Photo TR: Valleyfair - Photo's of Camp Snoopy

[RCjunkie]

Joined the site recently and noticed nobody has done a trip report for Valleyfair since 2010 so figured I would give it a shot and do one.

 

The only major change since 2010 was the addition of Camp Snoopy . The upgrade looks great and was needed since some of kiddy rides were originals from when the park opened in 1976. A few of those rides survived the conversion and have been re-themed to look good again. This TR is to show you how every thing turned out and what changes were made.

 

I took these pictures last fall on September 15th, the last Saturday before the park converted to Valley Scare. This is my first trip report so if anyone actually reads this and comments please don't be too brutal. It is a rather lengthy TR because I wanted you to see all of the new stuff. I also need your help with an Intamin question at the end of the TR. Let’s get started and I’ll see if I can throw in a few TPR clichés too.

Welcoming us to Valleyfair today. Which is unfortunately no longer Valleyfair!. After the Camp Snoopy conversion we lost the explanation point from the name so now it’s just Valleyfair with a flag above the ‘I’ and no explanation point. Bummer.

See, just the flag now. Snoopy also kicked out our old mascot Colonel Omp Pah Pah.

After you enter the gates this is the new fountain that replaced the old Disco Ball fountain.

Oh wow, the Antique Cars queue is dismantled! That’s a nice piece of land there, we must be getting a new ride!

Or...maybe not.

This Dinosaurs Alive addition is sure moving along quickly. Or is this just the famous Jeff Johnson without cigarettes?

Entrance into Camp Snoopy.

In case you forgot where you were. High Rollers lift hill in the background.

Moon Bounce.

Corkscrew's track and supports got a facelift with its new yellow and orange colors. Still the old blue cars though.

Tugboat.

Bench theming.

More theming.

This guy seems to be everywhere.

Rocket Express.

A Rocket Express train with a Wild Thing train in the background. This is my artsy ‘Two trains' shot of the trip.

Teacups ……I mean Whirlybirds.

Total egomaniac, this guy is everywhere.

The Bugs. An original ride that made the conversion.

Valleyfair finally got that rumored B&M flyer.

Swinging.

The old Trapeze Swings re-themed. This has been at the park since it’s opening.

A shot of High Rollers trims for the enthusiasts along with the second car in a coaster cocoon. High Roller had some work done during the Camp Snoopy upgrade that really improved the turn around and some other areas. It definitely made the ride better.

Not today High Roller. I rode alone in the middle of the bench seat. Take that Cedar Fair!

This is for KT and Frog Hopper enthusiasts everywhere.

Balloon Race.

Peanuts 500.

Yellow Submarine.

More theming.

This is the Linus Cosmic Coaster. It’s the re-themed DRAGON coaster from Dorney Park that replaced Mild Thing and is now giving kids in Minnesota some good times. Thank you Dorney Park! Also a new credit in the park …nice.

Here is a closer look of the re-themed trains. They turned out pretty nice.

Planes.

The back entrance to Camp Snoopy. After 30 years of the blue tracks on Corkscrew it’s weird to see them orange and yellow. But it does look good since it now fits in with Camp Snoopy.

They also repainted the Mad Mouse tracks and supports with same colors to fit in with Camp Snoopy. They kept the cars the same old colors though.

The sign is still original colors too. Also one of the only places where you can still see the explanation point in Valleyfair!

Shot of Renegade’s lift hill for you enthusiasts.

As the wise coaster sage who lives in the in the liar of the Huge Hummel Boy once wrote in a TPR report, “…if they had to name a ride after a Styx tune, 'Renegade' was probably the best choice.” True. But considering the rest of the coasters in the park 'Best of Times' may have worked too.

This was the line for Renegade today. 4 laps in 30 minutes. A good day!

More trim from Renegade for you enthusiasts that just can’t get enough.

Another cool thing they did in 2011 besides Camp Snoopy was finding the old Excalibur sword for the sign. Unfortunately it didn’t improve the ride and now the sign is better than the ride.

