bb_dg
Posts: 3568
Registered: 7/31/2001
Rank: Site Moderator
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 6/25/2004 11:34:00 PM
hey, just got back from the ACE coaster con at CP and GL... here are some notes about the conference:
-CP is amazing. they treated ACE incredibly nice. we got free parking all three days as well as free drinks anytime we wanted with no limit. the food they served was top notch (including a steak lunch one day). the ERT sessions were not too crowded at all as there were many rides open. when one ride was closed for an ERT session, CP substituted other rides.
-TTD was broke A LOT!!! i was there three full days and got 5 rides on it. the first day it was closed all day, the second day it went down halfway through the day and it was down for both ERT sessions it was scheduled for. CP did the best they could though. they even had 6 or so mechanics out fixing it at 1 in the morning (replacing some hydraulic pumps) so that the ride would be running for our last day at the park. i guess we did get some ERT on it that night (exclusive repair time) as many ACErs looked on as they did the repairs. what CP did in addition to this was give everyone get to the front passes. in all i got 3 of them. the last day, they got the ride open during the last 15 minutes of our ERT session (TTD wasnt scheduled for ERT however) so i got a ride on it then. it was a walk-on and i have pics if no one believes me. i then used my three skip the line passes and was able to ride TTD 4 times in less than 2 hours, one of those times being in the front seat. TTD is simply the best ride out there. its amazing!
-GL was a huge let down. i cant see why CF bought this park. it would not surprise me if they closed this place down and sold the land just to wipe out competition for CP. everything was a walk-on during regular park hours so there was no need to go to the ERT sessions. i thought dominator (formally batman knight flight) was going to be great but it was extremely rough and not fun at all. huge disappointment. every other ride was at best decent but most were really bad. the only redeeming ride was steel venom (formally superman). WT is better though.
overall i had an amazing time. CP is such a great park and they treated us like royalty. THANKS CP! TTD is my new number one. the weather was perfect everyday except this morning and the crowds were very managable. i found i really didnt go to CP outside of ERT. soak city is a nice park too and their lazy river is a lot of fun (kind of a cross between a lazy river and wave pool). we stayed at the sandcastle suites right on the point so we came and went frequently. also, the second best place for BBQ is famous daves (the first best is rumjungle in vegas). really really great pork and i love their sauces so check that place out if youre ever at CP although i believe its a chain.
i might add some more stuff in this thread as i think about it but im not really going to write a formal TR. the con was just too huge to completely account for.
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bb_dg
Posts: 3568
Registered: 7/31/2001
Rank: Site Moderator
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6/25/2004 11:41:00 PM
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?show_all=1&id=4286432897&start=1
theres some pics to look at. taken with my new sony cybershot. some of the pics colors are a little screwy but im too tired right now to fix it
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sfo1
Posts: 5359
Registered: 7/22/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
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6/25/2004 11:58:00 PM
Well, you are aware GL only had a month to get ready for the 04' season? I think the only dissapointing coasters there are Head Spin, Thunderhawk, RWB, and DL. I mean, I know after being at CP may make GL look bad, but it's a 650 acre park, why would they choose to bulldoze it? IMO, GL has such a great amount of potential, maybe that's because it's my home park, and outsiders don't see all the little improvements it makes. Did you ride X Flight? I haven't been on a B&M Superman clone, but those things look so boring compared to Flying Dutchmans(don't get me wrong, the pretzel loop looks amazing).IMO geauga Lake has GREAT potential...endless possibilities, endless space. And a rough ride on a B&M Floorless? The only possible explanation for that is maybe you had your restraint too loose. I did that once, but I have had SO many rides that were as smooth as glass on this monster. Your one of th the only people I've heard of that said it was no fun at all. Sorry you had a bad day at the park, but pay attention to the potential it has! A B&M Floorless, Intiman Impulse, CCI Double Out-And-Back, Flying Dutchman, and a classic, airtime-filled woodie can't be that bad, but I guess we all have different opinions. I haven't been to the park yet(maybe going this weekend) after the transition, so I don't know what the atmosphere of the park is like.*
Anyway, glad you had fun at CP, can't wait to go this summer! TTD looks like a blast! I just hope when I go I can get at least 1 ride on it,lol.
