Two more out the door at Geagua Lake?
not if they take out anaconda
Why the mention of removing Anaconda? The ride is a people mover, has never been a maintenance nightmare, and is still a decent coaster. I can agree that Dominator would look nice in that location, but still. Frankly, I'd be interested to see just where the intended location is for Dominator within the park.
...if it's going to KD.
I was there when Six Flags had it - it kinda reminded me of Great Adventure, overpacked, rides in strange spots, poorly run with no traffic pattern (gridlock).
The Batman/Dominator has/had a somewhat unique layout, but without B&M's arguably best element - the heartline roll - was good for looks, that's about it.
From what I have heard... CF "higher-ups" have pulled two more coaster blue prints (did the same last year, and happened to be true after all) and also has the army corps of engineers enlisted to do work this off-season.
Army corps do work in wetlands, rivers, etc... Therefor, Dominator and Thunderhawk are perfect matches.
I wouldn't of believed it if it wasn't for the fact that this person was DEAD ON last year, weeks if not months before the removal of XF and SV were announced.
So it doesn't look good :(
- With the exception of Head Spin, it's the only coaster that sits closest to the highway. (I suspect Head Spin's days at Geauga Lake may be numbered as well).
- Not much else is located in this area anymore. (El Dorado, Starfish, Go-Karts, Shipwreck Falls, plus the sky tower has not run in years and will likely also be removed). The flats can be relocated easily. Most of Shipwreck Falls can be moved to the Wildwater Kingdom side or another park.
- The park already has two other wooden coasters.
I'm not saying that it WILL be removed, but, I'm looking at the logical progression of what is happening at the park. Right now, many of my 2004 predictions are coming true. My current feeling is that some rides may remain, but, for the most part, Geauga Lake will become mostly a waterpark with a few rides.
And if attendance continues to slide, well, water slides can be moved easily, too... *** Edited 8/27/2007 11:14:34 PM UTC by Brother Dave***
Six Flags got arrogant with the branding of GL into SFO. It was a decent park before they added everything. They may have expected it, but they bit off more they could chew.
throw HXL in there, add some old flats there....
Anyway, GL leaks like a sieve with information like this, so I wouldn't be surprised if it happens. None at all. You know what I say? CP ditches their water park, GL gains it, CP relies on their indoor water park/new water ride this year, and GL focuses on the "lake" in it's name more. Of course I'm a moron with no actual information what-so-ever, but hey it's an option not yet discussed...
I've heard this as well, and if true is pretty disappointing. KD won't feel the same with a parking lot coaster, and worse yet, may put Scooby Doo in its shadow. SD has always fit nicely in its little shaded corner of the park, unobstructed.
BATWING FAN SFA said:
^^From what I've read Dominator will be placed just to the left of the park entrance<as viewed from outside> somewhere over by Berzerker in the parking lot.
Amen Rob! I don't give a ats rass about any of the other coasters at the park, not even the other two woodies. Dipper is the gem and the reason I visit the park.
I remember being skeptical in 2004 and asking myself "Why would Cedar Fair want there to be a popular amusement park right down the road from it's flagship park?" It was then that it first occured to me that Cedar Fair was possibly just buying the competition in order to suffocate it, though that was just a back-burner thought in my head at the time.
Three years later, those brief thoughts I had seem to be coming into question stronger than ever. Cedar Fair hasn't done anything for this park as far as dry rides, and they've actually gone as far as removing two of the most popular steel coasters, with two more in question now.
I can't help but think that Cedar Fair simply bought this park to insure that it would not threaten Cedar Point. If people want thrills, there really isn't much for them at Geauga Lake anymore, so they have to go to the more expensive Cedar Point if they want their fix. CF can harvest the Aurora park for usable rides to distribute among other parks. It sounds evil, though it's really just business at it's meanest *** Edited 8/28/2007 12:52:16 AM UTC by Starchaser***
Intamin Fan said:It was hard to believe that both X-Flight and Steel Venom left Geagua Lake and have new homes, but now it's being said over at Screamscape that Dominator will reside at KD, and Thunderhawk will move to MI next year (according to multiple "sources" with Dominator--I know, I know). While there weren't many people at all riding either the day we were there back in mid-June, it was a particularly bad day weather-wise. But when it was sunny, there were more than enough seats available on Dominator, unlike my SFO trip in 2000.I have to admit I'm really conflicted on this one. With King's Dominion being roughly two-hours down the road from me, I would love to have Dominator, but I would hate to see GL lose it in the process. I would think if they kept Thunderhawk, it would still keep that small-park feel that they're aiming for (no offense to any MI-fans).
Send Villain to KI, At least then they will have a real woodie! :)
Chuck
Every post here seems to shout:
"I have no idea what Cedar Fair is planning for this park, but here's my random guess!"
My favorite Idea so far is the removal of the waterpark from Cedar Point (yay space for 5+ more coasters), and all of it going to GL. BUT IT'S A COMPLETE (and improbable) GUESS.
Personally I hope that this park makes money somehow and stays open, but I don't know Cedar Point's intentions, so I'm going to wait and see.
Rob Ascough said:I'm all for returning Geauga Lake to its traditional roots, but is that going to happen?
Is it going to happen? Well, why don't we all just wait and see? Which brings me to the next quote:
It seems that CF is taking from the park whatever they can to add to other CF properties for a small cost and is doing nothing at all to plan for GL's future.
It seems? More like empty assumption based on an anxious thought process allowed to be carried away with. How would you know CFE is "doing nothing at all to plan for GL's future."? For all anybody knows, the plan for GL is to be executed in different phases -- things the company has yet to disclose publically, all unknown to us.
You to say that X-Flight and Steel Venom were removed at a small cost to add to the company's other properties...never thinking it through that it's really the other way around.
