Valleyfair (VF) Discussion Thread

[Vonni]

I thought the same thing, but with them moving the most troublesome Windseeker in the chain to another park in the chain, and with Adventureland (I know that is not a Cedar Fair Park) receiving a new one, I'm not so sure we have seen the end of the Mondial Windseekers. Of course I could be completely wrong, I just would not be surprised to see VF receive one, even if it is transported from anther park.

[dippindotsguy8]

^In that case, what park do you think they would ever relocate a windseeker from? The Knott's one was moved because they couldn't get the state to approve it, and all of the other ones are up and running and only have been in the parks for a couple of seasons.

 

If Valleyfair were to receive a windseeker, it would have to be a new one. Depending on where they put it, it would need to be custom made and no taller than 270-some feet or so. After seeing just how much fun Cedar Fair has had with trying to get these things open and working, buying another seems ridiculous.

 

Never say never, but let's just say it's one of the last things we should ever expect to see at VF.

[RCjunkie]

I think a large-scale thrilling coaster, and a waterpark over haul would really round out Valleyfair's ride collection. It still wouldn't be on par with the larger parks around the country, but adding a decent-sized inverting coaster would really put their collection at the top of the "Under 10 Coasters" club.

 

That being said, I think the water park is the area that needs the attention for next year. MN is really lacking overall when it comes to waterparks. There isn't a decent outdoor waterpark from Minneapolis to the Wisconsin Dells, and the Water Park of America near MOA has a pretty lackluster collection of slides. VF's current waterpark is probably the poorest of any park I've been too. It's by far the worst in the Cedar Fair chain with it's limited attractions. Now granted it will never be the sprawling park waterpark that you'll find at KI or WoF, but it's been pretty much the same since it opened. VF's Soak City only consists of a single body slide tower, vertical speed slides, 4-person raft slide, lazy river, brief adventure river, wavepool, and the worst kids area I've ever seen. We've got community pools with better features for kids.

 

The first thing Soak City needs, is to replace the kids area. MIA put in a great looking kids area a few years ago, which would fit perfect in VF's IMAX theatre location. I've done some measuring on Google Maps, and ProSlide provides dimensions for all of their slides on their website. A decent sized climbing structure could fit here, with plenty of room for lounge chairs.

 

All of these are valid points and right on. I agree that a water park expansion or a new coaster are what the park needs next. Unlike you I am 50/50 on which should happen first but I would welcome either one. That being said what do other people think about the movement of rides (Scrambler and Tilt-a-Whirl) along with the movement of the old picnic area in the last 2 years? It looks like CF is preparing for a new addition of some sort with all this recent movement. So the question I am asking is what do you think they will add next and where?

 

- If you add a coaster do you remove High Roller and put it there along with all the new room next to where the picnic area was? Or just put it next to High Roller?

- Do you remove Corkscrew and use the new adjacent area provided by the Scrambler move with the 'former' Corkscrew area? Maybe you could also take out a few game booths next to Scrambler for even more room when combined with the Corkscrew area? I don't think this will happen because they just repainted Corkscrew and it fits pretty well with Camp Snoopy now but it's definitely a possibility.

- For a water park expansion do you remove the IMAX theater and/or re-locate/remove the Looping Starship? Or do you remove the the Hydro Blaster and the old corporate food area across from Mad Mouse to create room that way for the water park? And with Tilt-a-Whirl moving you could move the Wild Thing photo both and exit queue to that area creating more, although small, space next to the water park?

- If they add a new coaster do you remove Excalibur? I don't know the operating costs of this ride but when you close one of your coasters for Haunt and leave all the other ones open it cannot be that popular anymore and I don't know if it's worth the operating expense to keep it.Go ahead and comment and let me know your thoughts because all this movement in the last 2 years indicates we are getting something in the near future (1-3 years).

[Vonni]

^ Personally I hope a new Coaster addition does not call for the removal of any of the existing Coasters. And I would think it is safe to assume the Imax would be removed for a Water Park expansion.

[DanTheBooker]

I think a large-scale thrilling coaster, and a waterpark over haul would really round out Valleyfair's ride collection. It still wouldn't be on par with the larger parks around the country, but adding a decent-sized inverting coaster would really put their collection at the top of the "Under 10 Coasters" club.

