Geauga Lake rides side to close.

[FOFirehawkFAN]

Chippewa Lake

Moxhala Amusement Park

Americana/Lesourdsville Lake

Surf Cincinnati

Fantasy Farm

and now...

Geauga Lake (in a sense)

You also forgot Wyandot Lake

[Browntggrr]

Sad, but not exactly surprising.

It is funny though to listen to other people and how they blame CF for ruining the park and they cannot believe that it is coming to this.

[Raptor66]

I hate to see another park go. The park, and I hate to say this, has not done recently in years. Attractions have been added but it never brought the park the coustomers it needed.

What ever is done with the rides I have faith CF will make a smart dicision... I hope.

Totally agree. I feel really bad for the Geauga Lake locals though. It is sad to see it go, even though I have never been there. Well, sort of. I've been to Sea World Ohio but never Geauga Lake/Six Flags.

[FOFirehawkFAN]

Six flags is the one that ruined it, not CF. CF was at least able to make it survive as a waterpark, if it had stayed under Six Flags it would be all gone by now.

[PKIVortex]

We all seen this coming right?

[Guest faceoff]

I am glad, i went to geauga lake in 2007 and enjoyed the park a-lot. The thought of the double loop

and big dipper meeting the wrecking ball makes me sad. I certainly hope they find a new home

with tlc. Since, i am not a swimmer-i have had my last trip to geauga lake. I hope the waterpark

continues doing well.

[FOFirehawkFAN]

I wish theyd make a coney section of the park where the 3D movies and crap were, with the Swings, and a scrambler, and tilt a whirl, etc, and of course the big dipper and double loop. (though I know it wont happen im still dreaming)

[CoastersRZ]

Well, the rides at Coney do not make Coney Money. Coney`s money is made at the pool. And group sales which are primarily driven by the pool and ride combo package is also a large part of how Coney makes its money. (The other being parking and concessions revenues from Riverbend concerts).

[The Interpreter]

A detailed article:

http://www.ohio.com/news/9930322.html

[Jamesv7]

Alright everybody lets bow are heads in a moment of silents for another passing park.

[Captain Picard]

How the post have changed about Cedar Fair since they bought Geauga Lake. Back in the day all you seen was how Cedar Fair was the best and could do anything.

[bear295]

It is sad to hear/read about Geauga Lake. But, I think that if thought had been given during the past winter it would have been pretty obvious the direction CF would take the park. They removed two of the top dollar rides in the park. Effectively stating what the final outcome would be. The numbers just aren't there to do much else with it. CP and KI are too close to support Geauga as an amusement rides park.

SAD to see it go even though I've never been there. Wish them all the best as a water park. It will probably do well. Look how long "The Beach" has been operating with KI and it's waterpark right next door.

[jzarley]

Chippewa Lake

Moxhala Amusement Park

Americana/Lesourdsville Lake

Surf Cincinnati

Fantasy Farm

and now...

Geauga Lake (in a sense)

You also forgot Wyandot Lake

Except Wyandot is being replaced by a new park on the same site that's twice as large, and much higher quality, so I wouldn't consider it "defunct."

[ragerunner]

How the post have changed about Cedar Fair since they bought Geauga Lake. Back in the day all you seen was how Cedar Fair was the best and could do anything.

No truer words have been spoken.

[CoastersNSich]

As someone who has visited and enjoyed Geauga Lake for about five years, I am angered, saddened, yet understanding about this decision. It makes great sense to change the focus of the property to a waterpark, but eliminating the traditional amusement park altogether is too harsh. I would have kept a few of the coasters, especially Big Dipper, amongst flat rides, and the log flume. While my opinion of Cedar Fair has gone downward (yet still positive), this closing may be more indicative of the regional economy.

[flightoffear1996]

Wait a second this may seem out of reach or stupid but they never said the park wuld be closing for good at least I don't think. They may just maybe taking alot of extra time to restore the family parkt thta it once was. While I really doubt what I just said there is always that chance for those of you who love the park.

[Mikewhy]

I strongly feel that Cedar Fair did not do all they could to make the ride side of this park work. Other than add a water park and lower admission, they did nothing really to downsize the park again and make it a small family amusement park. That old park did okay against CP and KI in the past and could have once again, had they truly down sized the property, added family rides, lowered parking and food prices, and promoted itself better.

I do blame CF for this. It is too late to still blame Six Flags. I do not accept that Cedar Fair did all they could to save this park. I also do not accept the belief that had Six Flags kept the park, it would be completely gone and thank goodness at least CF at least saved the water park. With the vast improvement I have seen in most Six Flags parks this year, I feel that had they kept the park, it might actually be thriving.

