What's New at Carowinds?

Parks and Rec Days End July 31!

Carowinds Great Pumpkin Fest

Energy at Central Office

by Nancy Turnage, VRPS Central Office

Recognize this VRPSer?

In 2012, upon introduction to Beth Wood-Whitely, my initial impression was, to sum in one word, "energy".  Now, two years and many obstacles, challenges, and experiences later, that has not changed.  At all.  Beth continues to be a mentor, blowing into the office and spreading enthusiasm, efficiency, smiles, and all around good feelings and sunshine.

Central Office has been privileged with her company the last couple of weeks.  Retirement and relocation have afforded Beth the opportunity to volunteer her time at Central Office to tackle some of those long backlogged tasks.  She has already completed organizing the CEU filing, as well as come up to speed on the summer theme park ticket sales, which are an enigma similar to a complicated math word problem:

• Which park would you like to visit?
• When are you going?
• What are the ages of the patrons?
• How would you like to pay?
• Do you have access to a computer?
• Do you have access to a printer?

Don't be surprised to get a call from Beth soon, to chat and to follow up on any number of VRPS adminstrative tasks.  Thanks Beth.

52 Ways to Use Your VRPS Membership: Week 15, Theme Park Tickets

Discount Theme Park Tickets
by Nancy Turnage, VRPS Central Office

Theme park ticket sales are one of four major sources of funding for the Virginia Recreation and Park Society.

Here's the deal:

1.  Over the winter, VRPS negotiates ticket prices with theme park vendors such as Kings Dominion, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and Water Country USA.  The parks must:

• be VRPS Commercial members,
• attend Annual Conference and offer an exhibit booth, and 
• advertise with VRPS on the website or via publications.

2.  VRPS passes the discount ticket purchase offer on to its members.  Approximately 35 member agencies participate in the ticket sales program:

• The Director of an agency must be a VRPS member.
• The Director signs an authorization form indicating that whoever they authorize (them self or another identified person) will be the ticket contact for the year, they will be responsible for making payments, they will make monthly ticket purchase payments, and they will close out their accounts by noted dates.

3.  VRPS and participating agencies pass the savings on to multitudes of patrons.

Theme park season is upon us - join in the fun!

HOWL-O-SCREAMING Parenting Advice from VRPS

By Nancy Turnage, VRPS Central Office

The best cure for a mouthy teen is a zombie chasing them with a chainsaw.  If this little tip gets out to the parenting world, there will be a rush on theme parks featuring Halloween fright around the world.  Parents of surly ingrates will be rushing the gates, dragging their prodigy.

I've lived in Central Virginia for thirteen years, and this was my first Howl-O-Scream.  I suppose the lure of the many callers inquiring at the VRPS Central Office regarding discount tickets was too much to resist.  Off I went - on the last Friday of the last weekend of October, just hours ahead of Sandy, along with my three teens and Spouse.  The cloud cover was evident, the misty rain prevalent, and the mood anticipatory.

As we entered the first haunted house, my thoughts were simply on the spookiness of everything - fog machines, dim lighting, creepy screaming and music.  Within the first two minutes, it became apparent that the freaked reaction of my teens was far more entertaining.  They were petrified.  Middle clung to Oldest, ready to use her as a human shield to doom and terror, for the sake of self-preservation.  They raced through, wanting the misery to be over rather than relishing the performances and decor.

And that was just the first one.  We managed to "enjoy" three more, much to the dismay of Middle and Youngest.  Oldest eventually joined into the spirit of things and for some reason became a favored victim of the bloodied clowns and zombies with power tools - something about her pink sweatshirt, bobbing ponytail, and unfortunate trusting nature....  Yes, I will admit, we MADE them go instead of letting them branch off and binge on rides - you know, all for the sake of safety (it was dark) and family time.

A great deal of personality can be devised from one's reaction to fear:

• How deep does the fright or flight instinct go?  In the case of my Offspring, they are pure flight, through and through.
• Is there a concern for others?  Youngest gave me a good shove here and there, so maybe not so much.
• What degree of self-control is exhibited (putting on a brave face and all that)?  Zero.

I suppose the same analysis can be said for us, the parents; Spouse and I thoroughly, totally, COMPLETELY enjoyed watching them get the #$%& scared out of them.  So, in addition to the remarkably clean restrooms (yes, we visited most if not all of them), the super-helpful staff (at least the living ones), and the efficient thrill ride queue process (nothing beats the Griffon or Apollo's Chariot at night, much less the front row!), the terror is TOP-NOTCH.  Therefore, my advice is this:  next year, clear your calendar one evening and enjoy Howl-O-Scream.  Drag your wayward teens, relish in their terror, and make some family memories.