Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
add photosPreviously known as Six Flags Marine World.
Parking is $15 per vehicle.
Discounted tickets at $29.99 online at http://www.sixflags.com/discoveryKingdom/tickets/index.aspx
17 Reviews for Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
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25
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1 family found this helpful
"Crowded Venue and Insensitive, Overwhelmed Staff "
This is no place to take really young kids ---- especially if one of your youngsters is a special needs child! My young son has autism. Because an amusement park ride line is one of many situations that are sensory nightmares for him, he is able to use a special needs pass that entitles him and a grown up to the next available seat on a ride. Most people are very respectful of the situation and are quick with a warm smile but when you get one who doesn't understand and speaks up, well it's my nightmare! We had a rather ugly incident at this park because of the way they choose to distribute these passes. Just like in other parks these passes are issued at guest relations. The setup of the guest relations offices in most parks make it possible to discreetly acquire a pass. At this park, the Guest Relations counter is a tiny outdoor counter where patrons can also sign up for dolphin experiences and all sorts of other fun stuff ---- and the folks who sign up for this stuff have lots of questions to ask too! Get in line behind enough of these people and you could be in line for a while --- just the situation the park is attempting to spare families like mine by issuing a pass. On top of that, this counter is worked by ONE person.
Yet just feet from this counter, six employees idled while waiting for what I can only imagine they felt was an imminent wave of incoming crush of customers clamoring for fast passes. Not one of them offered to jump in and help the overwhelmed lone girl drowning in people. With my son on the verge of overload, I asked my daughter to hold my spot in line while I went to them hoping to get the pass and get out of the situation before my son's looming spin out went full throttle but they told me they couldn't help me. Exasperated I asked pointing at the overwhelmed girl at the Guest Relations counter, can't you help her then? No dice! So I asked for a supervisor to be called. I was assured one would come see me in the line so I resumed my wait in my spot.
When one arrived and I explained my situation, the lady behind me caught wind of my story and went off about my son getting on the rides before her children. I got to hear how I was not helping him improve his behaviors by placating them! When she couldn't understand my stunned silence she told me that he probably got his condition from me! It got ugly and the park employee standing nearby did nothing to diffuse the situation. Finally someone came up behind me and handed me a pass and we left as quickly as possible. But we encountered that nasty uneducated woman again later in the day and because Discovery Kingdom employees failed to protect us initially, we got another dose of her ignorance. Autism is a real condition, Google it and educate yourselves people!!
It wasn't the only time I saw indifference from people who work in this place. While I was waiting for my family near the exit of the Sky Scraper swings, I saw a boy struggling with his ride seat belt. A child of no more than 12 years old, he kept trying to get the attendant's attention. He was also clearly nervous as this ride goes very high! "Hey, hey," he said waving, "I can't get my seat belt fastened.' Her response, "I have a name you know!" Like he could even see her name tag! She was about 10 feet away from him!! The ride went up without his belt being checked and he screamed bloody murder the entire time, not because he was having fun, because he was scared!
I think the park staff becomes very desensitized because it is the only way to really cope with the throngs of park goers. Parts of the park were so crowded I thought to myself that if some disaster occurred, surely a stampede of people would kick up the death toll substantially! (I know I may be watching too much TV!) Still, when you are as seriously outnumbered as the staff here is and the management makes strange missteps in staffing (like the six people selling fast passes to customers who never came when more people should have been on the Guest Relations counter), you really have to keep patrons at an arm's length to get through the day.
At the end of the day, we discovered how badly the entrance and exit of this park really needs a reconfiguration ---- it took almost 90 minutes for us to get out of the parking lot! There is only one entrance and one exit to this place!! Hopefully when the economy improves and Vallejo pulls out of bankruptcy, the city can rearrange this situation to make it more free flowing.
In the meanwhile, I don't see myself returning here anytime soon. Luckily, there are plenty of other parks who are sensitive to my son's situation and exhibit much nicer behaviors to its younger visitors
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0 families found this helpful
"Good place to go esp if closeby"
I remember this park when it was Marine World Africa USA because, like a lot of teens in Vallejo, I worked there every summer! In 1986, all there was were animals & the only rides were the elephant & camel rides for $2. Now, it has exploded! I go every year esp now that I have kids. I remember when the parking was $2 & now its $15, not liking that esp when its such a hike. Wear comfy shoes! Stash some granola bars & capri sun in your bag for when the kids yearn for a snack. Weekdays are the best time to go. Wear sunblock or a hat. When you get there at opening, head towards the safari side where there are less people. Everyone is clustered around the entrance area when they open the gates esp the bathroom. There are bathrooms on the way to safari side & no lines. Now, there is no longer a Thomas Town, they still have the train & helicopters but its generic. No more Thomas town :(.
