larrygator

Larson must be offering a great price or they recently hired an awesome sales team.

SCAT2 and Kentucky Rumbler are my favorite rides at the park. An Air Race is a good addition.

FYI - Here is what happened the last time a major amusement park was proposed in Northern Alabama. An interesting read about Space City. http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/02/huntsvilles_space_city_usa_a_h.html Huntsville's Space City USA: Failure to launch a history lesson for Shoals theme park developers? Mark McCarter | mmccarter@al.com on February 18, 2015 at 12:50 PM "Have The Time Of Your Life In 1965." That's what a Yellow Pages advertisement promised the citizens of Huntsville and the thousands, no, millions, who would surely flood into north Alabama in shared ecstasy over America's bold venture into outer space. There would be: Amusement Entertainment Recreation Education the ad assured readers. Launching from a billboard alongside Highway 20, a rocket soared toward limitless skies, with a banana-nosed cartoon astronaut floating alongside. An arrow pointed south, directing attention to a "multimillion dollar park under construction." Mission unaccomplished. The arrow basically pointed nowhere. Space City USA crashed on liftoff. Last week's gaudy announcement of a proposed $3.5 billion musically oriented theme park in the Shoals area to be called DreamVision SoundScape shook the cobwebs of memory for many long-time Huntsville residents. Similar ambition and hype - Space City organizers even flew in Decatur-born TV and movie personality Dean Jones for the press conference - accompanied a project that was revealed to Huntsville a half-century ago last month. In recalling the project in a March 2012 retrospective, The Huntsville Times' Deborah Storey led off impeccably: "Space City USA is the biggest thing that never happened in Huntsville," she wrote. Space City USA, with a $5 million price tag, was to be built alongside Lady Ann Lake, just down Zierdt Road from Highway 20 on an 850-acre chunk of property. It was so long ago and the area so sparsely populated, the site was then described as "six miles outside Huntsville" and "between Huntsville and Decatur." The plans included various rides, a volcano, a glass bottom boat and - incongruous among the Buck Rogers fantasies flying about- a narrow gauge locomotive. There would be a 200-room, 10-story space-theme "motor hotel" adjacent to the park, with a space-themed restaurant and shops. The area now being cleared for Town Madison was to have been developed as part of the plan. The railroad track was laid, including a span across the lake, and the locomotive purchased. Four domes and some offices were built. Even now, one can see where the track crossed the lake. A few pieces of foundation of early structures can be spotted in the woods and weeds and a circular concrete path has been encorporated into development. But you wonder how many people in the Colonial Grand Apartments or in the tony homes of Edgewater and The Reserve even know they're living where Dead Man's Island, Moon City and Time Circle were dreamt to be? Hubert Mitchell was the Space City USA president and Nelson Weaver was chairman of the board. To support their project, they sold stock in the corporation for $2 a share. More than a few Huntsvillians jumped onboard with their checkbooks. But, by 1967, it was clear Space City USA was earthbound. Despite some construction and civic-minded support, the project was doomed. Things wound up in court. On October 17, 1967, only a few weeks before the Huntsville-built Saturn V would propel the first Apollo capsule into space, the assets of Space City USA were sold. "An amusement park scheme which fell flat on its face and took some $2 million in capital with it," The Times noted. Not long after Storey's reporting, UAH professor Dr. J.P. Ballenger assigned his students in a Project Management class to study Space City USA's failure. To wit: Bad weather. Lack of direction. Reliance on stock sales and not enough foundation of start-up cash. Swampy site problems. Underestimating costs. The folly of competing against Disney. Lack of experience with theme parks. Poor planning. Other than that, well, it was A-OK. Now, to look west to the Shoals: Can DreamVision SoundScape really work? Or does it set up a bunch of grad students for an easy A some day?

Why? Just because you can buy acres of land for the same price that people did 60 years ago. But as Bobby "the Brain" Heenan learned from Gorilla Monsoon, Pontaic is not Detroit. OK, I'm just rambling now

The first thing I thought of when hearing this was the exhibit at FujiQ

I still have too many ongoing issues to make definite plans but here is my wish list. April/May/June - daytrips to SFGAdv, SFNE and Knoebels (possibly Hershey) July/August: Priority #1: Lagoon and Colorado parks (only been trying to find time for this trip for 5 years) Priority #2: Southwest trip: Texas parks, Frontier City and Cliffs (Another trip I've been trying to do for 5 years)

I hate to be a backseat moderator, but come on, dude. How about you let others discuss what they'd like to discuss, and you keep your rules to yourself. If people want to speculate (as enthusiasts always do), they can speculate. It's not your call to say when it's "too early" to discuss something. Back on topic: I personally feel I'd ride a dive coaster more frequently (as I've ridden them and know what to expect) rather than Gatekeeper (which I've also ridden, to utter disappointment). Wing riders just don't do it for me. As a front seat moderator we don't mind the discussion although it is illogical to debate the merits of an existing coasters versus a non-announced coaster. Unless that unannounced coaster is at BGW.

