Day 8: Lakemont / Idlewild
Day 8: Lakemont / Idlewild
Credits
Pictures and Editing: Richard Davis and Justin Garvanovic. Report Compilation: Chris Hull, David Elvey, Phil Coates and Susan Ellis.
Chris Hull
Another gem of a park - small and friendly with no less than 5 ERSs! The Skyliner coaster is a great little coaster - especially in the back seat. Just lapbars and a significant pop of airtime. Also present was Leap The Dips. Amazing to think that this is the oldest coaster in the world aged 104 years old! An enjoyable ride too. A collection of different flat/spin rides too run by friendly staff. A nice few hours before heading to Idlewild.
Mark Riley and Jenny Lamb
Another fun packed park. Skyliner is running better than during my previous visits and Leap-the-Dips still is a very special coaster. I have bruises already developing after the Sky Diver! Great rides, staff, food, woodies... what more could you ask for?
andycoasterboy
The oldest coaster on the trip 'Leap the Dips' is a classic ride, Skyliner is a fun airtime machine. The park has a great selection of flat rides and again the smaller parks on this trip have the nicest staff.
Paul Worts
Currently flying over the atlantic to meet everyone at JFK.
Jeff Holmes
We have just left another family orientated park with two woodies very different from each other. Leap the Dips is the oldest coaster that we will ride this trip whilst Skyliner was a great coaster with airtime. Onwards to Idlewild.
Dave Scott
Cue half-a-dozen extra bruises from some wooden coasters! Lovely food, managed to have something burger & dawgs today! (Although they were still there...) Off to Idlewild to see the old Alton Mouse!
Steve Fagin
A nice little park with some old-skool rideage. This took in a helter-skelter-style coaster with a vertical lift hill, and a free-spinning wheel where you can rotate the carriage as you ride. They manage to stay open despite apparently boasting a throughput that doesn't hit double figures and an admission price of eight bucks. Nice staff. Well worth the visit.
Lars Sorensen
Great little park with some good old coasters. The Skyliner was fantastic and so were the ride ops. It was very hard to get Mats aways from the Skyliner. Leap the Dips is a fun coaster, no upstop wheels so it jumped around the track!
Bart Van Goethem
I have woken up from my dream and figured out it is just reality. Amaai wat ben ik verliefd. We went to this little dreampark. Such a nice collection of those nostalgic rides with a 1902 side friction coaster. zalig rammelen. Without the lapbar! I was so lucky you were there.
Malcolm Marr
Lakemont today and it was a nice little park with a collection of old rides, including a rather intense wheel thing that you could control the rotation of the car. In hindsight, riding it with Tim immediately after lunch wasn't the best idea, but then Tim wasn't exactly finding it comfortable either. No state law in this report, you'll have to wait til Idlewild gets written up as Lakemont didn't sell pretzels (all will become clear).
Stefan Rothaug
Lakemont werde ich wohl vorallem wegen des Skydivers in Erinnerung behalten. Wer die Lenkradsteuerung dieser Riesenrad-Kotzschleuder nicht beherrscht, erlebt eine wirklich "ueble" Fahrt, die ich nicht unbedingt wiederholen moechte. Abgesehen davon ist Lakemont ein schoener kleiner Park mit einem beeindruckenden side-friction Coaster.
Mick FK
Another gem. As the coach winds across country there are surprises around every corner. This was another park full of unusual rides. Leap The Dips (to date my first friction coaster), the Toboggen (a very early vertical lift hill) a bit rough but great fun, the woodie - Skyliner - a nice little ride and Skydive - a big wheel with cages which you could turn upside down 360 degrees and control it yourself. A great little park. Love to Liz, Crystal and Karl.
Paul Orsmond
A nice little gem of a park with a very nice collection of rides. Leap the Dips the side friction coaster was good and a lot of fun, and the other woodie was also good too. Overall a nice stopover for a few hrs.
Midas van de Graaf:
Lakemont is a lovely little park. It's certainly not just about Leap the Dips but all the rides take you back a few decennia. Skyliner is a punchy coaster were lots of fun are to be had. Skydiver was hilarious. Trying to keep the thing upright, messing up halfway and then being unable to control it at all because of laughter. There are so many fun rides here, there's just not enough time. Glad we went over here.
Yvonne Janik
I love Lakemont and am so happy about our day there. We had the park to ourselves for an hour and were able to ride all the coasters. Thanks to the park for keeping Leap the Dips in such great shape and a special thanks to Selena and Barry for all the arrangements for our Club's fun day. Our lunch was especially good, and I enjoyed the variety of items.
