Valleyfair (VF) Discussion Thread

[StLCPfan]

If Cedar Fair is wanting to build a unique ride that will draw people from all over the Midwest, if not the whole country, they will build the first B&M floorless in this part of the country. That would bring me back to ValleyFair.

[GwaziBSRider1]

^ That's a really good idea. Floorless coasters are amazing, and it would be an incredible addition to that park.

[Rollercoaster Rider]

I think a B&M would be a more exciting idea. Maybe have it go between Renegade and High Roller?

[DanTheBooker]

If Cedar Fair is wanting to build a unique ride that will draw people from all over the Midwest, if not the whole country, they will build the first B&M floorless in this part of the country. That would bring me back to ValleyFair.

 

That's a great idea. Hadn't thought of that, but the closest Floorless is actually Dorney or KD. It would certainly go over well with the GP. Great idea!

 

 

^ I just don't understand WHY you think there is room between the woodies. I don't see it.

[Rollercoaster Rider]

If Cedar Fair is wanting to build a unique ride that will draw people from all over the Midwest, if not the whole country, they will build the first B&M floorless in this part of the country. That would bring me back to ValleyFair.

 

That's a great idea. Hadn't thought of that, but the closest Floorless is actually Dorney or KD. It would certainly go over well with the GP. Great idea!

 

 

^ I just don't understand WHY you think there is room between the woodies. I don't see it.

 

 

I'm just basing it on the park map. The current Wheel of Fortune site and some land behind it.

[VF15]

Although I would love to have a new coaster in 2015, Valleyfair needs a Soak City expansion more than anything. They haven't received any new slides for a very long time. Several communities in Minnesota have their own small water parks, so if Valleyfair wants to keep bringing people to Soak City, they really need some new slides. I believe that this is what they will be getting for 2015 because the IMAX theater, which was right near Soak City, has left a good area of land for an expansion. Plus, Valleyfairzone posted a story about the likely downfall of Hydroblaster, which would give even more room for something better.

[DanTheBooker]

If Cedar Fair is wanting to build a unique ride that will draw people from all over the Midwest, if not the whole country, they will build the first B&M floorless in this part of the country. That would bring me back to ValleyFair.

 

 

I did some quick art for a Floorless layout in place of Cork Screw, the Ferris Wheel and the Wave. This would replace CS and THE WAVE and FW could go in place of amphitheater.

 

THIS IS JUST THINKING AND I SPENT LESS THAN A MINUTE ON THIS. NO BASHING, PLEASE.

[Vonni]

I bet for VF Water Park expansion they get the Slide Complex that WOF got for 2013 and DP is getting for 2014.

[RCjunkie]

While I don't disagree with the wing coaster thing, why would that be a bad thing?

Wing Riders are just so forceless, they are OK rides but now WOW rides and VF needs one of those. VF already has Wild Thing if you want forceless.

 

There are a ton of things that could be happening at VF in the next five years.

 

Did they relocate Scrambler so they could relocate Enterprise to that location so they can put:

A. new coaster, flume

B: Ferris wheel, THE WAVE (to add to the room created for a CS replacement)

there once amphitheater goes.

 

Or did they relocate the Scrambler to just move the Subway shop up front? They could put anything there, but again I like your optimism. You keep mentioning a Flume ride but I have heard or read nothing about it at all. When was the last time CF added a Flume ride? There is great opportunity when they remove the amphitheater so that will be exciting. My guess it the Looping Starship gets moved up here due to the water park expansion. We'll see.

 

I'm really curious to see what happens in the back. A soak city expansion is coming sooner than later. I really don't know if Excalibur will be spared.

 

Me too. What happens to Excalibur will determine what happens next which is exciting for VF. It will be tough to integrate the water park with the area where Excalibur stands due to the service road for the park that separates the two. The walking tunnel goes under the road currently and it would be interesting to see how they would connect the two areas and it would cost more to do that. I think a coaster will just take it's place and your idea of an Invert would be perfect for it in my opinion.

 

Should be interesting!

[RCjunkie]

I bet for VF Water Park expansion they get the Slide Complex that WOF got for 2013 and DP is getting for 2014.

