originally posted on 8/19/2024
Photo: Jeffrey Peters. View full-sized image.
On July 28, 2024, 25 ACE members convened at Santa’s Village in East Dundee, Illinois, for ChristmACE in July.
Photo: The Heck Collection. View full-sized image.
A greeting by Santa was followed by ERT on Farmers Fling — a SBF Visa Group spinning coaster.
Photo: The Heck Collection. View full-sized image.
Photo: The Heck Collection. View full-sized image.
Santa greeted attendees before the park opened and took them on a tour of the park, explaining the history of the rides and plans for the future of Santa’s Village. After the group picture, there was ERT on Farmers Fling, a SBF Visa Group spinning coaster. Everyone was then free to enjoy the park once it opened to the public at 11 a.m.
Photo: The Heck Collection. View full-sized image.
The Stinky Feet competition yielded three winners: Jeremy Wdowicki (first place), Dennis Martin (second place) and Will Sapet (third place).
Photo: The Heck Collection. View full-sized image.
Attendees were given a food voucher so all could eat when and where they wanted. At 1 p.m., everyone met at Stinky Feet, a water race game where players sit on toilets so they can shoot water at a lit-up duck in the tub. The duck that is lit up keeps moving, requiring players to locate the correct duck and spray it with water to earn points. It was a friendly competition with prizes given to first-, second- and third-place finishes.
Attendees enjoyed the park’s other rides like SVFD Engine No. 4 and the new North Pole Expedition dark ride.
Photo: The Heck Collection. View full-sized image.
Photo: The Heck Collection. View full-sized image.
Photo: The Heck Collection. View full-sized image.
After the game there was informal takeover time on the fire truck ride, SVFD Engine No 4. This ride allows riders to become firefighters and extinguish a house ablaze. Following this, attendees had the rest of the day to spend in the park. Santa’s Village is a special place made up of old and new rides, including a 1959 Tree House Slide, a 1962 Snowball ride, a virtual Santa Sleigh ride and the new-for-2024 North Pole Expedition dark ride.
ACE Western Great Lakes extends gratitude to Santa’s Village for its warmth and generosity to ACE members.
— Bonnie Heck, ACE Western Great Lakes Assistant Regional Representative
#ACENews