DarienLaker Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Does anyone know when Darien Lake got rid of the Huss Troika ride, Thrillbilly? I'm guessing sometime earlier in 1990 before they built Predator. I might be wrong and could have been destroyed in that fire from 25 years ago either that or it had damage that made it SBNO until construction of The Predator began. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golddisk Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 Does anyone know when Darien Lake got rid of the Huss Troika ride, Thrillbilly? I'm guessing sometime earlier in 1990 before they built Predator. I might be wrong and could have been destroyed in that fire from 25 years ago either that or it had damage that made it SBNO until construction of The Predator began. That could be very well possible since a break room was destroyed in the fire and the current one is near Predator. So if the old one was in the same location that the current one is in, it would have been near Thrillbilly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienLaker Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 At the time (25 years ago) in the area where fire was the only ride that was probably in the area was Thrillbilly since Ride of Steel wasn't built until 1999 and there used to a train that went around Elk Lake that was remove when they built Ride of Steel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golddisk Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 At the time (25 years ago) in the area where fire was the only ride that was probably in the area was Thrillbilly since Ride of Steel wasn't built until 1999 and there used to a train that went around Elk Lake that was remove when they built Ride of Steel. I found this map of the area where Thrillbilly was. I would say this is from the late 1980's. Not much is around the ride except picnic pavilions and the theater, so I would say that the fire didn't have anything to do with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienLaker Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 ^That map was from 1983 a few years earlier. Thrillbilly was located where The Predator's que is now. Here's the map from 1988 (25 years ago) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterjohnh Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 I feel bad for DL, but it just keeps getting worse. The last time I was there is when they installed the leg shackles on ros. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienLaker Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 I feel bad for DL, but it just keeps getting worse. The last time I was there is when they installed the leg shackles on ros. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Darien Lake is lowering to the level of Martin's Fantasy Island! I hope Herschend can turn things around for Darien Lake. Right now it's nothing more than kind of a "shell" of Six Flags without all the ad wraps on coaster trains, Flash Passes, or even every license property that Six Flags has/had, It's been that way since 2007. I guess it could have been worse if Six Flags still owned Darien Lake with the Ride of Steel being rethemed as "Bizarro", the water park being called Hurricane Harbor and having it be an extra charge attraction, instead of Motocoaster in where the campground pools were they would have a Tony Hawk's Big Spin/Pandemonium clone (380/4 model) in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
necoastergp Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 ^ SROS at SFA wasn't rethemed to Bizarro so I'm guessing they would've left DL alone as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienLaker Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 SROS at SFA wasn't rethemed to Bizarro so I'm guessing they would've left DL alone as well. O.K. maybe I was taking a wild guess on what would happen if Darien Lake was still owned by Six Flags, but the other things that I've said in my last post would happen if Darien Lake was still owned by Six Flags even if it meant that Ride of Steel would not get a Bizarro makeover and not mention to still be Superman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajfelice Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 It is completely absurd to suggest that Darien Lake is "lowering" themselves to Martin's Fantasy Island. Look at what they have done in the last few years alone with Rowdy's Ridge and now the Boardwalk. Also, it is disrespectful to Martin's Fantasy Island to suggest they are a "lower" product/service. They are two completely different parks! Darien Lake is evolving into a resort facility meant for tourists to spend a couple days or a weekend with camping, concerts, rides, etc. Martin's Fantasy Island is the low-cost park meant for families with younger children who are only looking for one day of fun or maybe even a half day. Martin's Fantasy Island is not supposed to be luxurious or state-of-the-art, it's meant to be simple and cost effective on a tighter family budget. About those "leg shackles." As an industry insider, there are a variety of factors that could be involved in why they were installed. My first guess its that it was demanded by Intamin themselves. Even when a ride is over a decade old, a manufacturer can step in and make a change that the park is legally required to make (happened to us on a few of our rides). My second guess on the changes is their insurance company. Consider what Ride of Steel has been through with two accidents in less than 15 years, and it's understandable that Darien Lake's insurer is very skeptical on the liability of the ride even if the last one was operator error. Lastly, the leg restraints aren't that bad at all. Ride of Steel was delivering better than ever on a cold September Saturday in 2012 with airtime galore and zero pain. I'm very excited about the future of Darien Lake, and I'm lucky it's only a two hour drive up I-90 to see it in person. No park can be turned around completely in one, two, or even five seasons, great things take time and money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienLaker Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 O.K. maybe I was exaggerating about Darien Lake lowering themselves to the level of Martin's Fantasy Island. Darien Lake is focusing more on being a theme park resort as oppose to being a "tourist trap" theme park like Martin's Fantasy Island. Over the years we've seen Darien Lake grow from a beach side campground to the theme park we know of today. Herschend is trying to make Darien Lake take all the "crap" out of all the theme parks in upstate New York including The Great Escape, but they're not trying to be the next Cedar Point or Magic Mountain. Six Flags kind of "ignored" Darien Lake after Ride of Steel was built and by time 2006 rolled around there were rumors that Six Flags was going to close Darien Lake, but they ended up selling it. Although, I really think Darien Lake should take in some consideration for an indoor coaster in Galaxy Theater, like a modern revision of Nightmare at Phantom Cave as a Gerstlauer 380/4 spinning coaster! