An Honest Observation

rich12_16 · Post by **rich12_16** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 3:20 pm

^^Really^^, The rumor is, Gurnee kept theirs and may be sending it to a new home. Thank you for the information.

Santa Cruisin · Post by **Santa Cruisin** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:03 am

The America-go-round in SC was replaced by the Drop Zone Stunt Tower.

redfishpaw · Post by **redfishpaw** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:28 am

rich12_16 wrote:^^Really^^, The rumor is, Gurnee kept theirs and may be sending it to a new home. Thank you for the information.

There is another topic started for the Gurnee merry go round. I would think that it would have to be relocated because of its historical value.
It has to in storage somewhere. If it was relocated and operating, it would be easy to find. I don't care much for ''Rumors'' as they never mount to much. I thought that someone ''know'' where it is. But nobody has said anything yet.

JW65 · Post by **JW65** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 11:46 am

I wonder now what fans of classic "amusement" parks such as Riverview and White City thought in 1976 about the two brand new "theme" parks called Marriotts Great America? They might have had similar feelings of "out with the old and in with the new" as some of us have been feeling/expressing here in the Forums about MGA.

It wasn't as if their beloved amusement parks got a major face lift and became different from what they remember.....These classic amusement parks were torn down, never to be seen again. Portions of Riverview were dismantled with "wrecking balls" made from pieces of the famous Bobs roller coaster. At least we have portions of the GA parks that we do remember and still have with us. We should also keep in mind that the changes that have been made to Great America have happened over many years.

It is interesting that Disneyland/World maintains their "historic yet ageless" Mainstreet. This themed area looks basically the same today as it did when the parks were built.

Post by **steven** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 2:22 pm

I always thought that a Riverview section at Gurnee would have made a nice addition to the park. I'm sure that it would have been popular with Chicagoans who missed their long-gone amusement park. In the early years of MGA, it was common to hear guests constantly chattering about the Bobs roller coaster from Riverview.

Steven

redfishpaw · Post by **redfishpaw** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 12:46 pm

steven wrote:I always thought that a Riverview section at Gurnee would have made a nice addition to the park. I'm sure that it would have been popular with Chicagoans who missed their long-gone amusement park. In the early years of MGA, it was common to hear guests constantly chattering about the Bobs roller coaster from Riverview.

Steven

I agree with you Steven, and your not the first person I've heard mention this. A Riverview section may have been a good marketing stategy for the park to draw more people from Chicago. I also have fondness for Riverview even though I never saw it. (I was pretty young when it was torn down in 69) Yet I have a small collection of Riverview items, book,video, postcards, ticket subs, aerial photo etc. Riverview ment a lot to the people of Chicago. MGA could have taken advantage of that.

rich12_16 · Post by **rich12_16** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 11:10 pm

I read somewhere that a guy is working on "Riverview II" outside of Chicago.

JW65 · Post by **JW65** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 6:28 am

It would have been a neat idea if MGA or SFGAm had created a section that payed tribute to Riverview. It wouldn't have followed the original theming of MGA, but hey, that's ok!

Has any other theme park ever had a section of their park that recreated the spirit/feel of a former amusement park?

Post by **steven** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 3:24 pm

Kings Island in Ohio brought some former rides from Ohio's Coney Island amusement park. I also believe that the Coney Mall section of Kings Island was built as a tribute of sorts to Coney Island.

Steven

Santa Cruisin · Post by **Santa Cruisin** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 5:12 pm

The owners of Coney Island Ohio built Kings Island because the old site along the river was too risky having been through floods several times. I think there were quite a few rides brought over to the new park. I collect postcards of both parks and even noticed the log flume was the same.

The Coney Mall section in Kings Island is definitely a tribute to the the old Coney Island Ohio. Disney's California Adventure contains the Paradise Pier area which is a tribute to all the long gone seaside amusement parks of California. Didn't Kennywood create Lost Kennywood as a tribute to the old parks of the area?

I think it would be great to have Chicago's Riverview in SFGAm. This is very much in keeping with the Americana theme of SFGam.

xxlatinogueroxx · Post by **xxlatinogueroxx** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 11:41 pm

Alot of people believe that because the main source why Great America in both parks, present day, has lost its family touch is because of the rides that were to extreme for families. However, Marriott's Great America was still aiming towards the same direction. Once the Tidal Wave made its opening it was one of a kind. The American Eagle was the fastest tallest wooden rollercoaster out there. Now if you think about it, if Marriott still owned both parks wouldnt you think they would still build big rides for our generation? Thats what they did in the late 70's and early 80's. This would attract the same audience as it does now for both parks. So in summary, yes less families go to the present day Great America but in theory it would be the same thing if the Marriott corp. would still own the park today.

Does anybody get this?

Santa Cruisin · Post by **Santa Cruisin** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 1:10 am

xxlatinogueroxx wrote:Alot of people believe that because the main source why Great America in both parks, present day, has lost its family touch is because of the rides that were to extreme for families.

Paramount's Great America has quite a few family friendly attractions in the present day. Their coaster count at six is low (not counting children's coasters) and I find them not to be nearly extreme as several California theme parks I go to.

xxlatinogueroxx wrote:Once the Tidal Wave made its opening it was one of a kind.

By the time both Tidal Waves opened in 77 and 78 there were four other Schwarzkopf shuttle loops built in the US; White Lightnin' at Carowinds in 77, King Kobra at Kings Dominion in 77, Montezooma's Revenge at Knott's Berry Farm in 78 and Greezed Lightnin' at Astroworld 78.

xxlatinogueroxx wrote:So in summary, yes less families go to the present day Great America but in theory it would be the same thing if the Marriott corp. would still own the park today.

Where did you hear that less families go to the present day Great America? Was there a statistical study done of the demographics on attendance at the Great America parks through the years?

xxlatinogueroxx · Post by **xxlatinogueroxx** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 9:00 am

Santa Cruisin wrote: Where did you hear that less families go to the present day Great America? Was there a statistical study done of the demographics on attendance at the Great America parks through the years?

Every year Six Flags has a press conference telling the attendance rates and for the past two years, the family rates have gone up. However, before, it did attract less families because of the rides being to extreme for kids. This year Great America in Gurnee has gotten its family attendance up but I dont want to get myself into why. Paramounts Great America was just a wild guess to why their attendance has gone down for families.

The Tidal Wave was built before, yes, but it was still an attratcion that might have brought younger audiences. Thats just a guess hehe. But if Marriott's Great America would have kept building these type of rides, families would have stopped coming to the park, basically the same thing with what happened to present day Great America.

Tanya · Post by **Tanya** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 9:32 am

I agree that they probably would have built more extreme rides. But....they would have kept the theming in place and Marriott runs a tight ship. The employees would be of a higher caliber, thus making families want to return to the park. Like I said before, it's been several years since I've been there, there was a point in time were things went down hill. Upkeep and cleanliness can go a long way when it comes to families. Just my opinion....

xxlatinogueroxx · Post by **xxlatinogueroxx** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 9:51 am

Tanya wrote:I agree that they probably would have built more extreme rides. But....they would have kept the theming in place and Marriott runs a tight ship. The employees would be of a higher caliber, thus making families want to return to the park. Like I said before, it's been several years since I've been there, there was a point in time were things went down hill. Upkeep and cleanliness can go a long way when it comes to families. Just my opinion....

I agree with you on those standards. But the park has been clean and several, but not all employees have high standards. Good opinion.