Geauga Lake Discussion Thread

[coastermaniac]

Robb, I understand where you are coming from...with a ton of background information, work experience, etc. and I understand the way you think. What I don't know is that if you've ever lived near a close by amusement park (that you've loved and charished for years) that was shut down, and if within that park there was a classic roller coaster that you've ridden countless times. What I'm trying to say is that many of these TPR posters are probably locals just trying to save something that they've loved for years. It just seems that many of you are trying to take their hopes and rip them to pieces. If something good happens, then good...if not, then oh well. Some of you just need to settle down and understand from a locals point of view.

[Dailey Enterprizes]

I imagine that a small group of people that's using their resources to revive a roller coaster hardly have any cash left to hire a public relations director. With that said, I don't know anything about roller coasters and how they should be dismantled and stored, but maybe this group is better at building coasters than they are at public speaking. It's just a thought I have. I wish them the best of luck, but I am not in any position to be helping anyone but myself. College owns my life right now... I would suggest that they try doing Pepsi Refresh project like Conneaut Lake Park did for the Blue Streak, but I don't know if anyone would vote for something that wouldn't have a guaranteed future.

[carolinacaniac]

... I would suggest that they try doing Pepsi Refresh project like Conneaut Lake Park did for the Blue Streak, but I don't know if anyone would vote for something that wouldn't have a guaranteed future.

 

CLP had a guaranteed future?

 

Robb, I understand where you are coming from...with a ton of background information, work experience, etc. and I understand the way you think. What I don't know is that if you've ever lived near a close by amusement park (that you've loved and charished for years) that was shut down, and if within that park there was a classic roller coaster that you've ridden countless times. What I'm trying to say is that many of these TPR posters are probably locals just trying to save something that they've loved for years. It just seems that many of you are trying to take their hopes and rip them to pieces. If something good happens, then good...if not, then oh well. Some of you just need to settle down and understand from a locals point of view.

 

I havn't seen anything from Robb or others who share disapproval that suggests that they don't care about personal attachment to the ride. What they are simply saying is that without a decent plan, they are going to struggle mightily to get any decent support for it.

 

Even if it fails, i can sleep easier knowing i at least *TRIED* to make a difference, rather than speculating and heresay without ever lifting a finger either way

 

I don't want to sound mean or uncaring, but honestly, there are much more important things in life to loose sleep over than a roller coaster. But if that is the case, melatonin is a sleep support suppliment that might be worth a try.

[cstrwomann]

We have been successful saving the Big Dipper for the last 3 years since the park closed it has been SBNO. I'm in shock and disbelief that this is happening at our park(GL). I was hoping that the coaster would remain at GL and reopen. The Big Dipper is very historical. It was built in 1925 and it's the oldest roller coaster in Ohio. I hope that these people have a plan and know people who know how to take down a coaster and rebuild one. It sounds like a great plan but without land, money, and people who want it to stay in Ohio you get nowhere. When are they supposed to dissassemble the ride/coaster?

[monsterfan99]

I would suggest that they try doing Pepsi Refresh project like Conneaut Lake Park did for the Blue Streak, but I don't know if anyone would vote for something that wouldn't have a guaranteed future.

Well, that would be the third wooden coaster to be up for a Pepsi grant. Which is sad I can type that and it's true.

[atem122]

What I don't really get is how the Big Dipper is going to mean anything to anyone out of the GL area. Like I mean it'd be cool to have some kind of sentimental attachment to it and be able to ride it again. But people in other cities don't give a crap about this, and the few people that feel strongly enough to save this ride are gonna have to travel x amount of distance to ride their beloved coaster. I could maybe see it worth saving if they were going to rehab it and keep it in the same spot, but moving it just makes it a mediocre coaster in a place that doesn't need it.

[ginzo]

It just seems that many of you are trying to take their hopes and rip them to pieces. If something good happens, then good...if not, then oh well. Some of you just need to settle down and understand from a locals point of view.

 

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate. Insulting a serious effort would be mean. We have been given nothing indicating that this is a serious effort by serious people with the necessary financial and technical resources to succeed. All we've seen from this group is a website that would have been questionable in 1996. Putting up a respectable-looking website is easy. Moving an ancient, probably mostly rotted out wooden roller coaster is hard. If they can't do easy stuff well, why should we believe they can pull off hard stuff?

