Valleyfair (VF) Discussion Thread

[RollerColester]

I'd support a water park expansion, it's just when and how. If they build it out as planed in 2015 it will have separate park entrance and fees. Effectively two parks instead of the one it currently is.

 

Nothing would change, it would still be two parks for the price of one. Besides Cedar Point and Knotts, every other park is like this and will likely continue to be like this.

 

On another post it was said they could add a $25 million coaster and only get a 1% increase in attendance. I think that's extreme.

 

You're referring to my post when I was referring to when King's Island built Banshee there was only a 1% increase in attendance, and reports that even Steel Vengeance did very little to effect Cedar Point's attendance for that year.

 

Would a large coaster investment at Valleyfair in today's age be different due to the length of time between coasters, maybe? Nobody will know until its tried. I still believe a cheaper coaster option like an RMC or Gerstlauer will be next at the park versus a B&M.

[budtbum]

I still believe a cheaper coaster option like an RMC or Gerstlauer will be next at the park versus a B&M.

 

I totally agree- this is Valleyfair- so almost any custom coaster or other ride would qualify as "big" by that standard, a Wild Thing size would be absolutely huge....a large B&M would be more like a miracle.

 

I guess when I see a separate parking lot for the water park I tend to think separate fee. I really hope your right that it would still be one park, if they do a big water park expansion.

 

But when I look at things like a very small percentage increase in attendance at Cedar Point after they built Steel Vengeance, I look at it both ways. Was that a x% increase, or keeping it from a x% drop? How many of their customers are local vs. people to travel to it on any given year? Want to go to Cedar Point or Six Flags this year, type of customers? I have no definitive answer. There has to be a reason they keep building those rides... I'm quite happy that they do!

 

Valleyfair isn't in that category though. It's not big enough and too far out of the way to draw in very many people from out of state, unless they are going for the visitors that are already here for for something else.

 

To attract more of them out, unique helps. As great as a ride that Steel Venom is for example, it's also a stock model that is at Six Flages or other parks too. Renegade on the other hand is an excellent unique and different ride existing nowhere else. Dry ride or water park, having a unique spin on a ride design could help bring in more people than a stock ride.

 

In the case of Valleyscare, they seem to be drawing in quite the crowds. For now my goal is to carve out an hour or two this weekend to loop around the starship one last time...

[Mdcastle]

Well, another season in the bag. Went to haunt again last night. The fog was better and they dialed back the floodlights just a little bit, enough to make it merely extremely distracting and obnoxious as opposed to completely unacceptable. I didn't go into the mazes due to the long lines and it's always awkward doing so as a single adult. I did see and like the hypnotist show.

 

A few years ago there was a discussion about moving towards more permanent haunt structures. Wonder if that's dropped or still pending. I'm also curious why Cedar Fair doesn't do more "haunt rotation"; mazes that Knotts has retired would still be new to people here. I'm particularly intrigued by the concept of the "Trick or Treat" maze with interactive flashlights. I also wonder about a more politically correct FearVR, maybe an old prison theme or a generic haunted house. I own an Oculus setup and even with the limited FOV horror games are really something else.

 

I did do the dining plan this year. I really wish they'd include snacks with it, but I'll probably do it again.

 

As for the idea that there'd ever be an extra charge for the waterpark, remember Worlds of Fun / Oceans of Fun was set up that way originally and now it's one gate.

[sandiego28]

Sorta sad, but last night was the last night I’ll probably go to VF. I am a senior in high school and will be pursuing college next year in DC.

VF will always have a place in my heart; I’ll always remember going there as a little kid and being absolutely amazed by the log flume.

Haven’t decided on buying a season pass, yet. I don’t think it’s worth it if I’ll only have access to the park for two months.

[sandiego28]

Sorta sad, but last night was the last night I’ll probably go to VF. I am a senior in high school and will be pursuing college next year in DC.

VF will always have a place in my heart; I’ll always remember going there as a little kid and being absolutely amazed by the log flume.

Haven’t decided on buying a season pass, yet. I don’t think it’s worth it if I’ll only have access to the park for two months.

[AmyUD06]

On the plus side, you'll be about an hour (with DC traffic) from King's Dominion. Spring for the Platinum Pass and enjoy both!

[Coaster Bro]

Just got home from the park. I didn't notice any damage to the Superior Stage, but I wasn't really looking. Could of swore I saw it intact.

I saw police cars and firetrucks rushing towards the front of the park, and was told by one of the head security guards that the Superior Stage had burned down. However, I didn't actually see the stage myself.

The damage must not have been very bad as they started having shows on it again this weekend.

[garyman6]

2019 is a wrap! ValleyScare was an absolute blast this year. As a haunt actor I think Valleyfair knocked haunt out of the park this year. Yes, they had to step up security elements but there was no major issues at all, hardly even any minor ones that I knew of except for having to close Mr. Cleavers bloodshed about once per weekend....to clean up after someone pissed themselves. No lie!! I was at the Scaries awards last night and heard some very interesting news from management. Turns out that a Cedar Fair upper management team travels to all the parks during haunt season and they are usually very critical in their comments. They came during MEA weekend on Thursday and Friday and, according to Valleyfair management, were quite impressed with ValleyScare and said that our haunt ranks just below Knotts Scary Farm as the best, most well run event. That really bods well for ValleyScare!! Upper management seeing a packed park with top notch ops and Scare Actors! And that was done without all the money that I'm sure Knotts gets each year for the their event. So, I can see the next couple of years being big haunt expansion years. They even said last night that eventually they want to see every square foot of the property being used in some fashion for haunt!!

