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Valleyfair! Inteview: Bill Von Bank
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Valleyfair! Inteview: Bill Von Bank / By: Clint Novak, Tuesday, January 25, 2005 -
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 Since the late 70’s Valleyfair! Has been entertaining Minnesotans. From its great family atmosphere to its cutting edge thrill rides, Valleyfair! Is not the big park in the Cedar fair family but it has found its way in to the hearts of the Minnesota people.
Bill Von Bank had a chat with our very own Clint Novak about Valleyfair!, and its 2005 season. He also talk about the new relationship between Camp Snoopy and Valleyfair!. You can here the whole interview here.
Clint Novak: Hey what’s going on, its Clint Novak, the host of In the Loop. Today we are going to be talking to bill Von Bank, the Marketing director of Valleyfair!. Bill how you doing today?
Bill Von Bank: Doing wonderful thank you
Clint: All right were here to talk a little bit about the 2005 season for Valleyfair. Do you want to tell us what’s going on for 2005
Bill: Yeah we are really excited that we have a couple new rides to show case. The first ride in the park is Riptide. 720 degrees of attitude. This is actually the second kind of ride, the first one was developed for our sister park, Knots Barry farm in California. Were really excited about this project. This 6 million dollar project. Riptide is a high capacity ride. Basically is a floorless gondola that seats 48 passengers back to back. The ride reaches a high of about 59 feet and completes 13 full 360 degree orbits every 60 seconds in both directions. The ride will swing back and for in a cradle like motion tell it gets enough momentum to bring it over the top. To add an extra thrill leave will have water shooting up at the people as they spin.
Clint: you also have another ride going in to the challenge park area?
Bill: Yeah its near challenge park and steel venom. It’s a separate paid attraction called sky scraper. Some of the people who are connected with In the Loop will know this ride from our sister park Dorney Park. We actually will be putting this ride in that specific area for the 2005 season for the opening day may 14th. I have basically done my research on the web for this ride. Found some nice pictures of the ride and some pictures of the ride at Dorney Park. Its an extreme ride that will capture your attention weather your on it or not. Basically have a propeller of 160 feet and on both end you will have 2 passenger seats. It’s a 4 passenger ride at full capacity. It moves over 50 miles an hour one way and then revisers course to go the other way. We are really excited about this.
Clint: I have been on simpler rides at a lot of the beaches in the area. It seams like very beach has the ride. I had a chance to ride it and the G’s you pull are great. I love it
Bill: we have had some of our employees check the ride out when it was at Dorney. They said its definitely for the Extreme ride thrill lover. Again it’s a spirit charge ride for the park. Riptide is not. That comes with the admission
Clint: Where is Riptide going in?
Bill: Riptide is acutely going in the midway games area, currently where the Trabont used to be. We have removed that ride and find another home for it in the park. But that were Riptide is going to go. And its basically behind the wave. Riptide itself it going to be apart of a new themeing for that area, the games will also take on a whole new look.
Clint: Can you tell us what that new look is going to be?
Bill: Well you are going to have to wait case even I don’t know yet
Clint: Only the people at the top know these things.
Bill: I will know soon enough. But tell then its still a surprise. But that’s ok. Surprises are good
Clint: I hope you pass on the word when you find out.
Bill: Sure will
Clint: Alright, Valleyfair! Has never had a real competitor in Minnesota. This year Cedar Fairs management contract is not going to be renews so that means Camp Snoopy is kind of of becoming a competitor. Do you guys see it that way, and how does Valleyfair feel about that?
Bill: Well prior to the management contract they were for a few years were friendly competition and we still will feel that way. The are an in-door attraction and like the it more when the weather is not so sunny and bright. We have dealt with that situation before, it’s a great park but I think we will be complementing each other verses totally competing against each other.
Clint: something you guys do have in conmen is a high restriction. Valleyfair in 2000 put up Power tower and it was planed to be 300ft but due to the height restriction you could only build it to 275ft. And Camp Snoopy has a roof. Can you tell us how the height restriction is going to effect thrill rides coming to Valleyfair?
Bill: Well you know its not something we have spooking a lot about directly based on the current rides that we have. We did have to scale back power tower, and that was before my time, but was aware of that. Obviously because of an air port to the north of us, the FAA kind of put a squash on us going any higher. But with the way rides are being designed and the thrill factor in rides, you know height is great but there are so many other elements that I don’t think it will be a major factor for us.
Clint: There as been a rumor going around for years about Valleyfair being bought out by six flags. What do you have to say to the people who still here that rumor
Bill: Well I have only been here for a couple years, not even 2 years. That rumor has been flying around, and I have herd about it. Its always has been a rumor and will continue being one. Its totally un true. We are part of a great company with a long track record and great history, and financially very stable. And believe it or not our parent company acquired a six flags park last season. It’s a rumor, just step on it and squash it.
Clint: A lot of people in Minnesota just don’t understand that Valleyfair is owned by a larger company and that is Cedar Fair, so they just don’t realize it. Maybe they just here its owned by a big company and the only big company is Six Flags.
Bill: You know one of the things I can say is over the last 8 years of hearing the rumor is that it slowly has not been as noticeable. You know you herd it a lot and now it started to fade. I have not herd it from somebody for so long, since you just brought it up.
Clint: Well your welcome, I am glad I can keep it going. Alright Bill thanks for being with us today
Bill: Hey no problem. Any time.
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