Hard Rock/Freestyle Music Park

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Shane

Shane

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I'm surprised there hasn't been a thread about this yet. I guess its just been discussed in relation to other conversations. It looks like they are finally dismantling the coasters at Hard Rock Park http://screamscape.com/html/freestyle_music_park.htm

Screamscape had previously reported that an Asian park may have bought the rides, but they are still listed for sale at http://www.italintl.com/category.php?category=Roller%20Coasters

Its possible that Italintl just hasn't updated the rides listings, but they have been pretty good about marking listings as Sold in the past.
 
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RE: Hard Rock/ Freestyle Music Park

This park should never have been built in the first place.

It was way off the interstate and they did a horrible job of advertising it. There was practically no shade and they didn't install any major water rides. And Led Zeppelin: The ride was one of the most boring B&Ms I've ever been on even with the music playing.

This park was doomed way before they broke ground.
 
RE: Hard Rock/ Freestyle Music Park

I don't think the interstate argument works here with it being in Myrtle Beach. That is a high tourism area. They did advertise a ton but they did it outside the area. So those who came to vacation there hardly knew of its existence.
 
RE: Hard Rock/ Freestyle Music Park

James said:
I don't think the interstate argument works here with it being in Myrtle Beach. That is a high tourism area. They did advertise a ton but they did it outside the area. So those who came to vacation there hardly knew of its existence.
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Interstate access is definitely key to a park's success. Practically every major theme and amusement park in this country is located directly off of one. The only park I can think of that's a good distance from an interstate is Cedar Point but comparing them is moot because that park sits in the middle of four major metropolitan areas (Detroit, Columbus, Cleveland and Pittsburgh), which is a luxury that Myrtle Beach can not have.
 
RE: Hard Rock/ Freestyle Music Park

Cedar Point is the exception to the rule because their name was set in stone decades ago. HRP was trying to be a major amusement park out of the gate without that ease of access that pretty much all of the similar parks rely on. If they were right off an interstate or a major traffic artery then things likely would be different in terms of their attendance, but the financial woes the park was in pretty much all but doomed it from the start.
 
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RE: Hard Rock/ Freestyle Music Park

Dollywood is a solid 20 miles off the interstate and does just fine.
 
RE: Hard Rock/ Freestyle Music Park

Dollywood has national recognition and a solid customer base to advertise to outside of their regional demographic. The sheer fact that the park is called Dollywood is enough reason most people decide to visit. HRP was trying to hook into the tourism of Myrtle Beach in the middle of a recession with no history and no established customer base. Huge difference.
 
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RE: Hard Rock/ Freestyle Music Park

I'm curious where the rides are being relocated to. As far as the park's ultimate fate, I highly recommend that everyone read the series Theme Park University did on the park. Its a 10 part series so it will take some time to read but it is totally fascinating. After reading it, I am pretty certain the park would have been successful had it not opened right at the begining of the financial crisis.
 
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RE: Hard Rock/ Freestyle Music Park

Since you have ridden the HRP B&M Unagi, I'll direct a question to you. The coaster seems to have all of the standard B&M elements that everybody loves on the other coasters. What makes this one so boring? Surroundings? Do you think that the coaster could thrive somewhere else with more extensive theming, trees, tunnels, or Bizzaro gimmicks?
 
RE: Hard Rock/ Freestyle Music Park

I didn't find out about it until we went to the outlet mall and saw a roller coaster across the street. I think it was near the Medieval Times?
 
RE: Hard Rock/ Freestyle Music Park

Mazakman said:
Since you have ridden the HRP B&M Unagi, I'll direct a question to you. The coaster seems to have all of the standard B&M elements that everybody loves on the other coasters. What makes this one so boring? Surroundings? Do you think that the coaster could thrive somewhere else with more extensive theming, trees, tunnels, or Bizzaro gimmicks?
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It was forceless. And the layout isn't inspiring as it's too straight and basic. And the midcourse brakes toward the end of the ride ate the crap out of the train's speed. It was one of the most boring endings on a B&M ever.
 
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RE: Hard Rock/ Freestyle Music Park

Tyrion said:
Unagi if you could explain to me what it was like to ride "the trip"? I just watched a POV of it and it looked awesome!
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It was exactly like the bolded word above! LOL

I think the person who conceptualized this ride was on some type of strong hallucinogen. It was like a typical Sally Corp ride (with their aesthetics) on shrooms! I rode it twice and actually laughed the whole time because of the constant drug references being made by random people sitting next to me.
 
RE: Hard Rock/ Freestyle Music Park

For the record, the interstate is about an hour or two away from Myrtle Beach. Even if they wanted to build on the interstate, most of the highways in SC are pretty desolate so there's nothing to draw from outside the main cities like Charleston and Columbia. Regardless, if they wanted to build in MB, they couldn't build on 95, even if they tried.

The problem with HRP's location is that it was built away from the main tourist drag on the site of an abandoned outlet mall (I believe the dark ride took place inside the old building). If it was built closer to the beach and had easier access, it would be more successful. That's the main reason Pavilion and Family Kingdom managed to last so long without any problems while the other Myrtle Beach parks faltered and closed.
 
RE: Hard Rock/ Freestyle Music Park

The CEO of Sally Corp. said that they would love to rebuild "the trip". They are just waiting for someone to come along that will buy it. They still have all of the plans,music,etc. With the direction BGW is heading, this would fit well as a complement to London Rocks or just about anything with glitter. ;-P
 
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RE: Hard Rock/ Freestyle Music Park

Shane thanks for the recommendation on that Theme Park University piece, such a fascinating read on a subject I knew next to nothing about!
 
RE: Hard Rock/ Freestyle Music Park

ScreamScape reports that the Vekoma track has been disassembled and is in the parking lot.

ScreamScape.com said:
98/11/14) The latest pictures from Freestyle Music Park taken over the weekend show that almost all of the Eagles: Life in the Fastlane track has been removed and laid out in the lot. I imagine we’ll see all the supports and lift hills taken down by the end of next week at this rate.
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Source
 
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