Summer Fun

I have a really good excuse for not posting anything yesterday.

I was being mugged, robbed, exploited and ripped off!

Yeah, you guessed it. I was at Six Flags.

I went there voluntarily, and only because I had free tickets, but it still makes me mad that they are out there scheming how to get even more money from families out to have a little summer fun. Here is a breakdown of the various costs of going to Six Flags:

Parking: $15 and a 2 mile hike for regular, $18 for preferred, no free areas

Locker Rental: $11 for the smallest size

Tube Rental: (Yes, if you want a tube at the water park you have to RENT one. They do have free ones floating around but they only let a few out and you have to stand in line to wait for them before you can go on a slide. If you have rented a tube of course there are no lines.) $8 or so, not sure because I didn't rent any

Lunch: $20 for one hamburger and fries and a child's popcorn chicken meal, no drinks

Rides: Included in the price of the ticket, right? Nope. Not all of them. There are now a few rides that you have to pay to ride. $20 to be exact for one session on the trampolines and slingshot rides.

Other great things about Six Flags:

You are not allowed to take food inside. Old ladies that check your bags upon entry will throw it away if they find it. Bored teenagers that check your bag will mumble something and pass you on through with all of your junk food intact.

They have a few sand beaches in the water park instead of the customary concrete ones and all of their landscaping has wood mulch around it instead of rock. How very organic, right? How very dirty is more like it. All of that sand and mulch gets tracked out and washed out on to the sidewalks where you have to walk on it all day. Then it washes off of your feet into the water. Nice, huh?

The speed slides open 2 hours after the rest of the waterpark, and only then if enough of the bored teenage workers show up to man them. (A bored teenage worker actually explained this to me.)

There are some rides that do not allow you to take any personal items on them, even if you hold them etc. Some of them have little tubs at the entrance/exit to put your things in while you ride. The ones that don't charge you a $1, 1 time usage locker fee.

In conclusion:

GO TO HOLIDAY WORLD IN SANTA CLAUS INDIANA INSTEAD!

Holiday World is a holiday themed amusement and water park in rural southern Indiana. It is very family oriented and is more fun than any other amusement park I have ever been to.

Our family has always loved Holiday World. (The school only gives free tickets to Six Flags, unfortunately or we wouldn't even darken the doors.) It is the polar opposite of Six Flags.

Parking is free, and includes a shuttle to the front gate of the park.

Soda is free. Yep, just refill your cup at the drink stations all day long.

Sunscreen is free. Yep, just squirt a handful out any time you pass a pump.

Tubes are free and in abundant supply.

No need for lockers. We haul all of our stuff around in a wagon and leave it in a central location. We have never had a single item stolen.

Awesome water park with lots more rides and fun kid play areas than Six Flags.

Adult tickets at Holiday World cost the same as a kids ticket at Six Flags.

I will say that the roller coasters are not as thrilling as those at Six Flags and there aren't as many of them but my kids won't ride any of them anyway. There are plenty of other great rides (Scrambler, Tilt-o-Whirl, Octopus, Swings etc.) that they enjoy.

If you've never been to Holiday World you should really try it some time. You can check it out HERE. Holiday World works for me!

For more great Works For Me Wednesday tips go to Rocks In My Dryer.