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Michigan's Adventure (MiA) Discussion Thread


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What I was to take from conversations is that the bowl slide would end in the lazy river. Then I asked about a conveyor belt for the mine shaft slides and they went on to say the park was considering making mammoth river and mine shaft on the same platform to allow for less operators and to allow for a conveyor system.

 

But I could also see them moving the warehouse behind the waterpark which would clear a lot of room for new slides!

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Red could be easily an area where a bowl slide would and could fit, and the yellow could be a potential conveyor belt for the hill slides

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A conveyor would be great. I'm just not sure how feasible it is because of the angle of the hill. Looking at Google Street View in the water park, looks like the conveyor would need to be quite high in the air, unless it can change angles halfway up the hill.

 

That would be a nice place for a bowl slide. They don't take up much space after looking at Carowinds' variant.

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I was at the park today, and I had a lot of fun but operations were a disaster. Seriously. Corkscrew had one op. ONE!? she had to manually lock, check, and unlock the train by herself, car by car. Props to her though, I'm sure it wasn't her fault they were understaffed. What should've been walkons turned into at least a 15min wait. The thunderhawk crew was great though, very quick. But pretty much everything else was soo slow.

 

Enough about my day, here is what I think about 2016 speculation. First of all, I think the waterpark does not in any way need any expansion whatsoever. There was enough slides to make an entire day out of using it, instead of what most people do and do a half day at both sides of the park. Speaking of which, TO ANYONE WHO HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH MICHIGAN'S ADVENTURE EXPANSION PLANNING AND WHATNOT: CONNECT THAT PATH BEHIND WOLVERINE WILDCAT. PLEASE. Seriously, it was such a pain to walk all the way around and it is just about as bad as waiting for that godforsaken train. Literally rip that stupid thing out and connect that path. Put a coaster and a couple of flats in its place. I don't care how they do it. But just do it. The path is practically built already; they can pour blacktop for all I care (Yes I know that concrete is a must but still). The train is pointless. On the odd chance (lol chance) that you happen to catch the train when it is actually at the station, it still takes just about as long to walk around the park to the other side. It was poor planning on their part when they designed the park this way. Tear out the train and use the land. It's obviously usable, and the train is pretty much pointless. And the operator of the train probably couldn't care less; it was noon and he looked to be ready to go home. I think the park needs to work on their friendliness; only a couple of times I noticed ops being friendly. Although I am used to Disney-quality relations, but still. It isn't that hard to smile. The host at Grand Rapids and the hostess at Wolverine Wildcat were awesome, and the operator later in the day at Shivering Timbers was cool. Okay wow I got sidetracked sorry. Back to 2016. I know it is out of the question, but a GT-X would be PERFECT for MiAdv. Like they need a big steel coaster. Thunderhawk is fun and all, but they need something else. Hell, I'd take a Vekoma boomerang. But my ultimate goal would be that GT-X. I have not personally been on Lightning Run, but just from POVs I can tell it's superb. And it isn't too big whereas youngish kids couldn't ride it, but it also isn't too intense for older riders. Which is really what MiAdv is targeted toward right now, parents bringing their children. It would perfectly fit the demographics of the park and be a real attention-grabber. The main attraction at the park is 125 feet tall. Which is tiny. Shivering Timbers is amazing, don't get me wrong, but they can do better. Come on MiAdv, Valleyfair at least gets Wild Thing, can't you get something like that? It doesn't need to be a hyper coaster by any means. Literally any coaster. Anything. We're all begging. Not a disko. Please. And if it isn't a coaster, make it a big flat ride. Like a discus or Screamin' Swing. NOT a water ride. And don't try to theme anything either. It isn't the park to spend any extra money on themeing. Grand Rapids was an attempt, but it literally was like halfway done. The beginning of the ride is themed, then the middle is just concrete walls and trees, and then the end has one water fall. A flat ride and a coaster. Perfect. Beyond perfect. That's the ideal situation. Tear the train out, and develop the area beyond Wolverine Wildcat. It's the 60th anniversary. Do something. Shivering Timbers came for the 30th year in operation and look what a success that has been. It is the main reason I still go to the park. I live in Michigan and Cedar Point is still closer so I don't have much of a reason to go more than once a year, if that. To Michigan's Adventure: I like you, but I don't love you. You have just enough to keep you on my mind, but not enough to keep me interested for much longer. Make me WANT to come back. You have to do something every so often to keep the public interested. So interest me.

 

(Sorry for the hella long post I just wanted to put my piece in now I will go away)

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Yeah, you summed up pretty much everything that is ever talked about in this thread. And I totally agree about connecting the already existing path behind Wolverine Wildcat. That's about their only room for expansion at this point other than the area by Grand Rapids. I'm not counting on absolutely anything next year though. I've stopped getting my hopes up. But at this rate, the park wont even be operating anymore within a decade.

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Yeah, you summed up pretty much everything that is ever talked about in this thread. And I totally agree about connecting the already existing path behind Wolverine Wildcat. That's about their only room for expansion at this point other than the area by Grand Rapids. I'm not counting on absolutely anything next year though. I've stopped getting my hopes up. But at this rate, the park wont even be operating anymore within a decade.

 

That may be taking it a little too far. I think a better way of saying it is that in 10 years, not a whole lot will change, maybe 1 coaster and 3 or 4 rides/slides total.

 

Cedar Fair will want to hang on to this park for as long as possible for not letting it compete with Cedar Point. Let's all be honest, as some won't admit it, most of Michigan's Adventure profits go to Cedar Point.

