Any Michigan's Adventure news?

So, I guess I was off on the time frame. Color me surprised....

ApolloAndy said:

Unless they really feel like they could do better in the given market, but the few examples that I can think of of ride driven expansion (SFMM->the extreme park in 2001, SFO, GAdv's war on lines in the 90's) have failed miserably.

I tend to agree, but in fairness, the common crap factor in all those examples is turn-of-the-century Six Flags.

No way. Turn of the Century converted to Demon long before then.

*chortle*

ApolloAndy said:

Well, one of the biggest problem with the War on Lines campaign was that (for whatever reason - staff, maintenance, demand) about half of the rides ended up being down on any given visit. I had GAdv. as my home park from '02-'05 and probably made 20 visits a year and didn't see the Huss Jump run a single time. Evolution was notoriously unreliable as well and Chaos was down as much as it was up too.

No idea what happened to Chaos, but I have yet to go to either SFStL or SFGAm (4-5 visits each in the past 5 years) and see either Excalibur/Evolution or the Pendulum *not* running at their respective new parks. It smells like the problem is GAdv (my "home park" from park opening thru '84, and my most-visited SF park).

Mike Gallagher said:

So, I guess I was off on the time frame. Color me surprised....

No, you were dead on with your time frame (mid-late 90's). I was just remarking that for such a large capital investment, it quickly turned to crap and from what I've heard, may have even started off as crap.

Lord Gonchar said:

ApolloAndy said:

Unless they really feel like they could do better in the given market, but the few examples that I can think of of ride driven expansion (SFMM->the extreme park in 2001, SFO, GAdv's war on lines in the 90's) have failed miserably.

I tend to agree, but in fairness, the common crap factor in all those examples is turn-of-the-century Six Flags.

Perhaps because turn-of-the-century Six Flags was the only company dumb enough to try to rapidly expand a park by plunking down big rides. Q.E.D.

Mike Gallagher said:
Thank you Jackie..like I don't have ENOUGH trouble sleeping. Now I'll be thinking of the ETRC (El Toro Racing Coaster) all night.

It will be called something like Dos Toros Locos, and the final airtime hill in the back stretch will be facing its clone's airtime hill so it looks like "the bulls" are going to eject riders right into each other. Buzzers get free admission, free FOL access (no double rides but poaching allowed), and ERT every night.

My park will never last, but it will be super fun while it is there.

And now you won't sleep for a week. I'm sorry. Kinda. ;)

I thought you were my friend, bunky.

ApolloAndy said:

Mike Gallagher said:

So, I guess I was off on the time frame. Color me surprised....

No, you were dead on with your time frame (mid-late 90's). I was just remarking that for such a large capital investment, it quickly turned to crap and from what I've heard, may have even started off as crap.

I looked it up on www.greatadventurehistory.com

The War On Lines was in 1999 and 25 rides were installed. Most, if not all, were gone by around 2003.

Anybody else look at the park concept, and see "hotels" on there? Just saying.. :)

The War On Lines was in 1999 and 25 rides were installed. Most, if not all, were gone by around 2003.

Actually, most, if not all, were closed on a regular basis in 1999 as well. My vist to the park that year sucked. The only real highlight of that visit was getting one ride on Jumpin' Jack Flash, which was only open for a few hours that day. It was really fun.

Mike Gallagher said:
I thought you were my friend, bunky.

Aw...of course I am! Sleep is overrated.

Well, considering you posted something on another thread at a shade past 3am, you obviously know what you're talking about, Willis. :)

Please remember that when its comes to MiA its a park that is driven by the economy in west Michigan. This is not a destination park. Most people head to west Michigan to go to Lake Michigan.

MiA has always been a water park that just happens to have amusement rides. CF plays into the desire of the guests. The guests go there for the water park. I've rarely witnessed lines at any of the rides that rival the lines for the water attractions.

