Posted | Contributed by Jeff
Jeff, Greg and Pat review this week's news in the amusement industry.
- Cedar Point's Tony Clark talks about the delayed opening of Maverick.
- Nickelodeon license will persist at Carowinds. It sure would be cool if they would license for the rest of the Cedar Fair parks as well.
- The Expoland accident was attributed to axles that were never replaced. Greg has been on the ride, and has no love for it.
- Gilroy Gardens may be sold to the city, which we're all for if it prevents "mixed use" development.
- Rye Playland goes smoke-free. Gonch the smoker is growing accustomed to the anti-smoking culture, and expects to last only to age 60.
- Disney profits up on resort revenue. The places on International Drive are apparently a dump, so why wouldn't you stay with the rat?
- Is Son of Beast going to be interesting at all when it re-opens?
- Viacom and its Paramount Pictures division wants to open a park in Korea. This is a growth opportunity in a new market, something the US parks could never be.
- Legoland project outside of Kansas City gets its day for public debate.
- Zingo comes down at Bell's. Still no fight, and nobody got sued. What's wrong with that picture?
- Playland is also offering some new food choices, going the healthier route. Believe it or not, eating right is a lifestyle. Jeff notes he's still not pleased about choices at Cedar Point.
- Renegade is getting rave reviews so far at Valleyfair, some even better than Thunderhead. Is the enthusiast audience fickle when they choose their favorites.
- Don't forget that the deadline is approaching for Chocolate Buzz. Register today!
Link: CoasterBuzz Podcast
Maybe I'm way off base here, but didn't I read somewhere that Kings Island had bought the old Gerstlauer trains that were in use on the Myrtle Beach Hurricane?
You asked for it Jeff, and now you got it, though I'm not even sure if this is what you were talking about:
http://www.valleyfair.com/_upload/hauntjaunt_rgb_300pix.jpg
<sarcasm> I'm a little disapointed you didn't ask Tony "Exactly whose fault is it?" Intamin, CF, that one company that does calculations? And then after that had been established, which PERSON at the firm was wrong. I'm an enthusiast, I need someone to blame. </sarcasm>
When in doubt, blame Intamin, Because the majority of the time you will be right.
I don't get how Maverick could be the sleeper hit of the season. The ride is either the most anticipated ride of the year or the second most anticipated (depending on where you rank it versus Griffon). The ride also cost 21 million dollars and is filled with cutting edge technology. I believe a sleeper hit of the season would be something more along the lines of Boardwalk Bullet at Kemah, Wicked at Lagoon or Flying Turns at Knoebels.
There's nothing remarkable about the technology on Maverick. It has all been used before. It's not tall, and it's not characteristic of a typical Cedar Point ride. No one outside of fans would expect it to be that cool.
6 G rolls are sorta remarkable. :)
^^ Its at Cedar Point, there is no way that any coaster there could be a "sleeper hit". That park is so hyped up its not even funny. Maverick = not a sleeper hit.