Raleigh needs an Amusement Park -- Pepsi Park

[RDUairport]

DwnTwnRaleighGuy,

I think you've got the right idea. If any project were ever proposed that would be my best bet. I just don't see any such attraction being built within Wake county.

WRAL and some of the other media networks in the triangle are only getting worse with their puns... Sometimes I wish there were no such announcements just so I don't have to hear such things.

[atownrocks]

Raleigh wont be getting any amusement park for a long time, if ever. With Carowinds and the new Myrtle Beach one, plus the proxcimity to Six Flags and Busch Gardens.

[MR-2]

Perhaps we should try a different kind of amusement park. It doesn't have to be rollercoasters or waterslides. It could be like the Epcot Center and Universal Studios in Orlando. There are none of those here, or in our neighboring states.

[bsutton1]

Myrtle Beach has a new amusement park?

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

Raleigh wont be getting any amusement park for a long time, if ever. With Carowinds and the new Myrtle Beach one, plus the proxcimity to Six Flags and Busch Gardens.

Where is this "Six Flags" near us?

My issue is that I am not going to drive to Eastern Va or Charlotte much less SC just to go to an amusement park. I have been to the Paramount Carowinds in Charlotte and Bush Gardens in VA, both on business trips. So I felt that I had to check them out. Otherwise would never just drive to go there. Especially with gas cost of today!

[dmccall]

Raleigh wont be getting any amusement park for a long time, if ever. With Carowinds and the new Myrtle Beach one, plus the proxcimity to Six Flags and Busch Gardens.

I assume you mean Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens. The problem is theat PKD, BGW, and PCW are all a good 3 hours from Raleigh. I've done day-trips to them, but it really is too far. I'd go every year to an amusement park that was 1.5 hours or less from Raleigh, so I don't think we have proximity at all.

BGW, PCW, and Myrtle are not on the beaten path for yankees going up and down I-95. PKD is too far north to be a decent stop coming up from Fla. That's why a resort and amusement park at I-40/I-85 would do so well.

[Creasy336]

I assume you mean Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens. The problem is theat PKD, BGW, and PCW are all a good 3 hours from Raleigh. I've done day-trips to them, but it really is too far. I'd go every year to an amusement park that was 1.5 hours or less from Raleigh, so I don't think we have proximity at all.

BGW, PCW, and Myrtle are not on the beaten path for yankees going up and down I-95. PKD is too far north to be a decent stop coming up from Fla. That's why a resort and amusement park at I-40/I-85 would do so well.

dmccall I completely agree. Being in the middle of 2 metros (3 million plus) plus convience to Southern VA would make a park very successful at I-40/85. If the park was built right it would be a draw from other parks.

[danclever]

Perhaps we should try a different kind of amusement park. It doesn't have to be rollercoasters or waterslides. It could be like the Epcot Center and Universal Studios in Orlando. There are none of those here, or in our neighboring states.

I would settle for something smaller in scale than a Busch Gardens or King's Dominion. At one time (esp. up north), many towns had their own community amusement park. They usually started out as picnic grounds or grew around small lakes, but grew to include some fixed rides (including small roller coasters).

Some of these parks remain, and I've been to a few in Pennsylvania. One was outstanding- Knoebel's in Elysburg.

http://www.knoebels.com/

The park is shaded by trees and even allows camping. Instead of paying a whopping entrance fee, you only pay per ride. Unlike other big amusement parks, they actually have good food!

Over time, Knoebel's acquired two really sweet old wooden coasters from other parks.

As for the Triangle, you could start out with a small park, and have it grow gradually. Maybe an establishment like Frankie's could buy up some land somewhere, or maybe something could be started on part of the Dix lands..

[MR-2]

^^^ That's a great idea.