Geauga Lake Monorail Closed Indefinately!

^None that i know of.
I thought the games at CLP were high this year. GL's have always been high.

Kennywood is priced unusually for its size, but Kennywood is in a very different market than most comparably-sized parks, too. If Kinzel thinks the economy in Cedar Point's market is bad, he should try running Kennywood sometimes. I lived there for seven years, and have been away for eight more. I know several people who bought houses nearly 10 years ago who are STILL facing the prospect of selling at a loss.

CMU's technology alley and Pitt Med's expansion have helped, but the place is still largely a town that used to have a lot of steel mills (or, as the locals say, stihlmills.)

I have heard rumors that the old Shark Attack slides will be moved to WWK next year, which will be much needed based on the length of lines for Thunder Falls and Liquid Lightning this year. Now that the water park is basically "done" for now, attention should be focused on the rides side.

They can't keep the rides side, in particular the 50's midway area, looking the way it has for yet another year. The area Thunder Falls used to be at is still a fenced off eyesore for the second year in a row and Hurricane Hannah's old location is a fenced off eyesore. At least when Hyde's was removed they planted grass.

While the park is in no need for a major attraction just yet, I don't see anything wrong with a few family flats added to the park. The much missed Musik Express and Tilt-a-Whirl come to mind but what's wrong with a Mack Sea Storm, Huss Breakdance/Rodeo, or a Huss Troika, even though CP has one?

I think the best improvement they've made this year, though minor, was the addition of the 3 Point Challenge game. It replaced the run down location of the former Huss Enterprise and has greatly livened up the area around Texas Twister.

X Factor, fan of Geauga Lake

I've got a bunch of things to say:

I don't know how many of you know this, but Geauga Lake, back in the 80's, was the most highly attended of the FUNTIME parks. GL averaged about 1 million guests per year. Six Flags OHIO brought in slightly over 2 million in it's firt season as their marketing plan stretched from Pittsburg to Indianapolis.
With that first season alone, the damage was done.(Due to bad customer service and you know the rest...)
SFWOA brought in around 1.5 million in 2001 (expecting 3 since Sea World would bring in about 1.5 million annually)

The numbers dropped from there.

Removing the animals hurt them yes, but I don't think it was a bad decision. They could have softened the blow with a petting zoo or something along those lines.

If GL gets more than 100,000 guests in this year than last, I can see another attraction for 2007

My wife and I have already been there 2 more times then last year, so that reads 4 more admissions from us, season pass or not.

Jeff. You are completely right. There is much better capacity in the waterpark now than there was in 2003/2004. However, there are actually less operating slides now. 70' speed slides and single-person body slides have given their way to higher capacity pools, a teen swim area and a better lazy river. Plus, they are more family freindly.

Ever notice that Holiday World does not have any "single-body-slides"? Everything there uses tubes and can accomodate 2 people (with the option for a single) on each slide. Jungle racer, though single person lanes, still can let 10 people go at a time.

The "Other" flat ride removed was the Enterprise (Silver Bullet). It was in such bad condition, the best thing to do was remove it. Personally, it would have been nice for GL to put a new ride in there sooner, instead of boarding up the hole and putting picnic tables in, but the 3-point Basketball game put in this year has done them well so far.

I haven't been near the boneyard lately, but there was a Music Express (in good condition) that was removed for the big slide complex in 2003.

I don't think a major thrill ride is the answer either, frankly, they have several thrill rides that have little or no lines or are just in bad shape. Hydes was the one in bad shape. Problem solved!
Superman, Mind Eraser, and Time Warp should just go.

Time warp just isn't fun, plus it's a Chance. Superman is really, really expensive to operate. It takes up a lot of power, and Mind Eraser just isn't a crowd pleaser anymore. I'd say send Superman to Wonderland and send Mind Eraser elsewhere. (Though I am a fan of Boomerangs) then sell Time Warp. (moving those coasters would take very little transportation and may find a better niche at some other parks, plus, Cedar Fair won't have to buy new)

X-Flight is very popular, and a high profile ride at the park, so they should keep her running.

