Sandra-A1

I love that Dan Koch is sticking with the classics when adding to the park right now! It is wonderful to see the Scrambler and Tilt-a-whirl now at the park and I have no doubt that there will just as many adults as children enjoying those two classic rides. This got me to thinking about what other classic rides I would love to see added to Alabama Splash Adventure as time passes. So I decided to list my favorites here and please add your own favorites to the discussion. Naturally, I would love to see a Grand Carousel....one that was fully restored and would make the other amusement parks envious! Next would be.... a fun "dark ride" like the classic "Ride the Pretzel"... a large adult size "Flying Scooter" ride like the one that used to be atKiddieland Park at the old Alabama State Fairgrounds, along with "The Looper" ride and"The Caterpillar" with it's closing canopy! A well themed "Log Flume" would be refreshing during those hot Alabama summers! IMO, ASA should add a giant Wonder Wheel-Ferris Wheel but of the "eccentric wheel" style! I think that those moving passenger cars would provide plenty of thrills to those park guest brave enough to climb aboard! Also, I would love to see the park add a big Carnival Games section! One with all type of carnival game of skill that one could play to win prizes. Those are just the few I could think of ..I am sure there are many many more classics ride that many of you would love to see added to ASA as time passes....

I see that the park now has a Live Cam: http://wiat.com/weather/webcams/ Not the best location for a nice view of the park, in my opinion, It doesn't show anything that would motivate me to visit the park. I think they need to relocate the Live Cam to a location that at least shows people having fun. The park is actually a nice place and it is a shame that their Live Cam does not do it justice.

I saw where Six Flag's Magic Mountain is taking down the amazing woodie 'Colossus'. I rode 'Colossus' and it was an amazing experience. I wish I could have done so once again before it comes down. It is a shame it could not have been moved here. Sorry I wasn't intending to yell. I made it large so I could read/see it before I submitted it. I forgot to switch it back to normal before I hit the submit button. Sorry, some of us do not see as well as others.

I just found out that the 104-year-old Dentzel Carousel in Seasiden Heights is now facing the possibility of being dismantled and auctioned off in parts. The current owners are trying to find this historic and spectacular carousel a new home, but if they are not able to achieve that, the other option would be to auction it off piece by piece. This means it would no longer and forever operate as a carousel, but would rather be 58 figurines in 58 different living rooms. It would no longer be the great piece of American history it is, which is truly one of the greatest carousels ever made and is also certainly one of the greatest to have survived this long." Today, the Dentzel Carousel is one of only approximately 150 vintage carousels still in operation in the United States. And at about 25 feet tall, 54 feet wide and 51,000 pounds - and featuring a Wurlitzer Military Band Organ in its center - it is without question one of the grandest ever made. How wonderful it would be if this national treasure were to find a new home here at Alabama's own Splash Adventure Park! So I am asking for all of my family and Alabama friends please contact the new owners of Alabama Splash Adventure Park...The Koch Family...and encourage them to look into bringing this treasure of a carousel to Alabama. They could build a big Monolithic Dome to house the carousel and protect it from the weather...especially tornados. It could be the centerpiece of the whole amusement park. They could then start looking for other old rides that need to be saved. People love amusement park nostalgia. Parents and Grandparents enjoy being able to show their children & grandchildren what they used to ride when they were young! I so hope The Koch family will look into getting this carousel. What a crown jewel that carousel would be for the Koch Family's park!

It is exciting to see that the park FINALLY has owners who are knowledgeable, experienced and COMPEDENT! It is wonderful to see their enthusiasm. If this park is ever going to prosper and GROW...this is it's BEST chance. I wish Daniel Koch, his family, and crew all the best and am hoping that each season is better than the last!

Saw this today: http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/05/splash_adventure_waterpark_in.html

I just saw this announcement: I am not thrilled with this news. I think that the water park needs more water rides not a trampoline park!