[robbalvey]

It just seems that many of you are trying to take their hopes and rip them to pieces. If something good happens, then good...if not, then oh well. Some of you just need to settle down and understand from a locals point of view.

 

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

Sometimes it's better to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Sometimes a reality check is appropriate.

[robbalvey]

We have been successful saving the Big Dipper

Why does everyone from this "save the dipper" group keep saying this? It's like they are just repeating it to themselves over and over again because they want so badly to believe it. Reality check time...

 

NO ONE HAS SAVED ANYTHING! YOU BOUGHT A BUNCH OF POPSICLE STICKS!!!

 

Until the ride is up and running again, with a long-term plan to keep it running, no one has seen an ounce of success on this project. I don't even consider Starliner a success. That ride ran for what, not even 15 months before it was closed again? That, IMO, is an epic failure. All that work, money and effort to save a ride, and re-build a ride, only to have it now sitting in a pile popsicle sticks once again. FAIL!

 

I'll give you kudos for a success when the ride is up and running again, has a long term future, and is profitable with a viable business plan.

 

TPR isn't about dreams and magic, it's about reality. I didn't build up this website on dreams and magic. We don't put together our TPR tours with pixie dust. I don't just wave a magic wand and a new TPR DVD appears. Things don't happen because of fairy tales and leprechauns bringing you pots of gold. And from what I gather from this story so far, that's about sums it up.

 

Like I said a few pages back, I call it like I see it. You want me to look at this a different way, change my visuals.

 

--Robb

Edited October 3, 2010 by robbalvey

[robbalvey]

Devious I have deleted your post. If you want to post it again without your f**king obnoxious "I'm better than you" bullshit immature attitude, go for it. If not, get the f**k off of our forum. No one wants to be insulted by you and I'm not going to put up with it. If you are part of that SaveTheDipper "organization" then you're making them look terrible. Like I said before, insults are not going to get you donations. If you are going to continue with this behaviour and representing the group as such, no one is going to back you.

Edited October 3, 2010 by robbalvey

[fatdaddy]

 

TPR isn't about dreams and magic

 

We don't put together our TPR tours with pixie dust.

 

I don't just wave a magic wand and a new TPR DVD appears.

 

Things don't happen because of fairy tales and leprechauns bringing you pots of gold.

 

--Robb

 

Thanks for ruining the illusion Robb. What are you gonna do next tell me theres no Santa Claus, or thats not really Micky Mouse at Disneyland. I'm just gonna pretend you didn't say anything and go back to picturing Elissa with her pixie dust and you you with your magic wand.

[robbalvey]

^ Santa Claus IS real...but Mickey is just a girl in a suit...sorry.

[BigDipper 80]

This thread is like a car crash. I... just... can't... look... away...

 

 

 

I wish there was a way to hide threads so that I could prevent myself from reading all of the nonsense that is being spewed by everyone. It is deplorable. It's fine if people are excited, but that doesn't give them the right for either side to bash each other. People need to be more level-headed about this whole thing, and let it take its course of events. Even if you are rooting for the success of the project, just remember, the higher one's hopes go, the harder it comes crashing down. A wait-and-see attitude is the way to go at this point.

Edited October 5, 2010 by BigDipper 80

[mcjaco]

Just remember, the higher one's hopes go, the harder it comes crashing down. A wait-and-see attitude is the way to go at this point.

 

Personally I think we just update this thread annually and see where they're at.

[disneyfan1313]

I'm a little late to the party.... buuuuuuuut.

 

I think what bothers me most about this whole situation is not only the ignorance...but people HUMORING the ignorance. It's the equivalent of the mom on American Idol who tells her daughter "you are a GREAT singer and they don't know what they are talking about" when her daughter obviously should never sing again.

 

I have no problem giving people hope - but when the hope is misguided, wasteful and down right dangerous I feel that others need to get involved. It is horribly silly to think that they will be able to re-create this coaster anywhere even with the help of a major manufacturer (which I doubt will happen). It is sad and wasteful that they spent thousands upon thousands of dollars on this pipe-dream which could have been better spent... ANYWHERE (much less the argument it could have gone to charity or something else worthwhile). It is DANGEROUS because now they are probably going to have people without any construction experience trying to dismantle and cart away a huge structure.

