robbalvey Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 (edited) Hey everybody! This thread is simple! Rather than having a million little threads about everything that goes on at Alabama Adventure, this thread is designed to consolidate it all into one user-friendly thread. Feel free to use it to post updates, trip reports, questions, comments, and of course, general discussion. For pictures and videos of the park as well as past updates, see TPR's Park Index Page. Official Park Website Below are some links to past updates from the park, you may be interested in. Enjoy! --Robb _____________________________________________________ 2005 March 18, 2005 - Park gets Zoomerang from Australia 2006 March 27th, 2006 - Visionland changes name to Alabama Adventure 2008 May 15th, 2008 - Park sold to Adrenaline Family Entertainment (AFE) 2009 July 22nd, 2009 - A year of changes with new owners 2010 Mar. 20th, 2010 - Park adds new theatrical show for 2010 November, 2010 - Splash Boat announced for 2011 2011 August 18th, 2011 - Alabama Adventure is up for sale 2012 January 6th, 2012 - Park sold to a previous owner April 4th, 2012 - Park finally hints that changes are coming to the ride portion of the park April 5th, 2012 - Park to reopen as Splash Adventure water park sans dry rides August 30th, 2012 - Park to reopen as Splash Adventure water park sans dry rides 2014 March 14, 2014 - Koch family buys Splash Adventure 2018 November 21st, 2018 - Parks annunces Galleon (Swinging Pirate Ship), waterpark slides and a secon train foir Rampage _____________________________________________________ Original Post: http://www.al.com/search/index.ssf?/bas ... amnews?zwe Visionland's Zoomerang roller coaster is expected to not only be a boon to the park, but also to Bessemer as well. The new steel coaster from Australia is to make its debut when the park opens May 8. Visionland officials don't talk attendance numbers, but they expect attendance to increase 25 percent just because of Zoomerang. "It's going to be huge," said Bev Spahn, Visionland's marketing director. "We expect to meet that goal." The $5 million triple-loop coaster was originally scheduled for the 2006 season, Spahn said. "We moved it up because we expect it to do so much for the park," Spahn said. Good news for the park means good news for Bessemer. "The additional attendance means more motel room rentals, more people eating at restaurants and just the overall adding to the tax base," Spahn said. A steel roller coaster is often seen as a star attraction at an amusement park and can be a big draw for new visitors, and especially, coaster enthusiasts, park officials said. Officials said there is a huge demand for this type of new attraction at Visionland. "We're not Six Flags," Spahn said. "Birmingham can't support a Six Flags, but it can support something in the middle, which is what we are. Visionland is a phenomenal theme park. It's good for the state and the Birmingham area." The coaster will introduce a lot of people to Bessemer for the first time, said LaTasha Cook, vice president of the Bessemer Area Chamber of Commerce. "Roller coasters are pretty big," she said. "It's going to draw people who are going to also buy gas and perhaps do some shopping. I think it will have a huge impact on our tax base." The 125-foot coaster is currently under construction. Testing is expected some time in April, Spahn said. Edited November 21, 2018 by larrygator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maliboomer Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 LOL! A boomerang... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigAL Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Can you say over the top marketing or maybe sheltered people. This is the last type of coaster visionland needs. I would prefer even a mine train type coaster to this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mind Eraser Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 I think it's awesome. Regardless of what some jaded "enthusiasts" think, Boomerangs are major crowd pleasers. Zoomerang is just what the dying Visionland needs. BTW, it will have yellow track and green supports. P.S. Anyone else find it odd that Visionland is being so open about building a used coaster? -kip- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted March 18, 2005 Author Share Posted March 18, 2005 ^ I thought the same thing too. Especially when you've seen the polar opposite with things like Flashback at SFNE, where they make out to be brand spanking new! --Robb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugged One Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 It seems like they are obviously marketing the fact that it's from Australia. Not really a bad move when you think about it. It helps add to the "mystic" of the new ride. "Look Ma! It's from another country!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coasterkid20 Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 I can't say for the general public but the addition of a boomerang makes me want to go back to the park so much less. That park has some amazing potential and an awesome woodie, but in the state it was last year it is really ghetto and boring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Boooooo!!!! I already have this credit!!!! Elissa "great, my first boomerang is now at Visionland!" Alvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Token Yankee Guy Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 ^ I thought the same thing too. Especially when you've seen the polar opposite with things like Flashback at SFNE, where they make out to be brand spanking new! --Robb Hey now, when I went to SFNE when they had the grand opening and I saw flashback, it looked new. You couldn't tell it was originally built in the 80's. They did such a good paintjob on it. Now that I am a coaster enthusist I know it's just a used Piece of Crap. Craiggers "Flashback is the