Prepare for and Enjoy an Amusement Park

Many people love amusement parks, but they don't prepare themselves properly. Read this article to help save your money and improve overall enjoyment of your trip to the amusement park.

Steps

Planning your visit

  1. Research. Have you gone to this park before? If not, research beforehand. If there don't seem to be any attractions that you like, don't force yourself.
  2. Plan your trip and invite friends. Make sure you know how much tickets cost and buy them beforehand if necessary. If you are sure that you want to go multiple times, see if a season pass is worth the money. There are sometimes passes that are used up once you go on a certain number of rides. If you only want to ride a few, opt for these, but if not, make sure you are buying a pass that will let you ride all day.
  3. Stay on-site if appropriate, or nearby. If you’re making a multi-day vacation of it (which is a good idea if you want to hit up the amusement park), staying on site or nearby will make it all much easier.
  4. Have a plan. While it may seem tempting, riding rides in whatever order you feel like can mean you travel from one end of the park to the other many more times than is necessary, and your feet will be very sore as a result. To avoid this, get a park map and use it. Ride things in order, or at least ride everything you want to go on in one specific area of the park before moving on to another.
  5. Have enough money on hand. Depending on how long you will be at the park, make plans for what you will eat. Keep in mind that park food is expensive.
  6. Have pills with you if you think you'll need them. If you have nausea but otherwise enjoy park rides, there should be nausea-relieving pills at your local drugstore or pharmacy. Take these beforehand. Unless you're sure that you won't be nauseous, it's best to have these with you.

Dressing and carrying

  1. Consider your attire. Dress lightly (but take a jacket if you need to) and take only what you need. If you take your own food, check the park permits this and make sure your amusement park offers storage first. Try to check the weather report for the area you're going visit. Dress accordingly for the weather. Try to avoid wearing dark colored clothes (such as black or dark grey) if it is during summer. Wearing these colors could make you more warm and you may start sweating. Also, if you're going on the water rides, have a swimsuit on underneath your clothes.
  2. Wear good shoes. Flip flops aren’t really the best idea for an amusement park, especially rides that leave your feet dangling. Wear supportive sneakers or walking shoes.
  3. Don't wear loose clothing. If you want to wear a hat, always remember to put it in a secure pocket before going on a ride. Keep your wallet or purse secure! They can be easily lost in the hustle and bustle of an amusement park.
  4. Tie up long hair. Hair past shoulder length can easily get tangled on a windy ride. Braids are recommended, as they stay closer to the head and don't have loose hair like ponytails.
  5. Don’t wear earrings. Many coasters can be rough, and you don’t want holes poked into the back of your head. Some earrings may get stuck in your hair or attire. However, if you really want to wear earrings, wear non-dangling ones such as studs or pearls.
  6. Take plenty of sunscreen. Especially in the summertime. Most of the ride lines will subject you to the elements, whatever they are.
    • Take a water bottle. It's easy to get dehydrated out in the sun all day.
  7. Don’t take a ton of stuff. Unless you’re visiting with someone who won’t be riding most of the rides, don’t take huge bags or purses with you if you can help it. You won’t be able to take these on most of the rides. You’ll either have to leave them with a non-rider, pay for a locker, or stuff them into bins before getting onto a ride. This last option offers no guarantee that someone won’t walk off with your brand new Coach purse while you’re on a coaster.
    • Wear something with big pockets that either zipper or button closed. All you really need is some cash, and maybe your phone. You can always leave a jacket in your car, and go get it later.
    • Always take medication with you or take it beforehand. Who knows, you might need it.

