew out of his pocket and was gone forever. He went back to the ride and they said that they found it and just returned it to the front gate area lost and found. Thank goodness!
Brian headed up to the front and we rounded the park to the Mouse roller coaster. I thought Gwen could pass for 44 inches, but we got to the front and they said no go. She had a bit of a fit and Trevor decided to go on it anyway. So we kept walking and at that point I remembered Thunder Canyon....oh it had been forever. Unfortunately, it was another ride that Gwen couldn't go on, so I braved it with Trevor. The sun had started to go behind clouds and rain was off in the distance, so I knew we had to get it done soon. Of course I had to sit in the wettest part of the ride. Didn't help that there was an added bonus of people could pay 25 cents to squirt water out of a shooter at the riders. I got a good chunk of that one too...since it was Gwen and Brian aiming right at us.
Before coming over to Thunder Canyon, we were going to try Wild Thing, but Trevor couldn't do it. After Thunder Canyon, since we were right by Excalibur, I told him it was his only chance...he couldn't say later. So he did it. I think he gets so amped up and nervous right before the ride, it is hard to enjoy it until it is over. But he did it, without complaint...said it was a little bumpy, which was why I didn't care to go on it.
We went back to the sports bar place to eat and sat down for a good chunk of time when the radar started to look iffy. But we still got out and rode on one last ride called wheel of fortune before we noticed all the rides were shut down due to lightning. So we took off for a playland type place over by camp snoopy. I thought we might head out, but the weather didn't ever really get that bad. Plus I knew it was going to lighten up again and they were going to re-open the rides. We moved over to the arcade for a change of pace and when we saw the rides starting up again, Trevor REALLY wanted to go on the High Roller again. So he did..and Gwen went on a few of her favorite Snoopy Rides. This is primarily where the Snoopy character would hang out so Gwen got quite a few Snoopy hugs which I know made her day.
So after Trevor's coaster, I REALLY wanted to get on Renegade before we left. We walked over and Trevor and I rode on it first. It wasn't really what I was expecting. But Trevor liked it and immediately went on it again with Brian. After that is when he started going on the water tube/slide ride. At this point in the day, I knew we were not going to make it to the water park, because of how late it was and how cold it was for me. Poor Brian got soaked. But I think he enjoyed it too....
So by this time Trevor agreed to try the corkscrew again...because the drop on that one is way lower than Excalibur was...and I told him it was very smooth. Yep...he did it and loved it. So that made 4 out of the 6. We made it back to the entrance area, and then the boys had to go on the Wave ride. Crazy kids....if they weren't wet before, they were drenched now. And they have this "family drier" where you pay $5 for 3 minutes of drying. Um what? Trevor thought if he got wet enough I would buy that. Nope. Here's your towel. Let's go on the Enterprise to dry you off. So we did.
Gwen really wanted to get her face painted, but I said no because we were going to go mini golfing. But when we went to the park, it was closed for the season. Brian got to try out Steel Venom (no thanks for me...and Trevor also said no) and then the boys rode on the go karts. So I took Gwen to get her face painted.
We got a quick dinner before leaving the park "officially" less than 30 minutes from closing. That. is. insane. Who does that? I'm pretty sure Brian wasn't expecting that sort of day. I wonder if he'll come back to do it again some other time. Until then though...Gwen needs to grow another inch and Trevor needs to get just a little more guts to go on those two other coasters he has a slight fear of. But for now, it is another check off of the to-do list this summer. Only 12 more days of summer vacation! But who's counting ;-)
No comments:
Post a Comment