Shaggy

The waterpark addition saved the train. I recall riding the train as it existed just prior to the waterpark addition... it was not the "stellar" attraction that fond memories recall. Less than half the displays worked, and they were more ragged looking than you can imagine. It was a fun and unique attraction in it's earlier years, but memories make it more interesting. Also, if I am not mistaken, the train is actually maintained/operated by an outside source... not KI itself. Seems the maintenance and conducting fell under different transportation rules/regulations than normal amusement attractions. Not to say that they cannot theme it in anyway they seem fit, rather I just don't think it's a priority to them. If you think CF is going to go the distance in re-establishing or maintaining nostalgic themed attractions, think again. Pirate Ride, Paddlewheel Excursions, Kingdom of the Dinosaurs, Earthquake ride, Journey to the Center of the Earth are all examples. The Racer change has little to do with bringing back nostalgia, and everything to do with insurance. The nostalgia aspect is a PR spin. Shaggy

Originally there were two parks... Geauga Lake and Sea World. Six Flags (then Premier Parks) purchased Geauga Lake and reflagged it as Six Flags Ohio. They did this with many smaller parks, such as Riverside (Six Flags New England), Darien Lake (Six Flags Darien Lake... Buffalo), Elitch Gardens and Jazzland. This was a part of an ego-driven corporate monopoly campaign. The general idea was to uy and convert as many small parks as possible into "Six Flags" parks. In Geauga Lake's case, this meant investing millions and millions overnight into what was actually a small regional park. In the meantime, due to wavering attendance, Busch was looking to unload Sea World . Greedy (and not so smart) Six Flags saw it as an opportunity to become a major force in the most lucrative seasonal amusement market in the country (Ohio.) So they bought Sea World, combined the two parks and re-named it Six Flags Worlds Of Adventure, with the hopes that it would become a flagship park. Well, despite agressive (and sometimes mean!) marketing campaigns, the park drew less than half the guests they had hoped. Those that did attend were met (more often than not) with bad operating policies and procedures, high prices, and lack-luster staffing. In addition, Six Flags as a company had grown so rapidly that their exhorbitant spending caught up with them. The company suffered terrible losses on most every park they had gobbled up, and dwindling attendance across the board prompted them to make cuts. Among the cuts was Six Flags Worlds Of Adventure, which was sold to Cedar Fair. Cedar Fair immediately stripped all things Six Flags and re-branded it back to Geauga Lake. They gave the animals from the (former) Sea World area their walking papers and began re-building the now emptied wildlife area as a waterpark. (The waterpark portion of the park has always seen success.) CF then began the process of removing rides from the amusement side of the park. Many believe Cedar Fair's intent from the purchase was to rid themselves of a competitor. Actually, Six Flags was never much of a competitor from an attendance standpoint. However, it's pretty clear now that the purchase intent was so Cedar Fair could capitolize on it's revenue generator.. the waterpark. I attended the park many times as GL, SFO and SFWOA. My personal opinion is that the park was never meant to be "big." It lost all charm when it went corporate, and despite numerous ride additions... there wasn't a lot to do. The goal of an amusement park is to draw attendance, and keep attendees in the park to increase revenue on inside expenditures. (Very little revenue is generated by gate admission believe it or not.) This park was what I refer to as a half-day park (as is the case of many others that Six Flags branded... SFKK, SFDL, etc.) What I mean is, once I had been on the major rides not much else held my attention. It's an odd thing that I've never quite been able to put my finger on. In *theory* there were plenty of rides, yet there was not enough for me to do. IMO that "feel" ultimately labels a park as a non-destination. A non-destination park must rely on locals for support. In GL's case, most locals were turned off by what they perceived as a massive re-tooling of a beloved park. Once it was turned into Six Flags, the GP envisioned big crowds (that did not exist), big rides, raised prices and poor traffic conditions. Those things deterred them from continued interest and support. Thus it met a fate where the land it sat on became of more value than the park generated. The result is the closure and destruction of the park. Shaggy

Is it me, or has it not yet been re-painted? Media day for it is May 20th. Wonder if they've sent the little "ball" do-jiggy around to check clearances. Shaggy

Minor pet peeve... they opted for the poor mans spelling of "Theater." The classier "Theatres" are spelled r-e.

