Freestyle Music Park

[nitrofan]

I will be going tomorrow, and I was just wondering if anyone has been there and has any advice.

I'll just make this the FMP thread, and I'll catch up on the park's history later for those who don't know.

[Austin]

its an okay park. Zeppelin is the best, and maximum rpm was pretty fun 2.

[say hi]

It sucks that Hard Rock couldn't keep it going past that one season, although it seems as though this year they've been trying to make up for lost ground. Max RPM looks really cool...hopefully it stays open as Freestyle so I can eventually make my way there.

[razor12]

I went when it was Hard Rock and I was just there in July to see Freestyle Music Park. In my opinion, it was one of the worst parks i've been to. Yes, it is nice, but there are no trees and it gets incredibly humid. The crowds are extremely light and i dont know how they can even function when they have their ticket prices under $25. The park even has that buy one get one free deal.

Congratulations, you have found an item in the scavengar hunt.

The only ride worth going on is Time Machine (formerly Led Zeppelin). I loved the decade theme with the different soundtracks for each ride. Round About (Maximum RPM) is incredibly too short and Iron Horse (Eagles) got rougher with it's soundtrack spazzing out during the ride.

Clue: Some countries have a queen, president, dictator, prince, or minister. I am none of these. Fine the number of years my son had his lair.

The park lost a lot of it's cool theme and the current atmosphere is lame. I mean they had fairies and trolls walking around...COME ON! Don't even bother with the dark ride the "effects" are just cardboard cut outs that light up (I'm not even kidding). We did everything within an hour and were bored so we left after two hours and did the Myrtle Beach slingshot (which is awesome). I recommend to spend your money for admission at that slingshot instead of going into the park.

[Austin]

The park wasnt that bad. and that dark ride was themed to a acid trip lol.

[razor12]

The park wasnt that bad. and that dark ride was themed to a acid trip lol.

Not anymore. I went during Hard Rock and I went during Freestyle. I enjoyed it a lot during Hard Rock, but not at all during Freestyle.

It used to be Moody Blues under Hard Rock Park, but now Freestyle Music park changed it to this Monstars of Rock ride that has cardboard cut outs flashing. I loved the acid trip one haha.

[Austin]

lol. Just give it a few years. No park ahs ever opened on that big of a scale and turned out to be very successful. With the exception of Universal, Disney and Six Flags maybe.

[nitrofan]

^Most Six Flags parks started out smaller than FMP.

[palmer]

^Hey, you may never know.

[Jason]

Do you have an interview Nitrofan...I don't think so...

[Austin]

why does he need a interview?

[xxLucas!]

roller coaster nerds

[palmer]

Jason is just being cocky and he wasn't to show off. He'll fail on his interview. :)

[nitrofan]

Speaking of Jason's interview, are we ever going to get to see it?

[palmer]

He hasn't told me on other forums, nor facebook or twitter. i think he failed.

^^
He'll fail on his interview.

[nitrofan]

He hasn't told me on other forums, nor facebook or twitter. i think he failed.

^^

Well he showed me audio clips from the rides (they were very cool) that the marketing person gave him, and he has a picture with her on his Facebook, so I know he did it, I'm just wondering why he won't show anyone the interview. He said he has classified info, but he could just take that out when he releases it.

[palmer]

Top Secret, 007, Pentagon stuff! LOL

[nitrofan]

Well it's starting to look like nothing new is coming for 2010. It's too bad, cause I really enjoyed this park and it has a lot of potential.

[nitrofan]

I was in Myrtle Beach today, so I decided to drive by Freestyle Music Park, and found a few interesting things.

As many of you probably know, FMP hit some financial bumps last summer with $5 Admission and the park was still nearly empty most of the time. Today was supposed to be their opening day, but it got cancelled due to lack of funds and all employees with the exception of the executives got laid off. It's sad, but it comes as little surprise.

I only saw the side of the park near Mideaval Times during the day and I took a few pictures, but they all came out really blurry. We drove around the park on the road that goes directly next to Time Machine later, but it was dark at that time so I couldn't take any pictures.

Here are some notes:
-All lights were on in the parking lot, but not a single light was on in the park or their offices. I thought it was odd that all the lights were on in the parking lot.
-2 of the doors to the maintnance bays were wide open on Time Machine. It was too dark to see the trains though.
-The temporary signs that they had set up on nearby roads directing people to the park were still there, but you could barely read the FMP logo. All of the permanent signs were still there as well.

I just checked FMP's Facebook page just now. Their last status was February 16 announcing that their website is down and that they will not be opening as planned. Their last post was February 23, so someone is keeping up with their Facebook page, which is a sign of hope!

I really hope that this park reopens. I had a lot of fun there, and even though it's small, it could become an even better park in a few years.

If anyone has any other questions of the current condition of the park that I may have seen, feel free to ask. I just posted the most notable things that I saw.

[hardie1010]

I went by in 2008 as HRP. It was pretty fun! Night in White Satin has to be my favorite dark/ walkthrough ride i've ridden to date (too bad i can't ride it any more). The Led Zeppelin was pretty cool too! I'm sort of an avid fan of LZ but for some reason Whole lotta love doesn't strike well with me (oh well). Maximum RPM didn't open till 1pm that day and when it did, it had a 2 hour wait the whole day so I didn't bother. Night in White Satin and Led Zeppelin were two stand out rides while most of the others were pretty common stuff. All in all a good park for it's fist year in existence, But I still don't see why they would build it Myrtle Beach? Yes, they get a lot of tourists, but if (in this case there was) a recession were to hit, you would need a rather large population to fall back on and they didn't have that. Oh well, RIP HRP. Hope it stays open.

