There is a Storm coming..... why are you standing there!

One thing I try to cover with all my Clients before they arrive in Central Florida is the weather they may encounter. July 3rd and 4th brought some typical weather situations for the Wet Summer Season  in Central Florida... Daily Severe Thunderstorms.  The skies darkened and was filled with lightning. Tourist and Locals stood in front of Cinderella's Castle Hub and snapped photos of the castle being struck by lightning.  While it may have gained some their 15 minutes of fame on the internet, it sure wasn't the brightest move. That picture or even staying in that spot to get the "best" view for fireworks sure isn't worth your life.
 
Florida is the Lightning Strike Capitol of the United States. While the number fluctuate every year, the numbers are the usually the highest in Florida for people struck by lighting. On our 2011 trip in August, we were across the street at SeaWorld when 8 people were injured at Discovery Cove by a Lightning strike. These people were "lucky" they weren't killed, but less than a month later at Adventure Island in Tampa, an employee evacuating a slide was killed by a lightning strike. Lightning is not something to mess with, so take cover when lightning is in the area.

Here are some really good tips about what to do during the storms that hit the parks and this applies to all parks.
1) Don't stand out in the open! Get indoors!!!!
2) Don't Rush for the exit.
3) Head into a shop and let the storm pass
4) Go to an indoor ride that has an indoor queue
5)Check out an indoor show
6) Don't wait at an entrance to be first in line for a ride to reopen.
7) Don't get on a boat
8) Don't take shelter under a tree
9) Get out of and away from pools
10) Don't hang out on your balcony

You are not Doc Brown trying to send Marty McFly Back to the Future. You aren't going to save the day with that awesome picture. When you get hit by lighting, your vacations is over, you won't get to see that amazing fireworks display or selfie with Mickey.  Be Smart and stay alive!

Indiana Beach Amusement Resort.... An Oasis in Corn Country

The Norway Dam that creates Lake Shafer

Indiana Beach Amusement Resort, maybe you have heard of it, maybe you haven't. It has been in  Indiana's corn country and out in the middle of nowhere since the 1920's. It sits next to and on top of Lake Shafer, an artificial lake that was formed with the creation of the Norway Dam on the Tippecanoe River. With the formation of this lake, an oasis rose in an area full of corn farms, drawing many families to the area to snap up this newly created waterfront property for summer vacation homes. Back then one family saw the potential of this newly created water front property and literally built a beach to provide a place for people to enjoy water activities. This was the modest beginnings of Indiana Beach, which since then has grown into "Indiana's largest Resort and Vacation Playground" advertising over 40 rides and attractions, games, fine dining, dancing, an exciting Waterpark, and six roller coasters.

One of the few highlights of the trip to Indiana beach

As mentioned before, Indiana Beach is in the middle of nowhere, making it a boring trip through corn country on two lane roads and through small towns. Occasionally in the small towns there will be interesting sites or signs. One that stood out was near Knox, Indiana  pointed out it was 1080 miles to DisneyWorld. Wish we would have gotten a picture, but we were on limited time and on a mission to see what has made Indiana Beach thrive in the middle of corn country.  Adding to fuel the desire to visit this amusement resort is that this park could easily be on the verge of extinction.

Corn as far as the eye can see

This assumption  is based on the sudden closure at the end of the season of 2011 and protest by former employees claiming the new owners are being lax on safety and maintenance of the rides. I will get to that more later.

After making our voyage through the back country roads and small towns we arrived at Indiana Beach about an hour after opening and had no issues finding parking. As matter of fact, we had our choice of parking spots on this sunny and hot Saturday Morning. The empty parking lot lead us to believe this place was going to be deserted, but as we were stepping out of the truck, buses began to arrive. My  wife quickly got sun-blocked up and we made a bee line for the ticket booths.

