Magic Springs
Hot Springs, Arkansas
October 21. 2007
Page Fifteen




I did get a kick out of the free sunscreen and how you can only use it in park.  I guess you have to scrub it off before you leave.



Free sunscreen and free drinks?  Wow it sounds like they're trying to be like Holiday World? 



Unfortunately after looking at their food prices the free drinks and free sunscreen are the only ways they're anything like Holiday World.  In fact Mrs. Koch, the matriarch of Holiday World once told me a story about the gentleman who runs Magic Springs.  Before he opened the park he came to visit Holiday World because he wanted to see how they did it.  The first thing he told her was that they were missing out on a lot of money by not charging for parking.  Then later in the day he commented on how they were missing out on a lot of money by not charging for drinks.  Then finally he mentioned that they were missing out on a lot of money by not charging for inner tube rentals in the water park and as she put it"  "He just didn't get it".  And walking through Magic Springs she was right.



Here is a photo of my lap bar on Big Bad John after my last ride of the year.  You see if you ride in the last car your lap bar has to go down two clicks or it will pop up during the ride.  Well Greg and I hopped in the front seat and two big good ole boys hopped in behind us.  The two ride operators came to secure us and mentioned the two click rule.  Well with the big boys behind us they couldn't get it down two clicks.  So after asking each other what they should do the ride operators just looked at each other and walked away without properly securing us.  Needless to say just after the first lift our lap bar popped open and we rode the rest of the ride totally unsecured.

Magic Springs is a pretty park with some good rides but sadly with employees who will knowingly let riders out on a coaster unsecured, are poorly trained or just don't care I have a hard time suggesting anyone go there.  God, I hate giving a bad review because I want to see each and every park succeed and bring more joy to the people who visit by adding more rides and staying around but in good conscience I can't see telling people to go to Magic Springs.  I guess if you're a coaster enthusiast and you're coming through the area hit it for the credits.  Just don't expect anything else.



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