Jump to content

Cedar Fair Purchases Paramount Parks!


Recommended Posts

ohmy.gif OMG That is all i can say about this transaction. I never expected it to happen but oh buddy was i wrong. Well that means you can expect some brand new ride changes next year. I believe it is time for a pollon which rides you think will be changed to what. And will this website still be called PKICentral or will it be CFKICentral.com. This new transaction has changed my whole night. I am in total shock. But hopefully it will be good for the park. I never knew that Cedar Fair had more income and guests than Paramount. You learn something everyday. All i can say is WOW!!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

ohmy.gif OMG That is all i can say about this transaction. I never expected it to happen but oh buddy was i wrong. Well that means you can expect some brand new ride changes next year. I believe it is time for a pollon which rides you think will be changed to what. And will this website still be called PKICentral or will it be CFKICentral.com. This new transaction has changed my whole night. I am in total shock. But hopefully it will be good for the park. I never knew that Cedar Fair had more income and guests than Paramount. You learn something everyday. All i can say is WOW!!

Cedar Fair is a darn good chain!!!! Thats for darn sure!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What's wrong with Michigan's Adventure, not every park has to be huge wacko.gif

Oh yeah, Ryan how does your foot taste laugh.gif

You know that last comment about not giving a darn about how they do it on America's Roller Coast? I was just kidding Mr. Kinzel.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure where I heard this but, I heard X-flight from Guagua Lake, was originally supposed to go to PKI, but now since they're all owned by Cedar Fair....I think another X flight at PKI could happen.....

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

*coughMICHIGANSADVENTUREcough*

Hey, Cedar Fair has worked MIRACLES for my park, I wouldn't even START to say they've done a single thing wrong.

I can't wait, you guys will really like Cedar Fair management. I know I like park operations better under Cedar Fair.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure where I heard this but, I heard X-flight from Guagua Lake, was originally supposed to go to PKI, but now since they're all owned by Cedar Fair....I think another X flight at PKI could happen.....

First off, the one that was slated for PKI was the one from PGA that was stealth. Second, I hope PKI does not get a similar ride because the fact is it is not that good of a ride.

Plain and simple though, I think CF does great work. I have been to Dorney, CP, and Geuaga Lake and was VERY pleased with all of them. They all have great, unique rides and they all provide some of the best park atmospheres out there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"First off, the one that was slated for PKI was the one from PGA that was stealth. Second, I hope PKI does not get a similar ride because the fact is it is not that good of a ride."

Well, kind-a-sort-a.

X Flight (Vekoma Flying Dutchman) located at Geauga Lake was slated originally for PKI.

The actual story is.... Al Webber contracted Vekoma to produce a prototype coaster for Paramount Parks that would be a "technical marvel." PPI and Vekoma partnered the cost of development, and PPD&E retained the right of refusal for future installs of the ride.

The original was "Stealth" installed at PGA. Now, There's a floating rumor that states "Stealth" was originally set to be installed at PKI. The rumor also exists that Tim Fisher (GM of PKI at the time) nixed the idea completely. Now, Stealth opened at PGA in 2000, at the same time that SOB was being designed/constructed/installed/opened... so facts sort of contradict this idea.

Stealth opened with numerous technical issues and problems. One could summize that the reason it went to PGA in the first place was likely due to the fact that because it was a prototype. It made better sense to install it at a lesser attended park and work out the kinks, prior to installing at their largest park.

Actually, there were two other Flying Dutchmans already being manufactured when Stealth opened. One for PKI, the other for PKD. Because of severe downtime, and costly repair, PPI decided to opt out of the 2 future installs and opened the rights to other park chains to invest in the ride type.

Thus the two other models ended up at neighboring parks. SFO (Six Flags Ohio... which became Six Flags Worlds of Adventure and then became Geauga Lake... again...) got X Flight and SFA (Six Flags America) got Batwing.

Those have been plagued with problems as well.

Intially, PKI's was slated to take the place of King Cobra. PKD's was to take the place of Shockwave. King Cobra survived a few more seasons before being removed altogether, and PKD's Shockwave still stands.

Following the debacle of the Stealth install at PGA, PPI officials decided to move the next install, Hypersonic XLC to PKD. (Hypersonic was intially supposed to be installed at PGA for the 2001 season.) This allowed them to add another prototype ride (Al Webber is ridiculously keen on "prototype" rides... sheesh!) yet to install it in a park that wasn't already home to a problem-plagued coaster. PGA went as far as to advertise the ride initially in park, and then quickly yanked all ads and references to it when the decision was made to install the S&S coaster at PKD.

