[USA] East Coast-er Mega Trip Planning!

[Rollercoasters4Life]

Looking at doing an East Coast mega trip (after my German Adventure went so well) with the missus this May/June and was looking for some help along the way. Here is the plan roughly:

Day 1: Flights - Flying to Cleveland, Ohio via Reykjavik, Iceland from Manchester.
Day 2: 1 Hour drive to/and experience Cedar Point
Day 3: Cedar Point
Day 4: Cedar Point
Now planning on buying a Cedar Point Platinum Pass with all Season Dining and Season Photo pass due to the other Cedar Fair parks on the trip too.

Day 5: Drive to Kings Island - Can anyone recommend stuff to do on the way or near Kings Island?
Day 6: Kings Island

Day 7: Drive to Dollywood - Can anyone recommend stuff to do on the way or near Dollywood?
Day 8: Dollywood

Day 9: Drive to Six Flags Over Georgia - Can anyone recommend stuff to do on the way or near Six Flags Over Georgia?
Day 10: Six Flags Over Georgia
Also planning on a Six Flags Annual Pass with Dining as it will still be cheaper than doing 1x day for 2 here and 2x 2 days for 2 adults and parking at Six Flags Great Adventure further on in the trip.

Day 11: Drive to Carowinds - Can anyone recommend stuff to do on the way or near Carowinds?
Day 12: Carowinds

Day 13: Drive to Busch Gardens Williamsburg - Can anyone recommend stuff to do on the way or near Busch Gardens Williamsburg?
Day 14: Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Day 15: Busch Gardens Williamsburg - Drive to Kings Dominion

Day 16: Kings Dominion
Day 17: Drive to Hershey Park - Can anyone recommend stuff to do on the way or near Hershey Park?
Day 18: Hershey Park - Drive to Dorney Park

Day 19: Dorney Park - Drive to Six Flags Great Adventure

Day 20: Six Flags Great Adventure
Day 21: Six Flags Great Adventure

Day 22: New York
Day 23: New York

Day 24: Fly Home
Day 25: Arrive Home

We have hired the car from Cleveland and are dropping it off at Newark Airport and getting public transport into New York and are staying in Manhattan for the two days. Any help/tips for the quickest/cheapest way to get from Newark Airport to Manhattan? Also on our return back to the UK we are flying back from JFK airport, does anyone know the best and cheapest way to get from Manhattan to JFK airport?

Now on the days where we are visiting the park for one day only we have decided to buy the parks version of fastpass as we want to experience everything as I doubt I'll ever get to do a mega theme park trip like this again. Does anyone have any suggestions on things to do on the driving days on the way to our next park? Also any suggestions/tips that may help out overall at the various park - like best routes around them etc.

Thank in advance

 

[Rick]

@Rollercoasters4Life - that itinerary has me feeling very tired just reading it so I'll respond in depth at another time. The below might seem somewhat negative, but it's written with good intentions:

I would certainly suggest popping into Knoebels when you're so nearby (at Hershey) - perhaps on the way? Plus, unless you're real credit/lap whores, two days at Great Adventure when you're an hour away from the greatest city in the world would feel excessive to me, but each to their own. There are some great rides there, but operations are usually pretty solid these days and operating hours are pretty generous. If you're looking to go to Coney Island (I would recommend - then that'll eat up half of one of your NYC days).

Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster is a short trip from Dollywood. There's quite a lot of things popping up around Pigeon Forge.

Dorney Park... that's like a mini Cedar Point, it's a cool park - but again, unless you're intent on riding every coaster you pass, I'd skip it.

In terms of Manhattan transport. There's a direct train from Newark into Penn Station (34th St. in Manhattan). Plus, to get to JFK just hop on the Subway and go to Jamaica Center or Howard Beach and catch the 'AirTrain' - it's $5 per journey.

 

[Rollercoasters4Life]

Thanks for the response Rick. It will be one big, tiring trip, but something that I doubt will ever get to do again, well not for a lot of years. I had thought of going Knoebels on the way, so there may be some tweaking to the plan too. And to answer your Great Adventure 2 day query the only reason why I put two days down was in case something happened and Kingda Ka/El Toro were closed for one of the day and or weather played a part. (We went Busch Gardens Tampa once and the whole day was a washout due to thunderstorms so had to arrange another day and squeeze two Disney parks into one day to make up for it).

Another good suggestion on the Alpine Coasters - I'd previously looked at the different Alpine Coasters around Dollywood too and will probably do one or two of them as I know two of them are close to each other, time dependant obviously.

The only reason for Dorney was it was on the way past practically and its another park on the Cedar Fair Platinum Pass so why we were passing we thought we would pop in.

Whats the weather like around end of May/June on the East Coast? Can't imagine it being that hot to wear shorts?

 

[Benjsh]

Hi

I lived in New York for 2 years after graduating Uni. I did some footy coaching out there before delving into the real world of work Anyway.....That's one hell of a trip. Are you loaded or something? Good for you if you are. Here's some suggestions from me, take them on board if you like. I haven't been to all those parks but done most of them.

SFGA is definitely not a two day park unless you visit on a peak day. It gets seriously busy on peak days but I had a season pass and went during the offpeak weekdays when I could and usually walked on most rides. And this was soon after KK was built. El Toro is my number 1 coaster. It's absolutely unreal.

Coney Island is a must if you're a true nerd. Such a great place but again wouldn't spent more than 3-4hrs there. Nostalgia everywhere you look.

