brenthodge

everyone on the merch cart is moving again!

they are - each fountain has a feed pipe that runs at 100%. There is then a control valve with an antenna that the nozzel attaches to. If it looses the signal, it seems to just default to whatever it likes and stays there regardless of what is happening around it. The alignment gets off when they are adding/removing the ice rink and they get knocked off their "mark" and no one ever takes the time to walk the fountain and re-align them to their positions. The "Finger jets" are pointless anyway in that they need to be way more arched to the center. ASs it is now they are "slightly angled" and just look crooked.

I remember the first "closing show" after the first returned Winterfest when they used the new lighting rigs, the old fountains and the building LED color bars. They picked a solid song from "The Greatest Showman" and it WORKED so well. It didn't need "choreographed squirts" that aren't even really choreographed. They used what they had, supplemented it with fireworks, building lighting and some additional lighting from the rigs. Sometimes less is more if you cant really BE MORE. The finale for the 50th was amazing, but if they aren't going to do that (and they can't and shouldn't) then they just need to do less really well. Based on the corwds I saw leaving Sunday night about 9-9:30, I'd even question if we need 10pm closes with fireworks every night of the week. Id rather have solid finale shows on Friday and Saturday evenings, put some of the savings toward a better, fuller live show schedule with more evening shows at Showplace and bandstand, and a WELL LIT and ACTUALLY CHOREOGRAPHED (looking at you HAUNT shows) fountain and lighting only show at 9-9:30 pm when the park closes Sun - Th. What happened to "At the end of the Day" song from Adventure awaits? - perfect song for a simple ending show. Get a solid programming and don't screw with it for the next 6 years. If you can't do what The Island does for free at a shopping center, then quit trying - This is what we've NEVER gotten.

They couldn’t keep flickering, swinging lamps working. Don’t dream too big.

I’ve suggested in the past a major Reno of Showplace with a new, semi permanent roof that would be more rain proof and possibly add heaters for haunt/winterfest use. Eliminate the steep raked seating (and ice gears for winter) by instead doing terraced seating with a larger area at the front for a dance floor if you do more music revues, some elevated seating areas and then table seating at the back as a dining and show setting (but only have it open around show times)

It looks terrible this year. Few things are aligned, few are at anywhere close to the same level, some don’t work at all. There doesn’t seem to be any slow change from pattern to pattern, just everything blasting water all the time at different angles. I’ve not seen the night show yet, but it can’t get much better. They used wireless enabled valves that control each jet, but the water pressure seems to be full all the time, so if they loose the signal (as this stuff like LED lighting and wireless tech often does, they go rogue. The old fountains were I believe more controlled at the pump room with mechanical valves controlling the flow to each “zone” like side jets, morning glory jets, fan jets on the bowls etc. It wasn’t as “gimmicky”, but it sure seemed to work. Can you tell I still hate this “new” fountain?!

Honestly either of the park-produced music reviews currently running would be more engaging and a better use of the space. The show from festhaus definitely deserves a better venue. Maybe then something could run the whole summer season.

It definitely is geared toward children imo and I'm sure 13 and under will get a kick out of it. I think the biggest difference between this show and other magic shows here in the past is Penn and Teller Fool Us and the internet. Honestly I didn't see anything that I didn't know how the trick worked. Over half of the tricks when the "big moment" happened nobody applauded or even gasped. Nowadays close-up/slight of hand/card magic is much more mystifying and takes more talent than large scale illusions where the assistants are doing most of the work (if you know, you know). my 11 year old looked bored out of his mind and was definitely one and done, so I’m not sure if the 13and under will all love it. We went to the 4 today (went early so we could also catch the 6 if anyone wanted to… didn’t). Same experience in that no one really seemed to care when the big moment happened, there was just a light applause from a full theatre. I just don’t think it gels.

Would benches or tables with chairs in front of the bandstand be that crazy to actually have a place to sit and watch the great shows we do have? If they kept them in the “stone” area and kept the blacktop for traffic it seems like it would work for flow.

Actually all of adventure port is pretty bare.

Noticed that as well. Looks great. Maybe that’s where the payroll went since it didn’t go to planting the “fountain”

Year one it was also at the bar outside of FestHaus, then they cut that. There’s nothing about this even that really says “food”. It should be LiteBites and Wine. It does seem a bit better, but not sure why they don’t as you suggested at least til it into GrillandGrain and LaRosas with a good and wine pairing or 2.

it turns on and off, but I agree that the other day I didnt see it switch on at all.

And I will say basic maintenance as well. You can clean a rusted out ElCamino all day long, but at the end of the day it still looks like crap. Great America was overall "clean" but it was lost due to the fact that the clean surfaces was in such desperate need of paint and repair that it didn't really matter.

Sitting here by the beautifully landscaped FarmHouse, at a delightful lunch of generous helpings at lunch on a Monday listening to live music makes it really hard to say KI has a superior experience to CedarPoint… it doesn’t.

Two awesome meals at CedarPoint today. No waxy tissue in sight, just nice, heavy square paper plates. Great quality. How people say KI is better is WAY beyond me. This park blows us away. Love my home park, but jealous every time I’m here.

The ride ops seem fine, it’s more the physical space I’m referring to.

I will say daily ops are actually pretty good. It’s more the long term, deferred maintenance that’s sad to see. I should’ve been more clear on that. It’s clean, it’s just you are cleaning an old house that’s not been really cared for for years. I hope they can get it back on track. You can tell there’s been both a lack of investment, and poor choices as to how the investment is executed for years.

Sorry, Gurnee.

I will never complain about the state of maintenance at KI again (ok, I will - I lied) but my god Great America is a beautiful park treated like trash. Sad to see the bones of something amazing looking every one of its 50 years. Some things look like that was the last time they were painted.

its not good

It was like that about a week after opening. Lots of things already need to be addressed like that.

good call. It's been a nasty day most all day.

AWESOME to hear. Individual experiences vary - so Im glad to hear maybe Friday was an off night. Admittedly Ive only been on 3x but each time seems to be more off, so I hope that trend is reversing. Ive noticed the timing seems to consistenly be off with that final blast. Wonder if they will keep trying to get it to synch with the set of cars, or just go to a more generic loop. Highlighting all the things going RIGHT does not you an apologist any more than highlighting the opportunities for improvements makes you miserable negative grump - both just shows you care about the park!

Sadly it’s not getting better- actually worse. Tonight a good 40-50% of the on ride screens were out. Only one load window worked, one organ window worked, one mirror worked, one boiler video was frozen till we almost past it- the first one still off. Interesting that outside of the mirrors and boiler ones, these aren’t synced with anything- just loop. Not sure why it’s so hard to keep these going. Only seen them working on preview day. Whatever people think is “supposed to happen” with the legs behind the curtain- I think what we have is it. With daily ops about to start, I don’t see any “new or broken effects” being added. I think it’s shoes behind a curtain- nothing more The sticker signs keep peeling, and I keep sticking them back down. But I’ve been doing that since previews so it’s an ongoing problem that’s not being fixed. Cmon guys. This is your “big add” for the season. Treat it as such.