Anyone ever been to Michigan's Adventure?

We're thinking of taking the kids to Michigan's Adventure this year, and being in the Grand Rapids metro, know where it is & how to get there, when not to go (no holiday/weekend trips, lol) but...is there anything we should know to make a good day out a little better? Such as, any good hole-in-the-wall mom & pop places to eat between the metro & there, should we invest in the annual passes outright, anything else around that area to do indoors if the weather pulls a MI on-a-dime change & we feel the need to leave the park, etc?

It's not our first amusement park rodeo, we used to take the kids to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, but honestly, they were too little to really have any good memories of it back then.

This is a day trip that's a few months off yet before the park even opens, but we're hoping to get the proverbial ducks in a row for as smooth a first time there as possible. Any tips, tricks, advice, etc would be mucho appreciated.

Yeah but it's been a long time. It was ok but I don't care much for parks like that anymore.

EAD - Actually the water park was ok for a small venue. The lazy river is my kind of attraction.

originally posted by: HalWesten
Yeah but it's been a long time. It was ok but I don't care much for parks like that anymore.

I guess you can say they're in my blood, I grew up going to Cedar Point every year (in an RV, talk about memories, baby) My dad and I are coaster nuts, we'd ride them all day long if we could. I honestly think it was a genuine bonding thing for him in hindsight.

When Sheikra opened up in BG Tampa Bay, hubby and I were already annual pass holders, so we got in early with other pass holders for a pre-park opening run and I was never so freakin' giddy to ride a dang coaster before, lol.

Suffice it to say, where there are coasters to ride, I'll wait in line all day for a 3 minute thrill

a reply to: Nyiah

It’s great for kids. It’s like a mini cedar pointe. There are a few decent coasters but mostly small versions of cedar pointe. Again great for kids. We have been a few times on different days. Never very busy. The free water park is nice.

a reply to: Nyiah

Man, I 'member when it was deer park!

Cant say I remember anything noteworthy outside of the park.

a reply to: Nyiah

I've had adventures in Michigan but I've never been to Michigan Adventure. Have fun.

The price for the tickets is not that bad, and the cost of traveling there from your area by car wouldn't be bad either. I do not know how expensive the rooms around there are though.

I have never been there and do not know anyone who has. I live in the UP...most people I know go to the Dells from here. I do not know if it is bigger or smaller than the Wisconsin Dells, but from what I heard that place is pretty good. I never got into places like that, we went once to Disney World and to Sea World years ago. That was enough for me. We still have the big stuffed Panda bear I won at Sea World back thirty three years ago.

I am a Yooper.

a reply to: rickymouse

I am a Yooper.

I'm sorry...

The Wisconsin Dells are huge in comparison. If memory serves there isn't much around Michigan's Adventure because it's north of Muskegon out in the country. But if you're into that type of entertainment it's inexpensive and small enough to do everything in one day. The only thing we had to wait on when we went there was the waterslide and it still wasn't much of a wait.

originally posted by: rickymouse
The price for the tickets is not that bad, and the cost of traveling there from your area by car wouldn't be bad either. I do not know how expensive the rooms around there are though.

Oh we don't plan on overnighting it, it's an hour and a half drive at most -- quick enough to get there, and quick enough to get back, without overdoing it.

I have never been there and do not know anyone who has. I live in the UP...most people I know go to the Dells from here. I do not know if it is bigger or smaller than the Wisconsin Dells, but from what I heard that place is pretty good.

I've heard Wisconsin Dells is a pretty great multi-park trip, but that's a literal trip if we ever went. We could shave down drive time with a ferry across the lake instead of around it, but that's not on the bucket list this year. Maybe next year?

I never got into places like that, we went once to Disney World and to Sea World years ago. That was enough for me. We still have the big stuffed Panda bear I won at Sea World back thirty three years ago.

Disney World is so freakin' overrated, we went when I was a kid. My younger brother and I were bored out of our skulls, and it was miserably hot and crowded. Nobody really had any fun. We did also go to SeaWorld once, I recall that being a huge family trip flop, too.

a reply to: Nyiah

It was mostly standing in line at Disney world. At sea world, it was pretty decent, it seemed bigger and better than Disney world. I took the daughter with me for a ride in the water roller coaster at Bush Gardens that year, she was strapped in with me on my lap in the ride. The water coming down the slide was shooting into me and trying to rip her out of my arms and the seatbelt harness, she was laughing up a storm and I was freaking out because she was up to my head already, I had to use all my strength to keep her from flying out. She wanted to go again....I said NO WAY IN HELL AM I GOING TO TAKE YOU ON THAT RIDE AGAIN. She was kind of upset, it was such a great ride for her. Good thing they had a brewery there, I had a couple of beers to calm my nerves.

I had said we won the bear at sea world, but the wife just told me that was Bush Gardens too when I asked her where the water ride was. Both seaworld and Bush gardens were better than Disney world and cheaper back then too.