Family Kingdom 7-13-13

[ohiocolts]

Our family usually travels to Myrtle Beach for a week in the summer or Spring Break for vacation. This time we visited Family Kingdom Amusement Park for our first time.

I, my mom, my dad, and my sister Lucy arrived at our hotel in Myrtle Beach at 6PM on Saturday, July 13th. After unpacking everything and setting up, we went down to the lobby, and discussed what to do. Dad, for some reason, doesn’t like to have a plan, so that made things a little more difficult. We eventually, after about 15 minutes of discussing and looking at brochures, decided to head to Family Kingdom.

We arrived around 7:30. Parking was $6. Mom and dad decided they didn’t really want to ride all that much, so we just got wristbands for Lucy and I. It’s around $26 I believe, and gets you on all the rides except for the zip line, trampolines, and Go-Karts. For about $10, you can get a combo pass for the waterpark as well. What’s nice is there is free admission, so if you wanted, you could just stroll around the park for no charge.

Here are a few pictures I took in the car.

The park had some odd hours. I believe the waterpark is open from 11-4, and the amusement park is open 4-midnight. I guess the idea is to go to the waterpark in the morning, and the amusement park in the evening.

As you can see, “Sling Shot” shoots you up from an elephant ear stand, and if you survive, you get free elephant ears! Just kidding but wouldn’t that be awesome?

The map, which does not look like it includes the new Twist ‘n’ Shout coaster.

First up, Lucy wanted to ride Twist ‘n’ Shout, there new wild mouse for this year. The wait was only one cycle, which is always good for a wild mouse. The ride started off with the most intense 4 foot drop ever. You then climbed up the hill and did the old wild mouse routine, straight aways followed by sharp turns. The drops were small but still fun. The turn over the station was very intense. I rated it an 8/10, and so did Lucy.

Next up was the terribly named “Sling Shot”.

We waited a cycle and then got on. The ride eventually launched you up, which was kind of fun. And then it slowly “dropped” you down. The launch was ok, the drop was boring. I gave this one a 6/10 and Lucy gave it a 7/10.

Next up was…

We waited about 5 minutes to ride Swamp Fox.

As you can see, it had a really tight station.

The coaster was a figure 8 style layout. It opened in 1966 and had to be rebuilt in the early 90’s after Hurricane Hugo. It started off with a right turn out of the station onto the lift hill. Once the top of the hill was reached, you took another right turn and dropped. It was followed by another drop and a left turnaround. Then there was some airtime hills, and soon a final turn next to the drop that I found rather intense. The ride’s second half was better than its first half. I gave it an 8/10 and Lucy gave it a 7/10.

I loved the way this picture tuned out. When I went back and looked through a Family Kingdom brochure, it was actually pretty much the same picture that they had in there. Same angle, same time of day, everything it seemed.

Next up Lucy wanted to do Hurricane. This was similar to a Matterhorn type ride, only the seats weren’t as suspended, or something. I don’t know. Anyways, it was a walk on. It was a nice ride, that went both forwards and then backwards. The cycle was pretty long as well. I gave it a 7/10, Lucy gave it an 8/10.

Next we went to their Log Flume. There was only a cycle wait. The ride was continuously moving, so you had to get on and off while the boat was in motion. First, you took a right turn out of the station to the first drop. Once we reached the top and started going down, there was a loud THUMP and then we went down. That drop was pretty fun, and it went down on roller coasterish track and not water. You went back up and splashed into the water. Look it up on YouTube if you want to see what I’m talking about. You then passed literally right next to Friendly’s, and went up another hill. You heard the same THUMP, but this time, you went down on water. I rated it a 9/10, but I forgot to ask Lucy her rating, but she enjoyed it as well.

Our parents wanted us to ride again, as they wanted to take our picture going down or something. This time it was a 5 minute wait, and still a very fun ride. But our dad made us ride AGAIN cause he missed the photo again. Not that I really minded. This time it was a 10 minute wait, and still another fun ride.

Next we decided to do Twist ‘n’ Shout again. It was a cycle wait, and another good ride. We decided to ride again, with a 5 minute wait, and it was another exciting ride.

Then we decided to try out there Merry-Go-Round.

