Honest Geauga Lake review Part II

Went to the park again yesterday, 7/20, this time to enjoy the water park and spend time with some kids.

As I mentioned last time, I'm confident that the water park is the crown jewel of the park, and that's with it being only half-finished. Very impressive. Finally getting on some of those water rides, I can talk about them in more detail.

Liquid Lightning, their ProSlide Tornado, is as I expected awesome. I totally understand now why these things are selling like crazy, because they're incredible. The really big slide tower looks a lot bigger on that side of the lake, but it really looks better and more magnificent. The pool at the bottom even looks better. The kids play area is grand and well-themed. The little pool area with the circular currant is kind of neat.

My only complaint about the water attractions is that the new lazy river is a little small, and easily packed, but I think that can partially be blamed on it being a half-park at this point. I expect with the other new attractions next year that people will be more spread out.

The other issue is locker rental. $6 all day for a small locker or $10 all day for a big one. That's insane. I'd rather take my chances and leave my stuff on a chair somewhere. Again, I think it's a mistake to advertise a great value like $25 admission then, screw people with $9 lockers and $6 locker rentals.

Food service is a problem. The two places you can get food, no counting the Ben & Jerry's stand, are interior locations, so you can't go in there without shirt and shoes (as you would expect per health codes). That's a problem because, well, it's a water park! I realize that they're dealing with Sea World infrastructure, so it makes sense to use what you have, but they need to push some of this out to exterior counter service for the convenience of guests.

Which brings me to food in general. If you like pizza and burgers, you're in for a treat. If you'd like to eat something not deep-fried or cut from flesh, you're screwed. Spending eight hours in the park this time, obviously I had to eat. While not a total diet freak, I still felt like everything I had was going to kill me. They need to vary the menu a bit. Actually a lot. I won't revisit the soda price, but you know how I feel about that.

Here's a real culture change note. The friend I was with went to the men's room in the sit-down restaurant buried in the old water park. The stall door was hanging by a thread, so he mentioned it to the host. Five minutes later there was a repair guy there. Impressive.

Shortly thereafter, we met Bill Spehn, the park's GM. He got in my grill and said, "Come here, I've gotta show you something." He took me to the vacant guess-your-weight stand I complained about last time. It's now a big marketing kiosk for the fall haunt. Yeah, MrScott, you're right, no one ever reads this stuff or cares what guests say.

I also met the director of operations (sorry... I suck with names!). She actually survived the Six Flags onslaught, which is amazing given that she has to do the job that Spehn knows best (his when he was at CP). I'd hate to be in her shoes, but after two visits now I think she's doing a great job.

We did show stuff this time. Did the Dino Island simulator. Great theme around the attraction. The film is OK. I'm not huge on simulators. The 4D movie was surprisingly pretty cool. I had no idea that awesome theater was there. It's great that they have that, I'm just not sure how you market it.

We also saw a live show in what I think they call the Palace Theater. Not much of a crowd in there, unfortunately. The venue itself isn't horrible, but they need to figure out a way to re-engineer the building and get the post out of the middle of the room. Great light package in there too. What it really needs though is more of a Red Garter feel to it. Open up the place, serve beer and popcorn, give people a reason to come in and relax. I felt bad for the performers with such a small crowd. The location isn't great either.

As for the show itself, the theater geek in me could write pages of notes. I don't blame the performers for its shortcomings as much as I would blame whoever directed it and did choreography. It's a small stage, so keep the dance rational for the space. Do something interesting with the light package. Choose better songs. Clean up the choreography.

Two singers were way above the show. The one guy, Gerald, was like Luther Vandross. Very smooth. Tiffany had great range and presence that you couldn't ignore. Peggy Lee's "Fever" can be done one of two ways, either cheesy or in a way that makes you think dirty thoughts. She did the dirty thoughts version. I was so crushing on her. She's so much better than that show.

There was a fairly substantial crowd, and while lines weren't long, the park was handling them well. I'll repeat that Villain is in dire need of love, Wolf Kabobs is great in the first part, and I didn't see any closed rides at all. Dominator's problem I think is mostly bad guide wheels. In the straights (including the first loop) it's not rough, but if you've got bad guide wheels you can feel it in the quick turns and corkscrews.

