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Hard Rock / Freestyle Music Park Discussion Thread


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This is a shame, but not too surprising. Larry and I were there on the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend, and even with two coasters down, we never had to wait more than 10 to 15 minutes for anything. The longest wait we endured was for food, and that wasn't because of a long line--just very slow service.

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But what about their Halloween event?!

 

It's a shame this happened, but it's really no surprise. From the get-go and all the management changes, insane operational hours, and staffing, it was very clear that they really had no idea what they were doing. I liked the park on my visit, but honestly wouldn't pay $50 to return in its present state, not without more rides. I think they tried to take advantage of Hard Rock's name and ability to charge way too much for average stuff and in this instance it failed. I hope they can get some management that knows what they're doing in an attempt to bring this place back to life, but I don't know if that'll even help. Looks like I may never get the Maximum RPM and Slippery When Wet credits after all.

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My first reaction to the front page of TPR was very adolescence-y:

 

OH COME ON!!!!!

 

My uncle owns a beach house in Sunset Beach, NC (for those who know the area its very close by), and I made a pilgrimage out to Hard Rock Park and I really enjoyed it! Downside was there was absolutely no one in the park the day I went, there were parts of the park that had NO ONE in them...It felt like a ghost park and it was brand new!

 

Maybe the reason for the bankruptcy is the lack of a proper demographic for a major theme park. Myrtle Beach Pavilion I think had the right idea up until it was closed down, because I went there and it was always busy.

 

Here's to prayin Hard Rock Park turns it around, such a good park plagued by problems beyond managements control...pity

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This is too bad as I thought the idea for the park was great. As said by others, the location chosen was probably not the best for such a high entrance fee type park. I think it possibly could've done very well in Vegas or near Orlando.

 

Did anyone get postcards from the park? If so, I would love to see them posted over in my "Postcard Paradise" thread.

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^I didn't get any post cards, but I did get KT a shirt that says "My 1st Hard Rock Park T-Shirt"...

 

Looks like it will also be her last Hard Rock Park shirt!!!

 

LOL!

 

Thanks folks, I'll be here all week!

 

Oh, and as for blaming the economy, or gas, or whatever. No...sorry. No blame game here. There were plenty of internal issues tearing that park apart, don't blame outside forces. Look at anyone's trip reports and they all say the same thing. Too much staff, too long hours, too high price point, built in a terrible location, overpromising share holders, etc.

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Even though we all made our rants and predictions earlier, I still gave the park another season or two. I think Elissa hit it right on the head by saying it was over-staffed, over-operated, and over-priced. The weakend economy and soaring gas prices could be a small factor, as it has been with ALL U.S. parks this year, but I'm more inclined to blame the management for expecting to entertain "30,000" guests per day. I'm siding with the people who doubt for it to even open next season. The park's best hope is a government bail-out.

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This is too bad as I thought the idea for the park was great. As said by others, the location chosen was probably not the best for such a high entrance fee type park. I think it possibly could've done very well in Vegas or near Orlando.

 

Did anyone get postcards from the park? If so, I would love to see them posted over in my "Postcard Paradise" thread.

 

Orlando maybe but Las Vegas? I highly doubt it. Had HRP been built there instead of Mrytle Beach, they would have had the same problems if not worse. Just the other day i was watching a TV news report that not only said that Vegas has among the highest forclosuer rates in the nationbut that for the first time in many many years..the casinos are laying people off and with that many folks are finding themselves out on the street. Even though many people are still moving there rather than being a part of "exciting Las Vegas"..its more like "..the exciting Salvation Army".

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This could be my opportunity to get DaveLand off the ground. I'll just re-theme the place to have more attractions devoted to being attacked by giant carnivorous bees, gators, and other fun animals. And more shows with strippers and explosions. I smell a winner!

 

Seriously, not shocked by this at all. Dumbest business plan ever. And building a park where the average temperature is like a billion degrees with no water attractions is, um, not smart. Still, I'm sure this place was better run than Fuji-Q...

 

dt

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^I didn't get any post cards, but I did get KT a shirt that says "My 1st Hard Rock Park T-Shirt"...

 

Looks like it will also be her last Hard Rock Park shirt!!!

 

LOL!

 

Thanks folks, I'll be here all week!

 

Oh, and as for blaming the economy, or gas, or whatever. No...sorry. No blame game here. There were plenty of internal issues tearing that park apart, don't blame outside forces. Look at anyone's trip reports and they all say the same thing. Too much staff, too long hours, too high price point, built in a terrible location, overpromising share holders, etc.

 

Even Larry's purchase of an "Elvis" shirt and mine of a "Nights in White Satin: The Trip" shirt weren't enough to save them.

