jamesdillaman

Did you know that if you mix coke and pepsi it makes a miracle drink that keeps you young forever? It's true, Dick Clark drinks nothing else. -James

OMG any skycoaster. hope the 18 year old stoner who checked my carabiner was paying close attentiont during training! -James Dillaman

Well I bid adieu to this topic. I can no longer speculate with everybody as it drives me to the utter brink of insanity. I will take whatever news with a grain of salt, and unless it comes from cedar fair itself, any mention of park additions or changes next season. I encourage everyone else to do the same, and don't get excited or discouraged by this news yet, as the deal is only in its infancy. Until more details become clear, have fun discussing the hyper at bonfonte gardens and the sale of great america to build a shopping mall (to pay off cedar fair's debt of course) -James "just kidding, so don't hate" Dillaman

Go ride blue streak instead, more airtime and never a long wait. You'll love it.

Wow, a lot of people are saying the same things on here... I think it's too early to tell anything. Cedar Fair made a business decision, a rather large one, that was approved by Cedar Fair's investors, bank, finance officers, and the major stockholders. All groups seemed to think this was a good decision, and I back them. For the first time in years I will ponder going to Kings Island, because even if the pass costs more, I will still buy a pass if it gets me in to cedar point as well, where as Kings Island by itself is worth visiting once or twice a year at best. People tout it's wooden coasters, but I'd much rather ride the Indiana woodies a few hours away anyday! I am a fan of Cedar Point, and the only reason Michigan Adventure DOESN'T have a hyper is the height restriction and problems with the city. I first saw a news article saying cedar fair was trying to build a coaster over 200 feet at Michigan Adventure like the year after they bought it. They were shot down by the city, so don't think that cedar fair didn't try. The newest addition to that park, the Grand Rapids, is a great ride for that market and something the park was in need of. I don't think any changes will be seen at any parks for a while, but I can't imagine cedar fair will PAY for the paramount license, as it isn't that big a draw anyways. I run into teens at KI who don't even know that Face/Off was a movie, and have never seen Top Gun. The best is the ones who think Tomb Raider is themed to a video game. yeah... As far as I'm concerned the parks are moving from one corporation to another, but at least cedar fair is in the theme park business, so the parks are there number 1 priority. CBS had a lot more on their plate, much more important things than the theme parks. I think this is good, and poo to all who don't James "Lots of people I know are either excited or indifferent" Dillaman

Another thing that would be nice is workers from all over with places to live at the parks. Cedar Point does this, and even during the school year, all the coasters seem to be running. PKI becomes a limited operation park during school seasons, as all the workers are teens from Cincinnati. I should know, I used to be one of them... Anyway, only time will tell, as Elissa said. A lot of my opinion will hedge on what CF decides to do in light of season passes. I wonder how much was paid for the paramount chain... You'd think CF would have to take out a huge loan to make this sort of aquisition, so I don't think any large improvements will be soon in coming to any of the parks, maybe even the CF parks. A couple more years of "New for 2008: Paint on the Racer!" will undoubtably follow. Also I hope one pass will get me in to all 3 parks in Ohio, but until details are released, I'm not sure. -James

That's something else I'm excited about, PKI has TONS of land available for possible expansion, and the Kings Island Inn is in dire need of an update... Breakers Express is nicer, IMO. Interesting that Star Trek is included, I guess the rights to that pretty much have to be included, as without it.... um yeah not much there, is there? -James

It's nice to hear that the other parks in the chain aren't as bad as PKI has been lately, Robb. I said i didn't know how the others were as I've only been to PKI and PKD, but I really enjoyed PKD last month. I also enjoy cedar point and always have a great time at GL and Michigan's Adventure. I've driven past dorney, but alas my parents were more concerned about a silly wedding to stop... j/k, well halfway kidding. As for what I'd like them to do, I'd like them to move Magnum to KI to make way for the 1000 foot impulse coaster with 3 spikes... -James

um.... need I remind you just how many trees and not to mention a lake were removed to make way for PKI's newest coaster, IJ, which is themed to a CONCRETE parking garage. yeah.... It isn't only Cedar Fair. Also, didn't paramount remove trees from around grizzly at PKD for a stupid little oval-shaped go-cart track? Jjust wondering what PGA and PCar look like, but yeah... -James

Not letting you wait for a front seat ride on italian job when there is a 1 train wait and plenty of people to fill the other seats seems like a hassle to me, also I foresee CF maybe offering two levels of passes, now. One pass that would only get you into one park, say CP, GL, or KI, that would cost around $100, and maybe one that costs a bit more, sort of a park hopper deal. At least here in the midwest it would make sense, with so many CF parks close together (MA, CP, GL, and KI). Not sure if this would work chain wide, though.. One thing's for sure, as a Cedar Point pass holder for 3 years running, and not a Paramount pass holder for 3 years running, I might actually be able to go to king's island again like I used to, as I'd be willing to pay for a pass if it included Cedar Point. -James "Can't wait for details to be released" Dillaman

