The Insider’s Guide to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Some tips, tricks and history to help you navigate the popular Vallejo theme park
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is arguably the premier theme park of NorCal. From their tallest roller coaster, Medusa, to the various wildlife like dolphins, tigers and more, the place can get wild if it is your first time visiting the park. In order to get the best value out of the park, who better to get advice from than a someone who has worked there? As a former employee at the park, I’ve met up with old coworkers and current flash pass supervisors Mike McLeod and Patrick Vides to help give an insider’s look at how to best navigate Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.
Flash Pass
The Flash Pass is a ride reservation system that allows guests to reserve their spot in line and enter later through the Flash Pass entrance. The Flash Pass itself is a small digital device that guests rent for the day in order to check in with the Flash Pass attendants at each of the rides. Depending on the day, prices vary (from $40 to $110 per person) depending on the number of visitors to the park. Because of this, it is McLeod and Vides’ job to always be aware of ride wait times, so it doesn’t hurt to ask. Some days it might be worth it, and others there might be no wait times at all. “We let them know,” McLeod said. “If they’re on the fence, we’ll say ‘Hey, the longest wait time is 15 minutes, go check out the ride and come back if you want’.” Flash Pass is located in the Explorers Outpost, left of the Dolphin Fountain upon entry.
Joker or Medusa Plaza
Visualize the park as one big circle. If you start on one side of the park and work your way to other side, you should be able to hit all the attractions. The choice is yours! You can start at Medusa — the tallest roller coaster in Northern California and one of the park’s oldest rides. Alternatively, you can begin in Joker plaza and check out the park’s newer rides such as Superman, Wonder Woman and the Joker. Joker plaza will also lead guests to V2, Vides’ favorite ride in the park, and through the aquatic animals such as the stingrays, penguins, sea lions and dolphins. Starting at Medusa allows guests to enjoy the parks older rides such as Kong, Boomerang and the newly reopened Dinosphere, a 3D ride throwback to the old days of Marine World.
Trivia: Before the park’s partnership with Discover card, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom was originally named Marine World.
Animal attractions
McLeod describes the park as basically half a zoo. Along with the many animal shows, guests are also able to get up close and personal with wildlife. I’ve pet a stingray, fed a giraffe and ridden an elephant all in one day; an experience not a lot people get to do. McLeod suggests checking out The Drench! Dolphin show, a fan favorite that displays the dolphins’ swimming and acrobatic capabilities with good chance of the audience getting wet. If aquatic life isn’t your thing, there are plenty of land and air animals such as lions, fennec foxes and the park’s own bald eagle to visit. “Some just go and check out the rides, some people just check out the animals,” Vides said. “Try to check out a little bit of each, because if not, you’re going to miss something.”
Trivia: Back when it was called Marine World, the park was the location for a few scenes from the 2004 movie “50 First Dates.”
Food choices
Food is usually expensive in any theme park you visit, but there are some worthwhile deals. A souvenir cup for around $25 will give you unlimited refills for the entire season. Some roasted sweet corn is a fan favorite that is cheap and can be eaten on the go or at a show like the the dolphin show. I personally can’t leave the park without getting some funnel cake from Cold Stone Creamery, a luxury that I believe is an essential part of the Discovery Kingdom theme park experience. Alternatively, there are many food choices to check out in Vallejo. Perhaps most famous is the iconic Vallejo staple Bud’s Giant Burgers, only a five-minute drive from the park. Voted best burger of Solano County by the Vallejo Times-Herald, these burgers are a Vallejo delicacy to be checked out.
