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Geauga Lake Discussion Thread


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While I never went to the park when Six Flags owned it, I did go the year before it closed. This wasn't too long after they removed Steel Venom and the flyer, but before they moved Dominator. I loved the setting of that coaster (right on the lake) and even the SLC was pretty cool above the water.

 

I remember walking from the front parking lot (ride side) to the water park only to discover it PACKED, so I hiked all the way back to my car to drop off the gymbag - it seemed like an eternity so I can imagine what hell it must have been walking around the entire lake and through the marine park section!

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^ Not too much in there that I didn't already know, but an interesting read nonetheless - thank you for sharing. It is very sad to see such a historic park (as well as a Sea World) go down the way that it did.

 

Being that Anheuser Busch didn't get it done, maybe Great Lakes Brewery could buy the land and open up their own theme park?

 

I am also wondering how much longer the water park will hold out. Perhaps if they would sink some money into expansion, I would go....but the fact that even Soak City makes this park look good makes me have no desire to drive three hours to get there. I'd rather just continue on to CP...which is certainly what Kinzel would have wanted!

 

I don't think the water park is going anywhere soon. Most people still love the place and get season passes every year. Last time I was there I noticed an empty lot/field that would be big enough for a new slide tower (Drop Pod Slides at 122 feet tall anyone?) and a pile of white rotting wood that appears it could be from RWB.

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^It certainly seems that they would have plenty of room for expansion, but they have not added anything new in years and seemed quite small. I guess as long as it's still bringing in crowds/revenue then it most likely won't be going anywhere. Of course, that's what we thought about Geauga Lake too!

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While I never went to the park when Six Flags owned it, I did go the year before it closed. This wasn't too long after they removed Steel Venom and the flyer, but before they moved Dominator. I loved the setting of that coaster (right on the lake) and even the SLC was pretty cool above the water.

 

I remember walking from the front parking lot (ride side) to the water park only to discover it PACKED, so I hiked all the way back to my car to drop off the gymbag - it seemed like an eternity so I can imagine what hell it must have been walking around the entire lake and through the marine park section!

 

The park was insanely massive when it was SFWoA. The park maps were amazing though... I still have a few of them from 2003. I was lucky enough to visit the place at least once when it was "originally" Geauga Lake and SeaWorld, SF Ohio, SFWoA, and then back to GL. It just got too big for its own good when Premier combined the two parks, and the Cedar Fair downsizing didn't help the perception that the place was doing too well. I remember slogging over to the south gate in 2004 before WildWater Kingdom was back there, and it was sad to see the marine section boarded over there. All that was back there that season was the 3D movie, the simulator, and a handful of flats.

 

I really miss SeaWorld the most - it was probably the nicest theme park in the state and it was always a big deal when Shamu would come back into town after the winter. If there hadn't been the "no rides" clause that prevented it from directly competing with Geauga Lake, it probably could have made its way through 2000, but Mission Bermuda Triangle had no hope of drawing the crowds of Millennium Force or *four* new coasters across the lake.

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Being that Anheuser Busch didn't get it done, maybe Great Lakes Brewery could buy the land and open up their own theme park?

 

They can call it Great Lakes Gardens.

 

I really miss SeaWorld the most - it was probably the nicest theme park in the state and it was always a big deal when Shamu would come back into town after the winter.

 

Though I had gone to Sea World a couple of times as a kid it was never a draw for me as I got older though I do remember in the later days they tried to basically give away the gate to draw attendance.

 

I will say that the first time I walked through the then SFWoA Wild Life side I was amazed at how nice it looked. At least Six Flags pretty much kept what A-B had done landscaping wise as when you needed a break from the rides it was always nice to walk through the Wild Life side.

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If there was a park devoted to craft beer, it would definitely be in Cleveland. Maybe have Michael Symon open up a B-Spot or something at the park too while we're at it .

 

I wish that there were more photos floating around of the Wildlife side. Geauga Guide used to have a bunch but that site's been dead for years.

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^ I was thinking the same thing and spent a couple of hours on here yesterday looking for past trip reports that may have included the wildlife side, but the TR's for this park were few and far between. I did a small one back in '07, but it was after CF purchased the park and the marine park was closed.