My vote goes to Volcano, especially the second launch, I wasn't expecting it. -James

Well, All I can hope for is a super pass for every park in ohio now... That would be well worth more money than the current season passes at cedar point and kings island. Also I heard that the licensing was part of the deal with the sale. Think about it, why would they spend so much money retheming Nick Universe if they knew after selling it would all have to be redone, doesn't make sense from a sellers standpoint. -James "Good bye Paramount, and good riddence!" Dillaman

Wow, I'm just glad they're building another coaster! Forget who is building it, last i checked I was a coaster enthusiast, not a B&M enthusiast, but anyway, I love intamin, smoothest coasters ever. Yay Intamin! -James

Here's some my gf and I took at Timbers Fest 2004: Some angles I hadn't seen in the other pics. My favorite picture I've ever taken of a coaster. I think it's beautiful their (then new) waterslide... never seen at any other park!! and yet again and again The Wolverine Wildcat the obligatory shivering timbers shot, although the rest of mine were at night and didn't really turn out the arrow mouse coaster the entire layout corkscrew

I like "Hades" It goes well with the tunnel.

um, tourism is NOT a big thing in Ohio. We all live here... Like I said, Cleveland market is covered by Geauga Lake, Cincinnati's covered by PKI, Cedar Point brings in the travelers from out of state, and the only market shared is Columbus. It works out that there is certainly enough people in these regions to buy passes and go to the park to make sufficient profit for both. Also our economy isn't doing too bad right now, with the exception of the steel and airline industry, toyota's expanding a plant near cincinnati, and other firms are moving into ohio for the tax breaks the state government's offering. I don't see any problem at all. On a related note, geauga has a strict height limit, and thus no hyper. Cedar Fair has also repeatedly asked for approval on a 200+ foot coaster for Michigan's Adventure, but the county hasn't gone with it. They first pleaded their case the year they purchased the park... -James Dillaman

Came out today: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060519/BIZ01/605190387/1076/BIZ The flume and the coaster with some other rides may be saved. We might have a new stricker's grove on our hands. I'm pleased, anything to save this coaster! Things might be looking up after all! -James Dillaman

Many offers were made to the guy owning Lesourdsville, but he was never interested in selling, as he owns the land adjoining it. Here's some more pics of the park, Robb. Wish I had more, but the event we had was at night, so after dark none of my pictures came out. -James Like others of the same type, but pales in comparison with the Screechin Eagle The steel coaster The Belle of Lesourdsville would give cruises on the lake, and the chair ride went over it, with the flume and flat rides on one side, the coaster and funhouse (and other rides) on the other Retro James on the Retro Whip ride

Cedar Fair I think would promote the heck out of it. Living near PKI (5 minutes tops) I can tell you that PKI has a lot of thing cedar point does not. For instance, it has 4 wooden coasters, with the Beast. It also has a great waterpark (even though castaway bay is newer, I think Boomerang Bay draws more during the summer). Also you may not understand how Ohio is, but the population density here is astonishing. Almost none of my friends here have ever been to cedar point. People don't travel far to go to parks, and 4 hours is far to travel just for a themepark in many people's eyes. Also, PKI has without a doubt the best children's area of any park. It's great with tons of rides for the kids, and it just received the new themeing and paint. It looks great. I believe attendence would boost if you could visit all 3 parks (CP, GL, and PKI) on one pass. They would charge more for the season pass, but look at all you'd get out of it. Anyway, PKI is in DESPERATE need of either an intamin ride or a B&M, and Cedar Fair is the company to put one in. I'd be so pleased if this sale goes through, but I'm doubtful. The park isn't really in competition with cedar point is what I'm mainly trying to say. Completely different crowds. -James "frequented both parks for years and years" Dillaman

Oh yeah, the log flume was amazing. The wettest log flume I 've ever been on... Flume at Lesourdsville

Another pic I dug up, this was insanity. One can only hope the guy will keep the coaster in place. I heard today that maybe he wouldn't touch the other side of the lake, where the screechin' eagle stands, when he builds this new development. I think he should keep the coaster and just charge like $5 a ride or something, and he could more than pay for the upkeep. -James Massive airtime moment

Holiday World, Best woodie park hands down. No doubt anymore. Wow.

Here's a photo of the aforementioned coaster: Loved This Ride

Some more links, more info for you: Quote: Resembling a strip mall, the showroom was said to be one of the largest of its kind in the state of Ohio. Sad, sad, sad http://www.thrillnetwork.com/stories_view.php/1550/expansion_planned_site_amusement_park.html http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0510localheadlines.html

Just heard today from the middletown journal, LeSourdsville Lake, also known for a time as Americana, will close. Most of the rides will be sold, but no mention of the carousel or the John Allen Woodie, Screechin' Eagle (An AWESOME airtime-filled masterpiece) being relocated. This is indeed a sad, sad day for Ohio enthusiasts, and a loss for everyone. Here's a link: http://www.wcpo.com/news/2006/local/05/18/americana.html -James "Misses his Screechin' Eagle" Dillaman