Valleyfair (VF) Discussion Thread

Rode North Star for the first time today, fun ride! Great views of the park and local area, lots of wind in your face, and I think it's better than the Windseekers. Overall a good addition to Valleyfair.

Also, while riding Excalibur, I noticed some orange and pink flags/markers on a few of the supports. Also worth noting that pretty much every ride in the park has a new automatic spiel except for Excalibur. Not saying this is its last year, but I guess it's a possibility.

Edit: My bad, Excalibur does have an auto-spiel, they just didn't use it until the afternoon.

Rode North Star for the first time awhile ago, however last night was my first time seeing it during the night and it looks amazing! However now that north star has nice lights I feel like Valleyfair needs to upgrade the night time sky line. I think lights on the power tower pillars would like awesome, similar to what is on North Star. Wild thing you can't do much more, since its all green, but having some of the taller rides in the park get nicer lighting I feel would make Valleyfair's night time skyline look so much more better!

On a side note here's what I think Valleyfair could possible get in the future, though I don't know what years. Enterprise in wild things helix, slingshot over by where tilt-a-whirl used to be, new inverted coaster that replaces dinos. alive, something similar to raptor at Cedarpoint, a water park expansion replacing Looping Starship, and possible a dark ride replacing the Galaxy Theater.

If the permit for the back of the park is approved that will open up a lot of available land that Valleyfair can use for some rides, including a parking lot replacing Excalibur, possible more water park expansion with this, possible a new roller coaster behind Renegade along with some rides back there a new employee parking lot and a new access road to get there too.

Rode North Star for the first time awhile ago, however last night was my first time seeing it during the night and it looks amazing! However now that north star has nice lights I feel like Valleyfair needs to upgrade the night time sky line. I think lights on the power tower pillars would like awesome, similar to what is on North Star. Wild thing you can't do much more, since its all green, but having some of the taller rides in the park get nicer lighting I feel would make Valleyfair's night time skyline look so much more better!

 

On a side note here's what I think Valleyfair could possible get in the future, though I don't know what years. Enterprise in wild things helix, slingshot over by where tilt-a-whirl used to be, new inverted coaster that replaces dinos. alive, something similar to raptor at Cedarpoint, a water park expansion replacing Looping Starship, and possible a dark ride replacing the Galaxy Theater.

 

If the permit for the back of the park is approved that will open up a lot of available land that Valleyfair can use for some rides, including a parking lot replacing Excalibur, possible more water park expansion with this, possible a new roller coaster behind Renegade along with some rides back there a new employee parking lot and a new access road to get there too.

I noticed when I rode Excalibur there was so much land you could see which vf could use.

Visited the park for the first time since last fall and here's my two cents: I'm loving for the most part the more "corporate" additions like the new ticket booths and the system for that as well as the metal detectors. Definitely gives the park a more professional feel. North Star was great, can't say it surprised or disappointed me; pretty much what I was expecting. On the flip side, I was pretty disappointed to see that they discontinued the 70's music in Route 76 and replaced it with Pitbull and that jazz which is pretty much polio for your ears. It would be great to actually keep the theming in that area for more than two years.

. On the flip side, I was pretty disappointed to see that they discontinued the 70's music in Route 76 and replaced it with Pitbull and that jazz which is pretty much polio for your ears. It would be great to actually keep the theming in that area for more than two years.

If we are lucky they will change it back. The last two years they had pop music for Renegade the first few weeks and then switched to country.

Also, while riding Excalibur, I noticed some orange and pink flags/markers on a few of the supports. Also worth noting that pretty much every ride in the park has a new automatic spiel except for Excalibur. Not saying this is its last year, but I guess it's a possibility.

Great news! Hope it's true. Would be a good first step in the Army Corp proposal moving forward. That project would be fairly large and require construction to start mid-summer. So timing of the flags/markers would be somewhat right on schedule. Hope to see more activity concerning Excalibur as the early summer progresses.

I'd welcome the back entrance and water park additions with open arms. Would really transform the park as a whole and lead to growth potential and another coaster eventually.

On a side note: How awesome would an RMC Excalibur transformation be though!!! I think they'd have to expand the length somehow, but they could come up with a pretty funky transformation. It will never happen, but it's fun to imagine!

I wonder if this is still gonna happen!

. On the flip side, I was pretty disappointed to see that they discontinued the 70's music in Route 76 and replaced it with Pitbull and that jazz which is pretty much polio for your ears. It would be great to actually keep the theming in that area for more than two years.

 

 

If we are lucky they will change it back. The last two years they had pop music for Renegade the first few weeks and then switched to country.

Maybe consider dropping by Guest Services and leaving a comment on it. If someone calls it out they generally pay attention to it. Also going to throw in that just like at CP you can leave compliments for associates Everyone forgets you can, but being able to let an associate know they did an outstanding job that a guest took the time to write a message was one of my favorite things. I'm not around this summer so give the park some love for me everyone.