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geauga Dog Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 ^I would like to say calling Martin's Fantasy Island a "tourist trap" is also disrespectful. I think it's a pleasant park that is a little rough around the edges so to speak (the big midway area needs a little work) and does a good job filling the niche the park is geared towards. Just as much as RoS is really the only main draw to Darien Lake (for me personally the draw is Viper), taking a few spins on Silver Comet and Mind Warp are good enough to get me to go spend a couple hours at MFI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienLaker Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 Maybe I was being harsh on Darien Lake's Competition in my last post , but I did end it with a picture of Nightmare at Phantom Cave/Crackleaxe Canyon. It's too bad that I never had I chance to ride it ! If it was still at Darien Lake in any form a compact indoor I'll ride it for sure! But I do wish that there more photos of the ride online when it was at Darien Lake besides the logo for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterjohnh Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 I go to Martin's Fantasy Island every year. The Silver Comet is great coaster.They also have some good flat rides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienLaker Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 Enough talk about Martin's Fantasy Island! I'm guessing they're not going to use Galaxy Theater again this year, this is making me wonder if a Nightmare at Phantom Cave "revision" as a spinning coaster (or not) could be in the works for 2014? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougMJr Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 I go to Martin's Fantasy Island every year. The Silver Comet is great coaster.They also have some good flat rides. Mind warp in insane! I too make sure to head there at least once a year! That park does not get enough respect. Silver Comet and that Log Flume! Enough talk about Martin's Fantasy Island! To be fair, you were the one who brought it up. Perhaps try to avoid provocative and polarizing language in future posts (I mean that in the most constructive way possible). this is making me wonder if a Nightmare at Phantom Cave "revision" as a spinning coaster (or not) could be in the works for 2014? I wouldn't think so, but nothing is impossible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienLaker Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 I still think a "revision" of Nightmare at Phantom Cave should be done in 2014! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraAB87 Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 I think I would rather spend the 70+ parking it would cost me to get 2 people to DL at this point rather then spend about $50 to get into MFI where I would be bored since I don't like all their rides. Or I could drive the 2 hours to Waldameer and get my one non rider in for free and pay for a wristband for myself for about $25 but there is gas and time costs to consider there. I haven't been to Waldameer yet but I like all of their rides so I can't imagine the trip going bad so I will be going this summer. The last couple times I went to MFI I ended up doing silver comet marathons since there wasn't much else for me to do, one time I ended up with 60 rides on the comet. I went to Darien lake last year and had a fantastic time, I would go back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienLaker Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 Here's kind of my vision of a new revival of Nightmare at Phantom Cave (sans Tony Hawk ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienLaker Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Perhaps they can move Mean Streak to Darien Lake! I wish ,but there is no way Cedar Point is going to sell Mean Streak to Darien Lake. Frankly I think that Darien Lake is better off getting a Big Spin coaster clone (Gerstlauer 380/4 spinning coaster)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golddisk Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Perhaps they can move Mean Streak to Darien Lake! I wish ,but there is no way Cedar Point is going to sell Mean Streak to Darien Lake. Frankly I think that Darien Lake is better off getting a Big Spin coaster clone (Gerstlauer 380/4 spinning coaster)! Is putting in one of these spinning coasters really worth it though? I personally think I would prefer a euro-fighter although I do know that they are more expensive. Either way, whatever Darien Lake chooses to add I'm hoping that it's a custom layout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienLaker Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 A custom layout spinning coaster would nice for Darien Lake, maybe they could put one with a loop in! But wouldn't it be cheaper for Darien Lake to get a prefab model like Gerstlauer's 380/4 spinning coaster could be a better fit for Darien Lake since they really don't have alot of room. Here are guesses on where Darien Lake could put a Gerstlauer 380/4 spinning coaster model .In Galaxy Theater (they would have to modify the building) .The area by Ride of Steel where the Fright Fest stuff is .Barracuda Bay (they would have to remove 'Cuda Falls and Floodgate Falls for it) .The area by Mind Eraser (they would have to decrease parking for it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golddisk Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 (edited) .In Galaxy Theater (they would have to modify the building) .The area by Ride of Steel where the Fright Fest stuff is .Barracuda Bay (they would have to remove 'Cuda Falls and Floodgate Falls for it) .The area by Mind Eraser (they would have to decrease parking for it) I'm not sure a pre-fab model will be enough of a draw as a custom model might be depending on how it's designed. Half of DL's current coaster collection are already clones. I can tell you now that expanding into the parking lot at this time has almost zero chance of happening unless they find another area to add more. This is simply because they need all of the parking for concerts with the new policy on that. But what about the campgrounds instead? I don't know if that's a possibility at all. I don't think they would put it by ROS. I think if they were to add a ride over there it would probably be a flat. The other two are a possibility, I guess. Edited May 7, 2013 by Golddisk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCalCoasters Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Gerstlauer's small Eurofighters and spinning coasters are on the cheaper side of the coaster spectrum but all the fanboy speculation is sort of silly. If they wanted a high end spinner they'd go with Mack. I haven't seen the theater space you're talking about but it seems like an awful lot of infrastructure to tear out for an indoor coaster that could be put in a Pre-fad shed for the same cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geauga Dog Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 With Seabreeze having a standard Maurer Sohne like Waldameer's and Martin's Fantasy Island having a Zamperla that doesn't spin (lol) a Gerstlauer wouldn't be all that bad. Tony Hawk/Pandemonium at Six Flags St. Louis was quite a surprisingly good spinner that would be somewhat unique at least in this part of the country as it would be larger than the aforementioned rides. A ride the size of Tony Hawk won't fit in the Galaxy Theater but why not make the ride part indoor, part outdoor? Does it really have to totally be in the building? As for expanding I had always thought they could use the part of the campground around Twister and the go-carts. Lots of space there for something substantial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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