John Peck

This article talks a little bit about the parks opening: http://www.meadvilletribune.com/local/local_story_141234731.html They also mention a "Skydiver" ... is that the Ferris Wheels replacement?

I'm glad this ride was approved.. Poor Cedar Fair were so annoyed not being able to get it up and running for this year. Looking forward to seeing markings soon...

So I thought I would go ahead and come up with a rendering of what I think the 2010 ride will be. It's for entertainment purposes only... Enjoy! My rendering of the New Coaster Design

A group of us made a trip to New England in 2003 and were able to tour the closed Whalom Park. Yes.. we did have permission to go inside the park... it was actually a nice treat. We were only going to take a few shots while we walked around the perimeter of the park, and this nice guy, who actually was the head maintenance, saw us and asked if we would like to see inside. So he unlocked the gate, and let us in for about an hour. He was optimistic that the park would reopen, but The Coaster Motor had been sold and several rides were taken out. Rides On Site Then: Scrambler Flyer Comet (Trains on site.. no picts) Carousel Clown Bounce Roto Jet Satellite Jet Paratrooper Rides I knew were Missing: Tilt A Whirl All Kiddie Rides Sea Dragon Yo Yo Round Up Ferris Wheel Tumble Bug Flying Scooter Whalom Park ran until 2000 and after the park closed, they began to sell off the rides. Vandals broke in and burnt down the Ballroom around 2002. I'm not sure what is in the parks place now, but I know it was bulldozed a few years ago to make way for Condo's... I'm not sure if they ever got built. Now.. onto the pictures... These gates would never reopen to the public Waterslides near the lake Flyer Comet from the back parking lot. I think the park had 3 small lots Winterized Scrambler (This ran backwards) Inside the entrance (note the Rocketship Car) Roto-Jets Paratrooper Round-Up site Midway Carousel Building and Looper (the power had been cut to this ride one week earlier.. otherwise he would have let us try it) Clown Bounce (The ride platform was made of Wood) This Satellite Jet ride came from Palisades Park in New Jersey Whip Building Flyer Comet Station The Flyer Comet Coaster with the Former Tumble Bug Foundation Coaster

Thats a pretty Park... but not as pretty as all you girls! Wow!

It was mentioned elsewhere that this has something to do with re-routing the Tram, which incidentally, will be related to Carsland. Things are really coming along, I'm glad we made it there back in November before all the walls went up, though.

Those are some VERY nice pictures. You have really taken some great out-of-the-ordinary shots. You may want to make a few of those black and white and have them framed up and entered in either a school competition or your local city's art show. Seriously.

Has anybody been able to get any night-time shots of the Giant Wheel and El Dorado yet?

You and Elissa remind me of my wife and I... you're always taking cruises and hitting parks where you can find them. How many cruises have you done so far? We are up to 5 now.

Who is this Carnival Company? I wouldn't mind looking them up online.

That is a Tivoli Scorpion. It has the exact same motions as a Trokia, except its a little lighter, smaller and faster. No Ferris Wheel yet, huh?

^ It wasn't long ago when I actually saw a Tilt racked. It tricks a lot of people because when they put up a Tilt, they don't use any parts of the trailer itself, they just winch pieces off, and basically build it from scratch. The Spider for example is built like that too as well as some older Scramblers. (The scrambler in your above pictures is actually a late 80's design and incorporates the trailer along with the ride itself.) Many carnivals have taken their older rides and had them custom racked to save time on putting them up. This carnival is only 1 night? That sure looks like a lot of rides for that, but thats cool. The carnival company is probally getting a nice payment to just be there. I learned a lot of stuff when I was little and would go and watch my local church carnival set up every May.

The "Rockin Tug" is actually a "Skater" Not sure if thats a Zamperla or Magestic. The white ride is a Fabbri Kamakazi The other ride you question with the blue trailer and red tubs is a Tilt A Whirl

I haven't been following this thread, but it's pretty cool they they got to do a test run on the Raven. It will be neat to see how these trains act as far as maintenance, because I know those PTC's are pretty brutal on the track.

I'm gonna miss that Log Flume. Thats okay.. something better will take it's place.

The only time I visited Kings Dominion was in late 2000 (the fall before Hypersonic opened) and they had begun to work on the area. I can't believe of how much open space they have there. I wonder where the Spider was "Supposed" to go. There is still a rumor of a temporary attraction for this year according to kdfansite, but I wouldn't expect it to show up until around Memorial Day when the crowds get bigger. It will be neat to see what they do with that area in a few years. A Giant Frisbee would work.

It's amazing how how much red tape a park has to go through just to build a new ride. Think of how many parks have suffered just trying to build something new. (IE: Dorney, Waldameer, Geauga Lake)

Mirage/El Dorado was built at Geauga in 1991 and over the years had a handful of problems. I was really surprised it lasted as long as it did. When the ride was first built, the thing actually went so fast that you actually got airtime. It wasn't until they slowed it down when the ride seemed to be more reliable. Americana Came to GL in 1999 and was purchased Used from Old Indiana. The ride operated 1 or 2 seasons without any lights on the "wheel" itself. The, the park bought what looked like a Chance light kit for it.

I wanted to throw my 2¢ in here as well... Where in most cases, the park wont be much different as a whole, the aggressive addition of Brands and Characters is really what is going to change the feeling of this park. The Mickey on the Wheel will Scream Disney more now, and though they are losing the Ears on the coaster, it clashes a little with the new Boardwalk Themeing. I wouldn't have mined a redesign of those ears. C.A. felt like it had no magic when I went in 2002, but it had a lot more in 2008. When I go to the Tower of Terror or Bugs Land or Monster ride, it feels more like what Disney should be, and these changes will help to bring it through the whole park. I see CA being "Much better" after these changes because it will feel like it has the Disney Magic many have come to expect with Disneyland, I just didn't think they needed to spend over a Billion Dollars to achieve that. Why couldn't they have added a few NEMO Characters to the Jumping Jelly Fish? Animal Kingdom felt like this to me as well outside of the Minni/Mickey Land, but its getting better. Epcot is adding more Disney Brand into it as well, but it never felt Non-Disney to me because of the technology that "felt" Disney. Once these changes are made here at CA, I hope their next addition is another large show, maybe bigger than the Festival of the Lion King only with say, Toy Story Characters.

^ Thats okay, Nissan's are good, too! Thanks for the picts.

I had a feeling you were going to say that! Its wild of how close it looked to the right of the park in the webcam shots, I could have sworn it was right next to the S&S Tower from that perspective. Funny that! Do you think they need a crane of that size because they are going to stretch it over the bay construction when the add the Micky Face? Is that what they are doing?

Thats a pretty nice looking Accord! How many miles do you have on it now?

Gee, thats really a big crane. Are they taking apart the Maliboomer? Why would they need a crane that big? Unless its closer to the Hotel than it looks. We were there for our second-ever visit in November, I'm glad we got there when we did! It can't be easy navigating around that park, at least they are getting a lot done before the busy season (or is California "always" in the busy season?)

I've been lucky in the past to hit parks before they closed (announced or not) But right now, with the economy, it really could be any park nowadays that may not open the doors next season. Enjoy all you can now, tomorrow isn't guaranteed for anyone.

Or.. to add to the list.. could it be the old Expoland Arrow, just with a newly manufactured loop? http://www.rcdb.com/ig1271.htm?picture=4 I thought it was closed before the park shut down.