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That's fascinating - between this site, and others over the years, I would have guessed that the entire park would have been well documented. If anyone uncovers a good album, be sure to share - sounds like they did a nice job over there.

 

I still would love to see a current interview of Dick Kinzel - this was on is interesting, as it was done just prior to him bulleting the park http://www.cleveland.com/business/pdvideo/flash/index.ssf?ontherecord_0422video He claims they put $30mil into the waterpark, and he eerily foreshadows how the "coaster people can go to Cedar Point".

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^And to think Geauga Lake used to hold an Oktoberfest event ever year right up to closing. Coincidenatlly it would have been held this coming weekend, Sept 19-21. Always a great time to get some night rides since Friday and Saturday the park would close at midnight. Local bands, beer slides, cloggers, polka music, food vendors along the midway - it was awesome tradition.

 

I miss those days...alot.

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  • 6 months later...

^Firewood for a massive bonfire at Coaster Campout 2015?

 

Not to be insensitive to a classic coaster, but is it really feasible for any park to attempt to relocate this after sitting neglected since fall of 2007?

 

If someone really wanted it, it would have been moved years ago.

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From what I have heard, the trains,controls, and lift motor are gone and the track would need to be 100% replaced. I am not sure what shape the structure is in, but I assume that it's gotta be in ruff shape. So what's left to save?

 

They would have to rebuild it from the ground up.

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They would have to rebuild it from the ground up.

I would definitely be okay with another one of these "reproduction" Gravity Group coasters...

 

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A reproduced Big Dipper would end up with PTC's or even Timberliners which would not make it the same ride. Those roomy NAD style trains with well cushioned seats were probably the most comfortable trains to ride in. Plus given the bastardization of CP's Blue Streak as an example you would probably also have head rests and seat dividers.

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I had always assumed that the trains Big Dipper had until closing were heavily modified NADs. At the very least, given photos I've seen, they seem to have the same lapbar mechanism. But then, this is someone who never got to visit Geauga Lake, so...

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  • 3 weeks later...

According to this article from the Akron Beacon Journal, Wildwater Kingdom will be receiving no new attractions this year. I think most of us had already figured that out, but I feel bad for this waterpark since they hardly ever get anything new.

No new attraction this season at Geauga Lake’s Wildwater Kingdom, Big Dipper left untouched

By CRAIG WEBB Published: April 14, 2015

Cedar Fair has no plans to open a new major attraction at Geauga Lake’s Wildwater Kingdom this summer.

 

Jason McClure, who oversees the water park along with Cedar Point, said Wildwater Kingdom is a “great water park” and Cedar Fair plans to keep it a regional summer destination.

 

McClure made the comments about Wildwater Kingdom’s future during a meeting with reporters covering Cedar Point’s Winter Chill Out event.

 

The waterpark, which boasts Ohio’s tallest waterslide complex, has not had a new attraction since its wave pool opened in 2006.

 

The park is situated on the old Sea World side of lake and has set its 2015 opening for May 23.

 

On the other side of the lake, the old Geauga Lake Park and later Six Flags Worlds of Adventure before Cedar Fair purchased it and closed it 2007 remains in limbo.

 

Most of the park’s buildings have been razed and the rides removed, but the park’s Big Dipper roller coaster is still standing.

 

After the park closed, the famed wooden roller coaster was sold at auction, but the successful bidder never removed it.

 

McClure said workers closely monitor the closed coaster “along with everything” else left in the old park.

 

But he said there are no “immediate plans” for the Big Dipper.

 

“It’s been there a long time,” he said.

http://www.ohio.com/blogs/airtime/airtime-1.489637/no-new-attraction-this-season-at-geauga-lake-s-wildwater-kingdom-big-dipper-left-untouched-1.583481

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^ Do you know if attendance is still good at the park? Maybe it's just because that the park does well enough with it's current compliment of attractions that they don't need to add anything that frequently. I know plenty of water parks that do just fine and only add a new attraction every five years or so. Look at Adventure Island at Busch Gardens Tampa, for example, they got a new slide this year, but I think the last time they got something was close to 5 or 6 years ago, and that park does great business!

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