Valleyfair (VF) Discussion Thread

[Sephiroth]

So. Got a season pass this year for the first time. Worth the money in my opinion. I've made it to the park twice so far (I know, not a lot, but hey growing up if we made it once a year for bunch of years in a row it was a big deal lol), and both times have been really fun for me. First time was late May, and then second last Friday. The crowds were hardly noticeable both times, which surprised me. I mean, we maybe had to wait 2 trains tops for a coaster, but usually we could make the one being loaded or the next.

 

Reading this thread throughout the years has been interesting. I guess I go against the grain in that I really just love the park the way it is. I love the rollercoasters, minus maybe Excalibur because I tend to be sore afterward. I like the flat rides, and I like how the park is just big enough. As in, spending a day or a half day is enough time to ride everything you want to at a relaxed pace and still get re-rides of your favorites. Also people tend to complain about Wild Thing being forceless. I guess I just disagree. Sitting in the front car I'm lifted from my seat over every hill until we pull into the station. And it's always been that way for me. Sure the figure-eight turnaround isn't super forceful but it's nice not feeling like I'm gonna pass out lol. It's just fun. Same for all the other rides. They're just fun. My siblings and I used to marathon the rides when our family went there. I mean we'd basically go to a rollercoaster, and ride it 2-6 times in a row. Then move to the next one. Rinse and repeat, haha! Honestly I can't do that anymore since 1 or 2 consecutive forceful rides make me motion sick now (I think my deteriorating eyesight might be a factor but who knows).

 

Also I should mention the waterpark. Yes it's sad the flume is gone but they've really done a nice job with the space. Last Friday we must have rode the large raft ride (sorry I forget the name) 2 to 3 times in a row right up until the waterpark closed, we got the last ride of the evening watching the sunset!! It was an absolute blast and so was the rest of the day. All the coasters were hauling faster than I remember them being since it was so hot out, which was fun. The ride balance there is nice; on hot days we just hop on the wave, thunder canyon, and water rides. Then wander around the coasters or whatnot. It just works.

 

Yeah Valleyfair isn't Cedar Point. I've been to Cedar Point. It was fun. The rides were unreal, in a good way. But it was... huge. Almost too big. I like Valleyfair for almost the same reasons others don't, which is amusing to say the least. I guess watching the discussion here is interesting. You see people saying "It's been x years since a new coaster was built!! We need a new one!!", and then hear the GP all like "Hey I don't remember that orange ride being here, let's check it out!!", or "Let's ride [insert favorite ride here] some more!!" I hear people thinking Steel Venom is just a few years old. They don't care really about how many rides per year Valleyfair builds, they're just having a blast with what's there. I even heard an adult male murmur "I want my mommy" during the end of a ride on Xtreme Swing, hahaha!

 

I think in general the people that go to Valleyfair are pretty happy. You'd just never guess that if you listened to the "enthusiasts", haha! Anyway. Rant over. Sorry I didn't take any good pictures to show all of you during my visits, too busy having fun. Work is really stressful right now and Valleyfair does a wonderful job brightening my days/weekends. Keep on riding and enjoying yourselves, and have fun speculating. It's always a good time to try and guess what's next!

 

Sincerely,

A long time coaster nut.

 

P.S. I read this over for spelling and grammar, but just in case, I apologize for anything I missed.

[GCI Wooden]

Solution: build a new flume.

That would be amazing.

Edited July 29, 2016 by GCI Wooden

[coasterbill]

Solution: build a new flume.

 

I like this guy.

[Looty]

People! People!...this is VF we're talking about here. I wouldn't expect more than a few benches and new trash cans

[FKA 'Playa]

Hunkering in the shade

 

People! People!...this is VF we're talking about here. I wouldn't expect more than a few benches and new trash cans

 

Benches? Ha! Not in the waterpark, they won't.

 

People try to hunker in the shade on hot days when all the seats are occupied.

Meanwhile, a 30x60 square foot space they could furnish seats...? Unused.

Nobody wants to play volleyball. FIGURE IT OUT.

And if they did? There's another court they could use.

 

 

 

More shadeseekers

 

I'm not going to specifically point out the two mothers--each with infants--squeezing under the narrow roofline in this photo.

But you and I can both guess they're not having the Best Day Ever.

