Kentucky Kingdom Closure and Relocation Thread

[onyxhotel08]

I like how people sometimes think just because of what happened in 2002 means Whizzer is safe forever. It is not. Money talks louder than how much you appeal to families.

[Cole]

i'd rather have Whizzer gone than Shockwave to be honest.

[rizash]

Who wouldn't? They could have built a new entry level coaster and saved shockwave. Yes, I lik suf, but you constantly hear people compare viper to x2 in terms of intensity, we have no insane ride. Really once you get used to the banks and airtime, bull isn't all that good of a ride. It still scares the hell out of me because of those dumb lap bars that feel unsafe, but there are quite a few more intense woodies out there now.

Don't get me wrong, I love whizzer, but it has to be getting to the point that a newer ride makes more sense, since we have ld now. The question now is what to replace it with.

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[coastercrazy]

Shockwave would have left anyway it was breaking apart

[david]

"breaking apart" isn't a good way to describe it. It was beginning to rust a bit, but a new paint job could have fixed that.

[onyxhotel08]

It was very unpopular towards 2001-2002 (Lines were similar to iron Wolf especially bad since it is in front of the park) and a rumored accident during testing one morning basically confirmed it was time to say goodbye.

[david]

http://www.rcdb.com/2216.htm?p=17013

Why I don't think Six Flags cares about taking GL.

[FParker185]

I see nothing wrong there in particular.

[rizash]

Unseen wear rust and stress fractures are a far worse than visible surface rust in open areas. Almost all steel coasters have some wear or rust somewhere.

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[david]

Obviously, but when you begin to see the rust, over paint, it spreads like wildfire.

[onyxhotel08]

There is not a .00001% chance GL is coming back here and honestly what was so great about it? It left 2 parks before settling down in Kentucky.

[monsterfan99]

^It was a fun ride and at that park, was walk on. However, capacity on the ride is awful for a park SF Great America's size.

[rizash]

As nice as it would be to have back, it probably isn't worth the cost to move it (even if SF does still own it, and its NOT worth a lawsuit to get back). The ride would need at least some rehab, a decent location, and it wouldn't be a huge draw, PLUS would still have long lines. If you look at the vastly improved descendants of this ride like superman ultimate flight, even those rides have low capacity and high maintenance. a 34 year old weight drop shuttle loop just isn't a big draw, but would still have slow turnover rates and lines, high maintenance costs and low draw factor.

[onyxhotel08]

Chang was the only real draw there and Six Flags got it out just in time. This was planned WAY in advance.

[Cole]

honestly what was so great about it?

The history would be an obvious 1.

Anyways I really hope one of the Premier SF parks doesnt get Chang. (SFMM, SFGA) I think the two places it could be a really nice addition is SFSTL and GAM

[rizash]

Great adventure and mm have received multiple flagship coasters since great America or stl got one. A bizarro reborn chang would (sadly) be a flagship coaster at stl and gam. If sfi has plans to stick by their word and give each park a major attraction in 2011, it only makes sense to send chang to stl or gam, and a new coaster to the other. The other parks can receive something like bb as a major attraction without hurting too many feelings. If stl and gam go too much longer without a major coaster, there will be some major losses in ability to draw customers. Remember, theme parks need to hook people to return (easy with kids, hence focus there) teens grow out of thrill rides, but adults go the distance for thrill rides or for their kids.

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[onyxhotel08]

Fact is new coasters are as big of a draw to a park as much as kiddie rides. Even if a kid cannot ride it someone from his/her family probably can and they will be mesmerized just by seeing it up close and watching it in action.

[Cole]

And we are starting to lack another new coaster. Its been same-old same-old since 2003

[tillenterprises]

Okay, kids- I'm over 40, and I grew up with the Tidal Wave at Great America. The Tidal Wave in all it's glory was phenomenal- the lights at night chasing the coaster down the track, and the theming with the sandy beach and fishing nets to make it fit into the Yankee harbor area. Sitting in the front seat, heading up that dead end track is still one of the most thrilling moments on any coaster. The Tidal Wave had huge lines at one time, but towards the end of it's time at Great America, it became a short wait too. Even with longer lines, though, it still had much better capacity then V2, since people could could on and off much faster than V2. I think Great America is going to watch the reception that Little Dipper gets. If it does well and creates goodwill with the public for saving a beloved local coaster, I would think the chances of a homecoming for Tidal Wave for Six Flags 50th birthday in 2011 could be slightly more possible, especially if we don't get Chang. I think the nostalgia factor of parents bringing their kids to ride another coaster they grew up with at Great America could be very successful. A huge PR campaign and advertising blitz about the return of Tidal Wave to Great America for Six Flags 50th birthday would create alot of buzz. The same factor that motivated people to fight for Whizzer would drive them back to ride Tidal Wave again. Everybody old enough to have ridden it here remembers it fondly, and I think it could work. It could also bring in families, which is what Six Flags wants, and coaster fans alike. It may even get designated an ACE coaster classic, since there's not alot of weight drop shuttle loops around anymore.

By the way, I'm tired of the Whizzer bashing. I know alot of you are younger, and to you, the Whizzer has no thrill value, but for those of us who grew up riding it as a kid, hugged our dates on it as teens, and now are taking our kids on it, it means alot and it needs to stay. Not every coaster has to be 400 feet tall and go 100 mph to be fun.

And yes, except for the first drop and first loop, Shockwave sucked.

[BP317]

Great adventure and mm have received multiple flagship coasters since great America or stl got one

Evel Knievel opened in 2008, El Toro opened in 2006. The only coaster GADV has gotten after El Toro is The Dark Knight. Plus SFSTL has an amazing coaster collection for such a small park/market.

[onyxhotel08]

The only big additions since Superman have been mardi gras, Hurricane Harbor and Revolution. Plus Wiggles I guess. That is a big area.

[w00dland]

^Those are the "only" things we've gotten, what a crime. A Free waterpark that's better than anything within 3 hours, those SFI corporate people are jerks.

Just trying to get the point across that not getting a roller coaster doesn't mean not getting anything. The waterpark was probably the most important addition the park has ever received.

Unfortunately I don't think bringing Tidal Wave back with a PR blitz would generate huge profits for the park, as most kids would shrug off the ride as old. I do agree with the Whizzer statement though, that ride has class. Keep it as long as you can.

[onyxhotel08]

Raging Bull and Hurricane Harbor were equally spectacular additions.

[rizash]

Hh was a great investment, and probably cost less than raging bull. It has a good repeat draw from a wide age group and has no competition within two hours. You all tend to forget that the average unique visitor to gam likely drives 3 hours to get there, and there are countless cheaper and closer water parks to many people within the ~500 mile draw range of gam. Most people in Wisconsin/mn/indiana that visit gam won't visit as often if they don't have decent coasters. There are hundreds more places that have flat rides or water parks, and many better water parks. Yes hh can draw lots of people and makes thrill lines shorter, so I like it. I just doubt anyone would drive longer to go to hh than the dells, or other water parks that are cheaper. You can't successfully run gam if you only focus on your Chicago and milwaukee customers....

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[FParker185]

yep, the year HH opened is the only year ever that SFGAm met it's original goal of 3 million visitors in one season. Came close with the Demon/TOC conversion, but never made it until then, and haven't made it since as far as i know.