I just checked the Splash Adventure website and saw that they are advertising a "New Sea Lion Show" for the 2013 season: http://www.splashadventurewaterpark.com/ I wonder ig there local animal rights protesters will be at the main gate with thei signs when the park opens this seeason? It is a shame there are no new water ride additions. A new slide, or water ride, would be a better addition than a sea lion show!

Just saw the latest on the park.... Here is the New Story: http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/08/alabamas_splash_adventure_clos.html

The fountain has been removed..... I can see several bobcats and backhoes working on the Fox 6 web cam. Work is progressing....slowly. LOL!

Any photos and updates? I checked the Live Cam on the Fox Six web site today and the place looked like nothing was going on. I did not see anyone on the camera. I wish the live cam was the type that was live and not refreshing evey 60 seconds.

I just checked out the park's web site and saw that it was supposed to open today. Anyone heard how it went? Rain was predicted for today but it held off until late afternoon. I wonder if anyone showed up for opening day and am curious when it comes to what they saw and experienced....

That would be great if they were interested! All AA needs is a investor with money and willing to put some of that money into updating the park with a larger variety of rides and attractions. Since the water park seems to be the main draw, and moneymaker, hopefully, it could(will) be enlarged, better rides and water features added, along with serious consideration being given to extending that section of the park's season....perhaps constructing the park so that part, or all, can be covered with a dome for year around use. Other year around water parks are doing a good business. Why not let Alabama Adventure become the premier indoor/year around water park in the USA...?...!!!

Oh, okay.......thanks Kidd!

Sorry, but I do not know what a GP comment is. I was just speaking "in general" and what I was attempting to say is that I just wish that Alabama had some great amusement attractions and was using the ones like you find on the west coast....like Knotts Berry Farm...as a example. I do not care who buys AA...I only want it to continue to stay open and GROW! The poor park seems to go from owner to owner and sadly those who do not seem to actually care about the park's long term life and growth. Langford almost killed the park simply because he was unwilling to turn it completely over to people who knew how to manage it. He wanted to keep control of the park and his doing so almost killed the park before it got going good. I had hopes that the current owner, Adrenaline Family Entertainment, was going to do good things with AA. Sadly, it is now obvious that they only bought it to "flip it." While I understand that this is a business and a nice profit is the goal...I just wish that some company would buy the park who was willing to set up a nice 1o year plan for expansion and the addition of great new rides.... and..... had to money to follow through. Like I said eariler the park has potential and I just hope and pray that there is a company somewhere willing to invest their time and money in Alabama Advanture for the long haul! At this point I do not even care if some company in Japan purchased the park........ as long as they keep it open...and expanding!

I do believe that Alabama Adventure does have a lot of potential but it does have a couple of things going against it. The first is the lack of rides. The park needs a lot more modern rides and a large variety of them. Rides that are suitable for all different level of "thrill seekers"...from the tame to the super daring. The other problem is I do not think that the park has enough land. While there is room for expansion I am concerned that the more successful companies would not be interested in AA because of the amount of land it has for future expansion. Sadly, when Landford sold off the park he first sold off several parcels of the land the park had. Now who ever buys the park will face the possibility of having to buy more land sometime in the future. Alabama Adventure needs a owner who is serious about turning the park into a successful amusement/entertainment venue..... and has the money to come in and build several great rides as soon as the park becomes theirs. They need to be able to add a new attraction to the park at least every other year (every year would be better) until the park becomes "THE" Amusement Park for the Southeast! They need to have the money to hire great staff, workers and security. They need access to a really good advertising/publicity and image firm. The park is the proverbial ugly ducking waiting to be turned into the swan that we all know it could be.....and hope that it someday soon.... will be!!!

It would be super if the company that own Knotts Berry Farm in California purchased AA and turned it into a branch of Knotts! I have always wished that we had a few of the west coast entertainment venues here in Alabama.... and since Florida got Disney and Universal I think that it would be amazing if Alabama got something like a Knotts Berry Farm. While I know the odds are more than against it happening...it sure is a nice dream!