[Guest kwindshawne]

Cedar Fair Entertainment Company announced today that Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom in Aurora, Ohio, will become exclusively a water park attraction beginning with the 2008 season.

“After four years of operating Geauga Lake as a combined water park/amusement park attraction, we have concluded that its future should be entirely as a water park,” said Dick Kinzel, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. “Visiting Geauga Lake is a 119-year-old tradition in northeastern Ohio. That tradition will continue, but in a new and exciting way.”

“Geauga Lake’s Wildwater Kingdom has been recognized as one of the finest water parks in the country,” Kinzel said. “Over the past three seasons, we have invested approximately $25 million to create and develop the premiere water park in northeastern Ohio. Since its opening in 2005, Wildwater Kingdom has been the park’s highest rated attribute.”

Geauga Lake’s Wildwater Kingdom attractions will include Tidal Wave Bay, a 30,000 square-foot wave pool featuring seven different types of wave patterns; Liquid Lightning, a 60-foot-tall tornado slide; Thunder Falls, Ohio’s tallest water slide complex; an activity pool; an action river; and a multi-story play structure. The park will also provide a catering facility and picnic pavilions for group outings and poolside cabanas will be made available for daily rental.

I guess its offical.

Crap. I never had the chance to get there.

[marcia]

Chippewa Lake

Moxhala Amusement Park

Americana/Lesourdsville Lake

Surf Cincinnati

Fantasy Farm

and now...

Geauga Lake (in a sense)

Completely off-topic, but I haven't thought about Moxahala park in years! It closed when I was very young, but I still have some (good) vague memories...

I guess that just goes to prove that you don't have to have a mega-corporate regional park to have a good time at an amusement park

Ihope some of the rides from the park come to KI and give the park a boost.

Marcia

[FOFirehawkFAN]

Chippewa Lake

Moxhala Amusement Park

Americana/Lesourdsville Lake

Surf Cincinnati

Fantasy Farm

and now...

Geauga Lake (in a sense)

You also forgot Wyandot Lake

Except Wyandot is being replaced by a new park on the same site that's twice as large, and much higher quality, so I wouldn't consider it "defunct."

Except they keep changing the plans to make them less and less impresive and less expensive. AND I grew up going there so it's very sad to see it go, back in the 90s under FunTime Inc it was ranked as one of the top waterparks in the country, they invented the water playground with the giant bucket, then six flags bought it, and thats why it went to hell.

[Hendrick]

Chippewa Lake

Moxhala Amusement Park

Americana/Lesourdsville Lake

Surf Cincinnati

Fantasy Farm

and now...

Geauga Lake (in a sense)

You forgot Idora Park.

I guess the Wildcat was ranked as one of the top wooden coasters before the fire. (Thats just what I heard though.)

[FOFirehawkFAN]

Thats so sad I had no idea there were that many roller coasters in ohio

[Gordon Bombay]

Wait a second this may seem out of reach or stupid but they never said the park wuld be closing for good at least I don't think. They may just maybe taking alot of extra time to restore the family parkt thta it once was. While I really doubt what I just said there is always that chance for those of you who love the park.

Read one of the articles in the multiple links posted throughout this topic or go to www.geaugalake.com they've stated that the park will become exclusively a water park.

I strongly feel that Cedar Fair did not do all they could to make the ride side of this park work. Other than add a water park and lower admission, they did nothing really to downsize the park again and make it a small family amusement park. That old park did okay against CP and KI in the past and could have once again, had they truly down sized the property, added family rides, lowered parking and food prices, and promoted itself better.

I do blame CF for this. It is too late to still blame Six Flags. I do not accept that Cedar Fair did all they could to save this park. I also do not accept the belief that had Six Flags kept the park, it would be completely gone and thank goodness at least CF at least saved the water park. With the vast improvement I have seen in most Six Flags parks this year, I feel that had they kept the park, it might actually be thriving.

Cedar Fair definently did not do all they had to do to improve the park, but they still came out the winners in this investment. Cedar Fair would not have bought the park from Six Flags unless it was moderately sucessful, they wouldn't just buy a useless product. Everyone assumses CF were these good doers out to right the wrongs that SF had done to GL. That is very incorrect. GL under Six Flags had been pretty sucesful, it was the result of poor management on SF's part and poor numbers chain wide that caused SF to let GL go. At the time (Pre-Shapiro Management) Six Flags was in worse debt than they are now, selling GL was a good way to try and earn some money back and get their chain back in focus (whether or not they turned the company around is another story and argument). CF bought the park for what I call the "Lego Bin" theory. They purchased the park, if it was still succesful under their ideas, then great, they have another profitable park in the chain, if the park wasn't sucessful, then they could sell valuable lake side land to a developer and all those rides in the park could be relocated and used as new attractions at their other parks, used for spare parts throughout the chain, or just added to other parks for cheap "new" attractions. If GL was unsucessful under their ideas, then they had a full "Lego Bin" of rides they could use throughout the chain for various reasons. In this case, they built the waterpark which has become very sucessful so theyll leave that up and continue to make a profit. The land will sell, probably to a retail developer (who will probably offer more money than CF paid SF for the land) and then they'll have plenty of rides, spare parts, and all kinds of stuff they can use to support their other parks without having to invest in brand new attractions all the time. From a business standpoint, Cedar Fair wins. They'll make a profit on the land, have a surplus of spare attractions, and still have a profitable water park on the other side. Cedar Fair wins, while the residents, guests, fans, and local residents lose.

