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The Dipper! Beaver Land Mine Ride User is Offline Joined: 19 Jun 2008 Posts: 3	Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:04 am    Post subject: · Quote I have so many memories of Geauga Lake, it's hard to pick just one! One of my most favorite memories is the Dive-In movies that they used to play at night.  I remember sitting in The Wave watching Orca on a big screen that they had up at the end of the pool.  So much fun! I remember the first time I rode a roller coaster (a REAL one at least).  It was the Double Loop.  I was 10 years old, and I had to sneak away from my mom to ride it cause she kept telling me I was too small and would fall out.  I remember standing in the line and seeing her across the way sitting at the picnic tables and taunting her that I escaped and was going to go on it. My sisters and I loved riding the Muzak Express and the Yo-Yo...The Enterprise (Silver Bullet) was the first ride I ever rode that went upside-down.  One bad thing I remember doing as a kid is my sisters and I once stole pops out of someones cooler.  We were thirsty and our dad wouldnt give us money for drinks (terrible of us, I know!). The Stingray water slides and picking your bathing suit out of your a** at the end...The Big Dipper which was my favorite wooden coaster...The rope ladder game which I tried to win so many times and never did...And I have to say, even though it was a newer ride, I really loved the Texas Twister.  We would all race to get on that thing a million times in a row at the end of the night.  We'd go back and forth between that and the Double Loop right before the park would close.  I thought it was funny how people would count the turns out loud on the TT and how youd feel ripped off if you only got 3 or 4 flips.  And how when the bars would come down everyone (especially the guys) would groan. Anyway there are too many good memories to list them all out.  Just wanted to ramble on.  I went and took some photos yesterday and bought some stuff.  I am still sad that CF has done this.  I cant believe they would just close down such a great place.  I feel like an idiot cause I remember when they announced that CF bought GL.  I was so happy; I thought theyd restore it to what it used to be after SF messed it up.  I got totally duped I guess. I dont understand why CF had to do this.  To me GL and CP had a totally different feel.  CP was more of a project to go to, more expensive, bigger and harder to find the rides you were looking for--all in all just not as friendly and fun a place as GL.  GL was smaller and you had the free water park, and honestly I liked the rides there better.  CP was OK to go to once every few yrs but GL youd want to go to a bunch of times a summer. Well anyway Im enjoying reading peoples memories of the place.  Ill miss going there and I am sad that I cant take my kid there when shes old enough to run away from me and sneak on the Double Loop. Thanks for all the good times and good memories Geauga Lake!!!
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oldfuzzster Beaver Land Mine Ride User is Offline Joined: 06 Jun 2008 Posts: 68	Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:08 am    Post subject: · Quote swdaze wrote: Wow, I forgot about the shooting gallery. ?That was a great memory. ?I have never seen a shooting gallery I like as much as that one. ?The one at CP is stupid. ?The one at DW is almost as fun as the GL one. ?Thanks for reminding me about that old treasure. Shooting gallery was the best!! Was up with some friends and it was late, park closing,and had one picture left in the camera. We all pose by the gallery and use the flash--EVERYTHING in the gallery goes off since it's light sensitive. Funnest thing ever.. when your 13 yrs old. Now at 43 I still thinks it funny, did the same thing a about 10yrs ago at Niagara Falls,except there were these two Japanese people standing there asking if I'd take there picture (it's dark got use the flash) I know whats going to happen, they don't.  Flash goes off EVERYTHING goes off and the lady about dies.. Going up on next Sat to Niagara Falls--I hope the gallery is still there, going to try and do it again.  One of the best pranks to pull on someone.
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GL LAV Beaver Land Mine Ride User is Offline Joined: 19 Jun 2008 Posts: 1	Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 12:09 pm    Post subject: Will there be any more days open to the public or did I miss · Quote I wasn't able to go Tues or Weds to the public auction days, and really was hoping they would have another day open to the public.  I bet I missed my only chance to go in and look around.  I am soooo disappointed in Geauga Lake closing the way they did.  I used to go there as a kid with my family, then with friends when in HS, I worked there for 2 summers, and then took my own children there for the last 8 years.  My kids were so sad when we heard the news that GL was closing.  I can't believe they did what they did.    I worked there in 87 - 88 :      Rocket Ships, KiddieLand, Muzik Express, Log Ride, Carrousel, Dodgems, Enterprise, Scrambler, Double Loop, Raging Wolf Bobs...    I can't even write out all the memories I have had there, the best were the 2 summers that I worked there!  My oldest son is almost 11 and I told him that hopefully he'd be able to get a job and work as a ride operator one day,,,He really wanted to work there.      Just sad, sad news.....
