One of Albuquerque's staple amusement parks for alomst 50 years. If you are going to do one amusement park while you are here in Albuquerque, this is it. The ticket prices are very cheap (an unlimited ride pass runs about $15.00 for the entire day) and general admission is only $2.50 so you can go in with your kids without breaking the bank. Here are some ride reviews to help you with making your ride decisions.
Remember, these ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
- Don't miss this attraction
- You probably will enjoy this attraction
- You might enjoy this attraction
- If you don't have anything better to do
- You shouldn't bother with this attraction
Galaxi Roller Coaster: This is one of the main attractions at Cliff's. A day at Cliff's wouldn't be complete without at least one visit to the Galaxi. This is definetly Cliff's fastest ride. This has no comparison to any major roller coaster outside of Albuquerque, but has a certain novelty. The fast speed of the ride and quick turns makes this not for the squemmish, but great fun for the older crowd. A very fun ride for most ages.
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Rocky Mountain Rapids: This ride is a typical flume ride found at most major theme parks (a flume ride is the same as a log ride where you get wet). This ride can't compare to most flume rides, and you have to stick your head out of the side of the log to get pretty wet. The drop is only about 25-30 feet, which is almost half of what Splash Mountain is. There is also no scenery to really mention, so the two to three miuntes you spend going around the ride can be dull and boring. Fun for a afternoon cool down, but not as good as other rides in the park.
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The yo-yo: This is a very wild ride from start to finish. The ride begins out by picking you up and twisting you in circles. Sound's boring? Well, it gets more exciting. The ride then drops you a little to give the illusion that you are falling. Then, if the ride wasn't already good enough, it hovers you above the fence making it look like you are going to get your feet ripped off by it. A very exciting ride and a highlight of Cliff's.
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The Scrambler: The scrambler can be a very painful ride to some of the riders. The ride consists of you and a friend sitting in a little rectangular box and spinning around. The sensation is almost like getting whipped around. The person sitting on the OUTSIDE seat will get crushed several times by the person sitting on the inside, so I would suggest putting the lightest person on the inside and the heaviest person on the outside.
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Sea Dragon: The sea dragon is definetly Cliff's most thrilling ride. The ride starts when you get into a pirate's ship and begin swinging up and down until the ride operator is satisfied that you can feel your stomach turning inside. A pretty good ride, but if you get sick easily, this ride is not for you.
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Demolition Disco: This is a brand new ride for Cliff's right before the millennium hit. And, boy is this ride something. I went in expecting almost nothing, and what I got was a suprise ride of the day. The bumper cars are very comfortable, handle well, and hit great. Also, the seatbelts do not choke you when you are hit. These are all improvements over the old bumper cars, which have been replaced with a new version called mini bumpers. This version of the old bumper cars gives you a new reason to go to Cliff's.
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The Big Flush Water Coaster: The big flush is a ride built about 2 years ago and has really impacted Cliff's. It's a very new-looking ride, which Cliff's needs more of. Sometimes, it feels like you are in an ancient carnival. This ride is supposed to feel just like a river rafting experience. And, trust me, if you make it happen, it will. The Big Flush was designed to let you control what happens inside your own tube. If you pair up with a friend and lean into the turns, you will feel like you are out of control. You will also get very wet, but this is a small consolation to all the fun you will have. NOTE: If the ride attendents will let you, if you sit in front of the raft, and when the raft is coming to a stop, you can spring out of the raft and get at least 15-20 feet jumping. I had people applaud my efforts, and boy, was that fun!
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The Sky Glider: This ride looks like a weak ride at first glance, but this is Cliff's most intense ride, as it boasts the only ride that will turn you upside down in the Albuquerque area in a theme park. All you have to do to turn yourself upside down is to constantly pull down on the bar. It can be fun having that helpless feeling of spinning about 25 feet from the pavement underneath. But that novelty can soon wear out, wanting to be back on the pavement that you once left. The ride is fun, but can't deliver that ride-after-ride fun that the The Big Flush can deliver.
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The Frog Hopper: The other new ride for Cliff's in 1999 looks like a great ride for all ages. The ride consists of you sitting on a bench with 4 other people. Then the ride takes you up to the top (about 10-15 feet) and drops you down while bouncing you at the same time. Sounds fun? Maybe, but this ride is only for very small children. Marques and I went expecting big things, but the ride is very kiddish and I would not recommend it for anyone over the age of 7.
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The Chairlift: This ride seems to me to be as traditional as the Galaxi or Rocky Mountain Rapids. All the ride consists of is a chairlift ride arcoss Cliffs to San Mateo, and a ride back, but after a sickening ride at the Sea Dragon or Sky Glider, this may be just the thing to settle your upset stomach.
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The Spider: This ride is very out of the way and can sometimes be hard to find. And the payoff isn't that great. The ride consists of you getting into a two person car and getting spun around by a machine that looks like a spider. It isn't that interesting, and can get boring at times. I think they should tear this ride out and put another marquee ride like the old Chaos back in it's place.
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Soccer Kick: This game consists of you spending a dollar trying to knock over some soccer cones with a soccer ball elevated on a table. This game is very hard for most people and I would stay away from it unless you have a lot of experience in soccer because you have to chip the ball to hit anything. I would just stand back and watch other people play it, because it is one of the more popular games at Cliff's.
Milk Can Toss: This game consists of you throwing a softball into the opening of a milk can. The only trouble with this game is that it is extremely hard to win. The prizes are really big, but your odds are very slim. But I have seen it done before. One of my friends, who was not a plant, made it and walked away with a huge Taz doll. If you are looking for a big payoff, this game is for you. If you are looking to win, try another game.
Pop Gun Game: This game consists of you getting a cheap excuse for a gun and shooting an oversized ball at a tiny pyramid of plastic cups. This game also has a heavy payoff, but to date, I have never seen anybody do it. Even if you are good with guns, this game can be deceiving. Unless you are a rich, betting man, steer clear from this game.
The Small Basketball Game: This game is the typical basketball game you see at the New Mexico State Fair, except without the giant 20 ft. rims. I played this game and won an animal. It is a fun game if you are willing to take a risk with it paying off, but not that big of a risk. But, it should be noted, that I have 5 years of organized basketball experience.
The Goblet Game: This game you are guaranteed to win. But there are many catches. First, they double the cost to 2 dollars. Second, your most likely prize is an inflatable hammer, which is worth about a quarter. If you do get the ball into a colored cup, the prize isn't much better. A good game to do with your small children, but not good for much else.
The Ping-Pong Game: This game requires you to throw a ping-pong ball into a small plastic dish floating above water. This game has about 100 different cups you can get into, but the cups are flowing in water to make the challenge more difficult. Even worse, if you do manage to get the ball into one of the clear cups, your reward is 3 free balls, which isn't even a reward to begin with. If you are looking for an easy win, this is not the game for you. If you are looking for big prizes, this game is not for you. You would be better off playing the goblet game and get a guaranteed prize.
The Big Basketball Game: This game has to be the hardest one to win at Cliff's. The basket is around 18 feet high, and the rim usually is bent in some way. It is very hard to win, and to make it even harder, they charge $2.00 per game! I would not recommend this game in any way because you need luck to win this game and not skill. I have never made it on a basket like this.
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