Ohio State Fair Midway 2008

For those of you that care about these things-

I was on a job at the Ohio Expo Center today and noticed they had marked out the lot for this years midway. Once again Amusements of America has the contract, and booked on pieces that have arrived so far seem to be Bates Bros. Here's what this years ride collection seems to be so far.

KMG Fireball, Mondial Heart Breaker (new this year), MTV Funhouse, Cave of Doom, Rock and Roll (Bertazzon Matterhorn?), Rock and Roll (Bertazzon Musik Express?), Power Surge (in past years these last three pieces have been brought in by Belle City Amusements), Mardi Gras, Rainbow Rock, Banzai, Zipper, YoYo (Bates), Crazy Mouse, Space Roller, Rock-o-Plane, Pharaoh's Fury, Tilt a Whirl, Wave Swinger, Inverter (Bates), Gravitron, Drop Tower (Belle City?), 3 different Scooters, Viper (this may be the new Wisdom remake of the Cobra), Cliff Hanger, Quasar, Avalanche coaster (formerly HW's Firecracker), and Giant Wheel. There may be more, there were some spots with trucks sitting on them, and some marked where I couldn't read the writing. (For instance, one space was marked either "Shake" or "Snake". The space looked way too small for it to be a Shake [rats!] so it's probably Snake.[reptile side show?])

All this is subject to change, of course, and there may be errors here on my part. I'll try to update this periodically as new pieces arrive. The Fair opens Wed. Jul 30 and runs through Sun. Aug 10. This is the big week for set up, but some pieces are still on the road from Delaware until a day or two before the Fair starts. Makes it tough on the inspectors.

Y'all come!

Sounds similar to what they has last year.

Yes, very similar, Jason Hammond. But when you've got Big A supplying the midway for the umpteenth year now, you'll have that. I noticed a few missing notables this year, too - Super Loops, Spin Out, Round Up, Tornado, Orbiter, Break Dance. Not to say that they won't show up, but these things tend to rotate through different units. Plus this year's midway has a slightly different layout and may be smaller. (due to price-o-gas? The travelling shows have to be dying out there.)

The Heart Breaker should be a highlight this year, I think. They hadn't taken possesion of it in time for last year's Ohio show, I think it made it's debut in Dallas.

I'm not complaining. I had fun last year. Not sure I'll make it this year only because of other things going on.

Gee, I hope they bring in an Orbitor and i wish Belle City would truck in their Sky Wheel. We were missing a Scrambler last year, i wonder if it wont be back this year either.

A of A sold theirs in 2002 or 03, and it just hasen't been the same.

If it's there again, the only thing Iwouldn't recomend is G-Force. For what sould have been a pretty simple design, it wasn't very comfortable.

I watched that G-Force thing last year and concluded it was about the stupidest ride concept I had ever seen...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Bring back the Skywheel, or else.....

We haven't seen a Sky Wheel in a few years. The one that traveled with Big A always sat in the massive Kiddieland on the other side of the grounds. I don't know who it sold to. I had a love/hate relationship with that ride. I miss it, but it always scared the crap outta me.

And yeah, Jason Hammond and RideMan, wasn't that G-Force the worst? I passed on it at the fair last year- when I watched it operate all I heard coming from the passengers was "ouch, ouch, ouch." But they had it set up outside at IAAPA last year so I tried it then. Ouch, ouch, ouch. It belongs to Bates, natch, having been built by A.R.M. and I suspect it's still one of a kind. It was originally conceptualized as a "roller coaster/drop tower hybrid." Check this out-

http://www.armrides.com/Concepts/

Looks a lot different (and better maybe?) than what finally came to pass, doesn't it? The good news is I don't see it marked out anywhere on the midway yet.

Nor do I see a Scrambler anywhere, john peck. Sorry.

For me it had a lot to do with how rough the transitions from vertical to horizontal were. If it were smoother, maybe the ride cycle would have lasted a little longer too.

Was there more than one of these? They had one set up at the IX indoor amusement park earlier this year as well. I didn't go, so don't have any pictures for comparison, but I remembered seeing it in some ads for the park.

Ah, remembering the days when Floyd Gooding had the midway contract. Now there was a classy show.

I rode that G-Force 2 or 3 times last year, neither ride ever appeared to be any fun.

Shame. The single-trailer and simple concept could have been executed so much better.

^^^No, it's the same one, and the only one, owned by Bates Bros.

Add to the list- Bumper Boats, Persian Fun House, and I lied about the Tornado not being there. They are setting up at least two, maybe even three.

I remember Gooding's show as being good, too, Dutchman. It's where we got to ride a Turbo every summer of our lives.

Not to mention Floyd's pride and joy, the big 96 key Ruth und Sohn band organ.

Hey Brad! What has been up with you? Nice profile picture...I wonder who took it? :oP You going to the fair this year?

It's quite a different midway than last year.

No G-Force (which was awesome in my opinion), Flying Bobs, Spin Out, and no Super Loops (Ring of Fire).

Added Rock-O-Plane, Pharoah's Fury, Tornado, Heart Breaker, Quasar (It looks like it would give the same ride as the Flying Bobs would.), Zipper, Yo-Yo, Viper, and the Inverter.

It seems quite different to me.

This ride reminds of the Chance Chaos, and is it going to have problems like X? http://youtube.com/watch?v=4B46MlTLKb4&feature=related

I would say that's more like a cross between a 1001 Nacht and a Top Scan.

The Flying Bobs action will be covered with Belle City's Rock and Roll. (Their Rock and Roll Musik Express is one of the best I've ever ridden- super fast! I hope it shows up, too)

Quasar is more like a really fast Trabant with swinging cars. Once it gets going the cars don't have a lot of swing to them. Dancing Fly is a better model of a similar ride.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnhyIciRo_8

There was a YoYo last year, but someone elses. The one there this year is still trailered, but it looks really nice- pink, yellow and green. It may be a new piece for Bates, or a reconditioned one. (They own at least two that I've seen).

This is the Heart Breaker that we will be getting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqHJiVIEvKY

It's a small 1 trailer ride, unusual for Mondial. (Best to describe it as a slanted Miami that flips.) The Mondial rep at IAAPA told me he wished they had designed it a little bigger with a larger back flash. Apparently the ride's low visibility keeps it from doing better business, especially in Europe where the spectacular flat ride is king. I think it looks like a blast, and like most Mondial rides, the action is random.

Someone wants me to inquire about the Reverchon Explorer they had a couple years ago, under the name "Hang Ten"?

Hi Matt! ;)

Yeah I remember that. Think Quasar. Like, identical. Same lift mechanism, similar cars and ride experience.