PHOTO TR: Cleaning out my closet. Lot's of old pictures

[ukpete]

brilliant photos and memorabilia, thank you for sharing, can't wait to see more

[ajc47]

Thanks.

 

Yea, geauga lake is in bad shape. I still don't understand why they did not try harder to get that park to work.

 

They didn't *want* it to. Period. The more Kinzel keeps hiding behind "it was a business decision" the worse he looks.

[thrillrider]

Yea.

 

They never invested any money into the rides side of the park, so of course it failed.

 

I have a bunch more to post on here, but the family reunion today is going to hamper it a little.

[Skycoastin Steve]

^I'm really not going to make this an argument about GL, but Six Flags tried investing a ton of money into the rides side of the park, and it did absolutely nothing to help the attendance. Regardless of how the park got to the state it was in, I went there in 2007 and there was NOBODY at that park. That was in the dead middle of the summer, and no one was there. The attendance may have been 100 on the rides side, and that's being generous. There's no way that park was making any money. That's what happens when a business no longer makes money, it gets shut down. It sucks, but that's business.

[thrillrider]

Well, the park was around for 119 years and did just fine.

 

Six flags came in and blew there wad on all the coasters in 1 year.That was in 1999/2000? Since then, nothing was added to the rides side of the park. When six flags had the park, it was packed. I remember waiting in line for dominator with all the switchbacks full.

 

One other reason the park closed, was the bad reputation the park got. The rude employees that did not give a crap, and the garbage all over the place did not help. I remember riding the octopus ride, and the employe was on his cell phone the whole time. He never even watched the ride. We could have flown out, and he wouldn't have noticed.

 

During the cedarfair years, they removed rides, and did not replace them with anything. They also took the halloween haunt away.

 

As far as the park looking empty, I agree. But to a point, I have to think some of it was the size of the park....it was huge.

[thrillrider]

On my way to the family thing....But I had time to upload a picture of the old mill ride at kennywood.

The old mill. Much better than what they have now.

[CorkscrewFoley]

Ugh, I can't wait to see Old Mill back to its former glory...Garfield's Nightmare was crap...

[KDCOASTERFAN]

Yea.

 

They never invested any money into the rides side of the park, so of course it failed.

 

I have a bunch more to post on here, but the family reunion today is going to hamper it a little.

 

Well you have to admit that SF played a major role in the park's demise,I mean if it were making a profit under SF then they never would've sold it to CF to begin with but that's another story.

 

Nice shots of the FOF trains....I always thought that Premier simply retrofitted the originals rather than build completely "new" trains for the ride.Makes me wonder if KD,and perhaps SFA/SFTT still have their original LIM bowl trains on site somewhere as well.

[thrillerman1]

I'm enjoying this thread a lot. Thanks for sharing your old photos! Do you have anything from Opryland or the Nashville Fairgrounds Skyliner coaster?

[Fat-G]

The old FoF trains are now sitting next to the old Lion Country Monorail maintanaice building behind timberwolf. There is one train and a extra car sitting there overgrown with weeds. Another train is sitting in the Monorail building striped down to the frame. I walk past them on the way to Flight Deck. Also back there are seats from Tomb Raider, and part of King Cobras chain lift.

[thrillrider]

Timberwolf?

 

I never knew Kings island had a timberwolf ride. Are you talking about another park.

 

Anyways.....

 

Time for a small update. I have a few pictures from a few different six flags parks. First up, I have the space shuttle motion theater that used to be at great america And a few other rides, and I also have a shot of the drop tower at sfog and the batman show.

Allthough this looked like it may be a great show, it sucked.

The switchbacks inside were well themed.

See...theming.

They took out the cop car in batmans line. Not sure why.

Deja gone to Idaho.

Over at sfog, we take a look at the drop tower, and drive inn diner.

I miss the batman shows.

[Huge_Wonderland_Fan]

^ Timberwolf is the name of KI's amphitheater.

[thrillrider]

Ok...gotcha. Sounds like the name of a cedar fair coaster.

 

Next up, a few pictures from kings dominion to see what hypersonic xlc looked like, and a look at the park pre-I305 and dominator.

I had only been on this coaster once. It was nothing special, and it was a little ruff.