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Catchthebrassring Double Loop User is Offline Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 232	Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 3:37 pm    Post subject: · Quote I also have many happy memories of Geauga Lake. I think my two favorite are the years my 2 kid were big enough to ride the double loop. I'll never forget the smiles on their faces as the coasters pulled into the station they were both grinning ear to ear. After that first coaster ride it was good bye kiddie rides for my daughter. Three years later when my son was tall enough to ride double loop he too fell in love with the coaster. Only in his case he now had two favorite rides in the park, double loop and the guppies in Rainbow Island His sister used to make fun of him, but he didn't care he still liked riding the guppies. I'll never forget that opening day when after riding double loop we went over to the guppies and the ride op told my son he was too big to ride. His face was so crest fallen, I thought he was going to cry but he didn't.  When Texas twister came my daughter loved that ride she could ride that and double loop all day. It's hard to believe every thing is gone now. I too could not make it on any of the aution days. But in some ways I'm glad. This way my final memories are of Octoberfest, rides running, people laughing and having a good time. Not an empty park with weeds growing, buildings in disrepair and silence except for the sound of the ghosts howling their sadness and displeasure of 119 years of history gone. Good-bye Geauga Lake. Thank you for all the happy times you gave my family, we will always treasure those. The park maybe gone, but the memories she gave everyone who entered her gates will live forever in our hearts and minds.  Good-Bye, dear friend you were like a family member who will be sorely missed. Geauga Lake 1888 - 2007. _________________ "Be ashamed to die until you have achieved some victory for humanity."  Horace Mann Geauga Lake will always remain in our hearts and memories. On June 17th & 18 2008 dick drove the final 2 nails into the coffin of our beloved Geauga Lake
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dance2874 Beaver Land Mine Ride User is Offline Joined: 18 Jun 2008 Posts: 55	Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 10:24 am    Post subject: · Quote I too have lots of memories...lets see... My first coaster was the Double Loop. I remember I was riding the scrambler over and over again in that area with my cousin and he made me ride it. I was terrified but of course wouldnt tell him that I loved it of course and went on to ride them all that day. I also remember riding the Muzik Express over and over again, and getting squished together in the seat, trying to hold onto the bar so you wouldnt totally crush whoever you were riding with. I really clearly remember spending tons of afternoons there as a young teenager with my firends, going into the Wave (and skinning my knee or other body parts every time without fail) and watching the show at the Palace Theater...and of course looking to meet boys
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tine79 Splash Landing User is Offline Joined: 26 Sep 2007 Posts: 163	Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 10:29 pm    Post subject: · Quote Not my most favorite memory, but it's up there.  Probably mid 1970's ish my family & extended family, (Aunts, Uncles, Cousins & etc.)  were there for a co. picnic, I'm thinking I was about 11 or 12, since at that time we preteens were allowed to roam the park unsupervised.   We were all at the picnic pavillion that was to the left of the southern most point & turn of the Big Dipper, kind of across from the Spaggetti House.  The Big Dipper just stopped with people on the turn, but the front of the cars were already on their way down the hill.  At the time it seemed to me that they were sooo high up & it looked so scary to be in that situation.  But as an adult, looking at that end now, it's not so high or a scary of a place to get stuck.   All my older Aunts were so nervous just watching it, it was pretty funny.  They were stuck there for a quite a while, I got bored after about 20 minutes & left.  My mom said they did have to get two people down, they started freakin out.  But she said that the ride was only stuck there for another 15 minutes. _________________ Money, power, fame:  the roots of evil, and others heartache.
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BellaCroix Double Loop User is Offline Joined: 03 Nov 2007 Posts: 205 Location: Bedford, Ohio	Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 3:31 am    Post subject: · Quote Wow, it's been a crazy week of memories but I think my favorite is also my wierdest (but since I've already posted on the "wierdest" I'll post one of my favorite here instead): I was working Antique Photo when a couple girls came in who wanted to dress as saloon girls... one of the hottest women I've ever seen wanted to wear an off-the-shoulder saloon girl dress.  I explained that unless she was wearing a bikini under her tee that we could take the straps down on it wouldn't work... she replied that she wasn't wearing a bikini but she could take the straps down on her bra.  Of course (being a gentleman) I let her know we couldn't have her getting undressed in front of the stand, after some proding she asked if I could take her to our backroom where she'd take off her shirt and get into costume with my help.  With a couple winks from my manager I agreed to take her to the back room. Taking the costume in my arm and her waist in the other I led her to the back area where she pulled off her shirt to reveal... okay, this isn't Penthouse Forum... let's just say that until this point the "hottest girl I'd ever seen" moniker held up. I asked her to slip her arms into the dress she wanted to wear (remember the Antique Photo dresses were cut out in the back to make it easy for people to get in and out of with a couple ties in the back) which she did then asked her to turn around so that I could tie her into the dress.  She gave me a coy look (maybe a half wink but that might have been part of the fantasy) and turned around... that's when I saw it... The "hottest girl alive" had one of the hairiest backs I'd ever seen (and working at Geauga Lake you saw plenty of hairy backs along with fat people in speedos and mini-bikinis - at least in the 80's). When I got her tied in we left the back room and my manager nodded at me (maybe asking if I got something - even a phone number).  I shook my head "no" and whispered I'd tell her later.  We took the photo, got them undressed, sold the print, and sent them on thier way. So yeah... that's probably one of my favorite memories. _________________ Positions Held: Ancillary: Front Gate Photo (Cameras In Action) Games - Arcades/Coin Op Ancillary: Antique Photo (Kamman's Art Shoppes) Big Dipper Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNMH9Z8NMFc
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Lights062393 Beaver Land Mine Ride User is Offline Joined: 16 Jun 2008 Posts: 52	Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 3:01 pm    Post subject: · Quote I just about died right there after reading that. Freaking hilarious!