Found something finally on the Army Corp permit !

https://www.scribd.com/document/346919809/ValleyFair-Wetland#download

Copy and past the link - you may have to sign up to the scribd.com (it's free) to see the complete decision.

Sounds like it maybe approved as of 5/2/17 !!!!!

What exactly would this plan include besides an additional parking lot for the water park?! Clearly the removal of Excalibur.. but also an addition to the water park?

What exactly would this plan include besides an additional parking lot for the water park?! Clearly the removal of Excalibur.. but also an addition to the water park?

The plan specifies the removal of Excalibur, the building of new parking lots (one for guests, one for staff), and the relocation of the employee entrance. Soak City expansion plans beyond this would likely come later. The plan allows for said expansion.

With approval seemingly granted, I wonder when shovels will actually hit the dirt. That will likely depend on how far out the cap ex plans are cemented, along with when the Carowinds/CGA-esque expansion starts in earnest.

But for now, I'm predicting a Frisbee for 2018, some sort of Soak City expansion for 2019 (whether or not that has anything to do with these plans...), and that long-rumored/awaited B&M Invert in 2020.

Screenshot of the document.

It is definitely interesting that the new plan appears to have been approved. At least now I know to get my last rides on Excalibur.

What will the big area be open for? Maybe they'll remove the white river rapids and put a huge B&M invert!

This is HUGE! Though they got the MN wetland conservations acts approval they still need permission from the state, city, and federal agencies. Hopefully they will approve soon so this will go into play soon! On the other hand I had no idea they were also wanting to do work near the river at the guest side of the parking lot! I'm guessing it will be something to prevent flooding so they won't have to close down the parking lot if it floods. This would also mean they could redo the parking lot without the worry that it will flood the next year.

Going back to Excalibur I think that they will end up replacing the older part of the water park with something newer, and then add in a new park entrance with it then being near mad mouse and not looping starship. The parking lot entrance to the water park would have a split entrance possibly, with one leading to the water park and one entering over by thunder canyon. This could go where the current employee access road is. I could also see looping starship being replaced with a mat racer, or something like that in the near future also, with the entrance to it being by the new park entrance over by mad mouse.

Hopefully the start of the back of the park project will begin next year with just the parking lot and entrances. Then the following year a few changes back there. And the year after that could be the hopefully new rollercoaster where Dino's. Alive is now. Lastly the final changes are made back there and we begin to see the start of a brand new awesome area back there with maby a rollercoaster, flat rides, and many other hopeful things!

This is HUGE! Though they got the MN wetland conservations acts approval they still need permission from the state, city, and federal agencies. Hopefully they will approve soon so this will go into play soon! On the other hand I had no idea they were also wanting to do work near the river at the guest side of the parking lot! I'm guessing it will be something to prevent flooding so they won't have to close down the parking lot if it floods. This would also mean they could redo the parking lot without the worry that it will flood the next year.

Going back to Excalibur I think that they will end up replacing the older part of the water park with something newer, and then add in a new park entrance with it then being near mad mouse and not looping starship. The parking lot entrance to the water park would have a split entrance possibly, with one leading to the water park and one entering over by thunder canyon. This could go where the current employee access road is. I could also see looping starship being replaced with a mat racer, or something like that in the near future also, with the entrance to it being by the new park entrance over by mad mouse.

Hopefully the start of the back of the park project will begin next year with just the parking lot and entrances. Then the following year a few changes back there. And the year after that could be the hopefully new rollercoaster where Dino's. Alive is now. Lastly the final changes are made back there and we begin to see the start of a brand new awesome area back there with maby a rollercoaster, flat rides, and many other hopeful things!

I really think a B&M invert for 2018

1.They are getting lots of land

2. They are removing a coaster

3.They are do

4.They are starting very early for this expansion. I mean there is already flags on Excalibur supports and the permit has already been sent about

5. I am ready for the argument that will come my way

Either way I'm pumped!

I know what I would bet my money on for 2018. I find it hard to believe they wouldn't have some sort of soak city expansion to go with opening a new entrance back there. I would think by the end of July there would have to be some start to construction. They need to tear down Excalibur, then pack and level land to proposed elevation heights, pour concrete or tar parking lot and roads, remove trees, construct entrance, construct new shops and slides, etc. Not a small project on any scale, plus deal with delays due to Minnesota weather. Valleyfair seems to try to get ahead on projects recently and one would think you'd really want to get ahead on this giant one!

Good find! Exciting times for our park. A coaster should finally follow a few years after this. Maybe sooner if returns on this investment go well!