The launch was the best part.

The ride vehicles.

Remember what the park looked like pre- dominator and I305?

[thrillrider]

Time for a huge update.

 

I found some older park booklets for parks that are not around anymore. And there is a booklet from universal studios from 1998.

 

My favorite one is the cedar point show schedule for 1987. Anyone remember the hobo band.

 

I have also included a peek at a few of the buttons and pins I have collected over the years.

Just a few of the buttons and pins I have collected over the years.

Wyandot lake booklet.

2006 park hours.

Park map. I never did get to visit this park.

New nick universe

Kentucky kingdom booklet.

2006 park hours.

A peek inside the booklet.

This is the booklet that should have came out the year after they closed the park. Yea...."what a surprise".

Park hours.

A look at the shows, and height requirements.

This is a real gem to find. A cedarpoint show scheduale from 1987.

The back. Notice the avalanch run?

Some really good shows back then.

Ahhh yes...jungle larry and oceana. Anyone remember coco, misty, stryker and breeze?

Six flags great america.

Park map.

1998 universal studios booklet.

Wow...it was cheap back then.

Back to geauga lake.

My boss at the time, knew how much I liked parks, so he gave me the group info that geauga lake sent him.

Order form.

Be a hero.

Group prices.

Stay and play booklet.

Coupons anyone?

[philthephorce]

This thread is awesome!!! I can't remember the last time my eyes were riveted to a single thread for such a long time. Got any more Kennywood stuff? I guess it doesn't really matter...keep going!

[thrillrider]

Thanks.

 

I have a ton of pictures from kennywood, but most of them are pictures of the same rides they have today. I think I have a few of the gold rusher and a few of the flat rides they no longer have. I have not got to that box yet, but when I do, I will post them.

[thrillrider]

Remember vertigo at cedarpoint?

 

You might not, because it only lasted 1 year. After it's first season, it broke in two pieces during the off season. After that, the ride was removed and never replaced.

 

I have some pictures of the construction, and pictures of the twisted metal remains.

Pieces were being stored in the gemini parking lot.

Not sure what these were for, but it looks like a cable ran into it.

Platforms for maintnance workers.

This is the section that broke the tower in 2 pieces.

I am just glad it did not happen durring the season.

[Hockeydad]

Thanks Dave! What awesome memories...esp. for Geauga Lake. I miss that park so much, and it's sad to think back at what that park might've been. It always seemed to be so much fun, even though it also seemed so mis-managed. I also loved the Sea World park the few times I got to go their throughout my life. I was actually a big fan of the whole SFWoA attempt...shame it didn't work better.

 

Batman Knight Flight was my first B&M coaster, and X-Flight was the first and only time I nearly got hit by a sandal flying off a coaster, (really...no joke! While we were waiting in line). And I won't forget to mention that classic woodie, the Big Dipper. My daughter got to ride it as her first wood coaster, and we must've rode it half the day we were there. I always will remember going 33 laps in a row on Beaver Land Mine Ride, (that was the day she became an enthusiast for sure...that was 11 cycles with 3 laps on each). The dolphins and the White Bengal Tigers were a huge deal on that same trip, as was the Batman stunt show, and the pearl divers, (my daughter watched them for a solid hour in amazement). About the only thing we never liked at the park over the years was the food, it was always pretty bad no matter which company owned the park.

 

You brought back lots of memories for me, but they were all good!

Edited July 19, 2010 by Hockeydad

[thrillrider]

Thank you for the replys.

 

Well, cedarfair is not known for it's food. As a matter of fact, I think they have the worst park food of any park chain out there.

 

I will have a huge update tomorrow. Got a lot going on today, but I may try to post a short update tonight.

[Tiburon503]

Well you have to admit that SF played a major role in the park's demise,I mean if it were making a profit under SF then they never would've sold it to CF to begin with but that's another story.

