speedracer

No question this was a very sad and tragic thing to happen, but I don't understand why Disney settles on these. Opens themselves up to even more lawsuits now that blood sucking lawyers know Disney will just payoff to avoid bad publicity regardless whether they are actually at fault or not: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/custom/tourism/orl-bk-disneydeath012907,0,5872106.story?coll=orl-home-headlines

GA desperately needs something of more substance than yet another short low-capacity gimmick coaster. I don't see where Great America has the available real estate to put in anything more than a "short low-capacity gimmick coaster." With creative placement, GA has plenty of available space for any decent sized coaster or other large ride. Besides Whizzer's old spot that's still empty after all these years (where Hypersonic was suppose to go), and all the huge holes around the park from removed rides by Paramount that were never replaced with anything (yet Grizzly still stands! ), they could easily rip out both the outdated Demon and craptacular Grizzly for 1 decent coaster if that's what it takes. If a park 1/3rd the size of GA (like Blackpool for example) can have 4 times the number of rides just by being creative with their placement, so can GA. Paramount was just cheap, no other reason, will be fun to see what coaster-centric CF will creatively do with GA's available space!

Here's a pretty extensive article on the complete history of the park: http://cec.chebucto.org/ClosPark/Boblo.html

^ haven't been in 6yrs myself, no incentive for me either (and I only have to drive 10 miles!).

^ According to the maintenance guys for GD, they are consistently replacing the wood as needed to the point where after every 7yrs, it's a completely new structure.

Honestly, any coaster can turn to crap over time due to natural causes such as age, weather, natural disasters etc. Since Psyclone was built on a former lake [i believe] an earthquake is the last thing it needed since the land would still easily shift. If it was built correctly, there should have been no abnormal ground shifting, and it all would have been included in the engineering of the ride. No I think this ride just suffers from a lack of attention and some of the worst set of trains ever concieved. Exactly, if that were the case then SCBB's Giant Dipper would be running like crap today, having survived numerous earthquakes in it's 83yr history, including taking a direct hit from the 1989 7.0 quake. Still runs smooth as glass, amazing what some actual maintenance and TLC can do for a woodie.

Would be great for us that remember how awesome the original V2 was before it's castration. Tidal Wave's (will always be TW to me!) old spot still sits empty, but hopefully CF will be wiser than to put this in GA. GA's gone long enough now without a new coaster, let alone one with a decent capacity and ride length. While this would be a nice addition for a smaller park, GA desperately needs something of more substance than yet another short low-capacity gimmick coaster.

With Snoopy kicked to the curb, final negotiations are in place to re-theme the park, formally knows as Camp Snoopy, to Nicktoons: http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2007/01/29/daily22.html?from_rss=1

^^ Sweet, I'll just say 3 words: PSYCLONE VS. ROBOSAURUS!!! http://www.robosaurus.com/inaction.html THAT show would be a guaranteed sell out!

^^ Not only KBF, but ironically most regional parks had their very own dolphin show back in the day, a show that still appeals to all age groups. Throw in a few lorikeet cages, a butterfly aviary, a bird show and viola, you have his concept for a 3-pronged edutainment offering.

^^^ I'll third that. Especially since they'll be re-opening the rope and barrel bridges instead of just removing them!

^ even out here, when non-coaster people find out I'm a coaster fool, the first they ask me is if I've heard of CP. Sandusky and CP are so used now in maintream media, it's almost to the point where CP/Sandusky are becoming pop references. OT, I'm just glad they didn't move this thing to PGA, that would have been a slap in the face!

I doubt he meant putting elephants and tigers in each park, would require each park to set up huge animal care facilities which would indeed be a bad idea. I'm thinking he meant more of the low-key easy to install edutainment attractions like Butterfly World, Lorikeet Feeding, reptiles, dolphin/sea lion shows and such, which could easily fit in and be blended into any park.

^

At least that's what I make of Shapiro's statement at the SFDK announcement: http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_5036947 He might be on to something, the interactive critter shows and attractions are what packed the families into SFMW, seems he may attempt to intergrate these family friendly offerings to other SF parks.

Right, before Premier/SF, MWAUSA was on the verge of bankruptcy. Since adding rides, the park has slowly come back from the brink and is now one of the most profitable parks in the chain. Not most attended, but most profitable in the chain, as in it makes tons of cash for SF and The City of Vallejo, which is why you're now seeing SF take a special interest in our park. I wish we'd get a new coaster too, but SFDK is definitely a step in the right direction regardless. This makeover is what should have been done from day one when the park was turned into a major theme park. The existing park and infrastructure desperately needed an upgrade and makeover, the original park sections looked worn and dated. Past managements solution to increasing attendance was to throw up a stripped down parking lot coaster every other year, and although the coasters are great, the parking lot setting of those along with the dated original park just reeked of poor management and looked like crap. According to Shapiro, this years makeover is only the beginning of a "major investment" for our park, no doubt some sort of new coaster will eventually grace SFDK (they did after all designate an entire new section for thrills!). But for now, I look at all this as correcting the mistakes and missed opportunities of past management and aligning SFDK to be one of the best and most amazing parks in the chain: http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_5036947