Actually, it may have more to do with the fact that Cheesecake Factory is falling on hard financial times. There was a recent article on AOL news that mentioned the names of some pretty big name merchants that may start to dissapear soon. Cheesecake Factory, Chili's, Old Navy were three of the big names mentioned in the article. They cited a downturn in the economy, and much too rapid expansion as the reasons. Shaggy

Thanks guys, I appreciate that tremendously. It's easy to write well about something that left a great impression. Shaggy

Hey Dolly, what’s you’re favorite color? Dolly: Ms. Clairol #319. Hey Dolly, are you offended by dumb blonde jokes? Dolly: No, because I know I’m not dumb. And I ain’t blonde either. Hey Dolly, do you support women’s lib? Dolly: Why sure, as a matter of fact I was the first woman to burn her bra. Last I heard they were still trying to put the fire out! I just love Dolly. I wish the world were full of Dollys. That’s because Dolly is not full of herself. Neither is her namesake park. To the novice, Dollywood would seem ripe for an over-the-top romp into the colorful mind of Mrs. Parton. Imagine rides like “The Jolene Jump 2.” Or the “Islands in the Stream Log Flume.” How about the “Coaster of many colors?” Nah. Actually, Dolly herself is a very small part of the charm that makes up Dollywood. Sure there are those special Dolly touches like false butterflies scattered here and there. But as a whole, the park does not rely on the spectacle herself. Rather it relies on the charm, beauty and life that is Tennessee. Officially, my visit last week was my second time at the park. But in theory it was my first *true* visit. How so? Well, I had attended about 4 years ago as a part of the Christmas Festival. Sure, then I was able to ride the Tennessee Tornado and Blazing Fury, but little else was open. The focus during that time of the year is placed on the Holiday than the base park itself. Since then, the park has nearly doubled its size. Mostly with the addition of Timber Canyon and the much needed access path that now forms a park loop. They’ve added 3 coasters, and several flat rides. All the while maintaining and actually improving the general atmosphere of the already good park. Dollywood easily fits into my upper tier of favorite parks. Its setting is magnificent. It’s a friendly and fun atmosphere. It’s impeccably clean. It stays true to its origin. It offers something for everyone. But most notably, it has what I call “the Disney trick.” Basically, that’s when a park is so enchanting and so-family friendly that persons who would normally balk at riding a coaster, or thrill ride, hop on with little concerns. It’s almost as though the perception is “Well, if Dolly has her name on it, then it must be fun and safe.” I guarantee you that if Thunderhead, or Mystery Mine were built at say, Cedar Point, not even half the kids or elder adults would ride it compared to those that do at Dollywood. Now, that’s a good thing, and a bad thing I suppose. It’s a good thing IMO; because it truly exemplifies what I have always said life should be about, pure un-adulterated fun with few limitations. But I would suspect some enthusiasts may see it as nothing more than longer waits with inexperienced riders. I personally don’t see it that way. I waited for every ride… patiently, on a relatively busy day. But I didn’t mind one bit, as the persons that were attending were a part of the charm in the park itself. Trying to explain Dollywood to someone that’s not been there is sort of futile. It’s like trying to explain how air feels. It’s just nice, refreshing, fun and exciting all together. People just seemed happy. I like that. With each passing day, that’s what I look for more and more. I adore the fact that you are greeted with “We’re so happy you came to Dollywood today!” It’s catchy. I smiled when I heard it, and I carried that smile all day. Funny that. I think I’ve moved far beyond the days of the next biggest and best thing. I’ve settled into more of a stop and smell the roses attitude that comes on stronger season after season. That having been said, I will describe for you my personal feelings on the various attractions at the park. I’ll leave them in random order since, quite frankly, I have not the time, nor patience to try and recollect every step I took. I loved Timber Canyon. It’s very well done, with terrific theming that sets it apart from the rest of the park, but stays within the overall mountain theme. As I said, it has transformed a cumbersome, oddly shaped layout into a much more visitor friendly loop. Over time, it will no doubt become as packed with attractions as the older portions of the park. But all in due time. They certainly have the space now. And they obviously have the foresight, as the area has an obvious developmental direction. Thunderhead suits the park to a “T.” It’s a GCI masterpiece that makes smart use of its geography, topography, and surroundings to complete the rush element. This coaster was my first of the year, and provided that much needed tickle in my belly I have missed for so long. Again, I’ll not bore you… or me… with detailing every twist or turn. Actually I don’t think I could recall the layout if I wanted to. All I’ll say is that it was easily one of the best wooden coasters I’ve ridden. By my second ride (as I left the park) it had taken my #1 spot. RIP Legend. Timber Tower is, okay. It’s just as temperamental as others have said. No wonder it has so