Geauga Lake Discussion Thread

[RollerC]

^ X-Flight was pretty much a parking lot coaste at GL. Hopefully it will sit on top of something better at PKI than it's setting at Geauga Lake, which was awful. Didn't even have grass.

 

-James Dillaman

 

X-Flight did have grass at Geauga Lake

 

 

Really SF has parking lot coasters I had never noticed that. I sure am glad I can come to this thread and pick up these wonderful bits of wisdom.

 

 

[cjeagle35]

Really SF has parking lot coasters I had never noticed that. I sure am glad I can come to this thread and pick up these wonderful bits of wisdom.

 

So I am curious outside of the Camp Snoopy areas where is all that wonderful CF theming I am getting ripped on at.

 

Because when I am wandering around a SF park I see these different sections as I go from place to place and I was wondering where those divisions and areas are at CF.

 

I was obviously not trying to compare SF to Disney I was just saying that I find SF to have more theming, not perfect theming, than CF.

 

Well first of all, all of the CF parks (pre Paramount) except for Valleyfair and Worlds of Fun were built before themeing in amusement parks became widely used after the construction of Disneyland. Only SFNE comes into mind as a Six Flags park built before the 1960s. In fact, Knotts was the first "theme park," and revolutionized themeing in the industry. Yes some of this themeing has been lost, but Knotts (and WoF) definatly have much more superior themeing to any Six Flags parks. As for the other parks, they don't have general themed areas as newer parks do because parks weren't as "planned out" back then. However there are a few of great themed areas even in the older parks. Frontier Town and Frontier Trail in Cedar Point is probabily one of the most beautiful places for a park anywhere.

 

Secondally, does more themeing really make that big of a difference? I enjoy a ride on the Magnum and its beautiful lakeside setting much more than the themeing of the Batman inverts, with their dirty (some things that are supposed to be dirty and others that just are dirt) stations and a few old junked up police cars. Like I said before as long as I find the park clean and well landscaped, I don't have much of a problem.

[RollerC]

Really SF has parking lot coasters I had never noticed that. I sure am glad I can come to this thread and pick up these wonderful bits of wisdom.

 

So I am curious outside of the Camp Snoopy areas where is all that wonderful CF theming I am getting ripped on at.

 

Because when I am wandering around a SF park I see these different sections as I go from place to place and I was wondering where those divisions and areas are at CF.

 

I was obviously not trying to compare SF to Disney I was just saying that I find SF to have more theming, not perfect theming, than CF.

 

Well first of all, all of the CF parks (pre Paramount) except for Valleyfair and Worlds of Fun were built before themeing in amusement parks became widely used after the construction of Disneyland. Only SFNE comes into mind as a Six Flags park built before the 1960s. In fact, Knotts was the first "theme park," and revolutionized themeing in the industry. Yes some of this themeing has been lost, but Knotts (and WoF) definatly have much more superior themeing to any Six Flags parks. As for the other parks, they don't have general themed areas as newer parks do because parks weren't as "planned out" back then. However there are a few of great themed areas even in the older parks. Frontier Town and Frontier Trail in Cedar Point is probabily one of the most beautiful places for a park anywhere.

 

Secondally, does more themeing really make that big of a difference? I enjoy a ride on the Magnum and its beautiful lakeside setting much more than the themeing of the Batman inverts, with their dirty (some things that are supposed to be dirty and others that just are dirt) stations and a few old junked up police cars. Like I said before as long as I find the park clean and well landscaped, I don't have much of a problem.

 

 

I so agree with you. I loved Frontier Trail so much. It was like being out of the park(except for MF) and it reminded me so much of Idlewild. I also liked the theming by Skyhawk.

[coaster05]

First of all that was massive sarcasm. I live 2 hours from SFGAM and have rode Shockwave. I also know how to find pictures of coasters on that crazy, newfangled internet. I always forget people just don't pick it up. I am also curious at SFSTL,SFOG,SFGAM which parts of those parks are themed like broken down rides. Frontier trail is very good and it used to be awesome. I'm sorry I enjoy the idea of a Cajun section, DC hereos or Gotham, and any of the other sections SF does.

 

I know how hard is it for people to believe that we all don't worship CF, but its true. Do I like SF better as a whole. Nope they are pretty equal as both parks have things I like and things I don't. CF is run better, but there parks feel very sterile and devoid of life. Dorney and VF are two of the least exciting parks I have ever been to. Was there really anything wrong? Nope, they I just felt like all the life had been sucked out of them.