Nice picture spot, love the t-shirt

We were warmly greeted  near the ticket booths and directed to specific lines because certain booths could  take cash only due to debit/credit card machines not working. Machines like that go down all the time so no big issue. A major issue we found out later in the day, there are no working ATM machines at Indiana beach, there haven't been for sometime. So if you want to play the carnival games, bring cash.
 Stepping up to the ticket window,  there was a sign posted that The Splash Battle was not working along with the parks signature coaster, the Hurricane Hoosier. So in theory, there were 38 other rides and attractions and 5 other roller coasters we could challenge. We had decided earlier in trip that we were not going to go to the water park because of time constraints and really wanted to explore the rest of the park because there was the real of threat thunderstorms ending the day even earlier than we had hoped. So we purchased our pay one price for rides only wristband which was decent value of $24.95. To include the water park the price would have been $34.95 or if you didn't want to do either the rides or water park, you could purchase a $2.00 boardwalk admission. Wristband on, we head through the south entrance to the park.

The south entrance to the park is across a suspension bridge(the longest in Indiana, or so Indiana Beach claims)  making for a very picturesque view with the Hurricane Hoosier roller coaster that dominates the shoreline. As a matter of fact, this is the view given in  brochures making the park look amazing. The Hurricane Hoosier looked like a fantastic out and back roller coaster over the water making  it unique, but as the sign stated at the ticket booth, it was closed.  After crossing the bridge, it became obvious how old the park was and we got  our first glimpse of how it would prove very difficult for people with mobility problems to enjoy the park. In our opinion, this park needs to work harder on being ADA compliant, it looks like the very minimum has been done just to pass guidelines. To reach the park from the south entrance over the bridge there is very steep slope on to the ground of the park.This would be very difficult for someone in a wheel chair or on crutches.

This picturesque view from the south entracnce

We did quick size up about the lay out of the park heading from the south end to the north end and the layout is a jumbled mess. Space is limited and rides are shoe horned into odd places. It felt and looked like a carnival came to town and this was were the rides came to die. A coat of paint can go a long way. We began to think the former protesting employees were right about there being safety issues in the park. Rides were rusty and signage out of date. It literally looked like a project was started and left unfinished.

A solitary hole from a golf course that has vanished.

To cement this opinion, a few of  the biggest signs were, signage laying all over the place, one hole, presumably the last hole, of a miniature golf course, just left to sit all by itself, and also signs that could have been easily painted over that had old information stating in order to ride the ride proceed "across the street to purchase tickets". There have been no single ticket sales in nearly 2 years.

The Hurricane Hoosier  is built over the water in places.

In all, there were some really decent hidden gems in this park. The Cornball express and Steel Hawg where very nice roller coasters. The Cornball Express has some great pops of airtime in its tight configuration. This would easily be a great wooden coaster if it were maintained better, it was by far one of the roughest roller coaster I have ridden, but not the roughest in the park. The Hurricane Hoosier did indeed open later in the day, but besides it being scenic and unique by being built over the water, it was very rough(the roughest in the park) and boring.  Steel Hawg was short, but enjoyable steel coaster with an fun 111 degree beyond vertical first drop. It definitely is re-rideable but with it's relativity short ride time and lack of excitement after the first drop, it could get boring quickly. A classic and must see attraction here is Dr. Frankenstein's Haunted Castle. This is a very nicely done haunted house that uses black light and the element of surprise to send chills, giggles, and screams through this haunt. The downsize to Dr. Frankenstein's Haunted Castle it is an up charge attraction.