 

That being said, I think the water park is the area that needs the attention for next year. MN is really lacking overall when it comes to waterparks. There isn't a decent outdoor waterpark from Minneapolis to the Wisconsin Dells, and the Water Park of America near MOA has a pretty lackluster collection of slides. VF's current waterpark is probably the poorest of any park I've been too. It's by far the worst in the Cedar Fair chain with it's limited attractions. Now granted it will never be the sprawling park waterpark that you'll find at KI or WoF, but it's been pretty much the same since it opened. VF's Soak City only consists of a single body slide tower, vertical speed slides, 4-person raft slide, lazy river, brief adventure river, wavepool, and the worst kids area I've ever seen. We've got community pools with better features for kids.

 

The first thing Soak City needs, is to replace the kids area. MIA put in a great looking kids area a few years ago, which would fit perfect in VF's IMAX theatre location. I've done some measuring on Google Maps, and ProSlide provides dimensions for all of their slides on their website. A decent sized climbing structure could fit here, with plenty of room for lounge chairs.

 

All of these are valid points and right on. I agree that a water park expansion or a new coaster are what the park needs next. Unlike you I am 50/50 on which should happen first but I would welcome either one. That being said what do other people think about the movement of rides (Scrambler and Tilt-a-Whirl) along with the movement of the old picnic area in the last 2 years? It looks like CF is preparing for a new addition of some sort with all this recent movement. So the question I am asking is what do you think they will add next and where?

 

- If you add a coaster do you remove High Roller and put it there along with all the new room next to where the picnic area was? Or just put it next to High Roller?

- Do you remove Corkscrew and use the new adjacent area provided by the Scrambler move with the 'former' Corkscrew area? Maybe you could also take out a few game booths next to Scrambler for even more room when combined with the Corkscrew area? I don't think this will happen because they just repainted Corkscrew and it fits pretty well with Camp Snoopy now but it's definitely a possibility.

- For a water park expansion do you remove the IMAX theater and/or re-locate/remove the Looping Starship? Or do you remove the the Hydro Blaster and the old corporate food area across from Mad Mouse to create room that way for the water park? And with Tilt-a-Whirl moving you could move the Wild Thing photo both and exit queue to that area creating more, although small, space next to the water park?

- If they add a new coaster do you remove Excalibur? I don't know the operating costs of this ride but when you close one of your coasters for Haunt and leave all the other ones open it cannot be that popular anymore and I don't know if it's worth the operating expense to keep it.Go ahead and comment and let me know your thoughts because all this movement in the last 2 years indicates we are getting something in the near future (1-3 years).

 

 

My thoughts: Nothing to big will really fit in either Scrambler or Tilt-a-Whirl's spots. However, Enterprise could fit where Scrambler is. Moving Enterprise and the amphitheater, while rerouting the railroad into this new Route 76. That leaves a really nice area. Even nicer if you reroute the path to Venom closer to the parking lot. In all actuality, it's a pretty ideal situation for a Gatekeeper-sequel layout. Unlikely I'm sure, but Valleyfair's main gate could use an update.

 

If they were moving Scrambler to make room for a Corkscrew replacement, wouldn't they be more concerned about the Wave and Carousel? I'm sure they could have made room for the Wave in this new Minnesota themed area.

 

When Renegade showed up, I thought High Roller's days were numbered. But when the new Planet Snoopy was built right up against it and Dino's moved in, I think it's here to stay. They don't have much to gain as far as space goes.

 

I can see IMAX going down for water park expansion. Maybe Looping Starship will find a new home on the front lawn of Wild Thing a la Tilt-A-Whirl. When they expand the park, I pray they address the congestion back there.

 

Just my thoughts.

[CaptainUnknown]

The IMAX Theater has been scheduled for Demolition http://valleyfairzone.com/2013/10/26/new-for-2014-besides-route-76/

[DanTheBooker]

The IMAX Theater has been scheduled for Demolition http://valleyfairzone.com/2013/10/26/new-for-2014-besides-route-76/

 

 

I was unaware. Okay. Well that might mean a major Soak City Expansion in 2015. New Coaster in 2017?!

