Fascination tickets
Long-time CP fan here, season pass holder through the 90's, but I'm afraid as I age, so too has my capacity for travel and fun. Sadly, I've only made one trip north from Wooster in the past 10 years, and did very little when there. Still, I keep up with the Point as well as I can, and so know the great and also so-so things that have come and gone, so please don't bother with any "you need to come back" appeals, if you're so inclined to make any.
My question is about old Fascination tickets. On this last visit, in 2012, I'd noticed a small sign, either in Pagoda or more likely, the Coliseum Arcade, that I believe said they were still accepting old Fascination coupons for trade-in. Does anyone know if this is still so? I've got a stack of 60 or 70, mostly from the 90's altho' the oldest is from '87, that I'll probably be putting on ebay. Just wanted to know if they now just have nostalgia value, or is there still that one practical use for them.
Appreciate any help anyone can give!
I think I traded in a few in 2012 but it was at the arcade in exchange for tickets I would try calling the park and getting the email for one if the retail/arcade managers.
Also if you framed them together maybe a collector may be interested :)
It was a game that used to be in nearly every amusement park in the country. It was where Johnny Rockets is today before the park removed it due to trouble finding parts for it.
I think I posted this before, but here is a video we shot in the year 2000 inside the CP Fascination:
http://youtu.be/Mtlgpe-lncI
I thought it was a fun, air-conditioned, place to take a break during the day.
If all the players are ready...at the sound of the bell, ROLL EM!
We played Fascination all the time and liked to jump in when the room was practically empty, it really improved the chance for winning. If it was full, it was shocking how fast the bell would ring with a winner. We "furnished" our college apartment with Fascination prizes. We got our dishes, placemats, glassware, toaster, and even a cake stand and cover (which we never used) with coupons we saved all summer. It was all in a nice, stylish, avocado green. You could also win cigarettes, they were one coupon per pack.
You would see locals in there a lot, and charter bus drivers would be regular customers in there, too. After all, the coupons were "good day to day, month to month, season to season".
Good luck with those oldies. I like the idea of framing them, but selling them outright might be a smart enough idea. I'm very sure there's a collector out there, somewhere, that would be interested.
I used to go in there on a hot summer day just to cool down. The A.C. was awesome in there.
yukonman
The only thing that takes my money quicker then Fascination did is a slot machine. That game was very addictive and fun with some really nice prizes. It is missed.
I'd rather be in my boat with a drink on the rocks,
than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.
I would LOVE to see Fascination return to CP! A petition needs to be started to bring it back. Definitely addicting!
It's unlikely Fascination will return. The companies that manufacture the tables have long since gone out of business.
One of the factors in Cedar Point's decision to remove Fascination was that CP had to manufacture replacement parts, since they weren't available from those defunct manufacturers.
Geneva on the Lake still has a Fascination Game Room -- at least as of last summer they did. Played it there last summer with the family for something to do -- the game room is very worn. It would be safe to say it's the original Fascination and it has been repaired or updated in years.
Lot's of broken machines -- probably due to no parts available. And the prizes were pretty old, dusty and crappy. But heck, that's the draw to the Geneva on the Lake strip -- a true slice of Americana.
Side note: they should have never got rid of there little Amusement/Kiddie Park.
Sorry, this really isn't about CP, but just wanted to share that there is Fascination in NE Ohio barely alive.
Peace,
Matt
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