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dsloban Thunderhawk User is Offline Joined: 19 Jul 2007 Posts: 1075	Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 10:01 am    Post subject: Disney buys Geauga Lake? · Quote A friend of mine who is a nuse told me that she heard a rumor that Geauga Lake was bought by Disney? I know it sounds crazy, but my friend isn't a coaster junkie like me, but she said she has been hearing it form several different people! CoasterDad, have you heard anything about this? _________________ Life is like a rollercoaster. It is full of ups and downs!
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Skyglider Tidal Wave Bay User is Offline Joined: 29 Aug 2007 Posts: 1103	Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 10:50 am    Post subject: · Quote I don't see it. Disney is top secret about their future plans. Disney also likes control over a lot of things that Bainbridge & Aurora gave Sea World and Geauga Lake trouble with. On top of that, Disney tends to go for year round locations. Plus Cedar Fair would never want Disney in Ohio. There were rumors on this board a while back about a guy with "I Love Cleverland" stickers who claimed he worked for Disney and would be running a new Ohio park at GL, those appear to have been false. Maybe that it a source of the confusion. I can see something viable being built around the Big Dipper and Ballroom by someone (and Cedar Fair getting out with some cash and good PR out of it), but not by Disney. It is not yet hopeless for the Big Dipper, but Disney is almost certainly a false hope. _________________ "It's a very special ride. We want to make sure it has a proper home." Cedar Fair Spokesman Innes on Big Dipper, 12th oldest roller coaster on Earth.
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Gunkey Monkey Site Admin User is Offline Joined: 01 Jul 2007 Posts: 1102 Location: Cleveland, Ohio	Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 12:06 pm    Post subject: · Quote Even though Disney taking over the GL land is never going to happen I could have sworn I read somewhere that Disney was possibly looking at doing smaller, regional type attractions. I highly doubt this would mean theme parks as that would take away from people heading down to the Florida property. Though hypothetically speaking and having only been to Disneyland eight years ago (I need to get back to SoCal pronto) I recall that a good majority of the park's attractions are indoors - Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Carribean, Indiana Jones, etc., so they would be able to operate year round. It snows in Tokyo and Disney remains open there. _________________ On September 21, 2007, a historic 119-year old amusement park had been secretly murdered. Never forget it.
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dsloban Thunderhawk User is Offline Joined: 19 Jul 2007 Posts: 1075	Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 3:14 pm    Post subject: · Quote It would be coll if someone would buy the land and tuen it into a year round entertainment place! Just a thought! _________________ Life is like a rollercoaster. It is full of ups and downs!
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coasterdad Site Admin User is Offline Joined: 01 Jul 2007 Posts: 2161	Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 7:57 pm    Post subject: · Quote I highly doubt Disney would be interested in the GL property. With a very close family member working for Disney I can tell you its not true. Although that's not to say some enterprising businessperson could not turn the GL property into a year around destination which it should have been. If CF has any brains left in that think pot in Sandusky they should sell the GL property while they can to someone who cares. Bringing back some sort of GL experience would go a long way in helping them get out of the problems they are in now. _________________ GL's demise was caused by one mans foolish greed. In the end the truth will come out as it always does.
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Skyglider Tidal Wave Bay User is Offline Joined: 29 Aug 2007 Posts: 1103	Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 12:56 pm    Post subject: · Quote Although I don't see Disney doing it, I definitely agree that the property has year round potential. I know of a Family Entertainment Center that it booming year round. In the summer they have a handful of kiddie rides, batting cages, mini-golf, go-karts etc. They also have a massive arcade with video games, a play/climing area, skee ball etc. that stays open and busy even during the winter. Something like that centered around the Big Dipper would have great potential. _________________ "It's a very special ride. We want to make sure it has a proper home." Cedar Fair Spokesman Innes on Big Dipper, 12th oldest roller coaster on Earth.
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ChrisS Splash Landing User is Offline Joined: 30 Dec 2007 Posts: 143 Location: South Euclid OH	Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 6:53 pm    Post subject: · Quote Skyglider are you trying to say that there should be a IX center be built of the site? That would be good but not the same rides and more coasters. _________________ 2007- Skyscraper Triangle crew 5/18/07-5/28/07 Americana/Time Warp Crew-5/28/07-8/5/07 Shipwreck Crew-8/7/07-9/16/07 2010-Wildwater Kingdom or Disney
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ChadV Raging Wolf Bobs User is Offline Joined: 02 Jun 2008 Posts: 438	Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:34 pm    Post subject: · Quote I doubt that, as the IX center is more of a convention center, and only has the "park" a few weeks out of the year. I think they're talking something more like Mt. Olympus, that has an outdoor park during the summer, but a few rides and waterpark that is inside and open year-round for locals during the winter.
