Geauga Lake Discussion Thread

[MiAdventureMan87]

They also have Shivering Timbers, but everyone seems to forget about Michigan's Adventure. I find it hard to believe that Geauga Lake had a lower attendance than MiA does.

[Jew]

^Thank you for getting the thread back on topic. Regardless of your feelings, what's done is done. This thread was created to discuss the fact the coaster may or may not have been offered to ACE for free. Lets leave it at that.

[Kalepi_Konei]

Maybe Cypress Gardens will buy it just like Streamliner!

[astroworldfan1]

You mean Starliner. The Big Dipper has been sold to a nice home.

 

-Tatum

[King of Ka]

^But Cedar Fair also has CP in Ohio, and just about nothing else in Michigan.

[Coasterfanatic245]

There is a certain person who posted here who has never been to any other park other than Cedar Point, and therefore feels he reserves the right to criticize and flame any other amusement park out there. So for the most part, I just consider the source.

 

While I loved Geauga Lake and hated to see it go, and certainly bear some hard feelings for the way the closing was handled. I will not go to Cedar Point for a variety of reasons, mainly rising fuel prices and the cost of the whole visit of going there. I live 5 miles from GL and was there almost every weekend last year and the year before. I will go someone else that seems to cater to families rather than to people seeking the thrills. I can do without 17 coasters, 4 kids parks, 3 water parks etc.

 

As for the die hard CP fanboys, enjoy what you have now because nothing lasts forever. As for the GLT people, gotta love you!

If you are talking to me I have been to Geauga Lake thank you very much and wasn't very impressed. How was I criticizing any other park? I just said they cited low attendance. CP isn't going anywhere. At least not in my lifetime. I have the rest of my life to enjoy it.

 

And yes you already posted this over at the Cleveland site. Do you need to post it again?

[MiAdventureMan87]

That is true. I was just astonished at the fact that the parking lot was half empty today at the park on a saturday in the summer.

 

Its only a few hours to CP, even though it is in a different state, many Michiganders go to CP alot.

[haux]

If you'd like to see and hear exactly what was said about the coaster being offered to ACE and other groups, here you go

http://www.storytellersmediagroup.com/BigDipperAuction/BIG_DIPPER_AUCTION_20080617.wmv

Ha! That video's awesome. What a crazy broad. She was probably waiting just for that moment.

[TopThrill182]

If you'd like to see and hear exactly what was said about the coaster being offered to ACE and other groups, here you go

http://www.storytellersmediagroup.com/BigDipperAuction/BIG_DIPPER_AUCTION_20080617.wmv

 

Sigh... Why is this not a surprise?

 

The Norton people were incredibly rude. It was really sort of surprising that someone would want them to run an auction. They obviously all hated to be there, as evident by them trying to get everyone out of the park and close it at "5:00pm" (when it was actually 4:30pm). They were obnoxious to the guests within the park, and I heard countless people commenting on it at the end of the day. They also missed a lot of possible registrations, because they shut everything up and left the park well before the posted closing time! Even GL employees, who were sent out in herds by the Norton people to get people out of the park and shoo them to the exit, were apologizing to guests for the way in which everything was being handled.

 

And that auctioneers behavior was completely uncalled for. I could see if the woman started punching others and tried to light Big Dipper on fire, fine, call security. But for her saying "that's false", his response was not only rude, it was borderline abusive. Both Norton and CF knew that after their quick closure of the park, without a chance for people to take pics and say goodbye, there would be "sentimentals" at the auction. They needed to plan for that, and be sensitive to that. He clearly does not want to be there, and is desperate to throw anyone who isn't willing to plop down a million dollars on auction items out of the park. His comments are really derogatory to anyone there that might have felt a connection to the park.

 

Yet another fire to further burn the already charred CF reputation. You would think that after the GL PR nightmare they would have tried to use this as an opportunity to undo some of the damage. Instead, they were money greedy and insensitive, and I really think this will come back to them.

[Jew]

^Norton wasn't hired to put on a "sentimental" event. They were there to sell a bunch of stuff "sentimental" people couldn't afford. Having a crazy ACEr disrupt the auction is sort of counter-productive.

[All Clear]

I have to wonder if the Norton people were warned in advance by the Cedar Fair people that there were going to be some gravy-sucking troublemakers who might handcuff themselves to the Big Dipper in protest. He seemed rather prepared for the outburst.

[ParkTrips]

not just any crazy ACEr either, the former president.

 

What a joke.

[mike robinson]

I don't see why anybody is criticizing ACE and Carole for this. It was Norton Auctions that brought ACE up. Not any member from ACE. I don't know why they lied about the offer but I have no doubt at this point it was a lie.

 

Carole did not speak up UNTIL ACE was mentioned and then ACE was mocked for their fundraiser efforts.

[robbalvey]

^ Because as an industry professional that was not only inappropriate but rude and obnoxious and all she did was add fuel to the negative reputation that ACE seems to have lately.

 

If you have an issue with a company, contact them privately or better yet have your attourney do it. If you want to be respected, an outburst during a public auction is NOT the way to do it.

 

--Robb "And people wonder where the group gets its stereotype from." Alvey

[carioque41]

It's sad that ACE could not have gotten the coaster and the ballroom, even if they would have had to relocate them.

 

Personally I am still hoping whoever got the Dipper will still find a way to preserve it and make it a working ride.

[Wood Dragon 1988]

Quick comment/question:

 

I know it is fun to laugh at ACE, and I am by no means a supporter or member or anything.

 

Is all this uproar and criticism about her saying those two words? I agree that it was out of place, but human beings are rude all the time.

 

I've read most of this thread, but is there anything I missed about ACE actually denying the offer more than this, or doing anything else stupid? Sorry if I missed it.