[Sean Menefee]

but Knotts (and WoF) definatly have much more superior themeing to any Six Flags parks.

 

Have you been to Six Flags Great America before?

[cjeagle35]

I know how hard is it for people to believe that we all don't worship CF, but its true. Do I like SF better as a whole. Nope they are pretty equal as both parks have things I like and things I don't. CF is run better, but there parks feel very sterile and devoid of life. Dorney and VF are two of the least exciting parks I have ever been to. Was there really anything wrong? Nope, they I just felt like all the life had been sucked out of them.

 

I'm not asking for you to worship CF. I just didn't agree with some of your thoughts. I personally like CF parks overall better than SF, but I realize both chains have their good qualities and bad qualities. For example, Geauga Lake definatly seemed quite dead in my last visit there. I really enjoyed Six Flags New England also, speedy operations and nice location right next to the river. I just found the CF parks I've been seem to be run better, clean, and well landscaped. I think they at least make an effort to keep the park looking nice with trees, bushes, and flowery. Not that there aren't exceptions, but all I'm asking from a seasonal amusement park is to look professional, and not try to be the next disneyland on a budget. I just don't find the "slap a batman logo on something and call it themeing" to be well done. For example, look at Kennywood, except for a few of its rides it has very little themeing at all, but the park still is very beautiful. It proves you don't need themeing to be a great park.

[jamesdillaman]

^ X-Flight was pretty much a parking lot coaste at GL. Hopefully it will sit on top of something better at PKI than it's setting at Geauga Lake, which was awful. Didn't even have grass.

 

-James Dillaman

 

X-Flight did have grass at Geauga Lake

 

Sorry, but when I rode it there definitely wasn't any grass under it. Only dirt and concrete. The grasss must have been added in a later season.

This is what it looked like when I was there.

[PKI Jizzman]

Ill be going to PKI on the 11th for a job interview, so I ge to go park right infront! I will also be going on the 17th for the job fair....so Ill get some pics!

[kraxleRIDAH]

Bizarre off-season for coasters isn't it? Magic Mountain removes two coasters, and Geauga Lake may be taking out that same number.

 

We all know pieces of X-Flight are now at Kings Island, but in Cedar Point and Geauga Lake's joint 2007 Group Information and Catering Guide, Steel Venom is deliberately missing from the park map along with X-Flight. A park would only modify the upcoming season's map to reflect changes from the previous season. Nevermind the fact that Steel Venom also did not operate from June through the rest of the 2006 season at Geauga Lake.

 

I think we should all expect Steel Venom to start dismantling prep as soon as X-Flight is completely taken care of.

 

The removal of both X-Flight and Steel Venom brings Geauga Lake's coaster roster count down to 8 (that's still a decent amount) from a previous count of 10.

 

Take a look for yourself here.

 

At this point, Geauga Lake's official website has not reflected this change. So keep an eye out for any changes or updates.

[BarryH]

Now the mystery is where Steel Venom is headed. We can say Valleyfair won't be getting it.

 

So what does this mean for Geauga Lake's future?

[kraxleRIDAH]

^ I don't think we'll have to worry so much about Geauga Lake's future. Sure, two coasters may be on the way out, but the park still has 8 -- a few of which are still notable rides. A lot of people may take these as signs of Cedar Fair "dismantling" the park, but all it really is, is just downsizing and relocating assetts to properties that could benefit from them.

 

With Cedar Point so close, Geauga Lake doesn't really need to be a competitor in the thrillride department. I see Cedar Fair doing their best to re-establish Geauga Lake in its own little niche in that market.

[niiicolaaah]

Oh poo, yet another missed credit for me.

[Carnage]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Steel Venom would fit really nicely in Canadas Wonderland. Maybe replacing Dragon Fire.

 

Then again, that would purely be wishful thinking. MiA would be a more obvious choice as that park is in more need of rides.

[Shockwave]

That's ok, I'm sure if it does get taken down it'll be appearing at another Cedar Fair concrete site pretty soon.

[Tanks4me05]

Didn't I hear rumors of Dorney Park eventually going to get an Impulse a while back? Or am I just imagining things? I know MIA would need it more, but the rumors pointed to Dorney Park.

[Scaparri]

You might also notice that in the picture of people walking across the causeway with Head Spin in the background, Venom has been photo-shopped out, not that the map doesn't already confirm this.

 

I'm just confused as to why they would do that. I mean, I guess it never seemed that wildly popular, and Wicked Twister is down the road, but the ride sits on such a small footprint. I really don't understand CF's intentions with this park.

