Valleyfair (VF) Discussion Thread

[dboor129]

KD will give its last ride on Shockwave on August 9th, the 2nd CF coaster closure announcement. The excalibur announcement could be near if everything holds up!

[ACES]

Removal of Sky Rider at Canada's Wonderland.

Removal of Thunder Road at Carowinds in July.

 

Removal of Shockwave at Kings Dominion last ride in August farewell.

 

New B&M Dive Machine annoucement Cedar Point in August everyone knows it's a dive machine.

 

California Great America, Vortex getting transformed into Floorless coaster 2016.

 

Removal of Excalibur at Valleyfair for expansion soak city water park. Maybe in August?

 

Haven't heard what Knotts Berry Farm, Michigans Adventure is getting?

 

Is this what we can expect from the five parks above for next year. Let's see if I get it right rumor for Valleyfair.

Edited July 11, 2015 by ACES

[thecoasterlead]

I would love to see a bigger waterpaek that could compete with the dells but if that happened I think we would turn into a mighigans adventure only known for the waterpark. I hope we expand the amusement park the most but don't get me wrong I love the waterpark. I hope the old slide complex gets painted, plus I hope they don't remove raging Rapids! Then with the expansion i would like a tube slides but like the ones with snake pit. I hope we get one of those tornados too hope this isn't wishful thinking...

[jmillzy]

CGA is getting their stand up coaster, Vortex to be made floor less. I think a new slide tower would include tube slides, a funnel slide, a mat racer, and a huge kids play area (not splash pad) that would replace the old one.

[madsencarson]

From the CP thread.

 

 

"Here is a statement from their website. Looks like a 2% increase in bodies through the gate. That's for all parks combined. Looks like Carowinds and Knotts are pulling the load.

 

07/08/2015

 

 

SANDUSKY, OHIO, July 8, 2015 -- Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: FUN), a leader in regional amusement parks, water parks and active entertainment, today reported preliminary net revenues through July 5, 2015 of approximately $491 million, an increase of $24 million, or 5%, when compared with the same period a year ago. This period traditionally represents approximately 40% of the Company’s full-year net revenues. 

 

The higher net revenues are a result of a 2% increase in attendance, a 2% increase in average in-park guest per capita spending and a 10% increase in out-of-park revenues, including resort hotels."

 

 

No specific numbers for VF, but it looks like Cedar Fair's overall revenue is up from last year, and is continuing to grow. Hopefully this means more money to spend on future attractions.

[larrygator]

That's exactly what is was...a made up number. The point was I'd bet they pull in a hell of a lot more income than Valleyfair just based on the traffic that gets pumped through that place. Yeah, it probably was high I'll admit it, but out of all the ridiculous things people have posted lately in this thread I find it odd this is what you decided to jump on. Would 10x be a better estimate for you? I won't go below 5x.. .

 

Valleyfair had 1,250,000 and some change for visitors in 2006 (that was the last time I saw CF publish attendance in their year end report. Now they just use pie chart graphs but they do group the park in the 1 to 1.5 million yearly attendance category still for 2014). So let's just use the average of that range at 1.25 million visitors (not unrealistic since they park hit 1 million in attendance after Wild Thing in 1996).

 

Then you have Nickelodeon Universe which has a lower daily admission fee than VF, the option to just choose to ride 1 ride at a time at even a lower cost if you only want one or two rides, no unsupervised teenagers are allowed in the park after 6:00 pm plus all the food sales competition from the 4th floor at MOA which VF does not have and you 'estimate' they have 5x profit as VF?

 

That means they would need at LEAST 5 times the people to get to your 5x profit margin estimate and that would be 6 million visitors. (So 5 x 1.25 million = 6 million). That would put the park ahead of Sea World Orlando (5,090,000 attendance in 2014) and make it the 10th largest park in the U.S.. The 20th biggest park in the U.S. for attendance in 2014 is Busch Gardens Virginia at 2.726 million. Funny, I don't see NU in any attendance listing anywhere even being in the top 50 parks in the U.S. for attendance.

