RCjunkie

That's a rumor that hasn't been confirmed, but I am pretty sure it has something to do with Haunt. It pretty much has been confirmed. VF has filed building permits to build the structure, have fire sprinklers and running water plus sewage to the building with the permits having London Terror Building as a description. Putting all that effort and money means it is probably a permanent Haunt building. You can find that here by using Valleyfair Drive as the road in the drop down menu and then hit search. https://epermits2.logis.org/search.aspx?city=sh

Because the park doesn't want to be a baby sitting service That is the #1 reason followed by the park being open 362 days a year with no weather issues to prevent you from going.

I saw that again on Saturday too, it has been there for over three weeks because it was there the last time I visited. It is red but just like the picture above of the white one. It is right in front of the big swinging service doors that the maintenance guys use to enter the water park in between the former IMAX and the dining patio. Red markings usually mean it is for power lines, either existing or new ones. Those orange painted dots around the park sure disappeared quickly, I could not even find a shadow of one on Saturday.

Just checked out the City of Shakopee's building permits to see if any were for Valleyfair and 'water park' construction but did not find anything yet. There is a permit for the new Haunt building being built north of High Roller and also a permit for a demolition of a 20 by 16 garage. I wonder which garage they are talking about? Is it one they removed to build the new Haunt structure or is it a maintenance building over behind High Roller or next to Renegade? Any ideas anyone? And if you do a search for building permit SH072333 you get the one for the demolition of a garage. If you click on the detailed links they tell more of what is happening, value of the project, etc. It can all be found here: https://epermits2.logis.org/search.aspx?city=sh Just use the drop down menu to search by road and choose Valleyfair Drive and all results will appear. Or you can look up by permit number as with the garage demolition under SH072333. Hope to see some water park permits soon.

I did not see any markings when I went Saturday and I gave it a pretty good look on foot as I parked at he back of the lot by the booths. Do you know exactly where they are? Take a picture if you can and share. To expand the water park and then create a drop off lane for parents/kids make so much sense it is borderline genius. I bet they sell a lot more season passes if parents know they can drop off and pick up the kids with ease and forget the hassle of going through the parking pay booth. Thanks for the info! Where do you usually work in the park? I will stop by and look for you to say 'hey' next time.

To see what they do with Looping Starship will be interesting. I give it a 50/50 chance of relocation survival, unfortunately I have nothing to base that on but just a gut feeling. I just don't see it staying where it is now with the water park expansion coming, it sits on valuable land that could be used for more popular water slides. And I have not seen a full car load of people on that ride since the 90's. I would like to see an expanded lazy river, VF's is short compared to other CF parks. I agree there will be a new entrance, I just don't know where. Lots of space along the interior perimeter of the park next to the water park to put one. Anywhere from where the old Hydroblaster used to be to the current entrance they could put one. I see them moving it closer to the front towards the parks main entrance just so it doesn't seem like as far as a walk to get to the water park. If the expansion rumors are as big as we hear maybe even an entrance in the front and back of the water park. I would like to see Mad Mouse re-positioned or relocated just so that area of the park can be fixed for people traffic flow, it always jams up there on busy days and slows to a crawl. Anyone think that the Snoopy Red Baron kiddie ride next to the old Hydroblaster spot gets relocated due to the expansion? No basis for this but my opinion but I think The Wave does not move until Corkscrew moves to open up that plot of prime real estate in the park and at the time you could re-position the ferris wheel if you needed too. If the water park expansion brings something big like a Tornado slide they may just eventually remove The Wave completely because it does not fit into a water park. It is a one trick pony that takes a long time to load and seems more popular for the people watching it make a big wave and getting wet themselves than the ride its self. Half the time I see more people on the splash bridge of the ride than in The Wave car its self. I am hoping with this project the carousel gets re-furbished as a bonus surprise as hinted by GM Dave in his talk with valleyfairfanatic. There is my babbling 2 cents. I am getting excited for the announcement in the next 25 days because based on how large and how much money they put into the expansion that will tell us how much CF views VF as a growth park and how big we can speculate the next coaster will be.

I went to the park this afternoon and did not see any markings around the parking lot 'toll booths' either. I don't know what they are talking about.

Cool! What did you do use to film your Best Day Ever? Camera phone? Handheld video camera? How long was it? Are you sharing it some where like YouTube that we can take a look at it?

Exactly. And we who buy Flash Passes have the right to hate you right back for your pettiness and/or jealousy. It goes both ways. To each his own, enjoy!

