Steel Venom @ Valleyfair!

Thank you for pointing out the differences in height between WT and SV. Nobody on this forum knew that. And you're the only person on the forum who's been on it too--besides me and my 9 year-old, right?

CP will always get more cap dollars than any other park in the CF chain because they can pay them off quicker because they have the largest audience per season and more hotel rooms (income opportunities) than any sister park. Duh. This isn't a CP vs. VF topic. Get your head out of the sand.

The real points remain as they were:

-The difference between a standard-issue Impulse and CP's WT in cost is under a half-million dollars

- VF could have went for either model

- There's no 'protecting CP' involved (who in MN has ever heard of CP, short of enthusiasts?)

- It was the VF folk who picked the standard model

If you want to quote facts, try some that actually bear a little relevance, no?

As far as a double-twisting Impulse being a better pick..I thought so myself at first, but now I don't think so. Have you been on a standard Impulse? The 360-degree spiral is less intense than the 450s on Wicked Twister IMHO. People in MN still walk off the Corkscrew as if it brought them closer to God or something. It's not like they've already been on Raptor or Mantis and this is another coaster in the arsenal.

For your average hot-dish chomper, SV is more than enough. For VF's maintenance crew, it's a known entity without any rude surpises. Just think--if we weren't the first with a Morgan hyper, maybe we wouldn't have a MCBR that chokes the life out of the train...

-'Playa

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The CPlaya 100--6 days, 9 parks, 47 coasters, 2037 miles and a winner.....LoCoSuMo.

*** This post was edited by CoastaPlaya on 12/16/2002. ***

Yes CoastaPlaya, I have been on both kinds of impulse coasters, and I just happen to find that WT's layout is a lot more intense and fun than the unorigional layouts! Also I am from Minnesota, myself and many others that I know have heard of, and been to CP. Not to mention almost everyone I know here in MN is itching for an intense, fun new ride. You see, we've become a bit bored of the Corkscrew and a bit less mystified by Wild Thing (im not saying thats not fun though) it's just VF needs a new fun coaster and I hate to say it but V2 and the like don't even compare to WT's wonderfully wicked double twisting towers.

Well, don't give up hope...remember, VF paid for SV with the regular cap expenditure budget. If you check the cap expenditure budgets since '96 (when I started looking/attending the park), they can usually get about $3 million without much trouble. Think Galaxy theatre/Arcade rebuild, Mad Mouse, New front gate and Chaos....those were done on your average $3 million budget.

If you add the money they didn't spend in '01 and '02 with the usual money they could get for '03, you'd have enough cash to pay off SV.

Long story short--there's still bullets in the gun. But whether or not they get another big cap budget depends on how well they do this summer. Visit often, spend money, drag your friends in and I would guess good things could happen by '05.

-'Playa

(whose profile photo was taken in VF's kiddie pool)

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The CPlaya 100--6 days, 9 parks, 47 coasters, 2037 miles and a winner.....LoCoSuMo.

*** This post was edited by CoastaPlaya on 12/16/2002. ***

I like the idea of having the impulse at Valleyfair. The locals are going to get a surprize. Im still a fan of floorless and inverted coasters so I still would like to see Valleyfair even get a bigger coaster in the next couple of years hopefuly another one in 2005.

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9Years working at Valleyfair :)! You know I just found out what lol means lafter over lafter lol ...:)

*** This post was edited by The Beast on 12/16/2002. ***

I wouldn't even care about another coaster if they got a wavepool instead.

Think about it...there might be one other wave pool in the state period (up in Coon Rapids somewhere, I think) and the closest ones besides that one are 3 1/2 - 4 hours away. What a no-brainer.

I'd pay $90 a pass for one--no questions, no complaints. Miss "I don't know what you see in VF" Playette would drop everything and come running over like a ninny every week. Twice a week. It's almost too perfect.

-'Playa

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The CPlaya 100--6 days, 9 parks, 47 coasters, 2037 miles and a winner.....LoCoSuMo.

*** This post was edited by CoastaPlaya on 12/16/2002. ***

sorry coastaplaya, but Valleyfair! has the worst water park ive ever seen. Unless they did some major construction i wouldn't want them to even touch wet n' wild unless of course they sold it and used the land for something else. Personally, I wouldn't mind a B&M inverted, i was pretty dissapointed when I found out we weren't getting one next year. Oh well, there is always chance for one in 2005....

You don't get to WhiteWater Country very often, I take it. Frankly, I spend 70% of my VF time in there; weekly visits would be a ponderous bore without it. Panic Fall's body slides are quite good, Hurricane Falls never fails and Raging Rapids is the only thing in the park I'll power-ride. Not enough? Sure, I'll give you that. Worst waterpark--or even a bad one? Gimme a break.

-'Playa

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The CPlaya 100--6 days, 9 parks, 47 coasters, 2037 miles and a winner.....LoCoSuMo.

Maybe it's because that when I go it's way too overcrowded but the several times that Ive been there have been really boring and I actually went away kind of mad. I guesse I'll have to give it another try next yeat but I still think I will like it any different.

