Big Developments at FC

History Buff · March 18, 2008, 01:21:19 AM

Frontier City is the perfect picture of a park that can't keep to its theming. In fact, the best theming has always been in the ride names. Otherwise, it's not much better than a traveling carnival. The shows are pretty bad, too.

This, and the patrons typically are teens and preteens running amuck, or at best a corporate party.

Nightmare is so old! The last time I went the enclosed coaster was already shut down, but on the previous visit, I noticed parts were being held together with duct tape. The coaster was falling apart when they enclosed it (I suspect they put it in the dark so people couldn't see the bailing wire.).

The dark ride is barely better than a bumper car on tracks, whirling around in a small enclosed area with bad blacklight effects.

I seem to remember the log ride is mostly in the sun ('Guess they cut down all the trees to make the logs.).

Then, for some reason, there is a Tin Lizzy ride (drive your own cars), some cheesy water slides, and a modern, money-sucking video arcade (The big pass-through building at Celebration City is similar in ways.).

The Wildcat is a mild woodie, and the Silver Bullet was all right when it was built, but again was smack in the middle of the sun all day long, with no theming at all.

All of this and the park is practically sitting on the Interstate with no attempt to hide the outside world from guests. It just feels substandard. I couldn't believe SF even considered buying it in the first place.

They used to have, before Six Flags took it over, some really great gunfights on a western main street. This was their version of street performers, and you never knew when a fight would break out. You felt like you were in the middle of the action. SF changed the gunfights into a stage show and took away the charm.

I know there was also a pretty elaborate flea circus set up on one street, but I think it was there just as decoration.

Their Halloween season was pretty good, the first time around, but then it was always the same thing year after year. I think it was the first time I'd heard of a park doing a Halloween makeover.

The best thing about FC was always the cotton candy, but I can get that other places, without having to pay for parking.

As I understood things, the Herschends sold the Oklahoma City White Water to FC, and then both went to Six Flags. White Water changed its name to White Water Bay.

Anyway, growing up in the area, I went to FC several times and always considered it to be the anti-Silver Dollar City. I always regretted that Oklahoma didn't have a decent park to show its rich history and heritage. I even worked with a different company that was on the cusp of creating a classy park like SDC for Oklahoma, but they went bankrupt in the 80s.

I do remember that Frontier City had something years ago that SDC still has not developed - a photo season pass.

Tom · March 18, 2008, 08:56:46 AM

I do have to say that I loved the Wildcat and especially loved the emphasis on history in the que line.

shavethewhales · March 18, 2008, 12:52:37 PM

^^ Those memories may be a little dated. For one, Nightmare Mine has been shut down for years, and there's major talk about removing it soon. The water slides are gone now, and quite a bit of work has been done around the park throughout the recent transition from SF to PARC. It's still not that great of a place, but I think it's on the way to being a pretty fun place. Once they lower the food prices, add some new theming, build that new kiddy SLC, and shape up some general park things, it'll be alright; it's just no SDC and doesn't try to be.

adairmd · March 18, 2008, 06:30:46 PM

Where were they planning on building the park?

Quote from: Dale on March 18, 2008, 01:21:19 AM
Anyway, growing up in the area, I went to FC several times and always considered it to be the anti-Silver Dollar City. I always regretted that Oklahoma didn't have a decent park to show its rich history and heritage. I even worked with a different company that was on the cusp of creating a classy park like SDC for Oklahoma, but they went bankrupt in the 80s.

shavethewhales · March 18, 2008, 08:19:25 PM

^Huh, I totally missed that when I read the post the first time - the park in question didn't happen to be the park that almost happened around the Tulsa/Bartlesville area in the 80's was it?

Tom · March 19, 2008, 10:18:42 AM

What is the deal with Frontier City? Why won't they promote if they are building a roller coaster? I have never heard of a park keeping a coaster a secret. Even though it's being reported that they're building a coaster- I have my doubts. It's March 19 and no firm advertising? Wierd- do they not want season passport sales to increase?

shavethewhales · March 19, 2008, 04:28:45 PM

I just drove past there today - everything is definitely cleared out, ready for something to start, but the park opens in two weeks. Even if they were just throwing up a portable turd coaster, they'll need more time to actually build and test it. Either their planning is seriously screwed up and this new ride won't debut till the end of the season, or we're getting something considerably smaller than everyone is thinking. It was said that this new ride would be a brand new park model of whatever it is though... so I'm thinking we'll just have to wait till August to ride whatever it is.

marolinesdad · March 31, 2008, 08:22:56 AM

I went past yesterday. They have repainted the Silver Bullet back to silver and black. It looks great.

shavethewhales · April 04, 2008, 06:41:46 PM

Well it looks like FC will be getting Steel Lasso, a small Vekoma Jr. Invert for the 2008 season. Kinda weak for their 50th anniversary, but it's part of an overall move in a new direction for the park, and the ride fills a special void in their ride line-up.