Less than 3 weeks after having our third baby boy, and with the long Memorial Day weekend in front of us, our family was itching to get outside of the house. Just days before the weekend started, Mrs. InACents informed us we actually had a day open over Memorial Day with no plans of anyone coming to visit us or places to be. I instantly felt the adrenaline running through my body in excitement of getting to plan a roadtrip.

As exciting as any weekend roadtrip is for our family, this marked an important milestone for our family as the first time we were traveling with our newest member. Our minds began to wonder where could we go within a short drive that was manageable for an almost three week old baby and breastfeeding. Fortunately, baby #3 sleeps a normal amount of the day, and our van could easily accommodate my wife needing to sit next to the baby for bottle feedings, while the other two blonde bandits occupied the back of the van.

We ultimately decided on Idlewild Amusement Park located in the Laurel Highlands near Ligonier, Pennsylvania.

Storybook Forest

The first part of the park I was rather excited to see from a nostalgic aspect was Storybook Forest. Opened in 1956, from what I could tell most of the nursery rhyme characters appears to be original, yet I am sure have required a touch-up of paint or two.

You walked along the paths and saw various Mother Goose stories played out in scenes.

I think this area really made an impact on our boys, and probably most notably Landshark because we have been reading nursery rhyme books a lot lately. Humpty Dumpty is probably his favorite, and there he was in all of his glory.

While Storybook Forest does not have the same appeal as when I saw our boys first see Disney characters, I think their young minds enjoyed playing out the scenes. Most importantly, they were able to just be kids and explore.

So come with us, on a photographic journey through Storybook Forest.

After leaving the forest, and a short stop at the Jumpin’ Jungle, where I got to have my first potato sack slide race with the boys, we were on our way to explore other areas of the Park.

The one thing I quickly learned about Idlewild was that this amusement park was like none other that I had visited prior. Back home, we were used to the extreme thrill rides of Cedar Point. However, Idlewild was more suitable for the younger generation.

Everything throughout Idlewild was kid appropriate! I would say nearly every ride throughout the park was perfect for kids about 10 and under. Our daring child is Landshark, and at only 2 years old, he wanted to ride most of the attractions. However, his short stature prevented him from doing so.

I will say though that by the end of the day, Mr. Bug ventured to ride his very first roller coaster with Mrs. InACents, the 1938 Rollo Coaster!

Idlewild Train

Looming in the background of the entire day was the sound of of the train whistle. That high-pitched sound was enough to drive little boys to the brink of excitement. That meant we were headed for the train ride around the park…multiple times.

Considering the Idlewild Amusement Park got its start from the railroad industry, the train was actually less than impressive. While the scenery was gorgeous through woods and across two bridges that transverse the river, the train itself was a smaller scale and more of a typical amusement park “lawnmower engine” type than the impressive real steam engines such as at Cedar Point.

Mr. Rogers Neighborhood

Any child growing up in the 1980’s most undoubtedly watched Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. While I admittedly did get subjected to the show, the creepy characters and voices never really appealed to me. Not surprisingly, seeing the characters re-imagined in the land of make-believe still brought back strange feelings for the show.

Fortunately, our children no longer need to be subjected to Mr. Rogers obsession with sweaters and high-pitched character voices in his head. Today, the show is redone and broadcast as Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, which has much better production value than the original, at least from a kids perspective.

The one saving grace of the Mr. Rogers experience is the beautiful trolley cars and charismatic drivers ushering guests through the experience.

While I love nostalgic experiencing, and a sense of me cries when I hear places like Disney, who are masters of the nostalgic experience, close an attraction for good, the Mr. Rogers Neighborhood ride at Idlewild needs to be completely revamped. As you watch the video, you will even hear the guide mention in the first scene King Friday needs some eye work.

Creepy, creepy, creepy, and what was even kind of more surprising was that everyone else on the trolley seemed to know all of the words to the songs, etc. Me, I just as well wiped them from my memory with the shows credits. I can pass on ever having to see that neighborhood again.

Idlewild Carousel

Idlewild Discounts

When researching for discounted tickets for Idlewild, undoubtedly the best offer I found was using code GSVD1321. Tickets were reduced from their normal price of $36.99 down to $17.50. The ticket is valid on …any operating day in May (now expired), or any operating WEEKDAY through July 12, 2013. Ticket is also valid Aug. 31, Sept. 1, 2, 7, 8, 14, & 15 (WITHOUT SURCHARGE). A SURCHARGE of $12.00 must be paid if the ticket is used any Weekday after July 12, 2013. A SURCHARGE of $15.00 must be paid if the ticket is used on a Sat. or Sun. after June 2, 2013. Ticket VOIDS after Sept. 15, 2013.

Tickets cost $19.75 each after taxes and fees with the above code, which is the best deal I could find. Giant Eagle stores sell tickets for $26.99 each, which is slightly better than Idlewild’s offer, $29.99, on their site.

Conclusion

For the deeply discounted price, Idlewild was the perfect park for our kids. I tend to think Idlewild is ideal for kids 10 and under as the park really does not have any of the thrill seeking rides you will see at places like Cedar Point. We also visited the park during the pre-season, so crowds were pretty much non-existent. All ride wait times were kid appropriate. With entertainment shows of Thomas the Tank Engine, plenty of rides that younger kids can ride, and beautiful, wooded scenery, Idlewild will surely get us back there in the future, so long as I do not have to go through Mr. Rogers Neighborhood again.

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Source: InACents