Stealth had such a horrible reputation at PGA, and was placed so poorly in the park, that a few years back the decision was made to remove and relocate the coaster. That was to be the start to a "new" ride relocation program among Paramount Parks. The ride was then removed, relocated and re-assembled at Paramount's Carowinds where, although it experiences downtime, has a pretty good reputation. Stealth lasted a mere 3 years at PGA, where... rumor has it.. it experienced over a 50% downtime.

The Carowinds install came on the heels of an install of the first ever B&M Flying Coaster at neighboring Six Flags Over Georgia. The coaster at SFOG was immensely successful, and had minimal downtime thanks, in large part, to B&M's keen ability to take an idea such as Stealth, and perfect it in the most simplistic of ways.

Ironically, the cost of relocating to and re-assembling Stealth at PCow, was nearly the cost of an original install. It's not exactly an inexpensive option to reloacte rides from park to park. It's often treated just like a new install and must be budgeted appropriately. Also, transferring product from one property to another can often involve property taxes... so I am amazed that they went this route rather than scrapping it. But then SF parks did a rotational program for years with their rides. I think the infamous Flashback has had 4 or 5 locations through the years.

However, from there, other rides began the ride "rotation" program. Flying Eagles at PKI were next up and other rides at various parks have been "shelved" for possible future relocations... the Looping Starship at PCow, the Sea Dragon and Monster at PCW. Heck, they are even hanging onto Scooby's Ghoster Coaster for some God-forsaken reason.

Most interesting is the saga of FOF. With the parks now transitioning to CF ownership, it will be interesting to see if the plans for these attractions will change.

I don't think I am breaking any eggs when I now reveal that the PKD version of FOF was to be removed and relocated to PCW in a future season. Based on that success, the PKI version would have probably followed suit with a relocation to PCow. If the relocation of PKD's was slated for next season at PCW, then we may still see it. However, I doubt we'll now see PKI's relcoated any time soon.

PKD's FOF is, at present, SBNO.

Shaggy

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you are thinking coaster... nope.

PP Reps have expressed numerous times in the past several seasons that the parks were pursuing attractions that were family focused.

Look at recent installs.... waterparks, kids rides, dark rides. That spells a trend... and easily exhemplifies that large thrill ride installs are not their main focus.

Shaggy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shaggy always comes in and straightens everyone out. I had always heard that after Stealth, the next one was to be installed at PKI and then headed north to Geauga Lake (SFWOA at the time). I hadn't heard that there was a possibility that Stealth was to be installed at PKI. When I really thought about it, that makes sense that it was to be installed at PKI first considering that most of the prototypes have gone to PKI and not other Paramount Parks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I think prototypes have been pretty evenly spread among the Paramount Parks through the years.

These could all be considered prototypes IMO...

Hypersonic

Stealth

Volcano

Delirium

Drop Zone

Italian Job

FOF

Invertigo

I am sure there are a few more, but out of that list, only 2 were installed only at PKI as "originals."

Shaggy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hopefully Kings Island - but Great America needs a lot of work. If it is true they improve their parks based on how much the park makes every year - we should see frequent updates - and some really great rides - after the first few years it will take for CF to get things running smoothly and fix up the parks to their standard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I never knew that Cedar Fair had more income and guests than Paramount. You learn something everyday. All i can say is WOW!! 

Does that include ALL of the Cedar Fair parks? That would be unfair to compare seven park's combined attendance, one of which is year-round, to five seasonal parks. In my eyes, Paramount Parks is more successful!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hope this means we can finally get a new decent steel coaster, and quit with all this kids crap. Hopefully, a B & M, since we don't own one yet. Hopefully the deal closes before the end of the year, that way they can build nice new stuff for next season. I am guessing that all the parks will be blessed with at least one new ride for next year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But Shaggy, according to your own list, four of those coasters were installed at PKI first. I wasn't really referring to anything exclusive to one park. Not to mention you forgot The Bat

Nope... only 2 were installed at PKI first... Drop Zone and Delirium.

If you are including FOF and IJST, they were installed simultaniously with duplicate versions at other parks.

I didn't forget The Bat, the list I created was of installs that occurred during the Paramount reign. The Bat, although a prototype, was installed in the KECO days, well before the Paramount takeover.

Shaggy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hope this means we can finally get a new decent steel coaster, and quit with all this kids crap. Hopefully, a B & M, since we don't own one yet. Hopefully the deal closes before the end of the year, that way they can build nice new stuff for next season. I am guessing that all the parks will be blessed with at least one new ride for next year.

Uh...during the media conference call, CF officials revealed that there were to have been no substantial capital expenditures at the former Paramount Parks next year. It is highly doubtful that major coaster installations will now be contracted for the soon to be former PP for 2007, by CF or PP.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...