garyman6

I just read on Valleyfair's blog that they will be keeping the ship section of Looping Starship and that we are to look for it somewhere next season. Is this maybe going to be a great decoration for a newly themed waterpark or maybe down by Berzerkers as a Viking ship decoration. What do you all think Valleyfair is going to do with it?

I also had a chance to have a quick conversation with one the maintenance personnel. They told me that the decision to retire Looping Starship was because the ride had come to a time that a lot of major components needed to replaced. It was simply too expensive and they could not justify the cost. So, it will not be relocated or sold but perhaps could be parted out. I was also told that the replacement is going to be a waterpark expansion. We all pretty much knew that but its confirmed. He did not know what and said they are also kept in the dark. So question, does anyone think that Valleyfair will make some surprise announcement for next year? Construction on the recent slide tower didn't start until haunt was over that year! My gut feeling tells me no, but I'm hoping I'm wrong and won't be that surprised if we hear an announcement in the next week or two. Stay tuned!

2019 is a wrap! ValleyScare was an absolute blast this year. As a haunt actor I think Valleyfair knocked haunt out of the park this year. Yes, they had to step up security elements but there was no major issues at all, hardly even any minor ones that I knew of except for having to close Mr. Cleavers bloodshed about once per weekend....to clean up after someone pissed themselves. No lie!! I was at the Scaries awards last night and heard some very interesting news from management. Turns out that a Cedar Fair upper management team travels to all the parks during haunt season and they are usually very critical in their comments. They came during MEA weekend on Thursday and Friday and, according to Valleyfair management, were quite impressed with ValleyScare and said that our haunt ranks just below Knotts Scary Farm as the best, most well run event. That really bods well for ValleyScare!! Upper management seeing a packed park with top notch ops and Scare Actors! And that was done without all the money that I'm sure Knotts gets each year for the their event. So, I can see the next couple of years being big haunt expansion years. They even said last night that eventually they want to see every square foot of the property being used in some fashion for haunt!!

This past weekend was CRAZY!! With Saturday being probably the busiest day in Valleyfair's history! I'm in Dark Harvest and it was a continuous congo line through the maze but all the Scare Actors did an amazing job. All I heard all night light was laughter and people having fun, and of course screaming! Park Ops also did a fantastic job. Us actors had to adapt our methods and it worked really well. Of course the very still night created massive fog banks which really played well for us. I heard that the lines for Dark Harvest, Berzerkers and Undertakers stretched all the way back to the Dino's bathroom near the turnaround for High Roller. That kind of crowd really boasts well for Valleyfair! I heard no reports of any major issues. When we were leaving for the night they were using the access road to the north of the park and having guest use the employee exits as an alternative to just using the main exit. Valleyfair really made a good argument as to why they need and additional parking lot.

I'm more referring to the berm getting completed. Excalibur removed. New parking lot, new entrance and waterpark expansion. This will still leave a sizable amount of space for other attractions. But I'm hoping that in the midst of all of this we get another coaster and thrill ride.

I'm thinking 2021/2022 will be huge years for Valleyfair. 2023 a new flat. 2024, another huge year.

Well, this may be the start of something big. Remember, they didn't announce anything for next year except for Grand Carnivale. They could decide to add something new after all but I really don't think so. Who knows!

Don't get too worked up about previous comments. I believe they are overstated. Part of the fog issue last Saturday was that there was a pretty good breeze that blew the fog away quickly. Just come with a fun attitude and you'll have a blast!

Most of what ValleyScare is doing with lights and the fencing is in reaction to last season's opening night, so yes, you can blame a group of bumbling idiots. There was also a large police contingency present. I can assure you that the Scare-actors, of which i am one, are doing their best! The enthusiasm is there! Valleyfair has to be on top of things to prevent such an event from happening again so be patient but come and have a good time! And come on down to the "swamp" if you don't want much lighting. Berserkers, Dark Harvest and Undertakers are all in the "swamp"!

