This was a no brainer...even if it doesn't make money for a year or two.
Especially since they got the park cheap (relative to the expenditures SF put into the place). They have time to consider which direction to go. If GL falls apart on them they certainly have a source of nice rides for their other parks.
From talking to Bill it sure sounds like he wants to keep the closed section of the park and do something with it.
I know I've already to talked to a few peoople about this, but I believe if you mix a little KBF, Kennywood, and BGW together...that's what GL needs. I'll explain:
Take some of the "Unique" shows from KBF and bring them to GL (mystery lodge style.) You can use the penguin or shark building. Ohioans are DYING for good shows. SOooo many people pack into shows at CP and PKI and love these shows. I can't help but thinking that most Ohio shows at their best are "B" quality. Take the "A+" quality of BGW and bring over some great shows after fixing up the stadims to use them (Bill has said he likes those stadiums.) Ohio has A LOT of singing schools, so with a little time now, GL should be able to hold some good auditions.
Take the feel of Kennywood, KBF, and BGW and place it at GL. If you want to ride rides, you can. If you want to relax with a big cotton candy on a quiet bench you can. That part IMO left GL when they closed down the Animals. If you wanted the rides you could, and if you wanted to go into a beautiful section of the park that was VERY nicely lanscapped you could and watch some shows.
GL can be unique in that you can go and don't have to feel that you have to sprint to every coaster (ie CP, PKI, etc.) I'm not saying that everyone does that. But GL is mostly rides now...and a 1/2 opened waterpark.
GL took away all the shade, small creeks, hidden paths. Something Kennywood, and BGW both have. To me that made SFWOA unique from all the other "HUGE paved midway parks."
Bring back some nightlife. ADD ride lights (seems like a no brainer) GL has SOooo many coasters that would look AWESOME with tracers, accents, etc. Have them reflect off the lake. That's a memory people will remember. Add a night show like Disney MGM or the Old Sea World with water spraying and projections, and some fireworks. Add a parade. PKI is the first park in a long time to add a parade in Ohio this year.
USE the shark attack building to make one awesome dark ride. The building IMO is ideal, everything from the que, to loading, unloading, ride layout. VERY easy to come up with a unique creative dark ride. On top of that there people still talk about how they wish CP still had their dark rides. I personally feel that people want to have a dark ride. I usually tell them to go over to Kennywood, or down to PKI.
There are SOooo many things that GL can put over in the old animals side that doesn't have to be rides, yet can be WORLD class, AND create a classic park feel.
*** Edited 8/4/2004 2:28:24 PM UTC by RollerCoasterGod***
Before, you could spend a whole day at the park. Half of it riding the rides and the other half watching the shows, going to the shark and peguin (if you like the smell of fish) exibits. And if there was time remaining, catch some night rides and watch the fireworks.
Now, you can get everything done in about 5 hours or less. The waterski show is nothing to brag about and the ski jump show in Power City could be better if they had more room.
As far as rides being removed and moved to other CF parks. It wouldn't surprise me that they would try it, but it would a bad move if they did.
All in all, the jury is still out there for GL, but the next couple of years will be the "make-it-or-break-it" for the park. *** Edited 8/4/2004 4:40:45 PM UTC by JR Villain***
The real question is whether the market is a limited resource that is unable to support 2 megaparks or if the market is ever expandable to support both without affecting the bottom line of the other.
I still think that for GL to make it long term it needs to be significantly cheaper and less crowded than CP. Given the choice, the majority of park goers will always choose CP. Seems like a silly strategy to go head-to-head with CP at what they do best (build coasters). They are the king of coaster parks and the GP knows this. This is a rightful perception that cannot and will not be easily changed.
This juvenile moment (Part 2) brought to you by Cialis ... well not really, geez I hope not really, I mean ... oh never mind.
Real post:
RCG, excellent ideas. I do think that especially the area near My Hyde and by the Ferris wheel could use some work to become sort of the "escape" part of the park. It's rarely used (that I know of) and it definitely has a parking lot feel to it. I think that's the first area to start with the jackhammers, topsoil and some shrubbry (and maybe a knight who says Ni).
I do think that moving one of the larger coasters, while probably totally uneconomical, would go a long way towards the feel they want. Either X-Flight or Dominator should be someplace else. That might even let them drop the entrance price which I know has been one of the major factors in me not bringing too many friends along this year.
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