Explain Michigan's Adventure.

From what I gather, this park is pretty small. So, why did CF decide to purchase this park? Does it have alot of land to expand on? From the pics I see of Shivering Timbers, it appears that their is alot of land just to left of it.

Did CF see this as an opportunity to get into the Michigan market considering that the other big park chains dont have a hold on this state? (SF, Paramount, etc)

What other parks would you compare to the size of this park? I am assuming that this is the smallest CF park in its current chain.

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Arena football has arrived in the Windy City. Go "Chicago Rush"

It's small but not small. It's about the size of Astroworld but maybe a little smaller. But I think it just looks smaller than it actually is. I don't know for sure. I think that how they used the space makes it look smaller.

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Yes, the rumors are true. I am currently bulding a record breaking backyard roller coaster.

Cedar Fair purchased the park because it MAKES MONEY! Yes it is the smallest park in the chain, and yes they have plenty of room to expand.

The best thing that happened to this park was being purchased by CF. The park before was a mess. Dont get me wrong, it was what it was, as small family run operation without a lot of financial backing behind it. Now it will become a real park over the next few years. It was amazing to see what was done the first year of the transition. I cant wait to see what happens a few years down the road. This little park in SW Michigan will be given a chance to shine.

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Why?

The park was available, in a market that CF has been trying to expand in since the 1970's . There was no way they were going to pass up acquiring this property.There is huge potential in this park.

If you notice... the park is in a good location to attract those in Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois. The park is the smallest of the bunch, but it was a profitmaker even before Cedar Fair took it over, and if I recall, Roger Jourden wanted someone who could help the park grow and shared similar philosophies on how a park should be run. That someone turned out to be Cedar Fair and (thankfully) not someone else like Six Flags. I wouldn't have objected either if the owners of Holiday World bought the park either (just think... free soft drinks and more world class rides similar to Raven and Legend).

There's a lot more room to expand at MA than at CP, and there is resort potential that unfortunately the Jourden's clout couldn't bring in.

I can't wait to see the park in 10 years. It may look small, but I agree with one eyed soldier in that it's how they used the land (as well as its layout) makes the park seem smaller (there are definately parks with less rides). When I worked there, it took me 3 minutes to get from my ride (usually either Logger's Run, Timbers, or Mad Mouse) to my employee break area, versus 5 when I worked at Cedar Point.

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Cedar Fair Junkie... I mean... ex-seasonal employee for their ride operations departments at CP and MA

I've got a very easy description of size for Chitown. I'm going to compare MIA to a part of SFGA. lets say that the midway that goes through hometown square and up into County Fair is one side of MIA. then the actual boundry of SFGA on the side by Orleans Place, Yankee Harbor and County Fair would probably be the other boundry for MIA. as for length, I'd say that its about the length of SFGA (not including the parking lot and SW's old home). the only problem with these dimensions is that not all of that land is developed. ST runs almost the entire length of the park, but absolutly nothing is next to is.

Imagine Eagle with about 400 more feet of track in each direction running down the middle of SFGA. Now imagine that Yankee Harbor and County Fair are non-existant. there's MIA.

there's a lot of potential for it. without even adding a new midway, the park could put in a new coaster, but a new midway will be required for any serious expansion.

btw, CAG, there's no way that MIA can be considered SW MI. try central western MI.

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-Bob (formerly Coaster Jedi)
anger is a gift

It's just Western Michigan.

Anyway the potential for the park is huge. It is loacated in the Midwest Riviera. There is a reason that tourism is Michigan's Biggest industry. People flock in droves to Silver Lake, Traverse City and the like and MIA is located in that area.

If marketed correctly and just a few things are added I coudl see MIA as a huge stop in many peoples vacation trips.

I am 3 hours from MIA, 1 1/2 from CP and live in Michigan and I took the drive twice. The park is small but the future potential is huge.

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It's like a Whirlwind inside of my head!

In a way MA could be considered SW MI, ya know there is an upper peninsula. But it really is more central western. MI is a great clean park with tons of potential like has been said, they own 250 acres (2nd or 3rd largest park in the chain I believe) with much farmland around it if they wanted or needed more land.

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"Scream early because once you reach 420 feet, no one will hear you!"-TOP THRILL DRAGSTER

Cedar Point RCT2 recreation-coming soon

Other than what everyone else did a great job of summing up...simply because they didn't want Six Flags to get it. SF and CF gave the Jourdens figures roughly around the same time, you know.

