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geaugadan

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About geaugadan

  • Birthday 02/28/1991

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  1. This is just my opinion but honestly, no. I think people are trying to turn this into something it's not to make themselves feel like they're fighting for a cause that's much more important than it actually is. They're trying to draw parallels to things that are infinitely worse than this will ever be (like slavery). Animal cruelty is horrible and should be and is treated very seriously. I just don't think what SeaWorld is doing could be considered "Animal Cruelty" in any way, shape or form. Based on that response that was posted a few pages back and a lot of other responses that have come out over the last few weeks it seems like they treat the animals very well. The fact that the pro-SeaWorld people are acknowledging criticism from anti-SeaWorld people while the Blackfish people have no interest in even hearing the other side of the story leads me to believe that the pro-SeaWorld people are much more credible. I honestly feel like people are just starved for attention and want to feel like they're doing something important even though they're really not. If they wanted to make a difference there are a million better causes they could be supporting but they wouldn't get the same amount of attention since this is the issue CNN has decided to make a big deal about and report on. I don't think its animal cruelty either. I don't think I would have the appreciation and respect for wild life that I do now if I hadn't spent so much of my youth at SeaWorld Ohio. I was simply trying to make a point about a film that couldn't have gotten the attention it did without at least some broader support of its message. And I agree with the point that there are a million other things, challenges faced by our own species, that need to be worried about before we worry about hurting a whale's feelings. As far as documentaries go, it was absurdly one sided, partially because they couldn't get many people still associated with SeaWorld to talk, and partly because it didn't care about being one sided. There is no question in my mind that it was wrong to capture whales out of their pods and put them in tanks, and to moreover show a whale that had a history of maiming and killing trainers. Still, beyond that message, the film didn't even attempt to delve into SeaWorld's positive aspects, its merit in getting people to appreciate and more importantly respect nature, or the fact that we can think we know what a whale is thinking, but we can't. Nor did it ever delve into the failure of releasing Keiko, the successes of apparently "happier whales," etc. It was provocative, and I don't see SeaWorld fading from the scene soon. I still think it will face challenges in the future when these views inevitably go further into the mainstream, just as the views of PETA, the ASPCA, the WWF, and other organizations that once weren't more than a bunch of raving hippies did.
  2. Maybe an unpopular view here, but is it not possible that SeaWorld is simply on the wrong side of history? Regardless of how well SeaWorld treats its animals (I'll admit, pretty well for what its worth), and no matter how educational it is (SeaWorld Camp Class of 1999 here), I don't see SeaWorld, any zoo, Circus, or animal performance for that matter, being around in 50 years, and here's why. It can often be more damning for someone to hit a dog than to hit a person, or for cattle to be treated, well, like cattle. Culturally, westerners have started to treat different species with a sense of individuality, with all creatures entitled to a bit of self-determination. Whether or not you agree with this, I think this shift is what will be the undoing of these forms of entertainment. Sometimes it seems to me that SeaWorld has already taken this cultural shift to heart, focusing more on roller coasters and other attractions that are just barely related to the ocean and its living contents. I love SeaWorld, and miss the years I spent living within 20 minutes of one, but I just don't see it being to cultural force it once used to be for much longer.
  3. Looking back at these old pictures, it reminds me that the best thing about GL was also the worst thing about GL: no lines. After Six Flags sold the park to Cedar Fair, GL's attendance leveled out at 750,000 for its last four years. I remember going to the park for the first time in 1991. It was an early in September, probably the before Oktoberfest, and the place was packed to the gills. In the first two years of the Six Flags era, I remember waiting forever to get onto rides like Batman: Knight Flight, X-Flight, and even the Double Loop. By 2003, though, it was clear that people had gotten fed up with the operations, service, and upkeep of the park, and attendance had declined by nearly 1 million. When Cedar Fair bought the park, many were hopefully that the park's fortunes would change, but I think the thing that killed GL was the closure of Sea World. While GL was a great local draw, Sea World was a destination throughout the Great Lakes. Geauga Lake was where you went after you went to Sea World, and not having the unique identities of two separate parks made Six Flags Worlds of Adventure a poor man's version of what once was. That being said, my happiest memories of my adolescence all took place at Geauga Lake under the management of CF.
  4. I agree, I'm glad to see CP letting go of their record fetish and look towards building better, more visceral, experience rides. Sure, TTD is visceral and about the experience, but the moment Kingda Ka was built, the experience was diminished (if only by 26 feet). Plus TTD is only 14 seconds. Maverick kicks dirt in the face of TTD by overall satisfaction and is more inclusive because it doesn't immediately strike fear in the hearts of the fearful. CP has apparently seen the positives of this approach to attracting visitors to the park (though no one in Ohio could be convinced that anyone could do it better). It kills me to think CP has let SFMM claim the more coasters, but CP can rest easy knowing that its coasters are experiences, and the setting can't be beat =D
  5. Everytime I see Dominator in its new home, I'm reminded of how it was tailor made for its former location at Geauga Lake. You could literally grab the marsh grass as you zoomed past over the water, so seeing its new location kind of kills me. I'm glad, however, that such a good ride got such a good home at a park where more people can appreciate its awesomeness. I happily own a piece of the ride (I grew up near GL) and found a bolt for the ride that was left behind in the parking lot. Great report, amazing photography!
