SDC's 2017 Project(s) and Park Developments

[shavethewhales]

So after thinking about the survey that was sent out earlier this year, didn't they send out a survey on Riverblast and Fireman's Landing the very year before they were opened? I'm positive they've sent out surveys before that included the ride currently under construction along with some decoys so they could gauge the reaction somehow. The 2020 reference for that survey came from grapeslie, who said he had a source that said it was for that year. Perhaps this thing could be a dive coaster after all? The more I think about the likelihood of them opening two B&M's three years apart, the more I'm questioning what that survey was really about.

But if we were placing bets, I'd still have most of my money on wing rider. Either way will be brutal for trees...

[mammalone]

^I think there may be some merit to that thought. Wouldn't a dive coaster fit into that footprint easier that a wing rider?

[Dewayne]

Will it go upside down?

[sdcfan88]

Either way as much as I dread the drastic change to the landscape surrounding the park I am pretty sure that if it is a large B&M coaster and especially if it has a wide train format in the form of a wing coaster or a dive coaster you can count on the area getting razed to look similar to how Wildfire's area looks.

However there is the chance that if it is actually a wingrider they might actually surprise us and do the opposite of how they did Wildfire and keep a lot of the trees as they might be needed if they are using an animal for the coasters theme to simulate flying thru the trees.

Take Wild Eagle for instance:

[Swoosh]

They left as many trees as possible for WildEagle.  They even left as many trees as possible for OutlawRun and Lighting Rod.  Let's not jump to conclusions just yet.

[runner1960]

Selfishly, I pray to God we aren't getting a spinning coaster. I personally don't like much of anything in the spinning camp, and I think it would appeal to a somewhat limiting demographic, too. Of course, that's just my opinion. It would be interesting to know what the results of the survey revealed. Based on how novel the dive coaster category still seems to be in the US, combined with the success and reliability of WF, I would be inclined to believe that HFEC and SDC would favor looking to B&M again to keep the current park momentum going. Excited to find out.

Agreed with these points. Not a fan of spinners myself and I think it would be wise for the park to take what was great about WF and crank it up a notch. WF is still my favorite coaster in the park. At least until next year. lol

Add me to the no spinning coaster club. They should be regulated to county fairs and cheap roadside attraction places like Fun Spot and Old town.

[shavethewhales]

^Spinning coasters are actually very fun, but combining them with inversions and major coaster elements limits the attraction too much I would think. I think we can put that idea to bed because it was probably another red herring.

As far as trees go, they did a much better job with Thunderbird at Holiday world http://rcdb.com/12260.htm#p=59209

Still a huge amount of clearing in areas though. Having a few trees around helps, but it's not exactly "flying through the woods" on any of these rides.

I'll be satisfied if they will just keep the trees in place between the ride and the park so it isn't just overtly taking over that side of the park. It will obviously be visible, but if you can still be in the woods until you reach the station that will be a major plus. I'm sort of worried about them going all Cedar Fair on the area with a big plaza and opening everything up so that the coaster is on display. Who knows though, they've done pretty good so far. Even Lightning Run is kind of tucked away with proper theming and buildings fitting it into it's respective area. Wild Eagle is the only coaster they just smacked over everything.

[chittlins]

The new Mack spinner at Busch Gardens has a fixed position forward facing section, a fixed position rear facing section and free spin section along with an elevator lift. That's versitility. Not every coaster meets everyone's tastes. I prefer less inversions to no inversions but I enjoy them. I'm more of an airtime hill kinda person and will marathon the heck out of a good hyper or woodie. My.kids love the spinners they have been on, so I would prefer that SDC gets one soon. I think the spinner should be mainly indoors and perfectly Fitz an Ice House theme.


