megamatt Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Not knowing much about this park other than it has "the b&m sitdown with the big blimp building" and "that one car ride with the weird ferris wheel lift", would a re-theme of the park do it any justice? Is its placement good, where the crowds come from etc? I thought it had potential when I heard about the concept but clearly I was wrong. The issues with the park are numerous. First, Myrtle Beach already has 2 amusement parks, Family Kingdom and NASCAR Speed Park. Second, from what I've heard, HRP/FMP were off of the main tourist areas, so lots of people didn't want to go out of their way, or went to Family Kingdom or NASCAR Speed Park instead. Another issue is that a third amusement park, Myrtle Beach Pavilion, had closed a few years before HRP opened. Myrtle Beach Pavilion was a smaller park with a lesser overhead than HRP/FMP too. Because of the sheer size of HRP/FMP, it requires lots of staff, electricity, Etc. And the local crowd generally goes to Family Kingdom, where it is pay per ride, so they can spend just a few hours there in the evening after work/school and relax, unlike HRP/FMP, where the park was admission only, and more expensive if you only are there for a few hours. I'm sure there are other issues too, but these are the ones that I have heard about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch_101 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 ^ I'm not sure how much I would say that HRP/FMP competed directly with NASCAR Speed Park. While NSP does have a Skycoaster and a very limited number of kid rides, it is first a for most know for it's race tracks and I think would attract a different crowd then those wanting a "amusement park" experience. But I do agree with your thoughts on Family Kingdom. It's a much better alternative for families visiting on vacation who may just want a day or evening of fun without straying too far the hotel, beach, and other attractions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy T. Koepp Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I Think it would've fit better in Nashville. It is nicknamed "The Music City" Oh, how I love the irony!! Nashville had an amusement park that fails (Opryland), and it's turned into a shopping mall. Myrtle Beach has a shopping mall that fails, and it's turned into an amusement park (which also fails!) Interesting Jeff, Weird thing is that everybody here in Nashville & at the Opryland hotel still can't seem to figure out why the park was removed? From what I've heard, the park wasn't failing. It just wasn't raking in profits hand over fist like an outlet mall does. Low staff, high rent will do that. If you include the huge settlement that Opry Mills will be getting from the floods as well, then you can chalk up record profits. I actually saw a 4 part documentary about the closing of Opryland. Somehow all the financials from the park have mysteriously disappeared and the CEO who was in charge when he signed off on it's closing, is no longer on this earth. So no one really knows why the park was officially closed. (I would guess greed as I stated the whole low staff, high rent from the mall.) I even read in the employee newsletter over at the hotel that a feasibility study had been done to find out what it might cost to build another park across the freeway from the hotel. They own a ton of land over by their golf course that sits untouched to this day. Unfortunately, the articles conclusion came to it being cost prohibitive to try and create a park the likes of Opryland the way it was when it closed. I've met dozens of people who worked there who said that there was no notification, no nothing. In fact, some of them even mentioned that management was at the employee entrance/ exit on the last day of the season and were telling the cast members to take a souvenir from the park because they weren't opening again next year. Shock to er'body. (That's southereese for everybody.) I guess my point is, the comparison (while both were music themed parks) isn't exactly accurate as Opryland was according to locals, self sustaining, and HRP/FMP was double epic fail on an epically epic scale. I still think the owners are trying to scam as much cash out of any investor they can find. Which in my book makes them financial geniuses. Guy "How can I learn to sell the same crap to someone 3 times and pocket the change." Koepp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chadster Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 ^ Guy, do you remember the name of the documentary or where you saw it? My interest is peaked to try and find it, I love stuff like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy T. Koepp Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Your wish is my command. There is this little website that has tons of cool stuff about rollercoasters and theme parks. Here is one of the segments. I think you can probably find the rest there somewhere as well. http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=Opryland_Memories_part_5_qlr3 Guy "Enjoy." koepp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldJJman Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Interesting Jeff, Weird thing is that everybody here in Nashville & at the Opryland hotel still can't seem to figure out why the park was removed? From what I've heard, the park wasn't failing. That's actually quite true. From what I remember, the park was in the black - very small profits, but in the black nonetheless. The owner had been expecting so much more in the later years, but it never developed into the cash cow he had been hoping for. When Chaos opened in the late 80's (early 90 maybe) it was a HUGE capital investment (7m+) and it took several years to recover from that as the ride aged, people weren't exactly having to go back to ride it again. (Big spiral in a box with a soundtrack!) It took until '95 (the last year I went) for the finances to recover enough to install another major ride, Hangman. (Now Kong at SFDK) The profit margin never got as fat as had been projected. The repeat business just wasn't as high as been hoped, and when tourists head for (and think of) Nashville, the thought of hitting an amusement park doesn't readily come to mind. When the proposed buyout of the park came, the offer was "too good to be true" for the owner. He finally got that cash in hand and ran. That's what I remember, 15+ years after the fact. So yes, I took some liberties with the mall/amusement park thing. (AND I enjoyed it!) But, I have grown an almost hatred toward HRP/FMP/xxxPark as myself and others have said before it was built, it will not survive. Period. Kudos, though, to the people making money off failure. If it works.... JJ (and NO Guy, xxxPark is NOT a real possibility. The x's are there for any future acronym that may be used by the owner's of that plot of land. So, don't get your hopes up!