 

We need pick up trucks... WTF!?!?!?!?!?

[KDcoasterMAN]

We need pick up trucks... WTF!?!?!?!?!?

 

That's the only thing that I think is ridiculous, I couldn't imagine seeing that rolling down the interstate.

[carolinacaniac]

Or imagine being at a rest stop, and there is a pick-up with a single car from the NAD train sitting in the back, half way out the back........something tells me it would take a bit more than some pick-up trucks, unless this is going to be an over-decade project. By all means I wish them luck since I enjoyed riding Big Dipper, but uh....yeah.

 

-Gary

[Jds03]

^^ The only thing? hahaha

 

But on a serious note, These people really need to step back and look at this entire thing as a whole. They are not "Saving" it like they want to think, they are in fact destroying this ride with their self proposed plan. they're spending a ton of private money (which really should go to a REAL charity) in order to disassemble this ride and move it to a warehouse, then it will be next to impossible to set it back up. These people are essentially PAYING the owners to get rid of the Big Dipper for them, which they've been intending to do for years now so that a shopping complex can be built over the former Geauga Lake.

 

Ok seriously now? Lets think for a second, so a bunch of people want to save the Big Dipper from being destroyed, and the owners want to built a shopping complex. Ok, how about we simply do BOTH. Leave the Big Dipper where it is and keep it as some sort of tourist grab, and build shops around it! What have we come to that we cant do something as simple as this and focus our efforts on real problems this world is facing!

 

Really. This if anything would be an enormous boost to the shopping complex's success, since all the people leaving the water park would come visit to see the big dipper. And really, it may sound far off, but if it really starts to be successful, they could maybe charge people 5 bucks a ride, and ask for some sort of portion of shops income to gather enough funds to hire four opps and have an inspector come and check up on the ride once annually. Is this really such a far off concept? Maybe, but it sure makes allot more sense than paying thousands of dollars to dismantle an 80 year old roller coaster and move it to a warehouse with a bunch of pickup trucks!

[jedimaster1227]

Hey guys, I've got news! I've bought the Starliner, the Maliboomer and the Mad Mouse from Quassy. I'd like to build them into a super coaster in an undisclosed location. I need someone to help me make T-Shirts, and anyone with a hammer can help me to move the new ride. I can't tell you anything more, but I promise, I know a thing or two about things. Trust me, my name is Adam.

 

See? I can do it too!

[CPmaverick]

What I don't really get is how the Big Dipper is going to mean anything to anyone out of the GL area.

It doesn't. I live in Columbus, which is the next closest big city to Geauga Lake, and no one knows about it or cares about it (we care about the totally uber insane Sea Dragon ). If it means nothing to most everyone here, it sure doesn't mean squat anywhere else in the country.

[DOCTOR DOOM!!!]

The best coaster in Louisville KY got moved over 12 hours away! Where would Big Dipper get moved to?! Would the locals even get to enjoy it?!

[let1gre]

These people that bought the Big Dipper have what I call "PeTA Syndrome" (and no offense to anyone who is a member of and/or supports PeTA). They obviously think that they are doing something good, for themselves and many others, which it could certainly be argued that they are. However, by not telling anyone their plan or how they are going to orchestrate it, they are doing themselves much more harm than good. With the addition of people like Devious coming in here and posting what he did, he is giving off an overall negative image, for a cause that could be considered a good one.

 

Moral of the story: Good heart, poor thinking. The group responsible for the purchase of this ride have been led by pathos as opposed to logos.

[beatle11]

The best coaster in Louisville KY got moved over 12 hours away! Where would Big Dipper get moved to?! Would the locals even get to enjoy it?!

 

That's actually a good point. The locals are the ones who have the fondest memories of the ride. Granted it is a classic ride and if properly restored and marketed in a new location even 12+ hours away, it could probably thrive. That said, I'm not to optimistic at this point.

[davisal771]

I'm a little late, but I personally think this has gone on too long... Just demolish the damn thing and give all the fans a piece of wood. Everyone knows (except the people trying to save it) that this is going to crash and burn. It's simple logic, really. It's going to cost 100's of thousands of dollars to move the ride and transport it.

Right now, I'm just gonna sit back, watch the show, and laugh when it all falls apart.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[robbalvey]

My contribution to the project: