Valleyfair (VF) Discussion Thread

[ATV]

Any news on what will happen to Excalibur?

[millertpr]

No rumors and no paperwork has been filed from the city, so I guess unless something changes, we should assume to see it back again for the 2017 season. It could stay longer if we get used flat rides this year and hoping and praying, a new front gate coaster next year.

[VFhauntblog]

On a side note, Does anybody know what's happening for haunt? I know most of the stuff that is happening but I don't know what the new maze is. Dire Dire? Something to do with bee's? Those are the things I heard. Also our set designer for our show Titanic is also the guy VF hires to paint their haunts, he painted the chateau facade and he said he's going to paint the whole interior and exterior of the new maze.

[valleyfairfanatic]

I forgot to post this earlier but a 30,000 dollar maze permit was filed in shakopee e-permits

[Mikxy]

Apparently someone thinks VF is going to wait until 2021 to get a coaster. If we wait that long, it'll be 41 years since our last looper. And 14 since our last coaster in general. RIP

[Jedi_man]

Apparently someone thinks VF is going to wait until 2021 to get a coaster. If we wait that long, it'll be 41 years since our last looper. And 14 since our last coaster in general. RIP

That's Valleyfair logic for ya

If we keep thinking this way, Valleyfair will read these posts and think it's fine that they neglect their paying customers.

[John Peck]

^ Kings Island did that a few years ago The "Fun Tv's" appeared the following season... like magic.

 

Valleyfair already has FunTV. Are you saying that they would be getting more? Also, if you download the mobile game MobileStrike, and show that you have it at Guest Services, you get two one-time use Fast Lanes. I would imagine you could do this each visit, but please correct me if I am wrong.

 

Oh, okay... I didn't realize they had Fun TV already. And frankly, I don't remember seeing it last year.

[RollerColester]

I just got done reading Dick Kinzel's biography and a few things jumped out at me regarding Valleyfair while reading it:

 

1.) Kinzel was Valleyfair's GM in the early-to-mid 80s and was responsible for bringing Corkscrew to Valleyfair because he saw it went over so well at Cedar Point. He loved how Cedar Point's Corkscrew interacted with the midway and he wanted the same thing at Valleyfair. So thank Kinzel for that, I guess. Also, his last project was Thunder Canyon in 87 before going to back Sandusky.

 

2.) Kinzel was not a fan of debt and during his time, additions and capital improvements were paid for without debt. This made Cedar Fair's park investment history make sense to me as to why the older smaller parks (VF/WOF/DP) always took the conservative approach in terms of capital investments and growth. Also, when Cedar Fair acquired parks like WOF, DP, etc. they did it by giving the previous owners company shares with often little cash involved in the transaction, again avoiding actual debt. While I applaud his conservative business approach from an investor standpoint, I loath it from an enthusiast's point of view!!

 

3.) After the Paramount acquisition, it was noted the company "slowed their roll," so to say, on some capital improvements due to the crippling amount of debt taken on. I think more than anything the Paramount debt affected the older Cedar Fair parks as far as dollars invested go. I don't think this is as much of the case for Valleyfair as say Dorney Park, as we still had above average investment years in '09 (wave pool) and '11 (Camp Snoopy). In '12-'16 it showed a little bit with smaller investment improvements ('15 was average), but I think that has more to do with what is to come in the future.

 

The biography was an alright read. A few interesting things in the book related to Cedar Point, Cedar Fair, and surprisingly a few other chain parks. I wish he shared more and went a little more into depth about things, but I suppose he probably can't. It was worth the $9 on Amazon.

[PhantomPoster32]

I just got done reading Dick Kinzel's biography and a few things jumped out at me regarding Valleyfair while reading it:

 

1.) Kinzel was Valleyfair's GM in the early-to-mid 80s and was responsible for bringing Corkscrew to Valleyfair because he saw it went over so well at Cedar Point. He loved how Cedar Point's Corkscrew interacted with the midway and he wanted the same thing at Valleyfair. So thank Kinzel for that, I guess. Also, his last project was Thunder Canyon in 87 before going to back Sandusky.

 

2.) Kinzel was not a fan of debt and during his time, additions and capital improvements were paid for without debt. This made Cedar Fair's park investment history make sense to me as to why the older smaller parks (VF/WOF/DP) always took the conservative approach in terms of capital investments and growth. Also, when Cedar Fair acquired parks like WOF, DP, etc. they did it by giving the previous owners company shares with often little cash involved in the transaction, again avoiding actual debt. While I applaud his conservative business approach from an investor standpoint, I loath it from an enthusiast's point of view!!

