Orlando

[thenewguy]

I'd first like to state my love for the Omaha metro.

And I'll follow it up with this: after being in Orlando for the last week, i can see why some people may say there isn't much to do in the Midwest.  I'm not trying to |expletive| on home, because i love it here.  Just that we ran around like crazy and didn't get to even half of what there was to do down there.  We went to wet 'n wild, magic kingdom, Hollywood studios, universal studios, gator land (and Ripley's Believe it or not, on the side), the ocean, and a couple different (and actually very cool) putt-putt places.  At Disney, we spent most of the time at magic kingdom, and didn't get to hardly any of Hollywood studios (but the tower of terror is sweet), and there was still animal kingdom and Epcot that we didn't see.  There were 3 other water parks (blizzard beach, typhoon lagoon, and aquatic a at sea world, that i can think of) that we didn't hit.  Also, we ran out of time and didn't get to go to Sea World itself.  They had a couple different dinner theater places, lots of shopping, this place call Wonder Works (the building is designed to look like a building that had been ripped from the ground and flipped onto its roof) here it is:

not my photo, but a lot like the one that i took, and other places we didn't see.  Anyway, it makes me wish we had just a little more here, ya know?  If we had an amusement park here, it'd be just about perfect.  With the new indoor ski slope by Mid-America Center, the zoo, local museums (though I'd like another 1 or 2), the Old Market, River front, and so on, i feel like we're just about there.  I just want to have a place in our area that i can get my roller coaster fix...and nothing around here counts

[Stargazer]

I guess I'd personally rather periodically fly (my kids) to the place with the building that flipped on it's roof... than live there.

It would be nice to have even a modest amusement park to enjoy once in a while... not anything like what Orlando has... but just a nice 'Valley Fair' like Minneapolis has (I continue to fall in love with the Twin Cities).

[thenewguy]

I agree.  While Orlando may have too many amusement parks, i think an amusement park like worlds of fun or something similar would be nice.  Heck, even something like Adventure land...here...would be nice.  I just liked that there wasn't a shortage of sights to see or things to do.  I think the one thing we're missing is an amusement park.  However, to steer this a little away from becoming an amusement park thread, I'd just like to say that i really enjoyed the city.  It was ungodly humid down there (we're talking 95% humidity at 8 am, and 80 degrees), and it got up to 90 or 95 almost every day.  The locals said it isn't usually like that (they said typically it's like upper 80's, and not quite so humid...but i don't believe them).  There were lizards everywhere...and i mean everywhere.  On the putt putt courses.  At the hotel.  At Disney.  At Universal.  Crazy.  There were quite a bit of frogs, too, and the herons/ducks/pelicans were like hawks and turkeys here.  Orlando is booming in terms of hotels and resorts the way Chicago is with high rises.  We noticed there were TONS of English folk there, as well as Australian, central European, Asian, etc.  It was sort of refreshing to see so many types of people, all there to have good clean fun.  Except those i saw at the strip clubs next to the interstate as i drove by.  The airport down there is cool, they have a monorail to take you from the terminal to the baggage claim, and they have awesome gift shops.  I saw, quite possibly, the nicest gas station i have ever seen...but i didn't think to take a picture of it.  Had nice palm trees, and looked like the front of a hotel with the car port in front.  In fact, it was right next to a hotel, and i didn't realize it wasn't part of the hotel until i saw them installing pumps.  I love that there is tons of water down there.  Everywhere has a fountain, everywhere there's a pond.  Makes for nice scenery when the ducks and heron fly in, looking for fish and water grass.  The only things that upset me off about Orlando were that they had like NO speed limit signs for miles of interstate (here you get used to knowing how much you're exceeding the speed limit by), tolls, pot holes (yeah, i was shocked---hit a huge one at one point, but I'm assuming it was a flooded road at one point), and no one knowing where |expletive| is at.  We went to McDonald's when we got down there, and we asked the person if they knew where our hotel was (Flori days---AWESOME.  Also, it's one word, but the spell checker is still in 'debug mode'), and they had no clue.  Neither did their manager.  Turns out, we were about a mile away, thankfully, but because so much is being built all the time, people just lose track of what's what, and where it's at.  Otherwise, it was an awesome trip, and i would gladly go back again.  And, i also recommend using a travel site (i went through Sam's club.com/travel) and saved a ton...like $1500 on the flight/hotel/car).  Great way to do a trip.  I'll try to put up some pictures of places from the trip when i get them loaded up.

[Brad]

Omaha can't support an amusement park... we are an "Even Town" :;):

[Stargazer]

WOWT teased me throughout the 10pm telecast tonight with an upcoming new local roller coaster story ... only to reveal that Worlds of Fun was getting a new one.  |expletive|!

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Orlando does have a lot to do, but that is their industry; pretty much the city's purpose in life.

In contrast to the humid 90 degree weather you experienced, the last time I was in Orlando was this last January. In the evenings it got to as low as 34 freaking degrees! Disney World was a bit miserating at those temperatures. The news cast said it had snowed in parts to the north and that the citrus crops were in big trouble.

