Geauga Lake: Where have all the people gone?

Well, in all fairness, you are the demographic that the park wants to have. Obviously you'll spend more with your family than some 13-year old kid dropped off at the gate with a season pass.

The way I see it:

Would you have rathered they closed the place down, took their time and got everything perfect, then opened back up?

Closed seasons and downtime can kill a park. At least with the park open, they are getting the free publicity in the media, if thet get some nice crowds, that's a bonus, and hopefully they will get some money out of it.

It's no big surprise that this is simply a transition year. Cedar Fair got the deed to the park less than a month before opening, and STILL decided to honor an operating calendar that was already published by the former owner.

I would not be suprised if there was very little advertising or hoopla made about Geauga Lake this year. This year the park will just sort of exist, it will get to keep intact its years of continuous operation.

From what I have read, Cedar Fair is doing things right. They are getting the rides and attractions they feel confident they can safely operate open, and running them the Cedar Fair way. I have read reports that say they are running 2 trains with walk on conditions, reports saying that crews are getting trains loaded so fast they have to wait on the block system to clear.

I'm sure as the other attractions and rides pass muster, they will be added to the lineup. It seems like the park is doing the rehabs that normally would have taken place over the winter. It's like moving into a new house that needs some fixer-upper work before you can even move in the furniture and wall-hanings, to continue someone else's analogy

i've heard they don't expect to be fully ready till this summer. Be glad the kept the May 1 date, they could ahve easily said. "Hi, we're the new owners, and here is the new operating calendar, never mind that June 15 opening day"

Speaking of downtime... I recently learned that downtime at SFWoA was 20%. 20%! And Cedar Point gets stressed about 4%!

I didn't know that TTD was down for only 4% of the season last year?!! ;)

Seriously though, I've been to many of Cement Point's opening days and they are plagued by ride shut downs. I expect that to some degree. But for a chain that prides itself on operations, they are an overabundance of happenings.

Ironically, I was at Geauga Lake for the ribbon cutting...and all day. While I completely enjoyed myself, I had to laugh at all the delayed openings and downtimes that happened on the coasters/rides that were slated to be open. Granted they were short in nature, but they were constant interruptions all day.

Funny how they say/tell the media that only one ride will be closed(ABJ/PD), but then mysteriously it's announced that six rides will be closed that day.

But I'm happy the park is still here to enjoy. This year the park will be in a state of limbo because of the late aquisition. Next year will be the all telling year!!

Wood Coaster Fan Club - now accepting applications

I'm sorry... does someone seasonal with that many rides do it better? 4%... all rides, opening to closing day. That's pretty remarkable if you ask me. Probably would've been lower had it not been for Stop Still Dragster.

Thrillerman,

They are machines.....they do break down. You can do all the maintnance in the world on a ride, and you will still have some sort of problem.

So a few coasters open up late....big deal.

Just for the record, I noticed that height restrictions were raised on a few rides, in particular, Shipwreck Falls. Used to be that parents could take their >48" kids on as long as they were taller than 36". Now, it's a flat 48". My son (whose 46" and has ridden the ride many times in the past), was a bit upset that he couldn't ride one of his favorite rides. I believe they did the same with the rapids ride. Apparently, CF is enforcing stricter height codes. They did this with Jaguar at Knott's as well. Before CF, it was a lower height limit (as it should be for this mild ride). After CF, they raised it to a strict 48"! Sorry, but that seems a bit excessive for family style rides. Cedar Creek Mine Ride always seemed odd having a 48" height limit when most other parks with similar rides are way less. Just an observation from my visit... *** Edited 5/15/2004 12:48:40 AM UTC by Brother Dave***