Fun Spot America Discussion Thread

[dragonskeep]

I went by and checked out the land for the new expansion, via Paratrooper. I wanted to see if there were any signs about the expansion but there wasn't. They do have a Sreaming Swing in the parking lot but that must be Skull Kingdom's. I guess they have plans to add it to the new area.

 

Can anyone guess what the large circle is in the screenshot? The one sitting on the building.

[deathbydinn]

^ Looks like their Ferris Wheel to me. In the pictures on the first page in this thread it looks very cramped, so maybe they're planning on moving it to open up some space and provide better overviews of the new area?

[O-Town77]

While planning this water park, I have had MANY conversations with the owner. Trust me, he’s got a winner on his hands. Only wish I would’ve thought of it first

 

I don't agree.

Considering how tough financing is to get now -- I can't believe Fun Spot found a bank dumb enough to give them the money for the water park. The roller coaster / ride expansion is a good expansion for them -- they'll have the only wooden coaster in town. But when there are places already giving a similar experience away for FREE in this area -- it's not a great place to try to charge admission.

 

Well folks, there you have it…pull your money out right now. Based on the experience above it’s doomed. I kid, I kid.

 

Actually I remember reading on local sites about the impending failure of Cowabunga Bay when it was first announced. As a profession I resist from going back to those sites and saying “I told you so” but sometimes late at night when no one is around I secretly say to myself “I told you so”, and it feels good. I imagine some of us on here may enjoy that same feeling in a couple of years.

 

You do have a point that Salt Lake and Orlando are very different markets. If I can make it here on 1,000,000 population, 100 day operating schedule and Utah Summer weather, than I am sure that the added warm Florida weather, 365 day operation schedule and 12,000,000 tourists on top of the local market should help them pay back those stupid banks.

 

Well, Time will tell.

 

Personally, I would have never bet against Cowabunga Bay simply because of who designed and manages it.

Shane did re-invent the whole water park concept with Cowabunga Bay and proved that you don't need a 40 acre mega park to make money.

 

My biggest worry is that Fun Spot’s John Arie Jr. sounds just like Kent Buescher circa 2004 (in interviews). As a former Cypress Gardens employee -- Fun Spot's water park expansion gives me way too much Deja Vu. I fear that they are trying to grow it too quick and pile on too much debt. It all crashed and burned within 5 years for the former Cypress Gardens Adventure Park.

 

I wish them the best of luck. Orlando could use every job it can get. I hope the risk pays off for them.

[robbalvey]

^ Hypothetically speaking, If Cypress Gardens was off I-Drive, I feel it would have had a MUCH better chance of survival than it did in the middle-of-nowhere Polk County. I don't feel the park itself was Cypress Gardens weakness, it was the location. At least with Legoland, while the location is still poor, IMO, they actually do have a product people may go out of the way for. But that's a very different discussion for another topic....

 

What I'm trying to say is, even if the Fun Spot expansion isn't a slam-dunk success, they already have one thing going for them - location.

[Jew]

I would also imagine given the current economy, they are getting some pretty favorable terms on any added debt for this expansion. Maybe even some tax credits for creating jobs?

 

I think this quote from the article sums up why it has a decent chance of success:

 

"I enjoy it because I don't have to get on rides with her and it's cheaper because I don't have to pay to get in," said Sonia Payne, who was visiting Orlando.

 

Orlando has always needed something below the "big 3" to give budget tourists and locals somewhere they can go without spending a fortune. Fun Spot appears to be heading in the right direction to fufill that need.

Edited November 29, 2011 by Jew

[dragonskeep]

I ran across a list of future and current I-drive expansion, can't remember where, that said the Fun Spot coasters would be an old style wooden coaster with new wood steel hybrid technology and a inverted family coaster, probably one of those splashy things. When I saw the screen grab I knew what it reminded me of but couldn't place it, but that's it, a splashy inverted thing. I hope it's something else but thats what it looks like.

 

I also saw another set of plans for the 10 acres which definitely had a major attraction pad big enough for Big Fun. If someone with a brain finds it maybe they could post it. These plans had no steel coaster represented so I'm inclined to say it is an older version of the site plan. Pretty sure the screengrab is mostly accurate but that's only a guess.

