Similar coasters/rides at different parks

Hey.

I was wondering whether you all think it is a good idea or bad idea for parks to add similar rides that other parks have.

For example, do you think it was a good move for CP to add maXair at CP even though Delirium is just down the rode at PKI? Do you think people would say "I've been on that at PKI so theres no reason to go" or would they say "That was one ride I always wish would be at CP, now they have it so it's a no brainer, I'm going to CP instead of PKI!"

The reason I'm asking this is because I believe CP is in desperate need of a new looping coaster. Odds are they'll end up getting a flyer one of these years, but do you think it would be a good idea to get a B&M flyer, when theres a Vekoma Flyer down at GL? Even though they are both owned by CF couldn't it potentially hurt GL? Or would people not even bother at and just stick with GL because of their water park expansion?

Any ideas?

Thanks

I think the idea that "two nearby parks shouldn't get similar rides" is one of the dumbest ones around.

..and one that gets spouted by enthusiasts WAY too often when "X park is getting a new ride" rumors appear - even though it's possible to cite countless examples of parks in close vicinity that build the same type or similar style rides.

So much more goes into a ride expierence then just the ride. Especialy with coasters, I mean magnum and goliath are both hyper coasters but 2 totaly different rides. As for flat rides, I still see a difference. Delirium is a great ride, but the placement over maXair over the Midway makes it a somewhat different ride. Surroundings, atmosphere, capacity, and many other things allow each ride to be unique.

Most parks have similar rides. Ferris wheels, carrosels, trains, log flumes, scramblers, spider/octopus, rapids rides, drop towers, etc... are all found at many parks. I don't think it's hurting anybody that there are countless numbers of many of these rides. When was the last time you heard someone say I'm not riding the flume because there is one at park x?

Now I can see where you could lump MaxAir into a different category because it's pretty expensive for a flat ride, but a good ride is a good ride no matter how many exist. It was a good investment for both parks IMO.

I will say that when I am visiting the mega-parks I usually skip on the park staple type of rides like scramblers, etc... But when I'm visiting a smaller park like HW, IB or Lakeside I take the time to enjoy these old classics.

I'll bet you'll find hundreds of thousands of people in Cleveland who have no clue PKI has Delirium and hundreds of thousands of people in Cincinnati who have no idea Cedar Point has maXair.

Heck, you'll find a ton of people who have no idea that Silver Bullet is "just like" Batman at SFMM, which was built about 10 years prior.

As previously stated there are staple rides that most parks have.

Non-issue in my opinion.

There has to be some degree of closeness where you lose some value particularly from an advertising point for big draws.

The oppisite effect may occur for secondary rides. "Hey there's a Tilt-A-Whirl. I like them, lets go ride."

To say that PKI and CP are "just down the rode[sic]" from each other is crazy. It's a good 3-4 hours drive between the two.

It's even silly to say that GL and CP are down the "rode[sic]" from each other. Just down the "rode[sic]" would be Knott's to Disneyland or PKI to The Beach.

I think CP should get a B&M dive coaster instead of a flyer coaster. I rode SheiKra(I give it a 10+) at BGT and I can ride it all day. I don't care much for a flyer to me it a 1 ride coaster like a boomerang.

Ah yes, gotta love when the parks cater to your specific tastes only.

^WHAT? That explains it all, Moosh. ;-)

CP isn't exactly "down the road" from PKI, although coming from my perspective a 3-hour trip IS "down the road". ;-)

I think adding MaxAir was an EXCELLENT move. It ROCKS (as does Delirium). You can never have too many frisbees. ;-) Now maybe Geauga Lake will add one.

-Tina

*** Edited 7/12/2005 9:16:20 AM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***

Exactly, Tina! CP is about 6 hours from me. PKI? Six hours.

But seriously, CP doesn't need another looping coaster at this point. They have enough inversions as is. What they need is more flats. If that means they go to all the parks around and start adding top spins, inverters, etc., I'm happy. If they add a dark ride, I'm really happy.

I was truly excited that CP installed MaxAir. Aside from the fact that I go to CP twice a year (from Milwaukee/Chicago), but only PKI once every two years, I get more chances to enjoy a ride that I like immensely. And seeing that I was at PKI on the 4th, and Delirium was still down, I'm glad I got to ride MaxAir several times this season already.

