PREMiERdrum

We can debate the merits of these things all we want, but they're obviously getting the results they want to be spreading them around like this.

Coming in... 2017??? Construction beginning in 2013? This seems like an awfully, awfully early announcement. Sounds like the managed to keep some themes of Beastly Kingdomme alive, with some new and different layers. I'm happy to see something new for AK, I just can't see the justification for announcing it so early.

Their business plan really came off the tracks.

Their Facebook was deleted shortly after the announcement today. Something stinks..

And Everest Perhaps WDI should have allowed Vekoma to engineer the Yeti, too. It might still work!

The collaboration between Intamin and WDI on California Screamin' soured quite quickly. WDI is famous for making just enough modifications to attractions (after construction is completed, but before they open) so that WDI, not Intamin (or Vekoma or Mack), are legally considered to be the manufacturer, thus being the ones who set the operating standards for the ride. I don't know how strained the relationship is now, but it wasn't good at all for a while. Unless something's changed, Intamin didn't even claim CS on their website.

I believe that the event was promoted by Honda as being a buy-out, but the required number of tickets weren't sold so the park was open to the GP as well... Right? My wife and I were definitely there, and we don't work for Honda...

You know the old saying, "if you have to ask..."

I can't speak as to the current experience, but when we did it we were served by actors. It was excellent.

We went to Honda day at Cedar Point last year, and the crowd levels were very, very low. It felt like a buyout, but wasn't. As for the cars on display in the park. some of them may have to head back to the dealer: http://www.kare11.com/news/article/937136/391/Honda-recalls-nearly-1-million-cars

The Cornstalkers description still says "build on the remains of the once vibrant Action Zone" despite its location being listed as International Street, near the Eiffel Tower. There are several grammatical and spelling errors though, too, even in the new descriptions.

They could have asked somebody to proofread that website before it went live. Good grief, folks.

Having eaten a meal inside Boeckling's Erie Estate before (during a media preview event), I'd argue that the experience is completely worth it.

That's a shame. These animals are far too intelligent to simply be placed in a fenced field: They're natural swimmers and brilliantly smart. I've seen plenty of examples of tigers in subpar zoo enclosures exhibiting far more stereotypical behavior than those in reputable circuses. Hell, every circus I've been to in the last several years has provided the cats a large tub for swimming in their backlot exercise enclosures.

Is the Safari Park AZA accredited? I thought AZA guidelines required a pool of a certain size for any tiger enclosure.

I've waited a while to chime in, but here goes... New name aside, the changes they're making are all quite necessary and will drastically improve guest flow. While a new slide tower would be nice, the packed-to-the-gills Summer Saturday afternoon show a need for added capacity that you don't get with a slide or two. I'm anxious to see how the action river turns out, as the one at Aquatica (which also features 2 different wave pools) was incredibly fun, and the one here at Zoombezi Bay is also quite nice. As far as the name, I'm indifferent. I was never in love with the Aussie "theme", which left huge parcels of unshaded, unlandscaped concrete a la CP's much maligned Soak City. I would gladly exchange a somewhat unique name for added capacity, improved flow, updated attractions, and a freshening of the park.

All of (Geauga Lake's) Wildwater Kingdom was scratch-built by Cedar Fair.

I find this odd... Don't the 2 indicator lights on the outside of each gondola only illuminate when the corresponding restraint has locked? It's odd that the proper sensors appear to be in place, but for whatever reason that data isn't fully presented in the booth. As far as adding WindSeekers to each park, I don't see the harm in it. These (with the debatable exception of Knott's, and perhaps Cedar Point) properties are all regional, and few outside of the enthusiast realm will mind (or notice, for that matter) that the rides are duplicated.

IIRC, the ancient jr. Ferris Wheel (Starfish?) was removed prior to Wyandot Lake's last season. The rides that didn't make it to JJL, Roll-O-Plane, various Herschell kiddie rides, Herschell Merry-Go-Round, etc were sold off at auction during the transition. The existing slides were sold as well, with the Jet Stream and Zuma Falls getting picked up by Cincinnati's "The Beach." As far as a favorite memory, mine would have to be the summers that the Royal Hanneford Circus was booked in for the summer, presenting a :30-ish minute show several times a day. The park ultimately faltered under SIX, with a severe lack of investment and upkeep in the last years. The zoo's turnaround of the property has been astonishing. In turn, the waterpark's revenue feeds into a separate, for-profit entity which then donates the money to the not-for-profit zoo. This allows the excellent, high caliber exhibits the zoo has been opening recently.

Oddly enough, as growing-ever-older Zoombezi Bay / Zoo passholders, my wife and I find Croctail Creek as our favorite part of the park. We typically have family with us, so we'll leave Aves (our daughter) with her Gigi and go take a few laps to relax. The lack of effects is part of the charm (relaxation!), as well as a different music track, the tall landscaping and fence to separate it from other areas in the park, as well as a slower current than the park's other lazy river. I'd also contend that the effects (let alone capacity) of Roaring Rapids is head and shoulders beyond what Canochee Creek offered, even in its heyday.

Love the logo!

Several parts of Wyandot Lake remain intact as part of Zoombezi Bay. Christopher's Island and the adjacent restroom/ first aid building, Canooche Creek (now Croctail Creek, the park's 21-and-up-only Lazy River and bar/sundeck area), the old Havoc Harbor and Midway Games buildings (currently, mostly offstage, used for storage, and one end of the Havoc Harbor building used for guest lockers), and the main Wyandot Lake giftshop (which you passed thru en route to the old wave pool) is now off stage, but is the Zoombezi Bay Operations Office. Also, much of Wyandot Lake lives on in Jungle Jack's Landing: The Sea Dragon, Tilt-A-Whirl, Scrambler, and Bumper Cars are all straight out of Wyandot Lake, albeit relocated. The bathroom building by Sea Dragon was also a Wyandot Lake leftover.

With Dick serving as skipper, it will be more like a preview of the new dino trail...

There was briefly a Dippin' Dots Ice Cream Parlour (of the future!) in Pickerington, a suburb of Columbus. It seemed to be busy initially, but the crowds soon wore off. I'd guess it wasn't there more than a year, and it left me with the feeling that this sub-zero snack was more enjoyable during a hot day at the amusement park or zoo.