 

So at a 5x profit margin your still way over inflated on your estimate and you even admit to making that number up. Trying to prove points with made up numbers invalidate your point. And your the one calling for people on this thread to be 'more realistic'?

 

http://www.mynews13.com/content/dam/news/static/cfnews13/documents/2015/6/Theme%20Index_2014_v1_1a.PDF

 

We can speculate all we want, but there are too many unknowns for us on the outside to predict profit. For example: The rent Nickelodeon Universe pays versus Valleyfair's property taxes. Is there a known attendance number for NU, since it doesn't have turnstyles. Then again a turn of the turnstyle might mean a net loss for someone visiting with another CF Platinum pass.

[MidwestThemeParks]

Nickelodeon Universe is also open year-round.

[CaptainUnknown]

Not sure if anyone cares on this thread, but Minnesota River Valley Railroad is down for the rest of the year because the engine blew out.

[yogibrain]

Not sure if anyone cares on this thread, but Minnesota River Valley Railroad is down for the rest of the year because the engine blew out.

Noooooooo! My 2yr old son HAS to ride that at least once every visit

[thecoasterlead]

WHAT?¿?¿ I didn't get on it yet So I think that thing so be re routed its ugly, I hope it gets a new path maybe threw the corkscrew alley or something, it's just staring at weeds and fencing. It's just not that great maybe they could start theming that area that would be so great, I'm so sad it broke down though how did that happen?!? Well, whatever I do hope they fix up that railway though, paint it up, theme it just like the cedar point train and log chute at Nick U. Has anyone noticed how lately high roller is so close to not making it over the 2nd airtime hill. Plus I wish it ran two trains...line gets to long with one train...

[CaptainUnknown]

^Yes, I've noticed High Roller slowing down going over that second hill...when I'm not on it. Doesn't feel that way when I'm on it. Even in the back. So I don't think that there'll be a Valley at the Fair anytime soon.

[ACES]

I was at the park this morning riding Renegade for a hour with Mike we both notice that High Roller gotten stuck twice in one hour are there trim brakes on the second hill maybe they need to remove the trim brakes and bring back the old High Roller and bring back the air time on the hills. My count on Renegade 425 this season so far.

[madsencarson]

I don't know if this has ever been brought up before, but do any of you know how Valleyfair originally got its name? I don't know if I'm correct, but I believe it got its name from the Minnesota River. I think Valleyfair got its name because it's the "fair" in the "valley" of the Minnesota River. That is just what my parents and my older neighbors told me. Can anyone else confirm if this is true? I just think it's pretty interesting.

[thecoasterlead]

I don't know if this has ever been brought up before, but do any of you know how Valleyfair originally got its name? I don't know if I'm correct, but I believe it got its name from the Minnesota River. I think Valleyfair got its name because it's the "fair" in the "valley" of the Minnesota River. That is just what my parents and my older neighbors told me. Can anyone else confirm if this is true? I just think it's pretty interesting.

Yes this is true! What I think we're getting this season is a revamp of the entrance area I think the merry go round will receive remodeling. I think we'll get a Larson flyers in that old white and red theather. Then a repaint of enterprise I hope looping starship gets a revamp, new theme to western cause that's the the ring in that part of the park.

[Mdcastle]

The entrance was redone not too long ago. With the new parking lot I don't see them redoing the front entrance until and unless they build something significant when the dinos leave.

[VF15]

I was at the park this morning riding Renegade for a hour with Mike we both notice that High Roller gotten stuck twice in one hour are there trim brakes on the second hill maybe they need to remove the trim brakes and bring back the old High Roller and bring back the air time on the hills. My count on Renegade 425 this season so far.

High Roller doesn't have a trim on its second hill, it's an anti-rollback, although it sort of acts like a trim. HR's train has always crawled over that hill, but it sounds like you're saying that it came to a complete stop there, am I right?

[thecoasterlead]

The entrance was redone not too long ago. With the new parking lot I don't see them redoing the front entrance until and unless they build something significant when the dinos leave.