much down time, after all, there sure is a lot going on. A rotating ring of seats that rise upward. Then while revolving, the tower tips back and forth nearing water geysers and a roaring bear cave. (Hmmmmm…. ;-) I am glad I rode it, albeit once, but I don’t know if I’d wait it out again. It screams of “Quake” at SFKK. What I mean is, it looks much more fun to watch than to ride. I can’t imagine it would be a long term ride. Tennessee Tornado still remains the best Arrow multi-looper to date. The first drop rivals Vortex at KI and Loch Ness at BGW as being the best stomach drop on an Arrow. There’s nary one head bang. And although short, it’s a re-ride no matter. I think it got 3 rides out of me. High capacity and fun. Ride in the back. Blazing Fury had a wait for sure. But it’s worth it to see the “pleasantly plump” animatronic figure warning her animatronic beau that she’s “Gonna jump” from the burning porch roof into his scrawny arms below. Then of course, there’s the “Fire in the Hole” finale. It’s a huge step back in time when you ride this. It’s like the mountain ride at KBF… or the Haunted Mansion at Knoebles. Cheesy for sure, but you just can’t resist it. Daredevil Falls has the most picturesque drop on any flume I have ever seen… and that includes Splash Mountain. Well done, and fun. I got a little wet, but not bad. And get this… I rode alone, no one else in the boat. It’s almost as though people didn’t know it was there. When you see the sign on Slidewinder that says “You may get wet” believe it. I go soaked, actually my sweatshirt and jeans did. Not my idea of fun on a semi-warm spring day. Good thing I jog regularly too, that hike to the station practically needs a chair lift! This one I could not ride alone… they require at least 3 people in a boat I think. Cute is not descriptive enough to describe the New-for-2008 attraction “River Battle.” It’s beyond cute. Although I didn’t ride, there were people willing to brave the chill to try it out. I could have watched it for hours; it’s like watching the squirting elephant at KI… or the Rainmaker show at BGW. It’s just fun to see innocent bystanders get doused. ;-) Hmmmm, what else was there? Oh yeah, I rode the Disco… but couldn’t get out of Veggietown, or whatever the kids area is called, quickly enough. It was mobbed. No, not mobbed. MOBBED. I rode the motion simulator, but now there some awful movie in there themed to a gangster chase on Thunder Road. Ick. What happened to the terrific movie they had featuring Dolly and the inventor that flew in a flying machine? That was a hoot… with one of the best lines ever, Dolly screaming “SlooooOOOW Down! You’ll blow my wig off!” Tsk, tsk, Dollywood. Bring it back. I skipped shows… they are mostly international shows this year, and the one show I wanted to see “Kinfolk” was down for the day. But I love “Heartsong” so it was a must do for me. It tugs at my heart (imagine that) as it embraces the beauty that lies in the Tennessee Smokey Mountains to the tune of some of Dolly’s most catchy songs with some “surprises” along the way. It sure served its purpose. Heck, I spent all weekend singing “Play a song for me Apple Jack, Apple Jack” to anyone who dared come around me. No joke. So what am I forgetting? Where I ate? Boring. What souvenirs I bought? Yawn. How I was stoked to see the costumes from 9 to 5? (My all-time favorite comedy) Embarrassing! How I got misty when I saw the actual “Coat of many colors?” Awwww! Oh yeah… Mystery Mine. Hmmm… what to say? It was fun. It was shorter than I expected. The inline twists and fallout loop at the end was much better than I thought they’d be. The wait was long, but the “surprises” mid-way through the attraction made it worthwhile. It was jarring. It rattled my head around like the Arrow at the back of the park *should have.* I thought about a re-ride late in the day, but opted for Thunderhead instead. It’s a good addition, IMO because it fits the park PERFECTLY. Oh and it sure draws interest. It’s a visual masterpiece. I think I took about 20 shots of it. (With my brand-new-high-tech Olympus FE-340, 8 Megapixel Digital camera with 5x Optical Zoom and Video? Can you tell I am proud?) What else can I say about MM? Oh, I kept thinking about how it would have fit Rivertown at KI perfectly. (It was originally conceived for KI who abandoned the project when the rights to its concept theme of “Addams Family” fell through.) But I also thought about how it is much better off at a park that actually cares about the upkeep of its theming elements. By this time, no effect would have been operable at KI. And yes, that’s a slap. So there you have it. My day with Dolly was a success. I hope there will be many more special days with Dolly in my future. But in the meantime, I hope life treats you real kind. I hope that you have all you ever dreamed of. I wish you joy, and happiness… but above all this, I wish you… You know the rest. Shaggy *Side bar* - This visit to Dollywood came on the heels of a week spent in a mountain top cabin outside of Pigeon Forge. The evening prior was spent at Dixie Stampede (OMG how fun is that! Who knew?!) It was followed with a hike through the Smokies, the most beautiful place I have ever seen. If I may be so bold, I advise each of you that as you visit parks this season, take the time to visit the surroundings. I’ve never discovered anything new about myself while riding a coaster. I learn all sorts of things about myself when I am surrounded by nature.

