Monday, Apr. 28, 2008

No Ghost-Riding On These Rides

Mike and Chris Pettey have turned their hobby into a dream job that has Silverwood Theme Park keeping a close eye on them.

The brothers have been hard at work since 2001 on their website Roller Coaster Alley. The site is the unofficial site for the 21-year-old Silverwood Theme Park, up North of Coeur d'Alene in Athol, Northern Idaho.

"My brother and I, about seven years ago, recognized while Silverwood had their own official site, there was not an unofficial site offered out there," Mike (33), said. "Most theme parks that are of any decent size have an unofficial site, so we saw an opportunity."

Mike explains that before the Internet, it was difficult for people to stay connected with what was new at theme parks all over the country. After the Internet, it has brought the theme park community and fans together in a way that was not possible before.

Silverwood was created by Gary Norton and opened on June 20th, 1988. With more than 65 different rides and attractions, the theme park has come a long way since its beginning, 21 years ago.

Though their website has made it possible for people to learn more about the rides at Silverwood, the website alone has not made it possible for them to survive off of.

"This is really just a labor of love, if you will," Mike admits. "We're doing this for no real reason except for the fact that we love theme parks."

Mike, raised in the Tri-Cities, attended the University of Washington and is currently working as a finance manager for a local corporation. His brother, Chris (24), is pursuing his bachelor's degree at UW and is heading more in the Information Technology direction with his studies.

Starting off small, the first prototype was so amateurish, it causes the brothers to laugh when they look back at still frames of the site.

Since then, the theme park and the unofficial website have grown tremendously, with the site bringing in hundreds of page views per day.

Aesthetically, Roller Coaster Alley isn't as eye-popping as the official Silverwood website. Pettey's site uses a black background and is more straight-forward with an easy navigation system. Their testimonials are light-hearted, witty and come from first-hand experience.

With fans of the theme park coming in from most of the Northwest, extending all the way into Canada, Silverwood is being recognized as a real, legitimate place to take vacations.

"That's why we're so excited about what we're doing," Mike said. "As long as Silverwood's growing and doing well, more and more people will want to learn more about the park, so Roller Coaster Alley becomes more of a success as a website."

Popular areas of the website are the Community messageboards, where people can sign up for free to talk about Silverwood, the website or other theme parks. Another one is the recently added Wiki section, where readers can contribute content to the site.

"In a way, this is free advertising for them," Mike said. "So they're willing to help us out and the more they help us out, the more people visit the site."

A helping hand from the execs at Silverwood include bringing them in for press conferences. More recently, the Pettey brothers sat in on the unveiling of Silverwood's biggest, fastest roller coaster, Aftershock, which is expected to be built by July of 08. As construction is progressing and the ride nearing completion, insiders at Silverwood have been contributing photos to their website and sending in updates on how far along they are coming.

"We have strong relationship with the park itself," Mike said. "Anytime there's a press release, we're usually the first to get it."

Aside from keeping up on the latest rides, general information on the park is always updated. If readers would like to know the prices, best place to stay, or what to do when in the Coeur d'Alene area, the website is fully equipped with answers.

Mike admits that Silverwood treats them pretty nicely when they visit with their families, but he's quick to point out that the nice part of being an unofficial website is that they can be honest with their reviews and aren't necessarily always positive about the park.

"We are one of the busier, if not busiest, Silverwood sites on the Internet," Mike proclaimed. "We think we're right up there with the park's official site."

However, Mike immediately repeats that they are completely independent from the Silverwood Theme Park itself, noting they have a strong business relationship, but the content on the site is completely separate.

What started out as a side-project has blossomed into a full-blown website that many have come to depend on.

In terms of expanding the website to feature other theme parks, it is definitely something the two brothers are contemplating. However, with all of the growth that Silverwood has been experiencing in the past couple of years, their priority is on the quality of their first and primary website.

"If you have an idea, go out there and do it," Mike offers. "There's nothing really stopping you. If you have an idea and you don't see it exists out there, that's really where my brother and I are coming from. It turned out to be a great thing. Roller Coaster Alley is proof that anybody, anywhere can build a successful website."

If you're thinking about heading to Silverwood, Mike recommends going in the summertime in order to take advantage of the Boulder Beach Water Park. Opened in the summer of 2003, admittance to the water park is included in regular ticket prices, which Mike suggests visitors take advantage of. Another helpful tip is to visit the Theme Park on weekdays instead of weekends in order to avoid standing in long lines.

Silverwood Theme Park is located at:
Silverwood Theme Park
27843 N. Hwy 95
Athol, ID 83801