Freestyle Music Park has Rides to Sell

 The ill-fated "Hard Rock Park" and later called "Freestyle Music Park" will never be resurrected. 

Sitting on 55 prime acres in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina the park has been sitting idle since 2009 after only operating for two seasons.

 As reported earlier this year, something fishy was going on at the park. They have been spotted testing rides, many speculated that this was a sign the park would reopen or a new buyer had been found.

 However, most of us realized this wasn't a good sign. Abandoned Theme Park with half a dozen failed sales in it's history but sitting on a valuable piece of property suddenly tests rides?  Their getting ready to gut and sell.

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Cedar Fair moves a Windseeker- The Media Goes Stupid

At this point in time, I'm pretty sure that most everyone knows what a "Windseeker" is. I'm also fairly sure most people can look at this unique ride and easily identify it. Everyone, except for the national news media, who are obviously not very bright.

 Those of us in the theme park/amusement park world knew that when World's of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri announced 'Steelhawk' that it was the 'Windseeker' ride from Knott's Berry Farms. It's move just hadn't been confirmed yet.  We also knew it was one of the three original prototypes of this now iconic Cedar Fair ride made by Mondial.

 However, the news media isn't bright enough to put this simple puzzle together.

 Within the last few days they JUST realized what we knew at the end of August. Maybe they need to listen to people who know what their talking about more? Wait, knowing how they operate, they'd just mess that up too! They've been stiring up the shit-pot announcing such fun headlines as "Shuttered Calif Ride to Move to Missouri Park" and "Knott's Berry Farm To Move Troubled Ride".

Windseeker at Cedar Point 2012

 Yes, Windseekers have had their problems. I dare you to show me a prototype or original design ride out there that hasn't had issues someplace along the way. The 'Windseeker' line has never killed anyone, they've gotten stuck which is annoying as hell but not exactly deadly to your average Joe Q. Public rider.

 I've been stuck on rides before, sometimes for minutes and others for over an hour. It's highly aggravating and can get vastly boring but I wasn't injured, just inconvenienced. Now if you have anything that could be a medical or mental issue due to a ride stop, this could be a real problem but otherwise it's no worse then waiting in rush hour traffic without air conditioning.

Evac Platform at Kings Dominion from Theme Park Review

 Since then Cedar Fair has installed 'Evacuation platforms' which will evacuate guests in case of an emergency stop in the ride. That is what the news means when they say "voluntarily shut down"it wasn't because the rides are unsafe, it was to instal those exact same 'evacuation platforms'.

Due to California and their endless coddling of the paranoid and panicky, the Knott's Berry's Windseeker never got a chance to re-open and prove itself safe. The other Windseeker clones have operated just fine with their platforms in place but like any ride with major height involved, they are subject to weather conditions like wind and rain. To hear the news talk, this just extrudes a lack of safety. Trust me when I say you wouldn't want to be spinning around 300 feet in the air while doing 30 miles an hour in the rain! Rain + Speed = OUCH

 Now I'm not a huge fan of Windseekers myself. Yes, I've ridden several of them and they are fun, you can get some really amazing views from the top. But folks, it's just a really tall swing ride.

 What does annoy the hell out of me is when the news media purposely tries to scare people by hinting that something isn't safe when it's history shows otherwise.

Six Flags America- 2014 Plans Leaked?

Whoops!

Not sure if this was suppose to have a big announcement for Six Flags or not but the cat is out of the bag when it comes to Six Flag's America's 2014 additions.

If the spy network over at Screamscape is to be believed, today new signs went up at Six Flags America, located in Upper Malboro, Maryland today.  These new signs proclaim that the new area will be themed "Mardi Gras" which to my odd mind, doesn't send the best idea considering the state they left their park "Six Flags New Orleans" in after Hurricane Katrina (it left a lot of bad feelings for SF to many people).

The new area is going to play host to 2 new rides, including the moved 'Ragin' Cajun' which I believe, will be coming from it's sister park Six Flags Great America. The second of the two rides is rather a surprise, a new Flyer called "French Quarter Flyers" will be placed in the park.

This is the second new flyer announced in as many days. I'm very pleased to see these classic attractions returning to parks rather then being removed!




More Sign Images Below!

Carowinds to recieve $50 Million in Upgrades

 Cedar Fair is really out to spend money this season.

 On August 26th, Cedar Fair announced that over the next three years they will be investing more than $50 million dollars into their Carowinds park, a former paramount property. This is a long needed growth for the park which hasn't seen nearly as much attention as it's other sister properties. The investment project is to last over the next three years.

 This massive investment is to include:
 -Newly created full-time and part-time jobs
 -Significant investments in both the Carowinds park and their waterpark Booomerang Bay in the form of new attractions and ungraded infrastructure improvements and upgraded food locations.
-A new 'satellite' corporate office for Cedar Fair in Charlotte, North Carolina.

 Rumor is also saying that this large investment could see the acquisition of new land for the Carowinds park.  Screamscape is reporting this 61 acre area could even be a new resort hotel for the park.

 While all of this is excellent news for the park, the downside for this rumor is that $50 million doesn't buy a lot of new attractions of the roller coaster variety.  Carowinds hasn't seen a new coaster added to their pack since 2010 when they received a scaled down version of Intimidator.

Image from Screamscape

Zoo Miami turns Theme Park? ...Maybe.

Zoo Miami turning into a Theme Park?

 In 1992 Hurricane Andrew decimated Miami Zoo, causing thousands in damage and killing some animals. Since then it seems the now called "Zoo Miami" has been in talks with various companies over the years above changing the zoo and the land around it. Theme Parks/Amusement Parks and the Miami Zoo have a rather long history, rumors have been around since the 1970's.

 This week it came to light that two projects are competition for the rights to build at and around Zoo Miami.  Beginning this Monday, both companies will begin trying to pitch their plans to the Miami-Dade County Leaders. Theme Parks/Amusement Parks and Zoo Miami have a rather long history, rumors have been around since the 1970's in some form or another. 

 Two Companies have very different ideas about the area.


"Dinosaur Park International" which is proposed by a German company which runs a similar style site in Neumuhle Park. They state their project could be complete in around two years from ground breaking. Their German park website states the following:
The Garden Fair is home to the largest open air dinosaur exhibition in Europe. More than 80 life-like dinosaur replicas populate the Neumühle Park, including the only 30 centimeter long hylonomus and the 27 meter long diplodocus.

 The other proposed project is much larger and more intimidating called "Miami Wilds" and is backed by none other then 20th Century Fox.  The newspaper states their proposal is "a theme park with rides based on its blockbuster movies. It would include an Ice Age-themed water park; 30,000 square feet of space for stores and restaurants; an outdoor space for concerts and sporting events; and, a 400-room hotel".  20th Century Fox states their project would be two phase, complete 'possibly' by 2020 after groundbreaking.


 

 One thing that strikes me as odd, neither of these 'proposals' address the fact that this is a working, breathing zoo. What will happen with the animals who call Zoo Miami home? Will the 'zoo' be kept, intact and operating or will this new project demolish the zoo? Personally, before Hurricane Andrew happened the Miami Zoo as a gem, an amazing zoo with amazing animal care programs. Afterwards, I can't tell you much as I was never able to return there in the following years since.

 InSanity lurks Inside will be following up on these proposals and will report back when more news or rumors come to light.