montezooma

Hello friends of Shane's Amusement Attic- It has been awhile since I have been able to do an update to my thread but I just wanted to check in and let you know that there are still some great treasures hidden up in my attic and occasionally when I have some time I rumage through them and try to get them posted here. It has been a busy summer for me at Cowabunga Bay, we have had incredibly good weather and that is GOLDEN for water park business. Our numbers are looking really good and I am very pleased with the business we have been doing. Today I was busy booking my plane flights for an upcoming TPR trip to Munich for Octoberfest and I thought I should try to to a quick update just to remind everyone out there that Shane's Amusement Attic, although it has been lost somewhere out past page 10, is still alive! Here is a short update: Alton Towers years ago

Oh how I miss the TPR back and forth banter. I am SO looking forward to Oktoberfest!!!!!!!!!!! Chris, will you be there? It is amazing what 100 degree weather will do for the water park business. We have been packed this summer! wahoo.

Hey TPR-ers. I could use your help on a little campaign. If any of you are voters on the Amusement Today Golden Ticket Award, how about writing in Cowabunga Bay for a few categories. I know I can't compete with any of the big guys for best water park but how about best water park ride... Best Water Park Ride: "Cowabunga Splash" biggest water play structure- Cowabunga Bay Thanks for your help! Shane

I hope you know that is a joke! We are having a GREAT second season...up 50% over last year!!!!!

Yes...we will be putting in a prototype B&M waterslide.

Thanks everyone for the best wishes. We are off to a GREAT start but sometimes I wish I had a Beast Trainer Cheat and I could freeze the weather! No new slides this year, I am looking into doing our first expansion next season. Here are two interesting photo from our first day of operation (May 15th) and then later on in June. It was cold outside but you sure can tell we heat our water (unlike other parks here in Utah). The place is now in full bloom and looking beautiful!

Oh My Gosh! All the cool people are on that trip..well except for me. Where is Miles?

Here is the video I took of the park opening year. When the park opened they were a little short on rides, but the great shows made up for the lack of thrills. The Boardwalk was a great addition to the park. It added much needed rides and the entire section was done extremely well. [coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=FiestaTexasRattler_cvty[/coastertube]

Fiesta Texas Remember when Fiesta Texas was a partnership between a big insurance company and Opryland? Yes, Opryland! Fiesta Texas was originally more of a show park than a thrill park. The park had a beautiful setting, lots of charm, entertainment and the BEST drop of any wooden coaster I have been on. Well things change, that drop is gone, Opryland is gone, shows are gone and some of the charm has been lost. But overall Six Flags Fiesta Texas has held up as one of my favorite theme parks. Here is a look back at the first year, a souvenir book and brochure from their initial season. Tomorrow is opening day for Cowabunga Bay so updates may be few and far between over the next months. Hope you all have a great summer. -Shane the money shot!

The First Six Flags Park Although I am still a little bitter about my Six Flags stock being worth NOTHING, I won't hold it against Six Flags over Texas. It has always been one of the stronger and most loved park in the chain. This "Amusement Park Journal" article takes a look at the history of getting the park built. How it was first going to be a major Sports Complex but they couldn't get a franchise (funny the way that played out). Hope you enjoy this article on a theme park that once featured trains, cranes, cars, canoes and animal driven attractions as their major rides. Six Flags over Texas...you've come a long way baby! - Shane That's how it was done in the 60's...but Taft did things differently in the 80's. Canada's Wonderland is announced!

Yes I owned them pre-bankruptcy. I checked my portfolio this afternoon and it said all my stocks were valued at $0.00. OUCH! I understand that they have been diluted but I am not sure if they are still worth anything, even if that anything is just a fraction of $.01. Larry do you know that answer to that?

Good news for the parks, but BAD news for us stock holders whose stock is worth next to nothing now!

I have been a member of this TPR site for years and travelled to many parts of the world with you Robb. I must say that for the most park I strongly agree with most every comment you make on this site...until now. I am afraid I must finally take umbridge (thank you Steve C for that lovely word) with you. This looks Amazing! Looks like someone needs to look deep inside themselves and find that Disney child again. --Shane "still picking his jaw up off the floor and I am not even a show guy" Huish

