Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Just the Sea World side is still open as a water park. The Geauga Lake side closed after 2007. Several rides were transferred to other parks or sold. The rest still sit there, including Big Dipper.
First it was Geauga Lake, an entity unto itself. Then it was bought by Six Flags that sunk about 80 million into it, then it was sold to Cedar Fair (Cedar Point) who changed it's name back to Geauga Lake.
Then it closed. Lots of stuff was auctioned off including the big dipper. it went for $5000.00.
It's still sitting there. I was told that the reason it's still sitting there is that after buying it for 5k, the new owner found that it would cost about 2 million to dismantle and move it. And that didn't include the cost of reassembly.
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe." Damanshot
My grandfather was employed at CEI, and they had their annual company picnic there every year, so we went quite often, then sometime in early to mid-80s we stopped and started going to Cedar Point.
Many memories of the place, it was part of my childhood, and something I recall looking forward too when I was young. Even at 8 or 9 we were free to roam the park without parents, don't think too many would allow that now. :/
We don't have to agree with each other, to respect each others opinion.
Great thread. I didn't know that was happening. I have a particular affection for Geauga Lake. Like some on here have said, it goes back to my childhood.
My family roots are in Cleveland, but I personally have never lived there. My parents, however, sent us to Ohio every summer when my sister and I were growing up to stay with my grandparents. Through these visits we got to know all of our extended family, including many, many cousins. My grandparents got us season passes to Geauga Lake every year. We would go every Wednesday night. We would get there around 3pm every week. We would eat at the wharf, then go to the wave pool. Then we'd head over the water slides. My cousin and I would start off down the water slide and when we knew we passed the point where they let the next person go, we would hold ourselves up and let the other person come crashing into them as we made our way down the slide. We thought that was like the coolest thing ever. After the water rides, we'd dry off and head over to the rest of the park. On a Wednesday evening during the week, you can pretty much ride whatever you want as many times as you want. We would ride the Big Dipper and Double Loop over and over and over again, sometimes not even having to get off. We always made sure we got the last car because that was where you got the biggest bang for your buck with that first hill. Every Wednesday we would close the park down.
Wow, great memories. Thank you for starting this thread.
LOL - The Rish will be upset with this news as well. KS just doesn't prioritize winning...
Who remembers the sky lift that was certain death just waiting to happen? It was like a ski lift in a sense. You stood there and the seats would come sweeping around and you hoped to hop into the seat before it shoved you off that platform and hopefully into the catch net they had set up. There is no way something like that would ever pass safety in today's world. The also had a ride (the Round Up?) where you would sit on a wooden floor back to back with a few people. The floor would start spinning to the point would you would go flying off into a 3 foot padded wall. Crazy stuff back in the day. .
It's still sitting there. I was told that the reason it's still sitting there is that after buying it for 5k, the new owner found that it would cost about 2 million to dismantle and move it. And that didn't include the cost of reassembly.
It originally was auctioned for $1 million when the park closed and the other rides were auctioned. The winning bidder never paid. It went back on auction on E-Bay for $9500 starting bid and a $60,000 Buy it now price and it failed to get a single bid.
Then two guys wanted to buy it and made the news attempting accomplish that but after they got into it the deal never went down. Their original intention was to store it for preservation. I think those were the guys you are thinking of, but they were the third attempt to sell it.
NRTU on the rest
I went to Geauga Lake every year, most years I had a season pass. It was a great park. It's downfall was Six Flags. Six Flags is not as popular as they believe they are. They spent too much money improving the park but really they could never compete with Cedar Point in the area.
People from out of town came here to go to Sea World and Geauga Lake was kind of an added bonus for them. Six Flags bought out Sea World taking away the main reason the out of towners would come there. They then combined the parks to make it Six Flags Worlds of Adventure. It was a massive failure and put them in the red that forced them to sell the part to Cedar Fair which only interest was to shut the park down to lessen the competition with Cedar Point. Really pissed that they didn't announce it to the public until after it was closed so area residents couldn't go one last time.
It's really sad. I loved having that park so close. Just went past there the other day and showed my kids the Big Dipper. A ride I rode more times than I could count. I remember going there on a Tuesday and being able to ride 2-3 times with out having to get off.
If it was just a water park kind of day then Dover was a good place to go, the wave pool and the "Lazy River" (although there was nothing lazy about theirs) was a lot of fun.
