RCjunkie

^ Just open Renegade. Then advertise and promote it as a new Flume ride until the river recedes. Actually, they should do that with Excalibur because it looks to be under more water than Renegade now. Hopefully they can get them open by next weekend for the 4th of July, I would hate to see VF miss revenue on one of their busiest weekends of the summer.

^^We knew about the flags and stakes behind the amphitheater but the missing train track piece makes it even more interesting now. On GM Dave Frazier's Twitter account he has a response to a question of, "I am not sure on all of them, some are for repairs and some are for future projects." Does he mean the flags in the ground? I cannot read the question because the guy who asked it protects his tweets. Things just keep getting more interesting at VF with all this markings on the ground. This kind of activity has not been seen at the park in a long time and gives us fans plenty to speculate about for a change.

Tranan is so unique and goofy looking plus it looks like a lot of fun so thanks for sharing. If Garbles keeps eating those 'small' ice cream cones his cones will be bigger than Miley's when does his next Wrecking Ball impersonation.

Welcome then to the thread, always nice to have more VF fans in the forum. I also live only 15-20 minutes from the park. Most of us here love the park too even though we know it is barely or slightly above average. You can still have fun at the park and hopefully in the next five years VF gets some solid additions and attractions to make it a better amusement park.

Now they have changed the Minnesota River cresting forecast in Shakopee to happen sometime early to mid Thursday. Plus we have more rain coming on Friday night/Saturday so who knows when it will subside enough to open it. Depending on what they have to do for inspections, testing and maybe repair they may not even get it open by this weekend. VF already has the shortest operating days in the CF chain and now it has to deal with this. It has been over two weeks since I last rode Renegade, feel my pain! (Sorry, I have First World problems. )

^ The Minnesota River is supposed to crest at 33 feet sometime on Wednesday this week, after that it should start receding. Who knows how long that will take or how long it will take to get those three rides back up and running. Hopefully there is not much damage. I am with you, if Renegade is not running I will not be going either. That is why I did not go Sunday as planned. If anyone sees or hears anymore news about the flooding and rides please post and let us know.

^ You are correct. Here is a link to the event that the Cedar Fair CFO spoke at last December: http://newsplusnotes.blogspot.com/2013/12/heard-on-cedar-fair-ubs-media.html Gives me hope CF could finally put some decent money into the park which would be fun to see. VF could use some love from CF.

The maintenance building is the one on the left closest to Renegade. I just don't see them demolishing a building, adding a coaster and then clearing area and building another building just due to the expense of relocating and building another building. It would be nice if they did though, it would be a nice spot and change the traffic flow of the park. I still say they will be removing Excalibur and putting it back there. I am not as sure as I once was with those orange dots being spotted in the Excalibur queue line but that is still where I think they will put a new coaster before anywhere else in the park. Below is an aerial view of the back of the park. In BLUE is where Excalibur currently is, the RED line is the where they cannot build beyond due to the flood plane and the YELLOW line is just open area right now. They could not put a loading station back in the YELLOW area there due to the flood plane but they can put footers and track back there. Plus a new coaster there could be seen from highway 101 and give the park have a little more curb appeal. The back end of Valleyfair.

I totally agree. We will see what CF does over the next 5 years as they have labeled VF as one of their 3 top growth parks, we will see if they make some bigger investments for the park. If they bring some nice attractions and rides instead of going on the cheap like they have in the past it will pay off in this market.

^ If these flags mean removal of the amphitheater (which is long overdue since it has not been on the park map the last 3 years and it not up to building code to use anymore) then what does everyone thinks it means? It obvious as day that some form of a water park expansion is coming probably next year or the following year at the latest. Are they just going to demolish it and get it on the 'water park expansion' budget and leave it empty while they expand the water park? Or do you think they will relocate Looping Starship there? Or even the best case scenario the park actually gets a NEW flat in that area? Let the speculation begin.

That is big for VF, like you indicated that will probably mean more people will visit ValleyScare and more $$$ for the park. A new haunt structure and maze then would be good to attract the 'new' (Buck Hill crowd) and get the regulars excited for something new in the mix. Personally I am not into the Haunt thing, the only reason I like it is that is keeps the rides running into October for me to ride. But I do know that it seems to get a little bigger every year when I visit and that means more revenue for VF so I like it.

