Ohio State Fair Midway 2008

That Rock and Roll Flying Bobs ride is boring. The cars don't swing out that much because they are heavier than the Chance's or Herschell rides. I was at the Ohio State Fair last year, and they didn't have a Yo-Yo.

I'm positive because that's one of my favorite flat rides (number 4). The only way they would have had it is if they took a ride away later in the festival to replace it. Were was this Yo-Yo located in which you are saying (as in next to some ride-Avalanche, Crazy Mouse, Gravitron, 1001 Nachts, Rock N Roll Himilaya, and so on)?

The Rock and Roll Himilaya on the other hand I thought it was as good as a Revechron Himilaya which I don't think as great, but still enjoyable unlike the Flying Bobs one.

I even went in the kids section to try out the Catepillar, and the Silver Streak. The Catepillar is not a bad ride, and no I didn't go on it just for a credit. I thought it might be good, and it was pretty good. It wasn't great, but I would ride it again for fun.

^Maybe I'm thinking year before, it's entirely possible. But the YoYo I have in mind was on the back stretch of the midway, toward the south end. Near Banzai. I don't remember who owned it, but it had a slight re-theme (paint job) and was named Flying Trapeze. It was there the entire run, but may have gotten a late start- for some reason the inspectors didn't like it. It seemed kind of old. You should see the one Bates brought this year. It's bee-yoo-tee-full.

By Catepillar do you mean the Wacky Worm? I rode it too. (We also rode the one at Lake Winnie for credit!) Silver Streak's just awful. This year there's a similar kid's Himalaya called Lady Bugs. It's also made by Wisdom. The Kiddie land has a nice Eli Hy-5 wheel set up.

Yeah, I guess it was called the Wacky Worm. That Spin Out they had last year was going upside down 7 times. The one at Wisconsin goes 5 times, and the one closer to me only goes 4 times.

They supposedly sold that Spin Out. That guy was a real jerk last year at the Spin Out ride anyway.

Yeah, I am pretty sure the Spin Out got sold, I know Amusements of America have been wanting to get rid of it for some time. Guess they got their wish. I think the Avalanche Coaster is currently up for sale as well.

The Yo Yo was there in 2006, and not in 2007.

Belle city really should bring their SkyWheel up here.

The Hang 10 was a Reverchon "Explorer". The Quasar is a knock-off of the same ride, but is built by ARM.

A of A sure has dumped a lot of rides lately.... They had a Quasar not many years ago as well as the Hully Gully, a Bayern Curve, a Spider, 2 Scramblers, a Sky Wheel, Spin Out, a Paratrooper and so many more they sold or stopped carrying.

Another ride I thought was a good pice was the Log Flume back in 04 or 05.. but some kids got a little banged up on it and it hasen't been back since.

Are you sure the Inverter is not really a "full Tilt"? I thought Bates Converted theirs.

I thought for sure we'd see a Full Tilt this year. I rode it at IAAPA and it was ok- not as much tilt as one might expect, though. This ride is definitely an Inverter, it's already up. But now that you mention it, Bates' ride was green and purple and this one is yellow and pink. I'll try to double check it tomorrow.

Avalanche is for sale, I'm surprised to see it this year. And you're right, John Peck about some of those old rides. But to tell the truth, they were starting to look really old and worn out. Anymore they try to bring only the nicest looking rides to Ohio. Another good example is the Flying Bobs they used to bring. It was a real POS.

I wonder than what does Amusements of America really own? I don't think that Drop Tower is Bluegrass Shows. They have a tower, but that's a Big Ben on there website unless they bought a different. That one they had last year was the Fabbri Jungle Drop (Drop Zone).

Space Roller is Baxter. You are saying that a lot of the rides are Bates. Fireball is Wade's. Is the Giant Wheel Wade's, or AoA? I wonder if the Zipper is Wade (Is it painted green?). You said the Rock and Roll, Inverter, and Yo-Yo are Bates. Blue Grass Shows brings in the Power Surge. The Quasar can't be AoA.

That so stinks that the Viper won't be going to Wisconsin this year. I wanted to try that thing.

The tower that's been at OHSF for the last few years is owned by Belle City.

Power Surge is also Belle City, per the logos on the ride's fencing. I believe the new Heartbreaker is also a Baxter piece.

Last year they also had Baxter's Wave Swinger in the spot usually occupied by AOA's. It's a greenish color, rather than AOA's which is the usual yellow shades.

The Spinout isn't much of a loss IMO, it was always broken down when I saw it anyway. Looked nice and has that wow factor from the way it runs, but was mechanically a piece of crap.

*** Edited 7/25/2008 4:58:09 AM UTC by pkidelirium***

Big A has improved their midway with the addition of Baxter's spectaculars. It's an association by marriage, I believe she married one of the Vivona's.

Although the Power Surge hasn't arrived yet, pkidelirium is right, in the past it's been Belle City's.

The Giant Wheel is AofA's. They also own the coasters and some back end pieces.

I looked all over the Inverter to find a name, and nothing. Not on the ticket sign, the trailer, the mudflaps-nothing. I'll try to ask someone as opening gets nearer.

The Rock and Roll is Belle City's. So is the drop tower.

The only thing I ride at the fair is horses. If I am ever at the fair it's only because I'm either showing my own horses or riding someone else's.

I can't even remember the last time I actually dished out $$ to ride the rides there. When my kids were younger I always used to buy them one of those ride all day bracelets.

I personally miss all the freak shows they used to have years ago. Now you have to find your own freaks walking around ;)

Jo
Lifetime Raptor flights: 1354 :)

They had the worlds smallest woman there last year.