And anyway, have we not discussed before in other threads (please don't make me look) that most of the GP does not go from one park to another, so having similar rides really makes no difference? So I travel (like most of you) to different parks around the state/country/globe, to experience something different. But who else in the GP does that?

Would any one but "us" really care how many B:TRs there are, and how close they are to one another, and how many we have been on? And that's only a specific ride (not to generalize ride types).

I vote for a Whip at every park!

I just hate when parks build identical or near identical coasters to what other parks have. Example: SFMM built Scream, a mirror image of Medusa at SDGrAdv....Now theyre 3700 miles apart but still, I think it was stupid, and especially sucky to just build it and put it over a parking lot. Same with Goliath and Titan...there are some differences with their layouts, but VERY similar, and again theyre far apart but it takes the uniqueness feature away from it. The Batman coasters are the most ridiculous! I like when parks come up with their own concept and design and fit the coaster into its own special plot of land in the park...not over some parking lot. Phantom's Revenge is the best example for what a coaster should be. I mean its amazingly unique, it just fits in the park, it follows the park;s terrain, and its an awesome ride! I mean the Phantom is built for only one park...Kennywood. It could never be put anywhere else. The way it interacts with the T-Bolt is awesome and I just wish more unique rides would be built at other parks.

-Jeff

If every park in the world ended up with a B:TR, a CI-Clone, and a 'Paramount Racer', I would not cry a lick...and those arent even my favorite rides. I *like* that there are similar rides across the country. The (sad) fact is I know I will never get to travel to all the parks to see their rides. When I similar ride is located a little closer, it make my life easier.

lata, jeremy
--waiting for "X-East"

I'll second that... similar rides that are closer do make life easier.

The earlier mentioned Scream and Medusa... SFMM is on a "wish list" as part of a future west coast vacation... but it's not planned any time in the near future. However, SFGrAdv with its nearly identical Medusa is only 3 hours away... an easy day trip. No complaints about those similar coasters.

To most here, CP and PKI are "Just Down the Road" (3 or 4 hours)... but to others? However, even to some (many?) on this board, myself included, the 3,000 miles between the Scream and Medusa is NOT just down the road. *** Edited 7/14/2005 7:40:52 PM UTC by SLFAKE***

I think clones are a good way to save money, especially considering most of the general public is probably clueless to the fact that it's a clone at all.

SLC's, no matter how close to one another, will always be crowd pleasers. The ads for SFDL advertise Mind Eraser along with Superman as the park's best coasters, and PCW is not that far away which has Top Gun. It may be the "only invert" in NYS, but it's fricken NYS so where else would there be one? Non-enthusiasts don't even probably know what other parks Western New York has, let alone how tame they are in comparison to SFDL. (Which aside from S:ROS can be pretty tame on it's own)

Geauga Lake's website goes as far as calling Thunderhawk unique. Until about 2 years ago, I thought Mind Eraser was unique. I became an enthusiast, and now I know different.

The crowds don't know, and if they do they don't care.

I like clones. If their is a good coaster to far away and they made the clone I can get a chance to ride it. I mean some coasters I don't think should be cloned but some I do. I'm difficult like that. :)

I look at rides like I do plays or concerts. Each performance of Hamlet or McBeth or Death of a Salesman is the unique interpretation of that particular director. And each band or orchestra offers us its unique interpretation of The Star Spangled Banner or Rave On or Bad Moon Rising. It's interesting to see how creative are the various versions of these old standards.

Similarly, I enjoy seeing various interpretations of the Turnpike, Ferris Wheel, Whip, Carousel, Bumper Cars, Flying Scooters, etc.

And it's really neat to see versions of Mine Trains, Reptars, Racers, or any other coaster. We can call then clones, but like snowflakes no two are alike. Probably the best examples are Mine Trains and Wild Mice. How drastically different are the many versions.

It's just another great aspect of the amusement park world.

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Trekker Park said:
Rave On

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Definitely could use more Buddy Holly clones and fewer SLCs... ;)

All i can say is that i have rode them both and im from the cleveland area. I just think that they have the differences in the ride experiences, Delirium is so close to trees and such and then going over the line is so much cooler. I think that Maxair is just all about being something over in that area of the park. i also thought they let the cycle run longer than on Delirium. Those are different experiences in their own.