SDC Hosts the National Convention of the American Coaster Enthusiasts

Zephon · June 18, 2009, 05:14:13 PM

The National Convention of the American Coaster Enthusiasts, or ACE, will be hosted by SDC from June 21-23. This is an event the park has targeted for numerous years because the members are very influential with the press and they vote on theme park awards such as Golden Ticket in categories from rides to food to friendliness. This is the group's 32nd annual national convention and SDC is the first HFE park to host one. Approximately 350 ACE members are expected to attend.

There are numerous activities scheduled with it all kicking off formally in the Opera House at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday the 21st. Besides riding the coasters of course, they will be treated to meals, shows, games, and walk-through tours.
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I was wondering if any of you, Coaster or Swoosh perhaps, are members of this organization and might be attending. It looks like they'll be getting the full "red-carpet" treatment.

Joy · June 18, 2009, 06:00:05 PM

Oh, how I'd love to go to THAT.

Joy

Swoosh · June 20, 2009, 11:26:50 PM

^No honestly you wouldn't. While it sounds "glamourous" the contingent of ACErs that attend CON is not our most "flattering group" by any means.

The really "good ACErs" are the ones that will attend Coaster Christmas the first Saturday in December.

Joy · June 21, 2009, 12:50:42 AM

Ahhhh... Thanks for the tip.

Joy

Zephon · June 24, 2009, 09:54:31 PM

^^I'd be interested in hearing why you say that, Swoosh. We had the group in the Opera House on Sunday evening as they kicked off their event. They were treated to a short version of the Magic Show and then greeted by SDC bigwigs and their own bigwigs. They were very appreciative of the show and seemed to be very enthusiastic. Do they have a bad reputation as a group? You don't have to say anything if you don't want to, but you made me curious.

Swoosh · June 26, 2009, 12:02:57 AM

Quote from: Zephon on June 24, 2009, 09:54:31 PM
^^I'd be interested in hearing why you say that, Swoosh. We had the group in the Opera House on Sunday evening as they kicked off their event. They were treated to a short version of the Magic Show and then greeted by SDC bigwigs and their own bigwigs. They were very appreciative of the show and seemed to be very enthusiastic. Do they have a bad reputation as a group? You don't have to say anything if you don't want to, but you made me curious.

Let's just say the reputations of some members proceed them.
I'm a member of ACE myself, but to say we have some "interesting" members is under statement.

docspeleo · June 27, 2009, 10:21:08 AM

on monday of the ACE event.. the cave was closed and we only gave tours for ACE members.. and not a regular tour.
The ACE tours were LANTERN!
we had 8 lantern tours that day.. our poor little lanterns were used and not all of them made it through the tour being lit the whole time.
As a group they were amazing people, interested in the cave and the history of the park.
I did 3 of the 8 tours. it's exhausting 2hours for each tour its a fun tour to give but after 2 hours of talking i'm ready for a break but we had so many more to give so we went down and came back up.. all day long! wooah i'm exhausted just thinking about it...
at 6 we had 2 regular tours and ended up tossing in 3 because so many guests were waiting for the tour since there were no regular tours throughout the day.

all in all the ACE members were great on the tours and fun to pick on around park... every time i saw an ACE member in another parks shirt.. i'd yell at them to buy an SDC shirt.. lol Told one guy with a big disney shirt on that he needed to flip it inside out until he had an sdc shirt to cover it up.. lol hahaha i thought i was being funny ha

KBCraig · June 27, 2009, 04:00:06 PM

I know SDC isn't known as a coaster park, but the ones they have are excellent. How does it rate among ACE members?

shavethewhales · June 27, 2009, 04:06:28 PM

I used to be an ACER, and I was sure I was going to get to this con, but it didn't work out with the job/schedule I've got going. I really wish I'd worked things out to make it though, cause it sounds like these guys are getting more coaster riding in than I'll get in years.

As far as the park rates among hardened enthusiasts, I'd say it's somewhere in the middle. PK and Wildfire are highly lauded, but the park is still just a little too backwoods for mainstream coaster enthusiasts to really pay much attention to. Local enthusiasts know it's a gem though. One more big coaster will really put it on the map, like DW.

History Buff · June 28, 2009, 08:58:06 PM

It's actually refreshing that SDC doesn't compete on the mega level. By staying

Quotesomewhere in the middle

they are able to keep the down-home feel and appeal to a broader range of guests. It is a park that less people have to be dragged to. When they lose the wisdom that keeps them there and try to compete with the extreme parks, they will lose the nostalgic appeal that keeps us returning through the ages.

SteamFreak · June 29, 2009, 10:00:37 AM

I agree, thats why on even it's busiest days, the longest you'll stand in line in a hour...try that at six flags.

Swoosh · June 29, 2009, 07:42:28 PM

you can't compare SDC with SF though as the ride ops at ANY SF park are subpar at best.

History Buff · June 30, 2009, 10:10:50 PM

^Kids!

SteamFreak · June 30, 2009, 11:28:39 PM

Yeah, where else could you have ride ops like Copper?

Swoosh · July 01, 2009, 10:46:04 AM

^^There are kids at Cedar Fair parks too, but the ride ops there are much better than SF

SDC Hosts the National Convention of the American Coaster Enthusiasts

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SteamFreak