0 families found this helpful
"Sea World and Great America in One Place!"
I absolutely LOVE Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. I love seeing Shouka the whale. That is a wonderful show. The dolphin encounter was AMAZING. My girls and I actually got to swim with the dolphins!!! We loved watching the seal & walrus shows (although it has been the same pirate show for at least the past 6 years). Tava's Jungleland & Thomas Town are big hits with my kids. The boys love riding Thomas the Train and the girls love the water area in Tava's Jungleland. We will miss Tava (she just passed away yesterday) but will enjoy the section of the park dedicated to her. I highly recommend leaving the park for lunch. The "family meals" they offer are $40+. That's too expensive for my family of 8.
0 families found this helpful
"Something for all ages!"
There's a lot of things to see here including numerous varieties of both sea and land animals.There are also many types of foods for the light snacker to the heavy eater.For the thrill seekers there are many fast roller coasters including the famous medusa and vertical velocity. There's also a section for all of the younger children and even a small built in water park. Lots of fun games and things do as well including artists ready to draw a picture of you and characters ready to break out in dance.
1 family found this helpful
"Good for the kids, if the gangs aren't there!"
Marine World/Six Flags has some great attractions for kids like a little mini-zoo, Thomas town, facepainting, kids rides, and more, but, just like many other cities, can attract the likes of those looking for trouble due to them having nothing better to do. If you come down here for the sole purpose of a day here, I would recommend staying in Fairfield or Vacaville and driving in. Sure, everywhere has problems, but at least those cities have lots of commerce right near the freeway and hotels in good areas. If you are trying to get closer to SF, stay in Berkeley/Emeryville. AVOID RICHMOND AT ALL COSTS!! Not a place to stay with children.
0 families found this helpful
"thrilling rides and lots of fun"
Choose from plenty of awesome roller coasters or smaller scale rides for younger kids.The ticket prices aren't cheap, but wait for a deal and its worth the cost. Bring snacks and drinks because it gets very warm, kids will get tired and hungry and the food service is terribly overpriced. Six Flags is good family fun for a special treat or occasion.
0 families found this helpful
"Use to be about the animals"
What was Marine World is now six flags. When I was last here the animals were so traumatized that it was depressing. The rides are sketchy and I still remember the stuck coaster of the 90's where the one of six flag's coasters got stuck while it was upside down in a loop. I would opt for Great America instead.
0 families found this helpful
"Good diversion, works for a lot of ages"
This is an interesting blend of amusement park and zoo. The marine mammal shows are pretty interesting, there is a good variety of zoo animals, and older kids will appreciate the amusement ride appeal. The sad animal enclosures can't be overlooked, nor the stress that amusement rides must cause them. The Butterfly exhibit is pretty unique and worth a look. We have brought our now 2 and 5 year olds here twice. Overall, it's a fairly good place to visit, a little on the steep side for $.
0 families found this helpful
"Great Experience"
We had a great experience. Depending on what time of year you go, the park is only open for a limited amount of hours. We went on a weekend and it was fun. Some of the rides were disappointing for my 2 year old. I think that they should allow younger kids on the Whale ride with an adult. We had a lot of fun here though.
0 families found this helpful
"Six flags"
This was a little disapointing. Everything was way over priced. The were less animals than rides and most rides seemed to be for adults. Food was gross and outragious.Also need to be there early to make time to see all the shows. We got there an hour after they opened and were behind all day.
0 families found this helpful
"Family fun"
We visited this park for the first time and years and really had a blast. My 3 year old daughter loved all the animals as well as the rides she was able to go on. The place is big and there's a lot of things to do. We brought along my 10 year old niece and she also enjoyed some of the bigger rides and she was able to buy a souvernir stuffed animal for about $5.
0 families found this helpful
"Vallejo Discovery Kingdom "
This park is wonderful for young and old alike. They have made many improvements. We love all the animals that they bring throughout the park. It is a very interactive park. I do miss the waterski show, but they have added concerts during the summertime. We saw Raven Symone last year and she was fantastic. My 6 year old daughter was thrilled. Parking does get a little tight and sometimes, some of the rides are not open. The Fright Night and Holiday Park are fantastic.
