Last September, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company announced that beginning in 2008, Geauga Lake would operate as a water park only. This announcement was met with anger, resentment and much animosity by diehard Geauga Lake fans.
Many of them, like Brandon Tidd of Canton, have been visiting Geauga Lake for more than two decades. “I grew up with Geauga Lake and it’s many forms…I’ve probably been there over 100 times,” Tidd said.
He currently runs geaugalake.info, an informative Web site dedicated to the fallen park in Aurora. He remembers the good old days. “The most fun I ever had at Geauga Lake was working at Fright Fest….Getting to dress up and scare the crowd was a blast.”
Another disappointed Geauga Lake enthusiast is Michael Dery who runs geaugalaketoday.com.
“I spent a lot of time at the park…I was there at least once a week. Because of the website, I wanted to be sure to keep visitors informed of any changes,” Dery remembers. “I think my favorite part was watching the park transform to Six Flags Ohio in 2000. Seeing all the coasters rise during the winter…There was such a big amount of excitement there during that time.”
While some park-goers enjoyed the smooth ride of the newer coasters like X-Flight or Dominator (formerly Batman Night Flight), others liked the thrill of the wooden classics like Raging Wolf Bobs and the one and only Big Dipper.
“Without a doubt my favorite was Raging Wolf Bobs. A classic, old fashioned coaster that was rough, but not too rough,” Tidd said. Dery, on the other hand, was in the other boat. “Actually Dominator was my favorite.”
Cedar Fair stunned it’s fans and guests with it’s announcement last fall. “I was shocked and upset when I first heard that the park was closing,” Dery stated. “Cedar Fair gave no hints or any indication that the park was going to close for good. Even though rides were being removed…I think we all thought that Cedar Fair was just downsizing the park and that it would still be there this year.”
Signs of trouble for the amusement park were more evident than ever when two major roller coasters were removed from the park before the 2007 season. Many fans speculated that the end was near, but no one wanted to believe it. Tidd recalls how he felt when he heard the news. “I was devastated and angry with Cedar Fair, closing the park down only a couple years after acquiring it from Six Flags.”
Adding insult to injury, Cedar Fair has refused to keep the historic Big Dipper. “I do not like the way they are handling the Big Dipper situation. It appears they have no respect for a historic ride,” Dery said. The Big Dipper is set to be auctioned off this month along with two other wooden coasters.
When asked if they’d visit other Cedar Fair parks, most fans are skeptical. “I am boycotting all Cedar Fair parks, including Kings Island,” Dery confirmed.
He is not alone in his quest to avoid any parks bearing the name Cedar Fair. Tidd, however, is not quite as bitter as some. “Despite the resentment I feel toward them, eventually I will return to their other parks because, ultimately, I am an amusement park fan.”
Many are turning to the wide array of amusement parks in Pennsylvania.
“This year I might stick to the PA parks….Waldameer, Hershey Park and Kennywood,” Tidd commented. Waldameer is located in Erie, PA while Kennywood is just minutes from downtown Pittsburgh, PA.
Dery agrees on this. “I do have plans to hit Waldameer Park and Kennywood. That’s about as local as I’ll get this year.”
Tofind out more or to share your own memories of Geauga Lake, visit
www.geaugalaketoday.com or http://www.geaugalake.info.
Alternative Parks to Visit
Waldameer Amusement Park- Erie, PA (814) 838-3591
Kennywood- West Mifflin, PA (412) 461-0500
Hershey Park- Hershey, PA 1-800-HERSHEY
Idlewild & SoakZone- Ligonier, PA (724) 238-3666