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Message updated 6/26/2004 12:22:00 AM by sfo1
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sfo1
Posts: 5359
Registered: 7/22/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
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6/26/2004 12:21:00 AM
BTW, just on a side note, I don't think GL will be competition for CP, as they are marketing it to be more of a family-oriented-park...
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yfz450
Posts: 1743
Registered: 3/13/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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6/26/2004 12:36:00 AM
I wouldn't mind going to either park they both look nice! glad you had a good time at cp
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D-force!
Posts: 109
Registered: 9/3/2003
Rank: Bronze Critic
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6/26/2004 9:05:00 AM
Glad you had a good time at CP! You're right. TTD is the best out there. When I was there a little over a week ago, TTD was working fine, but when I left, it was closed for small repairs or something. Sounds like CP was really nice to you.
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Cyclonic
Posts: 2636
Registered: 7/19/2002
Rank: Experiment 626
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6/26/2004 9:51:00 AM
Quote:
QAZ said:
do they close CP to the public for Ace? |
No, the park is open to the general public during regular hours. ACE got what is called Extra Ride Time, or ERT, on selected rides before and after park hours.
BTW, good little report. What photos won the photo contest this year? I didn't send any in (forgot), but I am sick of CA Adv night time photos winning, and hope it was something different. Well done on your own pictures as well.
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Message updated 6/26/2004 9:54:00 AM by Cyclonic
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bb_dg
Posts: 3568
Registered: 7/31/2001
Rank: Site Moderator
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6/26/2004 11:40:00 AM
Quote:
sfo1 said:
Well, you are aware GL only had a month to get ready for the 04' season? I think the only dissapointing coasters there are Head Spin, Thunderhawk, RWB, and DL. I mean, I know after being at CP may make GL look bad, but it's a 650 acre park, why would they choose to bulldoze it? IMO, GL has such a great amount of potential, maybe that's because it's my home park, and outsiders don't see all the little improvements it makes. Did you ride X Flight? I haven't been on a B&M Superman clone, but those things look so boring compared to Flying Dutchmans(don't get me wrong, the pretzel loop looks amazing).IMO geauga Lake has GREAT potential...endless possibilities, endless space. And a rough ride on a B&M Floorless? The only possible explanation for that is maybe you had your restraint too loose. I did that once, but I have had SO many rides that were as smooth as glass on this monster. Your one of th the only people I've heard of that said it was no fun at all. Sorry you had a bad day at the park, but pay attention to the potential it has! A B&M Floorless, Intiman Impulse, CCI Double Out-And-Back, Flying Dutchman, and a classic, airtime-filled woodie can't be that bad, but I guess we all have different opinions. I haven't been to the park yet(maybe going this weekend) after the transition, so I don't know what the atmosphere of the park is like.*
Anyway, glad you had fun at CP, can't wait to go this summer! TTD looks like a blast! I just hope when I go I can get at least 1 ride on it,lol. |
yea i know that CF didnt have much time to put the park together but it was just terrible. the employees were extremely bad (your run of the mill six flags employees) and the whole park just had this weird vibe. GL is still very much a six flags park even though cedar fair is running it. example: the ride ops on double loop did not check the restraints and made a couple carry on a very large drink mug and large bag. that is just dangerous and i talked to lexi robinson (i think thats her name) about it.
i rode x-flight (and batwing for that matter) and didnt like it. the B&M version is much better. i really hate how vekoma brakes the ride... it makes my head hurt
the B&M floorless was incredibly rough. i was front seat and the restraint wasnt loose. the train seemed to shake the entire time to the point that i was leaning forward to keep my back off the seat (think mean streak or hercules). and yes i just compare a B&M to a dinn woodie.
i really dont see the potential in this park. its sloppy looking, simply ugly (worst skyline ive ever seen, it looks like a carnival its so bunched together) and like i said, it was empty on a beautiful day. if six flags couldnt turn a profit on this park, what makes you think cedar fair can. i was talking to someone who knows some people in the cedar fair chain of command and she said that right now they are deciding whether or not to invest a lot of money in the park to turn it into a CF park (and it would need a lot of cash) or just to bulldoze it and sell the land.
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bb_dg
Posts: 3568
Registered: 7/31/2001
Rank: Site Moderator
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6/26/2004 11:43:00 AM
Quote:
Cyclonic said:
No, the park is open to the general public during regular hours. ACE got what is called Extra Ride Time, or ERT, on selected rides before and after park hours.
