I don't think anyone here is worried that Geauga Lake, er, that park with the new stupid name, is going to take any thunder away from Cedar Point. Like Janice said in the Sandusky Register, CP is spending $46 million and $27 million of that is for one ride, the rest mostly for resort enhancement (including the marina). Tim's analogy is perfect... it's about playing in the majors.
The Six Flags/Premier bashing is perfectly justified by anyone who has been to even one or two of their parks. They just don't get it.
For example, perhaps we're spoiled, but ride capacity is a real issue, especially in the peak of the hot summer. I hate standing in line when it's hot. People stink, I get irritable, and I want to ride (of course there are certain "sights" that keep me somewhat distracted). At Cedar Point, Mantis aside, it's obvious that they're dispatching rides as fast as the ride will allow. Watching the Raptor and Magnum crews in action was like watching a fine-tuned machine last year. Now go to Darien Lake's Superman, and watch them stack TWO trains constantly. How could you not have a train loaded before the other one returns?
Geauga Lake is far worse. Some of you might remember my horror stories there. A Big Dipper train overshoots the station because the two (yep, only two) ride ops are too busy flirting, the guy at the controls of Serial Thriller is busy chasing line jumpers, too many people on the crowded platform and someone gets pushed in front of a train, a Wolf Bobs op is napping in the corner... the list goes on and on and on. They're pathetic, plain and simple.
The same lack of standards applies to park cleanliness, restrooms, etc. As long as their packing people in, they don't care. However, and they need to consider this, if they can't maintain a high level of service in an increasingly competitive market, the lackluster service is going to come back and bite them in the ass when people start to realize how much better Cedar????? ?? ?? ??? ?? ????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?? ??? ?????