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That may be taking it a little too far. I think a better way of saying it is that in 10 years, not a whole lot will change, maybe 1 coaster and 3 or 4 rides/slides total.

 

Yeah, that was probably a little extreme. But seriously, this park would probably be in much better hands if it was independently owned again. Too bad the area doesn't really warrant financial sustainability for such a thing.

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That may be taking it a little too far. I think a better way of saying it is that in 10 years, not a whole lot will change, maybe 1 coaster and 3 or 4 rides/slides total.

 

Yeah, that was probably a little extreme. But seriously, this park would probably be in much better hands if it was independently owned again. Too bad the area doesn't really warrant financial sustainability for such a thing.

 

From experience the park is in much better hands with cedar fair than it was with the previous owners. The things we now take for granted in the park like parking booths, landscaping, new paint, real fences, etc would not be there if it weren't for cedar fair. In fact I don't think the park would have anymore rides even if it was owned by the Jourden family again because in both cases Camille Jourden Mark was and still is the general manager. Her and her husband, the head of maintenance, make the final call on new rides and unfortunately they are extremely conservative when it comes to new rides, which is the main reason why the park doesn't even have a drop tower of any kind. The park was best off with Rojer Jourden the parks former owner in charge before he retired and handed the keys over to his daughter, he was the man that had grand plans for the park and turned it from a petting zoo into a full on amusement park. His original plans like many have said involved a five year expansion that included shivering timbers, mad mouse, Big Dipper, a new hyper coaster, a new hotel, a new campground, and numerous other things that he planned to add in order to turn the park into a destination. However before these plans came to fruition the park was sold to Cedar Fair, who had a more competitive offer than Six Flags. Rojer retired and his daughter Camille after a few years learning under Cedar Fair was given the general manager job once more. Overall she's done a great job turning a profit and keeping things steady however she isn't going to be the one that brings giant rides to this park unfortunately.

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As a near-lifelong Michigander, and a long time attender of MiA, from back in the Deer Park Funland days, I have a LOT to say about the park, and its current situation as Cedar Fair's red headed stepchild (though conveniently, a very profitable one!) However, I will refrain from saying too much about it right now, since admitedly, I haven't been there in quite a few years (part out of protest, part out of simply being too busy with my burgeoning family, and also being too poor!), and I haven't seen any of the more recent changes CF has made. I will be attending in just over two weeks, bringing my kids for the first time, and I am looking forward to it quite a bit , honestly! I will further assess the park at that point, combine that with my other observations from being familiar with the coaster/amusement park industry for many years now, as well as my knowledge of sound business principles, and post my "official" opinion of the park's state - both now, and for the future at that point.

 

Regardless of any of that though, I have to say that we are blessed to even have what we have here in MI, as there are many parts of the country that would love to have something like MiA within a three hour drive, and they do not. So, for those that may be concerned about my perspective on this matter, be assured that it will be informed by that acknowledgement right off the bat!

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Can you imagine if six flags bought the park, dropped about 60 million into new rides and coasters, and then sold the park to CF lol

 

We all know what CF would have done to it if that were the case...

 

Like I said, we can count our blessings that we still have a nice, if unspectacular, amusement park so close to us here in Michigan!

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Can you imagine if six flags bought the park, dropped about 60 million into new rides and coasters, and then sold the park to CF lol

 

We all know what CF would have done to it if that were the case...

 

Like I said, we can count our blessings that we still have a nice, if unspectacular, amusement park so close to us here in Michigan!

Just... Need... Something... New... Even the second train would suffice if it actually worked!

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Lots of people always talk about "the market" being a perfect thing. Except, it seems, when it comes to service industry jobs. CF could increase wages, get some transportation set up with the local city (city of Muskegon has an unemployment rate of 8.6%; I bet someone there will work), or bring people in on work visas and set up housing for them in the area. Or they can complain that the "kids don't want to work any more" while they take service industry jobs that don't involve them being sprayed with hot oil or being screamed at by a moron in 90 degree temperatures.

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... and its current situation as Cedar Fair's red headed stepchild (though conveniently, a very profitable one!)

 

Hey now! Valleyfair is the red headed step child of Cedar Fair, MiA is the abandon child left at the fire station. The two runts of the litter in the CF family.

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... and its current situation as Cedar Fair's red headed stepchild (though conveniently, a very profitable one!)

 

Hey now! Valleyfair is the red headed step child of Cedar Fair, MiA is the abandon child left at the fire station. The two runts of the litter in the CF family.

 

Fair enough!

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We wont be forgotten when MIA gets that new lemon aid stand

 

I got excited when I saw new cement being poured next to dodgems and a week later saw a new blue utility building. Atleast that's what it looks like it was. It's behind the spin-the-wheel win a prize game.

 

Freshly squeezed! Only 7.99 per dixie cup.

 

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I got excited when I saw new cement being poured next to dodgems and a week later saw a new blue utility building. Atleast that's what it looks like it was. It's behind the spin-the-wheel win a prize game.

 

According to the website's map, it claims its a game.

#8 -New for 2015: Pizza Wheel.

 

Get excited!

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I was at the park yesterday and noticed they were now saying "Scan. All clear." before dispatching rides. This is similar to what I experienced at Carowinds in June. There they say "Station clear. Scan. Dispatch." Saying "scan" appears to be a change since I was there a week and a half ago.

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