[Guest kwindshawne]

Wait a second this may seem out of reach or stupid but they never said the park wuld be closing for good at least I don't think. They may just maybe taking alot of extra time to restore the family parkt thta it once was. While I really doubt what I just said there is always that chance for those of you who love the park.

Read one of the articles in the multiple links posted throughout this topic or go to www.geaugalake.com they've stated that the park will become exclusively a water park.

I strongly feel that Cedar Fair did not do all they could to make the ride side of this park work. Other than add a water park and lower admission, they did nothing really to downsize the park again and make it a small family amusement park. That old park did okay against CP and KI in the past and could have once again, had they truly down sized the property, added family rides, lowered parking and food prices, and promoted itself better.

I do blame CF for this. It is too late to still blame Six Flags. I do not accept that Cedar Fair did all they could to save this park. I also do not accept the belief that had Six Flags kept the park, it would be completely gone and thank goodness at least CF at least saved the water park. With the vast improvement I have seen in most Six Flags parks this year, I feel that had they kept the park, it might actually be thriving.

Cedar Fair definently did not do all they had to do to improve the park, but they still came out the winners in this investment. Cedar Fair would not have bought the park from Six Flags unless it was moderately sucessful, they wouldn't just buy a useless product. Everyone assumses CF were these good doers out to right the wrongs that SF had done to GL. That is very incorrect. GL under Six Flags had been pretty sucesful, it was the result of poor management on SF's part and poor numbers chain wide that caused SF to let GL go. At the time (Pre-Shapiro Management) Six Flags was in worse debt than they are now, selling GL was a good way to try and earn some money back and get their chain back in focus (whether or not they turned the company around is another story and argument). CF bought the park for what I call the "Lego Bin" theory. They purchased the park, if it was still succesful under their ideas, then great, they have another profitable park in the chain, if the park wasn't sucessful, then they could sell valuable lake side land to a developer and all those rides in the park could be relocated and used as new attractions at their other parks, used for spare parts throughout the chain, or just added to other parks for cheap "new" attractions. If GL was unsucessful under their ideas, then they had a full "Lego Bin" of rides they could use throughout the chain for various reasons. In this case, they built the waterpark which has become very sucessful so theyll leave that up and continue to make a profit. The land will sell, probably to a retail developer (who will probably offer more money than CF paid SF for the land) and then they'll have plenty of rides, spare parts, and all kinds of stuff they can use to support their other parks without having to invest in brand new attractions all the time. From a business standpoint, Cedar Fair wins. They'll make a profit on the land, have a surplus of spare attractions, and still have a profitable water park on the other side. Cedar Fair wins, while the residents, guests, fans, and local residents lose.

Probably right. This happens in other industries as well...Business sucks, doesn't it?

[FOFirehawkFAN]

Sh*t happens, things in life change get used to it, I still blame Six Flags for the downfall of the park, not CF.

[coasterlover39]

I want to know how old is GL ?

[CoastersRZ]

If you refer to the press release that Cedar Fair issued, you would find out that Geauga Lake is 119 years old.

[Beast1979]

Wow... I can not belive this is happening.. I feel so bad for the people who love that place.

=[

im just happy i got to ride big dipper one last time . CF killed my home park that i loved all my life and i will never forgive them.

I just hope they don't do something like that to KI.

Amen

Amen

Amen!!

Beast1979

[Beast1979]

They are actually surveying the rumored site of Dominator. Part of the bus parking lot has been sectioned off as well. It's rumored the coaster will be part of International Street behind Beserker, and The Rugrat's Toonpike. Time will tell.

That'd Be Nice. In 2008, Try Kings Dominion.

Beast1979

[Gordon Bombay]

Sh*t happens, things in life change get used to it, I still blame Six Flags for the downfall of the park, not CF.

Well thats fine, but you know, you should probably have some educated and supportive reasoning to back up your statement. SF had people coming to the park, SF was keeping the animals. CF got rid of the animals, gave the finger to the local unions, and CF closed the rides side.