Dorney Park is definitely not worth your time. I stress, don't bother. It's ruddy awful. I was so disappointed with the place and it doesn't seem to have been given much love at all since. Think Merlin but worse.

Hershey Park I simply adored. I went 3 times even if it was a fair ride from my home base (2-3hrs). Rides are good, operations are good, atmosphere is good. I seriously can't praise them enough. It's how theme parks should be ran and probably my fav of this entire list. The Chocolate isn't to my taste but the tour was fun nonetheless. Don't miss this place out seriously. Some really underrated rides there.

SFOG is really fun. If you're getting annual pass then you should go for sure. Again similar to SFGA, depending on when you go 2 days might be excessive. Peak you probably want two full days though.

Dollywood is stunning. Only went once with how far it was from where I was based but it's a great place and has only got better since I went. Sadly we could only visit on a peak holiday weekend so the queues were outrageous. The Park is amazing though.

Busch Gardens W - again I only visited the one time due to distance but it's a good park as you'd expect. Not quite as good as the Florida version for me but still very strong park. Also it's had quite a bit of new stuff since I went.


I haven't done Cedar Point, Kings Island or Carowinds (YET) but I no doubt will at some point in the future. Have a great trip. Makes me jealous but I'm so glad I got to do most of those places when I did.

 

[Rollercoasters4Life]

That's one hell of a trip. Are you loaded or something? Good for you if you are.

Nope, wish I was loaded, me and the missus have just everyday jobs - I'm a Mechanic and my missus is a receptionist for an Accident Management company. We just save our pennies hard - we went Florida in 2016, quiet a few Germany parks in one big trip in 2017 and now this East coast mega trip for 2018. Next year we are settling down though.

SFGA is definitely not a two day park unless you visit on a peak day. It gets seriously busy on peak days but I had a season pass and went during the offpeak weekdays when I could and usually walked on most rides. And this was soon after KK was built. El Toro is my number 1 coaster. It's absolutely unreal.

We are visiting 5th/6th June - a Tuesday and Wednesday. Like above, the only reason I gave it two days down was in case something happened and Kingda Ka/El Toro were closed for one of the day and or weather played a part. (We went Busch Gardens Tampa once and the whole day was a washout due to thunderstorms so had to arrange another day and squeeze two Disney parks into one day to make up for it).

Coney Island is a must if you're a true nerd. Such a great place but again wouldn't spent more than 3-4hrs there. Nostalgia everywhere you look.

Dorney Park is definitely not worth your time. I stress, don't bother. It's ruddy awful. I was so disappointed with the place and it doesn't seem to have been given much love at all since. Think Merlin but worse.

Coney Island is a maybe at the moment, as the New York time was mainly for the missus as she always wanted to visit New York. As for Dorney, its not far from Hershey/Six Flags Great Adventure and we were passing near and having a Cedar Fair annual pass, it made sense but people are putting me off.

Hershey Park I simply adored. I went 3 times even if it was a fair ride from my home base (2-3hrs). Rides are good, operations are good, atmosphere is good. I seriously can't praise them enough. It's how theme parks should be ran and probably my fav of this entire list. The Chocolate isn't to my taste but the tour was fun nonetheless. Don't miss this place out seriously. Some really underrated rides there.

Looking forward to Hershey Park and my missus loves Reese products.

SFOG is really fun. If you're getting annual pass then you should go for sure. Again similar to SFGA, depending on when you go 2 days might be excessive. Peak you probably want two full days though.

Dollywood is stunning. Only went once with how far it was from where I was based but it's a great place and has only got better since I went. Sadly we could only visit on a peak holiday weekend so the queues were outrageous. The Park is amazing though.

Busch Gardens W - again I only visited the one time due to distance but it's a good park as you'd expect. Not quite as good as the Florida version for me but still very strong park. Also it's had quite a bit of new stuff since I went.

It was between Six Flags Over Georgia after Dollywood or Holiday World before Dollywood and we decided on Six Flags as it looks better overall (plus cant get on Holiday World's website, they say quiet a few UK visitors can't when I asked - strange).

When we did Tampa Busch Gardens we both loved it and Williamsburg looks another wonderful place and can't wait to go here - thats why we've dedicated two days for it.

I haven't done Cedar Point, Kings Island or Carowinds (YET) but I no doubt will at some point in the future. Have a great trip. Makes me jealous but I'm so glad I got to do most of those places when I did.

Really looking forward to Cedar Point, my most anticipated on the trip just due to the sheer number of high quality coasters. KI and Carowinds looks good too, especially with Banshee and Fury 325. Flight have been booked so far got a lot more left to book.

Just in case anyone was wondering of a rough cost of this trip is I have got it to about £7750 roughly - that includes; hotels, flights, car rental, fuel, park tickets (season passes + single days), transfers into New York from Newark (where we are dropping the car) and transfers out to JFK Airport, all toll costs and spends for 2 adults.

@Benjsh What is the weather like on the East Coast during the time of year? We are going from the 17th May - 9th June.

TIA

 

[Benjsh]

The weather usually picks up late May time. It can get very very hot but I'd imagine you'd be looking at high 20's minimum. Perfect weather really as you don't get the humidity of Florida.

Holiday world is somewhere I'd love to visit too purely for the woodies and especially The Voyage.

Yeah that's a lot of money for a holiday but what a holiday it is. You'll have a great time I'm sure.

 

[Rick]

Like I said previously and what @Benjsh said, drop Dorney and do an extra day in NYC with half of it at Coney.