Cedar Point 2012

Kevinj said:
... and why something like the Petting Farm, while seemingly meaningless to some of you, is not going anywhere.

That is, if Kinzel and other park management have any wisdom at all. I'm not as sanguine as you that it's staying. But I'm hopeful.

I couldn't help but notice the deadness of the entire Frontier Trail during this past Sunday/Monday trip. Maybe it is because we go during "off" times but there just is not anything about that area that seems of interest. The blacksmith building is closed up. There is a fort that sells leather belts, a candle store, a candy store, an old barn, a couple of old tractors, and a petting zoo. I get the attraction of the petting zoo and it is a nice diversion but I don't get the overall charm affect of this area. Why do I want to buy a belt from a fort? Why do I want to buy candy out of a log cabin? I like all of the trees and shade but this area seems like it is trying to be something besides what it is - it tries to be historical with the modern spin of selling stuff. I don't get the attraction of that approach. If they are after history make it that rather than a store selling crap I can get in a real store.

Its almost like this area is in the midst of the generational technological turmoil that the rest of the world is facing. How much longer will it be before the next generation really does not give a crap about this "old run down stuff" and it gets removed? I am seeing it with my kids already. While I don't have much to say about old tractors I can look at them and think of what it must have been living in that era. My kids look at the tractors and have nothing to link it to - there is no connection with it and the world they are surrounded by. So they say it is boring and try to get us through the area as fast as possible so they can do something fun.

I wouldn't worry about how dead any area of the park is pre-Memorial Day, on a Sunday and Monday, no less. If you witness the same thing on a Saturday in July, then you may be on to something. But you won't notice that, because it just doesn't happen.

The atmosphere provided by the trees, shade and lack of a thrill ride every 50 feet is quite nice, and offers a variety to the guests. If they "remove" FT and simply copy & paste the Main Midway back there, it won't be an improvement. That doesn't mean the park will necessarily be worse (though that is my opinion), but it won't improve anything.

And then, of course, you have the use of that area during Halloweekends. If you alter the area too much, you lose what is one of the most heavily-trafficked areas of the park.

I am not saying to get rid of it just make it better. Bring the blacksmith back, have real people make stuff by hand the way they used to make things. Think Dollywood. That would, in my opinion, be a big improvement over what it is now.

Heck, make the whole area into a mini-zoo. That would keep the kids interested.

But forgetting my zoo thought for the moment - how much longer will the historical aspect be interesting? Is my generation (43 years old) that last one that will give a crap about how they used to make things the old fashioned way? Heck, does my generation care at all right now?

Shades said:
Think Dollywood.

+1

...how much longer will the historical aspect be interesting? Is my generation (43 years old) that last one that will give a crap about how they used to make things the old fashioned way? Heck, does my generation care at all right now?

I would think that the area should always remain different from the rest of the park. That provides a nice way to really make the guest feel as though they're somewhere far from the day-to-day BS. Beyond being some sort of escape from reality, I don't know if the theme matters that much.

But the "wild west" holds a special place in our culture, for better or worse, and that western movies continue to be profitably produced may indicate that the era remains at least somewhat interesting to this day.

What would be a different theme that would still fit in with the natural ambiance back there?

I'd recommend the name Barnstormer, but Disney already has it :)

Shades said:I am not saying to get rid of it just make it better. Bring the blacksmith back, have real people make stuff by hand the way they used to make things. Think Dollywood. That would, in my opinion, be a big improvement over what it is now.

That is actually the way Frontier Trail was back in the day when it opened. It was filled with people demonstrating pioneer day crafts. The Blacksmith made metal objects. People made soap where the log cabin circle is. The fort was actually a fort, and you could go up to the second floor. The Grist Mill had someone grinding away. Glass blowing was demonstrated every day. There was a unique demonstration is almost every cabin, where today it is more of a "Retail Trail" than a "Frontier Trail".

Someone said that no one cares about buying leather in a fort. They are probably right about that. But, when the fort was a fort where you could explore the entire place and see what it was like, it was pretty cool.