 

3.) After the Paramount acquisition, it was noted the company "slowed their roll," so to say, on some capital improvements due to the crippling amount of debt taken on. I think more than anything the Paramount debt affected the older Cedar Fair parks as far as dollars invested go. I don't think this is as much of the case for Valleyfair as say Dorney Park, as we still had above average investment years in '09 (wave pool) and '11 (Camp Snoopy). In '12-'16 it showed a little bit with smaller investment improvements ('15 was average), but I think that has more to do with what is to come in the future.

 

The biography was an alright read. A few interesting things in the book related to Cedar Point, Cedar Fair, and surprisingly a few other chain parks. I wish he shared more and went a little more into depth about things, but I suppose he probably can't. It was worth the $9 on Amazon.

 

You had a great post going and then you felt the need to ruin it by adding a "we may be bad, but at least we're not as bad off as ...." I know I have been guilty of doing that in the past, but it real accomplishes nothing. You know that Dorney has received improvements as well during that time. In fact those improvements have been on par or more than what VF has received.

[RollerColester]

You had a great post going and then you felt the need to ruin it by adding a "we may be bad, but at least we're not as bad off as ...." I know I have been guilty of doing that in the past, but it real accomplishes nothing. You know that Dorney has received improvements as well during that time. In fact those improvements have been on par or more than what VF has received.

 

You've got my tone all wrong man! Ugh, the struggles of text-only related communication.

 

What you noted was basically what I was saying. I don't think it affected Valleyfair as much as their investment path after the acquisition was very similar to before the acquisition. Yes, Dorney received improvements, but nothing like the previous years before the acquisition (2 hand-me down coasters compared to 2 custom B&Ms.) So, you basically got the point I was trying to make. But then I think you took the negative, whiny history of this Valleyfair thread and assumed this was one of those negative, complaining situations. In no way was I complaining, just sharing an opinion.

 

I'm on the opposite side of most people's point of view and think Valleyfair has done some incredible improvements over the last 10 years despite no new coaster.

[FKA 'Playa]

Fine, I'LL complain. Dorney already had two B&Ms, got a copy of the most modern coaster VF has to offer and THEN got yet another looping coaster. Wha....??!?!

 

Why would CF ship Dorney an additional looping invert, skipping a park that had none? Secondhand or not?

 

I'ma tell you what. I cackle with glee every time ETA: Stinger breaks down. Again. Rightly or wrongly, I interpret that as the Coaster Universe squaring up with Cedar Fair.

 

Do I sound bitter?

Edited July 20, 2016 by FKA 'Playa

[Svelure]

I see the valleyfair/soak city xtreme Waterparks aired on Sunday, watching it as I type this. I think it's weird valleyfair didn't say anything on social media about it. Maybe they did and I didn't see.

[PhantomPoster32]

Fine, I'LL complain. Dorney already had two B&Ms, got a copy of the most modern coaster VF has to offer and THEN got yet another looping coaster. Wha....??!?!

 

Why would CF ship Dorney an additional looping invert, skipping a park that had none? Secondhand or not?

 

I'ma tell you what. I cackle with glee every time Scorpion breaks down. Again. Rightly or wrongly, I interpret that as the Coaster Universe squaring up with Cedar Fair.

 

Do I sound bitter?

 

What does a coaster at BGT have to do with DP or VF?

[FKA 'Playa]

I don't care much what they call it. The fact that actually matters is that it's not HERE.

[PhantomPoster32]

You're really bemoaning the fact you didn't get a used inverted boomerang? Seriously?

[FKA 'Playa]

Thirty-five seasons without a new looping coaster will do strange things to you. VERY strange.

[Password121]

There are certain times I don't like to admit I'm an enthusiast.

[RollerColester]

Can anyone tell me how have Saturday nights been this summer? Do the crowds tend to die down after 4-5pm? I ask this because I'm thinking about doing an after 4pm ticket on an upcoming Saturday. I usually only get a trip or two in each year to Valleyfair and I try to avoid mid-summer and weekends if possible, but it's looking like I won't be able to pull that off this year.

[Jedi_man]

I would actually HATE if we got a boomerang, because we would have to wait another 40 years for our B&M invert, and have to be stuck with a painful wreck.

[RCjunkie]

I'm on the opposite side of most people's point of view and think Valleyfair has done some incredible improvements over the last 10 years despite no new coaster.

