CoasterBuzz Podcast #73 posted
Posted
Jeff, Mike and Pat review this week's news in the amusement industry.
- Conneaut Lake is trying to raise money with commemorative coins. They're a long way off thus far.
- Entering a low zone while a ride is operating seems like a bad idea, so why does someone die this way every year or two?
- Epcot restaurants are getting a makeover. We realize now that much of that side of the park had not been updated in decades.
- What do you do when your property tax begins to overwhelm your existing business?
- Detroit waterfront gets a carousel, it still scares Jeff.
- Universal Studios Dubai announced. Dubai is becoming the Caribbean for Europe.
- Wild West World opens, and we're betting it will be successful.
- Kennywood expands its portfolio with another kid-centric property. Gonch likes Fred Rogers.
- Dick Kinzel and the state of Cedar Fair. Is he a bit too focused on Cedar Point? Also: Geauga Lake's future, Ohio park differentiation, and the Nickelodeon license.
- Disney cuts smoking in the resorts on their own, sans legislation. We like that.
- Expoland in Japan has a fatal accident as an axle fails on stand-up coaster.
- PointBuzz has coverage of Maverick's media day on Thursday.
- Don't forget that the deadline is approaching for Chocolate Buzz. Register today!
Link: CoasterBuzz Podcast
I was a senior in high school when Mean Streak opened. I don't recall opening day specifically, but when we went for Physics Day, the pre-opening line stretched to the Stockade (near the Gemini railroad crossing). And I'm not sure it was necessarily Physics Day related.
The Today show report you're remembering was mid-season 1992 and the reporter was Andy Pargh. I have it on tape somewhere. If I find it, I'll throw it up on YouTube.
Wow, those numbers have changed a lot. Cleveland actually went up, which I don't understand if the area is bleeding people. Detroit used to be around 6 I think, which shows just how bad off that city is.
Jeff, Pioneer Waterland in Chardon is the closest, still-operating, waterpark to Geauga Lake's WWK.
With lackluster food, $9 parking, and poor marketing, I think that GL is their own enemy sometimes.
Some family-oriented ideas I have for GL, besides marketing the waterpark as the family destination in NE Ohio, would be...
- adding a large, gated & covered picnic area where X-Flight and Steel Venom were...still no food allowed in, but at least you can picnic in a large setting just outside the gates
- turning the 50s area into a variety of new food establishments with more options including a buffet and more open-style grille eateries like WWK's Big Daddy's BBQ
- adding something on a smaller scale as simple as bumper boats
- Customer surveys and possibly sampling of new park offerings .... similar to what Hersheypark does at their exit
- lowering parking to $5.00
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