As far as anything new, you don't need massive rides. A spinning coaster would be nice as well as a Tilt A Whirl and the Musik Express making a return. Perhaps a Trokia, too. Sort of a small ride package for everyone is what Im trying to say.

Did I rant?

KW is a park that depends primarily on the local (within a 1 hour drive) market. The reason: that road mess around Pittsburgh. Thus the thing they have to do to maximize revenue is to remain affordable for everyone to maximize attendance but to give those who can afford it a reason to spend more of their money while they are there (by offering good value on almost everything). They appear to have succeeded in doing this.

KW attracts people of various income levels and draws both the families with kids and the thrill seeking teens. They overcame the "teen hangout" problem by not offering season tickets, a policy that is quite unusual.

One of the things that allows the park to remain affordable without overcrowding the park is the dozens of "school picnics" that come to the park in May and June. As a result of this, KW is busy on mid-May through early-June weekdays when many parks are closed or else very quiet.

Most of the people in Pittsburgh that don't go to KW are those that don't go to amusement parks at all. Those people that go to other parks usually do so in addition to KW rather than in place of KW. Thus they might go to Idlewild with the young kids or to CP for big thrills, or to vacation destinations such as HP, BGE, or the Florida parks but KW generally stays in their plans as well.

This thread really isn't about Kennywood.

Actually, John, the removal of Silver Bullet was a Six Flags thing - gone mid-summer 2003. As for the remnants of Musik Express, it was last seen in the very back of the WWK lot (at least the spinning centerpiece was there). Not sure if they moved it over to the new boneyard on the rides side.

Removing Steel Venom, though it may be an expensive attraction to operate, has already become a landmark for the park. If they need to cut back on it just turn off the holding brake on the back spike like they did towards the end of last year. It takes away from the ride experience but I'd rather keep it here running than see it removed.

Though very popular, wouldn't X Flight be equally as expensive with all the computer gadgetry involved with the trains? I realize it's the only ride that separates GL from CP.

Head Spin could go to Michigan's Adventure though I have greatly enjoyed my rides on it the past couple of years.

X Factor

X-Flight seems to be many peoples favorite. It took second place in the online poll that was done last season as "favorite coaster". Plus it always has a line... even when things are dead in the park, people are going up to it. Guests are as excited when they get off of it as they were to get on.

Yes, it is a maintenance nightmare, yes, it is running below capacity, but it's really popular.

Venom seems to be losing it's luster, Head Spins has been gone. Too bad, of those three, I prefer the Boomerang. I would think a family spinning coaster would be a better choice to fill the Headspin lot.

Silver Bullet was in fact torn partially apart in 2003. Around July if Im not mistaken. Cedar Fair decided to pull the plug on it, though.

I miss the Huss Enterprise they had. I've got a ton of memories of that ride. Did 6F move it somewhere else or just mothball it?

I agree that Mind Eraser should just go. That thing hurts.

I didn't even notice last time i was there that the Musik Express was gone.

Ok... the park may not need a TON of new rides, or even a lot... but they certainly need to fill the void left by the waterpark & Mr. Hyde's Nasty Fall.

Mr Hyde's should be occupied by a new ride, plain & simple. The area feels quite empty there, and they should just put a decent flat ride or hell... relocate a ride there if deemed necessary. But the entire area there SHOULD be re-themed to the 50's a little heavier. Some buildings just seem faded and in need of a little TLC. It doesn't quite have that feel like New England's area.

Aside from that, the other area that needs work, of course, is the former waterpark location. But, The area by HeadSpin is weird... near the entrance, there's a SMALL gap that you have to squeeze to get by there to Steel Venom, which seems weird. I guess it's because of the waterpark area that was fenced off... it seems all too sloppy.

Some landscaping & a lot more greenery in the area is needed. I just hope the monorail is either moved, altered, or remains as-is... but doesn't leave the park forever. It's the only 'transportation' ride the park has (unless you want to call the tram ride between the Wolf Bobs & the waterpark side).

It could really use a train ride encircling the park park with stops at the waterpark and dry ride areas.

Financially, it would probably be way to expensive (considering that a long bridge would be needed on one side to avoid the public park) on a ROI perspective.