I went to Geauga Lake more because I had a season pass and didn't have to pay extra if I wanted to go to the water park.
It's still sitting there. I was told that the reason it's still sitting there is that after buying it for 5k, the new owner found that it would cost about 2 million to dismantle and move it. And that didn't include the cost of reassembly.
It originally was auctioned for $1 million when the park closed and the other rides were auctioned. The winning bidder never paid. It went back on auction on E-Bay for $9500 starting bid and a $60,000 Buy it now price and it failed to get a single bid.
Then two guys wanted to buy it and made the news attempting accomplish that but after they got into it the deal never went down. Their original intention was to store it for preservation. I think those were the guys you are thinking of, but they were the third attempt to sell it.
The former Mayor (who's name escapes me as I write this) told me that it did indeed sell for 5K finally. he's the one that gave me that information years ago. So, I don't know what to tell you. Maybe it did, maybe it didn't. They didn't write me the check LOL
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe." Damanshot
They should get the Walking Dead to Film part of the next season there. I mean it would look great as it looks like a zombie apocalypse forced people to abandon it.
And you could be right Daman, I was going from memory of a Plain Dealer article when some of the other coasters were scrapped saying the Winning bidder on the Big Dipper bought it for 1 Million, but perhaps that was including the cost of moving it.
The wave pool was only 1 or 2 years old when we quit going. It seems like 6 flags started making it more of a water park. It could have survived fine as an amusement park probably, but you just can't be both.
We don't have to agree with each other, to respect each others opinion.
Nah it wasn't the water park, Six Flags just made it too big. They added 4 or 5 new coasters and a bunch of other rides. Well if you were drawing 5 million customers a year and then add a bunch of new rides which has huge expenses and still only draw 5 million customers then you are going the wrong way financially.
They next bought Sea World and combined the parks making a walkway across the lake and only slightly increased the Ticket Price. Well if Sea World was $35 and Six Flags was $30, then making a $40 entry fee for both parks and now you are drawing less customers because Six Flags World of Adventure isn't as big of a draw as Sea World. That's when you find out you are in real trouble and are starting to look to who you can sell to.
*Sigh* When I was a kid we used to go to Idora Park ....... then they closed. I used to go to Geagua Lake all the time when I managed a pizza shop in Aurora, I had a pair of season passes to both Geagua Lake and Sea World. I rode the coasters more that summer I had the passes than in every other year combined. lol We went all the time.
Even when I was living in YTown in between those 2 eras, I used to make the trip once or twice a year. It was close enough to easily make the trip, and inexpensive enough not to break the bank.
Now they're closed too. One more symbol of my youth shuttered and deteriorating.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Looks like a great place for a movie shoot, especially if you need demolition or whatever. Seems like a natural for Marvel or DC. Maybe the money could be handy for ownership. What a shame; loved it when I visited as a kid. Thanx for the thread; I had no idea.
"Every responsibility implies opportunity, and every opportunity implies responsibility." Otis Allen Glazebrook, 1880
I had a chance to work there the last two years it was open. It was my first job ever, too.
I have tons of fond memories from working there. I loved the atmosphere of the place when we were busy. Although, that never happened too often those last two years. The monorail was a blast to operate when it worked. Sit down, hold a button for a few seconds and take a ten minute cruise around the older section of the park. The ferris wheel was a pain because it had to be perfectly balanced. It was interesting with the controls as it was just like a videogame joystick. Working rollercoasters got a bit monotonous, though. I always enjoyed the older attractions as they gave me more responsibility. Oktoberfest was by far the best time of the year at the park. They brought in food vendors, delicious lemonade was plentiful, and all the guests were having fun (for some maybe a little too much...).
The last day of the 2007 season was different. We had no clue they were going to make a decision to close the park. Weird things were happening that day. Games attendants were being allowed to walk home with prizes, every single employee was allowed to ride rides during their break, and a ride was scheduled for employees on the Big Dipper after hours when the park closed. We heard the rumblings in the newspaper about us possibly closing up shop but we didn't take much stock in it. On that last day we all thought everything was a bit weird.
I do miss it. I liked the park as it was a big part of my childhood growing up.
Quote: They should get the Walking Dead to Film part of the next season there. I mean it would look great as it looks like a zombie apocalypse forced people to abandon it.
