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I think I'm going to start calling Waldameer; Wallyworld!

 

At first I was skeptical, but it makes a little more sense now. I'm not threatened by the raised prices either because it's not too bad when compared to other parks. Even Kennywood's fully priced all day passes are approaching the $40 mark (most people don't ever pay full price though).

 

It will be interesting to see how this works out for them.

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I've gone ahead and updated the first post to include information about the new Flying Carousel (Wave Swinger) flat ride joining Waldameer's lineup this year. The new article also hints that Waldameer will receive an "extreme teenage ride" in three years.

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The idea of the wristbands is still used at Fun Fore All in Cranberry, PA today. It's called a 'Fun Card'. I wouldn't mind the Cash-Less system. Technology is improving and customers are demanding innovation. Waldameer is taking a step forward by innovating through the rides, and now in the system. I really wish I would get a chance to visit this place. It has always seemed like a nice park. As for the Flying Carousel, these things are becoming staples and it is wonderful to see this park add it to their ever-growing lineup.

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  • 2 weeks later...

For those interested Waldameer has posted the price of a season pass on their website.

 

1. Season Passes - a First for Waldameer!

 

 

A limited number of season passes which allow you to ride and enjoy Water World for the entire season! Just $59.95 per person or $44.95 (under 48" tall).

 

www.waldameer.com/attractions_new.asp

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^I was wondering when someone would post that. Waldameer's been set on having a ride there since they re-did the train loop for RFII. It just wasn't as noticeable until they installed the crossing gates (which were purchased at once with the other three sets). It's a good place to put a ride, though once this spot's taken up, I think Waldameer is entirely landlocked unless they compromise part of the parking lot.

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^I was wondering when someone would post that. Waldameer's been set on having a ride there since they re-did the train loop for RFII. It just wasn't as noticeable until they installed the crossing gates (which were purchased at once with the other three sets). It's a good place to put a ride, though once this spot's taken up, I think Waldameer is entirely landlocked unless they compromise part of the parking lot.

 

The parking lot is the last place they will give up (They don't even have enough as is). But I did read somewhere that they are trying to get more land. So when that happens I am sure Waldameer will go through with that waterpark expansion they have been wanting to do.

 

Also I love the Six Flags looking smoking area!

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If you look at satellite pictures, there's a random undeveloped piece of lakeshore. The park owns that and it has been mentioned in articles that they plan on expanding there with a boardwalk area of sorts. The park is also surrounded my modular homes that, as far as I know, are on land leased from Waldameer. With the park growing I would expect the park to reclaim the land.

 

http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=42.10742202601427~-80.1566237810282&lvl=17&sty=h

 

And I hope the new system doesn't require scanning your wristband. I wasn't very fond of it at Indiana Beach, it seemed that it really slowed things down.

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  • 1 month later...

From todays blog entry. Which mentions a new food court coming next year and another new thrill rides location!

 

Monday, April 19, 2010

Planning for the Thrillingly Delicious Future

Planning ahead at Waldameer takes vision and a whole lot of smarts. Seeing into the future is a learned talent, not a gift. While we wish rides came in little packets full of seeds, we have to seriously think through countless issues before deciding on expansion. Once the future vision id thought through, it is hard not to see it in the mind's eye. While most of Waldameer's focus is on this coming season with all its new and exciting additions, we can't help but plan for the future.

While trenching and digging up asphalt for pipes to hold wires in order for the new turnstiles to read wristbands, we found ourselves planning ahead for the future. More pipes found their way into the freshly dug ground that are currently empty.

 

Strange you may think. But this is all for a reason. That reason being our future plans for the Merry-Go-Round shelter and the area in front of it. Sources may tell you that down the road, the Merry-Go-Round shelter will become a one-of-a-kind Food Court full of many different varieties of food! This past carousel building will house many different meal options and have plenty of seating for you and your family to enjoy.

But the future doesn't stop there... the area in front of the Merry-Go-Round shelter is said to be the home of a brand new thrill ride. Not much can be said about this new thriller but it will surely put your socks in a twist! So get excited, not only for this season but future seasons as well!