There isn't really a theme to this posting of "junk drawer photos" except they are all old. enjoy! everyone always love a shot of the Beast station when there was water under it. So here is another one. An old shot of Cedar Point when the Wild Cat was located where Disaster Transport is now. The Corkscrew at Geauga Lake. Looking down on the park...Boy did things change at this park from when this picture was taken. The Hang Over at Liseberg. This ride was originally supposed to use LIM's, but Vekoma was unsuccessful in making them work. How about some Kings Island shots??? OK. here are a few of coasters that are long gone... The original stand up coaster, King Cobra. Another Kings Island that bit the dust...the Screamin Demon. International Street before it was remodeled with more landscaping. The original Schwarzkopf coaster in it's second location at Jolly Roger's. The ride was also called King Kobra, the same name it had in it's original location at Kings Dominion. Remember this Southern California Icon??? what a shame it was neutered. moving on to a couple of rides at Six Flags Great Adventure. Here are the Lightning Loops Rolling Thunder back when there wasn't too much excitement on that end of the park. Another early shot of Rolling Thunder. Hmmm Rolling Thunder and Lightning Loops...kind of a cool set of names for the park back in the day. Kind of a boring shot, but you can see the footers from the Ultra Twister which is kind of cool. Some early shots from the Mountain, the entrance with the old logo. Both the Revolution and Colossus had running lights on them, they looked great at night. Colossus Colossus stands alone! Remember the Mountain Express? Here is an early shot of the ride. and here is an even earlier shot of the ride. This photo was taken on my first visit to Magic Mountain back in 1974. Some early flat rides. Here is the Enterprise later known as the Reactor. The Jolly Monster once stood where the entrance to Goliath is today. This ride was called Lethal Weapon, it was removed from Movie Studio Park in Germany. It was a set of dueling/racing coasters and I think it was the first ride to feature this Intamin inversion. a cool picture of the Ninja at Six Flags St. Louis with it's original color scheme. The Shock Wave at Six Flags Great America. a model of the Old Mill Scream at Opryland Texas Cyclone at AstroWorld. Still bitter! so what is so unique about this photo? Take a look in the background...Z Force Z Force at Six Flags over Georgia and lastly, here are a few from Kennywood and their Jr. Woody It was the Dipper or Little Dipper or something with the word "Dipper" in it.

2 weeks to opening day and this is what's going on (see picture) I am beginning to think going into the water park business wasn't such a great idea after all. SNOWabunga

Cedar Point BLOW OUT!

While on the subject of Barnstormers, I should also post this: [coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=AccidentAirRace_wfw0[/coastertube]

On the heals of Aero World lets take a look at a ride that would have been a ideal attraction for this park, The Barnstormer. Although I liked the Bradley & Kaye version better, Intamin did a pretty good job updating it. I was always a fan of these rides, they were fun to ride and really cool to look at. Here is the one that used to fly at Six Flags over Texas. There was also one at Six Flags over Georgia and Lotte World in Korea. Bradley and Kaye had their versions at Opryland, Worlds of Fun and Old Chicago. BONUS PHOTO: this crazy contraption was called the Radar and was built by Chance. They built another version that had different vehicle that spun. It was more intense and called "Turbo"

Mark, you have NEVER been to Islands of Adventure?!?!?! Embarrassing

Years ago I had a quick, beautiful night at Crystal Beach. I am so glad I had a chance to visit this park and ride the Comet in it's original location right up against the water...but the Comet rocks no matter where it is! Today's BONUS PHOTO is the logo for Aeroworld, a proposed theme park for San Diego, CA. This proposed park was based on the several decades of Aviation and flight. Too bad it never got off the ground. It has always surprised me that San Diego didn't have a theme park. Plenty of people, tourist and probably the BEST weather in the country. the side friction coaster at Crystal Beach BONUS PHOTO: Aeroworld, a proposed theme park for San Diego, CA

Those Disney photos are "SKAMP-alicious" thanks for the addition. I think I have one more to add to the collection.

This place looks so cool...Elissa, when can we go here?

Tonight's Junk Drawer presents a Mystery Coaster...See how many photos it takes you before you can guess the coaster. Photo 1: the entrance Photo 2, any idea yet? Photo 3: The station. Photo 4: this should be getting easy now. Photo 5: Yes it is White... Photo 6: Lightnin at Carowinds. BONUS PHOTO: and since we are on the subject of Shuttle Loops, take a look at this early shot of Montezooma's Revenge at Knott's.

Just a quick post for the junk drawer today. A few shots from Kings Dominion, Canada's Wonderland and Lagoon. These pictures go back many, many years ago. Remember it used to be called Wilde Beast? Is this ride, Swing of Siam, still there? You always have to have this shot of Canada's Wonderland Now onto KD. This must have been the year between King Kobra and Anaconda. I think beside the "Lightning Bolt" at MGM Grand Adventures this thing may have been Intamin's worst creation. I love this picture. The Lost World. Still one of my favorite rides at Lagoon. Here is Jet Star 2 in an earlier color scheme. The Roller Coaster and the old Lagoon sign. You can see the original Wild Mouse and old Rocket ship ride in this photo.

Let's go back a couple of names ago: Geauga Lake to Six Flags Worlds of Adventure to Six Flags Ohio and eventually back to Geauga Lake and there you have today's "Attic Junk Drawer" feature. Here is Geauga Lake, before it was owned by Cedar Fair, Six Flags and Premier Parks it was simply one of the three parks owned by Fun Time Inc. I bet if it was still owned by Fun Time it would still be open. BONUS PHOTO: The Beast with water underneath it.