How to Survive Amusement Park

[PastelPetals]

I will be attending an amusement park with my transition program in a couple months and I am quite anxious about it. I have never been to an amusement park of any kind as my family is not amusement park people (though that may be mostly because of me) I have,however, been to renaissance fairs and other crowded events and I have found that overwhelming but a well known and well attended amusement park seems worse than that. Any tips for an amusement park newbie?

 

[thejuice]

Shades and earplugs! I do actually like fairs, the lights are mesmerising. The pounding music and MC can be a bit much sometimes though!

 

[Neonatal RRT]

Well, for myself, I am a steel rollercoaster enthusiast. The taller, the faster, the smoother the ride, the better. I love speed and the sensation of flying.

On the other hand, I hate being spun around in circles. I will have a headache and feel sick for days afterward. I don't like wooden coasters as they tend to shake my brain around too much, and again, I will have a headache and feel sick for days afterward.

A busy amusement park can be mentally exhausting, so do take opportunities to sit on park benches or picnic areas off to the side. Plan on spending a lot more than you planned on food and drink, as there is quite a markup on price. Drink water, not sodas or sugary drinks. Minimize your food intake.

 

[thejuice]

I vowed never to be spun round in circles ever again !

 

[Judge]

My only issues with such venues are always one and the same. Not the rides per se (the faster the better) but simply the concentration of other human beings and how tight a space it may involve.

Especially if and when it involves standing in crowded lines for prolonged periods of time.

 

[PastelPetals]

I like to rock so I am hoping to go on some rides that rock and I may even try a roller coaster. I am most concerned about the lines and the noise. Restaurants can be too much so more people in a small space is almost impossible.

 

[PastelPetals]

Well, for myself, I am a steel rollercoaster enthusiast. The taller, the faster, the smoother the ride, the better. I love speed and the sensation of flying.

On the other hand, I hate being spun around in circles. I will have a headache and feel sick for days afterward. I don't like wooden coasters as they tend to shake my brain around too much, and again, I will have a headache and feel sick for days afterward.

A busy amusement park can be mentally exhausting, so do take opportunities to sit on park benches or picnic areas off to the side. Plan on spending a lot more than you planned on food and drink, as there is quite a markup on price. Drink water, not sodas or sugary drinks. Minimize your food intake.

yes wooden coasters would not be something I would want to ride on I may try a smaller steel coaster though. Thank you for the water tip I will make sure to stay hydrated.

 

[Forest Cat]

My best tip is to have your wallet and phone and other valuables in something that is closed and off limit to people. And if you are going to take any rides that involves water, like a log flume, take those at the end of the day or you have to walk around soaking wet all day. Also, it's smart to sit up front on rollercoasters because if someone barfs you do not want to sit behind them.

 

[Tom]

Not a ride or crowd fan myself. But I liked taking the kids to mellow old fashioned kiddie rides, like carosel and little train or car rides. If it was me I would plan on mostly watching and maybe trying something that looked ok to me. Don't let yourself be pressured into doing something you don't want to.

 

[Forest Cat]

On the other hand, I hate being spun around in circles.

Me too, not only do those rides make me sick but it's a great way to lose your wallet. I took one of those spinning teacup rides, you're sitting in a big cup that is spinning and the platform they are on is also spinning. When it was over I had lost everything I had on me. Everything was thrown off the ride.

 

[Outdated]

Me too, not only do those rides make me sick but it's a great way to lose your wallet. I took one of those spinning teacup rides, you're sitting in a big cup that is spinning and the platform they are on is also spinning. When it was over I had lost everything I had on me. Everything was thrown off the ride.

As a teenager I went on the Zipper with a mate, and during the ride a metal missile started bouncing around inside the cage. Someone had lost a pocket knife (folded) and both of us spent half the ride trying to slap it still against the side of the cage. I scored a nice pocket knife.

 

[Forest Cat]

As a teenager I went on the Zipper with a mate, and during the ride a metal missile started bouncing around inside the cage. Someone had lost a pocket knife (folded) and both of us spent half the ride trying to slap it still against the side of the cage. I scored a nice pocket knife.

That's what you want flying around inside a ride cage, a knife. Of all things.

 

[Au Naturel]

I will be attending an amusement park with my transition program in a couple months and I am quite anxious about it. I have never been to an amusement park of any kind as my family is not amusement park people (though that may be mostly because of me) I have,however, been to renaissance fairs and other crowded events and I have found that overwhelming but a well known and well attended amusement park seems worse than that. Any tips for an amusement park newbie?

Ear plugs or noise-canceling headphones. Keep any valuables inside your clothes and not in a purse or pocket.

 

[Judge]

Ear plugs or noise-canceling headphones. Keep any valuables inside your clothes and not in a purse or pocket.

Good advice.

Reminded me of when my father wanted to take me on a ferris wheel at a county fair with "caged" compartments, doors and seats inside. Where the entire compartments rotated sideways on their axis a full 360 degrees as the ferris wheel went up and down.