In this picture http://www.americalovescrap.com/gallery/ma...g2_itemId=17578 where was this at?I know it wasnt at KI,was it? Nope, not at KI. That picture was taken at Canada's Wonderland. Shaggy

I am sure it's an insurance write off by now. The Batman B&M Invert is already gone... moved to SFFT and opens this summer as Goliath. Shaggy

1. Behind Vortex and Action FX Theatre You may be surprised to know this, but The Beast runs remarkably close to the back of Action Theatre. I'd guess 100 feet or so. There'd be no developing that. Google Earth it ;-)

...and Scream?

From article #1: "This building has been being built. It had to have been being built for a couple of months." Wha? Is that even remotely proper grammar? Seems to me that saying "This building is already being built. It had to have been under construction for a couple of months" would make much more sense. Oy vey

Never bring your backpack with you onto Flight of Fear. I've never understood the need for persons to carry a backpack around a park all day. Other than a change of clothes for the waterpark (which can be left in a car, or locker) what purpose does the back-pack serve younger male guests? When I worked at KI (and on FOF) we instructed people with backpacks or purses to set them on the floor of the ride, while putting legs through the straps. Not that complicated. Shaggy

Oh really? Thats weird that they have pictures obviously taken at GL of it on KD's site and the colors of the new logo on KD's site match it perfectly, where did you hear this. http://www.coastercrew.com/gallery/display...t=0&pos=338

I am 6'2" and 200 lbs, and have the exact same issue. Butt to one side, knees to the other. Obviously I rarely put myself through that agony ;-) Shaggy

What's so bad about KD's sign? http://newsplusnotes.blogspot.com/2007/12/...ew-sign-up.html

And they probably won't. KI had to address it because the local news media picked up on online KI fan sites that said it was from GL. Unless the news media starts exploring the fact that the coaster is not "brand new" the park will have no need to let people know. Actually, I am surprised at how little promotion KD is doing for the ride. It's almost like they are keeping in mums on purpose. That tells me that they are aware of a very late opening. Judging by the slooooow construction, perhaps that's the case. Shaggy

I like it. Shaggy

The news actually ran a story that the new sign was going up? Man, that thing IS a landmark! So are the initials for the park now K!I? ;-)

I would suspect that the earlier close times may be related to the fact that most of their draw during the evening is teenagers. Rowdy teenagers overwhelm that park since it's on the busline and near the light-rail to DC. For a more "family" atmpsohere, it makes sense to operate only during "family" hours. And close earlier since most families leave parks early in the evening. Also, I believe that numerous "incidents" have occurred during later park hours. SFA falls into a category of parks that I refer to as "uneasy" parks. Meaning some people feel a bit unsafe when visiting. Others I have noticed this "feel" at are: SFAW (now closed... go figure), Rye Playland, SFMM, etc etc. Even KD had this issue for years. Shaggy