VF's waterpark isn't so bad. Yes, it's a bit small, but the slides they have aren't bad at all. Plus, it's included with general admission, so you really can't complain. I do agree that a wave pool would be a great addition, but is there really room for one? I'll admit I usually skip over the water park on the way to Excalibur, so I don't know the lay of the land that well, but I seem to remember it being packed in there pretty snugly without a whole lot of room for expansion. Is there any more room between the existing slides and 101? I thought it came pretty close to the road already.

I'm new to this site and just caught up with this discussion today, but I thought I'd weigh in with some inside info. First, some backround so you know where I get the things I say. I work as an engineer for a company that sells components to Valleyfair. My office is about 2 miles from the park and I find a reason to go there a couple times a month. I'm friends with several of the year round maintenence guys and they know I'm a big theme park fan so we usually end up chatting about developments for the future of the park. With that said, I hope you don't write off everything I say, but take it for what it is. First off, they got Steel Venom because as it stands, they do not have the developed space for a large layout coaster of any kind. Steel Venom provided them with a small footprint and highly visible ride. As far as the future goes, 2 things are currently in jeopardy at the park. The most recent talk has been to knock down the Imax and the water park to provide for further expansion within the parks current boundries. They would only eliminate the water park if they went forward with the near-site hotel they are discussing. As it stands, VF is the most consistant earner CF operates, with the obvious exception of CP. The difference is that VF has no off-season income. They'd like to build a large hotel with an adjacent indoor/outdoor waterpark similar to some of the Wisconsin Dells attractions. This would allow them to eliminate the redundant waterpark in VF and provide them with a steady off season income. That's what I know about that. Take it for what you will.

Since I live about 30min away from VF, I have been to the water park quite often, but latley I have realized how lame it is, and I find it to be rather bad, It is usually crowded and there are very long lines for all of the slides, and there are only like 6 slides, and there are only about 3 slides that are good, I think that this water park would be great if it had a large pool, then maybe I would visit it more often. Plus it would take away a lot of the capacity of the lines to the waterslides. (sorry, I'm a bit off topic)

Drewbie- so do you mean that VF has no more room for any large coaster (say B&M) unless they tear down the IMAX or Waterpark? because VF is a small park compared to others, and it would be kind of sad if we are out of room already.

The problem is that though the park is small, it's built next to a river. The dike that protect the majority of the park (everything except Excaliber and Thunder Canyon) most likely won't get extended to protect more. The other problem is that the area closer to the river is protected land so they can't buy and build there. That leaves them with the parking lot. I don't know what more they own as far as space goes, but from what I'm told, they've built on all the land that the city will let them build on.

It would need a wavepool first and foremost. People just need to get wet without standing in line. See, this is exactly why people constantly sneak into the kiddie wading pool.

As for maintenance guys with future plans...I had one tell me there was 'something huge' going up in '98. That something huge was the Galaxy Theater. Short of Larry Mackenzie talking to me, I take 'em all with a shaker full of salt.

No room for a coaster? Ha. IB has no room for a coaster and that didn't stop 'em. Besides, if you've ever read any of CF's SEC filings, you'd realize there's 200 available acres, of which 125 are currently developed. That's gotta tell you something...

-'Playa

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The CPlaya 100--6 days, 9 parks, 47 coasters, 2037 miles and a winner.....LoCoSuMo.

*** This post was edited by CoastaPlaya on 12/16/2002. ***

It definately depends on which maintenence guy you're talking to. The seasonal employee's don't know more than the ride ops. The year round ones are usually guys who've been there for years and are in the loop for development news. I would never tell you to bet your money on what any of them would say, but I'd trust their word over the best assumptions of anyone on any message board.

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CoastaPlaya said:

It would need a wavepool first and foremost. People just need to get wet without standing in line.

'Playa....I have two words for you on this.....Roller Soaker! Seriously, I expected it to be a fun way to get wet, ride, etc. Now, I have another reason to make PCar next year...(other than their great invert, and a couple *count whore credits* left). The Super Saturator SHOULD become the Boomerang of the next century....well, V2 or that...:)

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Don't I wish...but VF lacks many things right now except spin-and-spues, concesssion stands and trims. One step at a time.

-'Playa

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The CPlaya 100--6 days, 9 parks, 47 coasters, 2037 miles and a winner.....LoCoSuMo.

How is construction going on this thing?

The station building is up, for the most part. Lots of track and supports on site. They plan to go vertical in mid January.

As far as them having 200 acres with 125 developed (if that were the numbers you had), yea, they have land, but it's no protected by the dike. Any rides they built back there would be suceptible to the annual flooding that Excalibur and Thunder Canyon see. The available land is behind Thunder Canyon and it slopes from there down to the river. Check it out next time you're there. The only other space is where maintenence is located and that would mean relocating and rebuilding all those buildings.

*** This post was edited by Drewbie on 12/17/2002. ***

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CoastaPlaya said:

Coon Rapids

I'll leave my comments right there :)

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