I'm in your generation Shades and I do find historical stuff like the old tractors and cabins interesting. I certainly don't know how long that stuff will be relevant to younger people. But if they update Frontier Trail they need to reinvent it in the spirit of what the original concept was, just make it interesting to contemporary tastes. Just having another midway full of rides would be really cutting the heart out of a very unique aspect of Cedar Point.

djDaemon said:
I wouldn't worry about how dead any area of the park is pre-Memorial Day, on a Sunday and Monday, no less. If you witness the same thing on a Saturday in July, then you may be on to something. But you won't notice that, because it just doesn't happen.

You are correct when you say that frontier trail is really crowded later on during the summer. But what I think Shades is trying to say is that no one does anything in the frontier trail. They just walk through it.

On a Saturday in July when the FT is crowded, it's not because people are looking in all of the cabins, it is because they are just cutting through the FT to get to another portion of the park.

There really isn't anything extraordinary for people to do in the Frontier Trail. Shoot the Rapids and Thunder Canyon (is it even open yet or have water in it?) are the only two rides in the Frontier Trail.

Frontier Trial is in desparate need of something.

^That was my feeling about walking through the Trail - it was just a necessary evil to get to the other side of the park.

Pete - I remember those days (vaguely). Getting it back to that was what I had in mind with my Dollywood comment. I really like your "Retail Trail" comment - that pretty much sums it up right now.

SSL488 said:
...no one does anything in the frontier trail. They just walk through it.

That I agree with.

Frontier Trial is in desparate need of something.

That I don't. I'm not convinced that every nook and cranny of the park needs to be stuffed with a marquee attraction. To say nothing of the fact that the park is struggling to keep up with maintenance of what they already have.

That said, there's room for some upgrades and improvements to the area. I just think those improvements need to be made in a way that doesn't take any of the "charm" from FT. In other words, no marquee attractions.

It'd be cool to see a family coaster on the FT. Kinda like Pony Express at Knotts. It'd be great for the whole family, and would go right along with the FT.

djDaemon said:

... I'm not convinced that every nook and cranny of the park needs to be stuffed with a marquee attraction.

I agree.

That said, there's room for some upgrades and improvements to the area. I just think those improvements need to be made in a way that doesn't take any of the "charm" from FT. In other words, no marquee attractions.

I'm not saying everything in Frontier trail should be removed to make room for some rides or other attractions.

I do believe that in order to make frontier trail a place where people are going to 'stay' instead of just walking through, something should be added.

If they were to build a new roller coaster there, or any other ride, I think they should only do it if they can build it without cutting down a massive amount of trees or removing a lot of the cabins and such.

You can see that CP is trying to make the FT more popular with the additinon of the Starlight Experience and STR. But if they want to make it more popular, I think they will need another thrill ride.

I'm curious. What kind of family rides (ages 3 and up, for everyone) would you like to see added to the park?

About the various comments above: I completely agree that FT has lost it's charm. I remember when I was a little kid (I'm currently 23), all the blacksmiths, wood carvers, glass blowers, etc. While some still remain, it's not the same as it once was. People walk through it to get to another section of the park. I have nothing against the petting farm, and I do admire it. It does fit in nicely with that area and it is something for families, I just feel at the same time it could be improved along with the rest of the trail. I understand kids love to pet animals and see them. It'd be nice to see something different, something more uncommon, than goats, cows, chickens that you see anywhere else.

I want it to be like Dollywood's frontier themed shops, shows, music, characters in costumes, and little craft areas like blacksmiths and carving, and the like.

I hope they don't cut down any more trees than what they did for STR last year, in that part of the park at least.....:(

I do love the glass blowing though :)

They already took out the best family ride in frontier town, WWL. My 4yr old twins would have loved that ride. My choice for family ride would be a true flume water ride where kids 36" and up can ride with their families, that puts the age around 2yrs old. But i know that will never happen.

Miss_Maverick07 said:
I hope they don't cut down any more trees than what they did for STR last year, in that part of the park at least.....:(

I completely 100% agree with you on that. If they cut down any more trees, the charm of the frontier trail will be gone forever!

Or at least until the trees grow back.

JuggaLotus said:
Or at least until the trees grow back.

That could take like 30 years before they can grow big enough

You don't need to quote a post when your responding to the most recent post.

You should go take a look at pictures from when White Water Landing opened. The area was no less barren than Maverick or StRs areas are now.