 

 

 

 

While I'm railing about the waterpark, I'll leave you with this photo.

In which there are MORE WAITING TUBES for their Lazy River than people waiting in line.

Trust us. We counted.

It's one thing to work with small CapEx budgets and another to service the guests and attractions on hand so poorly.

 

This was July 9th. My wife and I haven't visited the park since.

[ariznglori]

Maybe Cedar Fair will send us Kings Island's flume. LOL.

[coasterbill]

Kings Island's flume isn't going anywhere.

[dboor129]

While we are talking about Kings Island, does Mystic Timbers seem like it could be a Renegade clone? I haven't seen any real POV videos or anything but I think it has the S Shaped curve on the drop.

[ariznglori]

Kings Island's flume isn't going anywhere.

 

...I knew that...

[ariznglori]

While we are talking about Kings Island, does Mystic Timbers seem like it could be a Renegade clone? I haven't seen any real POV videos or anything but I think it has the S Shaped curve on the drop.

 

I thought it looked more like Prowler than Renegade. POVs are on the announcement page in the Kings Island thread.

[RollerColester]

I'm not going to specifically point out the two mothers--each with infants--squeezing under the narrow roofline in this photo.

But you and I can both guess they're not having the Best Day Ever.

 

As a new father of a now four month old son, WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY DOING WITH AN INFANT AT AN AMUSEMENT PARK!! I wouldn't even think about bringing my son to Valleyfair until he's at least 2-3 years old, and even then might be pushing it.

 

I think best case scenario for next week's announcement would be the water park renovation with new parking lot and entrance. Would be cool if they re-branded it towards a Minnesota theme, like Carowind's did with Carolina Harbor. Maybe tie in a lake theme, since that's what the state is mostly known for when you think of water. Worst case scenario and a major disappointment would be a flat ride or two refurbished from Europe. Besides marketing them as new attractions, it doesn't make sense as to why they would put refurbished rides found in Europe in, when your current outdated rides need refurbishment (Enterprise, Supercat, Looping Starship).

 

I guess I'd be happy with a frisbee or a tech-dark ride. Better than anything we've received 6 out of the last 7 years. I do rank the 2015 slide complex as a pretty awesome addition. I know enthusiasts tend to overlook the slide complex because it's part of the water park, but they are an awesome thrill ride.

[FKA 'Playa]

 

As a new father of a now four month old son, WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY DOING WITH AN INFANT AT AN AMUSEMENT PARK!!

 

Easy to answer: That's not their only kid. Plus there's probably extended family that wants to go, too.

 

I wouldn't even think about bringing my son to Valleyfair until he's at least 2-3 years old, and even then might be pushing it.

 

Aw, that's too bad. I started taking my youngest every other weekend when she was maybe a year and a half old.

It's a much better park for kids now than it was then...

 

Worst case scenario and a major disappointment would be a flat ride or two refurbished from Europe.

 

If they wanna give VF some refurbished European rides...why not CP's Bayern Kurve mothballed years ago?

[Mdcastle]

Much as I like RipTide I do see a lot fewer people riding it since the waterpark expansion. The Wave and Thunder Canyon probably fill the "get wet in my street clothes when it's a bazillion degrees out" function. Wondering if the rumor is true that Riptide is leaving and SuperCat will be refurbished and something's going on with Bumper Cars if it's something big involving that whole area.

 

Is there another Cedar Fair coaster they could use Excalibur cars on if they remove it after spending money refurbishing it?

[RollerColester]

Is there another Cedar Fair coaster they could use Excalibur cars on if they remove it after spending money refurbishing it?

 

I'd imagine that Gemini and the Cedar Creek Mine Ride at Cedar Point could possibly use some parts from Excalibur's train as they are both Arrow Mine Train concepts. I believe Carowinds and King's Island also have arrow mine trains in Carolina Goldrusher and Adventure Express.

 

I see that Cedar Point's announcement is happening Monday at 10am now. Maybe Valleyfair decided it didn't want to overshadow Cedar Point's announcement, so they moved it!!

[PhantomPoster32]

Is there another Cedar Fair coaster they could use Excalibur cars on if they remove it after spending money refurbishing it?

 

I'd imagine that Gemini and the Cedar Creek Mine Ride at Cedar Point could possibly use some parts from Excalibur's train as they are both Arrow Mine Train concepts. I believe Carowinds and King's Island also have arrow mine trains in Carolina Goldrusher and Adventure Express.

