Antuan:
In my case it's based largely on the planning documents that SFA has on file with the county. This is a rather unique situation with SFA. Others are basing their projections on everything from speculation of logical next moves, to rumours, to just plain wishful thinking.
Valleyfair Fan said:
Michigan's Adventure and Valleyfair aren't even in the same categorey, and I'd imagine VF would get a unique invert before MiA does.
When Michigan's Adventure doubles in attendance then you can start comparing it to VF. Until then, take some business classes and figure out why it wouldn't make sense to build an invert at MiA. (Maybe an SLC, but a Beemer wouldn't be cost effective.)
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Excalibur Crew for 2002!
Valleyfair Fan,
Maybe you've heard of a business concept called "spending money to make money". MA is never going to double in attendance by standing pat or adding a crappy SLC. As an independent park, they had to watch their bottom line and cash flow very carefully, but now that they are part of a larger chain, the chain can absorb a lot of the ramp-up costs (at the expense of the other parks). They have a relatively untapped market, and adding a large thrill ride would do wonders to enhancing the image of the park to the GP. Maybe a Talon clone isn't the best bang for the buck, but they could use something unique to draw visitors from Detroit and Chicago. Maybe a GCI dueling coaster? Maybe the midwest's first 4D? Maybe the midwest's first B&M flyer? Cedar Fair would not have bought the place if they didn't intend to upgrade the park signifiantly.
Valleyfair has a stable market that has little potential for growth, which is why they got nothing in the past 2 years, not even a single kiddie flat ride this year. They need to add something every couple of years to keep the season passholders coming back, but they have virtually no competition and no nearby market to draw new customers from, so they have little incentive to add a big new Beamer.
Geauga Lake was a nice little park until Six Flags added 5 new coasters and the former Sea World in 2 short years to turn it into a major player, and they still have 3 years left on their 5-year plan. That obviously wasn't fiscally responsible in the short term, but they are looking at the big picture for revenue generation in the years to come. I think CF views MA in the same category; a smaller park that can be developed into a mid-level park in a few years.
I live about 15 minutes from VF and would love to see any new coaster, but if I were a CF executive, I would pass over Valleyfair for a new, significant coaster at MA in a heartbeat.
As a business major I'm very aware of business concepts, as well as the ability to read demographics and trends. And I also understand the concept of spending money responsibly.
I take it you have yet to look at Valleyfair's attendance over the past ten years which is a pretty clear indicator that new rides do make a difference. Attendance was down at Valleyfair by quite a bit last year, and its understandable as there was nothing that Valleyfair could really push in any sort of advertising that would make people want to go the park. There is a reason attendance shot up in 96 and 2000, and I'm willing to bet that attendance goes up again next year.
Reguarding Michigan's Adventure, the park does draw people from Michigan, but draws no more from Chicago then Valleyfair does from Des Moines or Omaha. I believe that Michigan's Adventure is in a saturated market, and was bought to try and fend off competition from Cedar Point by ensuring that money spent by Michigan park goers end up in Cedar Fair's hands.
I suspect that Cedar Fair will be conservative in spending with every park in the chain (aside from Cedar Point, but they are the flagship) and I think Cedar Fair will take the sure, steady, and slow approach to beefing up MiA's attendance like they have with every other park. If they (Cedar Fair) decided to spend like Six Flags, one can assume they'd have a similar financial situation to the Flags' chain.
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Excalibur Crew for 2002!
Antuan said:
"How do you guys know what parks are getting? Is this just your personal wish list or do you consult psychic friends network."
Actually I talked to Miss Cleo, and that's what she told me. :) (LOL!)
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Bill Yost
"I never rode a B&M I didn't like.":)
http://www.small-business-webs.com/pkizone
PGA: I know a lil something but the powers that be limit me. All I can say is
"why are those guys in orange jackets there behind Top gun with all that surveying equipment."
When im able to give a bit more i will.
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Yes I do work for the site www.greatamericanthrills.com. Thnx for asking
Note... This is a complete wild guess.
With SFGAm having recently removed at least 3, if not 4 flat rides, some new flats wouldn't surprise me in the least. I would like to see them get an S&S tower... who knows, perhaps even S&S's new Full Tilt tower! However, since they already have a drop ride (GD), they probably wouldn't get a Turbo Drop. For their next coaster, I have no clue; I'm probably just dreaming here, but a B&M floorless or flyer would be nice, as would a TA2K, as would a 4D. Then again, just about anything would be nice!
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"What am I doing?"
"OoooohwhAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
carr76013 said:
PGA: I know a lil something but the powers that be limit me. All I can say is
"why are those guys in orange jackets there behind Top gun with all that surveying equipment."
When im able to give a bit more i will.
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Yes I do work for the site www.greatamericanthrills.com. Thnx for asking
That lady that made them ruin Greezed Lightnin' and Demon after her son died on Drop Zone, probably wants them to put trims on Top Gun.
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Take it from a Michigan's Adventure fan, our park kicks butt!!!
Vertigo, actually Derek Hanna (PGA's PR guy) told me that they were letting up on the brakes on Greezed Lightnin' when it goes backwards throught the station. Ive checked it out he's right. Plus if you have watche dthe patch of land behind Top Gun the have had land cleared for years, lying dormant, up until last week. I know my PGA (check the signature).
PGAs gots some hidden cards and it doesnt involve coaster mutilation
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Yes I do work for the site www.greatamericanthrills.com. Thanx for asking!
I was there last week, it's still slower than Monte, Catapul, and the Nagi Shuttle Loop. After going on Tidal Wave tons of times, I got to try some more of those shuttle loops in the later years. I came back and rode Greezed Lightin' many times again before I moved. Came back for vacation last week as well. There is a major difference.
Plus if you have watche dthe patch of land behind Top Gun the have had land cleared for years, lying dormant, up until last week. I know my PGA (check the signature).
Do you mean the land on the otherside of the swamp that the helix goes over or the patch of land that the sucicidal wanderede into before he collided?
*** This post was edited by Vertigo on 4/10/2002. ***
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