Dr. Frankenstein's Haunted Castle it is worth the up charge to experience

The largest attraction to Indiana Beach is by far it's location on and over Lake Shafer. Now that we have been here, we won't make a special trip out of our way to go back. If for some reason when we are traveling somewhere and this is somehow on the way(it is out in the middle of nowhere), we would stop because it could make a nice break in the day. I must mention, based on what we saw. We would never pay for the water park. It was very small, the slides looked beat up, and lack variety. We easily did this park in a few hours and missed out on two of the six coasters because of thunderstorms. The thunderstorms also brought to our attention that there may be poor policy for weather. We saw lighting and it took them over 15 minutes to spread the word to all of the rides to close.We were in line for a coaster and were the last ride shut down, the other coasters and rides had closed long before the one we were at did. Instead of the employees seeking shelter from the intensifying storm, they huddled together in the middle of the street to talk. Not much longer after our ride was closed, lighting hit so close to the boardwalk, it took out their security radios and computer systems for the stores, it also had people screaming and hitting the deck. I would agree that this park could use some better maintenance on their rides which could increase safety. There is potential here to be a great small town amusement park as is there the equal potential of this park closing it doors forever.

 Here are some more photos for your enjoyment of Indiana beach

It's not every day you can have a party in the water next to
a roller coaster.

Welcome

Steel Hawg's beyond Vertical drop

The kiddie area at the water park.

Could someone please fix this sign,it is supposed to be a historic place to eat

This must be in the doghouse,
 it was separated from the rest of the park

Cabanas for purchase.

Na, I will pass.

The Original since 1975...and good

Bumper Cars

Tilt-a-Whirl

Nice old fashioned dark ride, updated with a shooter game.

Inside the Den of Thieves 

Backside of the water park.

The Sea Dragon

Rides out over the water.

Skeleton Band From the haunted house

There is a restaurant under that coaster.

Flume in between Cornball Express and Hurricane Hoosier

The beach at Indian beach, ith the water park in the background.

Steel Hawg. Nice Drop

Tilt-a-whirl from up above.

more aerial views

aerial view of part of the park.

How many roller coasters can you count?

very nice, unique family antique cars over the water. 

Aerial view of Splash Battle that  has not operated in some time. 

carnival bi-planes for kids.

Kiddie ride cars...paint please?

Kiddie Ride shoe horned under a roller coaster, some steps and behind a cookie vendor.

Kiddie land stuck under the coasters.

Kiddie ride

The train, there really is no line here just some paint  to show you  where you should stand.

It is a pizza place, no its a hot dog place, oh forget it  just leave the sign we will get it next year.

Up charge Ropes course at the south end.

Hope you enjoyed our photo journey, tell us what you think about Indiana Beach.

The Weather and your Central Florida Vacation

Disclaimer: The suggestions in this blog posting are just that suggestions.You should always follow the Directions and Warnings given by Weather Professionals and Medical Professionals . 


Like it or not, weather can have profound impacts on your vacation. It can leave you with a blistering sunburn, soaking wet, cold, injured, or even killed. Knowing this, it is always important to watch the weather when you are on vacation. In just about every state there is the cliche saying, "If you don't like the weather in(insert location name here), wait 15 minutes and it will change." Knowing the location you are traveling to can give you a good idea on what to expect, but  Mother Nature loves to throw you a curve ball and it always seems to happen when you are on vacation.

The weather even has effects on Pooh's friends.

 
Here are some things to take into consideration when traveling to the theme parks in Central Florida.

Obey the signs, they are there for a reason.

• Florida is the Lightning Strike Capitol of the United States. While the number fluctuate every year, the numbers are the usually the highest in Florida for people struck by lighting. On our 2011 trip in August, we were across the street at SeaWorld when 8 people were injured at Discovery Cove by a Lightning strike. These people were "lucky" they weren't killed, but less than a month later at Adventure Island in Tampa, an employee evacuating a slide was killed by a lightning strike. Lightning is not something to mess with, so take cover when lightning is in the area.

• Hurricane season in the Atlantic begins June 1st and ends November 30th. While these dates are significant, hurricanes can strike Florida before and after these dates, but if you are planning to travel to Central Florida during these times, make sure you check your Trip Insurance policy and your destination’s policy about their procedures dealing with Hurricanes. Here is Disney's Policy. If you happen to be in the area when a Hurricane strikes, don't be that guy thinking they can get the vacation videos or photos of a lifetime, leave that to the weather professionals and news stations. Follow instructions given to you by officials and most importantly stay safe.