X-Flight and Steel Venom were removed because their attendance did not warrant them at the park. And rather than being discarded as they are still worth millions a piece, the company decided to relocated them to other parks - which would also in turn reduce capital expenditures.
NOT because Cedar Fair bought Geauga Lake and decided to use it as a ride-buffet to squander all the park's goodies for their other properties.
Coasters like X-Flight and Dominator weren't exactly the stuff you'd find at traditional parks (like Geauga Lake in the pre-SF days) but why not replace them with something?
Why would they replace them with something?
The reason to remove these larger and more-expensive-to-maintain attractions is because the attendance at the park did not warrant them. GL park spokesman Bryan Edwards mentioned in an article with The Plain Dealer mentioning that X-Flight and Steel Venom TOGETHER gave roughly 438,000 rides during the 2006 season -- then making it clear that this number was still less than the least ridden adult coaster at Cedar Point in 2006.
And then this other bit -
"Kinzel said the park needed to reduce overhead costs and make adjustments to reflect visitation trends."
So...that's my logic in as to why they wouldn't replace X-Flight and Steel Venom immediately with anything.
Right now I have no reason to believe this isn't leading to a complete closure of the rides section in the very near future.
That's great and all, but that belief is based on nothing but a small chain of incidents and rumors which have yet to tell us really anything significant about what the company is planning to do with the property.
And even IF these rumors of Dominator and Thunderhawk leaving are true, the park still has six roller coasters, though many of us don't consider that a very large collection, it's still a hefty amount -- and that's not counting the non-coaster attractions at the park.
If you will, Michigan's Adventure has six roller coasters and is currently at par with Geauga Lake in attendance -- around 650,000 - 750,000.
The two coasters already removed along with the other two currently in question of removal are five of six coasters Six Flags dropped there in a 3 year span when they owned Geauga Lake, in an attempt to compete as a large roller coaster park against Cedar Point. Now if you remember, CFE mentioned something about making GL a more local venue -- something along the lines of a "picnic" park. I quote J.T. Falfas -
“I think at first, some people assumed — and maybe we did ourselves — that Geauga Lake was ‘Cedar Point East,’” he said, referring to the Sandusky park’s reputation as a coaster capital. “It’s not going to be a Cedar Point East. It is a local park, it’s a great picnic park, it’s a community thing.”
So I don't understand how CFE's decision to remove just four out of 10 individual roller coasters from Geauga Lake's lineup leads to the radical idea that they plan to close the rides section.
*** Edited 8/28/2007 3:42:23 AM UTC by kRaXLeRidAh***
thepinkdoomofmonkeys said:
Can we all admit that we have absolutely no idea what the Future of GL holds besides the removal of these two rollercoasters?
I have no idea what's happening at GL but until we see some sort of announcement or steel being taken apart or some other concrete evidence it's not really 100% safe to even assume what you're suggesting...
Just saying. Chickens before hatching. That sort of thing.
And I also see what you guys mean by "Crap Corner." If removing Dominator and Thunderhawk clear up some over extended maintenance budgets and leave room for capital improvements, then maybe "Crap Corner" will get a new nickname. This park is definitely over-coastered. (Is that a term?) A nice selection of flats, some available right across the lake and maybe a family spinner would help get me back there in a hurry.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my day and love both Dominator and Thunderhawk, but I can see why they may be removed.
Captain Hawkeye:
If GL is exactly it was in the 80's it will fail--this is the 00's. And, as I argue above, removing the rides won't make GL like it was in the 80's & 90's: back then it had newer, recently added attractions, not 20+ year old ones.
I don't think anyone is suggesting they try to relive the 80's.
Looks like they're simply undoing what SF did. (which is arguably where the problems began)
To get Geauga Lake "back" to where it was (as Lord Gonchar suggests) would require BOTH removing the excess AND investing in new attractions. Geauga Lake built 3 coasters (Cyclone, Corkscrew, and Double Loop) in the 70's, Raging Wolf Bobs 10 years after Corkscrew and Head Spin 8 years after RWB. Plus a water park. All BEFORE Premere or Six Flags.
All that says is that during the 18 year period spanning from 1979 through 1997, the park added two roller coasters. If anything, that just argues the points of slow growth and the unimportance of new attractions to draw a crowd.
However, with that said:
There are TWO parts to the GL equation...1) The need to Right Size.
2) The need to Attract Guests.
I agree with this entirely. I think they're almost done with #1, so what's left? Taking care of #2, of course.
But stop and think about it - if they added new attractions at the same time as paring down the size of the park, then they wouldn't be downsizing at all.
The great paradox of expecting both #1 and #2 to happen is that in the very nature of what you suggest (downsize in step #1, add new draws in step #2), the effects cancel each other out.
There's no doubt the park had to downsize. There's no doubt things might be starting to feel a tad stale.
Which one hurts you more?
CF seems to have placed their bets on the "we have to downsize" side of things and I can't say I wouldn't have don't the same. Still doesn't mean something isn't coming in a few seasons, it's just not going to happen now...
...because adding new attractions is the opposite of downsizing.
2 coasters already gone, 2 more possibly, and when you think about it, these are the 4 coasters that can be marketable at other parks.
It just seems logical that in the future they can turn the waterpark side into something like Wyandot Lake or Wild Waves/Enchanted village. Bigger scope on the waterpark with some rides thrown in for good measure. When you think about it, the waterpark and some show buildings are already over there with a few flats. Possibly move some more flats on the opposite end of the waterpark along with their kiddie coaster and you could market the place as a family/kid/picnic park.
Sell off the land on the rides side which I am sure would fetch a nice chunk of change.
My favorite MJ tune: "Billie Jean" which I have been listening to alot now. RIP MJ.
Closed topic.
