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FARMINGTON - Despite gray skies, Lagoon opened its gates on Saturday. The crowd was small, but some say that is not an indication of the upcoming travel season. They say it's expected to be cheap and full of bargains.
Lance Eastman, advertising manager at Lagoon, put a sunny spin on Saturday's rainy weather. "There's sure not a lot in the line queues right now, so that's a plus," he said.
One customer, Kristin Leger, said, "It's an easy way to come and have fun, wear them (her children) out and make some memories."
It seems tough economic times won't keep some people from making those memories. A survey by TripAdvisor.com finds 92 percent of families are planning to take a trip this year.
Lagoon hopes that's true. "We anticipate more people in Utah will be coming to Lagoon and maybe less people outside Utah," Eastman explained.
The amusement park hopes people will return for traditional rides and new ones, like the Jumping Dragon. It quickly accelerates forward and backward, with riders sitting in 18 carriers along its whipping tail.
But exciting opportunities won't just be close to home. Farecast, which tracks air and hotel price trends, reports the price of plane tickets from the U.S. to Europe is down 19 percent, and down 9 percent around the U.S. That's good news for families looking to get a little farther away.
Andy Leger said, "We're still going to Disneyland this year, but we budgeted for it."
The cheapest dates for flights are expected to be from May to mid-June and mid-August to September.
E-mail: sdallof@ksl.com
