SFWOA Hyper: Fact or Fiction?
Well I think it will be built,why would they bother with the site plan application for a hyper if they aren't going to build it this coming year.
For example SFA took 2002 off and as a result in 01 never bothered filing an application for construction permits because nothing was being added to the park for 02.
So if SFWOA went through the trouble of getting permission to build the coaster,which as we all know they tried & failed at it last year then the least they can do is build it.
I may eat my words here...... but I don't think (or hope) it's going to happen next season. I expect given the grave concerns over that park's horrid revenue problems, it is not in their best interest.
CP is obviously doing something coaster-wise, and they always do things big. SFWOA who self admittedly falls into the shadow of CP, would be silly to try and *match* them.
Enthusiasts should all know by now that SF makes ridiculous last minute ride decisions and installations. I know (via an anonymous source) of ride parts that have arrived at unspecified SF parks, with the park knowing nothing about it. As well as planned rides being cancelled at the last minute and transferred to other parks in the chain leaving the intended park high and dry.
That is the lack of focus that SF operates with. Planning stinks and is virtually non-existant and is void of real direction. Hence the continued late construction starts, delayed ride openings and parks going virtually unfulfilled for years.
In the specific case of WOA, a height variance was indeed granted for a coaster. However, the park was not named as a property slated to receive a large capitol expenditure in 2003... so far. SFWOA is a bottomless pit. The chain has sunk more money into that park in the last 3 years than can be imagined.... all for what? A year of attendance tolls that are embarassing.
So, IMO, it would be more prudent (wise) for the park to hold off on a coaster addition. They should focus all attention on what makes the park unique... the wildlife side. That is what the park's niche HAS to be. PKI found theirs with kids and families, CP with thrillseekers, so it seems only natural that SF would focus on something the other Ohio parks cant offer.
They should protect themselves from another embarassing year by focusing their budget allotment on discounts and marketing to as many areas as they can. They should try and get their names in the papers as much as possible pushing the animal aspect. By the way, is it just me or does anyone else remember a few years back all the press that SW got when the Killer Wale gave birth at the park in front of an audience? It was all over the place..... news, radio, papers, magazines, tv shows... and people went out of their way to go see the new baby wale. I hardly recall ever seeing or hearing that amount of attention for any new hyper.
Bottom line, a re-focus would be a wise move.... but then again we are talking SF. Thus this post totally ends up as an oxymoron.
Shaggy
-----------------
Shaggy
R.I.P. Maestro
Phantom Theater 1992-2002
I like the name of this topic. It reminds me of the TV show.
I can see the star trek guy now telling us about the coaster and how the park got the planning approved. but it was never built. "Is this twisted tale of a coaster that vanished from the minds of parkgoers after almost being announced based in truth...or are our writers just -twisting-your leg?"
Okay, I'm done. Time to be serious now. I think that we will see the ride announced very soon. It was probibly bought and paid for already because it has been in the planning stages for some time now. I don't know why I think it has been paid for already, I just have a hunch.
So if I am right, Six Flags didn't need to say anything about WoA getting money for a major new attraction for '01 because they where already getting the hyper. Does that make any sense?
Edit: Shaggy, I agree with you. They should refocus all attention to fixing their problems and remarketing what they offer.
-----------------
-KoRn is the Millennium Force of ROCK-
*** This post was edited by dexter on 8/24/2002. ***
C'mon..... CP wouldn't put in a ride unless they can lay claims such as "tallest","fastest","most twisted" etc to.
That is their marketing edge.... it has been for years. they are not about to stop now.
Shaggy
-----------------
Shaggy
R.I.P. Maestro
Phantom Theater 1992-2002
-------------
2002 Kennywood Team Member
I do remember something last year, that the park was going to clear land behind the sea lion show for part of this coaster, but this was before the politics in getting the height restriction raised for the ride. I doubted this would be done because of the close proximity to the shows and animals in the wild life side.
The thing that SF needs to remember, and they stated it themselves, is that they need to pull more people over to the wild life side of the park, if the new supposed coaster was to go on the wild side, then they would get the people to go to that side of the park.