Andrew Lamb
A nice small park, had a great time. the hospitality was great, I really enjoyed ridng all the rides. It's good to see old rides being maintained and run. Long may the park continue to exist.
David & Susan Ellis
Had a great time at Lakemont Park, home to the world's oldest coaster, Leap the Dips (1902). The park gave us an ERS on all 4 coasters plus an insane ride called Skydiver. Great hospitality...the usual lunch. Next stop, Idlewild.
David Harrington
Our first trip of the day was to Lakemont, which is a nice small family park with a good woodie, Skyliner, which is quite rough in the back seat, but otherwise just a good coaster. There is also a rare side friction coaster, Leap The Dips, which is over 100 years old, yet still runs smoothly. Much more comfortable temperatures today - mid 60F.
Alan Prior & Carolyn Buckley
This holiday started out as quite gruelling however we seem to be visiting ever increasing amounts of parks equivalent to Gullivers parks in the UK rather than mainstream parks. Looking forwards to getting back to riding coasters a bit more exciting than the Antelope back home. Nice to see corn on the cob and a huge bowl of wholesome, nutricious salad at lunch, a nice change from just "Burgers 'n' 'Dogs".
Chris Penn
This is a very small park but worth a visit as it has 2 coasters worth riding, skyliner which is great fun but the best is leap the dips, the world's oldest roller coaster? (well that's what it says on my fridge magnet).
Darren and Mary
Darren was delighted with the wooden coasters, and also the other little rides, I was brave/foolish enough to ride Skydiver with Darren he enjoyed it I can honistly say that I have never ridden anything so wacky. Nice small park .
Peter Jackson
Well after a 2 hour drive we arrived at a small Park called Lakemont. Fun was found on the park's train, bumper cars and the 2 x wooden coasters. I was drawn to the lake and decided to peddle myself around the lake on a big yellow plastc boat thing, Hard as I tried I couldn't keep up with the ducks. Back on land lots of walking then lunch. We left the park at 2pm and are now on the way to Idlewild.
Paul Hindle
A great little park! Loved Leap the Dips - a 1902 mini-velvet coaster I suppose. And the mad Toboggan - a tube with an internal lift taken vertically - flat on your back - then spiralling down the outside - perhaps better called a Toboccan ??
Steve Davies
After the trauma of Hersheypark yesterday, chilled out at a quiet little family park today, with two ancient but fun woodies, including the Leap the Dips built 1902- The Top Thrill Dragster of it's day, perhaps?. Shame the ride ops all seemed fed up, but off to another now..........
Ole Bredesen-Vestbyt
Nice little park with a couple of woodies and an interesting kiddie-coaster, the Toboggan. Now off to the next park, Idlewild, with rain pooring down outside. Hopefully that will end before we're arriving there.
Odd Arne Roste
It was really fun to go on a coaster more then 100 years old; Leap the Dips.
David & Susan Ellis
Idlewild is a pretty little park, with 2 coasters (Alton Towers' old Mouse and a 1938 junior woodie). It is situated in a nice wooden area with plenty of shade. A lovely place to spend a few hours and hug in the castle!
David Harrington
At 14:10 we made our way to Idlewild, another family park. This had a slightly different collection of rides to Lakemont but nothing that offered any great thrills. Overall, an interesting diversion for a few hours.
Alan Prior & Carolyn Buckley
We had a lovely warm welcome from the park and it was nice to receive our wristbands on the coach, a nice thought as it was raining and it saved us from standing around. It's a shame that the Alton Mouse wasn't working but we had a laugh a minute photographing signs around the park. Unfortunately, we weren't hungry or we might have tried the personal cheese pizza on the menu in the cafe.
Chris Penn
a lovely small park which was great fun the 2 coasters were fun,the confusion hill show was a laugh as one picture on the wall resembled mfk! mfk's nickname is now bubba...
Darren and Mary
A nice small family park,really nice setting for the woodie and the mouse.I appreciated a low key day to recharge my batteries,Darren never needs this,a nice relaxing day.
Eirik Erstad
I really enjoyed both family parks today. At Lakemont Park I rode my 200th coaster, the Skyliner. It turned out to be an excellent choice. I can also claim that I survived the Skydiver. Phew! Idlewild was adorable, especially the ride to the king's Hug'n'Song party. Come along, come along to the Castle Hug'n'Song!
Nina Kleppe
Today was a nice and relaxing day with two small family parks. Got 6 new counts, and Wild Mouse was surprisingly a good Vekoma coaster.
Peter Procter
Lakemont and Idlewild today - two small but equally trippy foo-d up parks. Mister Roger's trolley thingie? - what the foo?! Leap The dips? - 102 year old flume without water?! Lovely girls though. KaKAAAAAA!!!!