And Zambora the Gorilla Girl.

My all time favorite, though, is Zola the Depraved. The banners show an exotic woman wrestling (and losing most of her clothes to) giant serpents. When you go in you find a carny woman sitting in a metal folding chair in the middle of a sawdust ring. She has on jean shorts and a halter top. She's reading a romance novel while a few garter snakes lay around on the floor, kind of near her slutty platform shoes.

Then, if you're lucky like I was, shift change occurs, and another carny woman (Zola II, I guess) comes in wearing a similar outfit, tells Zola I she can leave now, sits down and cracks open her own book. Fortunately the tenseness of the situation eases- none of the snakes seem to notice and both young ladies are safe.

I just picked up my midway ride band at Kroger today. If you purchase it BEFORE the fair starts, you pay $17 instead of the regular $20 price. I also purchased front gate tickets too at a discount at Kroger.

Not sure what other places offer these discounts.

I spoke today with the couple that operates the Viper. It's an absolutely beautiful ride, lights everywhere. They told me it was brand new, first time set up, and was No. 4 built by the company. (Wisdom) Next they go to Minnesota.

I watched it operate through a couple of cycles- it's fast but the cars don't have much swing. They stay pretty much in the upright position. (those that remember the Cobra know how far out they swung- they almost stuck straight out and the force was enough to pull your shoes off.)

The drop tower, Rock and Roll Himalaya, Space Roller, and a Tip Top (Bates) are being set up today. The Bumper Boats were finished yesterday. They look kinda cute, but are also a little hard to see as they must, of course, sit in an above ground pool. Still waiting for the Heartbreaker to arrive.

^John Peck, Krogers is (as I'm sure you know) a major Fair sponsor, and I think they are the only place you can by advance discount tickets. I'm lucky, as a vendor and exhibitor I have a 12 day ticket and on grounds parking. (Not cheap, but great to have! Especially on crowded weekends)

I went to the iona free fair this year, which usually has a good selection of rides, but, this years midway kind of sucked. They had every ride that they had last year minus about 10 thrill rides, including the cool log flume they had the last 3 years not being brought in. No enterprise, no flying bobs, no topspin. Last year they had some good ones, but this year lacked any major thrills.

The only thrill rides they had, were the zipper, the superloop, freakout, crazydance, orbiter, and the hymalaya, which was actually kind of slow and boring. Made me wish I could step back in time to the 1970's when they had really cool rides. Like the Sky Diver, Cobra, and the Saturn Six.

I also go to the allegan county fair, which usually has some cool rides. Last year they had a space drop, which is a carnival version of like power tower, you shoot up the tower then drop twice! That ride is awesome! Better than the other carnival drop ride.

Cool, a Tip Top. I haven't seen Bates' TT in about a decade, I thought they got rid of it. But still no sign of an Orbitor or Scrambler, huh?

^No, sorry. There's only one empty space, and it was marked Cave of Doom, which wound up on the other side of the midway. (The stretch along the back side of the Celeste Center that was mainly games and food is now a lot of back end pieces- fun houses and the like.) So maybe another dark ride will show up for that spot.

And Timber-Rider, sorry about the lack-o-thrills at Ionia, but I believe it may be a trend. With transportation being what it is, it's harder to affordably bring in a lot of large rides. Which is why I think we're seeing a lot of Bates at the Ohio show this year- they are relatively closer, and their equipment is good.

An independent midway is where you see the most spectacular pieces. I would encourage you to try Florida State Fair or Minnesota State Fair for the best midways. (and Minnesota has, hands down, the best food ever!)

I wonder if the Rock N Roll that comes to Ohio is being sold: http://www.italintl.com/detail_page.php?record_id=503

They say that it's a state fair quality ride. That's good that there are multiple Viper rides so maybe one will be still be at the Wisconsin State Fair.

If you read the youtube video about the Wisdom Viper, they say that it doesn't swing out because they kept on breaking some part because of too much stress. It's in the comments: http://youtube.com/watch?v=5pimGRXIxS4

The one time I could have gotten on a Cobra it was broke, but someone said that it's very similar to a Wisdom Sizzler, but in the air. So, it doesn't sound that great if that's it.

^ Spinout, your Murphy Bros. N Dak Fair list you posted in your other thread lists Viper as a new ride. Perhaps you'll get lucky and they'll bring the same pieces to your fair.

Cobra wasn't like a Sizzler, as the sweeps and main boom rotated in the same direction. There were very strong forces on the outside of the sweep. I remember it made me very dizzy.

I would say a Cobra acts like a double-sweep Paratrooper with center beam or a little like a Trokia.

Cobras are just good fun, but I haven't been on one since 1985, and I was 11 then.

Just to be clear about this...

Cobra:Paratrooper::Scat:Round-Up

Furthermore, from what I saw today...

Viper:Cobra::Re-Weld:Orbiter

Viper was down all day, but it looked to me like Vic Wisdom and Co. had taken a classic ride concept and figured out how to spoil it.

Half the Kiddieland was Bates, I am less sure of the main midway. It would be great to have an independent midway at the Ohio State Fair, but it will never happen. Ohio is a P-O-P state, and the Ohio fair learned the hard way that if they don't offer POP, nobody rides the rides. Well, there are a lot of operators out there who misbelieve that they can't make money with POP, so as long as Ohio is POP, the Fair is gonna have a contracted midway.

With any luck, I'll post a photo gallery Real Soon Now; watch this space for the URL.

--Dave Althoff, Jr. *** Edited 8/4/2008 8:35:03 PM UTC by RideMan***