Six Flags Worlds of Adventure *might* have been profitable (or on the precipice thereof). The entire theme park industry was still feeling the "9/11" effects in 2004 however. Six Flags was looking to divest assets to cover shortfalls, and the former Ohio complex commanded what they felt was a premium price. Worlds of Adventure was a grand vision. Had Six Flags not faced 3 years of declining revenue, a credit crisis (banks stopped lending after "9/11" too), and not been in a market with 2 major competitors; Worlds of Adventure might have remained with the company. Magic Mountain is quite profitable (One of the company's top performing parks no less!), and Six Flags tried and failed to dump it too (Despite erroneous reporting at the time, Six Flags does own the property under the Valencia park according to their 2005 annual report.).

 

Whatever your opinion of the Six Flags Stewardship, you must admit they did a better job than Cedar Fair. The animal exhibits made the guest experience unique for Worlds of Adventure. Cedar Fair demanded Six Flags remove them as part of their deal. To their own admittance, Cedar Fair completely underestimated the impact the animal exhibits contributed. Attendance declined as a result, and grew worse as rides were removed without replacement. The acquisition of Kings Island (and the Paramount Parks) was in my opinion the death knell for the Aurora park. To remain competitive with the two larger and established parks, Geagua Lake was going to require major capital. In that market, it made little sense to support 3 major parks. It's financially prudent to market Kings Island and Cedar Fair over pumping more money into Geagua Lake on paper. Don't forget, the company decided to build Wildwater Kingdom on the wrong side of the lake abandoning the barely 5 year old Hurricane Harbor in the process (STUPID). Why Cedar Fair was decried, had to due with their refusal to sell the complex. Demolishing it seemed a matter of ego. If the forecasting proved Geagua Lake couldn't compete with the two sister parks, why not sell it? It's better for the company and its shareholders to offload the property, versus incurring demolition costs and asset divestures for pennies on the dollar. Of course, if someone made a go of it profitably; it could make the Cedar Fair Executive Team look incompetent. Realistically, the debt from acquiring the Paramount Parks had to contribute too.

Edited July 18, 2010 by Tiburon503

[CorkscrewFoley]

I had the park guide for GL when I was there in '05, left in the rental car, and it's gone...As I said before about GL, I went there once, bit I loved it, despite everything that I had read...

[thrillrider]

Here is a quick update.

 

I found a resort map from my trip to Disneyworld a few years ago, for when I went to the halloween party in the park. I am going to be doing a HUGE Disneyland and Disneyworld photo trip report real soon.

 

I have also included a booklet about the locomotives of cedarpoint. There is also a park booklet from 1996 halloweekends. Inside the book, is details on the new for 2007 maverick, and max pass info.

This is the resort map for coronodo springs resort at walt disney world.

We were there for the mickeys halloween party.

Show and parade times.

Next up is a in park booklet on the cedarpoint trains.

The inside.

It also has a timeline of the history of each train.

As soon as we got back from disneyworlds halloween party, we headed to cedarpoin't halloween party.

Show times. I miss the trio of terror.

There were also a few inserts. The first one is for the new maverick coaster comming next year.

The stats of the ride.

Remember the max pass?

[thrillrider]

I just found a few more bits of geauga lake stuff.

 

The last day the park was open, we stayed in the geauga lake hotel. It's hard to believe that we were the last people to stay at that hotel. Anyways, here is the hotel map and layout, plus the room key.

 

There is also a booklet for the park, and octoberfest schedule.

The folder that the resort map and room key come in.

The map of the hotel. It was a decent hotel.

The room key.

Yep...I survied the beating on x flight. They gave this to me when I checked in for some reason. Not sure why, because they removed the ride already. But cool none the less.

This is the park booklet I had in my pocket the day the park closed.

Park hours.

Octoberfest scheduale.

Events.

[thrillrider]

A few random Kings island post cards.

 

I also found some old kings island park tickets, and a old michugans adventure ticket as well.

King cobra.

Son of beast construction.

Old park tickets.

[thrillrider]

More kings island stuff....

 

I have a book from 1994 kings island. I scanned a bunch of the pages inside as well. I also included a park fact sheet from 1998.

1998 Fact sheet.

An old park booklet from 1994

The inside. Notice how much the park has changed in 16 years?

Wanna eat dinner at the international restaurant?

I miss this area.

International street.

Adventure village, soon to be action zone.

This is one of the best areas of the park, because they have beer.

Coney mall. Notice how the flight commander and enterprise are on the map, but not listed?

Remember "waterworks"?