Before I commence with this trip report there are a few things I would like to talk about briefly.....

I didn't make a big post about this here or on Facebook, but just to state for the record, I was laid off from my job last month after 22 years. That is all I will say on this issue. So until I find something else, I can now visit the park any day of the week and not just Saturdays.

On a much happier note, I recently received four more day passes thanks to my brother Scott winning them in a raffle at his job. So now my total number of passes (not including this visit I am about to summarize) stands at 16! I may not use them all on myself, I am thinking of giving some to family members who want to meet me there (like my other brother Bob and his family did last year).

OK, now on to my 9th visit of 2012:


Arrived at 10:45AM and was directed to the fourth row in front of the main entrance. I brought my red Untamed plastic cup from my last visit to save on drink purchases. When you buy the cup with drink, it's $10.89, but when you bring the cup back in future visits, refills cost just $1.08. That's better than $3 for the small Pepsi paper cup they serve the drinks in! So I'll use this cup for the summer and then the ScreeemFest blood mug during the fall!

I was originally going to go on the actual 4th of July, but decided on the day before because of the severe thunderstorm in the Wednesday forecast. And also knowing that MJ and Forever Kings are not performed on Tuesdays, I am planning to visit the park again this Friday specifically to see Forever Kings. I came this day to see the first fireworks display of 2012.

Rides: I got in 2 Blue Heron rides in, one just after opening and then at 6:30PM; 3 on the Dodgem, 2 in the Tiki Maze and one each on the Canobie Express, Caterpillar, Over The Rainbow, Crazy Cups, Antique Cars, Mine Of Lost Souls, Boston Harbor Patrol and the Carousel, and for the first time ever, I decided to try the Canobie 500. Once I got in the car, I remembered why I never tried this ride--I am just too big!! Almost no legroom! So, I yielded my car to some very happy kids in line.

Food: Filled my cup with Mug Root Beer at Lumber Jack then had Barbecue Pork Rib Sandwich with steak fries and corn on the cob at the Dancing Bear Canteen (in my opinion the best place to eat at the park), and later got another fill of MRB to wash down some buttered popcorn from the Popcorn Stand near the front entrance plaza.

Games: Quartered it up on the two Fortune games and my total now exceeds 9,100. I am going all the way with this one.

Shows: Caught the last 10 minutes of the 1:30PM showing of Wildlife Encounters hosted by Steve from the WILD Center & Zoological Park of New England. He had a fox and then brought out the burmese python, and ended with the hedgehog, turtle and rose hair tarantula. 3PM Justin Bieber show which got a huge ovation from the tween and teen girls surrounding the stage. 4PM Lady Gaga show (this time I brought disposable hearing protection because this show plays very loudly), with only 4 dancers instead of 8. I caught up with Janell who said that on Mondays and Tuesdays the Dance Hall shows have just four dancers so some can have a day off like the performers. Returned for the 7PM show and who do I see sitting in the back row but the lovely Mia with Eddie Moss and Matt Lewis!! It was their day off and they decided to watch their co-workers on stage, so this show was special because I got to sit with them! Afterwards I told them I would be back Friday to see Forever Kings, then I went to the front lobby of the DHT where the guy who played Puggsley at ScreeemFest was one of the ushers. Chris Nicoli and Ray Captell were there and Ray told me that Mini-KISS would be at the park on July 13, 14 and 15 to promote their show at ScreeemFest, also, the band members would play a more active role in their show's production. Finally, I chatted with Erika C. Moul, CLP's own Lady Gaga. She is extremely talented and an absolute sweetheart!

Fireworks at 9:30PM, awesome as always and with a traditional selection of Patriotic songs with choir and orchestra instead of that "Baby you're a Firework" that they used last year. The park stayed open until 10:30PM and I savored every minute. Left the park right at closing time and enjoyed some soothing Moody Blues songs on the ride home.

9 passes down, at least a dozen more to go!! Happy 4th of July, everybody!