[RCjunkie]

Went to VF yesterday since it was nice day to get a few laps in and also the last day of the 2013 operating season. Since the news about the IMAX has already been reported here I will post the pictures that I took yesterday of the construction that has started on the Route 76 area that will be home to the new Disko ‘Coaster’ next year.

The remains of the now defunct Go-Kart track.

A shot across from Steel Venom on the opposite edge of the new Route 76 area.

Looks like the center of the Disko ‘coaster’ where the high point will be where the antique auto tracks go under the ‘coaster’.

Looking from one end to the other of where it looks like Northern Lights will go.

A shot from the opposite end looking back.

Saving some trees in the process which is nice.

The steel tower is the ‘pull’ tower for Rip Cord so you can see how much tighter this area will be with more rides.

Saving some bushes for the new attraction. May be a future corner of the auto track.

Construction stuff.

Under the turn of Wild Thing.

The old antique car they put out under the Wild Thing turn around as a hint before they announced Route 76. It will be nice to see new cars after 35 years.

The right side of this photo will look much different next year. Hopefully next time I can update this thread with demolition photos of IMAX.

[RCjunkie]

The official answer to the 'Burning Question'... http://www.startribune.com/local/south/229543431.html

 

The doomed IMAX movie theater at Valleyfair is about to go up in flames as part of a training exercise for firefighters, the amusement park in Shakopee said Monday.

 

The 500-seat theater is slated for demolition within the next few weeks for a yet-to-be-announced park expansion.

 

Fire departments from Shakopee, Savage and Prior Lake will use fog machines and small contained fires to perform search and rescue drills Monday inside the 31-year-old theater at the park, which is closed for the season.

 

Officials want it made clear: There is no public access to the training.

 

Here’s how it’s supposed to do down:

 

The drill will begin about 6 p.m. when a call is made that a fire has begun at the IMAX, with possible bodies still inside. Fire trucks will enter the park at the back entrance and park around the IMAX.

 

Firefighters will enter by forced entry and begin looking through heavy fog and small fires for dummies or firefighter personnel acting as missing ushers and a projectionist. Ladder trucks will also be used on the north side of the building for rooftop rescues.

 

Fire crews will come and go until the drill concludes about 9:30 p.m.

 

The theater presented each season a single educational feature, rather than typical box office fare, said park spokesman Todd Larkin.

 

The theater’s final selection, the 1998 “edu-tainment” production “T-Rex: Back to the Cretaceous,” faded to black for the final time on Labor Day.

[DanTheBooker]

It's cool that they are using the theater as training. I think the Soak City expansion will be announced soon. I really think it's coming in 2014.

 

 

New coaster in 2015!

[Vonni]

^ I would assume the demolition will be complete by 2014, but I dont think the expansion will be here by then. I'd say this expansion will be for 2015, and also unfortunately will be for the Water Park. Hopefully the much, much needed new coaster will be here by 2017.

[RCjunkie]

^ I would assume the demolition will be complete by 2014, but I dont think the expansion will be here by then. I'd say this expansion will be for 2015, and also unfortunately will be for the Water Park. Hopefully the much, much needed new coaster will be here by 2017.

 

I would have to agree with you on the demolition part and probably the expansion part since it is so late in the season here with winter coming. But then again I thought VF was getting nothing this year and then came Route 76 and now the retirement of the IMAX theater so you never know.

 

It' is a little funny how they announced the $3.5 million expansion for the Dino's in 2013 ($11 million for Snoopy in 2011 and $2.5 for general improvements in 2012) but no dollar value attached to the Route 76 addition. Corporations never miss a chance to promote how much money or how many jobs that they are putting into their product for self promotion. Maybe we'll get a last minute announcement on a water park expansion for next year and then they will promote a 'total dollar value' investment to the park but that is only hopeful at best. With VF starting is 40th operating season in 2015 it looks like a water park expansion to celebrate it. Hopefully it will be followed by a coaster in 2016 to celebrate 40 years in business but we shall see. I am just happy changes and new additions are finally coming to the park after the past 2 slow years.

[triggernel]

VF has definitely been in the habit of removing rides without immediate replacements (Chaos, Tot Spot), so it would no surprise if IMAX's spot sits empty next year.