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ffejie Splash Landing User is Offline Joined: 18 Jun 2008 Posts: 173	Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 5:05 pm    Post subject: · Quote the best i remember was actually when it was six flags. i work at a saturn dealer and we had a saturn day with our customers.  we had all the parking up front on the wild side and if you looked out all you saw was saturns( that was when saturn was at its best!!!) we  had to temp tatoo 5000 people that day. i had a very young family and i just remember going through the park and watching my kids see all that geauga lake was. it actually made me look at things like a kid again!!  isn't that why we go to parks!! just go through  the day without a care in the world.
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BellaCroix Double Loop User is Offline Joined: 03 Nov 2007 Posts: 205 Location: Bedford, Ohio	Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 8:18 pm    Post subject: · Quote I was watching the video and looking at the pictures I took of the park today and realized I wasted about 30 minutes of digital video and about a dozen still photos inside the old Fantasy Photo/Caricature stand (just outside the Big Dipper queue and across from the "everything $10 or less" gift stand.)   (Remember when there was a bathroom on the other side of that before they used the waterlines for a "Shoot the Clown" game?). I just realzed (apparently too overcome with other emotions to realize what I was looking at when I was at the auction) that I shot ALL of my memories from some of the best summers of my life from "Back Then" in a single (small) stand. I have a ton of names from "Back Then" on media.  All the names that were my friends... graffiti'ed in the handwriting they used "Back Then".  All the "X loves Y" that happened those seasons.  A couple people that aren't with us anymore but shared the greatest summer(s) together... "Forever" immortalized in Sharpie on a couple 2x4s like a headstone's epitath of dreams that never happened.  One of my own dreams with "Mary" that will never be.  A pile of "X was here"s who will never be (t)here again (even the ones that are still around). I don't know how many of you looked for your own graffiti'ed names but that stand was a time capsule for me.  I have more memories right now than I can ever find time/space to post.  It was a magical time in a magical place that will never be again.  I'd never be able to go "Back Then" but I'd have loved to think others could have shared the same memories... but they wont. Noone will ever fall in love on the Geauga Lake boardwalk and promise un-dieing love there, noone will scribble a promise of "forever" on the RWB or Log Ride queue, noone will ever "Come on over, come on in..." the midway again, noone will ever walk out of the park at the end-of-day with their grilfriend on thier arm hoping to "get some" but just happy to be together.   I'm just at a total loss looking at these pictures and so incredibly depressed. I think it just REALLY hit me what Geauga Lake's loss really means to me... it's a loss of what was permanent: love, friends, fun.  I'm not saying those things will never happen again.  Just that they'll never happen like THAT again.  It was a different time - of riding The Dipper with Grandma who died 25 years ago, of falling in love, of complaining about Funtime (and white-trash), of everything that made those years so great. **tear** _________________ Positions Held: Ancillary: Front Gate Photo (Cameras In Action) Games - Arcades/Coin Op Ancillary: Antique Photo (Kamman's Art Shoppes) Big Dipper Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNMH9Z8NMFc
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jabbur Beaver Land Mine Ride User is Offline Joined: 06 Aug 2008 Posts: 5 Location: Newport News, VA	Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 6:10 pm    Post subject: · Quote One of my favorite memories is the first year I worked there summer of '74.  The adminstration building was in the park at that time.  It was a little Victorian style cottage near the Spahetti House and the arcade.  My food stand was right across the walkway from it.  Since we were the employees cafeteria, we closed earlier than the park (5:00 and park open until 10:00 weeknights).  We could go to the admin building, punch out, change clothes in the restroom and have the run of the park for the rest of the day!  It was great.  Working in the employees cafeteria, I got to know just about everyone there.  My friend and I would wait around and ride the Big Dipper on it's last time around with just in it before the guys parked it in the shed for the night.  My friend ended up marrying one of the coaster guys!  Those were good times.
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