Freestyle announces themed areas and entertainment

Yeah, I'll give you that.

I still fail to see how these changes are making anyone excited about 2009 at the park. We'll see soon enough, I suppose.

But at $25M invested, they don't need excited. They just need "decent performer."

Perversely enough, the economic situation is helping---as the "redneck riviera" MB's image is that of a lower-cost summer destination. Less expensive than OBX to the north, or HHI to the south. Repositioning Freestyle as a value play might just work.

Agreed again and that's what I tried to touch on a few posts back with:

"They're scaling back...and it'll probably work. But that doesn't mean it's better or corrected. It means they're better prepared to handle the lack of interest and anger once people arrive to find just a handful of rides."

If the park couldn't draw before, it's not going to now. All they've done is buy some time. Like I said, we'll see. Maybe time is all the last guys needed.

It very well could hold on, but then we just have another low-cost, low interest park in a tourist trap area. Not at all appealing to me.

Okay hows this for a nutball thought:

Could Hard Rock come in a re-theame it after they realize there realy WAS an audiance for a park in the first place?

There is a "Coming Soon" description where Nights in White Satin is on the park map. Could that indicate that NIWS will reopen, or at least some kind of retheme is taking place on the dark ride?

To be fair and balanced, the next version should be a dark ride themed to "Just Say No". Can you imagine the "This Is Your Brain on Drugs" room?

I would also suspect that many of the show and theme changes are due to expensive licensing or perhaps they couldn't get permission.

Gonch: there is also the addition of a water play area being built in the kiddie section, so those 4 Zamperla rides will at least have something good to compliment them. Sure, that's not a huge deal, considering they are losing an air conditioned dark ride for the season, but I understand where you're coming from.

Maybe this "new" park will be good as well.

Another good thing they are doing: They seem to be marketing it more. (Notice the ad on Coasterbuzz?)