[O-Town77]

I also saw another set of plans for the 10 acres which definitely had a major attraction pad big enough for Big Fun. If someone with a brain finds it maybe they could post it. These plans had no steel coaster represented so I'm inclined to say it is an older version of the site plan. Pretty sure the screengrab is mostly accurate but that's only a guess.

 

I'd imagine that Fun Spot's plans are still in a state of flux since there are so many projects currently in development for I Drive. With so many future wild cards like the Orlando Eye or the Thrill Park -- they are probably evolving the plan to differentiate themselves. I'd be curious to see the alternate ideas they are considering.

[xVicesAndVirtues]

I'm another local who is totally on board with this idea.

 

I know that the strip of I-drive between Kirkman Road and the outlets seems kind of dead, but I really think that it just "feels" dead because of Festival Bay and a lack of other interesting attractions there right now. I think that this will really amp up that end of I-drive again. Festival Bay is really only so much of a failure because Millenia is a mile up the road, and I can vouch for that because I run one of the stores in Millenia and not only has business grown more year after year, Orlando visitors will buy anything! Also, don't forget that the outlet center is right there, and that place is always busy. It's impossible to find a parking spot there.

 

I can't wait to see the results of the expansion and I'm itching for the details on the new coasters. I'll listen to the experts in this thread on this one. I think this expansion will only result in further future expansion.

[O-Town77]

I'm another local who is totally on board with this idea.

 

I know that the strip of I-drive between Kirkman Road and the outlets seems kind of dead, but I really think that it just "feels" dead because of Festival Bay and a lack of other interesting attractions there right now. I think that this will really amp up that end of I-drive again. Festival Bay is really only so much of a failure because Millenia is a mile up the road, and I can vouch for that because I run one of the stores in Millenia and not only has business grown more year after year, Orlando visitors will buy anything! Also, don't forget that the outlet center is right there, and that place is always busy. It's impossible to find a parking spot there.

 

I can't wait to see the results of the expansion and I'm itching for the details on the new coasters. I'll listen to the experts in this thread on this one. I think this expansion will only result in further future expansion.

 

It's so true.

 

I know Belz dumped the outlet mall on Prime because of the how that section of I Drive was trending. Festival Bay died a painful death. Ron Jon claimed it was the technology that killed their surf park, put I suspect it was their financial prospects at that location that truly doomed it. (After all, Fantasy Surf is doing relatively well with a sorta shrunk-down idea of the Ron Jon concept). The Toy Train museum was losing a ton a money on North I Drive, but is now profitable since they moved closer to the convention center/Sea World area.

 

The company I work for did several feasibility studies for a couple commercial projects -- but the lease rates for the pads on North International Drive are absurd and the low vehicle traffic past Kirkman killed every project. The numbers are really grim in this "dead zone." So far, Prime Outlets has bucked the trend.

[Hilltopper39]

Those outlets are always completely packed, especially during the holidays. Uncomfortably crowded at times.

[O-Town77]

Those outlets are always completely packed, especially during the holidays. Uncomfortably crowded at times.

 

Yep, it's the only thing that does well on the north side of I-Drive. It certainly doesn't hurt that it is visible from I-4.

Belz really didn't plan the place particularly well -- Mall 1 has such narrow corridors and the bizarre cross shape, that

they couldn't expand the original building when needed.... and were forced to build separate buildings and Mall 2.

 

I know retail architects actually study it -- to see what not to do (regarding Mall 1).

Mall 2 definitely was executed better.

Edited November 30, 2011 by O-Town77

[Hilltopper39]

^Yeah and the parking situation at that place on a crowded day can be a nightmare! I know the outlet mall is a little off topic here but when that place gets insanely crowded traffic can be a complete standstill all the way down I-Drive back to Kirkman, which could affect this Fun Spot development a little bit.

[dragonskeep]

As far as the Ron Jon surf park goes, I really think it was technology related. They had a small mock up on site for a long time it just sucked. They simply couldn't get the waves to work as advertised. If they could have it would have done alright there, Vans does ok. If Fun Spot builds a good attraction and staffs it right I think they will have continued success in that location. Look at bass pro, it's busy all the time.