 

^At least they don't have Fuji-Queue's line-management issues, eh? Dave you should take over the place. Hell, they already have a heavy-metal bear act.

118542977_HR36.jpg.fd982e03af965fa346f7a96fb7568452.jpg

Looks like this bear needs a new gig.

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I was watching the video of "Life in the Fast Lane" and thinking, "Wow... this looks boring as hell. Funny how that little park in South Africa actually turned this crappy layout into a really fun ride experience, but the folks at Hard Rock seem to have missed the opportunity."

 

For a park so heavy on theming, I wonder why they didn't do more with that ride. Was the theming all in the queue?

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Here's another problem. I mentioned to one of my coworkers this morning that HRP had filed for bankruptcy:

 

HER: There's a Hard Rock Park?

ME: Yeah--in Myrtle Beach.

HER: There's a park in Myrtle Beach?

 

Hmm--yes, not having any name recognition in your own region (the South) might be a bit of a problem.

 

Then again, to be fair, most people in my area of Virginia take their beach vacations on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, not Myrtle Beach.

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I'm assuming they knew this was going to happen. I mean you can't expect many people to travel specifically to South Carolina to visit the park, and not to many people from what I'm aware of visit South Carolina in the first place.

 

Um, if they assumed it was gonna happen, then they wouldn't have built it in Myrtle Beach. And many people do travel to South Carolina.....to play golf.

 

 

Again, Nashville, Austin, even Atlanta or SoCal. Memo to Hard Rock management: if you're gonna be centered around music/music history, then a city with a thriving music scene might help a bit with your demographics. Just a thought.

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I really liked the idea of a HRP in theory, however everything about it seemed to come up short. Not to mention they open at a time when the economy is bad, in an area with so much competition. This park was killed by a combination of factors, and even if they reopen next year I don't see any easy way to remedy the situation.

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Cathy, Vegas just seems more rock n' roll oriented (Hello...The Killers), so that's why I suggested it.

 

Yes Beemer I would gladly have taken this park in Nashville as a semi band-aid to our loss of Opryland. We do already have a tourist industry based on music...country music that is, but that's all changing now somewhat with bands like Kings Of Leon, Be Your Own Pet, Paramore, The Raconteurs all based out of here. Even Jack White lives here now.

 

Maybe it should've been built in "Detroit Rock City".

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I was lucky enough to visit the park back in June and I thought it was a great park. I was looking forward to returning there at some point. With this new I don't know if I will have that chance.

 

My personal beliefs for them failing were marketing and wages. The only reason I knew about this park was through Theme Park Fansites and other Theme Park new sites. It also didn't hurt that I knew a couple of the park management. Even when driving up the location there was a serious lack of marketing. I know the park wasn't officially owned by Hard Rock but I think it would have been really easy to strike a deal with them at least marketing in the hard rock cafe's around the country. I knew a few of the front line workers there and they were getting paid quite well. Much higher than than some of the major theme parks in Orlando.

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I never got to visit the park, but when I first heard about it I thought it was a very strange idea. The Hard Rock restaurants are successful because even those who don't like Hard Rock can stomach the restaurant for a short while. But for a day trip? It makes the theme tougher to handle.

 

And you don't really know if you want to bring kids or not. A dark ride themed on a drug trip? Not exactly family friendly.

 

Add that to the fact that when you hear 'Hard Rock' you tend to think 'extreme', and the only thing that could be considered an extreme attraction in the park was Led Zeppelin. I think the only way that the park could have worked was to do a bunch of adult attractions and really bill themselves as the 'extreme' park to capitalize on the spring break crowds. Heck, they could have really played that up to be a totally different type of park -- during spring break, holding wet t-shirt contests on a water ride, hosting concerts, and so on. It wouldn't be tasteful in any way, but it would give a certain demographic reason to visit the park that they don't currently have.

 

The park, as built, I don't think really has any sort of future to it. No matter what they do, they have an image issue to overcome about 'rock' and a family friendly line up that doesn't work with it. The only thing that I can say is that hopefully Six Flags or Cedar Fair decides to pick up some of their rides, as Maximum RPM looked really unique and I like mine trains... hopefully, it will end up with some theme where ever it goes next.

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Well, I agree with those that think it was largely related to cost and lack of water. Hell, they should have bagged one of the short, lame coasters, and put in a slide tower or two and a lazy river. ANd of course add a decent flume. That alone could have saved the place, imho.

 

RO

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Well rats! Guess I'll never see the park!

 

Maybe they can sell the the mine train to Universal and maybe they can theme it up in place of Flying Unicorn in Harry Potter Land! There's a few UK-themed rides that they can shove in there from Hard Rock to beef the new land up... especially if they can get them for fire sale prices!

 

Terry

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