Lorna & Adrian Dade
Two great little parks, Lakemont were great with ERS on all the coasters, and a great meal. Idlewild was a great park with 2 great coasters. Best ride of the day was Rollo Coaster.
Derek & Val Cromarty
Two excellent parks, smaller & less busy than yesteday ! With 6 Coasters for the counters amongst us.
Mats Hummel
Lakemont giving us ERS on all there coasters was great, really loved the Skyliner, great with a loose seat on row 3. Leap the dips is great history. Good meal and a really friendly park, "Can I bring my camera on the coaster? - Shure!". Idlewild was also a small and friendly park.
Ole Bredesen-Vestby
Idlewild was such a nice and lovely park. Relaxing, scenic, and a great number of small rides. And the weather got better too. Another great day.
Even Stangebye
I feel I am repeating myself by saying: "Nice parks, great coasters", but it is the way I feel today as well. I did really enjoy the Vekoma Wild Mouse, and I actually got a bit of a shock when saying after the ride: "That was a good Vekoma ride!" Strange sentence not used too often...
Chris Hull
Another real gem of a park with another very warm welcome - complete with info pack, keyring and a Welcome sign. The Wild Mouse (ex Prater & Alton Towers) was really good. Different layout and much less braked from it's days at Alton. The Rollo Coaster was a mini version of Boulderdash which fitted into this family oriented park. Lovely setting in the trees and with the creek running through the park. An great way to end the day.
Mark Riley and Jenny Lamb
Our second park of the day was picturesque Idlewild. This is one of those rare parks where just being there is enjoyable enough, and the rides are bonus! Mister Roger's Neighbourhood is just so cute, as is the woodie. So - come along, come along...
andycoasterboy
Idlewild is a great family park with the daddy of Boulderdash - Rollo Coaster. It also has the Mouse from AT which brought back fond memories. Located at the rear of the park is the amazing 'Mr Roger's Neighbourhood' ride - Once again we had a downpour but soon became sunny again.
Paul Worts
I've finally made it to Coney Island, but can't see anybody from up here on the Wonderwheel.
Jeff Holmes
Our next park of the day was Idlewild. This was a very good family park with a great little woodie called Rollo Coaster which used the terrain very well. They also had the Wild Mouse which used to be at Alton Towers but seemed to be running far better here than at Alton..
Martin Valt
Good to finally ride Leap the Dips. Also new to me was Idlewild, a very nice park indeed. Rollo Coaster demonstrates that there really is no such thing as a new idea in coaster design.
Viper
This has to be the best kiddie park I've ever been to. Lovely landscaping and trees and a river through the middle. Andy Huckle is a bastard. Imagine what it would be like for a ten-year old.
Paul Orsmond
Idlewild was a nice small family park set in a lovely area. The Mouse was unique being Vekoma's only model, and the wooden coaster is really nice for a kiddie woodie. We had a nice warm welcome on entrance, and it was a good short stop over onto the hotel.
Mick FK
Liz, Crystal and Karl I really enjoyed this park, a great little roller coaster, a wild mouse with a funny lift hill that had a diffent element originally. A home made haunted swing, a themed trolley bus ride and a friendly trolley dolly. The crazy House with entertainers, overall a great little park, clean, not so much concrete or gravel but plenty of grass.
Michael Badelt
Sometimes the smallest parks have the most personality. I really enjoyed this day.
Highlight of the day: Apple Slices with caramel and nuts. Yummy!
Phrase of the day: Come along, come along.... well, you know the rest.
Malcolm Marr
Nice park this one today and the only park of the trip where I've come away thinking "if only we had more time". It was great to be able to ride Alton's mouse even if I did have to travel half way around the world to do so. Baby Boulder Dash was a fun ride and I later found out that it should really be called Daddy Boulder Dash, as it was the inspiration for the monster at Lake Compounce. Storybook land was great and is better than Efteling's as it features staff playing characters. I wonder if Little Miss Muffet and Goldilocks knew that one day they'd be directing lost Europeans to the other side of the park as they had to for us. In Pennsylvania pretzels should not be stored in bags, therefore it was a little odd to find bags of pretzels for sale at the hotel tonight.
Jeppe Nygaard
Idlewild impressed me so much. We arrived in pouring rain, and I wasn't expecting a lot from this park. The employees met us at the security entrance, got on our buses, gave us our wristbands, and gave us an envelope with the history of the park and rides and a park keychain. We went straight to the Rollo Coaster and enjoyed the beautiful sign that said European Coaster Club, 3 June 2006. The mouse coaster was very nice - I loved it. I felt most welcome by the park, and it was the best looking park I have seen so far. The grounds were spotless and very, very neat.
