A Fun Day Trip – Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
By Victoria Beninga
Staff Writer
You don’t need to go to Southern California to visit a fun theme park. Just a hop, skip, and a jump away in Vallejo, right off I-80, is a fabulous one -- Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. If you want a good parking spot, get there early. We arrived 10 minutes after the park opened to find the parking lot already packed, but there were plenty of spaces in the back areas. Shuttles are available from the side of the parking lot closest to the park. We skipped the shuttles; instead, we enjoyed a 15-minute walk along a lake.
For the first time, we splurged on a front-of-the-line pass. It’s called the Flash Pass, and we were so glad we purchased it. The Flash Pass is good on the most popular rides. There are three levels to the pass. We chose the Gold pass for $150 for the family. We watched a video with information on the passes. At first I thought it was unrealistic because the family in the video had silly smiles on their faces the whole time. The first couple of times we used our Flash Pass, we felt guilty, like we were cutting in line; but after bypassing long lines a few times, we had those same silly smiles on our faces. The Flash Pass is a small electronic device where we reserved a time on each ride. All we had to do was arrive at or after our reserved time, touch our device to the park employee’s device, then go to the boarding area. Get your Flash Pass early as quantities are limited each day. They are not waterproof, so protect yours if you go on water rides. You will be required to leave a photo ID as security when you get your Flash Pass, and you have to pay a fee if you lose or damage your Flash Pass.
The rides at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom vary from thrill rides to tame rides suitable for small children. My husband, 17-year-old daughter, and 14-year-old son loved all the thrill rides. Their favorite was the Medusa, billed as the tallest, fastest, longest, and most technologically-advanced roller coaster in Northern California. I joined them on The Roar, a bumpy wooden roller coaster with a scream-inducing 10–story drop. Another ride I enjoyed was White Water Safari, a wet ride through river rapids. Our tube went through a waterfall, but was turned so I didn’t get wet. About three seconds after I gloated about that, someone from shore nailed me with huge water gun. A new ride set to open later this spring is Superman Ultimate flight, featuring the tallest inversion west of the Mississippi. Courtesy Photo: The Medusa
In addition to rides, you can enjoy animal exhibits and shows. Land animals include cougars, camels, lions, and tigers. You can ride an elephant or feed a giraffe. Reptiles include snapping turtles, Gila monsters, lizards, alligators, snakes, and more. Sea creatures include sharks, stingrays, fish, killer whale, Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, California sea lions, Pacific walruses, otters, and harbor seals. Sky animals consist of birds, including the laughing kookaburra, a rainbow lorikeet that may land on your head, African penguins, cockatoos, macaws, hawks, flamingos, Eurasian owl, turkey vulture, bald eagle, and butterflies. Animal programs are offered: at Dolphin Discovery, you can swim with a dolphin; during the Trainer for a Day series, you can shadow marine mammal trainers; at Sharks in the Dark, you can spend the night among the sharks. You can also go on a mini behind-the-scenes tour with Backstage Safari. VIP tours include a personal tour guide and front-of-the-line ride access. Photo by Kirsten Beninga
Although the lines for getting food were sometimes long, the food was good, and not as expensive as we thought it would be, given that it was in a theme park. Meals cost us $12 - $15 each. I advise walking by several eateries before getting in line, because sometimes you can get the same type of food by standing in a much shorter line. There was a huge variety of food -- ice cream, crepes, BBQ, burgers, salad, chicken strips, Mexican food, Chinese food, corn dogs, pizza, seafood, popcorn, pretzels, funnel cake, and more. You can also buy meal vouchers online before your visit.
While in the park, you can meet some of your favorite Looney Tunes characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Tweety. Special events are offered; upcoming events include Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration, Fright Fest Seasonal, Fall Girl Scouts Weekend, and HomeSchool Day. Be sure to stop in a gift shop for some souvenirs. We came away with a couple of stuffed animals and a neon green foam hat.
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is located at 1001 Fairgrounds Drive in Vallejo, CA. Tickets at the park are $54.99 for general admission, $37.99 for kids under 48 inches, and children ages 2 and under are admitted free. Parking is $15 (less for season pass holders). Discounts are available for groups and online advance tickets. Season passes can be used at all the Six Flag theme parks; you receive discounts throughout the park, including free tickets for your friends. Season Passes can be purchased with a payment plan.
The Six Flags Discovery Kingdom website at http://sixflags.com is filled with information on rides, animals, food, tickets, hours of operation, special offers, and tips for family fun. Also available are FAQs, contests, a park map, and information on hotel packages, if you want to spend the night. Set a day aside and visit Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. Beware, though, your family may walk around with silly smiles on their faces, too! For pricing and park information, including a calendar of events, visit www.sixflags.com
DAILY TICKETS ONLINE OFFER — EVERYONE PAYS KIDS PRICE $37.99 when you buy tickets online at least three (3) days before your visit! Print your tickets at home and go straight to the gate. The Park is 55 miles from Sacramento, CA.
For more general park information, visit their information page online at: http://www.sixflags.com/discoveryKingdom/info/parkInfo.aspx Call 707-643-6722 for recorded information; 707-644-4000 for the administrative office. Visit soon!
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
1001 Fairgrounds Dr.
Vallejo, CA 94589
Back to Top
