Atwood-Family of FIVE: Great America

Anne and I went to Great America-just the 2 of us-this week. It was AWESOME! We had such a good time! I spent some time looking up the best days to go and the consensuses was that a Tuesday or Wednesday would be the least crowded. Anne has a free ticket that expires in mid-August so I found out the Tuesday and Wednesdays we had free between now and then and picked one. As luck would have it, the day before (a Tuesday) the weather was in the low 80s. The day we went (Wednesday) the prediction was for it to be the mid-90s. I think that weather prediction coupled with a mid-week was responsible for NO CROWDS! Granted, Anne and I went on the smaller rides but we walked on to everything! We had 2 rides total (we probably rode 30 things that day) that we had to wait 30 minutes or so for. The rest we'd wait no more than 10 minutes for anything. It was great! Plus, it was no where near 90-it felt like low 80s to me-and I never once felt hot or sweaty or just general gross that extreme heat makes you feel.

Anne was a complete trooper-we were at Great America for over 10 hours and she walked the entire time, and never complained. Near the end of the day she said, sort of panicked "Mom! My toes hurt! Every step I take. I don't know why!" I told her that's what happens when you walk all day long! Anne was also great in compromise. I looked up all the rides she could go on and there were about 30 total or so. About 1/3 were kiddie rides, 1/3 were carnival type spinny rides and 1/3 were more grown up faster rides (Log ride, Whizzer, etc). Anne has no desire for those bigger rides. If it were up to her she'd stay in the kiddie section despite being about 3 years older than the age those sections were intended for. But she put that all aside and went on the bigger rides with me and even had a great time! I was so pleased! I cannot wait to go again next year! I'd totally consider going again this year (but it's too expensive not to mention John had to take the day off to watch the other kids and he has no more vacation time). I can't wait to go again next year!