Here is a shot of the amphitheater that has not been used in years (except for Haunt) and is officially ‘off the map’ for the 2012 Valleyfair map. Can we label it SBNO? It will be interesting to see what replaces it in the next few years.

Went to ride Steel Venom on the way out.

When looking under the cover of Steel Venom on the way to the queue line what is that I see?

An owl?

I look further down under the cover and look………

Another owl?

Actually these owls have been here all year. But why are they here of all places? This is where I need your help to understand this. I currently have two theories about them. 1) Valleyfair has a fun maintenance crew with a tech that has a sense of humor. Or… 2) These are “Intiman Owls” and they are a safety feature. If Steel Venom ever becomes a giant steel zombie snake, the Owls will grow 1000 times there size, snatch up the steel zombie snake with their claws and fly it away from the park to save all of the patrons. Yeah! Someone must have a better theory. Please leave your comments below.

Took this shot leaving the park at the stop light while leaning out my passenger car window. Also one of the only few places you can see the explanation point still in Valleyfair!

[BisonRugbyGuy]

I believe the owls are there to prevent birds from building nests in the track.

[cfc]

I did think it was a bit odd that there was no sword in the Excalibur sign, although I guess it was no odder than naming a bizarre, mutant mine-train coaster for a piece of Arthurian legend.

 

I think Planet Snoopy looks much better than the dated kids area we walked through back in 2010--although the old hedge maze was kind of fun.

[Randomman295]

^And people keep calling the Morgan Hypercoasters "mutant mine trains".

 

Great update! I really think you captured Valleyfair's good photogenic qualities with those pictures. But how come you couldn't get this into TPR sooner?

[mcjaco]

I'd say this is a great first PTR, especially of a park that doesn't get a lot of love here.

 

I hit Valleyfair twice in two years awhile back. Once, was obviously for Renegade. I liked the park but is was very hodge podgy and didn't have much of a flow, and I thought the kids area was terrible. Camp Snoopy looks awesome, and hopefully it'll be a draw away from MOA as well.

[cfc]

It is too bad about Baron Oom Pah Pah, though. Surely, he and Snoopy could've coexisted.

[RCjunkie]

I believe the owls are there to prevent birds from building nests in the track.

 

That makes sense. Thanks for the answer. Just never thought about that considering the park borders the 1000 plus acre River Valley nature preserve and assumed birds would rather be there considering how close it is. And with all the people, music and noise around the ride when it is operating I thought that would just keep them away too. Plus I have never seen anything like this on Wicked Twister or Vertical Velocity when I rode those over the last 2 years so they must not have this problem like this location. Of course the canopy provides protection so I can see why they would like that. And also the fact the birds probably view it as a large statue that they just can't miss when nature calls.

[RCjunkie]

^And people keep calling the Morgan Hypercoasters "mutant mine trains".

 

Great update! I really think you captured Valleyfair's good photogenic qualities with those pictures. But how come you couldn't get this into TPR sooner?

 

I just joined the site in February so that is the main reason. I had no intention of doing a TR report and these are just pictures I took last year on a visit for myself to capture how the park has changed for posterity. But up here in the Great White North the off season is long, it snowed yesterday (which is even late for Minnesota) and I was looking through the website at other TR's to remember warmer times in anticipation for the new season and just decided to get off my backside and try a post. Considering that no one has ripped on me too hard for the TR I may do more of them now. Thanks for the feedback.

[RCjunkie]

I'd say this is a great first Photo TR, especially of a park that doesn't get a lot of love here.

 

I hit Valleyfair twice in two years awhile back. Once, was obviously for Renegade. I liked the park but is was very hodge podgy and didn't have much of a flow, and I thought the kids area was terrible. Camp Snoopy looks awesome, and hopefully it'll be a draw away from MOA as well.