Even though it's pouring, not the best time to hop in the pool.

• Tropical Storms and Tropical Depressions can be just as bad as a Hurricane. Tropical Storms are well-organized storms with tight rotation and low centralized pressure with measured wind speeds of at least 39 mph. Once it has reached this point, it is assigned a name. They can dump a lot of rain in a short span of time, trigger tornadoes and fierce lighting.

 
 

Storm Heading in over Contemporary from Poly's Dock.

• Pay close attention when watches and warnings are issued; The National Weather Service issue these watches and warnings when conditions are favorable for the development of storms that can produce Tornadoes, hail, damaging winds, and frequent lightning strikes. There are several apps for phones and tablets now available that allow you delayed radar information, this is one of the few reasons I agree with having one of these devices with you on your trip. Also remember just because you are familiar with how storms travel in your neck of the woods doesn't mean you can predict the direction of a storm or how quickly it is moving when you are at a theme park.

•  Just because it's cloudy and cool that doesn't mean you won't get sun-burnt. Always lather up with sun screen. I have been on trips where I have gotten a blistering sun tan, VERY painful. Bring along a hat and sunglasses as well. Hand held fans can be helpful and so can the little mist sprayers, but remember when you add water to your skin; it can magnify the sun rays causing severe burns or even wash away your sun screen, so make sure you continue to lather on the sun screen throughout the day.

 

Afternoon shower building and heading towards EPCOT

Storm about to unleash heavy rain and lightning at Riverside.

• In the spring, summer, and fall months plan for at least a thunderstorm every day. Sometimes they happen in late afternoon and are brief, but they can pack a wallop and bring torrential downpours when they strike. On our last trip, one evening we got 4 inches of rain within a half hour. The paths that formed the lines for the Tower of terror were literally small rivers. The storm formed nearly on top of the Disney property and came with little warning. The line for Tower of Terror was 20 minutes, when we got in line the skies were clear, by the time the doors opened on the drop shaft for our ride, the sky was so thick with rain you could not see more than 5 feet out of the tower. Even though we had planned for rain every day by having all our valuables in zip lock bags in our water proof back pack, I ended up losing my phone to the rain because it was in my pocket.  These storms do wonders for clearing out Theme Parks though. Remember Outdoor attractions will close in certain weather conditions. Some attractions will stay open if there is just light rain with no lightning, but remember riding a roller coaster in light rain may feel like you are getting a chemical peel from those rain drops.

See it does snow at Disney World

• It is going to be Hot and Humid. Plan on the heat because it can be very hot no matter what time of the year you travel. While the late fall and winter months can be very frigid and darn cold (it can snow and freeze iguanas out of the trees), it can be very warm also. With the warm comes high humidity. When these two combine it can aggravate health conditions (asthma, common colds, elderly, infants, and other ailments) so take a break in the heat the day. Make sure you are staying hydrated, find air conditioned retreats, and do more activities when it tends to be cooler like early morning or at night.

After the storms, some nice photo ops can happen

• The weather will cause travel problems. Just because it is sunny in Florida doesn't mean it won't affect your flights. Weather may delay or cancel flights into Central Florida. While a storm in New York, Chicago, Denver, or any major hub will cause hic-ups across the country. Foggy conditions in portions of Florida cause roads to be closed by  brush fires or thick fog.  Torrential downpours from storms can leave I-4 at a standstill. There is even what is called Florida Ice on the road that can happen in long dry periods. Roads can become very slippery as if you were driving on ice.

Remember you are on vacation and weather will be part of your vacation. There is plenty of indoor activities and rides that you can partake in during bad weather. Make sure you make the proper preparations for all types of weather, even for the sunny days.  Have fun, don't become a statistic.