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Neurodistortion Splash Landing User is Offline Joined: 30 Aug 2007 Posts: 117	Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:54 pm    Post subject: · Quote In terms of developing an FEC, I think it would be the next best thing to having an amusement park on the site, as long as it's done right and is profitable. The very eastern side of Geauga Lake (where Big Dipper and Skyscraper currently stands) can be part of this FEC, and adjacent to it would be the indoor component. This component could be modeled after the design that I've came up with for a similar FEC that I want to develop in my town. My design is capable for expansion, which can include an indoor waterpark, among other attractions. That would fit with the criteria for a year-round FEC and compete with Cedar Fair's Wildwater Kingdom. On top of that, the outdoor component could be completely rebuilt down to the midway and offer the thrills of the Big Dipper to the quaintness of the Skyscraper, without sacrificing quality and customer service. There could even be boat rides on the lake and a swimming beach area.
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starscream75 Beaver Land Mine Ride User is Offline Joined: 12 Mar 2009 Posts: 7	Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 4:11 pm    Post subject: · Quote Disney Lake?  Nahhh!  Just doesn't sound right.  I think the best chance of anything would be a local buyer that starts off small and gradually expands.
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coasterdad Site Admin User is Offline Joined: 01 Jul 2007 Posts: 2161	Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 4:25 pm    Post subject: · Quote starscream75 wrote: ?...I think the best chance of anything would be a local buyer that starts off small and gradually expands. Agreed. Lets just hope someone at CF comes to their senses as this would be a win win situation for everyone - including CF! _________________ GL's demise was caused by one mans foolish greed. In the end the truth will come out as it always does.
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ChrisS Splash Landing User is Offline Joined: 30 Dec 2007 Posts: 143 Location: South Euclid OH	Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:13 pm    Post subject: · Quote I totally agree and probably everyone else wants to see a win win on both sides too. Neurodistortion nice plans for development of the park. _________________ 2007- Skyscraper Triangle crew 5/18/07-5/28/07 Americana/Time Warp Crew-5/28/07-8/5/07 Shipwreck Crew-8/7/07-9/16/07 2010-Wildwater Kingdom or Disney
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Neurodistortion Splash Landing User is Offline Joined: 30 Aug 2007 Posts: 117	Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2009 5:41 am    Post subject: · Quote Thanks Chris. A local buyer (DeBartolo?) would be the most practical solution, since they would already know the market and perhaps even have some kind of sentimental appeal towards the park. Either way, whoever buys the land is likely going to subdivide it into smaller parcels since each tract is pretty huge. Maybe have a megaplex movie theater on the far eastern side of the parking lot and restaurant outparcels fronting 43 and facing the theaters? Developing an FEC the right way would have to be done small since that's how most successful FEC's are developed in the first place. Let alone, to build one from scratch will probably run about $10-15 million, which doesn't include site prep and highway improvements. Further rehabilitation of the park could run another $10-15 million, so hypothetically we'd be looking at $30-40 million in development costs for everything. That type of cost will require the need for numerous investors or a large scale developer who has the funds to do such developments.
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Dominator56 Villain User is Offline Joined: 18 Jul 2007 Posts: 1283 Location: Akron, Ohio	Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 3:44 am    Post subject: · Quote CF shouldn't be picky about land and how much they get for it. If they don't take an offer they won't be able to get anything for it. I do hope somone can make it a year round destination and possibly bring back some old GL buildings as a historical markers/restraunts. I just hate to see the state that Geauga Lake currently sits in. _________________ Geauga Lake I will miss you!
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dsloban Thunderhawk User is Offline Joined: 19 Jul 2007 Posts: 1075	Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 4:57 pm    Post subject: · Quote I know what you mean! It so so depressing to see it in the state it is in now especially as the weather is warming up and things are starting to bloom! I know I keep my fingers crossed that somthing good will come out of this mess! _________________ Life is like a rollercoaster. It is full of ups and downs!
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