How to 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. Research. Have you gone to this park before? If not,...

Part 1 of 3:

Planning your visit

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Research. Have you gone to this park before? If not, research beforehand. If there doesn't seem to be any attractions that you like, don't force yourself.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.

Part 2 of 3:

Dressing and carrying

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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 warmer and you may start sweating. Also, if you're going on the water rides, have a swimsuit on underneath your clothes.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Take plenty of sunscreen. Especially in the summertime. Most of the ride lines will subject you to the elements, whatever they are.
1. Take a water bottle. It's easy to get dehydrated out in the sun all day.
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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.
1. 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.
2. Always take medication with you or take it beforehand. Who knows, you might need it.

Part 3 of 3:

Enjoying your time in the park

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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.
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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.
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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).
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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.
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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.

park ride don't rides

Micah Soto

Update 24 March 2020

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