Whats better, corperate or family owned parks?

From what I have noticed, corperate owned parks seemed to have the money to please the crowds, and family owned parks from what I have heared, have more of a "carnival on steriods" type of feel to them. I live between Michigans Adventure and Cedar Point, closer to CP, and I was considering my vacation options for next summer (yeah it's early, I know). I have already been to CP, and although it's closer and offers a wider varity of rides, I would like to try somthing new, so I was looking towards Michigans Adventure. Most people say that it's worth going there, mainly because of Shivering Timbers, but I was wondering what your veiws on the subject was. Which one is better and why?

( I know this post was poorly put together, but I was wondering, and I wanted to put everything that I was thinking down before I forgot it.)

~Joe

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Ride 'Till you drop

My home park is a family owned park, and yes, it has a carnival-type feel to it. But it is usually very clean, and the operators know what they're doing. Though family-owned parks don't have a wide assortment of rides, we usually get something good every couple of years. This next year, we're getting a CCI coaster. Corperate-owned parks usually have a huge ossortment of rides and coasters, but many cases there isn't a ride operator there thats knows what they're doing. A major advantage to a family-owned park is that it costs less and there aren't as many people there as in a large park. My home park benefits from free parking and free admission and a couple of various ride options. We also have a water park. To buy both that amusement park and the water world combo, it costs $15.50.

Don't get me wrong, I love going to large parks like Cedar Point and PKI.

Depending on what you want: large-park with many ride choices, or small-park with a friendlier atmosphere; you can make your choice. But seeing that you've already been to Cedar Point, I think you should try Michigans Adventure.

If I want to go on a coaster binge, I usually go to a corporate park. If I want to imerse myself in the total amusement park experience,give me Kennywood or Knoebel's anyday.

Family owned seem to have cheaper prices(20), at least one Sweet ride (Shivering Timbers), and a not very large crowds(Shivering Timbers practically always a walk on).
Corporate owned have more rides(14), higher prices(40), and nasty crowds (at least 45 min. + for everything at CP). If you are gonna do twop CP trips, scrap onme and do MA!!! Trust me, Shivering Timbers is the best wooden coaster in the world. And you can ride it all day long....

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DOWN WITH TRIM BRAKES!

Everyone that I have talked to did say that there are smaller coasers, and usually one or two big ones at family owned parks, and although that may be true, I've already went on a coaster binge this year, so maybe I will go for the more friendly, "Full amusment park experience"

~Joe
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Ride 'Till you drop

Shivering Timbers is worth the "full amusment park experience." Intamin2k.

By the way I like the name

Same goes to you IntaminFan2000, hehe

~Joe


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Ride 'Till you drop

Two of my favorite parks are family owned Knoebels and Holiday World. To me it seems as if the family owned parks try to hire friendly staff who take pride in what their doing. The family owned parks may not have the tallest, fastest,longest but they have some of the best coasters(Phoenix, Twister, Raven, Legend, Shivering Timbers).
The corporate parks have the record brakers and the bigger ride variety but they lack the family charm the smaller park have. When can you actually strike up a conversation of the owners of CP,PKI, or any SF while at the park? When I was at Holiday World I saw the one owner Barbra Koch(SP?) picking gum and trash off the ground. I don't think that would happen at a SF or Paramount park. Families take pride in their OWN parks, corporate owners just see it as a job for the most part.
Some parks have the carnival feel (Lakemont) but others are true gems of parks (Knoebels, Holiday World).


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Parks hit for 2000!
PKD,BGW,DP,HP,PKI,HW,SFKK,SFA,SFNE,LC,GE,QP,Camden,Lakemont,Knoebels, SFO,CP,

I totally agree. I mean the family owned park atmosphere is relaxed. i mean its a place where you can spend the day have some fun, ride some rides, eat at a reasonable price or if you dont want to pack a picnic lunch. I mean these small places know how to please the public, and know that a picnic will bring more ppl and create more fun and a friendlier atmosphere. One of my favorite family owned parks has to be kennywood, and over the years they have became there own corporation, but have kept that "charm" that a small park has, and that no corporate park can ever imitate or reproduce. They are just GENUINE. They have an individuality all there own and also seem to show you a better overall time.
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Steel Phantom: A Decade of Thrills. (1991-2000)

I am 30 minutes from CP. If I were you I would visit them equally. Visit CP in the beginning and end of the year to try too avoid big crowds. I went to a few different parks to avoid the big CP crowds and really liked it this year (SFDL, SFO, PKI, MA). You know when MA does not have alot of people so go then. That is a tough choice, You have an awesome coaster there ST. and CP has awesome steel coasters. Probably I would stick with MA more. especially in the peak CP season, as MA crowds were not near as bad as CP's when I was there. For me it is always good to get away from the same old park and try a new one out, in CP's case the long peak season lines.

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Closing Time: 5:30
CP Arrival Time: 5:50

Whose Line is it Anyway?