[nitrofan]

I went by in 2008 as HRP. It was pretty fun! Night in White Satin has to be my favorite dark/ walkthrough ride i've ridden to date (too bad i can't ride it any more). The Led Zeppelin was pretty cool too! I'm sort of an avid fan of LZ but for some reason Whole lotta love doesn't strike well with me (oh well). Maximum RPM didn't open till 1pm that day and when it did, it had a 2 hour wait the whole day so I didn't bother. Night in White Satin and Led Zeppelin were two stand out rides while most of the others were pretty common stuff. All in all a good park for it's fist year in existence, But I still don't see why they would build it Myrtle Beach? Yes, they get a lot of tourists, but if (in this case there was) a recession were to hit, you would need a rather large population to fall back on and they didn't have that. Oh well, RIP HRP. Hope it stays open.

I watched a POV of Nights in White Satin on YouTube and it looked like a really cool ride. (even if I desagree with the concept). Monstars of Rock was pathetic. You could see creases from where the cardboard cutouts had been folded before installation!

Led Zepplin (Time Machine) has great potential, but they trimmed the ride too much while it was with FMP. (I have been told that it took the course faster under HRP).

How many cars were they running on Round About when the wait was so long? They ran 6 cars while I was there and the line was through the whole building, but the wait was still under 20 minutes. They had great dispatch times.

I wondered why they chose Myrtle Beach too. There are so many large markets without a major theme park that they could have chosen. (Houston, Seattle, Miami). Even if they put the park slightly south of Myrtle Beach, they would still get all of the Myrtle Beach tourists and they could dig into the Charleston market much more than they currently do.

[Changsucks]

Even Las Vegas would have probably been a better location choice...

[hardie1010]

How many cars were they running on Round About when the wait was so long? They ran 6 cars while I was there and the line was through the whole building, but the wait was still under 20 minutes. They had great dispatch times.

We past by it three times, The first time arund 12:30 and it wasn't opened yet. Then at around 1 and 2 it was both 120 minutes. I think I only remember seeing 3 or 4 cars running.

Even Las Vegas would have probably been a better location choice...

Or... even Nashville! :p RIP opryland.

[nitrofan]

So we now know that the park still has security even though it seems pretty much hopeless. It's interesting, who is paying them?

Also as another random thought, I flew into MYR a few weeks ago, and while we always knew the height of rides were restricted in that area, I never really realized how close the planes actually come until I was on one. It was really close. I wish I could have taken pictures, but we were on final approach when they make you turn electronics off.

[DarienLake:D]

If its not the park paying for them they must of requested money from the town to hire security or the town hired these security guards...

[Jp]

It's just another SFNO park while the city/town is paying for them.

[Austin]

Yep thats right. FMP is back.

http://www2.scnow.com/news/grand-strand/2011/aug/03/freestyle-music-park-bought-out-foreclosure-hopes--ar-2226986/

MYRTLE BEACH – Freestyle Music Park in Myrtle Beach, which has been closed for about two years, could reopen within the year.

David Slough, attorney with FPI US LLC, said his company purchased the park on Monday. When the mortgage lender purchased it, there was about $34 million in outstanding loans on the property.

Slough said no decisions have been made concerning the plans for the area, but said it “would be great” to open for Summer 2012.

The amusement park originally opened in May 2008 under the name “Hard Rock Park.” It closed doors just six months later. FPI MB LLC then bought the park and renamed it to “Freestyle Music Park” in April 2009. Freestyle closed for the season in September 2009, with plans to re-open for the spring. That never happened.

Slough said the park opened when fewer tourists were visiting the area. Investors have been encouraged by recent renovations and improvements to Myrtle Beach, such as the Skywheel and Landshark restaurant downtown.

Slough said the park definitely needs to be cleaned up before opening for good, but there has been routine maintenance on the grounds since it closed in 2009.

There are engineers on site that inspect the rides and run them on a regular basis to make sure they are operating properly.

While no solid decisions have been made, FPI US LLC is considering three main options for getting the park reopened: It could sell the park to another company; re-open the park itself; or allow a third party to operate the facility.

The next step in the process is to have discussions with potential third parties to gauge interest for the project.

[nitrofan]

Well, I know most enthusiasts think the park should have closed for good, but I always saw potential in the park, it was just never given the chance. Hopefully this turns out well!

[Austin]

It sounds like they are paying the debt off before doing anything which means even if it does go under, the debt wont be nearly as bad making it a more inviting investment to other people.

Some have said the park will be rethemed but i really doubt that because it would take a big investment and wouldnt be ready for 2012.

[nitrofan]

It sounds like they are paying the debt off before doing anything which means even if it does go under, the debt wont be nearly as bad making it a more inviting investment to other people.

Some have said the park will be rethemed but i really doubt that because it would take a big investment and wouldnt be ready for 2012.

The park had nice theming, but nothing too elaborate. Most of it could probably be modified to a new theme simply with paint, or they could change the music genre themes to similar non-music themes. For example, the country music section could be changed to a western theme, or the Kids In America section could be changed to USA.

[tribar]

I think that FMP has a unique collection of coasters. A B&M mega looper that ride with the ferris wheel lift hill (think it's called Round About) a mine train type coaster a roller soaker type ride and a roller skater. I think this park has potential. Maybe the park should consider adding a launch coaster