[TheRapidsNerd]

This is just an unfortunate situation all around.

 

To offer a possible resolution, perhaps if ACE was still interested in Big Dipper, they could contact the new owners and work a deal that's mutually beneficial. Long shot, sure, but why not at this point? The coaster will be partially preserved at it's new home, and could be fitted with new replica trains later (depending on the the old trains' condition). This at least buys time to make new plans and discuss options, if that's even possible.

 

The other thing I see here is that, regardless of the internal stuff at ACE, the current fund raising strategy isn't working. They need help financially to accomplish their goal of preserving coasters. If they take on outside financial backing,however, they risk giving up their neutrality. Translation, to accomplish their goals, ACE needs to make changes. They're boxed in, and financially limited otherwise.

 

As for the coaster museum, maybe they could scale back the design some and build in smaller pieces over the next several years. Start with a small building or two on some land, get it open and bring some cash in, then build the next building at the site, wash, rinse, repeat. Add some vending and souvenirs too. They have at least a couple sets of trains and smaller memoribilia to get started. Yes, it's a small start, but it's still a start, instead of nothing.

 

Just some good-willed observations and musings.

[Swimace]

I think this whole situation was handled poorly on both ends. The Norton people really shouldn't have brought ACE up, especially in a way that stresses how "gracious" Cedar Fair has been. Cedar Fair has been far from gracious when it comes to GL, and I think the way the Norton people brought up the Big Dipper was just rubbing it in ACE's face. On the other hand, the ACEr should have just kept quiet, because yelling just made ACE look the bad guy. If I were an ACEr I would have been upset about the way the Norton people were talking, but yelling about it will just make everybody involved look that much worse.

[TopThrill182]

^Norton wasn't hired to put on a "sentimental" event. They were there to sell a bunch of stuff "sentimental" people couldn't afford. Having a crazy ACEr disrupt the auction is sort of counter-productive.

 

Then the Norton auctioneer should have held himself to the same standards. Many of his comments had nothing to do with the auction and were just plain counter-productive. What did the comment about enthusiasts not being able to afford this - don't even try - this coaster was generously offered by CF to ACE - have to do with anything? He should have just said "Big Dipper is a historic coaster" and started the bidding.

 

And frankly, I see nothing wrong with the ACEr's comment. They are really being made to look bad because of this (if their side of the story is correct and I don't know if it is). And while maybe it would have been better and more professional to talk to CF behind the scenes, many people would have done just what she did. And based on the fact that security didn't remove her from the park, I'm thinking some other people there agreed the auctioneer was out of line.

[Jew]

^Or perhaps cooler heads simply prevailed. Regardless, the park is gone and not coming back, Norton did their job by selling a bunch of crap, and ACE took a PR hit. What's done is done.

[QueenCityBoy]

I wonder if this will now effect the relationship between CF & ACE. Maybe CF would no longer welcome ACE events.

[Tiburon503]

I disagree with the idea of ACE taking a PR, hit based on the auction comment by their former president. Had she not have spoken up, the story about Cedar Fair offering Geauga Lake's Big Dipper for free, would have gone to press. How many journalists would have questioned the auctioneer, who is representing Cedar Fair by proxy? Who's to say if Cedar Fair, when asked directly regarding the alleged "free" offer, would have been truthful? The fact the former president spoke up ensured the statement made by the auctioneer is disputed, and perhaps erroneous. Certainly, ACE could have wrote the paper after the fact. By then however, it's too late and a rebuttal would be very unlikely to be featured in a prominent section. Having ACE "legal" contact Cedar Fair or the press would be a laughable waste of time and money, which would result in nothing.

 

I have no idea how ACE operates (I'm not a member). Many people dislike the organization, and I'm sure they have legitimate reasons. I just go to themeparks for a good time and leave the credit whoring for those with deeper pockets than myself. I think the response by Norton painted Cedar Fair, and not ACE in a bad light. Just my humble opinion.

 

Great PTR BTW!

[QueenCityBoy]

I was an ACE member for 2 years then realized how crazy ACE people were so i dropped out quickly.

 

I agree that i just go to parks to have fun. I don't have the money to waste on a company that just uses it for their coaster trips and the so called museum that will never open.

 

I really hope Cedar Fair shuts the door in their face now and no longer welcomes ACE events at any of their parks.

 

Alot of people in ACE (at least some of the ones i have meet but not all) can be very psychotic and i'm tired of them thinking they know everything about coasters.

 

Sorry if i don't spend every minute of my day riding coasters and looking over every detail of every coaster and get a woodie over ERT.

[spaceace12]

I did join a coaster club, but not ace, because of coaster events. There is plenty of them out there that are 20 dollars. I joined Great Ohio Coaster Club and the membership paid for itself in one event. During the GOCC Spring Fling at Indiana Beach, for 45 dollars, I got two ride bands, 2 hours of ERT, Skyroom Restraunt Brunch, and a sky coaster ride. Costs for the event was 45 dollars. To join was 20. Two ride bands costs 46, ERT costs was probably worth about 20-30 per person, the brunch had to be around 10 because there was three tables of food plus a omelet chef, and the sky coaster ride was 20 dollars value. So I paid 65 for coaster club membership and the club event and got 96 dollars worth of stuff in two days. I don't know what kind of costs ACE is (I think I heard membership is 50), but I bet they can't beat that deal for what we got.

 

/off topic

 

on topic.

 

I think what the auctioneer said was a digg on ACE, but it doesn't take a genious to know that ACE wouldn't be able to afford to dismantle, store, move again, and rebuild a coaster.

[Jew]

^I would guess the intent of offering the coaster to ACE was that they figured ACE would facilitate finding a new home for the ride.