[Erik]

Can we support another amusement park?

There is already one in Des Moines, and two in KC (Worlds/Oceans, and Legoland)..

It would seem to saturate this market too much and Omaha/Lincoln isn't large enough alone to sustain a mid-level amusement park..

[StreetsOfOmaha]

Can we support another amusement park?

There is already one in Des Moines, and two in KC (Worlds/Oceans, and Legoland)..

It would seem to saturate this market too much and Omaha/Lincoln isn't large enough alone to sustain a mid-level amusement park..

Are you telling me that you consider the Omaha region, including Lincoln, Eastern Nebraska, and Western Iowa as part of the Des Moines or KC "markets"?  Or that Omaha, Des Moines, and KC are all part of ONE market???

Historically, Omaha has supported MULTIPLE amusement parks, and this was when it was MUCH smaller than it is today.  It's absolutely ABSURD that Omaha does not have a major amusement park at LEAST the likes of Adventureland.

[thenewguy]

I agree.  Peony Park was around about 20 years ago or so, and the Omaha area has grown a lot since then.  I don't consider Omaha to be one with Des Monies or Kansas City, and the reason that people go to Worlds of Fun or Adventure land is because we don't have anything here as an alternative.  I guarantee you that people from pretty much all over the eastern half of Nebraska and western Iowa to about Atlantic would come here if Omaha had something worth traveling for...opposed to fun pl ex and coco keys.  They're fine for those of us who live here, and want to occasionally take a dip, but we could DEFINITELY support something more.  Just a note: San dusky, OH has a metro population less than 80,000 and is home to Cedar Point, which is one of the biggest, top rated parks in the world.  And we're not even asking for something on that scale.

Note:  I understand there are spelling errors in my post, but i had to change them to what spelling cow suggested, or else i couldn't post (it's still in debug mode, and is a piece of junk).

[Brad]

Note:  I understand there are spelling errors in my post, but i had to change them to what spelling cow suggested, or else i could post (it's still in debug mode, and is a piece of junk).

Go to your profile and shut the spell cow off.  Even when its off, it will still highlight the misspellings in yellow and still give you suggestions if you left click on the yellow box.  Nothing will pop up when you hit submit therefore removing the problem.

[thenewguy]

thanks!

[Erik]

I agree.  Peony Park was around about 20 years ago or so, and the Omaha area has grown a lot since then.  I don't consider Omaha to be one with Des Monies or Kansas City, and the reason that people go to Worlds of Fun or Adventure land is because we don't have anything here as an alternative.  I guarantee you that people from pretty much all over the eastern half of Nebraska and western Iowa to about Atlantic would come here if Omaha had something worth traveling for...opposed to fun pl ex and coco keys.  They're fine for those of us who live here, and want to occasionally take a dip, but we could DEFINITELY support something more.  Just a note: San dusky, OH has a metro population less than 80,000 and is home to Cedar Point, which is one of the biggest, top rated parks in the world.  And we're not even asking for something on that scale.

Note:  I understand there are spelling errors in my post, but i had to change them to what spelling cow suggested, or else i couldn't post (it's still in debug mode, and is a piece of junk).

And that is why it will hurt our chances of getting one...  Adventureland is built on economic vitality and population of the area, and Des Moines has much more people within a certain range than Omaha/lincoln that identify themselves with Des Moines..  Next to Lincoln all Omaha has is Columbus, and we might 'steal' Glenwood from Des Moines..

Secondly, if you were from any sort of distance from Omaha, would you rather go to Omaha or Kansas City?  There you go!..

Lastly, Sandusky Ohio is a resort for a state with 11 million people, all we have 1.7 million.. HUGE difference..

I'd say in 2-3 decades our market will probably suit a mid-major amusement park..

[thenewguy]

if it took 20 to 30 years, I'd literally |expletive| myself.  For what it's worth, any family of mine that lives in Nebraska would prefer to come to Omaha, because they would like to keep their tax dollars in state, and they are more comfortable with the area, having been here more times than KC.  And i don't think the argument for age & support of an amusement park is necessarily viable.  It's not a techno club or something...and people of many ages like amusement parks for different reasons.  Some for nostalgia, some for thrills.  Either way, i think that we'd be able to support a park and have it do well and not have to wait.

Wasn't this about Orlando to start out with?

[nativeomahan]

This seems to be off topic (Orlando) but since such I am not exactly boldly going where no man has gone before in that sense....Omaha could have supported a large amusement park....if it had beaten DSM to the punch.  But DSM built theirs like 30 years ago (the last time I was there) and has worked to expand and improve it ever since, and KC has a very nice dual park an easy drive from Omaha.  I think the 3 metros can handle 2 parks between all 3 cities.  The proof of this is the fact that no new amusement park has been built in the area in 30 years.  If it was going to happen it already would have.  I'm not happy about it, as I love roller coasters.  But I have come to terms with it and moved on.

[StreetsOfOmaha]

I think the 3 metros can handle 2 parks between all 3 cities.

Well, that means we build a new, awesome park, and if it puts Adventureland out of business, so be it.  :D