Six Flags Darien Lake (SFDL) Discussion Thread

[rcdude]

Predator is one of those coasters that seems like it could go in any direction with a refurbishment. The ride could receive a simple retracking and become a ride worth the waits. The ride could keep the exact same layout and receive topper track with a few minor profile tweaks and rival Comet for the title of New York's best wood coaster (okay, that might be going a little too far, but I could see Predator getting into the top 50 with a good amount of work). However, the ride seems like it would lend itself really nicely to a full Rocky Mountain Iron Horse conversion, which would probably give Darien Lake the best coaster in the area. Whatever happens, Darien Lake is in need of a major new attraction in order to stay competitive and Predator definitely needs some work. Unfortunately, Rocky Mountain is booked through at least 2017 so if a conversion isn't already planned it's probably years away.

[Geauga Dog]

I've always liked Predator's layout and I'd much rather they just add topper track rather than Iron Horse it.

[DarienLaker]

To me the Predator is nothing more than a diamond in the rough coaster like how Darien Lake is a diamond in the rough in general!

[Matman-TheRide]

I know that Premier has had a history of adding "cookie cutter" model roller coasters. With that said, which current models do you guys think are most likely to be added (with consideration of CNL's tight budget)? I personally think an S&S El Loco could happen, or a Zamperla Volare.

 

I say any one the following "cookie cutter" model roller coasters (with consideration of CNL's tight budget)

 

. A Vekoma Giant Inverted Boomerang (if they're still making them)

. A Premier launched coaster clone of Superman: Ultimate Flight (SFDK)

. A Gerstlauer spinning coaster

Ummm... why the Giant Inverted Boomerang? Darien Lake already has a standard Vekoma Boomerang. Also, that probably is too expensive for CNL, right?

[Matman-TheRide]

Predator is one of those coasters that seems like it could go in any direction with a refurbishment. The ride could receive a simple retracking and become a ride worth the waits. The ride could keep the exact same layout and receive topper track with a few minor profile tweaks and rival Comet for the title of New York's best wood coaster (okay, that might be going a little too far, but I could see Predator getting into the top 50 with a good amount of work). However, the ride seems like it would lend itself really nicely to a full Rocky Mountain Iron Horse conversion, which would probably give Darien Lake the best coaster in the area. Whatever happens, Darien Lake is in need of a major new attraction in order to stay competitive and Predator definitely needs some work. Unfortunately, Rocky Mountain is booked through at least 2017 so if a conversion isn't already planned it's probably years away.

If that is true, does anyone know what RMC is doing in 2017? Also, if they seriously are that busy, what else are they doing in 2016 other than Wildfire at Kolmården? There must be A LOT happening. Really, I'm rather curious now.

[rcdude]

^In an Alan Schilke interview from IAAPA he stated that RMC has 3 projects for 2016 and 4 for 2017, with more booked all the way until 2020. I'm guessing the 2016 projects will be Wildfire and two more rides for Six Flags, but 2017 is a total wildcard. I wouldn't be surprised to see Six Flags install more but they're running out of parks, and there was a rumor on Screamscape that Worlds of Fun's Timber Wolf may be Cedar Fair's first RMC conversion for 2017, which wouldn't surprise me (I believe that supposed exclusivity contract with Six Flags expires in 2016). Whatever ends up happening, it's pretty clear that RMC is the current hot ticket manufacturer for both wood and steel coasters and probably will be for the remainder of the decade.

[Comeagain?]

I know from the open house Six Flags is VERY invested in buying RMC for a while.

[Sk610]

Since they already have projects booked, is it a possibility Predator is one of those? That could be a good selling feature that the project is booked and maybe even partially or fully paid off just waiting for the sale of the park to draw crowds in for the new owners...

[T-Rex]

I hear that CNL may indeed sell Darien Lake and other owned amusement parks. I'm new to this group. I am from the Buffalo area. I have been to 10 Parks. My all time favorite Steel are !) Milenium Force Cedar point 2) Hydra Dorney Park 3) Gate Keeper Cedar Point My wooden Favorites are (1) Mean Streak Cedar Point (2) Ravine Flyer 2 Waldameer Park (3) The Beast Kings Island.

[T-Rex]

I would really like CNL to sell off Darien. Although personally I would Rather see it go to Cedar Fair Than HFE only due to the fact that they have a poor relationship with Huss rides, and already removed the rare UFO.

[DarienLaker]

I would really like CNL to sell off Darien. Although personally I would Rather see it go to Cedar Fair Than HFE only due to the fact that they have a poor relationship with Huss rides, and already removed the rare UFO.

 

I wish that CNL selling Darien Lake to Cedar Fair was a realistic option, but it's not or is it? Maybe CNL should sell Darien Lake back to Six Flags!

[ernierocker]

I hear that CNL may indeed sell Darien Lake and other owned amusement parks. I'm new to this group.

 

Welcome to the forum!

 

We have been discussing this in the following thread: http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=69302

[Sk610]

Yes, absolutley welcome to the group! I think most of us would love to see DL sold to CF, but it just doesnt really fit their overall model. Buffalo is not a major market and the park is not a huge plot of land like the majority of their other parks tend to be. Plus i highly doubt CF will buy all of CNL's parks as that is how they want to sell them off. If CNL would sell just DL, it would be the best for DL as it is the best park in the chain. On the flip side, the value for the rest of the chain takes a huge hit.

[Rollercoaster Rider]

Also the park is pretty close to Canada's Wonderland and I couldn't imagine which park would get more expansions.

 

SPOILER: Canada's Wonderland would get more expansions cause they get over 3m visitors while as Darien doesn't even get 2m probably.

[DarienLaker]

^Canada's Wonderland is like the major theme park in Canada, if Cedar Fair buys Darien Lake from CNL we could see another "Geauga Lake vs. Cedar Point" sibling rivalry since both parks would be under the same ownership and are within close competition with each other.

[Geauga Dog]

I think most of us would love to see DL sold to CF, but it just doesnt really fit their overall model.

 

Then you'd have to explain Michigan's Adventure, which is even smaller than DL.

 

I think CNL may have a hard time selling the parks as a whole, with or without Darien Lake. Each property appears to be smaller, local parks that lack the wow factor of the larger parks, which are easier to sell.

[Sk610]

I dont have attendance numbers for Michigans Adventure, but I bet they are similar to DL's with probably around 750,000 or so. I did think of MI when writing my post, but if you look at it, when was the last time CF added something major to MI? When i think of CF parks, I think of the big parks like CP, Knotts, CW, Carowinds and Kings Island and Kings Dominion. All of those parks are in major markets and have major thrill rides. I know CP is not in a major market, but we all know their deal.

 

If CF bought DL they would be on park with MI, which basically puts them back where they were when SF owned them, an afterthought in the chain with little to no expansions. Also, I do not think it would be the same as CP and GL as the two parks are not in the same market, and really dont compete against each other much. In Buffalo, when was the last time you saw a CW comercial on US tv? CW has enough visitors that they dont need to draw from the US. GL and CP wwre both competing for the Cleveland Akron people, while CP was drawing from from across the country as well

[Rollercoaster Rider]

^Canada's Wonderland is like the major theme park in Canada, if Cedar Fair buys Darien Lake from CNL we could see another "Geauga Lake vs. Cedar Point" sibling rivalry since both parks would be under the same ownership and are within close competition with each other.

 

 

I know. That's what I was referring to.

[ajfelice]

I dont have attendance numbers for Michigans Adventure, but I bet they are similar to DL's with probably around 750,000 or so. I did think of MI when writing my post, but if you look at it, when was the last time CF added something major to MI? When i think of CF parks, I think of the big parks like CP, Knotts, CW, Carowinds and Kings Island and Kings Dominion. All of those parks are in major markets and have major thrill rides. I know CP is not in a major market, but we all know their deal.