You are misinformed. Why are you saying that taxes will be wasted? The project is not going to subsidized in any way. Why are you under the impression it will work only have the time. Solar power is quite reliable today. The projection of the solar panels being able to power the park most of the season sounds reasonable. you do know that that the govt gives tax breaks for this. Yes, I read the article. There is a difference between the government funding a project and the government giving tax breaks. Also, if you read the article you would have seen that the new use of the land creates more tax revenue for the state The area is not developed and the solar field would help meet the needs of the facility. The project would put some land back on the tax rolls. So it is not conclusive what the net tax gain/loss is for either side.

It appears the transition and move of this small park has gone well with an anticpated memorial Day opening http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Playland-aims-for-Memorial-Day-opening-6084004.php Playland aims for Memorial Day opening in new location By Tim O'Brien, Times Union Never mind the weather outside, Huck Finn's Playland — the successor to the long-beloved Hoffman's Playland — is starting to sell tickets for the rides this summer. The amusement park is projected to open on Memorial Day at its new location at 25 Erie Blvd., next to Huck Finn's Warehouse and More furniture store. Owner Jeff Sperber cautions the opening date is tentative based on how cooperative the weather is. "It's going to be a challenge because there is an awful lot to do," he said. "I wouldn't want to promise anything." Some of the rides are in his company's possession. "We have a lot of stuff down here," he said. "We're doing the kind of off-season stuff that's always been done: repairing, reupholstering." A website for the park, http://wwww.hucksplayland.com, is up and running. It offers a book of 25 tickets for the ride for $25 through Feb. 26. The rides will cost $1.75 for one ticket, $12.25 for eight tickets and $29.95 for a book of 25. Each ticket buys access to 13 kiddie rides, with two tickets required for each of the major rides. There will not be an admission charge to enter the park. Sperber said calls come in every week, and sometimes daily, asking about tickets. "We did that because we were getting requests every week from people. They wanted to give them as gifts," he said. In 2013, owners David and Ruth Hoffman first said they were looking to retire and close Hoffman's Playland after its more than 60 years in business. Last year, the couple said they planned to close the park at summer's end and auction the rides if a buyer could not be found. They wanted the purchaser to move the rides so they could develop the increasingly valuable Route 9 land on which the park long operated in Newtonville. The decision led to an outpouring of community support for keeping the amusement park in the Capital Region. Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy made several attempts to find a buyer, and Sperber stepped up to acquire the rides. The Albany County Industrial Development Agency and the Capital Resource Corporation approved some $61,000 in sales tax breaks to accompany a $150,000 grant from the county. The IDA also agreed to be a conduit for $500,000 in additional grants — $250,000 each from the state and National Grid — to move the rides, including 1950s-era bumper cars. On the new Playland website, a countdown clock on Monday listed 97 days until the park opens. Commemorative bricks are also being sold to raise money. It lists the hours as noon to 9 p.m. every day, and a form enables people to apply for a summer job there. "The anticipation and excitement about it has not waned since the announcement," Sperber said. "We're getting a lot of job applications." Hoffman's had 150 employees last season, he said, so he expects to hire a similar number for this year. "When we open, we expect it to be bedlam we certainly will be prepared for and able to handle," he said.

Always good to consider this map when making long road trips. The numbers in each state are the "State Gas Tax", some municipalities also have an additional gas tax. State gas tax isn't the only factor, but it is a major factor. An interesting Map to help explain the variance in gas prices by states

Agreed

In this weather I don't blame you for not taking more pictures. Thanks for showing us the ones you did take.

You are misinformed. Why are you saying that taxes will be wasted? The project is not going to subsidized in any way. Why are you under the impression it will work only have the time. Solar power is quite reliable today. The projection of the solar panels being able to power the park most of the season sounds reasonable.

I really can't answer since the experience varies by park.

I need to knock this park off my bucket in 2015.

Did any one else notice the woman on the left is almost as wide as the sign? They must have already freed Shamu! You beat me to it Craig!

That would be a stupid thing for the park to do. How about they use the savings to fix all things aspects of the park you complain about? Unfortunately this probably won't happen until the chain smartens up and starts charging $100+ for a season pass. totally agree, a gold pass should be sold more the $61.99, like way more

I am confident that some environmental group will fight the idea as it will be uncovered that some rare animal like the "royal speckle penised worm" only lives in the area where Six Flags wants to build.

I'm not saying it is rough, but I sure don't want the buy butter from the same place as you.

I don't see that happening.