 

-Scott "I miss Six Flags" Parrish

[niiicolaaah]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Steel Venom would fit really nicely in Canadas Wonderland. Maybe replacing Dragon Fire.

 

Then again, that would purely be wishful thinking. MiA would be a more obvious choice as that park is in more need of rides.

 

Now there's a good idea! Or then they can just take out Orbiter like they originally planned and put it where FOF was "supposed to" go.

[coastermaniac1]

Did'nt Cedar Fair just change Paramount Carowinds name to just Carowinds.

 

I think it will go there so they open with a new name and a newish coaster.

[Scaparri]

Did'nt Cedar Fair just change Paramount Carowinds name to just Carowinds.

 

I think it will go there so they open with a new name and a newish coaster.

 

I doubt it, at least not this year since they already made their announcements for this season.

[Masked_Maverick]

Here is my two cents on Geauga Lake seeing as it is my home park. You may think I am crazy but I see this as a good thing. As much as I liked X-Flight and have wanted to ride Steel Venom in my mind I never felt that either ride really belonged at that park. I have always seen Geauga Lake as a smaller park and it seemed more fitting that way. SF came in and added all this stuff and the place hasn't really felt right to me since. I feel that CF is trying to not only make this park back into a smaller park again but to also give it it's own identity. I know it has been said about a million times but with Cedar Point about 90 miles away it is like the two parks are still competing. I hope that this turns out to be a wise move on CF's park and that this park does find its identity once again becasue it has been far too long.

[Homer]

The funk? Its official, Cedar Fair sucks. They better have this relocated to another park on the midwest trip in 2007... thats two credits down!

[RollerC]

I don't see it surviving. Why pay 26 bucks to ride 8 coasters and two thrill rides in an hour when you can drive 2 hours and pay about 5 bucks more but get alot more for your dollar(KENNYWOOD). Even little Waldameer is expanding. Geauga Lake will never be what it used to be and will probably be called WildWater Kingdom: Cedar Fairs best waterpark.

[Hercules]

Didn't I hear rumors of Dorney Park eventually going to get an Impulse a while back? Or am I just imagining things? I know MIA would need it more, but the rumors pointed to Dorney Park.

 

Along with Dorney getting a new power line and the ongoing rumors of the demise of Laser...

[kraxleRIDAH]

I too have also heard about the new independant power feed being fed into Dorney Park a month or two ago. It would make sense wouldn't it? Cedar Point and Valleyfair! did the same thing when Wicked Twister and Steel Venom were on their way in.

[Ptrick82]

Im a newcomer her to TPR and I must say some of the comments about GL as a park and some of the comments regarding x-flights operations are way off. First of all, X-flight was tuned to operated the way it did to optimize capacity. Someone on here said that the ops controlled the seats raising as they entered the station that is incorrect. The seats were raised as the entered the station to lessen the unload time so trains could be loaded with maximum efficiency.

 

Secondly, some of you say "screw GL" if your home park were threatened in the way most people feel that GL is currently you'd be singing a different tune. I would never say "screw (parkx)" about any park because I know that there are people out there that truly care about every park even if others don't feel the same. Ive been a loyal follower/visitor/employee of GL, started going there when I was 5, started following when I was 11, started working there when it was SFO/SFWOA and continued to work there until the conclusion of last season.

 

I think some of you are missing the point. GL isnt there to compete with CP, its there to serve as a viable park with a family appeal and one of the only reason X-Flight was leaving is because it wasnt family oriented and they already have 4 other coasters that are for the grown ups. Plus that coaster was a money pit, its much more suited to a park that wants to throw the money at it to maintain it. If you guys really had any idea about the way CF did things you'd realize that things for any park in the chain are planned 3-4 years in advance. You think X-flight leaving wasnt part of a plan they had for the park, you're crazy.

 

Im not here to bash anyones park, Im not here to bash anyone for what they know/think they know. Im here as a fan of theme and amusement parks as a whole. I do know that I will defend Geauga Lake to a great extent especially since I believe in that park and its ability to get back to what made it great, the atmosphere. I don't think that they are going to sell, or dismantle the rides side in the park and to hear people say that they want cannibalized rides from this park makes me sick. X-flight leaving doesnt introduce a mass exodus of rides from GL. It about the bottom line, and the budget at GL no longer allows for that ride.

 

P.S. Don't be surprised to see Steel Venom leaving in the next year or so either. Seems like with the removal of X-flight, Hydes, and possibly steel venom leaves for a pretty nice footprint eh?... hmm, I wonder?

 

woo, anyway, rant over.