Curious why you state this, SCBB is one of the best kept best maintained old seaside parks in the world. They've obsessively keep their old classic rides and attractions in tip top condition and honestly have never heard of any recent accidents on any of their rides. Knowing how much TLC they give their classic rides, curious why you feel there's a safety issue, just because something's old doesn't automatically equate unsafe. Gone, was removed to expand the park and create the new Riverwalk section. Although the cars were fun, the dozen or so new kick arse rides that replaced it are a much better trade off. but compared to 1986's Grizzly at PGA, id have to say its equal to its 66 year young woodie Mentioning Fizzly and GD as equal anything is sacrilegious! Not only is GD most likely one of the smoothest woodies from it's time, it's still one of the smoothest woodies operating anywhere today. A tribute to the park's maintenance dept. for keeping this jewel in glass smooth pristine condition. For any SoCal SCBB fans, don't forget the park is open weekends year round. If in the area, be sure to stop by for a few winter spins on GD! http://www.beachboardwalk.com/calendar/january.html John - proud SCBB fanboy!

I can speak from experience, the guy is a freak. Far and away the most annoying person at the Tatsu event, constantly %@#& and complained about every little thing all night long, over the same things over and over again (I unfortunately was camped out within ear distance). What really got me was when we were allowed into the park to ride Tatsu, as we approached the ride, people in the front of the pack were saying he was shoving them out of his was so he could be the first to ride. Forget the fact that dozens of employees had already taken the first rides already, he just had to be in the first train to say he was the first. Then freakishly ran down the platform afterwards clapping his hands and shouting "where's the media!". The guy is sad and an ass and a freak that needs no defending. KBF would be wise to distance themselves from him rather than encourage such an inconsiderate ungrateful enthusiAss.

Thanks Ryan and Scott for the pics, very cool! Am just loving all the new bright colors and beautiful designs of all the new signage throughout the park! This is how you upgrade a park! (take note CF!) not strip-mine the heart a soul out of the park and cement it over. They've basically taken what the old school MW had always been best know and loved for, repackaged/enhanced/expanded the unique interactive aspect, theme and entertainment offerings of the original park experience, and realigned it all as the main focus once again for the rebranded SFDK. The park will look and feel uniformed like never before instead of all disjointed and unfocused as it had since Premier/SF took over.

My guess is they'll retheme Tava's Jungleland since there really wasn't much theming put into it in the first place (where's the jungle???). As mascots for the SF parks, they still need a Looney Tunes area for the kids. But Tava's generic ride packages could easily be rethemed to Thomas and Co., much more so than the themed rides in Looney Tunes Seaport.

Was turned on to this site, others have said they've been dead on about past projects. Claim to only post confirmed rides, who knows, take if for what it's worth: http://www.trips-n-pics.com/tips/comingsoon/?lang=en&order=week&continent=1# Anyone know more about the supposed Mega for Japan, the Plug’n’Play for Korea, or the "Motorcycle Accelerator" for Australia?

Nice pics of the nearly completed layout: http://www.adventureislandguide.com/rides/construction/rage/jan07x9.htm And one of the completed ride (scroll to the very bottom): http://www.adventureislandguide.com/rides/construction/rage/jan07.htm

After driving for hours on end through the dry barren desert with nothing but tumbleweed and cactus for hundreds of miles around, this is the most impressive skyline and sight for sore eyes!: http://www.rcdb.com/ig103.htm?picture=13

Well certainly not anymore, but trust me, several years ago I couldn't contain myself when this ride was announced. It's always funny to me when people bash the ride today, because it's become such an "easy target". I'll admit I was excited too when they announced it, but after my first ride the year it finally opened, I was all "that was it???". Was really expecting some amazing forces on this supposed extreme coaster, but honestly I thought it was and still think it's a big giant $20million forceless yawn.

SFMW gets allot of flack from enthusiasts because of their parking lot coasters, but you've hit the nail on the head there as to why this park is special! Shapiro was indeed impressed with SFMW on his visit with his family and probably wishes more of the chain had as much to offer families as SFMW does. More shows/animal attractions/exhibits (that can be enjoyed by the entire family together) than probably all the other SF parks combined. The park packs in the toddlers (along with dads fat wallet!) to the blue haired grannies all season long, the exact demographics he only wishes the rest of the chain could regularly attract. The new name and theme reflect all the new experiences the park now has to offer, so the locals that haven't been recently realize it's not still just another Sea World wannabe. http://www.timesheraldonline.com/fastsearchresults/ci_5000157 BTW, this is the 4th name for the park and the 3rd time they've had to change all the park signage since Premier/SF came into the picture! The new signage for Marine World Theme Park only lasted 1 season before having to all be changed over to SFMW!