0 families found this helpful
"Fun!"
We have season tickets and live nearby (about a 10 minute drive), which allows us to come and go with ease. There are plenty of activities for all of our children to enjoy. We have found "Bugs Bunny's House" to be the perfect place to stop, cool off, and nurse the baby while the older kids still play.
1 family found this helpful
"A few fun rides..."
We've been here several times. There are a few fun rides depending on the age and temperament of your children. The elephant ride looks interesting and we may try it the next time we venture that way.
Overall the park is very crowded, the parking lot is about a half mile from the entrance so you'll have to hoof it, or take the tram. I wasn't enchanted with the metal detector and security guard check prior to entering the park. (Glad that they're doing it, but is it really that necessary and if it is, do I really want to be here with children??? The lines are long, and it lacked the ambiance of Disneyland to capture our hearts. If you are looking for a way to entertain the kiddies and don't mind the crowds this is the park for you.
0 families found this helpful
"elephant"
My hasband is so excited to ride a elephant even it was just a small trip. It was around $5 and cheaper than riding at circus. Also you could see other animals and aquarium besides roller coaster ride!! Be ready for wet for some rides. It is fun place.
0 families found this helpful
"Fun with the Family"
What I like best about this oceanarium, wildlife, and amusement park is the chance to get close to animals and marine life, an enriching and educational experience for a child. My granddaughter Melati knows what a giraffe’s blue tongue looks and feels like, because she fed one leaves and apples. She played tug-of-war with an elephant and hugged a chimpanzee.
With roller coasters, thirty-five rides, nine shows, and thirty-five animal habitats, it is a challenge to get everything into one day. Among the highlights are the live shows: the Batman Waterthrill show, the killer whale, dolphin, sea lion, elephant, and tropical bird shows, and Tiger Splash Attack. The most outrageous rides are the Boomerang and the Kong roller coasters; and the DinoSphere TurboRide, and the Stargate SG-3000, motion simulator adventure rides with 3-D. Rides for younger children are the Ferris wheel, Monkey Business teacups, and the Shoreline Express railway. New in 2006 are several jungleland rides, a tree-house to climb, a hot-air balloon gondola ride, jeep tours, a river ride, a splash zone, up-close encounters with exotic birds, a camel, and an elephant, and more. Snow and ice are brought in for Christmas time skating, sledding, and a festival of lights.
There are cafes and food booths with some healthy choices. To avoid lines, arrive early and have lunch early. You can also enjoy your own picnic at tree-shaded tables on the grass by the lake. Rent a dolphin stroller for kids four and younger, as you will be walking your feet off! A carefree way to reach the park from the Bay Area is by ferry from San Francisco (707–643–3779). Ask about ferry packages and special event days.
3 families found this helpful
"Fun rides, great animal exhibits"
We go a couple times a year to this park, and while the kids enjoy the thrill rides what we ALL end up enjoying is the animal exhibits. Don't miss the Animal Nursery, feeding the giraffes, riding the elephants, or touching the rays. The shows are very good and informative. The tigers in the water is among our favorites, along with the Shouka show and the dolphin show.
That said, this Six Flags is making great strides in making the park feel safer. A few years ago, it felt like a gang fight was ready to break out at any time. It didn't help when my clunker car was stolen from the lot and the staff acted like it was a common occurance. The overall feel of the park was better last season, and I am hoping the new management is continuing with that. The staff felt more professional.
The group we go with each year provides the BBQ, which is a very good thing if you have it available to you. Not many choices of food, but good choices a kid would like(hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream, soda). We fill up there and then just have our own snacks later in the day. Sometimes the gate is strict about bringing in outside food, so beware.
Cobra is a great ride for the younger set just starting out at the park. Mine loved to ride it over and over when they were younger. Now they love Medusa! They have always wanted to do the ride where you lay on your tummy and they pull you WAY UP in the air and let you go swing. It costs extra, so they are saving up to pay for themselves to do it together.
Bring your waterbottles 1/2 frozen so you will have cold water throughout the day. Sunscreen and hat are a must. There is a very fun water ride, so bring extra clothes/bathing suit/sandals if you want to feel dry again. It gets you very wet!
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