 

I bet your right on this and it would be a welcomed addition to the water park for sure.

[RCjunkie]

If Cedar Fair is wanting to build a unique ride that will draw people from all over the Midwest, if not the whole country, they will build the first B&M floorless in this part of the country. That would bring me back to ValleyFair.

 

This is what I would love for CF to do. Not go on the cheap and actually try to make this park stand out in the upper midwest. Bring a unique, and more importantly, fun ride to the area. The closest 3 parks are SFGA, Mount Olympus and Adventureland which have nothing like a B&M floorless coaster. I would not mind a B&M Invert either but a floorless I think would be better.

[DanTheBooker]

So my theory on a flume is simple. It's an amusement park staple. You have the three big water rides, right?

 

Shoot the Chutes (The Wave)

River Rapids (Thunder Canyon)

Log Flume

 

We don't have a log flume. We saw CP close White Water Landing for Maverick and then build Shoot the Rapids a few years later. Perhaps we will see them replace ours as well. Just some added optimism.

 

Like I stated earlier in the thread, ROUTE 76 looks to be being built with another path being built to loop back towards the train depot. I think we will see more flats moved into the amphitheater area. That could open up a slew of different options.

 

I'm totally in love with a Floorless coaster. That'd be mint.

[Vonni]

If a Floorless were to come to VF I really hope they would go with a custom design, rather than one of the clones. Dont get me wrong, I think the Floorless clones are awesome, but VF needs something to help them stand out again.

[StLCPfan]

What clones are you talking about? The only layout that has been reused by B&M has been SFGrAdv's Medusa mirrored for Scream at SFMM.

[Rollercoaster Rider]

What clones are you talking about? The only layout that has been reused by B&M has been SFGrAdv's Medusa mirrored for Scream at SFMM.

 

 

Batman The Ride

Raptor

Sheikra

Superman- Ultimate Flight

[RCjunkie]

Yesterday Valleyfair posted the picture of the final design colors for Nothern Lights. Much more colorful than the red, white and blue colors in the original artwork rendering. I personally like these colors better.

All the new colors.

[Vonni]

What clones are you talking about? The only layout that has been reused by B&M has been SFGrAdv's Medusa mirrored for Scream at SFMM.

 

 

I was thinking Medusa at SFDK was a clone too, but now I remember it is not.

[VF15]

Well, Wild Thing opened in 1996, and that was before bigger companies like B&M and Intamin made hypercoasters, so I really don't blame them for going with Morgan (Morgan hypercoasters are a lot smoother than Arrow hypercoasters). However, when you consider that $14 million for Wild Thing is the most that Valleyfair has ever spent on a roller coaster, and that most modern B&Ms cost $20 million+, I unfortunately feel that Valleyfair will go for something cheap when they finally get another coaster.

 

I think they will go with something cheap too. I would rather they not add a new coaster until they have a budget of $20 million even if that means more years without a new coaster as they save up more capital for an expenditure that large. I would like to see what an investment that big would bring in additional attendance to the park. Like when Wild Thing helped the park hit it first 1 million visitor year. But unlike CF I don't have to answer to shareholders for return on investment so that's easy for me to say.

 

Another reason I feel us thrill seekers and coaster enthusiasts are getting left out is Matt Ouimet. Ever since he took over Cedar Fair, their parks have become much more family based. I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing, but I'm noticing a trend towards more family additions and fewer thrill rides (e.g., only new Cedar Fair roller coaster for next year is Banshee at KI), and this seems to really hurt the thrill ride community at smaller parks like Valleyfair, Michigan's Adventure, and California's Great America (they did just get Gold Striker, but it's still a "meh" park). Also, Cedar Point had five year period of no new coasters from 2008 to 2013 (Maverick and Gatekeeper), and it's usually a lot shorter, so I think that says something. Honestly, I love my home park, but it has so much wasted potential in the thrill ride category.

[GwaziBSRider1]

^ That's because the families were ignored at a lot of the Cedar Fair parks in recent years. I'm glad to see more family attractions at some of their parks because they were really needed. I'd rather CF try to balance thrills and families. It shows that they actually care about all of their clientele, and not just parts of it.