But the whole point is the park's poor image..... It is located in a city that many people think is trashy and dangerous. (I live in Bessemer so naturally I disagree.) Yes, incidents like this make the news more often than the good ones do and, sadly, confirm the negative image in people's minds. People also remember these incidents for a lot longer. than some might think. That is why I said that the people who are the owners/investors in AA need to get busy and work on improving the park's image. They need to keep showing the public how great and SAFE the park is. They need to show the facts and figures when it comes to how much security personnel they have in the park...and if they did cut back the amount from the number they had in 2010, then they now know that was a serious mistake on their part. I do not believe that anyone participating in this discussion is wishing the park would fail. They simply see the long term effect that the other day's riot is going to have on people who would have been park visitors...even season pass buyers and repeat customers,.....and are hoping that the necessary measures are taken to turn things around as soon as possible and as much as possible.

Actually, no one really knows where those 'thugs' came from. It could have been Pleasant Grove, Birmingham, Center Point...anywhere besides Bessemer. Yes, it was their fault...but the park's attendance is still going to suffer because of them and that is a shame. This part of the State needs places like Alabama Adventure. Not everyone is into sports, auto racing and nightclubs. We need nice family amusement parks near by. I really hope that other similar types of companies open amusement parks here...especially a year around water park! However, Alabama Adventure does need to get a very good, and VERY experienced, company to work on it's image problem and let the public know that the park IS safe and to come. We know that unless the park makes money there is no chance for it to stay open and grow into the great entertainment venue that we know, and hope, it could be. Image is it's BIG problem and until working on that problem becomes the park owners #1 priority Alabama Adventures days are sadly numbered!

I've been checking the park's web cam here: http://www.myfoxal.com/link/397374/webcams and it sure looks empty. What a shame that there were such serious problems at Alabama Adventure the other day: http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/06/borderline_riot_at_alabama_adv.html The park had a great season last year. People were really filling the park. Even families from "over-the-mountain" were coming. Sadly, not now. Looks like the park's owners should have hired more security personal this season. Notice how not one is seen in the above video. Yes, the park can recover, but it is going to take one heck of a publicity campaign...and a lot of time. I wonder just how much time, and money, the investors/owners are willing to give it?

It would be nice to post what additions we would love to see Alabama Adventure add..... Thinking about what rides I would like to see added.... For the water park: Some open (not fully enclosed) slides A racing slide Family size tube slides (for more than two riders) I would also like to see some type of floating cusions available for use on the Lazy River ride for those who are not all that comfortable floating around on those tubes. For the amusement park: A new Ferris wheel like the Coaster Wheel. (remove the current one and replace it with that!) A couple of big big Dark Rides ...like a Haunted Mansion and something themed just for fun. A Roller Soaker coaster ride..that could even travel over the water park section so you could drop water on the people there..and they (the people in the water park) could have water jets they could try to soak the riders on the roller coaster with! I would also love to see the park purchase and restore any of the classic old rides that might become available. It would be fantastic for the park to create a "Yesteryear" section for these great old classics! They might even be able to get some sort of historical grant to help them save some of the great old rides! They could start with a classic like the 1927 Illions Supreme Carousel! http://carousel.com/antique/

There is a rumor going around that AA next addition was going to be a boat ride/flume ride from the INTAMIN company: http://www.intaminworldwide.com/ If this is true, then I hope the one they are buying is the one called "Mega Splash." The INTAMIN company also has some great roller coasters, as well as thrill rides. The park has room for expansion and, if they are smart, they will buy up as much neighboring land as possible...when ever possible since the park has a good location. I would love to see AA succeed and grow with AE as owners...and am keeping my fingers crossed for just that. They are suppose to be having a great 2010 season as the weather has been really good....so far!