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Oh yes, Arnold is a great show. Ivan Arnold has to be one of the friendliest show owners one could ever meet. John and Tom are great too. Very friendly. Nice looking rides, well kept up, nice, worth a visit if you get a chance. [:)]
"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first." -- Mark Twain
The Pensacola Interstate Fair website has their poll back up, like last year. I posted my thoughts on this years fair and other fairs in comparison to the way the fair used to be. I hope others post on the site. I believe the only way to make it better is to put in your feedback, no matter how good or bad.
Arnold's Amusements is one hell of a show I can agree. Ivan, Tom and John are great guys to deal with.[;)]
Hey man ya shoulda let me know when you were comin!! You're right even though Mobile is a smaller fair it was IMHO better. They had 56 rides on their lot and I honestly don't believe they could fit any more than that. It was packed. Pcola had 69 this year which is the most I've seen on there in about 5-6 years. I too had the feeling it was a "contract" year there. Arnold Amusements had about 18 rides there and they all looked very good. I guess we will see in the coming months what goes down. I didnt get a chance to chat with any fair officials so I didnt get any dirt.....lol
I drove 6 hours from Atlanta to go to the fairs in Pensacola and Mobile. As usual, the fair in Mobile ROCKED!!! Pensacola, well it's another year of the same old stuff. Reithoffer seems to be wearing out their welcome at the fair in Pensacola. Many of the fair employees were not happy with Reithoffer this year. One employee that works in the office even stated the rides that were in "presentable" shape for the fair were not even owned by Reithoffer and it might be the last year they come to Pensacola. I remember when Reithoffer rocked this fair, now they just seem to be trying to fill a spot. The fair employees didn't have much to say in way of praise to the operator but it also seems that Reithoffer didn't have much to say about the fair either. I had a chat with several of the Reithoffer guys and a couple said it might be their last year in Pensacola if the fair people keep on their ***** the way they have been. "They should let us run the midway the way we know how to like we did for years and not tell us how they want us to run it for them." I think I offended the Reithoffer employees though, I just stated that the show isn't the same as it was when they signed the contract for the fair. Before, they brought in many rides that filled the midway that were CLEAN and 100% lit and they were rides that you just didn't see at any other fair but now the only rides that were at least 95% lit and hosed off were the newer rides and most could be found over in Mobile in better condition. Not to mention the downsize of the midway by way of at least 20 rides over the past 10 years. Hugely popular rides can no longer be found on the midway in Pensacola (namely Rainbow, Enterprise, Tornado, SkyWheel, Dutch Wheel) and what popular rides are left in Reihoffer's line up, as I stated, can most likely be found over in Mobile in better condition (such as Crazy Flip, Wave Swinger, Snowball Express, Himalaya, Fireball and so on.) The Reithoffer guys just turned around and walked off after I said my piece, I wasn't trying to be hard on them I was just telling them what the fair employees had told me. I would love to see Pensacola go independent or at least find an operator that would book other shows best peices like United did with the Florida State Fair, they have the space for a huge fair, over 100 rides and many massive in size have been on Pensacola midway at one time. I live in Atlanta and rarely see a fair of over 45 rides and honestly I'd have to say I didn't get my money's worth and I felt it wasn't worth the time I put into my trip. Now Mobile on the otherhand was ROCKING!!! Except for the exception of not going on a wristband day I had a great time. Conklin, CVS and All American have some of the best looking rides I've ever seen. Paint jobs were all clean and the lights were 99% lit.
Jimmy D,

nice to hear you and the family are doing OK! I have your contact info. If I can make it down to FSF I get in touch. I hope to go, but nothing at this point is for sure... Have to wait and see!

Matt S.
Hey Matt,

We are doing ok, we are in Lake City Fl with J&J. We dont open here till next Tuesday. We have one more spot before we head home for the year. I hope you make it down to the Fl State Fair, I go every year, it is hard to divide my time between the State Fair and the Trade show. But since I live in Tampa that makes it easier for me. I look forward to seeing you there. and talk to you later. as for the Tower ride, I think your right about Patty not sharing it, but the description that Larry Smith is giving sounds remarkably like it, Red and White Tower, with a Blue Base as I recall. Anyway talk to you later.

Jimmy D
James Dillman III
Dillman Family Rides Inc.
Well I know the few years the Energy Storm was here it did not have very big lines. Dunno why though because it was a pretty intense ride.


The colors on the towerare red and white and if i remembered right there was some blue as well. I had been there like 6-7 hours when I came up upon it so that coulda been why.......[:D]
Hey Jimmy D.,

how has everything been? I hope you and your family are having a great ending to the season! Looking forward to seeing you next year. Will you be attending the Florida State fair? I might make trip down this year. Have not been in a few years, need to go!

Well it would be hard to believe Patty sent that down there? While the Blue Unit was in Pensacola the Orange Unit was in Union South Carolina and South Boston Virginia. I'm guessing that Paty needed all his stuff for though 2 spots. Besides, I've seen Patty new Zamperela Light House Tower. It is Red and White with Red lights. Didn't look to patriotic, at least ot me.
Also, Patty told me why they got rid of the Zamerela Engery Storm, but I can,t and won't say on here. Sorry Guys...
Hey Matt S,

Well it is good to be back, I havent been on in a while. For the Drop tower that was there painted in the patriotic colors I am guessing that it is Patty's new Lighthouse Drop tower, as you recall it is red and white tower and looks more like a Supershot than the Jumping Star, but they are both built by Zamperla. As for the Racing Kiddie ride, they are the same as a speedway just built by a different manufacturer, Cartarzi, is the builder of them. Billy Clark has one of the first ones they built.

Jimmy D
James Dillman III
Dillman Family Rides Inc.