Fascinated by Fascination

I'm a sucker for carnival games.

I don't go nuts like some people who spend $100 to win a giant bear that's only worth $7.50.  

Instead, I play because I like the challenge of trying to beat the game.

Because prices have gone up on admission, food, drinks and souvenirs, I don't play as many games as I did a few years ago.  However, on a recent trip to Knoebels, I found a game that grabbed my attention and monopolized my time.

Fascination.  The game is simple and very, very addicting.

Fascination was all the rage in the 1950's.  You couldn't go to any amusement park in the United States without finding a Fascination Parlor.

The thing that I like about the game is that you can play for hours without spending a whole lot of money.  It's a very social game because you can sit with friends and talk trash as you win and lose.  It also provides a nice break from riding and eating during your theme park day.

Plus, if you're lucky, you might even walk away with some prizes.

Sadly, there are only around a dozen places where you can play the game these days.  Places like Cedar Point, Hersheypark and Kennywood removed their Fascination Parlors to make room for new attractions.

But you can still visit traditional amusement parks like Knoebels and Indiana Beach and spend a few quarters trying to beat all the other players in this fast paced game.

I wish more parks had games like this.

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Food With A View

About 10 years ago, I didn't stop to smell the roses when I visited a theme park.

I tried to cram in as much fun as possible without stopping to rest or to eat.

Now that I'm getting older, I don't mind taking the time to find some good food and more importantly, a good atmosphere to dine.

For instance, during our trip to Disneyland, Molly and I decided to splurge and eat at the famous Blue Bayou. The restaurant is built in the same show building as Pirates of the Caribbean. Even though you're indoors, it feels like you're eating in an outdoor restaurant at nighttime. One of the best parts about eating there was that we had a perfect view of riders floating by in their boats at the start of Pirates.

If you're a theme park fan, you can't ask for any better entertainment than to watch one of your favorite rides in action while you eat.

At Busch Gardens Europe, guests can eat at the Bistro 205. This full service outdoor restaurant offers a picture perfect view of Griffon's entire layout... including the 205 foot drop. They even experimented with offering an early admission that includes breakfast at Bistro 205 and ERT on Griffon.

Of course, you don't need to spend big bucks and eat at a full service restaurant to have a similar experience. At Hersheypark last year, I grabbed a BBQ sandwich and found a perfect table directly below Stormrunner's Tophat. I must have seen 20 or 30 trains rush by as I enjoyed lunch with friends.

Hopefully this will be a trend. I'm hoping more parks will create restaurants with a view.

What do you think? Join our conversation on this topic in the CoasterRadio.com forum.