Worst year ever for enthusiast community?

I'm guessing RGB is referring to Williams Grove (officially gone since the rides are auctioned off), and CLP and Bushkill -- which at least still have a ghost of a chance of re-opening.

Or I may have it wrong. I usually do. :)

Nah, that's probably it.

Maybe I am missing your point Matt, and if I am, I apologize. I don't expect coaster enthusiasts to comprise a community any more than Yankees fans to comprise a community. Still, there is something strong that links those people together, and sooner or later there is going to be an opinion or two that is pretty much shared by all. As a Yankees fan, I know Yankees fans are pissed about Joe Torre being allowed to walk, sad to see Don Mattingly go and thrilled to see A-Rod take a hike. I realize not all Yankees fans feel that way, but enough of them feel those things that it can reasonably be assumed the opinion of Yankees fans in general. Does that make any sense?

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MagnumsRevenge said:
Anyone who was at SRM in 2003 knows what the worst year to be an enthusiast was.

quote]

Seconded!

For the Record here's a list of "Bummer" Events I've lived through since I joined ACE.

1981. Edgewater Park Closes (I was one of the last persons to ride its Coaster before they tore it down.)

1984. The Wildcat @ Idora Park Burns Down, Park Closes at the end of the Season.

1993. Bob-Lo Island Closes

2001. 9/11 (Was anybody here at a Park when this happened?)

2004. Miracle Strip Closes

2005. Astroworld and Libertyland Close

2006 Myrtle Beach Pavilion and Grand Prix Park Close.

2007 Geauga Lake Closes

Life goes on. I was able to add a Baker's Dozen Roller Coasters this year (I may ride one more this December) and I have at least 10 Coasters lined up for next year. New Rides will open and old ones will be torn down, and yes, I'll be dismayed when a favorate ride is removed, but that's life!

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Hey, take it easy on Bull. It's the best ride we have left. Hopefully it won't get ripped out in place of some spinning teacups in the near future, but you never know with our friend Mark.

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Rob Ascough said:
Does that make any sense?

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It makes sense that there can be rough consensus (not total agreement) within the group, I agree with that. I just don't think that there's many events that effect can or could effect us as a community as a whole, or at least not enough to label a year as good, bad, worst, best, etc. Which was born out in this thread, with people instead choosing to say "Well, personally for me, my year was..." such and such. We don't react to things as a community because I don't think we are one.

A better sports comparison would be "baseball fans" in general instead of just Yankees fans. Asking "Has this been a good year for baseball fans" could mean anything depending on which baseball fans you mean. Same with coaster enthusiasts, I just don't think there's enough commonality there.

A community doesn't have to agree with each other by definition, they need only be interested in roughly the same category of things. For better or worse, I think we all fit that ideal.

A community rarely agrees and comes forth with one unified voice. That said, I don't think many people in the coaster enthusiast community would consider the closing of an amusement park or the demolition of a classic ride to be positive things. There may be indifference, but I doubt a noteworthy number are jumping up and down in fits of joy.

Was anyone suggesting otherwise? Where's the closing party, because I want a beer!

Did I say anyone was suggesting otherwise?

^^Don't you mean koolaid? :)

Yep, you had it right, Ensign. Nice halloween reference there too. :) BTW, there was a story on the Allentown local news station that vandals had struck Bushkill a few weeks ago. Just what they need.

I happened to see that story online, RGB.

Crazy stuff - 10 missing bumper cars. The park manager has been evicted and sued.

Link (story and video)

What do you serve at an indifference party anyway? Do you care?

How does someone make off with one bumper car, let alone ten? Something about that sounds odd.

Some need a little perspective. There was a time when SFOT only had 3 coasters, if I recall correctly. And when Shock Wave, Gemini, etc. were the TTDs, Griffons and Kingda Kas of their time, before we had Magnum.

I wouldn't say worst EVER. That's a lot of years...

And besides, if you look at it from a business standpoint... ;)

Thrills are the lifeblood of your business, and you remove the most thrilling rides...great business.

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stuey said:
Some need a little perspective. There was a time when SFOT only had 3 coasters, if I recall correctly. And when Shock Wave, Gemini, etc. were the TTDs, Griffons and Kingda Kas of their time, before we had Magnum.

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Yeah, but back then we didn't know any better. It's not like I went to Hersheypark when there were three coasters and sooperdooperlooper was the main attraction and thought to myself, "gee, this place will be so much better when there are ten coasters and Lightning Racer comes along." Years ago, the idea of a park having ten coasters was an absurd thought.

^^Is that why Six Flags went into debt when they built multi-million dollar thrill rides every year?

And is that why every major player is gearing towards families now?

Maybe it was a mistake to build them so rapidly..doesn't mean it makes sense to tear them down. Not building new coasters is one thing...ripping them out --many people's favorite rides, I might add--for no clear, documented reason is another.