The survey they sent out basically described a Mack version of Blue Fire with spinner cars. This video show the "the test spinner" last year. Why not a half and half train?

https://youtu.be/HTBcYF2QjoM

Here's the cobra curse partial pov showing off the three train positions.

https://youtu.be/GVI0cdBkSG4

I just feel that Wildfire covers most the B&M inverting elements and another version with different cars is "meh" I much rather see a hyper or spinner. Having been on a wing rider and an old school inverted B&M, I'd rather have the inverted.  I'd serrle for a custom Vekoma family invert with lots of theming elements lime an under water tunnel and a through a building parts.

I hopeful I get to wear out that new wood shuttle coaster in at ZDTs two weekends from now.

[Swoosh]

The thing is -  right now the park needs added capacity and a gimmicky spinner won't fill that role like a capacity eating B&M will. 

[chittlins]

The thing is -  right now the park needs added capacity and a gimmicky spinner won't fill that role like a capacity eating B&M will.

And yet this is the same park that refurbished an S&S tower knowing it would have capacity issues on busy days and didn't go off and find another used one to pull off twin towers to address that and when it's slower just reduce to one tower operations like the swing.

[Swoosh]

The thing is -  right now the park needs added capacity and a gimmicky spinner won't fill that role like a capacity eating B&M will.

And yet this is the same park that refurbished an S&S tower knowing it would have capacity issues on busy days and didn't go off and find another used one to pull off twin towers to address that and when it's slower just reduce to one tower operations like the swing.

Yep.  No one said they were above cutting corners

[BackInTime]

They may have missed the boat on the shot tower, but there's no denying the park has major capacity issues right now. I'm sure it's a problem the PTB are glad to have, however, I think it's safe to say that a busy park day experience is far different (and less enjoyable) today than it was just a few years ago.

Back on, but a bit off the subject at hand, what do you all think the probability is of SDC ever building a hyper or giga? Do you think that is something the park would ever entertain? I really enjoy all of the coasters currently in the park. That said, I do wish we had very tall and fast, traditional out and back coaster that utilizes the terrain and offers several stunning views similar to what can be seen at the top of WF, OR and PK. I'm anxious to see in the coming years if significant park expansion ever begins to take shape within the vast west side of the park. Perhaps there has been some reluctancy to extend the park beyond it's current footprint, until there was a real need in terms of volume to do so. I definitely believe that expansion is more than warranted now.

[Pudgy Jones]

How would the queue area look for this ride? Is the expectation that the queue area would be in the EH area, the TNT queue area, or in the GE area? The EH area can be a bottleneck on busy days.

[HumphreyHawk]

Last Saturday....every path was a bottleneck....even times around the square at midday.

Major path work will need to be done no matter where the station goes.  If it is by EH/TnT then they really need to open that up and move some buildings and maybe even have to do some earth moving to level out a 'plaza'.  It pretty much drops off into the valley and EH off the paths right now and that path around the FM exit all the way to the blacksmith shop gets tight all the time.

[Swoosh]

Last Saturday....every path was a bottleneck....even times around the square at midday.

Major path work will need to be done no matter where the station goes.  If it is by EH/TnT then they really need to open that up and move some buildings and maybe even have to do some earth moving to level out a 'plaza'.  It pretty much drops off into the valley and EH off the paths right now and that path around the FM exit all the way to the blacksmith shop gets tight all the time.

SPECULATION (based on rumors):
REMOVALS:
Echo Hollow Restrooms (DEFINITE) (was supposed to have been moved before this season)
Poke Salad Mary's (definite)
Hatfield's Tater Patch (definite)
Annie's Grill Shack (definite)
Buckshot Skillet Cookery (possible) (new location to possibly open across from kettle corn)
Mortimer's Magic Box (possible) (new location in Grand Expo with stage if removed)

STATION / PLAZA
Actual station will be placed where the EH restrooms are currently.
Queue house will be located at grade to the park where the current picnic tables are located behind Hatfield and Annie's. 

There is a possibility that the queue entrance for TNT might be reconfigured to enter at the same new plaza area.  Have heard the "island" between TNT and Christmas store will disappear to open up the walkway more in this area.