Oh no, I would rather have an Intamin or Mack launch coaster. But for all the reasons discussed in this thread I think a B&M Invert will be the next coaster at VF. Hopefully I am wrong and they surprise me with an Intamin Maverick style or Mega-Lite coaster. I just hope they don't get a Winged coaster if it is a B&M. I would enjoy a B&M Invert or Floorless but would be ecstatic if the park got a Intamin Maverick style or Mega-Lite coaster.

Please, it's not like your the only person who knows people who work at the park. I don't know someone as high on the corporate ladder like GM Dave but I know a couple of people who work there that are not just ride ops either......and I have known the Dip-n-Dots guy for years, we go way back. Yes, I have been hearing that from people who work at the park since they moved/removed the kiddie rides next to Corkscrew's entrance and exit queues during the Camp Snoopy addition in 2011. It left those three green spaces in a row on both sides of the entrance/exit queues and next to The Wave ride for even more space. With CS getting painted in the last 3 years and GM Dave telling garyman6 that it won't be going anywhere soon so this will not be the place the next coaster will go. That is great to know, hopefully someday he can get a full course Intamin ride at VF. I have never been on an Intamin coaster that I did not like. You call others fanboys (and I admittedly am one), but I think you must be one of the the biggest fan boys if you think VF is going to get a Maverick like coaster. Maverick cost $21 million in 2007 and would cost $24,138,841.42 in 2014 when adjusted for inflation and would be even more expensive in 2016. Plus the added cost of removing CS and The Wave make that number go even higher. garyman6 knows GM Dave also and walked the park with him earlier this year and he told him that VF would not be getting a Banshee sized coaster which cost $24 million so based on that a Maverick type coaster is not happening either. Maverick is my favorite steel coaster and I would LOVE to have one at VF but only a hardcore fan boy would think that CF would put one of their flag ship coasters (or one like it) into their 2nd smallest park in the chain. The attendance and revenue would not support it from a return on investment standpoint for the corporate office. From what my contacts tell me I am hearing the same thing. That combined with all the orange dots around the existing water park back that rumor up. I hear everything but the wave pool will go. But since no one can confirm what types of slides or slide packages are taking place of the existing ones I am still skeptical it is that big but still hoping it is true. It is great your friends with GM Dave, when you see him next time ask him if any coaster manufactures have visited the park this year to look at areas in the park. I am looking to confirm another piece of information that I heard.

Got this link from the KBF discussion thread, it is an interview with Cedar Fair CEO Matt Quimet and just wanted to make sure VF enthusiast saw it if they wanted to read it. It indicates he will hit all CF parks over the next few weeks so if you are at the park be on the look out for him and let us know if you see him. Then stalk him, see where he goes and what he looks at in the park and then tell him we need a new coaster asap after the water park expansion. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-hill/cedar-fair-ceo-matt-ouime_b_5628758.html?utm_hp_ref=tw

You might want to put down the pipe for a little while. Just because there was an article speculating on removing old Arrow coasters from CF parks does not mean it will happen just yet. Until we see older Corkscrews at CP and MiA get removed VF's is probably safe, plus they just repainted the thing 3 years ago. Arrow did go bankrupt and then became Arrow-Huss in 1981 and then that company went down in 1986 so where have they been getting parts all this time to keep it running? Life Expectancy at 2016 or 2017? What manufacturer puts a life expectancy at 36 or 37 years? 35, 40, 45 years maybe but not an odd number like that. And like valleyfairfanatic wrote, GM Dave has NEVER even installed an Intamin in any park so how do you know he likes them over a B&M? CF has not bought an Intamin in 3 years yet you have them purchasing one of the most expensive ones (Maverick) for their 2nd smallest park? I just don't see it but would be ecstatic if it did happen because it is my favorite steel coaster . Plus VF already has an Intamin and is one of only 2 parks in the chain without a B&M ride so if they go with a major manufacturer all signs point to a B&M (even though an S&S or Mack works for me too. ). And why would you want to remove CS when it is still way more popular than Excalibur? You want to remove your least favorite attractions first if you are removing anything. I do agree with you that if the amphitheater is removed it will provide great space to work with especially if you relocate Enterprise also. That area could be made real exciting with a new coaster or a couple of good flat rides.

That is good news for the park and fans like us because more attendance leads to new attractions. They have been doing a lot more advertising this year compared to other years especially on TV locally so maybe that has something to do with it. Or maybe it's the return of the Antique Auto's.