Interesting that this comes out right around the time that there are flags/markers on some Excalibur supports. Not going to make any predictions yet but an Excalibur removal this season is looking more likely now.

I just learned something interesting about North Star! I went on opening day and I have to say that I absolutely loved the ride. I was really surprised by the ride cycle. I did not expect to get to the top, descend 100' then back up again. It was tons of fun with great views and a bit of apprehension because of the chains. Well I wrote a letter to Funtime asking them why we have the version with redundant chains and not just a single set of chains per chair. Here is the response:

Thank you for your feedback and nice to hear you liked the Starflyer ride.

To answer your question about the NorthStar at Valley Fair, yes the chains are arranged differently from some of the other starflyer rides you may have seen, this is because the ride in Valley Fair is a 32-seat version and the chains are rigged to attached to the anchor point in front as well as the anchor point behind, this prevents the chairs coming close to each other in a high wind situation. The other Starflyers you may have seen with the single chair attachment method (yes they move a little more) would have been the 24-seat version, the 24-seat version has a greater distance between the seats. The very tall Starflyers such as the Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags New England Sky Screamers are over 400 feet high but also only have 24 seats.

The rigging method is to restrict forward and back movement not because of redundancy, the chain we use is made from a very high grade German steel with a minimum breaking load of 1.6 tons, there are 8 chains per seat.

Let me know if have any further questions.

Warmest regards

Brian Mirfin

General Manager – Funtime Group of companies

O.K, my first thought was why? Why go with the 32-seat version over the 24-seat? The 24-seat version would have cost less. Just my thoughts, but does anybody think they are preparing for much larger crowds in the near future? It seems that everything Valleyfair has been doing lately has been geared for larger crowds. For example; The new dining pavilions and kitchen that can seat and feed thousands at a time, Northern Lights has a high capacity, The renovated amphitheater included additional seating, etc.

Also, I don't see the entrance being redone anytime soon. They just built a new building for tickets and added metal detectors to the old ticket booth area.

Getting the permit approved in FANTASTIC! My guess is they are added parking back there because the want to redevelop parking areas up front. In any event things are getting exciting for Valleyfair. I can't wait till they make an announcement for what's coming!

It's really great to hear a company be so upfront and public about their design. That was a pretty entertaining read.

Also, I don't see the entrance being redone anytime soon. They just built a new building for tickets and added metal detectors to the old ticket booth area.

They did not build a new building, they just remodeled an existing building by taking out the guest door where you used to be able enter the building and added about a dozen service windows to it to service guests. Then they 'boarded' up the old ticket booth's and put metal detectors in that area. This was a not heavy dollar investment and because of that could probably be removed or changed in the next few years....at least I hope.

Thank you vf_fan1976 for finding this announcement. Been looking for a response for a while now with no success. Great news since CF usually replaces removed coasters from a park. And an expanded water park can only help with increasing revenue for the park too. Wonder what they will do with Thunder Canyon, incorporate into the expanded water park or keep it outside of it like it is now?

Park regulars and employees, keep your eyes and ears open and let us know here as soon as there is something new to report. It might be time to start getting excited about the future of VF.

I was unsure if the ticket building was new or not. I assumed it was new because they moved the T-REX north from where it was.

I'm willing to say that if the parking lot goes through, we're not getting a Giant Frisbee, We're not getting a B&M invert, we're not getting a Soak City expansion. We're getting the parking lot. That's it. Even if we get some of Wildwater Kingdom's toys (which coincidentally line up with some of the major gaps Valleyfair has) for free putting in pipes and pavement for them would cost money. The new parking lot is an absolutely massive undertaking, probably one of the largest capital investments in the park. It's not moving a few piles of dirt around with a Bobcat.

I'm willing to say that if the parking lot goes through, we're not getting a Giant Frisbee, We're not getting a B&M invert, we're not getting a Soak City expansion. We're getting the parking lot. That's it. Even if we get some of Wildwater Kingdom's toys (which coincidentally line up with some of the major gaps Valleyfair has) for free putting in pipes and pavement for them would cost money. The new parking lot is an absolutely massive undertaking, probably one of the largest capital investments in the park. It's not moving a few piles of dirt around with a Bobcat.

With the season now in full swing, I'm finally getting around to posting a quick photo report from last season.

Looping into the sunset.

Corkscrew over the midway.

LOOP-DEE-LOOOOP!

Sun setting over the midway

Looking up while they're looking down.

Take a good look...

Because you likely won't see it much longer.

Loved the sidewalk/bike trail that runs along the south side of the park.

Great spots for photography.

High Roller about to enter the final turn.

High Rolling down the main drop.

If only I got it while Corkscrew was going through the loop.

Hold the wife and hide the young'uns! The Renegade's a-runnin!

Wild Thing Sunset

Take the Tunnel!

So many trains, so many fails at this shot.