Silly Mistakes & Stupid Decisions

It's still early to say. If it ends up taking however many years it takes to happen, and it's a solid hit, well, it will probably end up being judged a hit. If it just never materializes, then not so much.

If this thread had been started five years ago, would we be talking about how Ravine Flyer 2 was a silly mistake? Look how long that took

I actually... really dig the Boardwalk at Hershey. I scoffed at it until I tried it this year, and I'm very impressed. Lots of stuff to appeal to families and children of different ages. Taking out the river rapids broke my heart until I got in the Lazy River and found out that I could take as many laps through it as I wished. Not that I have much experience with Lazy Rivers, but one that lets you stay in until you want to get out? Genius.
Those cabanas also look pretty nice, along the edges of the Lazy River. Very family oriented.
All in all, I think the Boardwalk at Hershey is a stroke of master genius IF the park wants to pull harder at families to enjoy the park (which I think it totally does). Also for me as a coaster enthusiast, there's plenty there to make me happy. A clean park with trees and nice landscaping, everything well painted, nothing looks shabby, endless food options, and it's not painfully expensive. And I love Farenheit, it's chuckles of fun. Great bear, though short, I love it too. And Comet, love it forever - have never found its equal - it's a beautiful creature. Completely adore Hershey Park.
*** Except for how little Chocolate World recognizes the existence of diabetics in the US. Chocolate World, however, is not part of Hershey Park. It's separate.

RF2 had a long road to approval, but I don't think that made it a bad decision. Once they had a green light, it was an obvious winner.

Hard Rock Park Marketing department
Freestyle Music Park marketing department

I made a whopper of a mistake this year. I gave up a trip to Knoebels because I was afraid of hotel bed-bugs.

Seriously though, Rye Playland going away would be a huge mistake.

Does anyone remember Boyertown or Paradise Lake? Boyertown was an unsuccessful attempt to convert Lakemont Park into a theme park Paradise Lake was that ill-fated theme park in eastern Ohio back in the early 80s.

I believe that both of these effots failed because there were better competing parks in their respective regions that were well established. Paradise Lake is now completely gone but Boyertown returned to being Lakemont Park under new management. Lakemont lost many trees as a result of the Boyertown fiasco but gained Skyliner, a wooden roller coaster.

There was also the Lake Compounce fiasco involving Hersheypark's managment. Given their past successful conversion of a small traditional park to a major theme park and a potential market area with a huge population, it appears odd that they failed as they did. The park was saved when Kennywood gave it a successful makeover.

I didn't get to see Lakemont with all of the trees, but it is still heavily debated among the locals there. I have seen so many photos of the park taken before the Boyertown failure that I feel as if I was there before the tree were cut down.

Lakemont still has potential to grow. I don't know why it doesn't grow faster than it does.

Hershey's frequent faller may not have been a mistake per se, but it was definitely a fiasco.

SOB...;)

That was so obvious, I'm not really surprised that it hasn't been mentioned until now, TDD.

Worst credit ever (well that and Trailblazer.....but that's another story). :)

LostKause said:
That was so obvious, I'm not really surprised that it hasn't been mentioned until now, TDD.

How is that a failure....loads of hearing-impaired people have been greatly helped by TDD.

Oh, wait, you meant TTD....nevermind...(/Emily Littella) ;)

A silly mistake and stupid decision:

Getting rid of park-traversing sky rides even as amusement parks become larger.

...while not replacing them with any other kind of transportation system.

Since the "problem" with a lot of the sky rides was one of evacuation, how about utilizing trains better/more, having monorails (even smaller ones like GL, Miami MetroZoo, LAMA, etc.) and using boats. Shoot, I'd even have an antique car ride that you could exit at various locations throughout the park. :)

SFoG is one of the few non-Disney parks around that still seems to run a tram service...I don't want people leaving MY park with tired feet before I've had a chance to drain their wallets! ;)

Lets see,
Thunder Eagle
The Bat, Putting brake fins under swinging and sometimes lopsided cars.

PKI's little starting the Top Gun while cranes are still against the track down the line.

SOB, Nuff said.
Mean Streak, Another ride probably has more in retrofits than its cost.

Rattler.

Wasn't there some coaster in the northeast that was built and never opened?

Maverics heartline.

All Deja Vu's.

FOF pre retrofits.

Charles Nungester said:
Wasn't there some coaster in the northeast that was built and never opened?

Not sure, but you might be referring to "Wild Wind"... http://www.rcdb.com/681.htm

Might as well throw Steel Dragon 2000 onto the heap too.

PKI's little starting the Top Gun while cranes are still against the track down the line.

What happened with this? I don't seem to remenber.

I hear it was a truck inadvertently parked in the low zone that got demolished (and did serious damage to one of the trains).