With everyone's change leaving their pockets as the compartment they rode in went upside-down. What a racket it made too! Proving to be a bit more expensive than what was initially charged for.

 

[grommet]

I will be attending an amusement park with my transition program in a couple months and I am quite anxious about it. I have never been to an amusement park of any kind as my family is not amusement park people (though that may be mostly because of me) I have,however, been to renaissance fairs and other crowded events and I have found that overwhelming but a well known and well attended amusement park seems worse than that. Any tips for an amusement park newbie?

There are many people walking everywhere. I think reading signs and focusing on individual things could help. Estimating the cardinal points of direction (North, South, East, West) of where you have been and are going. Making excuses if you can to stand away from the group when you can. Thinking about the physics of the rides and the engineering like the rollercoaster if mechanically raised to its highest point building potential energy but after that it coasts the rest of the way because every point is lower than the highest point it was towed.

The weather can be quite uncomfortable. Prepare for that if you can for sun or cold. Some rides splash and can make you very wet. You could consider whether you would be okay wearing wet clothes the rest of the day.

I do not know what you could do about food, if you could bring your own or if you like the foods they have.

What is a transition program?

 

[MNAus]

I will be attending an amusement park with my transition program in a couple months and I am quite anxious about it. I have never been to an amusement park of any kind as my family is not amusement park people (though that may be mostly because of me) I have,however, been to renaissance fairs and other crowded events and I have found that overwhelming but a well known and well attended amusement park seems worse than that. Any tips for an amusement park newbie?

Not sure of what control you have over the day, but my advice would be to find places to take breathers a couple of times in the day. You'll likely have a few people in the group who feel this is eating up coaster time, but walking round a quieter piece of park for 10 minutes can reset everything well. There's always a couple of places that are away from the crowds.

For queues, don't think too much on where you are in the queue, where you need to be, how long it's going to take, etc. These will all up your stress levels. Queues are also good times to work out where you're heading next. The worst place to work out where you are going next is in the middle of a path just after you got off a ride, where you will have people streaming past and members of the group start wondering off.

Finally, have earplugs handy in case you end up in a particular situation you need them (like the guy behind you in a queue have an obnoxiously loud voice and laugh). I wouldn't recommend using them for extended periods as it can make the whole place seem even more confusing. You're going to be walking in busy areas where having poor sound input will make things feel unpredictable and more frustrating.

I'm not such a fan of parks as I used to be, but that's because I have two younger kids who have a tendency to walk off the moment you stop to look at a map, so half my day is spent asking "where's x gone now?"

 

[Captain Caveman]

Probably best to go on are waterslides that go through tunnels.

 

[Aspychata]

Wear clothes that dry quickly, shoes without socks but well fitting, not new shoes, because you walk too much. Take bare minimum with zip up pockets. I check out the most popular rides and hit those first because lines may only get worse as the day goes on. Have a dedicated spot to meet should you get separated due to being overwhelmed. It could happen, just say let's meet at the major statue/fountain/candy shop if we get separated. I usually locate everything on a map, so l know where everything is. If you wear a small crossbody bag, you can hold it down when you go upside down.

 

[PastelPetals]

There are many people walking everywhere. I think reading signs and focusing on individual things could help. Estimating the cardinal points of direction (North, South, East, West) of where you have been and are going. Making excuses if you can to stand away from the group when you can. Thinking about the physics of the rides and the engineering like the rollercoaster if mechanically raised to its highest point building potential energy but after that it coasts the rest of the way because every point is lower than the highest point it was towed.

The weather can be quite uncomfortable. Prepare for that if you can for sun or cold. Some rides splash and can make you very wet. You could consider whether you would be okay wearing wet clothes the rest of the day.

I do not know what you could do about food, if you could bring your own or if you like the foods they have.

What is a transition program?

That is a good point. I like to read all the signage wherever I am and knowing more is always helpful.

residential but mine is residential) that helps young adults with disabilities transition to adulthood and independence by teaching life skills and job skills. Mine has classes, coaching, outings, activities, and apartment support/check ins. I was in a different program before that had less education and it was more like a group home with some job training and outings. They are all different and help different populations. My current program fits me much better than my last and I have made lots of progress. When I age out next year I believe I will be mostly equipped to live my life with minimal support.

 

[PastelPetals]

Wear clothes that dry quickly, shoes without socks but well fitting, not new shoes, because you walk too much. Take bare minimum with zip up pockets. I check out the most popular rides and hit those first because lines may only get worse as the day goes on. Have a dedicated spot to meet should you get separated due to being overwhelmed. It could happen, just say let's meet at the major statue/fountain/candy shop if we get separated. I usually locate everything on a map, so l know where everything is. If you wear a small crossbody bag, you can hold it down when you go upside down.

I am going to attempt to take a fanny pack/bum bag with me to make sure I don't lose anything. Thank you for the shoe advice I will wear the most comfortable pair I own.