And you could be right Daman, I was going from memory of a Plain Dealer article when some of the other coasters were scrapped saying the Winning bidder on the Big Dipper bought it for 1 Million, but perhaps that was including the cost of moving it.
Look up the 6 flags in New Orleans. It was abandoned almost completely intact after Katrina.
My son was maybe 6 years old,we took a day off school and went there.As the place was almost empty I talked the young lady into allowing my boy to ride the Big Dipper. To this day we laugh about his death grip and wimpering "Mommy,Mommy" It might have been a bit much for a 6yo,but he's a roller coaster fanatic to this day.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
I loved Idora Park. I had a lot of dates there, actually. IIRC, they closed just a couple of years after I graduated. There was a huge fire that was helped by really heavy winds. Unfortunately, it wiped out the Wildcat, which was Idora's main attraction.
Once the Wildcat was gone, so was Idora Park. There were other suspicious fires after that, and I seem to recall some religious organization trying to make a go of building some big cathedral or something on the property. Beyond that, as far as I know, it's just an overgrown parking lot today.
I suppose that Idora was doomed once the bigger parks came along. There was no room for them to expand and add new and bigger attractions. They had to make do with only 2 main roller coasters, the WildCat and the JackRabbit.
*Sigh* I miss Idora. I had a lot of great times there.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Where I grew up we had two main amusement parks, Kennywood and Idlewild. I know that Kennywood is still running strong and I think idlewild still is as well.
Where was Idora Park located? does anyone remember Euclid Beach?
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe." Damanshot
Idora Park was on the South Side of Youngstown. It was on Canfield Rd. (I think that's what it was named that far down anyway) just off of Glenwood. It was kinda nestled into area by Mill Creek Park.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
I couldn't watch it all. It actually brought a tear t my eye.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
I grew up in North Jackson. Five miles East of Austintown on Rt 18. My dad worked for U.S. Steel in Girard/Niles. Idora Park was usually the annual shop picnic as well as a Saturday visit several times each summer. I can mentally walk all over the park.
Remember the Arcade? I'm 61 years old and when I was a very young kid those machines were ancient. Real Nickelodeons for 5¢. The steam shovel grab-a-prize machine. A "claw" grab-a-prize machine for a dime that had some grip to it, not like the $1 rip-offs they have now.
It took me a few years to get up the courage to ride the WildCat. I think at one time it was the fastest wooden coaster in the country. The JackRabbit was super fast too. So many good rides.
If we lost a friend at the park we'd ride the Rocket and nearly always find them by looking around. haha. Sometimes on a really hot day we'd ride the Rocket just to catch the breeze to cool off a bit.
My mom would sit in the outdoor/open Bingo hall and us kids would run around all day stopping only for our picnic lunch. Every once in a while we'd have a "sit down" meal and it was always good.
Bands would play in the Ballroom and it my first experience hearing a live rock band. I was hooked. I saw "UP with People" there and even as a kid thought it was the corniest thing I ever saw. Especially after seeing a rock band.
Sorry for Hi-jacking the Geauga Lake thread but those pictures look like about all it would take to open it up again would be some clean-up, a little paint and some interest. Idora, on the other hand is wiped out like a freaking H-bomb hit it. A big part of my childhood and early adult life is gone from the face of the earth.
Man, I loved the Arcade. My mom used to ask why the heck we wanted to go in the arcade when we came to ride the rides. She just didn't understand that the games there were so damn cool.
I loved the WildCat ...... JackRabbit, and ... I think it was called the Tilt A Whirl. (The ride with the big red cars, that spun around while the whole platform rocked up and down) I loved going on that ride with a girl ...... because there was no way to avoid being crushed together.
The ride with the tunnel of love effect, that then went up this nice, steep hill .... and down into the water was a blast. Man, that was great on a hot day. The Lost River. That was it!
Another one was the ride with the swing type seats suspended by cables. It wasn't super popular, and we would ask the guy if we could have a double ride so we could cool down.
Man, I loved the fries and the lemonade ......
Oh man, I almost forgot those cool, old fashioned cars they had. It wasn't a fast ride, but individual old Ford replicas that you could drive through this track at about 5 MPH. lol It had a safety rail that kept the cars on the track, but before we could drive, it was cool as heck.
Here ya go. This is great! Man, I forgot about the train too. That was always fun too.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
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