  6. Mr. Hyde's so was unreliable at Geauga Lake that when Cedar Fair took over the park, the ride idled for the whole of the 2004 season. Im sure the problem became more pronounced under Six Flag's management, but yeah that thing broke down more often than it ran. Quite humorous actually.
  7. Hey all, Sitting here in the basement of the library at college for the summer is about to wear me thin, so when my boss isn't around, TPR provides a great dose of escapism. Such escapism got me thinking...is there any ride experience (coasters, thrill rides, even tame rides) that provoked so much fear in you that your hard pressed to forget the experience? A ride from hell where it seemed like Final Destination 3 might have indeed played out if you had been selected for Death's list? If you have children, any notable freak outs in the endeavor to instill your love of roller coasters in them? I'll start... I'm 21 now, but when I was six, I rode Magnum for the first time. At the time, the wait for Magnum was as epic as the ride itself. Because I couldn't read and because Magnum's ride signage is easy to miss, my dad had convinced me that we were actually about to ride the Gemini. About an hour after entering the line, we got into the station, and just as I was about to board, I heard the ride announcer proclaim that the ride was in fact Magnum, not Gemini. An announcement my dad claimed ignorance. Still, I got on the ride, scared out of my mind, and remember hanging on for dear life the whole ride. The tunnels seemed to go on forever, the thing I remember most vividly (that, and the cool nineties hair and outfits whipping around in the air). While I love the ride now--its my favorite at Cedar Point--I harbored a grudge about that experience for about a week. Another hellish ride experience occurred in 2005 at Geauga Lake, my former home park. Mister Hyde's Nasty Fall, an Intamin First gen. drop tower formally known as the Edge at SFGAM. MHNF was notorious for breakdowns even with the non-enthusiast crowd at my Middle School. In 1984, the Edge catastrophically failed when a car at the bottom of the shaft was crushed by a car which fell from the top of the shaft. Though, luckily, no one died, by the time the Edge had made it to GL, it had been altered to prevent such an accident from happening again. Because, presumably, this had been done partly in house, the ride never worked as it should have. Boarding the ride one day, we got stuck at the bottom of the elevator shaft, at the top of the shaft, in the drop position, and in the break run. Each stop lasted about 5 minutes, except for the one in the drop position which lasted about 30. With its past playing through my head, I tried to keep cool as my brother had a contusion. Any other good stories?
  8. having spent most of my time playing RCT when I was younger, I used to hear phantom peep sound fx. sounds crazy, but not unlike thinking your phone rang when it didn't. I also had a very vivid dream where i was in what looked like RCT3 sandbox mode: having climbed to the top of a 300 foot coaster, I immediately feel, waking up when I hit the ground. I was a little frazzled and would soon give up on RCT3. That game was a nightmare after all.
  9. I apologize for my ignorance, but is this a 4d ride like X or are the vehicles stationary like Furius Baco? College makes keeping up a challenge to say the least
  10. Can't wait to get down there this year! Finally get a B&M hyper under my belt. The Cedar Fair Maxx Pass is the one thing I like about CF's acquisition of Paramount Parks. Also, I love the Peanuts, but when is CF gonna realize that the Peanuts aren't relevant to anybody under the age of 10? I haven't been to KI since 2005, but it was really cool to see Nick characters incorporated into the theming. Notta so much anymore, huh?
  11. I agree. Its a very wise investment as it is a ride that can be appreciated by almost anyone who visits the park. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that was the goal with Maverick, until they found out how intense that ride turned out to be. Either way, CP has been an awesome home park to have for the last decade.
  12. Yeah. Its totally a joke. Not a good one granted, but today's blog post confirms its a sham. Instead of going with something like a new 800 ft coaster or that Maverick is in fact an Aquatrax, they went with something benign and almost rude to the die-hards of the blog (myself included). I guess Dick wouldn't stand for anything but an April Fools joke that was about creative as Cedar Fairs ____Hawk name scheme.
  13. I perhaps was quick in jumping to conclusions about Shoot the Rapids' theming, but as you said, Cedar Point's record with theming would suggest otherwise. Granted, Maverick's theming looks incredible, and whats more, you're too busy enjoying an incredible ride to be bothered with whats happening around you. I guess with my earlier comment I was expressing concern about CP's tendency to overlook atmosphere in their quest to build what is arguably the most incredible thrill park in the world.
  14. Im so excited to ride this thing! Though I love Maverick, Cedar Point really lost one of its biggest family rides with the removal of White Water Landing. It's great to see a modern replacement for WWL! My only qualm with the ride is that it is a demonstration of Cedar Fair's record with a love of cement. Frontier Trail remains one of the few places in Cedar Point where there were real-life trees in abundance. I might be naive in thinking there is a way to preserve as many trees as possible, because to me it just seems like they kinda axed trees all willy-nilly to construct this ride. Though the rock work will be a nice touch, a tree or two wouldn't have hurt. I hate to be the Lorax, but soon Cedar Point will just be Point. Either way, this is sure to be a great addition to the already stellar ride line-up at CP. I'm anxious for opening day to get here!
  15. Agreed. The ride vehicles could be moving tanning beds. You could use the same trackless system they use on the Winnie the Pooh ride at Tokyo Disney. It be like actually being in a club! I think applied to "Skins" the ride would be even better, the shooting aspect could be deter the Skins gang from making poor choices. But seriously... You just rattled off a great ride wish list. Im still pumped to see how the "Cars" ride at DCA turns out.
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