[DanTheBooker]

^ That's because the families were ignored at a lot of the Cedar Fair parks in recent years. I'm glad to see more family attractions at some of their parks because they were really needed. I'd rather CF try to balance thrills and families. It shows that they actually care about all of their clientele, and not just parts of it.

 

Ageed. You can't say Ouimet isn't concerned about thrill rides.

 

Year #1- Gatekeeper. Regardless of thrill value. A $20m+, 4,000ft+ B&M is for thrill seekers more than anyone else.

Let's not forget about CGA's GCI, either.

Year #2-Banshee. See Gatekeeper comments

 

Beyond that, Carowinds is rumored to have a giga coming.

 

 

I don't think Ouimet has forgot about the thrill seekers, they just may not be his biggest priority. Yet!

[RCjunkie]

^ Exactly.

[christianscoasters]

Also, Cedar Point had five year period of no new coasters from 2008 to 2013 (Maverick and Gatekeeper), and it's usually a lot shorter, so I think that says something.

 

Except Ouimet wasn't in charge until last year...

[VF15]

^ That's because the families were ignored at a lot of the Cedar Fair parks in recent years. I'm glad to see more family attractions at some of their parks because they were really needed. I'd rather CF try to balance thrills and families. It shows that they actually care about all of their clientele, and not just parts of it.

 

Ageed. You can't say Ouimet isn't concerned about thrill rides.

 

Year #1- Gatekeeper. Regardless of thrill value. A $20m+, 4,000ft+ B&M is for thrill seekers more than anyone else.

Let's not forget about CGA's GCI, either.

Year #2-Banshee. See Gatekeeper comments

 

Beyond that, Carowinds is rumored to have a giga coming.

 

 

I don't think Ouimet has forgot about the thrill seekers, they just may not be his biggest priority. Yet!

 

I didn't say that they completely forgot about thrill rides. I just feel that they have been overall family based recently, and that it might not be the best news for enthusiasts at parks like Valleyfair.

[Lareson]

Valleyfair has received quite a few additions over the years. It is the 2nd smallest park in the chain ahead of Michigan's Adventure, but with them hopefully expanding the water park in 2015, there might be more things coming in the years after that.

 

They have a very good selection of coasters at Valleyfair, combining a few classics (Corkscrew, Excalibur, and High Roller) with a few moderns (Renegade, Steel Venom, and Wild Thing.) Sure they're missing a major inversion-filled coaster, but they have other priorities, like expanding the tiny water park since it is the smallest in the chain. The family friendly rides that are being added/refurbished for Route 76 is a perfect fit for this park. Sure a lot of enthusiasts don't care for those kind of rides, but we're only a tiny fraction of their attendance. Families with children are what make up a majority of guests.

 

Valleyfair is a pretty good park for Cedar Fair, considering it was the 1st park purchased by the company. In the past 10 years, they've spent quite a bit of money adding several attractions and even bringing back and revamping the failed Halloweekends into the ValleySCARE Halloween Haunt in in 2006. I'd say out of the small to medium sized parks the company owned before the Paramount acquisition, this one has been treated the best.

 

I'm pretty sure Valleyfair has something major coming down the pipeline in 2016, so we'll have to wait and see.

[DanTheBooker]

Also, Cedar Point had five year period of no new coasters from 2008 to 2013 (Maverick and Gatekeeper), and it's usually a lot shorter, so I think that says something.

 

Except Ouimet wasn't in charge until last year...

Right, plus keep in mind we were in the midst of one of the worst economical climates in history, not to mention they were paying off the Paramount parks and adding to them. Maverick was already paid for by the time of the buy out. However, you saw some smaller investments in the CF parks (Windseekers, Prowler, Snoopy, etc.) However, the big investments were Paramount Park bound (Intimidators, Behemoth, Diamondback, Leviathon, etc. ) Ouimet has said it is important for Cedar Point to have a new roller coaster now and then. He's acknowledged that. I think we are one the right track to better balanced parks.

 

That's a good thing.