only used coaster ever brought into the park" K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mind Eraser Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Elissa- What year did you hit Australia's Wonderland? Was the Anal Probe freefall tower built yet? I heard that was wild! I wonder if they scrapped it or sold it? I'm sorta irked that they changed the Demon's colors. I thought an all-black Boomerang looked sweet! Yellow and Green and going to fade so quickly. -kip- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Kip... I was ALL OVER Space Probe 7!!! In fact, it was my favorite drop ride until I rode Blue Fall last year. It was incredible. So well themed, ride ops stayed in character and did a great job! I still have my onride photo somewhere! I put it on my 'senior page' in my yearbook! I'd be really pissed if they scraped it. Last I heard they were trying to save it but who knows. Looking into our Europe Trip it looks like Gardaland has a "mini" version. Same theming and enclosed top, but only about 150' tall. I hope it's as good! Elissa "I even got the Kiddie Woodie Credit at Wonderland!" Alvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul_Hollibone Posted March 19, 2005 Share Posted March 19, 2005 Here is the current deal with Wonderland. Bush Beast is going under servailance in terms of a "Local Heritage Order" which will restrain it from going anywhere. Beastie is still there, Which I doubt will go anywhere. I believe it will get knocked down. No Doubts about that one. Probe last I heard about the Probe was that there hasn't been much interest in it, so a British Company which deals with the sales of used rides will be looking after it. This is however a rumor. If you are ever going to talk about Wonderland on the forums, let it be good. If it is not good, like how crap the place was, take it somewhere else. I am sick and tired of people making fun of the land. Makes me really upset and angry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted March 19, 2005 Share Posted March 19, 2005 I thought the park was great! Elissa "loved the mini-donuts!" Alvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterGuy06 Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 ...Hello Alabama Adventure. Today the park announced they are changing their name. They also announced their summer concert series and some of their future plans for the park including RV Campground, an animal park, A hotel w/ indoor water park, among others. The press release can be found here http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060327005997&newsLang=en Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekRx Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 I think the new name is a lot better than Visionland, which always reminded me of a theme park for eye doctors. I hope they don't rely too much on their concert series alone to bring in the people though. Much like Wild Adventures, the concert brings them in, the loads of rides is what will keep them their though. Visionland, err Alabama Adventure, is still lacking a lot in the rides department. Throwing all those other attractions in will definitely make it an "Alabama" Adventure, especially with the stock car racing. Git R Done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterCrazy Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 I'm glad I got a chance to visit the park before they changed the name! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 ^Is that a joke or are you serious?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterCrazy Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 ^It was a joke! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterdude5 Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 I wonder if the "theme park" will still be called Magic Adventure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted March 28, 2006 Author Share Posted March 28, 2006 All I know is that this park hasn't seemed to do much right in the past few years. They can't seem to market themselves if their lives depended on it! All these name changes and park re-structuring is just going to confuse people. Hell, I'm confused and I've BEEN to the damn park loads of time!!! --Robb "What was wrong with Steel Waters?" Alvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Nagel Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Ya and their website is still, by far the worst amusement park site i've come across.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnome Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 ^ yes, yes it is. Anyways, maybe with the added income of ripping people 50% more off then you usually what you usually would at anywhere else (Seeing as thats what they do at music venues) maybe the park will be able to install another large roller coaster like Rampage, or maybe a B&M or an INtamin.... *wishful thinking* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenshinmac Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 All I know is that this park hasn't seemed to do much right in the past few years. They can't seem to market themselves if their lives depended on it!So it was more like a LackOfVisionland? Sorry... I wanted to be the one to say it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameraman Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Bad title! It scared me, lol. I was thinking: Miracle Strip, SFNO, SFAW, Libertyland and now Visionland?! Oh name change, phew. Don't do that to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebl Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 "All I know is that this park hasn't seemed to do much right in the past few years. They can't seem to market themselves if their lives depended on it!" (robbalvey) Could it be that it's in Alabama? Somehow, "theme park" and "Alabama" just don't seem to go together. No offense to anyone there, but... Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now