1811-660 - NOD - Valleyfair Expansion_rev032218.pdfHere is the Notice of Decision

I just received my answer to the above question; Hi Gary, There has been revisions to the NOD, the latest dated 3-22-18. I have attached the most recent revised NOD. The NOD is valid for 5 years, so this would expire 3-22-2023. Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks. Kirby Templin, PE Water Resource – Environmental Engineer, City of Shakopee 485 Gorman St., Shakopee MN 55379 As you can see, there has been revisions on dating back to 3-22-18 and this permit is good until 3-22-2023. This is still an active, ongoing pursuit for Valleyfair! We all thought it was dead but it is not dead. Plus we know that this work won't start until funding approval is given for the waterpark/parking lot project. So, Cedar Fair has some real deadlines to work within unless they want to get an extension. I'm just going out on a limb here and I'm going to predict that Cedar Fair will act on these permits and work within the deadlines. They may need an extension for the AC of E permit due to its expiration at the end of 2020. But that work can be completed before that date. So, look for work to begin in the spring as soon as they can get out there!

I did hear yesterday from a former GM that, as far as he knows, Valleyfair has not gotten funding approval for the new berm work yet! But, as stated, they can extend the permit date. I have not yet been able to find an expiration date to the MWCA permit yet. I'll continue to work on that!

Further development: Construction using the AC of E permit has to be completed by Dec. 31st 2020! But they can ask for an extension. Next, I now have contact information about he MWCA permit, so I'll attempt to get an answer on when that permit expires. Stay tuned.......

I just found out some information that, in my opinion, is very exciting! I've been doing some research on that approved permit that Valleyfair had to build a new berm to expand the park in several different ways. This e-mail response is from the St. Paul Army Corp of Engineers. Gary, I found our permit that was issued on March 06, 2018, addressed to Thomas Suel for 4.72 acres of wetland fill adjacent to the Minnesota River for the purpose of expanding Valleyfair Amusement Park. ACOE permit number is MVP-2014-04059-RMM. The permit expires on December 31, 2020. Please let me know if you have any further questions. Respectfully, Kaecey Parker So, Valleyfair has to act on this before the end of next year if they intend to use the permit. Now the permit we saw that was approved was for the Minnesota Wetland Conversion Act. The AC of E did not know when that permit expires so I'll attempt to contact them and find out. Gary, I'd like to clarify also that the May 2, 2017 approval that you mentioned in your original email is from the attached Notice of Decision (Minneosta Wetland Conservation Act), you may want to contact them to see when their approval expires as well. Thank you, Kaecey So, hold on people, its not over yet. We may still get that work going and a new grand master plan for Valleyfair after all!

I just had my first training last night. I will be in Dark Harvest again so I'm looking forward to that but what I really think will be the standout new things this year. The sliders will get a new look! You'll have to come and see but it's not to be missed. Also, Blood on the Boundary Waters looks totally cool and a lot of effort is going into this Scare Zone. It's basically themed to several folk lore horror stories that may or may not have actually happened up in the Boundary Waters area. I personally can't wait to see it. The large two story cabin used for the opening ceremony the last couple of years will be re purposed in this area and will host a weird blue grass band that will play spooky minor key folk music. They are also constructing 5 cabins that you can walk into and look around. All will have different story themes and some will have actors portraying the folk lore characters. This is gonna be a great Haunt Year! Can't wait to Scare you again!!!

Andy, Do you know what maze/scare zone you will be in? I'm returning for year two as a scare monster. Last year I was in Dark Harvest so I assume I'll be there again. I haven't been in yet to attend any training so I don't have any details. Thursday is my training day.

Yes, I did forget about those purchases. I'm wondering though if the budget for improvements came from the total budget to acquire those parks? My biggest question is how long can they sit on an approved permit without actually doing the work? Is there an expiration of the permit? I'm going go back and look the permit over and see if there is a deadline. I don't think there was but I'll check.