Still, every park really should have a train.

If *I* were in charge of the new-and-expanded CF, a few of the bigger rides might go....and be replaced with more waterpark....and more waterpark. By the time I was finished, GL would be the smallest rides remaining park in the chain (catch *that one, Great America), and would be the biggest waterpark in the chain, included in admission or otherwise...

Diversification of offerings... ;)

Gator...

Very, very smart thinking.

GL got too big, too fast under SF. IMO that park needs a lot less "big" rides and a more family oriented focus.

Honestly, If I was in charge... I'd ship virtually every coaster off to other parks scrapped the lessers. I'd institute a Holiday World-esque mentality of free soft drinks, parking, sunscreen etc.

Bill it as much more of a waterpark than an amusement park and level half of it.

The potential success with GL lies not in trying to draw outsiders. It lies with catering to the locals. And time has proven that locals LOVE waterparks first and foremost. Today's waterparks are esentially yesteryear's neighborhood pool.

Shaggy *** Edited 8/22/2006 2:26:42 PM UTC by Shaggy***

...and Canada's Wonderful-Land could use another *launch* coaster, and S:UE, under any name, would be a better invert than Top Gun (SLC), and a faster launch than the *uber-cool* Thunder Run...they COULD even use a floorless at PCW (man I love that park), or at virtually any of the other "older" CF parks...

Other rides would find also find new homes in the CF empire... ;)

I would LOVE to be able to sit in on some of the board-room meetings at CF, ride rotation/relocation would certainly become a hot topic for discussion... :)

You know, I think I could see Gator's theory pan out sooner than them adding new rides. Face it, Dawg, you haven't given a compelling business reason to add new rides aside from "filling voids" and using the word "should" in bold letters.

I know waterparks a big draw but I'm still not seeing the logic in GL becoming a waterpark-biased property. I think with a good blend of rides and water attractions, the park could be very successful but I don't see the upside to a loss of that balance. Waterparks (especially of the indoor variety) are popping up all over the place and while Wildwater Kingdom is probably necessary for GL to survive, the company putting all their eggs into that basket might not be the good idea it would have been a decade ago.

1997 was the time for a waterpark, back when they were relatively rare. Now that they're becoming more common, it's time to start thinking what will be relevant in 2017. Someone once told me, "Don't aim at a moving target, aim for the anticipated path of the target" and that seems to make a lot of sense in this case.

But Rob, water parks are rare here. We used to have several in the area, and I think GL might be the only one now. Heck, fewer and fewer towns have public pools unless they've recently rebuilt or added on to the local recreation center. Geauga Lake is the only game in town.

^ Not many waterpark-based properties have amusement rides....yet! ;)

Just makes sense to me since CF doesn't want GL to *cannibalize* their flagship park...doubt that CF would have even purchased it, save for the fact that SFI was virtually GIVING the park away...

As much as I love parks and rides, the business aspects of this hobby is JUST as fun to me....maybe moreso...

Now, how to turn myself invisible so I can get into these boardrooms... ;)

If it were primarily a waterpark, how profitable would that be as the season would be, at most, 3 months? The NE ohio weather is at best a crap shoot.
Perhaps the reason for the increased usage of GL's waterpark could partly be attributed to the closing of Dover Lake and the declining patronage of Pioneer waterland.

I'm not too familiar with the Cleveland/Akron market so I don't know how many are in that area but I do know that waterparks are a current industry trend. There are new waterparks opening all over the place, indoor waterpark resorts spreading across the country and even municipal pools adding waterpark-esque attractions. Maybe the waterpark trend hasn't hit GL's market but I can see it happening soon. I'm waiting for it to hit northern NJ!

The point I'm making is that building a waterpark is something to do now in order to yield results now. But what happens when the waterpark craze ends? What happens when there are a half dozen other waterparks within a 50 mile radius? Geauga Lake is in a unique position to make themselves more than an amusement park and more than a waterpark and I hope that Cedar Fair is wise enough to capitalize on that. Don't forget that the market used to support TWO parks that each saw between 1 and 1 1/2 million guests annually.