As good as a job that NU did in locating and adding new rides when Mr. Frazier was there he never had to put in a 3000+ ft. coaster. If the park does not put the next coaster north of High Roller then they will have to remove or move something to fit it in. The idea of wrapping a coaster around existing rides is great but it adds more cost to the ride and I would just rather see that money spent on the coaster instead of extra supports or re-doing walk ways to accommodate a new coaster. I still think they will remove an existing coaster before they add a new one but we shall see.

^ Works for me. But then the question I have for you is where do you put a new coaster at VF without removing an existing one?

Me too, it would be a shame for the park to lose a thrilling flat ride like that. It is the only flat ride I ride every time I visit. Not that I don't ride other flat rides at the park but this one for me is a must on every visit if it is operating.

I don't think anyone thinks a new coaster is coming next year with all the obvious signs after the removal of the IMAX theater. Everyone expects the water park expansion next year with a new coaster in 2016 or 2017. I highly doubt Corkscrew will be leaving before Excalibur, they just re-painted it 3 years ago with the Camp Snoopy attraction. Corkscrew is still on the Fast Pass list when Excalibur is not so why would you remove a more popular ride than one that is not if they are still both operating properly? Corkscrew actually runs 2 trains more than twice a year and still has lines longer than 5 minutes for it so I don't see it moving for the next coaster. I am not saying Corkscrew doesn't need to be replaced (because it does too) but Excalibur needs to go first. For a Corkscrew VF keeps it running pretty well all things considered and the GP still rides it much more than Excalibur.

For me it is Mean Streak at CP followed closely by Hades360 at Mount Olympus. I have never been on Gwazi so I have that to look forward too.

Everyone has there opinion. To me Wild Thing is a very average coaster with a very similar layout to Magnum. Its first drop hill has a little more air time than Magnum but after that Magnum is better coaster. The turn around is tighter and faster than Wild Thing and it also does not have nearly the trim on the back side which gives Magnum more air time on the bunny hills on the way back compared to WT. Plus WT is only 2 miles an hour faster and just because it is longer with it's mammoth break run at the end does not make it better. Magnum is also 7 years older than WT and still slightly better in m y opinion. Both are very average coasters now due to their age and what else is available today. Anyone who wants to ride a new coaster will walk back there, no problem. If Renegade, Steel Venom or WT were back there now people would make the trip, they just don't now because Excalibur is not that good of coaster. Maverick is at the back of CP and people flock to that ride. If it is a good ride build it and they will come. If they can fit Excalibur in there they can fit another coaster there in its foot print for sure, maybe just a bigger queue area if it is a good coaster and attracts more people. All parks also want you to go to the back of park so you can walk by more food stands, games and other attractions to get your $$$. Now if you want to talk about the BEST place for a new coaster then I would have to agree that Excalibur's spot is not the place compared to removing High Roller or Corkscrew and putting a new ride in either of those places. Those rides just received some new paint (CS) and wood word (HR) over the last 3 years so I don't see them being removed before Excalibur. The spot where the Dino's are now would be perfect at the front but they are not going anywhere either soon.

^ Thunderbird looks like a pretty sweet launched winged B&M coaster. If the ride is as good as the promo video then I agree with you that it would be a great fit at VF. With the shorter trains of only five cars instead of the usual 8 like on X-Flight and Gatekeeper it looks like it can perform faster turns and hopefully more forces. But at a cost of 22 million I doubt VF would get something like this. Banshee cost 24 million for comparison.

^ It was last used in 2009 and that must be a picture from the last concert there. Garyman6 spoke to VF GM Dave Fraiser about it earlier this year and he said it cannot be used because it was not up to building code standards anymore. This is why I was hoping they would use that space for a new flat ride of two. VF needs more rides like Xtreme Swing or a Huss giant frisbee.

Good deal, thanks for confirming. The park needs to demolish the amphitheater to create room for a new flat ride or two.

^ No kidding. I don't know if I am happy that they are using it again or upset that they are using it again which may mean they will not remove it now to add some new rides.

I don't know much about water parks except that when I travel to other parks their water parks make VF's water park look tiny and outdated. Hopefully some people who know more about and visit water parks more often can speculate on this like you asked, I want to hear what other people think also. I am curious to see what they are planning for this area. Don't forget they can easily remove the old corporate dining area adjacent to the water park for even more room, the only thing there that is currently being used is Subway. Plus, can we dare to dream that in addition to filling the new plots of land could they possibly remove any of the old slides and add new attractions their also? New area's for lounge chairs and food/beverage options would be welcomed too. How about a new entrance and a remodeled/longer lazy river?