 

The kids area was terrible and this update was badly needed. The park is VERY hodge podgy and does lack a good flow but Camp Snoopy really helped the north side of the park overcome this now with the re-design. There is now a valley between High Roller and Corkscrew with nothing but 'new' kiddy rides and redone paths of stone. It really helped the park look good again. Over the last 2 years I have also noticed more families and kids with a fuller parking lot but the lines for the bigger rides are only slightly larger in contrast by bringing in more kids. This has also spilled over into the water park attendance so that's good news for the park. And even better because it is more attendance that really doesn't affect my experience. The park needs to update Soak City next because of this. Even though I am not a water park fan and would rather see a new ride it is needed and overdue to attract the next generation for sure.

[GayCoasterGuy]

Great report and pictures! I love Excalibur, thought it was the best ride there. Yeah, it's an Arrow though

[RCjunkie]

It is too bad about Baron Oom Pah Pah, though. Surely, he and Snoopy could've coexisted.

 

I totaly agree. He coexisted with the Berstein Bears when they ruled the kiddy area with no problems. Even though the Baron looked like the neighbors drunk uncle that your parents warned you about he was an orignal. Been there since the park opened and he wasn't commercially exploited or 'corporatized' since he was only at one park. It is too bad an original themed character like no other in the CF chain is gone with nothing to remember him by, he will be missed by some. In the future maybe they can put up a plaque about him somewhere in the park or name a new ride after him.

[cfc]

Even though the Baron looked like the neighbors drunk uncle that your parents warned you about . . .

 

I always assumed that was the concept behind him.

[mcjaco]

Great report and pictures! I love Excalibur, thought it was the best ride there. Yeah, it's an Arrow though

 

You may have just completely wiped any credibility you had.

[larrygator]

The park did a really good job with Planet Snoopy.

[Dinnwitted]

The park did a really good job with Planet Snoopy.

It seems each park got identical versions of Planet Snoopy.

[Coaster Curt]

VF did a great job with Camp Snoopy, much needed and as stated the numbers of families in the park last year was way up from even the year before. They added pavers all around and planted a ton of trees, so in 15 years it will be a nice cool place to walk through.

 

I am just hoping that in 2014 VF gets some real love and ends up with a nice new coaster or two, but not getting my hopes up.

 

A redesign of the flow in the park would be a very good thing, it is kind of an out and back layout that can get bogged down in the middle if it is busy.

[Philrad71]

Thanks for sharing...you don't see too many Valleyfair reports on here.

 

I would really like to try and hit this park up with my Platinum Pass during one of my customer visits in Minneapolis. Just wish that they could get a coaster in there that would REALLY make me want to go. I also need to see if I could get out there in the summer versus the fall & winter during my previous trips.

 

Oh well, at least I was able to hit up MoA!

[cfc]

The park did a really good job with Planet Snoopy.

It seems each park got identical versions of Planet Snoopy.

 

There's some overlap in the rides, which isn't surprising--but each park has a little something to make their version of Planet Snoopy at least a little different.

[RCjunkie]

Thanks for sharing...you don't see too many Valleyfair reports on here.

 

I would really like to try and hit this park up with my Platinum Pass during one of my customer visits in Minneapolis. Just wish that they could get a coaster in there that would REALLY make me want to go. I also need to see if I could get out there in the summer versus the fall & winter during my previous trips.

 

Oh well, at least I was able to hit up MoA!

 

On your next business trip just let me know when your in town and I'll take you there if you want. It's only 30 minutes from downtown and if your in the suburbs it is even a shorter drive. Unfortunately, unless your really into GCI woodies there is not a coaster that makes you want to come here but you should at least once see the park that put the 'Fair' in Cedar Fair if you are that close. The good news is that it is not high volume park so you can go after work during Twilight Hours and still get on all of the coasters with some re-rides on Renegade and a flat or two. Winter obvioulsy does not work but the fall is gorgeous here when all the trees turn colors and if your here on a weekend day. Getting on seats 7 and 8 (red columns) for Power Tower allows you to get an elevated look over the Minnesota River Valley nature preserve which is adjacecent to the park and can be quite a unique view for fall colors that most parks do not have.