 

That wooden coaster could be a big draw for them and I can't wait to see what they build.. The Fun Spot folks rode some great coasters last summer while researching for their own ride. Voyage and RF2 may have influenced their decision. I say that because the hybrid rumor strikes me as being plausible.

[xVicesAndVirtues]

^Vans is actually closing the Festival Bay location come January. Bass pro is keeping that place alive. The rest of the mall is just dead.

 

Where did the Fun Spot owners go coaster riding in their research? Just curious...

[dragonskeep]

^With the Festival Bay mall conversion I have heard the Vans park is staying, are you sure it's closing? I heard the Fun Spot folks went to a couple parks in CT, Indiana, Pa, Jersey, some square state and the Dells I'm sure there's some I forgot. It does seem like they really wanted to get a feel for the good rides that were out there. That's a good sign for sure but who knows what they could afford in their buiness plan. I don't know what they have decided but there was definitely an interest in Gravity Group's rides. Several other builder's rides they could have gotten on up there including GCI of course.

[eddytheviper]

Can I just put say, I understand (read in the sentinel) the Vans location is closing because the owners of Festival Bay did not offer another term to rent...

 

I understand they are more or less levelling most of the place to then turn it into another outlet, right?

 

Anyway, back to Fun Spot, it's going to be a "HUGE!!" expansion, I really hope it's a success.

[dragonskeep]

^ It does appear Van's is closing but it did do very well on the dead end of I-Drive.

[O-Town77]

From what I heard, the new owners of Festival Bay didn't like the type of customers that went to Van's skate park.

They want to redevelop the 'Bay into an upscale open air retail mall for yuppies -- young people are not invited apparently.

 

Van's wanted to renew their lease, but the new landlords wouldn't budge. So yeah, the skate park is closing down.

[xVicesAndVirtues]

Yeah, Vans and most of the mall except for a few shops like Bass Pro are closing, and as stated above, the whole place is basically being gutted/remodeled to be an outdoor shopping center...which again I doubt will be successful, because the super high-end brands already have their footing at Millenia.

 

I wonder if there's a chance this wooden coaster could end up being a Gravity Group creation. I just hope that if it is, they take much better care of it so its a Ravine Flyer II and less a Hades.

 

I wish they'd invest in something like a Mega Lite from Intamin for their steel coaster. One of these in Orlando would be so epic. But that would fall into the category of very, very wishful thinking. We'd be more likely to be spared any hurricane for a straight ten year period.

[larrygator]

With the expansion the park has a new name. Hello, Fun Spot America

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/print-edition/2011/12/02/fun-spot-adopts-new-name-expansion.html

 

Fun Spot adopts new name as part of $20M expansion

 

Orlando Business Journal by Richard Bilbao, Reporter

Date: Friday, December 2, 2011

 

It’s official: Fun Spot .. Action Park on International Drive is elbowing its way into a bigger league.

 

It plans to add more than a dozen new attractions and rides as part of a $20 million expansion slated for completion in March 2013. It also plans to rebrand itself as an amusement park dubbed Fun Spot America with thematic elements of American culture. That would be a step up from its current designation as a family entertainment center — typically a small attraction marketing to locals.

[dragonskeep]

Any chance that about half of the 20 million goes to the woodie. That doesn't seem like a lot of money to build that much stuff. DOes the 20 million include the water park?

[AndrewRnR]

^ I believe the Big Fun model was quoted at around 3 million dollars.

[dragonskeep]

^ I am still hoping for a little more fun than Big Fun. The Big Fun coaster does look very cool though. I think an Out and Back would fit their property a lot better. I would anchor this new park with the best woodie I could afford but 3 million for BF is hard to beat, and concept wise it's perfect for Fun Spot.

[ernierocker]

I think the writing is pretty much on the wall that this will be a Big Fun coaster. You have the rumor that one had been bought in Florida which coincided perfectly with the announcement that the park was building a wooden coaster.

[SoCalCoasters]

I was actually shocked when I heard the price of a big fun was only around 3 million considering many of GCI's larger investments go up to around 10 million when all is said and done. I think its layout is great and for how little it costs compared to most other coasters, I think it will be a perfect fit!