Six Flags Darien Lake (SFDL) Discussion Thread

[DougMJr]

Hmmm... Not sure how I feel about this new logo. Sure it fits the park better than the old logo, but it's ugly in my opinion.

[Tanks4me05]

^I disagree. HFE is making a new logo to try and fit with SDC and DW, but since DL doesn't really have an established theme throughout the park yet, they have to make it more generic for the time being, yet still have to make it a product more consistent with the chain's two best parks. My guess is that they'll change the logo again in a few years once the theme is more prevalent, word on amusementgraffixintl.com (mainly due to those three rumored rides) is that they're going for a Canadian deep woods theme, which isn't too far detached from what DW and SDC are, but still applicable to this region.

[Shavethewhales]

^I disagree. HFE is making a new logo to try and fit with SDC and DW, but since DL doesn't really have an established theme throughout the park yet, they have to make it more generic for the time being, yet still have to make it a product more consistent with the chain's two best parks. My guess is that they'll change the logo again in a few years once the theme is more prevalent, word on amusementgraffixintl.com (mainly due to those three rumored rides) is that they're going for a Canadian deep woods theme, which isn't too far detached from what DW and SDC are, but still applicable to this region.

 

I certainly hope so. HFEC has so far not made any attempt to make any of their other properties emulate SDC or DW to much extent, and I wasn't expecting them to do a whole lot with DL since they don't even own the place. I still have trouble understanding what exactly they control at DL. I'd love to see a true theme applied to the park though, it would help turn it from a mediocre park into something a little more special and appreciated.

[Tanks4me05]

^ http://www.hfecorp.com/properties/

 

Wild Adventures, SDC, and DW fall under "theme parks" while DL and Elitch now fall under "managed parks." Those are the only amusement parks that HFE owns. DL and EG were just acquired a few months ago, so I wouldn't say anything definitively in regards to whether or not it will be themed. I'm staying optimistic and believe that DL is labeled a managed park because it doesn't have a theme yet, so it still doesn't fall under the definition of a theme park. What exactly did they do to Wild Adventures? (I never went there.)

[BaMiTsPaT]

The new logo makes more sense in trying to portray DL as a more balanced, family-oriented park, but I think it looks like some of the logos that have been used in the games forum for RCT2 and RCT3. It just is not as visually stimulating as the previous logo IMO.

[QueerRudie]

I think that might be my favorite of the 'classic' look logos out there- Classy, understated, and fits with the Herschend Family look. Overall, it's good to see some love being paid to the park in this way, as the old logo looked like it was a monster spewing out track.

 

Not to mention, the logo was 'borrowed' by HersheyPark for Skyrush... in a way.

 

[Swiminn6]

I like the old logo better. To me, the new logo reminds me of a winterish wonderland edition.

[Geauga Dog]

I really like the new logo. The old logo sort of looks like one they would use for a teen oriented thrill park, which Darien is far from being. The new logo fits the park perfectly.

[Swiminn6]

I really like the new logo. The old logo sort of looks like one they would use for a teen oriented thrill park, which Darien is far from being. The new logo fits the park perfectly.

 

It is definitely not far from a thrill park! With the concerts, Ride of Steel, etc, it attracts a lot of the younger generations. Especially teens. In fact, the senior class at my school always takes their "senior skip day" there because of the thrill rides.

[tntornadox]

HFEC just manages Elitch Gardens and Darien Lake under a management contract similar to how CF manages Bonfante Gardens, more managing operations than anything.

[jedimaster1227]

http://godarienlake.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DL-New-Management.pdf

 

Darien Lake Theme & Water Park Resort (Darien Lake) has named Bob Montgomery as the park’s new vice president and general manager. Montgomery has been employed by Herschend Family Entertainment (HFE), the management company of Darien Lake, for over a decade. Prior to HFE, Montgomery worked as vice president of operations and development at LEGOLAND, director of operations at Toronto’s C.N. Tower and director of attractions at Canada’s Wonderland, the top two attractions in Canada.

 

Darien Lake also appoints marketing veteran and Rochester, New York, native Steve Hallowell as director of marketing. He has 25 years of marketing experience and a long tenure at Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, most recently serving as director of consumer experience marketing.

 

“The combination of entertainment and accommodations offered at Darien Lake are unique in the industry, and I am excited about this opportunity,” said Montgomery. Prior to moving to Darien Lake, Montgomery worked at Wild Adventures, also an HFE property, as vice president and general manager. “The community has a lot of enthusiasm for Darien Lake, and I look forward to leading this great vacation destination, especially as we introduce three new family rides this year.”

 

In his new role, Montgomery oversees all aspects of the park. Chris Thorpe now serves as assistant general manager at the park, reporting directly to Montgomery. Thorpe is responsible for employee development and relations.

 

Steve Hallowell leads the marketing department with a unique local perspective. “I look forward to working with the marketing team and the Buffalo and Rochester communities to attract even more guests to our park and accommodations,” said Hallowell. “As a father of two teenage boys who love to visit the park with their friends, this job definitely promotes me to cool dad.”

[noregrets]

It is definitely not far from a thrill park! With the concerts, Ride of Steel, etc, it attracts a lot of the younger generations. Especially teens. In fact, the senior class at my school always takes their "senior skip day" there because of the thrill rides.

 

I agree, the park has a fair number of teen oriented rides and coasters, and the summer concerts are hugely popular with teens and twenty-somethings in my area (which is a three hour drive). There are definitely more thrills to be found here than in many other similarly sized parks.

 

The reason I like the new logo a lot more is because it's traditional and simple, I think a lot of the small lake-based parks in the northeast have that similar theme. The old in-your-face font and spaghetti coaster background made little sense. It was generic like all the six flags logos are.

 

I think it might be a bit of a stretch to say that they're going to theme the whole park somehow. It's in the middle of a bunch of cornfields and flat as a pancake, unlike Dollywood and SDC's interesting locations. Plus how do you theme ride of steel, which is huge and sits in a big grassy field, to deep woods canada?

[Tanks4me05]

^Repaint and rename it, plant a bunch of trees, and add theming. Though that means I better go next year and get my fair share of parking lot pics if they actually do it. There's plenty of gorgeous views I can get that I haven't bothered with in the past three years.

 

I think this is a great start. Hopefully they will eventually add more to it so that there's more in the logo like Dollywood's butterfly and SDC's log and ax, once a theme is more established.

[noregrets]

Highly unlikely given how much it would cost to plant a forest, and with absolutely no return on the investment. It would probably increase maintenance costs a ton to do something like that.

[Tanks4me05]

^Well, there won't be a direct return in investment: https://www.plantatreeusa.com/individual/myweb.php?hls=97 I was just referring to the possibility, not necessarily the practicality, of such a concept.

[DougMJr]

I feel like RoS could be retheamed as something patriotic. Perhaps add a tunnel or something. Also I'd think it would be cool if they added water cannons similar to maverick's on the straight away over the water.

 

Also, I want them to sell moto-coaster and put a themed El loco in its place... but that is just me.

[Tanks4me05]

^The El Loco seems to be too big (I can't confirm that though; none of the parks that have El Locos have new enough imagery on Google Earth for me to measure them) and Darien Lake needs a family level coaster desperately. Moto Coaster is going to stay for a while, and frankly, I think it's a great coaster for a family ride, even if the restraints are somewhat uncomfortable.

[larrygator]

I feel like RoS could be retheamed as something patriotic.

 

I'm sure some would found it offensive and poor taste after the military veteran died last year.

[DougMJr]

^I totally forgot about that... wow now I feel kinda horrible.

[BaMiTsPaT]

And I was in agreement with that idea...

[jzoole]

Maybe people would see it as a patriotic tribute to... whatever his name was.

[DougMJr]

Now that Larry pointed it out I don't think it's worth the risk. Sad to see that this coaster now carries so much baggage. Maybe they can think about a re-theme in a couple years.

[noregrets]

I can see a patriotic theme for the park (not necessarily RoS though, unfortunately). The park is already rich with vernacular architecture and landscaping, so an Americana theme throughout would be a simple facelift.

[Tanks4me05]

^I think that some patriotic influence would be good here and there, but IMO a mix of Canadian woodland/wildlife and Americana would be interesting, tapping into the natural theme while keeping some consistency with Dollywood and SDC which both have mainly regional wildlife/woodland themes with slight patriotic undertones. IMO, renaming Predator to Grizzly or Ursus would be a fitting idea. Mind Eraser could be Peregrine (native bird), Boomerang could be Tomahawk (Native American weaponry,) Moto Coaster could be something along the lines of Watkins Glen Coaster or something (one of the largest raceways in the state, though it's about an hour and a half away from Darien Lake) and Viper could be renamed Copperhead (native snake in New York state.) For RoS, to be honest, a patriotic theme does seem to fit well. It already has red and blue in the color scheme. But alas, I can't think of a name for that.

[Philrad71]

Actually, the winter/summer theme for the new Opryland would also be a nice fit for this park. Keep the coasters, rides and slides in the summer and figure out a way to make part of it into some type of winter resort. God knows we get enough snow here! Snow themed rides and names would also be cool for the amusement park (so to speak).

 

Not sure what they would do as far as skiing though as that area is like being in the middle of Nebraska - not a lot of hills compared with other areas of Western NY. If their lodge/hotel (which does have a Canadian wilderness type theme) added a huge indoor water park similar to Kalihari or Great Wolf Lodge, I'm sure that would be a big draw for the area during the winter months.

 

As far as if they renamed Ride Of Steel, why not retheme it and rename it Lake Erie Monster? Yeah, it sounds kinda corny and the park is about 50 miles inland from the lake...but their is the silly legend that there is some type of Loch Ness-type monster lurking in Lake Erie. Add tunnels similar to the Rye Beach coaster where you drop into the monsters mouth and get pooped out of it's behind. Perhaps add an underwater tunnel like Anaconda?