Posted by Waldameer

 

waldameer.blogspot.com/2010/04/planning-for-thrillingly-delicious.html

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Just a little bit of additional information here:

 

- The wristbands are barcoded, though I am not sure if that is going to limit the amount of cycles or not. It depends on how they set up their system. They are using a Core Cashless system.

 

- I know that they were having some problems with the plastic cards, but I think the wristbands have tested well. New plastic cards were reissued, and I believe the problem has been fixed.

 

- You will not be able to get the cash back if you have some left over. In all honesty, it is good from the parks standpoint from a couple of perspectives: 1. There is a family of 4, and one of the kids is crying. The parents know there is about $4 left on their card, but at that point, who really cares? Let's just get the kid out of the park and eat the $4. That is $4 the parks makes cold profit, without providing any goods or services. 2. If someone has a few dollars left on a card at the end of their trip, that gives them more of a reason to go back to the park.

 

Don't places with go kart tracks, mini golf courses, and batting cages use this same system? It's been awhile since I've been to one, but I think I remember at Fun For All in Cranberry, Pa having something similar. I thought it was annoying because you would put $20 on a card and the go karts would be like $12, batting cages were $8, and you used the card to pay for everything varying from the food, vending machines, arcade games, etc. I have mixed feelings about it. I mean what's wrong with doing it the old fashion way? Are they worried about employees skimming...

 

- A couple things here. The Fun Fore All in Cranberry uses a different system integrator than what Waldameer is using. Is it similar? Yes. But it is just a little different. The system that Waldameer is going to be using is actually used throughout the entire parks operations, whereas the one at Fun Fore All is a little bit more low key.

 

- And yes, they are hoping this will maintain internal control.

 

- Aside from all of this, this is a huge step for the park, and I really like it. This kind of system easily sets that park back about $500,000, plus all of the fees for using the barcoding system in the future, and maintenance and upgrades. Not to mention, this puts a hefty expense on the ticketing from what they used to pay. All in all though, it is an investment that is well worth it, and I commend the park for doing it.

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Countdown to New and Exciting Things for 2010

As the temperature creeps higher up the thermometer, the countdown until Waldameer's 2010 season has finally reached the two week mark. Just hold out for fourteen more days and you and your family can enjoy all the rides, slides, games and treats you can handle!

But that isn't all you should be waiting for. Three more new things are coming for the 2010 season that you should be excited for as well. They include:

 

1. A New Opening Time! - Once our season kicks off our regular hours of 1:00PM to 10:00PM, we thought you would enjoy a whole extra hour to enjoy some of our rides and attractions! Starting June 19th, half of Waldameer's rides will open at 12:00 NOON. That's 60 whole minutes more!

 

2. A New Night Rider Time! - Remember when you came to Waldameer at 6:00PM and thought, "Why doesn't Waldameer's Night Rider Discounted Ride Pass start now?" Well, now it does! We've rolled back the Night Rider time from 7:00PM to 6:00PM so you and you family can enjoy a whole extra hour of Waldameer fun!

 

3. Be a Kid Again! Senior Passes Now Available! - Now those of you 65 and older can feel just like a kid again! For only $16.95 you can ride and slide all day with our Discounted Senior Combo Pass. Now all you have to focus on is keeping up with the grand kids!

 

waldameer.blogspot.com/

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  • 4 months later...

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100908/NEWS02/309079896/-1/ETN

 

There was no new roller coaster to stir up excitement. In fact, there were no new rides at Waldameer Park & Water World -- just a new pass-card system for paying the bill. But it didn't seem to matter.

 

Thanks to sunny skies and newly introduced season passes, Waldameer made a big comeback in 2010 and has park management moving ahead with plans for new rides. "It looks like it's going to be the best year we ever had, even better than the year we opened the new coaster," park owner Paul Nelson said.

 

The 2008 launch of the Ravine Flyer II helped drive record attendance and revenues that year. In 2009, an economic slowdown and a lot of lousy weather took a 12-percent bite out of the park's annual receipts.