 

If CF bought DL they would be on park with MI, which basically puts them back where they were when SF owned them, an afterthought in the chain with little to no expansions. Also, I do not think it would be the same as CP and GL as the two parks are not in the same market, and really dont compete against each other much. In Buffalo, when was the last time you saw a CW comercial on US tv? CW has enough visitors that they dont need to draw from the US. GL and CP wwre both competing for the Cleveland Akron people, while CP was drawing from from across the country as well

 

No matter what company buys Darien Lake, the park isn't going to ever expand at the rate of larger parks you mentioned. Expanding rapidly and recklessly or embracing a concept of "if you build it, they will come" would put Darien Lake out of business. Too many people accuse ownership/management companies of neglect when in fact they are expanding at the rate that is sustainable for the particular scale of a park. We can argue that Darien Lake might have received less than other parks of it's size over the past decade, but you need to have a stable management group to actually develop plans and see them through. However, enough with this notion that these smaller/medium-sized parks are an afterthought or "neglected" by their respective ownership/management groups.

[Password121]

I dont have attendance numbers for Michigans Adventure, but I bet they are similar to DL's with probably around 750,000 or so. I did think of MI when writing my post, but if you look at it, when was the last time CF added something major to MI? When i think of CF parks, I think of the big parks like CP, Knotts, CW, Carowinds and Kings Island and Kings Dominion. All of those parks are in major markets and have major thrill rides. I know CP is not in a major market, but we all know their deal.

 

If CF bought DL they would be on park with MI, which basically puts them back where they were when SF owned them, an afterthought in the chain with little to no expansions. Also, I do not think it would be the same as CP and GL as the two parks are not in the same market, and really dont compete against each other much. In Buffalo, when was the last time you saw a CW comercial on US tv? CW has enough visitors that they dont need to draw from the US. GL and CP wwre both competing for the Cleveland Akron people, while CP was drawing from from across the country as well

 

No matter what company buys Darien Lake, the park isn't going to ever expand at the rate of larger parks you mentioned. Expanding rapidly and recklessly or embracing a concept of "if you build it, they will come" would put Darien Lake out of business. Too many people accuse ownership/management companies of neglect when in fact they are expanding at the rate that is sustainable for the particular scale of a park. We can argue that Darien Lake might have received less than other parks of it's size over the past decade, but you need to have a stable management group to actually develop plans and see them through. However, enough with this notion that these smaller/medium-sized parks are an afterthought or "neglected" by their respective ownership/management groups.

Totally agree. Other examples I can think of are parks like Six Flags America, Valleyfair, Worlds of Fun, the Great Escape, among others. Little investment =/= neglect. Except SFA from '02-'09. That was neglect.

[Sk610]

Yes i agree that little investment does notmequal neglect, but then at least showmthe public you did something. Paint rides or buildings, pave walkways, add a used flat ride cheaply. These are all ways that parks can show investment in the gues t experience without adding major $ investments. I would like to say that DL did that this year by painting some buildings and possibly a few rides to make the park looks as it was kept up better.

[DarienLaker]

Yes i agree that little investment does notmequal neglect, but then at least showmthe public you did something. Paint rides or buildings, pave walkways, add a used flat ride cheaply. These are all ways that parks can show investment in the guest experience without adding major $ investments. I would like to say that DL did that this year by painting some buildings and possibly a few rides to make the park looks as it was kept up better.

 

O.K., while we're on the subject of improvements for Darien Lake beside painting stuff and replacing asphalt blacktop walkways with pavement. I say they should renovate the bathrooms so they look nicer. People wouldn't want to go to a park with dated and disgusting looking bathrooms. And oh yeah, more lockers towards the Motocoaster/Twister area too so that people wouldn't have walk all the way toward the main gate to rent a bunny to store stuff in.

[coasterkid124]

Not really big news but just thought that I would share it. On DL's Facebook they posted a comment saying that they would share any 2015 additions after the new year. So hopefully we actually get something this year.

[DarienLaker]

^Yay! *gives around of applause*, or what?

[SbSteveZ]

^^ When they say that it makes me wonder if they mean right after the new year or just... some time in 2015 before the season starts. And though I would also hope its a new ride with Ranger being SBNO and the missing UFO and what not... I'd hope for at least something... But at the same time, what are they going to do with the Galaxy Theater now that Nik is gone? Are they gonna at least take down the signage? So many questions....