 

Haha, I meant fix up the rides I love the entrance, like honestly IMO I like it better than most cedar fair parks entrances because it feels home-e I love the blue, ugh I just LOVE the entrance! I do think some of the rides need referbishing, like the Merry go round and enterprise but I would love to see the entrance plaza stay for a while. Talking about entrances soak city needs a new one, I pull my little cousins in a little cart (pass holders too) and it's hardwork walking all the way to the back of the park even if the new entrance was the one by mad mouse, I think it's silly to have the employees entrance more convenient than the guest. Ok so some will say I'm lazy that I don't want to walk any further but this is guest experience not the YMCA people. It's a very far walk and innconveient I think the two entrances should switch, employees need to walk future back than guest. I'm not blaming valleyfair though because when whitewater waterpark was built that area where the employee entrance was NOT close to the water park, today they need to change that it would very easy too. I'm going to Terminator at IMAX in 10 so

[ACES]

I thought there was a trim on the second hill on High Roller. Sometimes when I ride High Roller seems to slow at times on the second hill. I don't feel like High Roller comes to a stop on the second hill just slows some. I was at Soak City this morning till about 2:00pm the sun finally came out got real humid. I rode the Raging Rapids two hours straight this is one of my favorite water rides awsome ride! After Soak City went into the park Renegade had the longest line only one train going on a Sunday? Wild Thing walk on no wait times along with Extreme Swing, Power Tower, Steel Venom walked right on, no wait times for northern lights and Enterprise on days like this I can see why Valleyfair wants to do more expansions the water park was busy but not the rides also this is something new over by the amphitheater they added a coke machines any reason why they put it in front of the amphitheater?

 

the train has been closed for some sort of maintence work anyone know what's wrong with the train? It's parked by Wild Thing

New coke machines by the amphitheater entrance new.

Edited July 13, 2015 by ACES

[jmillzy]

I'm not going to Terminator tonight, since that relates to Valleyfair.

[garyman6]

Alright, I need to chime in here. This is in response to C.P.A.Guy's question on whether or not there is proof of Cedar Fair singling out Valleyfair as a growth Park. I had to find it again and with the help of RCJunkie here is the quote:

• The chain sees three parks as having room for significant growth, Carowinds, Valleyfair, and California's Great America. I'm quite surprised to see Valleyfair on that list! They will expand heavily at those parks, with the focus on Carowinds first - as has been previously announced.

 

You can look this up for yourself at newsplusnotes.blogspot.com/2013/12. Once you get there scroll down and look at the list of blog entries on the left and you will find an entry titled "Heard on....Cedar Fair ubs media presentation. You can read the entire Cedar Fair statement. I don't think the video presentation is available anymore though.

 

So, having given you all ample proof that we are not making this up I have to say something.

 

First of all I don't come on this thread to hear only realistic statements. Talk about boring. "Today at Valleyfair a guest threw up after riding Enterprise, comments please!" There is absolutely nothing wrong with some good old fashion speculating. Don't come down on those who want to throw out scenarios and speculate what will go where, its fun! I love the fact that we have a lively thread and don't fool yourself. Cedar Fair and Valleyfair do read these threads. I'm not sure how much weight it holds with decision making but Mr. Frazier told me he reads a lot of this stuff including FB.

 

So, those of you who say we need to keep things realistic and stop speculating based on "nothing", I say phooey on you! Cedar Fair is investing heavily in Carowinds to the tune of $50+ million dollars. They said Carowinds would be first which they are. They did not say who would be second. Even before this announcement about Carowinds they were still investing in the park. They added a large water park addition before they announced the 50 mil. So, even though Cedar Fair has invested Valleyfair the last few years does not mean that they won't make a major announcement similar to Carowinds. Is it going to be 50 mil? No idea! But the fact that they did invest so heavily in Carowinds makes us wonder what they will do with Valleyfair. Valleyfair actually has a larger local market then Carowinds. Don't get started about the climate, Cedarpoint puts that argument in the grave. I believe the reason that our attendance is not higher is because for many years Valleyfair was put on the back burner and neglected. With all the changes we have seen in the last 5 years I believe they have been preparing the park for this "significant growth" that is to come. Come on people, why would Valleyfair build a catering facility that can produce 3000 meals per hour and seat thousands? Why would they be asking the Army Corp of Engineers to help them build a new access road and presumably extend the berm so they can expand.