I did get on Thunderhawk now. I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that it is so well maintained that it runs fairly smooth, aside from the obviously bad transitions and loose guide wheel configuration (that's Vekoma's fault). Yes, an SLC can be pleasant. The bad news is that the SLC design still isn't that interesting. Regardless, Geauga Lake has proven to the world that an SLC need not make your ears bleed when you ride it. The park obviously has made great strides in maintenance standards.

So as I said last time, the park is really on the ball, and I'm really excited about it. A lot of things I don't like are minor and things that are being addressed. The only outright dissatisfaction I have is with food. Hopefully that's something they'll overhaul next year.

We're seeing the start of a great new era for the park, and whatever doubts I had about its future are gone.

Question about the Tornado. Did CF spring for the conveyor for it or was it a carry up the stairs deal? That's my one complaint about FoF at MA. Not to mention, the coupld times I've made it this summer, there has been a line to get a tube, followed by a line of carrying the tube before getting to ride. And as cool as it looks, to me, a water ride isn't worth waiting THAT long for (it seemed to be probably an hour or so wait)

Glad to hear that GL seems to be improving. I'm hoping that next summer I'll be able to make it out there. *** Edited 7/21/2005 6:43:26 PM UTC by JuggaLotus***

I was at GL last night, too :)

The original plan was to go up there and do the water park from 6-8, but the girlfriend was being a bitch and decided she didn't want to do the water park again, and wanted to go home as soon as we got off the Villain.

That's the second time I've gone there this year, only to pay $9 to park, $20 for her ticket, $10 on her playing games and $16,000 on a soda for her, only to have to get pissy and stammer toward the gate wanting to go home.

I'm glad I got to read your review, Jeff - so I can live vicariously through you and your visit to the water park.

Maybe some day I'll actually get to go play for a couple of hours in the water.

-Josh

JuggaLotus said:
Question about the Tornado. Did CF spring for the conveyor for it or was it a carry up the stairs deal? That's my one complaint about FoF at MA.

You know how Cedar Fair always gets the deluxe model when it comes to their rides. Look at the Ripcord at CP and the one at GL. CP's is the deluxe because it has that cool folding platform while GL's they have to push out of the way.

There is a conveyor for Liquid Lightning.

Oddly enough, when I mentioned to Spehn that I was impressed with it, he said he was glad he spent the money on the conveyor. For that one, it would be a huge mistake not to because those tubes are kinda huge. What a nightmare that would be on the stairs.

e x i t english said:
... but the girlfriend was being a bitch and decided she didn't want to do the water park again, and wanted to go home as soon as we got off the Villain.

Well calling her names like that I can't imagine why she wouldn't want to spend more time with you.

The 4D movie was surprisingly pretty cool. I had no idea that awesome theater was there. It's great that they have that, I'm just not sure how you market it.

BGW manages to push corkscrew hill pretty hard, though it is more than just a 4D theater.

Jeff said:
Well calling her names like that I can't imagine why she wouldn't want to spend more time with you.

:)

I'm not the one who said it - she's the one who apologized later and said "I'm sorry I was being a bitch"

Seriously, It really sucks paying $9 to park and buying her a ticket, only to go in to the park for 45 minutes to ride raging wolf bobs. :-\

Oh well, she's worth it most of the time I guess ;-)

-Josh

Another very informitave review Jeff. Thanks. :)

Whatever, Jeff. I haven't been there since 2000, so I cannot comment on the parks current operation.

The fact that I disagree with you on one person's affect on a huge company is interesting.

I could quote a few posts of yours, but I won't. I'm polite.

MrScott

Jeff, have you rode X-Flight It is in serous need of matinence. That thing is beyond Vekoma rought it is almost ToGo rought. Dominator is bad for a B&M I agree but it is not even Vekoma rought.

I've always been curious as to what way X-Flight is uncomfortable. Personally, I find it to be extremely comfortable. You just have to remember to let yourself fall into the restraint. Don't try to push yourself up or else you'll get some rough moments such as the double barrel roll.

MrScott said:
I could quote a few posts of yours, but I won't. I'm polite.

