Is playing games when visiting any of the Cedar Fair amusement parks like Cedar Point, Carowinds, Knott’s Berry Farm, or Kings Island part of your Fun strategy? If you are like hundreds of other players that enjoy a good old game of balloon darts or the basketball shoot each day, you may have your own set of tips and tricks to lean the odds more towards your favor. So lets look at how to make things a little easier on you in the future, though figuring out how to strap a 300 lb gorilla to your vehicle roof is up to you.
Balloon Darts
Think back to when you blow up balloons at home. The larger the balloon, the more stretched out the material, and thus the thinner the balloon. The secret is to aim for the balloons that may be shiny, reflecting more light, as that is signs of thinner material.
Skee-Ball
Unless you have master aim, going for the large point values in the upper corners leaves no room for error. The best chance is to aim for the center, where a combination of lower values is soon to grow your score towards and better the odds of winning a prize.
Water Gun Races
Not every squirt gun is created equal. As any game, it is wise to sit back and watch a game or two prior to sitting down. That way you can watch for any patterns of winning. Maybe one gun shoots straighter or has slightly more pressure. Or even one of the target mechanisms could be better calibrated. Once your spot is selected, consider paying for two games. For the first game, take aim and make sure to keep note of exactly how you shot the pistol. By the second game, your aim should be perfect for taking home a Rasta Banana.
Claw Game
The secret to the claw game is less technique and more timing. The machines are calibrated to lose so many rounds before a winner. Therefore, find a busy machine, and again watch. See how many rounds were played between wins. Then, time your quarter drop to align with better odds.
Basketball Shoot
You have a number of factors going against you in this game, from over-inflated balls, a smaller, out of round hoop, and plywood (i.e. bouncier) backboard. To succeed at the basketball shoot game, you need to rely on a high arc with no backboard.
Basket Toss
The angle of the basket means there is very little chance of the ball bouncing off the bottom of the basket and staying in. Therefore, lean over as far as you can over towards the basket, aim for the front lip of the basket, and apply some back spin.
Knock Over the Milk Bottles
While instinct might seem like it is best to aim for the top; however, in reality, it is best to aim for the middle of the bottles at the base. Go for a domino effect, taking out the base so the upper bottles go with it.
Ring Toss
First, aim for the bottles in front, giving you less chance of being knocked out by another bottle. Second, you want to toss the ring like a Frisbee with little arc.
Rope Ladder
This game is all about balance, and to do so, you need to ignore instinct by “climbing” the ladder, and rather concentrate on the outside ropes. Then move the left foot with the right hand at the same time. Then the opposite. Never move both hands or both feet at the same time, it will throw off your balance.
If after those tips, you still have not won the prize you want, find yourself a funnel cake, the nearest park bench, and cry your eyes out.
* If you liked this post, join other readers who have signed up to for our free Newsletter…because then you will never miss another update!
