Well another Arrow bites the dust. Orient Express (Worlds of Fun) will be ripped out for a future ride spot. After I heard the news it made me think about how much time we have left to enjoy Demon. OE is being taken out because it is a mechanics nighmare ($$$$$). With only one train running it was a pain to wait in line for, but It was a great coaster. Will Six Flags keep up with the Demon ($$$$$$) or will they let it just fall apart like OE and turn their attentions to other things? It would be a shame to see Demon go and I know people in Kansas City are pissed about the condition of The Orient Express
It was a great coaster? I only read bad things about it. It looked cool, though, but Loch Ness Monster's interlocking loops looks cooler, with the same support structure on both.
The cool thing about Orient Express is the land around it was perfect. When you are in the parking lot the first loop (Taller one) is alsmost eye level with you. The coaster sits in a mini canyon and you fly by rocks and trees. I have heard the rumors about it being a rough ride, but if you sit in the middle of the train it is fine. Shockwave was much more rough than OE. I have never ridden Loch Ness, but I have heard nothing but cool things about it. Now I am not saying that OE is in any way smooth, but I have ridden worse. I love the old Arrow coasters and OE ranks above both Shockwave and Demon in my opinion.
Is Demon's mantiance costs very high? I wouldn't think that it would be and anyways the ride is always open so I'm pretty sure that its not a mechanical nightmare.
I just hope that when the time comes and they need extra money for something they do not take anything away from the Demon. As long as they keep up with the ride every year and do not skip out on anything. Then the Demon should be fine. Worlds of Fun would not put the time or money into fixing the other two trains for Orient Express. Another piece of information about OE is that the OTSR's were opened by a pedal on the side of the train. At the end of the ride the op would walk up and down the train using the pedal to let people out. Not exactly state of the art.
I love regular Arrow looping coasters and all like that. I don't care how good or thrilling those rides are, they have a very nostalgic feel to them and I can't stand to see the number of them diminish.