Thanks for the back ground story that I have never heard before. I thought the ride was terrible because the original company that built it went bankrupt before completing it and another company had to come in and finish it and that is why it turned out so bad and that also happened to SOB so I thought that was a trend. Your also the first person I have read or heard who said it actually once a good ride, when I talk to the locals they keep saying it was bad from day one. Too bad it did not stay a nice ride because it looks good......and then you ride it and find out that is not true.

It's not an exaggeration for me when every time I get off that ride my lower back, spine and kidneys feel like they have been punched the entire ride by a leprechaun trapped in the seat backing. It's also the only ride that when exiting I heard someone yell, "Oh my rectum!". I have not rode Gwazi but Hades360 is almost as bad as Mean Streak. The only reason Mean Streak is worse is because it is longer.

Thanks for the information. At least it will be easier knowing that the sign is leaving due to operational expenses than if it was just a marketing idea to bring in a new updated sign. Nice to hear the GM likes the sign as much as we do. Unfortunately nothing lasts forever, especially in the amusement park world.

Valleyfair has a Subway, Panda Express and a Cinnabon. If you want to count ice cream as fast food they have a Ben and Jerry's also.

I totally agree especially with the service road being in between the water park and Excalibur but anything is possible. If you have the budget and money anything can be done. Maybe the orange dots around Excalibur are going to be supports for the loading end of a slide complex like Dorney got last year. You take steps from the water park over the service road up to a loading deck and then slide over the road and back into the water park without really affecting the service road. (Or course you would have to take out existing slides which I don't think will happen though). Again, not probable but possible. With all the orange dots out there and how much area they are covering this expansion looks to be bigger than anyone imagined except CF. With the last 2 years of ride and attraction re-location combined with all these orange dots in the park this is the most excitement VF has seen in a decade and I am getting more curious all the time as clues and details come to light.

I would not mind one because it would provide great views of the park but there are so many other things VF needs before a Windseeker to improve the park. I would rather see a new thrilling flat like a Huss Frisbee or something. Plus, as mentioned, the problems CF has had with them I think it would take a few years of minimal issues at the four other CF parks that have them to make CF think about getting another one. If the 'new' one at WOF works out it would be easy to argue the case then for VF to get one too.

Valleyfair still has an operating caterpillar, it goes by the name of SuperCat now instead of The Caterpillar. Unfortunately they do not operate the yellow and black stripped canopy anymore but still run the rest of the ride. They took out the canopy in the late 90's. Don't know if it was for safety or it just stopped working but wish they could refurbish it and bring it back. The Rotor at VF was removed to provide space for Power Tower.

That would be great if the carousel got a make over. It was made by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters in 1926 for Excelsior Amusement Park then it was moved to Valleyfair and is the oldest ride in the park. It would be nice to see the horses and the rest of the ride restored. They painted the roof last year which was better than the rusting blue top but more certainly could be done so it is nice to hear that it might. Did he mention a time frame or hint at when? Never expected a Banshee size coaster but you would think a smaller one could be done like Patriot mentioned above. Thanks for sharing about your visit with GM Frasier.

If they want it they can have it, it will not be missed. Have not seen a full car on that ride since forever. MiA or the remote possibility of Gilroy Gardens I think would be the only CF parks that would take it. This leads me to lean towards removal. Either way, if it does go hopefully VF will get a nice flat down the road to replace it. Can we say Northern Lights is a replacement for Chaos?

^ With these markings showing up it's time to talk to the dip-n-dots guy to really figure out what is going on.

Thanks for the fun TR, especially Blackbeard's Family Fun Center. You two should get out and travel a little more though.

Hopefully those red Xcel Energy flags and the circled white 'X' by the old patio lead to some good things. If so they are sure marking them early in the season. Nice shot of Renegade track with the Excalibur train in the back ground at the top of the lift hill.

^ Bummer. That neon sign is classic and does give VF some unique charm, too bad it looks like it will be going away. I get that an electronic one like they use at other CF parks allows for more advertising and information and you must update/evolve/adapt to a changing market place if you want a amusement park to survive but that sign is iconic for Valleyfair. Maybe they could move it some where inside the park, it looks great at night. Put it up in Route 76, maybe on the AA's track, anywhere works for me to keep it around. But if they insist on removing it completely along with its charm and make VF more like other CF parks then they better make VF entirely like most other CF parks and bring a serious water park expansion and a great roller coaster over the next 2 years. A smaller park like VF needs little things like the neon sign out front to have a unique attraction and charm to the park, if not they better have rides and attractions then that make you want to go instead and that part needs to be stepped up then. The classic Valleyfair sign at night.