10 ways to survive Story Land

It’s a rite of passage for most kids (and there parents). That summer trip to Story Land. It’s that special time of summer where we dedicate an entire weekend to a long car ride followed by full days of walking around a hot amusement park designed for small, sugar-charged children.

It can be hell on earth for some if you are unprepared so here are a few ways to get through the adventure in one piece and have some fun in the process.

IMG_2346 1. Show up the day before Who wants to get up a 0-dark-30 and drive a few hours through nowhere Maine to be first in line at the park? Don’t do it! It’s setting yourself up for failure and they just don’t make coffee strong enough for that nonsense.This way you will get a good night’s sleep.

IMG_22812. Scout the park early. The benefit to heading down the day before is you can go to the park basically free after 3 pm. You can get up in the AM at a reasonable time, drive to your hotel/motel/campground, have a little lunch then head to Story Land. When you show up after 3 they give you a free pass that you can use the following day. So essentially you have a few hours to let your kids wander the park, burn off some energy and see a few attractions ahead of the “big day”.

3. Show up early, but not too early. You want to get in a full day but there is no need to stand in a line before the gates even open. If you have shown up for a few hours the day before and plan to stay all day then there is no reason to be there for the doors at 9:30. Show up 20-30 minutes after the doors open and you wont wait to enter the park, and you wont have wasted an hour in lines that don’t lead to rides.

IMG_23194. Do your long lines early. In keeping with the line theme please keep in mind that your kids is going to get more tired and impatient as the day wares on. So get the long line rides in early. The longest lines seem to be for the following:

  1. The antique cars
  2. The tractor cars
  3. The Roar-O-Saurus
  4. The Bamboo Chutes
  5.  The Polar Coaster

IMG_23615. Let your kid drive. They can’t kill you in one of these vehicles, so let them do the driving and you just sit back and relax.

6. Bring your own lunch. Story Land will let you leave the park to go to your vehicle and re-enter so this is the perfect opportunity to save some cash and pack your own lunch. Put a cooler with sandwiches, drinks and snacks in the car, bring it into the park and find a shady spot to enjoy lunch. You, and your wallet will be glad that you did.

7. Get Ice cream. Use some of that money you saved at lunch to grab a mid-afternoon ice cream. It’s hot, you’re tired and you could all use a break to enjoy a treat. The best place for this is Whistle Stop Ice Cream by the Polar Coaster. They charge by the ounce and you have a variety of toppings.

IMG_22928. Shoot stuff, stay cool. Nothing helps cool tempers like shooting water cannons at friends, family and complete strangers.

9. Get the kid a prize. You will hit a point when you’ve had enough and want to be done for the day. Your kid will have hit this point as well (however they won’t know it). They will fight you on leaving the park.

Save yourself the drama of this and get your kid a prize for being good all day (hopefully this is true). Do yourself a favor and grab one in the gift shop at the exit to the park. Stopping at one of the 1000 other shops around the park will not get you out of the park any faster.

10. Get yourself a prize too. Moat Brewing Company is right down the road and they do a beer sampler….just sayin.

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Pat Lemieux

About Pat Lemieux

Pat has it all, family, big old house, dogs, a young son and a quarter-life crisis. He blogs about trying to be who he has always been and be who he now needs to be. He enjoys 90's grunge metal, tasty local brews and the outdoors.