BTW, good little report. What photos won the photo contest this year? I didn't send any in (forgot), but I am sick of CA Adv night time photos winning, and hope it was something different. Well done on your own pictures as well. |
and on a side note on the ERT... some nights i was at the park till 1 only to be back in the park by 6:30. barely got 4 hours of sleep those nights.
i cant remember in what order but the pics that won were a sunset pic of magnum, night time of WT and a distance shot of the CP skyline focusing on MF. there was another one that won from another park but i cant remember
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sfo1
Posts: 5359
Registered: 7/22/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
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6/26/2004 1:46:00 PM
Quote:
bb_dg said:
yea i know that CF didnt have much time to put the park together but it was just terrible. the employees were extremely bad (your run of the mill six flags employees) and the whole park just had this weird vibe. GL is still very much a six flags park even though cedar fair is running it. example: the ride ops on double loop did not check the restraints and made a couple carry on a very large drink mug and large bag. that is just dangerous and i talked to lexi robinson (i think thats her name) about it.
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Hmm... sounds to me like they need to get a firmer grip on their employees. I haven't been there yet this season (planning to go tommorrow), so I really want to see what CF has done.
I myself hope they invest into the park, because if they don't, CP will be the closest park to me in Ohio at 2 1/2 hours away...which is not a pleasant drive to a "home park".
I will admit GL's skyline is a little odd, but if they add that rumored hyper, it'd be beautiful,lol. And all they'd have to do to removed the "clustered" feel from the park is simply move some rides and expand the park. With 650 acres, imagine all of the endless attractions that could be placed around the lake...
Message updated 6/26/2004 2:03:00 PM by sfo1
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yfz450
Posts: 1743
Registered: 3/13/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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6/26/2004 8:24:00 PM
I wan't to be with ace your lucky
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Cyclonic
Posts: 2636
Registered: 7/19/2002
Rank: Experiment 626
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6/26/2004 10:39:00 PM
All you have to do is join. www.aceonline.org
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bb_dg
Posts: 3568
Registered: 7/31/2001
Rank: Site Moderator
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6/27/2004 11:15:00 AM
QAZ- yea i know but membership is free.
an ACE membership is only 50 a year. the events are more along the lines of 300 (atleast coaster con was i believe). its well worth it though with many meals served as well as ERT, goodies and multiday park admissions
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sfo1
Posts: 5359
Registered: 7/22/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
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6/27/2004 7:22:00 PM
ACE sounds pretty cool- but I don't know if my parents would go for it..
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primogen18
Posts: 2983
Registered: 2/19/2001
Rank: Mansion Welcomer
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6/27/2004 8:07:00 PM
I hope GL improves, I see potential as well. Although I understand how you say it does not look like a CF park. When I think CF, I see lots of mulch, landscaping, and white concrete lol, and this park doesn't have that. Plus the layout is a bit dense/crowded. IMO they need to do alot of lanscaping in and around the rides like Dominator along with some new color schemes. If they do that along with straighten up their employee problem it could be better.
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sfo1
Posts: 5359
Registered: 7/22/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
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6/27/2004 9:19:00 PM
I agree with you totally primogen18. It needs to be spread out more, ALOT more landscaping needs to be added, and like you said, the walkways they currently have need to be changed.
The Cleveland/Pittsburgh/Akron area is where GL gets many of it's guests. They are advertising it as a family park, so I think a few improvements need to be made to make this more true:
-Make the picnic areas accessible from the park; instead of guests having to get their hand stamped and leave the park to get to the picnic pavilions, make them accessible from inside the park. Do families want to walk completely out of their way to get to a picnic area? No. They want quick, easy access to their lunches.
- Continue Shuttle Service from the GL Hotel to the park. From what I have heard, Shuttle Service has been discontinued this year. Families from far away want an easy way to get to the park from the hotel. For those of you who have never been to GL, the Hotel is located a little ways away from the park.
- And last-but-not least, customer service...I don't have to explain it because it has been explained in previous posts. Families should be treated well by employees, as many families have kids who will nag and beg all day long.
If CF invests in this park, I can see good things coming out of it. They need to make the GP aware that it is no longer the Six Flags park it used to be. So far, many little improvements have been made. Hopefully in the next few years we will see HUGE ones such as the hyper we've all been waiting for.
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