Translation: You were wrong and don't have a point. You are the one that said I was full of myself and that no one cared what I had to say.

Nope, didn't ride X-Flight. Wouldn't be comfortable for me for various reasons. I honestly think that flyers, Vekoma and B&M, are novel and all, but the gimmick doesn't translate well into a gee-whiz gotta ride it experience.

I can't emphasize enough though that overall stuff is just... running. It's still so weird to see that!

Oh... I forgot to mention Big Dipper. Wow does that ride kick your ass. I sat in the back and it has stand-up airtime. Scary stuff. It needs a little love at the bottom of some drops as well, but it's not in horrible condition. One thing that was annoying is that if the train doesn't park right, even by half a seat, they send it through empty. I don't know if that's SOP, but it makes you wonder if they'll ditch the skids and put calipers in there.

I can understand why they send it empty. If the train is even a few inches past where it should be, it can be hard to get into. I tripped getting into the front seat after it parked about 4-5 inches farther forward than it had been since there was barely any room between the gate and the opening in the side of the car.

Glad you liked the new water park Jeff. Sorry I didn't get a chance to say "Howdy" but I needed to just give Bill some information and then get to a ride call.

It's kinda funny because after your first review, I mentioned to some of my co-workers that something will be done with that scale station and even went so far as to say a Haunt display. They blew it off like "they don't read what some internet nerd says" and I just kinda grined. Appologies were given a few days later.

They're just not used to management actually LISTENING to the guests.

Well, I managed to be off the last two times you've been to the park, which is a small feat considering I work six out of seven in a week.

Anyway, you plan on swinging by again for Octoberfest or The Haunt?

Oh, and by the way, I don't know if you noticed, but on the Wildwater Kingdom side, the park has added directional signs (as sugested in your first trip report), including the ferry boats, simulators, etc.

*** Edited 7/22/2005 11:45:57 AM UTC by Jesmcsel***

Jeff, glad you had a good time and I can't wait to check out the water park. I keep hearing good things about it and it will only get better.

Geauga Lake will always have a special place in my heart. Back in the day I told anyone who would listen that the park was full of potential but they needed the right people making the right decisions. It sounds like that is beginning to happen

Next year: Phase II. I know I've heard wave pool, maybe more slides, maybe a Master Blaster? That would be great.

Phase III....Could there be a Castaway Bay in the park's future? Only time will tell.

Based on the survey the park has/had, an indoor waterpark seems like a very possible expansion of the park. There was, I think, two pages on the survey asking about staying at indoor water parks, what you liked the best, if you're willing to spend $200+ a night to go to them, etc. I don't think it will happen until the park starts getting back up to what it used to be which may take five years.

Jeff, I was going to comment to you about the new advertisement, but I guess you beat me to it. Bill Spehn is a great guy. Sometime this week, before open, I saw him at the stand, and I had a quick chat with him. During that chat he mentioned how we need good ridership on the monorail (the display is right next to the exit stairs)! So everyone PLEASE RIDE MY MONORAIL! :). It is a nice ride to relax on after riding one of our many Vekomas.

For those of you who haven't met him, Bill is a really great guy, and he has a great vision for the park. While the park will not change overnight, I can confidentially say, based on feedback I have gotten from guests and fellow employees, along with my own opinions, that we are becoming the BEST RUN PARK in the Cedar Fair chain. (Let the flaming begin!) Our operations director has been with the park since the Funtime Inc. days, so she knows it very well, and the quality of our operations division has a lot to do with the strong leadership we have with the full time managers and the seasonal supervisors!

Jeff, I really appreciate your comments about the park. It is good to know that all of our hard work is paying off, and that our guests are seeing the improvement!

-Sam
*** Edited 7/22/2005 4:30:05 PM UTC by Avalanche Sam***

Jeff you say you don't like flyers vekoma or B&M well you probaly have never ridden AIR at Alton Towers.

Wouldn't be comfortable for me for various reasons. I honestly think that flyers, Vekoma and B&M, are novel and all, but the gimmick doesn't translate well into a gee-whiz gotta ride it experience.

Well Jeff I agree with you about all the flyers I Have rode in the US but Air at Alton Towers is much different!