Bennett's Trip to 6-Flags

<----- Bennett's arrival and then on our way out. 6















Bennett read enough hours for a special reading program they had in Kindergarten this past year and earned a free ticket to 6 Flags Over Georgia. Today we went, just Mom and Bennett. We started out the day as early as we could get away from Dad and the girls and arrived excitedly about 11am.

We started off the day in the Confederate Area on the regular 'ole Choo-Choo Train (Marthasville Railroad Station). We looked at all the other rides as we passed and tried to decide what we thought we could handle for the day. He was adamant about not getting wet or going upside down. I don't know how many times he asked me if he would do either of those things when I suggested each new ride. We next went to the Dahlonega Mine Train. I remember this ride when I was a youngster. It's the same! Hopefully, they've done something to it over the years but it's just the same as I remember it. It's rough, fast, jerky, and exciting. I actually came out of my seat a couple times and Bennett banged his head around a little. He enjoyed it enough to do it a second time later on in the day. The crowds were thin, or at least around the rides we were choosing. We didn't have to wait in line for more than 30-45 minutes for anything. Most waits were less than 30 and he was very patient in doing so. He entertained me for most of the time so I didn't mind waiting either.
We then went to the Spanish Area and rode several smaller rides in Bugs Bunny's World. Of course, his favorite was the Wile E. Coyote Canyon Blaster. I must admit, it was my favorite too. It's a newer ride so it doesn't beat you as badly as the Mine Train and it's geared for the smaller population... family roller coaster is how they label it! Over 900 feet racing in and around Bugs Bunny World! It was fun. This picture is of his happy face as we were pulling back into the station house. He is truely having the time of his life! He then rode some rides alone... Convoy Grande, Little Aviator, & Fiesta Ferris Wheel. I tried to get him to do the Mind Bender for his old Mother's sake, or the log flumes... but he didn't cave on his original request not to get wet or go upside down. Next year, by golly!! We saw (from a distance and while standing in line) the old diving show but we never did get to see any show that day. I didn't realize how few they actually do. It seemed like they did shows all day when I went as a kid but maybe that was because Mom and Dad planned our day around the showtimes. Mom loves those shows! :) OK, what else did we do? While we were waiting for the Canyon Blaster and watching the diving show he was getting famished! So we made our way to a dining area in the Cotton States Area where my coupon was accepted! A foot long chili cheese dog... otherwise known as A Messy Hotdog! We shared it since it was still $7 with my coupon and it's a good thing. I didn't think he was going to keep it with him after we were done. He was green for a while but I think it was the heat and not the food. We sat in front of a mist spraying fan and watched the Scream Machine for a while. I convinced him that if we went to stand in line he would feel better by the time we actually made it to our turn. It was a quick line! This is the picture of his poor little 'ole self after our first ride on the Scream Machine. He wasn't sure he liked it because it went really fast and he felt like he was falling. When we went down the first hill his head flew forward and he was flopping around like I remember doing on the Mind Bender 25 years ago. I reached around him and held his head up like you would do to someone with a neck injury. It helped him enjoy the rest of the ride but then I was turned crooked in the seat and that wasn't good for my back/neck. Why do we ride those things again? Someone remind me that I'm not a teenager anymore! Well, he later decided he really liked that and we had to go ride again. At the end I was filming him as we came back into the station and he called it the Squeek Machine because the brakes squeeked so loudly as we came to a stop. Then he laughed!
We strolled around the games a while and he wanted to play them all. I had to convince him that the prizes just aren't worth the risk of throwing your money away. I did let him play the Ring Toss (I had a BOGO coupon) and he enjoyed throwing my money away... making memories if nothing else. Once he was satisfied with the games we walked around to find some things to drive. He choose the Dodge City Bumper Cars to start. It was two whole laps and then it was over, but he enjoyed it no matter how brief. Then we headed up the hill toward the Riverview Carousel, but made brief detours to the Hanson Cars, Rockin' Tug, and Up, Up & Away (hot air balloon swing/ride). The carousel was very hot and stuffy so we mosied down to the French Area to cool off with a ride through the Monster Plantation. I wasn't sure how he would respond to "monsters" so I didn't tell him the name. I just told him we were going to ride through an air conditioned plantation in a boat that did NOT get us wet. Then, he read the sign and all about the ride. He can read anything he wants so I guess there's no reason to try to keep it a secret! They are "animated, loveable monsters" and he seemed to enjoy it. Before the boat leaves the house you ride through a less than loveable section of monsters. He liked that better. Go figure! We then shared a $5 pretzel and rode the Confederate Sky Buckets to enjoy the view from above the trees. We had time for one more ride before we had to head to Grandma's house and he picked the Dahlonega Mine Train because the Canyon Blaster might have a longer line. We had NO line at the Train so we were able to do that quickly and have extra time for souvenir shopping.
I bought a Photo/Journal book for him as a souvenir since he likes to write and draw so much. His words... "My favrite ried was Wylie Coyote Canyon Blaster! I Rode The Tran Dahlonega Mine Tran fiesta ferris Wheel Airplanes Rockin' Tugboat Hot Air balloons Carousel Sceam Machine Bumper cars Hanson cars Trucks". Now, I did give him the names of the rides we went on but hopefully you can tell he wrote most of it on his own. :) He takes after his father with the lack of punctuation! I also got our entrance photo on a key chain for him to attach to his backpack this year. He's been collecting key chains since he started school. Funny boy, he is!
And that's my story in a nutshell. A big nutshell! I hope he has as good memories of the day as I do. I'd do it again in a heartbeat... and another paycheck!