I have been thinking alot about Cedar fair announcements. It was widely talked about prior to announcing for each park that cedar fair had 140 to 150 million to spend on cap improvements this year. That was announced in their stock holders call. I did a very rough calculation of their announcements and I'm only coming up with about 100 to 105 million, again just a guess. Except for one coaster of about 30 million, the rest of the improvements are not that expensive. CGA probably is the next with about 12 million and the MA with probably around 7. The rest are all under that amount. So that leaves 30 to 40 million not spent, yet!! Does anyone think it's possible that the remaining funds could be for Valleyfair to build the berm, road, parking lot and new entrance! I mean, after all that's not much for an announcement, that's just something you do! Just imagine, AND NEW FOR 2020, VALLEYFAIR IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE.... A NEW ROAD AND PARKING LOT THAT WILL THRILL OUR GUESTS....ETC... you get the idea! Any thoughts?

Rolercolester, Valleyfairs last GM Dave Frazier was there for quite a few years! Was there another GM before the current one? (Cant remember current GM's name).

So where does that leave the permit for the back of the park? Is there a time limit on when Valleyfair can make good on the approval. I'm not sure if I agree with your assessment. It has long been known that MOA wanted to build a huge waterpark. If you look at triple 5's website it's had plans for this for years. While I'll agree that there is competition it's hard to compare a 100 acre+ park that included 200 ft tall coasters and other rides that Nick U. just will never have, plus a water park attached to it at the same price. There is just something about being outside during our nice summers that can't be matched. Honestly I'd like to see the River South marketing group ask MOA, Nick U. and the new water park to join together and market themselves as a total vacation package complete with courtesy shuttles that would run from Valleyfair to MOA to Canterbury Park to Renaissance Festival to Mystic Lake. You get the idea!

Don't know why the above doesn't show as a quote RCjunkie but it was suppose to.

At one time VF was equal to or a little bigger than both these parks. But after the investments over the last 10 years both parks have grown bigger and became better than VF. Some of that is due to the area they are located in but investment in new attractions is the underlining factor. After the Paramount acquisition CF really cut down their investments in WOF, VF and MiA vs. their other parks to tackle the debt it took to acquire them. That was 11 years ago. In the 2013 annual report this is what was said, "The chain sees three parks as having room for significant growth, Carowinds, Valleyfair, and California's Great America." 7 years later the park is still not seeing it. Maybe 2021 will be the year.

It's not just a parade. You'll also be able to buy bad, overpriced beer and mediocre food served two hours after the event starts! OH! Well now that you put it that way!!....................Nope, No, I tried. Still sarcastic as ever!! Thanks for effort though! In the end, it's just a traveling circus. Maybe they will use the train tracks, that are located right next to where the new parking lot and employee entrance is, to bring in all the floats and lights and STUFF. You know, right by the expanded water park and new entra........Oh, wait! HaHa, my bad! That hasn't been done yet but hey, it's only gonna be 3 years in 2020 since they got that approval. Yes, I know, it's dripping with sarcasm!!

I wasn't expecting a coaster and I was expecting a Carnivale but I was also expecting something in addition to a parade!

I'M SO EXCITED RIGHT NOW!!! (dripping with sarcasm) CANT WAIT TO USE MY REFRESHED SEASON PASS FOR 2020 TO SEE A PARADE!!! (dripping with sarcasm) ESPECIALLY SINCE THE PARK CLOSES AT 9 PM MOST NIGHTS NEGATING THE FLASHY NEW LIGHTS!!! (Yes, you can see the sarcasm) And Yes, I'm one of those enthusiasts who are clearly and completely disappointed. I mean that whole thing can't be over $500,000. The only saving grace I have in this is the hope that once again they are saving up to finally take advantage of the permit to extend the berm in the back of the park. They may even announce something more in the coming weeks but then again this is Valleyfair.