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Kara (car-uh)
Magnum Crew '03
1024 Laps on Timbers
621 in '02

Kara, are you kidding? MiA a SIX FLAGS park? Timbers would probably be the "Mind Eraser" and we'd already have a "Superman" ride!! lol ;)

MiA is a fun little hometown park, and basically everyone else did a great job explaining it. Besides, my ST is there, and you can forget ST... :)

Hope you get a chance to visit in '03, even though we're not getting anything major.

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Guess who's back... MIA JON!
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NOW FEATURING CEDAR POINT MOLE and LEAST COMMON ENTRIES CONTEST!

Six Flags wanted it. Cedar Fair obviously didn't want the Flags messing around in the Detroit market. Kinzel has been kicking himself ever since Premier Parks bought Funtime, and consequently Geauga Lake, and now SFWoA. They likely didn't want another one up in the north.

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Please visit the small parks. We don't know what's happening behind the scenes
Woodencoaster.com

Actually, we call it West Michigan.

Cedar Point has always drawn well from Michigan, and I think they figured brand recognition would help sales. And they have to keep growing; it's the American way.

The park that reminds me most size wise to MiA is probably Martin's Fantasy Island for the amusement park part.

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Without the chaindog, you'd never get up the lifthill...

Yeah...In the 70's CF wanted to buy land approx 6 miles for where I currently live, but it got voted down. I found this out last year, and boy was I mad. Imagine how great of a park it could have been by now if it was started then. Grrrr.

Ah yes, the Irish Hills park. Concieved during the oil crisis of the early 1970's it was to be CP's way of maintaining their hold on the Michigan market.They had artist's renderings and plans of the proposed park which they pitched to the media. It was in essence a smaller version of what Cedar Point was in those days. But the NIMBY's killed it before anything other than some preliminary land purchases were made. It wasn't pursued further as the oil crisis faded.

Would have been fun. 20 miles from me, same county even. Racetracks and Roller Coasters (another MIA plus)right beside each other, what could be greater.

Six Flags also bought land in Dundee at abou the same time for the same thing. Last I knew they stilled owned the land.

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It's like a Whirlwind inside of my head!

Even Disney looked in Michigan for a possible amusement park. Now that CF owns Michigan's Adventure, I do not see SF pursuing anything if they still own the land.

It's nice having two CF parks within 3 hours of where I live.

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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead
http://www.webtechnik.com/ebony/CPLady.htm

Whoa, Disney looked in MI? Where? When? That would have been awsome to have disney and the CF park both here!

Does anyone have any artwork, plans, or info on what rides were supposed to be in the proposed Cedar Fair park?

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"Scream early because once you reach 420 feet, no one will hear you!"-TOP THRILL DRAGSTER

Cedar Point RCT2 recreation-http://games.coasterbuzz.com/filedetail.aspx?GameFileID=2302

Everyone looked in MI for land to make coasters.

As for the CF park, last I knew it was to be historically themed? Am I right? Look in the CP History Book...

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Guess who's back... MIA JON!
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The Po!nt Forums - http://www.thepointol.com/~thepointforums
NOW FEATURING CEDAR POINT MOLE and LEAST COMMON ENTRIES CONTEST!

Disney looked in the mid to late 70's. It was also near the Irish Hills area.

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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead
http://www.webtechnik.com/ebony/CPLady.htm

I've seen an interesting theory regarding Cedar Fair's proposed Irish Hills area park...

The fact that the park never got built could be the reason that Cedar Point got Gemini. It would also explain why Gemini has five storage tracks and a space for a sixth, a configuration which is excessive for six-train operation, but which would make sense if, as the only major coaster in a park, the ride were equipped with two spare trains...

It initially sounds crazy, but with a little more thought isn't so far-fetched. Consider a related issue: in 1992 (or was it 1991), Cedar Point and Dorney Park opened nearly identical Arrow Shoot-The-Chute rides. They were the first rides of their kind to be built in a Figure-8 configuration. The rumor was that Cedar Point was to get both rides, constructed with facing drop-chutes...and when the Dorney Park sale went through, half of the ride was diverted to Dorney instead of Cedar Point.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.