Williams Grove for Sale

Ok, I was looking over www.usedrides.com as usual to collect my pieces for my fantasy midway, and I came across the newest listing under the specatcular rides category (with out photos). Williams Grove is for sale, for a mere asking price of $2 million. Too bad I wouldn't hit the powerball or megamillions right now. *Sigh* *** Edited 9/13/2006 10:25:55 PM UTC by phoenixphan :-)***

The park has been for sale for some time now. Their Wildcat was sold to a park in Delaware. I'm pretty sure WG didn't open at all this year...can anyone confirm?

They did not open this year... And I considered buying hte park when I sold my home, at least a downpayment. Of course it needs repair and cleaning and advertising, but overall it would may have survived, as long as I didn't sell out to Six Flags........ ;-)

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Mamoosh said:
The park has been for sale for some time now. Their Wildcat was sold to a park in Delaware. I'm pretty sure WG didn't open at all this year...can anyone confirm?

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Wildcat was actually sold to a park in New Market, MD called Adventure Park USA. It's a family entertainment center that's starting to add regular rides. Wildcat should be operational by 2007.

http://www.adventureparkusa.com

Thanks for the correction, Bro Dave ;)

I wonder if WG took a hit from any of the flooding we had in PA this past June.

I think a flood would have helped the park... probably clean a few things off :)

If it got the restroom, they would have issued an environmental alert. Oh, what the heck, it would have all gone down to the Chesapeake Bay anyway (don't eat that oyster!). :)

But seriously, if Cyclone were standing in water for any amount of time, it can't be a good thing.

Especially if the tree it's tied to happened to uproot and float away.

Might unstraighten that piece of straight track too.

Cyclone standing in water could be a good or bad thing... not sure if termites like water.

Errant trucks don't like water.

Maybe the park can reopen as "Redneckville, USA" :)

Ok, I've had my poke. IMO, it's the worst amusement park I've ever been to.

Wow, I guess I didn't miss much by not knowing about this park when it was open. Still I would love to operate a small park like this, no matter how profitable it would be. There is something about these obscure parks that I love.

I have seen on several sites trip reports, and everyone seems to have enjoyed the Cyclone/Zipper. I think the layout is interesting, and worth being preserved as the last Oscar Bitler coaster in operation.

I actually enjoyed my couple of visits to Williams Grove, phoenixphan. The first time I was there (OK, for a few minutes I wasn't sure I was even there because I came in the back way into the Grange field with the old railroad cars and farm equipment), I thought I'd be there for about an hour then head over to Hershey. But I ended up staying for almost 4 hours.

It was the total antithesis of the corporate parks. I wear my "I survived the Williams Grove Cyclone" t-shirt with pride. Best 6 bucks I spent in a long time.

^ Only woodie I can think of where that shirt would actually be "appropriate". I, too, survived...barely. Have to wonder how that thing rode when it was new, because the way it was running more recently, that could NOT have been intended... ;)

Side note: Now that Cyclone has failed to run for an entire season, doesn't it lose any "grandfathering" in terms of building codes and such? I'm thinking about two wooden coasters in particular that fell (are falling?) victim to the *newer building codes* deal. AstroWorld's Cyclone, and Clementon's JackRabbit. And what I'm thinking is if Cyclone could operate again at all, and if so, how much work and $$$ it might take to get it to meet current building codes. Not saying that I know that it wouldn't...just that I'm pretty sure they frown these days on the "tie it up to a tree" means of supporting the structure...
*** Edited 9/15/2006 2:11:46 AM UTC by rollergator***

As long as I didn't touch nothiing else riding. I found cyclone a riot! If you hit something, The lapbar, sideboard or anything else though, you were gonna get shaken real good.

The most terrifying coaster on the planet!

Chuck

I wouldn't necessarily call Williams Grove a bad amusement park. Actually, it was a very good amusement park. It had tons of great flats and a unique charm. Sure it was a little run-down and the crowd (both the patrons and the employees) were the finest example of "I don't give a sh*t white trash) but it was definitely an experience. I realize the place wasn't for everyone but that doesn't make it a bad park.

Barefoot ride op at Timber Falls...sexy.

Barefoot ride op at Williams Grove...not so much... ;)

Q: What's 20 feet long and has 1 tooth?

A: The Cotton Candy Line at Williams Grove.

(Couldn't resist)