The latest Dominator construction updates show the attraction still standing. http://www.coastercrew.com/gallery/display...at=0&pos=10 Shaggy

Also, I am pretty sure that Beast was the first coaster in the park to use air-gates. I don't recall Demon having them, and know that Racer and Scooby Doo did not originally. Beast's gates were "double" gates. Meaning there were two sides to each gate for each corral. The original gates opened like saloon doors. The gates were only about 1 foot tall and hung at waist height. These were replaced for the 1999 season with the full-sized gates. Once the new gates were added, liquid soap was kept on hand in the station due to kids getting their knees and arms stuck between slats. Shaggy

Racer originally operated with manual lever-controlled skid brakes. For years you could still see the replacement boards in the station floor where the levers once existed. Scooby Doo (Beastie, Fairly Odd) did as well. I actually have a picture of the original Scooby Doo costumed character operating the lever brake on the Scooby Doo coaster. Beast was never operated by lever. It had an antiquated "electronically" controlled blocking system from the start. To my knowledge, it was not the first "electronically" controlled coaster in the park. If I am not mistaken, that title belongs to the Screamin' Demon. The original panel for Beast was the same one used on many coasters built in the mid-late seventies. I believe that if you watch either "Rollercoaster" the movie or the old "Wonder Woman" episode called "Phantom of the Amusement Park" they feature shots of the original operator's panel for Revolution at Magic Mountain. The Beast used the same type of panel that featured the coaster's layout on a backlit acrylic board. The electronic eyes (still used on the coaster today) alerted the panel as to the location and speed of the train. When the train passed the eye, the block section of track where it was located blinked on the panel. The release of the final brake run/station brakes was performed by switches and levers attatched to the panel that when depressed or pulled released the compression within the hydraulics lowering the skids in station. There were "kicker" tires that were engaged by switch in station in order to move the train forward and gain the momentum needed to move the train off the skids and out of the station. Those tires (no longer used) are still in the station today. The skids located on the first drop, in the mid-course brake shed and on the drop to the helix have always existed on the coaster. They were counter-weighted in order to increase/decrease the speed of the train. The speeds were measured by a reading on the clock panel in station. If the train was running fast or slow, a wooden coaster maintenence crew memeber would go to the specific trim and either add weight or remove weight from the skid counterweight. The counterweight on these skids was literally a long wire attatched to the underside of the skid that hung down through the coaster's structure to about 3 feet off of the ground. At the end of the cable was a metal can. Weight was added in the form of nuts, bolts rocks etc being put in, or taken from the can, thus raising or lowering the trim. Ironically (and humorously) these counterweights were used up until the skids were replaced with the magnetic brakes just a few years back. When the magnetic brakes were added to Beast, it required fins be placed on the bottoms of the trains. Because of that, rebar that was used on turns as track ties had to be replaced with split-rods. These act just as the old ties did... running through each side of the track and bolted together. However with the addition of the fins, the original rods were replaced with two rods held together by C-clamps. These C-clamps allow the fin to pass through those areas unobstructed. Finally, footage of The Beast exists showing the original operators panel. I believe it might have been footage from the "Real People" show that was filmed featuring Beast just after it opened, The Beast 25th Anniversary special, or a kids show that featured the ride shortly after it premiered. Shaggy

Besides....the spongebob costume would have been god awful for someone to try to skate in. You have to still have a decent range of motion and mobility in the costume in order to skate in it, and with the spongebob costume the performer would loose all upperbody motion...not good for a skater. Disney on Ice has been using upperbody constricting costumes for years. I firmly believe the Nicktoons will be out by 2011. Nick is a goldmine. It's one of the reasons that Cedar Fair was interested in purchasing the Paramount Parks to begin with. Nick is a viable licensing product that kids immediately recognize and flip over. I doubt it will go anywhere, anytime soon.

The two Great Americas each had the Triple-Arm Wheel. Hersheypark and KI had the Double-Arm wheel. Astroworld also had a double armed "Astrowheel" and Magic Mountain had one called "Galaxy" I believe. However I don't think that these two were Intamin products. BTW, I rode both the Hersheypark, SFGAM and KI ones several times. Although I never felt comfortable on them. Something about the fact that the cars were held on by rusty chains ;-) Shaggy