Adventureland (IA) 2008: Adventure Island

[nickbuol]

At Adventureland, they call it the "Splash Over" and it was put in 2 years ago. You are right though, it almost always has some problem. Either the water jets aren't working, or the whole ride is shut down. Plus after the first year, it started making a lot of metal on metal squeaking sounds which can't be good.

 

I've always thought that they should tear down the Dragon and put up a new coaster. I've been to some other parks with some great coasters that don't take up a lot of real estate that could fit in there (when looking at satellite images via Google and comparing ride sizes at the same scale size).

 

For us, we live 5 minutes away and have 2 kids that love the place, so it is a no brainer, but every year I keep telling them that we need to go to what was my "home park" growing up, and that is Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, IL. (I still remember when it went through all of the name changes like Marriot's Great America, etc).

 

Anyway, it does need SOMETHING to draw in people from a distance. The water area is a nice addition, but I think that the local crowd will go there more for it than someone travelling.

[LOVE SFKK]

Wow, I would have never guessed that S.O has so many problems. When I went this summer, I loved it and it was probably my faorite ride at the park. It does "hurt" if you dont brace correctly but when we went it was smooth fun and water jets were on. I got soaked!

 

What should be taken out though is the inverter. Its in a prime spot for a compact and right near the front gate.

[nickbuol]

Agreed. The Inverter is barely ridden, even on busy days, and there is a good chunk of already unused space right by it that could make way for something bigger and better.

[steel]

There WAS a coaster where Inverter is now. Super Screamer. That's why all the ugly concrete.

 

Splash Over doesn't have all that many problems, and the jets are on whenever it is both warm enough and not too windy.

 

News about Kokomo Kove!

Opening has been delayed to early July because all of this rain is making it impossible to do any work.

The structure looks about done now, though. It's just a matter of its surroundings.

I snapped this with my cell phone on the way to work a few days ago.

[nickbuol]

Yeah, I know that there used to be something else where the Inverter is now, but it still is very much under-ridden to stay around too much longer. As for the Splash Over, it was shut down last season (it's 2nd season) more than 27 times according to a report from A-Land. I would say that constitutes a lot of problems for a second year ride. That number did not include when the water jets weren't working (which many times were on the typical 85F and hotter days)...

 

It gets ridden, and should stay, but I still say that it is plagued with problems, especially since it got stuck with riders upside down already this year. Just seems "buggy" for a new ride.

 

Kokomo Kove is so close to looking complete but this stupid rain (and flooding).... It stinks for those of us that paid an extra $10 per season pass this year to cover the cost of Kokomo Kove and we won't get to use it until 1/2 way through the year.

 

Our family loves A-Land, so I just want the best for them, but they are hitting that "odd" size where they are bigger than a tiny little park, but not big enough to compete with the likes of SFGAm, or for people that want more coasters, WoF/OoF in KC...

[cycamps]

I really hopes it works out for Adventureland. I'd love to see them get bigger and better in years to come- as it seems to be looking now.

[steel]

^^Honestly, Splash Over is fine. All new rides are bound to have problems sometimes. Twenty-seven shut downs isn't all that many. As for the water jets, those are the operators choice. Just because they aren't on doesn't mean they aren't working.

BTW, how is flooding for you? Staying dry, I hope. I drive past some of the flooded area on the way to work every day. It's getting dangerously close to the interstate.

 

I really hopes it works out for Adventureland. I'd love to see them get bigger and better in years to come- as it seems to be looking now.

As much as I share that hope, I don't think it's going to happen. Adventureland is very, very stingy. They don't do anything very expensive. On top of that, it doesn't seem like they plan very far ahead, which makes any kind of expansion fairly unlikely. Probably, all we'll see in the next few years are small additions to the new Adventure Island/Kokomo Kove area. There isnt' too much room left and I can't see them taking out any of the rides they have right now (*maybe* Inverter).

What they should do is take out Inverter, Underground, and Dragon. At Inverter, put in a Moser prototype of an S&S Screamin' Swing copy (again, stinginess at work). At Underground, put in GOOD family coaster. At Dragon, put in a small, compact B&M invert (I'd even take a Batman clone).

[nickbuol]

Kokomo Kove opens today June 22nd! Only 3 weeks late, but with all of the rain the past 6 weeks, no wonder it was late in opening.