And We Had A Grand Time!

Last week we took what will probably be our Big Family Vacation for the year--we went to Ligonier and stayed overnight at a Ramada so we could go to Idlewild Park two days in a row. 

Sometimes I take the trouble to check who is looking at my blog and why--two entries tie for top honors: if there is anyone checking in from another country, chances are the entry I entitled "Define Baby" will be what brought them there.  The other big hit is my entry from two years ago about Storybook Forest.  Storybook Forest is part of Idlewild Park and I was very surprised two years ago to find out there wasnt a webpage for Storybook Forest.  After this year's visit, I've decided that was less an oversight and more a component of an Idlewild Park plot to just ignore Storybook Forest until it goes away.  I know times are tough for all businesses but the condition that part of the park is in was heartbreaking.  Seriously, Idlewild employees, its an historic site.  Get your act together, hire someone to write you some grants and do some restoration work!  Also, your giftshop: maybe you'd want to, oh, I don't know, SELL SOME BOOKS.  Product tie in and all.  I would'nt be so pissed off if I did'nt love that place so much. 

But enough of that and onto the photos.  We spent the first, rainy and drizzly day in Storybook Forest and the next lovely, sunny day in Idlewild.  Being a cemetery historian I know just enough about landscape architecture and the history thereof to be easily offended.  Most historic amusement parks have long forgone their original designs of gardens and shade and flowers and trees because those things get in the way of the New In Your FACE rides they have feel they have to add every summer (I'm looking at you, Cedar Point...).  Idlewild has not made that particular deal with the Devil and their grounds are green and lush and lovely.  That original design really gives a nice placement for their rides.  There is an actual Kiddieland but there is also a non-Kiddie specific area and Donovan was able to go on alot of those rides, including the Rollo Coaster. It was his first real roller coaster ride and, at the end of it, he was so excited and happy he was actually vibrating.  He insisted on riding it about 6 more times, alternating between Mike and I as his partner. 

It was a wonderful getaway and we all had a great time. We will probably do it again next year and now that we understand how Ligonier is laid out, we will have lunch at a nice little cafe and not drive all over nowhere to come back to the hotel for Chef Boyardee pizza.

And without further ado:

 The rain drove us into the Jumpin' Jungle part of Idlewild and that is where Donovan discovered the Amazing Floating Balls.  All of us could have stayed there and played with them All. Day.

 This is the Entrance to Storybook Forest.  You walk into a Huge Book and Mother Goose is waiting to greet you.  I love the book and did'nt have the heart to take a full photo of it as it looks really shabby.

 Not sure what nursery rhyme the anthropomorphic dog is from.

 The Little Engine That Could was full of bees.  They must be nesting all the way thru it.

 Mike lifting Donny up to see the Papa, Mama and Baby Bear beds in the House of the Three Bears.

 My Son, the Third and Most Wistful of the Piggies.

 Completely crashed out the next morning after a night of jumping on the beds and dancing around the room.

 The Idlewild Merry Go Round plays The Pennsylvania Polka (also known as The Steelers Fight Song), Alley Cat, and Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song.

 We ended our second day in Kiddieland.  Adorable Kiddieland.  Could'nt be any cuter.