Trip advice
- Thread starter horsesboy
- Start date
Gold level and above include admission and parking at all SF parks.
If they are still doing coaster power hours, I think that would be a better use of your money if your main interest is the coasters. Reportedly lines have been very short during these events. However I do not have direct experience with this. I haven't gone yet.
seriously looking at a trip end of July early August does anyone have any hotel recommendations looking for cheap but clean it's for just me and basically only planning to be there to sleep so no need for fancy amenities. I am also considering going to Dorney on the same trip so some location that between the two is also a possibility.
I'm stealing this thread for a bit, because I had never really considered one before, but with how lines have been here from what I've seen online, was looking at the Flash Pass for the first time and ... this thing uses a dongle that you have to carry around? And there's 3 levels of flash pass. It's pretty confusing. Can you use even the cheapest flash pass to schedule a time on, say, Jersey Devil, or does that only work with Platinum (and maybe Gold)? How can you tell which rides are included? Does the cheap one that just lets you schedule a time work out well, or should you get Gold or maybe Platinum? The cheap one actually seems like it might be fine because we can schedule rides on the ones with long waits, and ride other stuff in the mean time. Have any of you tried this thing and have any insight on which to get?
Also, if you schedule a time, how late can you be and still get on? What is the window in which you can arrive?
Also, if you schedule a time, how late can you be and still get on? What is the window in which you can arrive?
Nothing wrong with the cheap ones unless it’s insanely busy. Very recent, but you can actually purchase them and use the flash passes on your phone now too so you don’t have to carry the clunky band around.
Oh, that's better. I would do that. So you buy it in the mobile app and then can use that for reserving times? Though the mobile app info doesn't exude confidence. It lists the available rides and says "Cyborg (Coming soon!)". Hmm. Also it's unclear if the list there is valid for all levels or not.
I went through the motions of buying it, and it asks if my entire party will stay together. What if we might sometimes split up? How is that handled, if at all?
I actually don’t know how it works like that. I was in the park this past weekend and saw a giant QR code next to the flash pass building that said “Buy Flash Pass On Your Phone” or something like that. It brought up a completely different screen from what I’ve seen on the app or website. After purchasing, I was then able to reserve times like usual, but from my phone. It was super awesome. All the ops new how to use it and were very helpful.
Worth nothing that prices were the same online as they were in the park and I was still able to use my membership free upgrade.
Worth nothing that prices were the same online as they were in the park and I was still able to use my membership free upgrade.
Wait, how does the mobile app version help at SFGAdv? Some of the rides you can't have your phone, like El Toro. You can't even bring your phone with you in line. Don't you have to show them something on the phone/device? Or is that not how this works?
Ah, so you go to the flash pass entrance, show your phone and get the card, then go to the lockers, then get in the flash pass line. Not horrible, but maybe its more convenient to have the device? Or can you not take that on those rides either and have to put it in a locker?
I’m sorry, I showed my phone to those at the main entrances closer to the lockers, where I would then get a card, go to the locker, and then go through flash pass. It worked way better at New England given they don’t have the locker policy, but I’d rather not carry that band around all day. It’s annoying if you already wear a watch to the park.
I have been looking at hotels up and down the I95 corridor, and things are insanely expensive, with a lot of hotels being more expensive than NYC! Must be because everyone is doing driving trips this summer. That said, for SFGAdv and Dorney, perhaps look at Princeton. Hotels seem to be cheaper as you get away from I95, and you should be able to snag a Holiday Inn, Hilton, Marriott of Hyatt for around $100. Still not cheap, but much better than some of the rates I am seeing along I95.