Enjoying your time in the park

  1. Go on a weekday. If possible, avoid weekends at any park during the summer months. Once school is out, places like Cedar Point are packed, especially on the weekends.
  2. Arrive early. If you want to catch the shortest ride wait times and escape the heat of the day, get to the park as early as possible. And people do arrive earlier so they can dash to their favorite rides as soon as possible.
  3. Pace yourself. Take a break from the coasters every once in a while, perhaps throwing in a train or gondola ride (these can also serve as great ways of getting around the park that don’t wear out your sneakers).
  4. Don't force people to go on a ride. Don't force yourself or a friend to go on a certain ride, especially if you or your friend does not fit the criteria for the ride. If you are too short, weigh too much, have medical conditions or are pregnant, be careful about what rides you decide to go on.
  5. If you want to play games and buy souvenirs, wait until you and whoever is with you have had enough of the other attractions. By leaving it to the end, you won't have to be restricted by the giant stuffed animal you're carrying around.

Tips

  • Always have a meeting point if you get separated!
  • Check the weather before hand. It can affect traffic and which attractions you can ride.
  • If it's summer, don't forget the sunscreen.
  • Stay together with friends or family members.
  • If you are going to a theme park like Disney or Universal, be aware of crowds. Early weekdays are mostly not crowded, even in summer.
  • Try to get each family member to wear a certain thing. For example, have all of the family wear neon-green colored clothes. This will make it easier to find family members.
  • Be considerate of others. Don't push other people just to get in line.
  • Don't waste too much money. Games and food at fairs and parks can be pretty expensive.
  • Some theme parks have a Fast Pass/Express tickets service to ride the most important rides without having to wait in queues. If there's a lot of people, you should consider getting an Express/Fast Pass ticket.
  • Make sure that your restraint is fully secured.
  • Have a meeting place for your family. For example; all of your family meets at the teacups at 1:30 pm.
  • Keep your children close to you.
  • Take a cellphone. Ensure you can keep it safe at all times.
  • Don't take friends that don't like rides or other attractions.
  • You don't always have to take your little sibling or child. While there are usually kid-safe rides and attractions, unless you have someone else to watch over them, you won't be able to go on the big rides.
  • If you are planning to visit a theme park such as Disneyland or Hersheypark, you may want to another take a bag to carry things such as sunglasses, cell phones, snacks, or a camera for capturing photos!
  • Take Ziploc bags to protect items when going on water rides.
  • At times you are going to an amusement park wear something that is comfortable.
  • If planning on going on water rides, take a plastic bag for your phone.
  • Take a poncho. They sell them for water rides but they cost a lot of money. Plus, if it rains you can just whip it on.
  • If you just ate, wait at least 30 minutes before riding again.
  • Fanny Packs work wonders! They might not be the most fashionable but they're small enough that you can bring them on the ride with you and don't have to waste money on lockers.

Warnings

  • Always obey park regulations and signs. If you have had a heart attack before or have a medical condition that makes things such as flashing lights and fast movement dangerous to you, avoid relevant rides.
  • If you bring a child, keep track of them at all times.
  • Never bring cameras on rides to record point-of-view videos. This is against the policies of most theme parks, and if you drop your camera it could injure someone.
  • Never go into an off-limits area. These are usually places where rides swing and move, and people can get injured or killed from being in such a place while the ride is operating. Even if you think it's safe, fences and signs are there for a reason. Forget your lost hat and stay out.
  • If you are pregnant, avoid most rides. Only go on slow, safe rides like Teacup rides.
  • If you are overweight, ride restraints may not properly fit or hold you. Don't take any risks.
  • If you are a senior, take it easy and avoid going on the faster rides.
  • Remember that even a calm ride can be dangerous. If someone falls out, depending on the ride, they can get stuck in gearing or simply be hurt from the fall. Always wear your restraints properly, including those used with inflatable rides and climbing walls.

Things You'll Need

  • Secure pockets and clothing
  • Money and/or amusement park ticket
  • Light weight clothes
  • Light weight bags
  • Lots of water
  • Packed food (or cash if the park does not allow food inside)
  • Thermos
  • Sun screen (regardless of the season or overcast)
  • A waterproof jacket (in some of the rides you might get wet)
  • Rain poncho (for if you're bothered by water rides or in case it rains)

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