[garyman6]

I also had a chance to have a quick conversation with one the maintenance personnel. They told me that the decision to retire Looping Starship was because the ride had come to a time that a lot of major components needed to replaced. It was simply too expensive and they could not justify the cost. So, it will not be relocated or sold but perhaps could be parted out. I was also told that the replacement is going to be a waterpark expansion. We all pretty much knew that but its confirmed. He did not know what and said they are also kept in the dark.

So question, does anyone think that Valleyfair will make some surprise announcement for next year? Construction on the recent slide tower didn't start until haunt was over that year! My gut feeling tells me no, but I'm hoping I'm wrong and won't be that surprised if we hear an announcement in the next week or two. Stay tuned!

[budtbum]

Garyman6-

Thanks for all the info!

 

I saw Mr. Cleavers Bloodshed was closed for a while. We now know it was because it got too wet... When that happens, who screams more- the guest or the monster?

 

I've been to quite a few other haunts around the twin cities and while they all have their pluses and minuses, Valleyscare has the best overall fun factor, hands down. There's a reason why they get the crowds they do!

 

 

After last weekend, that leaves only 6 Looping Starship rides anywhere that still function. So there does appear to be a point of no return on the maintenance side of the ride. (At least unless someone wants to dump some real money into it.) Since Cedar Fair owns two of them, I bet they keep the parts for Carowinds/Kings Dominion installations running as long as possible.

[Mdcastle]

Do any of the other mazes have moisture problems?

[VF15]

Looping Starship deconstruction has begun.

Source: Twitter - @ValleyfairMN

[garyman6]

I just read on Valleyfair's blog that they will be keeping the ship section of Looping Starship and that we are to look for it somewhere next season. Is this maybe going to be a great decoration for a newly themed waterpark or maybe down by Berzerkers as a Viking ship decoration. What do you all think Valleyfair is going to do with it?

[Donomike05]

Maybe they will pull a Kennywood and make a Vikings country section.

[valleyfairfanatic]

Considering they worded it as a "hallowed out Viking ship" I'm gonna assume that they'll use it for haunt.

[DoinItForTheFame]

Looping Starship deconstruction has begun.

 

Sad to see it go. . . Kinda . . .

[CaptainUnknown]

Considering they worded it as a "hallowed out Viking ship" I'm gonna assume that they'll use it for haunt.

 

Or they forgot to spell check "hollowed."

[garyman6]

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Edited November 26, 2019 by garyman6

[garyman6]

Anybody think that Valleyfair will ever get a Winterfest?

[coasterbill]

They added it to Wonderland so I don't see why they couldn't, though looking at what they did there I wouldn't expect them to run any thrill rides.

Edited November 26, 2019 by coasterbill

[ytterbiumanalyst]

The main problem would be that the mall is pretty hard to compete against during the Christmas season.

[Johnlloyd]

They added it to Wonderland so I don't see why they couldn't, though looking at what they did there I wouldn't expect them to run any thrill rides.

 

Apart from the kiddie rides in Planet Snoopy and Kidzville, Canada's Wonderland did have four "larger" flat rides open, one of them was a thrill ride, that being Wilde Knight Mares (Huss UFO). I was there during the premiere night of Winterfest on November 22nd and it was a rather frigid ride experience spinning at those speeds in a windchill of -6°C (21.2°F)! I am personally glad that Winterfest at Canada's Wonderland focuses more on the light displays and shows than they do the rides. It makes a visit to the park quite unique!

[RCjunkie]

City of Shakopee just issued a Commercial Building Permit to Valley Fair for a $415,000 Remodel/Alteration to an existing building. (https://epermits2.logis.org/permits/permitdetails.aspx?city=sh&permitnbr=SH098787). It is issued for a company named Doran Companies which is a construction company in Bloomington, MN. No other details really so just asking if anyone knows anything about this. Any idea's? Back offices maybe? Which existing building(s)?

[garyman6]

Hmm, Interesting. The admin building during Haunt gets super busy and crowded in there. My guess is they are remodeling the locker rooms/hallway/wardrobe area to better handle the controlled chaos during haunt. High up corporate management came to ValleyScare during MEA weekend and, according to management, was very impressed with ValleyScare and compared it to Knott's Scary Farm, with ValleyScare ranking just below Knott's. So maybe they approved some funds to improve the operations.

Or maybe a new restaurant by Coasters Drive in. There is another building there that they just used as a coke refresh station last season.

[VF15]

Monster Jam Thunder Alley is coming to Valleyfair in August 2020. https://www.valleyfair.com/play/events/monster-jam

 

It was popular and well-received at Cedar Point this past season so I can see it doing well at Valleyfair. If I had to guess, it'll probably be taking place on the former Dinosaurs Alive plot of land.