Right now, I think they have to many irons in the fire, moving the flat rides, getting one orca and fighting to get the second, and adding the new zebra and tiger exhibits.
I believe that the park needs a new coaster, I just hope they do it right and make the perk a little better for all in the process.
*** This post was edited by Wild Willy on 8/25/2002. ***
Does everyone in the coaster community actually think that SFWoA is in such terrible financial shape? So the numbers aren't all that hot this year, but the park is far from being deserted. In fact, every time I've been there this year the parking lot has been quite crowded.
Geauga Lake was always considered a local park. Corporate thinking aside, I don't know why anyone would think SFWoA would become a tourist destination overnight- in fact, it is still seen by the GP in Cleveland as a local park.
When you add 4 coasters in one year, another coaster the following year while purchasing a neighboring park at the same time, and then did next to nothing the third year, yeah, I'd expect my attendence to drop too! Tigers, Zebras and Whales are great additions to the park, but will not draw in out-of-state-ers, which the coasters did previously.
SFWoA needs to build a reputation of being a fun destination, as Cedar Point, and other parks have. Then maybe their attendence wouldn't drop so much when a giant attraction isn't built.
Zero-G said:
Six Flags would be nuts to shoot before Cedar Point. CP's new coaster will gain world-wide attention... the hyper announcement will get blown out of the water if SF goes before Cedar Point. Cedar Point realizes this, and that's probably why we won't see an announcement for the new Cedar Point coaster until the last possible second, in my opinion. After that Six Flags will most likely announce their coaster, but it may be really late into the winter.-----------------
Jes
Jes's Roller Coasters DJ Jes MCS
Six Flags Worlds Of Adventure 2002 Ride-Ops Crew (Have Fun Trying To Find Me!)
Oh, that kind of talk makes me want to puke. You see track pieces and a few sparks from rumors and you immediately tie yourself into believing talk about it going 420 feet into the sky and 110 miles per hour...and "getting worldwide recognition".
Don't disappoint yourself. I'm sure you will.
So just wait for the official announcement why don't you. :)
Show me, at what point, did I ever say it will be 420 feet tall and 110 mph. Thanks, because I missed it. The fact is that unless SFWoA does something special like make their new hyper, floorless or stand-up or some crazy ploy like that, they won't be even able to utter the words "-est," unless they are talking about the coaster compared to their own rides. All Cedar Point has to do is make a rocket coaster that's taller and faster than Xcellerator, and it will be the world's tallest, and fastest Hydraulic Launch coaster. See, I'm not a complete moron after all, now am I. Besides, I have a pretty good idea what the specs are on CP's new ride... but that's a horse of another color, now isn't it?
-----------------
Jes
Jes's Roller Coasters DJ Jes MCS
Six Flags Worlds Of Adventure 2002 Ride-Ops Crew (Have Fun Trying To Find Me!)
*** This post was edited by Zero-G on 8/25/2002. ***
Zero-G said:
The fact is that unless SFWoA does something special like make their new hyper, floorless or stand-up or some crazy ploy like that, they won't be even able to utter the words "-est," unless they are talking about the coaster compared to their own rides.
Any park can CLAIM their coaster is the best, I was in SFEG the other day and they were selling shirts, "Best Coasters in the World!". No joke, a park can claim what they want, it's just a matter of getting the GP to believe it.
Anyone that thinks SF is just going to just sit on their hands no matter what CP does is going to eat their words, plain and simple.
I mean, this is being looked at totally wrong. You could switch the 400+ foot coaster over to SFWOA and CP would *still* dominate that park. CP is a well run *resort*, SFWOA is a struggling *amusement park*, hello?
So adding a hypercoaster to SFWOA wouldn't make much difference to Cedar Point one way or another, however it could make a huge difference to SFWOA. What the park is looking for is an attendance increase, a turnaround. I'm sure they have realized that to try and overturn CP is a big mistake. To carve out their own market is another story.
-----------------
"Escuse me, can you tell me where the heck the Mystery Lodge is"?
But OutKast,
The point is, so far SFWOA has NOT been able to "carve out their own market" because their focus HAS only been on ride additions and park expansion. It is obvious it is not working.
