Another Mega Wedgie hits Kentucky

SFKK announced Mega Wedgie for their water park to represent a Multi-million dollar investment. This wedgie is what sounds like a Pro slide bowl.

http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2008/01/14/daily12.html

Pathetic. Can you say Holiday World 2007?

Well, at least they are trying to stay competitve to their market. Now if they only pulled out T2 for something better.

^Or just *fix* T2....that thing nearly killed me last year. Wonder what kind of ROI they could get from installing the "Morey's trains" on the SLC... ;)

None whatsoever. There is no money to be made by improving the guest experience ;)

Though it's nowhere near Splashin' Safari, I give SF credit for adding to their waterpark. Deluge was a huge hit last year...most fun I've ever had on a water coaster. It was especially nice that they kept Deluge open to park guests even after the waterparks season was over.

I'm not a huge waterpark fan most times, but I think they should stay with updating and expanding the waterpark in the coming years...it's where most of the attendance seems to be for SFKK.

As coasters go, give Thunder Run some serious TLC.

Shaggy, could you please explain your comment? It seemed rather ignorant. What's wrong with another park somewhat close-by adding a similar waterslide. Is Holiday World supposed to be the only park allowed to have one?

Do you even know who is making it yet, because it doesn't say in the article? While everyone associates ProSlide with this kind of design, other companies have similar designs as well.

I agree, Pathetic, People don't travel to a water park. Whats it been, five years since a ride was added and a used one at that.

Chuck, saying I think all they are trying to do it curb the loss they are handing to Holiday World.

Although I'm not particularly a fan of waterparks, I think it's a very wise investment to help keep SFKK "afloat" (pardon the pun) after last year's disaster on S:TOP. I would like to see them add at least a new flat as well.

I guess if SFFT and SW can both have B&M clones, then this is really not that different from SFKK and HW having similar water attractions. The GP doesn't care.

What happens if Holiday World decides to add a watercoaster a few years from now? Is that now pathetic also?

-Nate

Where i would like another couple of rides in the park, this does give the park something new to market.. even to the local area.

The park was overbuilt coaster-wise so I think they are okay on that end for a little while longer, but now it's time to see them go the mid-level ride route and put in some other experiences while replacing others.

T2 could go for a Tony Hawk, Rainbow for a Frisbee-like ride and Perhaps a Gothem City Crime Wave Swinger to replace the aging Zepplin. They could even stick a Thomas Town Back there by the Sisters and get a different Simulator show.

I would like to see the Carousel moved up front where Hellivator was and something else go back there.

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coasterdude318 said:What happens if Holiday World decides to add a watercoaster a few years from now? Is that now pathetic also?-Nate

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No, because HW is adding to the park as well as it's waterpark. SFKK actaually removed about seven rides a few years back.

Chuck

Its a completely ignorant decision on SFKKs part. They are in no way capable of stealing Splashin Safari guests. SS is only 80 miles away. The two parks attract a completely different guest culture.

SFKK needs to be catering to the thrill enthusiast. They should be buying plummet slides. Maybe they should take a trip to Wet N Wild, look at that Bomb Bay, Der Stuka, Blue Niagara combo and then go in that direction. With a combo setup like that along with Deluge their attendance would sky rocket.

Shaggy, could you please explain your comment?

Ummm... okay... I think SF Kentucky Kingdom is a bad park and this ride is a result of a lack of originality.

It seemed rather ignorant.

Judgemental? Yeah. Sarcastic? Yeah. Condescending? Yeah. But ignorant? Nope.

Dictionary.com: Ignorant: uneducated in general; lacking knowledge or sophistication; "an ignorant man"; "nescient of contemporary literature"; "an unlearned group incapable of understanding complex issues"

Choose your words carefully. Ignorant is a word describing a personality trait, not an opinion. It's not a word that describes me.

What's wrong with another park somewhat close-by adding a similar waterslide.

I thought my post was pretty clear. I think it's an unoriginal move. My opinion.

What happens if Holiday World decides to add a watercoaster a few years from now? Is that now pathetic also?

If they added one THIS year I'd say yes. But they're not. Un-original would be a more accurate description to use when/if HW adds one in the future. It's pretty evident though that as far as their waterpark goes, HW is a leader.

Heck, even KI copied their funnel slide a few years back. I was in tow when the officials from PKI visited HW scouting the slide prior to the purchase of it for PKI.

Although a great ride at KI it was definitely not original, as is the case of the KK ride.

Shaggy

*** Edited 1/16/2008 3:59:23 PM UTC by Shaggy***

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Shaggy said:Choose your words carefully. Ignorant is a word describing a personality trait, not an opinion. It's not a word that describes me.

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I've been around a LONG time...I'd like to think I've acquired HALF the knowledge Shaggy has... ;)

...but I'd be lying to myself if I said I did...

There's only so many different water slides out there a park can add. Considering that SFKK is adding something that lots and lots of other parks have, I'm not really sure the connection with HW's former addition is really all that pertinent, much less "pathetic."

Then again if you have a chip on your shoulder regarding the park in general I guess being "unoriginal" in comparison to HW could be an issue, not matter how contrived... *** Edited 1/16/2008 6:24:50 PM UTC by matt.***

These are my thoughts about the two parks. I haven't been to either of the waterparks even though I have been in Kentucky Kingdom.

Kentucky Kingdom has 3 regular slides, a kids play area, tornado, wavepool, lazy river, and that Deluge which is a water coaster.

Splashin Safari has a tornado, family raft ride (outdoors), family raft ride (in dark), 2 play areas, tube slide, Mat racers, Lazy River (I think.), wavepool, and the bowl slide.

As you can see, SFKK doesn't have a lot for there waterpark. Why did they chose the bowl over the other water rides like a speed slide, or a family raft ride? Bowl slides are POPULAR!! I don't care for them, but people like them for some reason. Why are they making it exactly like Holiday World?

The reason is because it's high capacity that way, and the fact that it's hard to add to an exising structure. They could try to add bowl slides, and speed slides but that would cost more money.

I expect there next slide to be the family raft slide because those too are very popular at a waterpark.

Unless Six Flags already purchased their spinning coasters for 2009, I would not count on any new Gerstlauer spinning coasters for them! Supposedly, Gerstlauer is already almost "sold out" for 2009 and a small park looking at a Bobsled (extended wild mouse with helixes, bunny hills, etc.) is having a ton of problems securing a delivery slot...

Shaggy, I understand you think it's unoriginal to add the bowl slide, but it's the tone of your post that made me go "huh?"

By the way, I didn't mean you're ignorant in the dictionary sense. I meant it in the slang sense, as in "That was really ignorant." There were other words I thought about, but they came across as harsh (or against post rules), and without knowing you in person, I thought they be a bad decision.

So someone tell me why is it necessary for so many people to coddle HW? Is one slide going to hurt Splahin' Safari's bottom-line? Highly doubtful. SFKK just remodeled their waterpark last year, so I don't see where it would be out of line to add another slide.

I for one, am VERY happy that SFKK is getting ANYTHING, for I had already given up on them as far as 2008 additions go.

As for it being unoriginal, I'm sure this is all I'm going to hear from my friends this summer, but in the end, do you really think it will stop them from riding it? I don't think so...

Go to Google Earth, and try to find a space in Splashwater Kingdom to fit a mat racer slide, or giant speed slides. I don't see anywhere.......