^ couldnt agree more. i will be pretty upset if its not a coaster, but it would be cool if they updated the landing area......just not 2009 please
I have a feeling it's a Splash Battle, which disappoints me. I was really looking forward to a new coaster (so was Coaster Con) for next year. But I'm confused. If it's a done deal, why a ride concept survey now? Just to hash out details or something? Is the survey being used mainly to choose the name of the ride? I guess maybe they're saving the coaster for the 50th anniversary celebration.
That's what I was thinking - the timing of the surveys is way off if this is going down right now. But here's what else is strange: I've head that the board hasn't even voted on this thing! They're actually beginning work without knowing for sure what they are doing it seems... I guess they're positive that they will do something with this area, but the idea is still somewhat fluid at this point. It may just be the theme that they're really debating - if Huck Finn doesn't go over well with the kids I could see them throwing in the beavers again
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I dunno though, I want to say that there's still a chance that the Splash Battle is coming at a later date just because of how late the decision seems to be, not to mention the fact that a Splash Battle would radically change the Landing. They'd have to level a LOT of stuff, probably everything from the carousel barns to the train tracks. Once this thing is in there, it'll extend the waterfront theme all the way up into the center of the city, which will feel a bit odd, unless this will be more of a pond or bog hidden away in the center of the park... There's so many ways this could swing... It just seems like it would be easier all around to put something else there instead and have the Splash Battle over by the Gulch.
I certainly don't feel cheated at all by it though, at least not at this point. This ride and especially the area around could be the coolest, most attractive and interactive place in the entire park. I mean, think of a bunch of cool make-shift-looking rafts floating around a hidden pond behind some of those old buildings, with a new ropes coarse sprawling around it and new, freshly-themed buildings with new shops and crafts. Not to mention all the random other goodies that SDC always throws in. This will be one area where Andyisms will flourish. All in all, this will probably put River Battle to shame - they're the ones who are being cheated here.
I wonder what will happen to the ropes course through all of this? I was hoping there would still be some form of playground left in the area, it will feel so empty without it.
EDIT: I just noticed that the concept artwork seems to show off the carousel barn as being the entrance to the ride, or at least right next to it. That puts this pond all they way up next to the path. I'm hoping it's pushed back farther in than that, I'm hoping this has more of a backwoods pond feel than a bay in the center of the city, but whatever.
EDIT2: Mmmm, I just remembered those construction markers that were out by the Grand Expo - I guess that tells us where the Balloons are headed. I could fill a magazine with this stuff.