 

I see that Cedar Point's announcement is happening Monday at 10am now. Maybe Valleyfair decided it didn't want to overshadow Cedar Point's announcement, so they moved it!!

 

From what I'm hearing it's not a full on announcement.

[VFVSGirl16]

Call me crazy, but I could see us getting something like a Windseeker (or maybe just some other flat ride) up by Route 76.

[millertpr]

Call me crazy, but I could see us getting something like a Windseeker (or maybe just some other flat ride) up by Route 76.

 

Wouldn't shock me at all. I actually think a Windseeker would be more likely than a Gertslauter Sky Fly/ Sky Roller. I don't think they would put the same ride at Nickelodeon Universe in at Valleyfair. The Windseeker couldn't be over 275 feet though. I think if it were to go somewhere, it would go in Wild Thing's helix.

[PhantomPoster32]

It'd probably be a version like Adventureland got if you do get one. You don't need the huge capacity of the larger versions.

[MidwestThemeParks]

It'd probably be a version like Adventureland got if you do get one. You don't need the huge capacity of the larger versions.

 

But, if Cedar Fair has never gotten one of the smaller versions I don't see why they would start with VF. The smaller version only seats 32 people. With how long it takes to load these things and the length of the ride, the line could get insane on busy days. I think it would be stupid to get the 32-person model instead of the generic 64-person model. Who cares if there are empty seats during the week? If they're going to spend millions on a ride like this, I think it would be worth it to spend another million or two to get the larger model so capacity won't be an issue if it doesn't have to be.

[RollerColester]

It'd probably be a version like Adventureland got if you do get one. You don't need the huge capacity of the larger versions.

 

But, if Cedar Fair has never gotten one of the smaller versions I don't see why they would start with VF. The smaller version only seats 32 people. With how long it takes to load these things and the length of the ride, the line could get insane on busy days. I think it would be stupid to get the 32-person model instead of the generic 64-person model. Who cares if there are empty seats during the week? If they're going to spend millions on a ride like this, I think it would be worth it to spend another million or two to get the larger model so capacity won't be an issue if it doesn't have to be.

 

Seems like Cedar Fairs Windseeker buying days are over though, maybe due to some issues they've had. Also aren't all of them over or at 300 feet? Which is a problem here (yes, I know you can make them shorter but maybe cedar fair is only interested in them at the 300 foot mark). If it's a thrill ride, I'd guess frisbee. Especially if Delurium at Kings Dominion went over well.

[VFVSGirl16]

Call me crazy, but I could see us getting something like a Windseeker (or maybe just some other flat ride) up by Route 76.

 

Wouldn't shock me at all. I actually think a Windseeker would be more likely than a Gertslauter Sky Fly/ Sky Roller. I don't think they would put the same ride at Nickelodeon Universe in at Valleyfair. The Windseeker couldn't be over 275 feet though. I think if it were to go somewhere, it would go in Wild Thing's helix.

 

That's where I could see it going too! Or if the rumor of enterprise going away for a year and being relocated in the park is real, I could see it going near there.

[Vonni]

I don't think CF will put anymore Mondial Windseekers in anymore of the parks after all the trouble they had with them. And I don't expect them to go with the Starflyer models either.

[Mdcastle]

Wonder if Enterprises location could be used for a permanent haunt structure. Maybe that's why we haven't seen construction yet even though they pulled a permit? The entire path down to Steel Venom they leave the lights on and don't really decorate. Is that supposed to be an unofficial safe zone, or do they just not give it much attention since it's a dead end.

[Lightning Rod]

If Valleyfair were to get a Wind Seeker couldn't we go as high as 275 feet? Maybe get something like Storm Chaser smaller one like the one at Adventureland in Iowa? Is our max height 275?

[Meghna]

I hear sometimes from various people that the height restriction is not park wide, but I don't know (don't really believe, either) if this is true or not. If it's not, then a Windseeker is not out of the question. There have been numerous rumors as to what is coming in next year, guess we'll find out next week. I've heard a few things in the park, but nothing new that hasn't already been posted here.

 

BTW, whoever says that Riptide is gonna bite the dust next year can fight me. Nothing comes between me and my old delinquent child.