[dippindotsguy8]

^Agreed. As much as I would love to see something replace it, I feel like we would have seen the building come down earlier in the year if that was happening for 2014. It's not out of the realm of possibility, but as Triggernel pointed out, they've been willing to replace things with grass many times. I'm leaning towards not seeing anything over there until 2015.

 

This is still really great though! For a park that is at the point where they have to remove attractions to build new ones, this is a good deal. It's one of only two places that the water park can realistically expand, and is an attraction that was really getting tired IMO.

[ValleyfairFan]

^Continuing on this thought, if the park wanted to move say Looping Starship to Chaos's former spot (or Tilter's) it'd free up that much more space for Soak City

[RCjunkie]

^Agreed. As much as I would love to see something replace it, I feel like we would have seen the building come down earlier in the year if that was happening for 2014.

 

I agree that we will not see anything this year like you an triggernel indicated. I doubt they would have been able to remove the building earlier in the year anyway. There would have been too much disruption in that area of the park with no place to put the heavy equipment needed to demolish the building, remove the pieces and still allow people to move around that area of the park. With it all removed by next year at least they can start construction sometime late summer/early fall next year unlike this year and still have the park open back there. The good news is now with IMAX gone (and hopefully Subway and the old food patio) they can widen that part of the walking path from Mad Mouse and all away around that corner. On some busy days you can barley move in that stretch of walk way. Maybe they will put the Subway where the Scrambler was next to Cinnabon. With a water park expansion obviously coming do you think they will relocate the Viking Ship too for even more room?

[jedimaster1227]

Expansion by fire! I love it!

[RCjunkie]

Expansion by fire! I love it!

 

Too bad the fire did not reach all the way over to Excalibur for further expansion.

[Vonni]

Expansion by fire! I love it!

 

Too bad the fire did not reach all the way over to Excalibur for further expansion.

 

 

No! I want to at least get the credit first! And besides, I've heard Excalibur is actually really good.

[CaptainUnknown]

With IMAX being burned and then demolished, Route 76 announced with three relocated (and refurbished) rides, and now Screamscape has posted the rumor of Hydroblaster's demise. http://www.screamscape.com/html/valleyfair.htm What are they doing? And more importantly, when?

[Vffreak07]

Hydroblaster will probably be removed after the 2014 to make even more space for a/the waterpark expansion. It wouldn't look good if they removed two major features of the park (IMAX and Hydroblaster) only to fill the space with grass and trees (not that trees are a bad thing).

[RCjunkie]

Expansion by fire! I love it!

 

Too bad the fire did not reach all the way over to Excalibur for further expansion.

 

 

No! I want to at least get the credit first! And besides, I've heard Excalibur is actually really good.

 

Unfortunately you heard wrong. I could go on in detail why it isn't even an average coaster but with it ranked #304 on the Mitch Hawker poll you get the idea. I have no idea if/when they will remove the ride but I assume it will be the first of the existing coasters to be removed because on weekdays they do not open the ride until noon when the park opens at 10:00 am plus it is the only coaster not operating during Haunt. If it was a good coaster there would be more demand to ride it. I'm sure you have many years left to get the credit so come on up and get it done on the 'El Camino' of roller coasters.

[Twinsfan33]

With IMAX being burned and then demolished, Route 76 announced with three relocated (and refurbished) rides, and now Screamscape has posted the rumor of Hydroblaster's demise. http://www.screamscape.com/html/valleyfair.htm What are they doing? And more importantly, when?

 

I hope they take out the picnic area with the subway next to it as well (Relocate the Subway somewhere). No need for it since they built the new picnic area where Mini golf was. Relocate the Looping Star ship and you would have a huge area for a waterpark expansion. I just wonder where they would be able to fit a new coaster in the park now, whenever that may happen.

[ValleyfairFan]

I wouldn't over estimate the size of Picnic Point. If Subway and the Group Sales patio (both covered and the Imax) get demolished I wouldn't be surprised to see the park reconfigure a group picnic area in that part of the park still so that they don't reduce their capacity to service groups too dramatically. But who knows? I could be way off.

[Vonni]

Screamscape posted a pic of demolition of the Imax Theater beginning.