I will agree that the food prices are outlandish. I have no idea if they have meal deals for platinum pass holders (CP has outstanding deals this year). That being said, an amusement park is like a concert/sporting event venue in terms of prices for food and drink. I believe a guest should always be aware that they will be abused at the concession stand.

I never would have imagined a thread about Michigan's Adventure news to last 6 months and 14 pages. Especially when there's been absolutely no news for the entire duration.

Jeff said:

There is so much win in that post.

Timber-Rider: How much of a punching bag do you need to be before you get the whole thing about the park being a business?

I could care less about the success or failure or Cedar Fair. They only make huge amounts of money, because they charge their guests out the rear for visiting their parks. Like paying $20,00 for a Subway sandwich at Cedar Point, when you can go to any other Subway chain and get one for $5.00. But, I am not here to debate park finances. But, I do wish they would do a better job in putting their money where their minds are.

So, great Attendance doesn't make new rides needed eh? Well, I guess that means they should cancel building that new wing coaster at Cedar Point next year, as they are one of the most visited amusement parks in the world, their attendance is huge. Why? Because they DO add new rides on a regular basis. Where as MA has added only 5 rides in 12 years, and only 3 of them are worth mention. Go back and take away 12 years of rides from Cedar Point, and imagine what attendance would be like now. No Maverick No Wicked Twister, No Sky hawk, Windseeker, or Max Air. No Dino bore attraction, and no shoot the rapids. Just to name a few. Not to mention Cedar Points expansion of Soak City and Challenge Park.

My problem is, and has always been, they claim that MA is one of their most profitable parks, and it is because they do nothing with it, but raise prices, and put in up-charge attractions. The Jourdens had a fraction of what Cedar Fair makes, yet they had no problem expanding the park. They even had plans to build a hyper coaster before Cedar Fair took over. But, did Cedar Fair buid it? No! Because they want to nickle and dime it for every penny they can get, just as they did with Geauga lake, which was huge competition for them when it was ran by Six Flags. Only so they could dismantle it, and move the rides to it's other parks. Luckily Michigan's Adventure received something from that deal. They added nothing to Geauga Lake. I think maybe one water ride, and that was it. And they closed the Sea World side of the park, because they didn't have the vision or plans to improve it.

And, I don't care about being a punching bag. They are a business, a business that claims it looks out for it guests and provides top notch rides and entertainment, just ignore that park in Michigan. It doesn't matter to us because it's making money as it is. Yet, lets build a butload of new rides in attractions at our other parks, and give Michigan new preferred parking that they have to pay extra for. And, show the customers of Michigan's Adventure how much we appreciate their business by charging them more than we charged last year, and give them nothing new in return. That's a fantastic idea. They won't care that we aren't giving them anything to get excited about. And we don't care if they stop coming. We'll still be making huge amounts of money! Hurray! Go business!! go business!!

Anyways. Just a comment about another post. Michigan's Adventure has not always been a water park, that just happens to have rides. Michigan's Adventure has been around since the 70's, and became popular as an amusement park, long before the water park was added. If I am not mistaken Wildwater Adventure was not added to the park until the late 80's early 90's. A majority of which was built by the Jourden's, not Cedar Fair.

The Jourden's Should really be the ones to applaud for Michigan's Adventures success. Cedar Fair has made some nice improvements to the park. But, you would think with the huge amounts of money they are making with it, they would do more to make it that destination park that everyone here keeps mentioning. I do not understand why they don't try. They could make it a lot better, and they don't bother.

So. I am a punching bag. Let the swinging begin. I am only expressing my opinion of Cedar Fairs treatment of what could be a great park, if they at least cared enough to try. If I had their billions. I would.

Too long; didn't read.

Too wrong; didn't research.

I tried to keep it short Raven-Phile. But, you know sometimes you just have to say what's on your mind. Sorry about that. I'm sure I'll get more from bruises from my last post. But, like wooden roller coasters, I like it rough!! LOL!!

Vater said:

Too wrong; didn't research.

Point out parts of the post that are wrong. Do you have your pencil and score card ready? Just curious.