My point being, even if you take CP out of the picture, WOA should wise up and see that large ride addtions has not done a darn thing for them.
As I said before, they need a much better marketing aim and definitely more attention on operations.
I was not saying that they will sit on their hands necessarily. If they are wise, their hands should be busy developing better long range plans.... not another coaster addition. If they do sink yet more money into a large coaster, then I personally think they will once again be missing the point.
On a totally unrelated note, the general public is not stupid. IMO SF has treated it's guests as if they are. It takes a lot more to get me in a park these days than just a "new" coaster. Over the past 5 years we have seen a complete change in the industry.... why just 2 seasons ago most every park had a huge new coaster added. Many enthusiasts were even calling it the second golden age of coasters. But the end result was that many parks discovered those large coaster additions did not guarantee the parks an immediate attendance boost as it had in years past. So parks began to re-focus on other aspects, and will continue to do so. Yet, as far as I can tell, SF hasn't wised up to that yet. Their minds are too short-sighted. They are scrambling with the here-and-now, while smart parks are looking ahead.
Shaggy
-----------------
Shaggy
R.I.P. Maestro
Phantom Theater 1992-2002
OutKast said:
"CP is a well run *resort*, SFWOA is a struggling *amusement park*, hello?"
Outkast hit it right on the head. Cedar Point may be able to attract thrillseekers but they can also boast being a resort, thus creating another plus in attracting guests.
I heard the entire conference call and it was clear to me that SF has not given up on SFWoA. They realize that it can become a major player in the chain. I don't think SFWoA will be neglected in the future either.
I do agree with many of your statements and I have seen a turnaround this year for the better at the park. Based on the conference call, you could tell that SF has finally realized that they can't compete with CP. So with the new hyper, there will be a new change in direction as far as advertising.
Shaggy is right - the park needs to market itself for what it has...the Wild Life side. Once Shouka arrived, more commercials were played on the TV announcing her arrival. No mention of CP at all. That's a good way to get attention and seeing the killer whale stadium filled to capacity the past few times I was out there shows that those commercials worked.
X Factor
-------------
SFWoA: An Unofficial Guide
http://sfohio.tripod.com
well I think if sfwoa waits and sees what cp does, then they will have the advantage..
Example- If cp gets a 250ft rocketcoaster, sfwoa could get a 299ft rocket coaster with stand up trains and 6 inversions...
-------------
ARACHNID CONSTRUCTION UPDATES AT brakerun.com
No, because parks plan for this waaaay in advance...
And I agree that WoA needs to carve out a market. They have to realize that Cedar Point is, and for the near future, certainly will be the 'coaster park' of the midwest (and to those who look at it with a broader lens, I.E., the enthusiasts, CP is the coaster park of the U.S.). I'm not sure it's wise to try to beat CP at its own game, because put quite simply, you CAN NOT.
So, WoA has to fix itself up, and make itself much more presentable next year, with much better operations all around before people start to go there (instead of, maybe, CP? - Though, I never see that happening...)
I mean, why do people flock to Holiday World with their measily collection of 2 coasters? It is one of the greatest parks, as far as atmosphere and operations are concerned, and one of the more enjoyable places where you can go, no matter your age.
(Edited to fix a few grammatical errors... I'm... Out of practice...)
-----------------
Yep... It is PICTURES now... http://www.loopscrew.com
*** This post was edited by I-Nar on 8/25/2002. ***
-----------------
"This time I think ... I think it's ... it's going to work!" - Dr.Bruce Banner
-----------------
I am proud to say my homepark has 3 B&M's, soon to be 4, hopefully.;)
I won't even venture a guess as to whether SFWoA is getting a new coaster in 2003 or not. But I can put one rumor to rest. They are NOT getting the Morgan hyper that was originally supposed to open at Six Flags Mexico this year. I was just as SFM and track and supports are still onsite and station construction has begun.
-----------------
"I am so smart! I am so smart! S-M-R-T! I mean S-M-A-R-T!" - Homer Simpson
*** This post was edited by Mamoosh on 8/27/2002. ***
You must be logged in to post