 

You are correct, you are on the opposite side of at least my view of the park. The only thing I see as even close to 'incredible' over the last 10 years was Planet Snoopy and Renegade. And they HAD to do Planet Snoopy to complete with NU because they had a lot of the same rides there from the 70's when I was a kid. When comparing the last 10 years to the previous 10 years you can definitely see a drop off in investment after the Paramount take over. From 1996 to 2006 VF got 3 new coasters and 2 new big thrill rides. Ah, the good old days.

 

2007 - Renegade

2009 - Breaker’s Bay

2011 - Planet Snoopy

2013 - Dinosaurs Alive

2014 - Route 76, Northern Lights

2015 - Soak City Expansion - Slides

2016 - Flying Eagles

2017 - ?

 

1996 - Wild Thing opens; RipCord added to Challenge Park

1997 - Chaos opens

1998 - Galaxy Theater opens

1999 - Mad Mouse opens

2000 - Power Tower and Frog Hopper open

2003 - Steel Venom opens

2004 - Foam Ball Factory and The Rockin' Tug added to KidWorks

2005 - RipTide and Skyscraper open

2006 - Xtreme Swing opens and Halloween Haunt occurs for the first time.

[VF15]

Can anyone tell me how have Saturday nights been this summer? Do the crowds tend to die down after 4-5pm? I ask this because I'm thinking about doing an after 4pm ticket on an upcoming Saturday. I usually only get a trip or two in each year to Valleyfair and I try to avoid mid-summer and weekends if possible, but it's looking like I won't be able to pull that off this year.

The crowds after 4 pm probably wouldn't be as bad as crowds from about 11 to 4, but I would still expect substantial wait times for most of the major rides. If you plan on staying until closing time, the last hour (give or take) of operation usually has lines no more than 10-15 minutes for most rides.

[millertpr]

Can anyone tell me how have Saturday nights been this summer? Do the crowds tend to die down after 4-5pm? I ask this because I'm thinking about doing an after 4pm ticket on an upcoming Saturday. I usually only get a trip or two in each year to Valleyfair and I try to avoid mid-summer and weekends if possible, but it's looking like I won't be able to pull that off this year.

The crowds after 4 pm probably wouldn't be as bad as crowds from about 11 to 4, but I would still expect substantial wait times for most of the major rides. If you plan on staying until closing time, the last hour (give or take) of operation usually has lines no more than 10-15 minutes for most rides.

 

 

Substantial wares until about 9:30; then, everything is a walk on. If planning on hitting Soak City as well, I would do that first thing, as people make their way out. Soak City tends to close at 8 or 9.

[RollerColester]

2007-2011, no complaints. Everything that was done needed to be done, can't say I'd change a thing. $25-$30 million of investments, can't complain. In my opinion the investment that was needed the most during '07-'16 was the wave pool. That was only 10-15 years overdue, and before that Valleyfair's water park was laughable.

 

2012-2016 has been a little boring, I'll completely agree. $15-$20 million of investments. But like I mentioned before, in my opinion this is because the next five years ('18-'21) are going to be worth the wait.

 

Until Valleyfair addresses the flooding plain issue, which they have a proposed plan to do, there isn't much Valleyfair can do besides flat rides/slides and refreshing certain areas of the park visually. Which is what they've spent the last 5 years doing. There is no where to put a new custom, full-length coaster besides the Dino's or the parking lot. The Dino's aren't going anywhere for a few more years as they are still fairly new, and if you put a coaster in the parking lot you take parking spots away while your attendance increases, creating a parking problem. The new parking lot will allow the park to expand into the current parking lot, which in the Army Corps proposal is one of the reasons specifically mentioned for the new parking lot.

[Mikxy]

Can anyone tell me how have Saturday nights been this summer? Do the crowds tend to die down after 4-5pm? I ask this because I'm thinking about doing an after 4pm ticket on an upcoming Saturday. I usually only get a trip or two in each year to Valleyfair and I try to avoid mid-summer and weekends if possible, but it's looking like I won't be able to pull that off this year.

We seem to sell a lot of starlight tickets, so I would just buy a normal ticket off the website. It's a deal and you can go the whole day. Unless you'd like to buy fast lane, but check the weather. If it's hot and sunny I'd definitely get a starlight ticket with FL. But it all depends on your budget! The water park is very busy on hot days so hopefully the weather looks crappy but won't rain! Just enough to scare the GP off!

[dboor129]

Did anyone else the Xtreme Waterparks episode on the travel channel that featured Breakers Plunge? I liked the Dave Fraizer interview when he said Valleyfair is improving "little by little" throughout the years. It seems fitting since we are on the topic of the history of Valleyfair. According to the episode though, we have the tallest twin body slides in America!! Woo!!