Photo TR: The new Route 76 at Valleyfair

[RCjunkie]

After a long and cold winter Valleyfair opened the gates last Friday for the 2014 season so I stopped in to check out the new Route 76 and all the other changes in the park. That’s what this trip report is about, just to capture all the changes in the park for 2014.

 

Northern Lights was not running when I was there on Friday before I left but I was notified by valleyfairfanatic (thank you) on these boards that it was up and running later in the day so I went back Saturday to get some pictures and ride it for myself.

 

Some observations or Route 76 and the other changes.

- Route 76 is a great addition to the park, great design by VF and CF.

- It really brings life to that area of the park now.

- The rides in the area are very tightly put together yet there is plenty of room.

- The atmosphere with all the rides running in the area is fun.

- Northern Lights is a great family ride, better than I thought it would be.

- They did a great job on the Scrambler and Tilter refurbs.

- The Antique Auto track is bigger and better than the last one.

- VF did a real nice job of landscaping and adding trees. It should look great in 5 years.

- On another note High Roller and Renegade both ran great with their new track work.

- The new sound system in the park is great, major upgrade through out the park.

 

When looking at this TR notice all the trees with no leaves on them due to the very late spring. I will need to follow up with another one once they bloom to see how it looks. So let’s get this trip report started for the changes this year at Valley Fair - America’s Frozen Coast!

Right as you walk in the entrance there is a newly remodeled shop called Sweet that has all kinds of candy’s. It looked great inside, so good I forgot to take a picture. Next time.

I did remember to take a shot through the display window for the Route 76 merchandise though. And of course that is ‘themed’ candy in those glass jars.

Once you get past the main gate you see the new Auntie Anne’s pretzel palace. Nice to see how they fit it in with the ‘old’ Cinnabon building. I will try you one day hot dog wrapped buy a pretzel with cheese and jalapeño. Be warned.

Then right around the corner is the new performance stage where the old Scrambler used to be.

This is a new sign just left of the main entry for Route 76. Interesting how they still have the exclamation point in Valleyfair! on the sign. I guess it’s a nod to the old school park name for Route 76 which works for me. Somehow they need to get something in Route 76 about the old park mascot Colonel Omp Pa Pa.

At the start of Route 76 is this car that rotates with a tree tower floor pot holder behind it and to the right of it. If spring ever arrives here I’m sure they will look good once they bloom.

Elk in the turn around of Wild Thing for the Antique Auto’s as your walking towards Route 76.

Shot of the refurbished Scrambler.

A refurbished orange Scrambler car.

A refurbished yellow Scrambler car.

The new Valleyfair gourmet hot dog food truck.

Food Truck Menu. Yesterday’s menu was $12.99 that included a drink and a Coke. I will definitely be eating here in the future. I did not have one because you have to be hungry, they are a foot long and huge. The Sonora Dog looks good.

Here is a shot of the Chicago Dog by Valleyfair GM Dave Frazier from his twitter account.

The new Steel Venom Queue which is now parallel to the ride instead of horizontal like before.

Steel Venom queue from another angle.

The Antique Autos Station sign.

The Antique Auto queue as popular as ever.

The newly refurbished Tilter. Look at all those new trees with barely any leaves yet. Should look great in another month.

Tilter close up.

Another of a Tilter car close up.

Classic Tilter sign. It’s been updated and refurbished but still has that old school look. I approve!

Rear view of the Antique Autos loading station.

Antique Autos with Northern Lights in the back ground.

No Bumping Allowed. Noted!

Antique Auto Advertising on the route.

More AA advertising on the route for the ride.

The Antique Autos running under Northern Lights arch.

The opposite angle of the Antique Autos under the Northern Lights arch.

Antique Auto track under Wild Thing.

Antique Autos Gas Station on the route track.

Northern Lights from the Steel Venom end.

Northern Lights from another angle and also the view from the new Picnic Point.

Northern Lights in action.

Northern Lights control panel for control panel enthusiasts.

Shot of completed Picnic Point. There is another 2 buildings to the left of this not in the shot. They have a lot a room to run multiple events at one time here now if they want. Now on to the rest of the changes in the park.

It’s another instance of amusement park SEAT BELT GATE 2014! Are you kidding me? After 37 years High Roller no longer has the seat belt that goes all the way from one side of the car to the other? Is that really 2 seat belts I see? Yes it is boys and girls. You can no longer ride in the middle of the seat if you ride solo, it’s only a memory now. I will seriously miss riding in the middle and don't like it but I understand the safety aspect. How does this affect it’s ACE recogniton?

There are now FUN TV's in all of the coaster queue lines but since Renegade is my favorite ride I only took pictures of those TV's. One of two FUN TV screens in the Renegade queue tunnel with park trivia on it.

And the trivia answer.

The third FUN TV in the Renegade line as you come out of the tunnel and into the stair turn around.

A new trim compressor for 2014 on Renegade. Why does everyone in line look at me funny when I take a picture of a brake trim?

A shot of some new wood on Renegade out of the load station and it goes all the way to the base of the lift hill. Also new wood from the base of the drop hill, over the first hill, halfway through the big turn around, the low hill after that, the following right turn all the way through the left turn under the lift hill which makes it ride great again. Thank you Valleyfair maintenance crew!

Half of the spot where the IMAX theater used to stand. Look at all that room.

The other half of the spot where IMAX used to be and where the new Volleyball courts are. If they do expand the water park here is even more room for them to play with.

This year…GRASS - The Ride! This is where the Hydro Blaster used to be. Even more adjacent land to the water park to play with.

GRASS - The Ride 2! Where the Tilter used to be in front of Wild Thing.

Yup, we got one of these too this year.

The now defunct Excalibur soda station which is has become a new area for the new electronic code lockers.

Is it really a game of skill if kids can play until they win? This softer younger generation.

Ed Alonzo continues his CF tour. Well, that is all the changes for Valleyfair this year. Drop your comments and let me know what you think of how they did.

Edited May 19, 2014 by RCjunkie

[firewalk13]

Thanks for the great TR. The park looks very nice!

[John Peck]

Yep, new insurance regulations are requiring each rider to have his/her own individual seatbelt. Seat Dividers are next.