 

We do have a right to speculate!

P.S. I for one am thrilled for Adventurland! It shows that this region is ready and hungry for more thrilling rides without having to travel so much. This is great news for Valleyfair! It may even put some pressure on Cedar Fair to get things going! In the meantime, make a trip down south to get your next coaster fix next season!

 

Whew! I'm done! Lol!

[PhantomPoster32]

Wow that was an impressive teenager fanboy rant there.

Oh you're in your 40s? Awkward....

 

Speculation is fun, but foaming is ridiculous.

Maybe it's all in wording. Maybe instead of "where will our 500' aqua track go" word it as "a great place for that Aqua trax would be location x". The whole acting like it's a done deal that said attraction is coming is when people start rolling eyes.

 

Now my speculation, VF is going to expand their waterpark and continue to do so until capacity is at an acceptable level.

[garyman6]

Nothing awkward about stating facts!

 

Yes, your right about wording and making specific statements about what will go where. But we will eventually get a new coaster! Do we know any specifics about it? No! But it's a lot more fun to speculate using real manufactures and real coaster styles than just saying "A coaster of unknown origin and species will be build at Valleyfair sometime within the next 25 years, stay tuned!" Lighten up people!

 

By the way, I can still love amusement parks at 48. I'm not dead yet!

[ACES]

So Frazier, Cedar Fair and Valleyfair actually reads these forums? They pay attention?

 

When I was at Soak City Sunday right away I wanted to ride Hurricane Falls when I walked all the way to the top the lifeguard said you can't ride single I waited a few minutes to ride with a group. I think they should put a sign at the bottom of the stairs letting people know you can't ride single so you don't have to walk all the way up good idea I'm not sure if I saw signs or not? And when I was on Lazy River I notice that the lifeguards like to shake there heads a lot anyone know why they do that lol? Going under one of the bridges there was a sign posted saying don't bother lifeguards on Lazy River they need to pay attention to the water. I rode Raging Rapids two hours awsome water ride! My favorite at Soak City.

[C.P.A.Guy]

I believe the reason that our attendance is not higher is because for many years Valleyfair was put on the back burner and neglected.

 

I wouldn't say Valleyfair has been neglected at all. Just because we haven't received a coaster in awhile doesn't mean the park has been neglected. We've received steady upgrades almost every year. While an investment like Route 76 may not be real exciting, it does serve a purpose of bringing a dead area of the park some life. Valleyfair has an above average coaster selection, so Cedar Fair decided to use major investments to spruce up the children's area and water park in recent years instead of adding another coaster. Even dating back 10+ years ago, I still don't see neglect. Wild Thing, Mad Mouse, Power Tower, Steel Venom all within an 8 year period or so years.

 

If the plan with the water park is to wait another 5 years or so before another upgrade "phase" much like the wait in between the wave pool addition and this year's slide complex/kid's area, then I could see us adding a new coaster in 2017. But if they plan on adding a new parking lot and a new water park entrance in 2017, I would assume on them wanting to add a new slide complex or some kind of new water park attraction to market with the new, revamped "Soak City." And that would again take up a major investment year and push a coaster back another 3-5 years till 2020-2021. Ugh, 14-15 possible years in between new coasters. Some of you will go crazy and be in the nut house waiting so long...

[ACES]

Back at the park today my off day the coke machines aren't there anymore by the amphitheater I rode Power Tower I also notice on the Turbo Drop it likes to slow before reaching the top supposed to do that? Rode Excalibur one time this morning running kind of rough.

Edited July 13, 2015 by ACES