New Jersey Transit Bus Route 307 travels from NYC to the park. I have attached a link but the times change throughout the year, so recheck the schedule close to the date you are traveling. Of course, you have to take a NJ Transit train from Newark Airport to NYC's Penn Station first, then travel the 10 blocks to the Port Authority bus terminal http://www.njtransit.com/var/var_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=SixFlagsServiceTo#top3 I think NJ Transit Bus Route 308 may be able to get you from Newark to SFGAdv, but I'm not certain

Funtown Pier, at the south end of the Seaside Heights boardwalk had not had a good run the past few years. The pier was devastated by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, then the pier was destroyed by a fire in 2013. Plans are now in the works to rebuild. http://www.app.com/story/news/local/toms-river-area/seaside-park/2015/02/11/funtown-pier/23255063/?from=global&sessionKey=&autologin= Giant rides at Funtown Pier? Town must decide Bonnie Delaney, Correspondent 6:55 p.m. EST February 11, 2015 SEASIDE PARK – Does this seashore resort community need a new Funtown boardwalk amusement pier with six to 10 thrill rides that soar 300 feet into the sky? It depends on who you ask. Cheryl Raley, the owner of the Charlroy Motel a block away from the proposed amusements, told the borough Planning Board Tuesday night that she cannot sustain her business without the attractions. "We are a resort town. We all bought in a resort town," said Raley, whose grandfather built the motel in 1948. "I need those rides for visitors." But Stockton Avenue resident Pat DeGutis said she's not in favor of rides that will "cause thrills or screaming" by patrons. She recalled hearing the noise of the pneumatic pistons bringing riders on the 225-foot-high Tower of Fear up and then slamming down dozens of times each day into the night. "And the Himalaya ride operator liked to turn the volume of the music up as high as it could go," she said, adding that she preferred to hear the sound of the birds in her backyard rather than the incessant noise of the rides, people screaming and loud music. Raley and DeGutis were among a half dozen residents who attended an informal session held by the planning board to review initial plans Funtown Pier owner Bill Major has developed to rebuild the amusement pier destroyed in a boardwalk fire in September 2013 and add giant rides. Stephan R. Leone, Major's lawyer, said the business is seeking planners' support of a proposed ordinance that would allow Funtown Amusements to install six to 10 thrill rides between 200 and 300 feet high on the rebuilt pier. Among the new rides mentioned were a zip line with two towers that would allow riders to view the rides and the ocean, a Sky Coaster that is 195 feet tall, and other high rides like the Space Shot and Turbo Force, in addition to 25 kiddie rides. Henry Hengchua, a Toms River architect, described the concept for the amusement area, noting that although the rides will be very high, they won't be obstructive. "They'll be spread apart so people will go from one ride to the next and walk throughout the Funtown Amusement area," said Hengchua, who has designed amusement parks for Six Flags' Great Adventure, Hershey Park and Wildwood. He said that because of the high winds off the ocean, the high rides will either be on a cantilevered pole or on porous trusses. However, the municipality has an ordinance that limits the height of rides to 50 feet, according to planning board member Charles Appleby, who added that Major's request years ago to install the Tower of Fear ride was denied. So, Majors leased a section of boardwalk nearby that was just across the town line in Seaside Heights, where higher rides are permitted, and brought the Tower of Fear to the boardwalk. What's right for Seaside Park? Leone said that the town must decide if it is in favor of an amusement pier or it isn't. "It won't be economically viable to rebuild the pier if you don't want noise and you don't want lights (from rides)," he said. Faye Haring said the borough has been without a boardwalk and amusement pier for the past two summers. She said attempts to have a carnival at the marina and at the oceanfront parking lot did not attract many families. "This is a chance to bring families with children back to our town. We don't have anything to offer young families," she said. Major said if he cannot have the upgraded rides he cannot afford to rebuild the $20 million pier with only kiddie rides because the smaller rides don't bring in enough money. "I've been on the pier since 1980 and you need to get the big rides that generate revenue," he said. Major said he has already received CAFRA (Coastal Area Facilities Review Act ) permit to rebuild the pier on its original footprint and the first pilings are going in. Funtown dates back more than half a century. Before superstorm Sandy struck the coast, the pier had more than 30 rides, including thrill rides like the Sling Shot. The storm destroyed many of the rides but much of the pier was still standing. The surviving rides were all destroyed by the boardwalk fire. The planning board is expected to schedule another session to listen to residents who want to weigh in on the boardwalk amusement pier plans, before it makes a recommendation to the Borough Council.

I hope the themeing holds up to the concept art.

Just be patient as operations can be very slow (especially food services). The park usually hosts outings for Jewish groups and many of them are infrequently park visitors. This causes extra slow loading and unloading on many of the rides. Still I have never had any problem riding El Toro repeatedly the first two hours the park is open.