Elitch Gardens Discussion Thread

Every time I go to the new Elitch's I always hear somebody talking about how they miss the old park.

I've gone every other weekend or weekdays for the past 7 or so years. Never heard one person say that.

Rumors have it that two different companies are fighting over the park, with bids over $180million.

Rumors have it that two different companies are fighting over the park, with bids over $180million.

^ I know who your talking about. He was outbid.

I'm really glad they are selling all six parks as a package so some real estate owner in Valencia wouldn't just pick it off to blanket it with homes.

It's also too bad Six Flags put these up right after Cedar Fair bought Paramount.

I'm sure everyone will be running to SFMM and the other properties for one last trip before it closes and attendance will skyrocket.

^ I know who your talking about. He was outbid.

what was the first park

on the chopping block (sorry i missed the thread due to a vacation)

I think they're talking about SFMM... but I wouldn't be all worried just yet about it leaving town.

You know, this huge blip of news went unnoticed yesterday, but the sale of those SF parks has been completed to PARC and now PARC is in control and adding rides! So whats new for Elitch Gardens?

And, a new Elitch Gardens website has opened!

http://www.elitchgardens.com/ (still a work in progress)

The announcement for the new water slide is in the cheesy site intro video, that is all I can find.

Also, interesting news, it looks like some SF rides are still going to be named the same such as Mind Eraser and Shipwreck Falls. However, the Looney Tunes licensing has been ditched for the kids area to go back to its original name, StarToons Studios, and I assume Batwing will now be known as Aviator (according to Screamscape).

Well, thats all for now!

The Elitch Gardens map, note the toilet bowl slide on the upper right hand corner of the park.

Brand Spankin' new Elitch Gardens logo. Minus the Seis Flags!

"The Elitch Gardens map, note the toilet bowl slide on the upper right hand corner of the park." IMO a bowl slide is not that great of an attraction. It just does not provide me with the thrills I desire. Anyways... Thanks for the news! I love hearing about new rides even if I do not like them

~Matthew

Wow. I never noticed how small Elitches is. It looks like it has hardly any flats. But that might just be the map :-\

^Elitch's is small in general because its crammed right in the middle of downtown Denver. Theres a lot to do at the park, but it seems crammed overall.

Is this an individual bowl body slide or is it the pro slide bowl?

Wow. I never noticed how small Elitches is. It looks like it has hardly any flats. But that might just be the map :-\

Its not just the map...

i work with a former denvernite, she said that the current site is landlocked, as in no where to add any more land, the former site wasn't and was allot bigger.

I'm so confused on the size because I heard a while back that Elitch's old owners moved the park from a previous spot in Denver (where the original Mister Twister existed) to the present day spot. My question is why did they move to such a cramped up piece of property?

http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=qmr89s67g0cz&style=o&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=10303207&encType=1

You can see here quite clearly how it is a tiny park with no where to expand. On one side is the river, another is the train tracks and Speer Blvd borders it on the 3rd side.

The only real place I can see a major addition being added is the parking lot or they could always just start placing rides on top of other rides like Blackpool.

Based on what I have read about the old location I think it was less than half the size of the current location. Now I can't say I really know if that included parking or not but whatever.

I honestly really hope that the new ownership will put in a eurofighter or something similar that will fit the space and provide some great thrills.

"The Elitch Gardens map, note the toilet bowl slide on the upper right hand corner of the park." IMO a bowl slide is not that great of an attraction. It just does not provide me with the thrills I desire. Anyways... Thanks for the news! I love hearing about new rides even if I do not like them

~Matthew

According to Screamscape:

Screamscape sources tell us that the Flying Coaster (Zamperla Volare) at Elitch Gardens will not run this season. Apparently the park has deemed that the ride’s lack of popularity compared to the price of repairs and upkeep needed to reopen it for the season just didn’t add up. No word on when they may opt to remove it however, though I imagine they’re more likely to try and sell it. In other news Elitch Gardens will apparently cut their ticket prices by about $10, making the cost of an adult ticket just $34.99 along with a drop in the price of parking.

(7/25/07) We’ve got a few new rumors from Elitch Gardens this morning. First off it seems the Huss Rainbow has been closed for most of the season due to mechanical troubles and there is now a rumor going around that it may be removed and possibly replaced by something new next season. In other news, we’re heard that a long term goal of the new management is to greatly expand the waterpark, possibly overtaking the current picnic area nearby which would be moved to a new location, possibly near Twister II.

I'm really happy about the price drop on not only admission but parking as well. And I'm very happy about Flying Coaster and I hope it gets torn out. It is a terrible ride.

Ghost Blasters 2 - Confirmed - (3/17/08) From what we’ve heard, there hasn’t been much in the way of construction on the new Ghost Blasters 2 attraction. So far we’ve heard that they have removed the old Turntable Arcade and will move the Round Em’ Up (Tilt-A-Whirl) to make room for the new ride.

(2/15/08) In an interview with John Wood of Sally Corp at the EAS show posted by Parksmania, they confirm they will be building Ghost Blasters 2 at Elitch Gardens. Ghost Blasters 2 is a more scary and improved version of the old Ghost Blasters concept that will be realized with full animatronic figures instead of just 2D cut outs.

A dark ride would be so awesome for EG. They could really use it.

Yay! About time for clone land.

^True true. In fact, I'm in Denver today and I drove by the park

At least this will be unique to EG because like you said, "Clone Land". Wait, didn't I think of that name in my last P:TR?

Wow, it's nice to see the park to improve.

I haven't been to Elitch Gardens since August 2003, and at that time it was still owned by Six Flags. I don't remember the park being too bad, but it definitely needed some TLC back then.

And as for The Flying Coaster, yeah that ride was nothing fantastic, I remember when I went it was fairly new and had a big hype. I rode it and thought it pretty much sucked, IMO.

Wouldn't mind visiting again if the park had some better things to offer, especially some custom roller coasters and not Vekoma clones.

But then again at least it says a decent park, more than i can say about anywhere here in AZ.

I'm glad there are going to be improvements. I think the new management is giving EG the attention it needs. Too bad about the Rainbow. But I am extatic about them closing down the Flying Coaster. That would be great space to use for new rides. That coaster was a piece of s**t. Looking forward to this summer's trip(s).

I was at Elitch Gardens on Sat. and they have put up a new construction fence back by the flying coaster and the plaza area near it. Large construction equipment is already on site and they have started removing the concrete in the plaza area and have some significant digging taking place. It pretty clear this is more than just removing the Flying Coaster. I will try and get pics up next week.

So what is it? A lot of talk is either for a Eurofighter type ride or a large family coaster.

Anyone know more?

Finally, they decided to remove that horrible coaster!