 

Nelson said he believes a handful of management moves, including a limited offering of season passes, helped Waldameer have a strong summer. Enthusiasm for those season passes also demonstrated the penchant of local folks for getting the most for their money. It turns out that Waldameer visitors used their season passes about three times as often as season-pass holders to other amusement parks, Nelson said.

 

Most of the credit for a good season belongs to the weather, he said. The park's final weekend of the year showed the importance of sunny skies. Gray skies and cool temperatures Friday and Saturday produced paltry crowds, while better weather Sunday and Labor Day left people waiting in line to ride, Nelson said.

 

While the number of organized picnics at Waldameer set a record, the number attending those picnics did not. "For example, we might have had a plant with 400 (picnic attendees). This year they came back, but they had 350 people," Nelson said. "They just haven't come back at the same level."

 

The bottom line, however, is that 2010 was a good year for Waldameer -- good enough that Nelson is moving ahead with a planned expansion and the addition of three new rides for 2011. The rides, two of which will be targeted toward children and their parents, will be located east of the Ravine Flyer II. The area will be extensively landscaped with gardens, statues and a fountain.

 

The decision to invest during the offseason is a testament to the park's success in 2010. "That shows we did well," Nelson said.

 

Officials at Conneaut Lake Park in Crawford County could not immediately be reached Tuesday to comment on attendance at the publicly owned facility.

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They had confirmed a while ago that a Zamperla Flying Carousel would be added in the train turnaround area...from what I see, the article looks like it says two of the rides will be located there...I know Waldameer can cram attractions into small spaces, but I really don't think more than one ride will fit there.

 

There was also an earlier statement about the 'thrill' ride, being located on the lawn in front of the Merry-Go-Round picnic pavilion, which itself is supposed to become a food court. Having seen the area in person last month, there isn't much space there either. Seeing how they've managed to fit everything else in, I'm sure they'll find a way to make it work. I'm already looking forward to visiting next year!

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  • 1 month later...

Here's an update.

 

Waldameer has given the details on their expansion next year. It has been general knowledge to most that follow park in the region that was going to happen (at least the two kid’s rides and a Wave Swinger in the north turnaround of the train). However, here are a few more details.

 

http://waldameer.blogspot.com

 

Even though this park is small, I do enjoy it. My family loves staying in the cottages next door for a week every year. We just go back and forth from the cottage, lake and park with no schedule. Very relaxing…

Edited by larrygator
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^It will be interesting to see how they get all three rides into that area. As seen in the blog pictures, the train turn-around area isn't all that big. I would think the swings alone would take the entire area in the middle of the tracks.

 

Kudo's to Waldameer though for continuing on their expansion! It should be a neat area to have the swings near RFII, as long as you can see the lake and Presque Isle, it's going to provide some amazing views.

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It took me some time to find this picture again that I wanted to post. I did not create at it and can not remember were I found it. However, if I remember correctly the discussion was that this person was pretty close on the property Waldameer owns. If someone who owns it on here, please note that I am not taking credit for it.

\

WaldameerFuture.thumb.jpg.6177ccacc6bee56a198ea571aab5610e.jpg

 

If this drawing is true, then they have much space. I have a few ideas and may mark this up just for fun.... Also with a few 3D views.

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^ I will be interested to see how that immediate amusement park expansion area plays out. Right now, that area is part of a cliff that goes down to the lake (or ravine as some call it) and to Sara's Campground (on the right).

 

I was thinking that Sara's was not overly thrilled when Waldameer built RFII - I wonder what they would think if they tried to grate down the ravine to expand the amusement park down to the waterfront. Looks like there are also some residential homes on the left which could also interfere with the parks expansion plans.

 

Not trying to be a Negative Nelly here as I hope that they can and would expand, but I'm not going to get my hopes up for development of this area.

 

My suggestion would be to tear down the Rainbow Gardens hall, or at least rebuild it for the company picnics. That place is disgusting and is in dire need of a refurb or a complete teardown. With all of the other picnic groves, I can't see why they couldn't tear it down...you would definitely have a new place to add a couple more rides if it wasn't there.

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