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy T. Koepp Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I so badly want an XXXpark. I would quit freelance work and become an XXXmagineer! I've got all kinds of deviant rides cooking up in this brain of mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldJJman Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I've got all kinds of deviant rides cooking up in this brain of mine. Somehow, a chairswing is the first thing that comes to (my) mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chadster Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Your wish is my command. There is this little website that has tons of cool stuff about rollercoasters and theme parks. Here is one of the segments. I think you can probably find the rest there somewhere as well. http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=Opryland_Memories_part_5_qlr3 Guy "Enjoy." koepp Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noregrets Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 I was checking out this park the other day on Bing Bird's Eye. It looks really great, great theming, great rides and coasters. Just a bunch of morons building all this in the wrong place. Do people even go to Myrtle Beach any more? The most popular spring break spot these days is Miami. That's where they should have built it. I'm really hopeful the place will close up for good and that beautiful B&M can get relocated to an actual OPEN park so I can ride it lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy T. Koepp Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 ^I think eventually, this will happen. I just hope it is still salvageable by that time. That seaside air is probably wreaking havock on all that steel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch_101 Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Led Zepplin/Time Machine is an "OK" coaster. It's fun for the most part, but not exactly a reason to go put of your way to ride it unless you really want the credit. I'm sure, if or when the park fails again, it will be sold off, and I'm sure it will make a good addition to whatever park gets it, but depending on the park it I'm sure it won't become the star attraction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disneyfan1313 Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 ^^^ People go to Myrtle Beach...just the WRONG set of people for a full priced rock themed music park! All you have to do is drive around and see row after row of churches and families bringing wal-mart bags of food to eat on the beach. The combination of these two groups are not going to lead to a successful $50+ a day theme park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 ^Exactly. We've all said this 100 times before, but just to say it again: the park absolutely could have been successful with better pricing and ANY sort of plan to get guests away from the beach (free shuttles, hotel packages, etc.). I think it is pretty obvious by now the only intent of the park was to save the original business owners in that area who combined their land/attractions to build the park from losing everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chadster Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 So if the rumors are true that the new investors have sent word down to the park to get the rides ready, who that doesn't have the credits want to meet up on opening day to ensure we get them before they close again? www.discovermyrtlebeach.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatle11 Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 3rd time the Charm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldJJman Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 3rd time the Charm? "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me a third time, we're both idiots." --Ancient TPR proverb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy T. Koepp Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Nooooooooo! This time it's gonna work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDcoasterMAN Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 3rd time the Charm? "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me a third time, we're both idiots." --Ancient TPR proverb nice. Maybe I'll think about hitting up this park if it can stay open longer than a season straight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rollercoaster Rider Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 I Think they should just cut hours to 12pm-8pm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 ^I take the opposite approach that if you cut the hours make it a night time park (4PM - midnight) to not compete with the beach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rollercoaster Rider Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 ^ I Just think if it was open during the day, they wouldn't have to do a fireworks show or any lighting. Those 2 probably cost ALOT of money. Though I understand your logic, How about 5-11pm? Parents/Adults have come home from working (8-5) and Beaches are closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 ^The park cannot survive during the day, it proved that. Opening for evenings only is a step in the right direction, but it needs a lot more than that to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chadster Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 ^ Like a business plan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 ^Baby steps Chad...Third time's a charm right!??! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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