For many youth over the last many decades, the first time they experience an amusement park is through their school. It might be for an 8th grade end-of-year celebration, high school physics field trip, or a high school senior week. Churches and youth groups also do trips to amusement parks in the summer. I don’t remember if my home parish did a trip to my amusement park, but I do remember doing a high school physics field trip. Several years ago, I was a chaperone on a parish trip. Earlier this month, I was one of the chaperones on an 8th grade end-of-year trip.
The history of school amusement park trips goes back many decades. The Disney History 101 website mentions that area high schools were visiting Disneyland even in 1956, during its first year of existence (https://www.disneyhistory101.com/gradnitephotolocationsnew-gallery-40). The first official Disneyland Grad Night Party was held in 1961 with boys wearing coats and ties and girls in date dresses. Other amusement parks across the country probably had organized school trips shortly after opening their doors; after all, amusement park trips are similar to field trips to zoos and bowling alleys. Paying for admission tickets, food, beverages, arcade games, and souvenirs can add up. Some amusement parks, like my regional one, have gone cashless. Although most kids have debit cards (with some money on them), the ones who do not can convert their cash at kiosks to a loaded card. Weather can be a serious issue for school trips as the date is usually locked-in for weeks (if not months) in-advance. Rainy days force the groups into shops and arcades. Hot days bring them to the water park (if it is open at that point in the season) and water rides.One way in which school amusement park trips are particularly memorable is that the youth can have fun with friends in a safe environment. Back at their school playground, they aren’t allowed out to be out there without a staff person. However, at an amusement park, they can go around without supervision as long as they are in groups of 3 or more as long as they check-in with their chaperones throughout the day. This freedom is possible, because the park is usually closed off to non-school parties. One positive outcome of school amusement park trips is that the teens often grow in courage. Whether it is their first time to an amusement park or they have been several times but haven’t tried every ride, many youth give-in to positive peer pressure to try a roller coaster (or other thrill ride) that has eluded them up to that point. And they usually are thankful for the experience (even if they don’t necessarily get right back in line). Even as admission tickets continue to rise, many schools will still commit to field trips to amusement parks. They are here to stay! They generally improve morale for the class. Most importantly, perhaps, they create memories for a lifetime!
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