It was a walk on. The Merry-Go-Round required you to wear seatbelts, so that was different. I decided not to rate this because I didn’t see the point. Then again, of course you couldn’t See-der Point in South Carolina!

Next we decided to ride their Antique Cars, which were about a 5 minute wait.

Their Antique Cars included going into lit tunnels, and going next to Swamp Fox.

The ride was in no way actually controlled. I gave it a 7/10, Lucy gave it an 8/10.

Next Lucy wanted to do Berry-Go-Round. It was a walk on. It’s like a Tilt-A-Hurl but all you do is spin. And your in a strawberry. I got dragged onto it. Ugh. Get me off this thing. The ride soon ended and I didn’t like it. I gave it a 3/10, Lucy gave it a 9/10.

Next we went onto Kite Flyer, which was a walk on. It’s pretty much a copy of Linus Launcher. It was ok, though this combined with Berry-Go-Round didn’t make me feel so well. My chest also hurt after the ride. I gave it a 6/10, Lucy gave it a 9/10.

Then I walked onto Thunder Bolt, which was a Matterhorn type ride. Another spinny ride. Great. All the cars “swayed”, and it was a fun ride. It had a slightly shorter cycle than Hurricane, but still did the forwards than backwards thing. I didn’t feel so well after the ride. We both gave it a 7/10.

We then split up and I went for another ride on Swamp Fox. The wait was 5 minutes, but only cause I found a no line for a row. The line was longer than last time.

This time I rode on s front wheel seat, which I enjoyed more. Although it was rougher, there was more airtime and the ride seemed better.

I then decided to ride Yoyo (Swings). Yoyo was a walk on, and 2 seatbelts. The ride was a nice swing, that gets a 7/10.

My dad and I then met up with my mom and Lucy at the log flume.

We then went for one last ride, on the Ferris Wheel.

An odd thing was that when Lucy and I were about to go on, they said that you need somebody who is at least 18 to go on you. Luckily, they offered a free ride for ONE person over 18, and mom wanted to go over dad, so we were still able to ride. It was a walk on. They said it was state law to have someone over 18, so yeah.

After about a cycle around, it started raining. So we spent a few cycles in the rain until we got off. Then we headed out for a late dinner. And that, is Family Kingdom in Myrtle Beach.

A couple Notes:

*It pretty much had fair style rides, plus “Sling Shot”, a wooden coaster, a wild mouse, a log flume, and go karts.

*There was another coaster, Speedy Gonzalez, that was a kitty coaster. Unfortunately, I was too tall to ride.

*It’s worth stopping by if you ever go to Myrtle Beach. It’s a nice park.

Now, I have some bonus, miscellaneous photos from the trip I took.

This is the outside of Wonderworks, a building with all kinds of stuff inside.

This is the 360 bike inside of Wonder Works. You pedal to go, and if you pedal enough you will invert. It does hurt your shoulders a bit, but when you get to the top it’s fun to just hang there.

Found this inside of Mammy’s Kitchen. Some Knott’s jelly holder thing.

A far away view of the Sky Wheel and another ride called “Sling Shot”.

A zip line that lights up at night.

A small amusement park known as The Pavilion at Broadway at The Beach.

The Pirate Ship was down. It was made my HUSS. That’s why I guess.

Wonder Works on a much busier day. Notice the long line at the bottom of the picture.

Driving around the Boardwalk’s thrill rides.

The Sky Wheel from below.

And the Sky Wheel again.

The Sky Scraper.

Swamp Fox again.

Mr. Ferris Wheel.

The Log Flumes two hills.

Splash.

A view of a coaster known as Time Machine from the highway. It hasn’t operated since 2009. So Freestyle Music Park, once known as Hard Rock Park, is just rotting.

And me ziplining.

Thanks to my family for this wonderful vacation, and

Thanks for Reading!

[timw725]

thanks for this post. I will be heading there in a few weeks. So now i have a place to check out.

Was there any other place you went to that you would suggest?

[ohiocolts]

Wonder Works is fun, but can get very crowded. I'd suggest going on a Sunday as we did, or a day where the weather is nice, cause it will also be busy if really hot or rainy. It was much less bust when we went this year. Nascar Peedpark is good if you like Go-Karting. There's a few waterparks, but we didn't go to any.

[TheBEASTunchained]

Nice trip report! and great pictures!