“It’s just so cool,” said Kurt Dahlin, father of the Santa Clarita Valley, CA Dahlin family, “Discover provided us with a great opportunity to spend time together as a family, see the country in a new way, and enjoy everything Discover and Six Flags theme parks have to offer.”

Following the golden ticket-like Discover Cards’ call, wife Michelle, son Kyle (age 15) and son Aaron (age 12) set out with Dad Dahlin for the kick-off at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, CA.  For three weeks, the family traveled America visiting Six Flags parks in Atlanta, Dallas, and, lucky for us, New Jersey. 

We met with the Dahlin’s for One Great Day at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ. After a brief meet-and-greet, we headed off to hit the coasters.  Six Flags Great Adventure boasts of being the largest Six Flags in the country, and hosts many of the fastest, tallest, scariest roller coaster rides in the world; if you’re a worshiper of the coaster ride, this is your temple. As guests of Discover Cards (and new friends of the famous Dahlins) we received special treatment allowing us to go “in-through-the-out-door” on the hottest rides. (See below, for how using your Discover Card gets your family special front-of-the-line treatment, too!)

It was a whirlwind of Six Flags roller coasters—onto one coaster, out and onto the next while still reeling with adrenaline from the last!  Our favorite by far was Nitro, which blasts you nearly 23 stories in the air and dives nearly 22 stories down at speeds approaching 80 mph. Whoa. Next fave: Batman, The Ride: You soar over Gotham City with the track and sky above, and nothing but air below your dangling feet. The first hill is simply fabulous, the ride is smoothly intense, and includes five head-over-heels experiences and a zero-gravity roll. Then, El Toro, the new wooden coaster. Don’t let the wood fool you, this isn’t your grandma’s old-school roller coaster.  It employs a specialized lap belt because you spend more time off your seats than in them as you pull negative G-s. (That’s G-force, for you coaster newbies.)  

Onto Kingda Ka, the tallest coaster in the world, and the fastest in North America. I felt that the fact that it goes straight up and straight down is nearly meaningless. The launch is the real ride:  45 stories at 128 mph. Once I realized I was still alive from the launch, the straight down rivaled a merry-go-round in comparison; the experience was something I got my mind around after my brain returned to the front of my skull. My 9-yr old disagreed, feeling the descent rivals the ascent in thrill-giving.  Either way, not a ride to be missed.

Next would have to be Bizarro, a surreal coaster transformation: there’s cool fog, fiery flame, and freaky audio–a  multimedia coaster! Green Lantern follows, a 15-story stand-up coaster on which you ride standing upside down. Repeat—standing upside down.  Enough said. Then, it’s Superman–on which you lay on your stomach and “fly” like Superman.  We came so close to the ground, we felt as though we’d become skid marks on the pavement! (Not recommended for those who fear heights or distrust roller coaster technology.)

We also shortly toured the safari section of the park, checking out the wildlife.  We’d love to explore it more, but this time, we were with the Dahlins—along for the roller coaster rides of our life. After a day’s worth of roller coaster riding fun, we parted ways, wishing the Dahlin’s well en route to their final stop, Six Flags Great America, Chicago.  May their lines be short, their rides crazy, and their weather wonderful! (Follow the Dahlins’ adventure at www.CoastertoCoasterTour.com, and @CoasterTour, #CoasterTour.)

Discover Coaster to Coaster Tour

Discover cardmembers enjoy exclusive perks and benefits at Six Flags parks, including an instant 5% discount on purchases around the parks and online when they use their Discover Card.  In addition to in-park savings, Discover More cardmembers can earn 5% Cashback Bonus on their first $300. on hotel, gas and theme park purchases from July 2011  through September 2011 when they enroll in the 5% Cashback Bonus program. While at any Six Flags, Discover cardmembers also may take advantage of expedited entry at an exclusive cardmember-only entrance during the first two hours of park operation.

MommyPoppins Discover Cards Six Flags Great Adventure Giveaway Info:

Hey, why should the Dahlins have all the fun?  We’re into sharing, and we’re sharing One Great Day at Six Flags Great Adventure with one lucky winner!  Winner receives:

Two (2) One-day Admission Tickets to any Six Flags Theme Park in the United States. (Valid through 1/02/12.)

One (1) $25. Discover Giftcard

To enter the Discover Cards Six Flags Great Adventure Giveaway just leave a comment on this post telling us how great you think this site is (just kidding, any comment will do) and leave an email address that you check frequently; this will be our only means of contacting you.  All comments must be left by Wednesday August 17 at midnight and the winners will be announced on Thursday morning August 18.  The winners will be picked by the random number generator at random.org. If you do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Some things you should know about Mommy Poppins Giveaways:

We only give away products or offers that we think are cool. We don't write advertorials and we don't get any money for doing giveaways.  We do not give your email address to anyone (unless you win and it is necessary in order to receive your prize). We don't even look at your email addresses unless it is to notify the winner.  Uh, you have a REALLY good chance of winning. If you are one of those, "why bother, I never win" people. Enter. Your children will thank you. Really.