Visit the Independent Parks
First off let me say that I'm impressed with the scope of SonOfMagnum's plan to hit every U.S. Six Flags' park this year, and I understand and respect his reasons for only wanting to hit Six Flags on his planned trip.
However, for those of you planning to hit parks I want to encourage you to include small independent parks as they offer a new and great view of the amusement park world on a whole. I feel that by visiting the independents a person gains a better perspective on the little things that make parks great, and you start to realize what people mean when they say that a park has charachter.
It also lets a person to be able to appreciate more rides on a whole, as you'll often see the pride that some people display when working at an independent, because its their park. More times then not you're usually treated to a great wooden coaster, and given a doorway in evaluating what makes a coaster great.
So before you plan all your trips to simply hitting a couple of corporate park, I say go to the one of the little guys and you will begin to understand the compassion that ignites when some of the "old timers" talk about their old hometown park.
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Excalibur Crew for 2002!
*** This post was edited by Valleyfair Fan on 3/24/2002. ***
I will definitely visit a few independent park this year. They have a lot of little surprises that you won't find at big amusement parks.
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I can't think of a good signature.
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Off with the trims!
My fellow Americans; Let's Roll!
Woodencoaster.com
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I can fix anything.....where is the duct tape?
bigkirby... That's $60 towards getting back our Wild Mouse! :-) I'm still deciding whether or not to get one..
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AIM: Pritti Kittie
:)
Or a Galaxy would be nice :) (hint: Americana)
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Off with the trims!
My fellow Americans; Let's Roll!
Woodencoaster.com
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"Poison Ivy looks to intense for me!" "I want to go on somethin more thrilling than Superman:Ride of Steel"
www.geocities.com/yankeesfan1127/EastCoasterDatabase.html
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Off with the trims!
My fellow Americans; Let's Roll!
Woodencoaster.com
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Click here and see my site!
Quote "First off let me say that I'm impressed with the scope of MagnumForce's plan to hit every U.S. Six Flags' park this year, and I understand and respect his reasons for only wanting to hit Six Flags on his planned trip."
You got the wrong guy on that one. It wasnt MagnumForce
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Whats life if you never get to the Po!nt?
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Does CCI know how to make a bad coaster?
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Excalibur Crew for 2002!
"hit independent parks..."
Advice well taken here.
The only "planned" park trip so far is to BGW next week while in Norfolk for two hockey games (were going to do PKD too, but we can't leave until Wednesday now and that leaves that out). However, there are two trips that we are kicking around...
1) Northwest PA and upstate NY: Conneaut Lake, Waldamere, Martin's Fantasy Island, SFDL, Sea Breeze, and Great Escape (the most independent of those under the SF banner).
2) New England: Playland Park (Rye NY), Lake Compounce, SFNE, Canobie Lake and Funtown (and probably tacky little Palace Playland with its thrilling Zylkon in Old Orchard Beach).
Not limiting it to only independents (three SF's got in there... and Lake Compounce is part of Kennywood Entertainment), but geography just took things in that direction. Only regret... Didn't do this before now... could have included Whalom in that list if we had.
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"I wasn't always this cynical, but then I started kindergarden..."
*** This post was edited by SLFAKE on 3/26/2002. ***
VF Fan - I'm in 100% agreement here. There is nothing wrong with a big corporate themer, but in addition to the excellent points you mentioned I also think its important to visit the small, independent parks to get a better appreciation for our history. Some also need our financial support to stay alive.
If Americana opens this year I think every enthusiast who can get there should go. Don't play the "well, it opened in 2002, so it will be open in 2003" game because one never knows. If 2002 is not a good season for Americana the chances of it opening again could be slim to none, and I think we need to show support.
When I plan trips I like to plan a mix of small parks and large themers. My SRM2002 trip includes HW, IB, MIA, CP, SFWoA, CLP, KW, Idlewild, Waldameer, and Del Grosso...and Americana if open.
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2002 - the year of IB's LoCoSuMo!!
Valleyfair Fan,
I'll already be visiting at least 5 independent parks this year. They will be Indiana Beach, Holiday World (SRM Baby!), Americana (when they finally open in June), Stricker's Grove, and Coney Island: Cincinnati. There are ather parks that I'd like to hit, but they'll have to wait until next year or in 2004.
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Bill Yost of Cincinnati, Ohio: Where we KNOW the Bengals suck!
http://www.small-business-webs.com/pkizone
Definite:
Kennywood
Idlewild (ok, these first two are part of a "small chain", but compared to the big corporate themers like Six Flags, they're indie :) )
Old Towne (already hit)
Knoebels
Holiday World
Indiana Beach
Highly likely:
Lakemont
Del Grosso's
Conneaut Lake
Coney Island/Cincinatti
Hopeful:
Coney Island/Astroland
Rye's Playland
Vancouver Playland
Puyallup Fair
Silverwood
Not to mention the parks on the UK trip.
...just doing my part to support the little guys.
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--Greg
"Wow, [in your life] when it rains, it not only pours, it floods the basement and causes thousands in damage!" -- Vicki Redcay
My page
*** This post was edited by GregLeg on 3/26/2002. ***
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