SDC's 2017 Project(s) and Park Developments

[HumphreyHawk]

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.

That all makes sense for the good of the ride and opening up pathways.  But it's kind of hard to believe they are going to take out 5 revenue producing buildings just to open up the plaza for the new ride.  They must also have plans for at least one new food stand around their too.  Removing the picnic tables from that area would be impactful too.  Already not enough seating around that area right now.

Which reminds me....I had the chicken sandwich at the new fried bread stand Saturday....is was great!!!

[shavethewhales]

That's a huge amount of space, but I agree that when you start moving things around you end up having to re-do the whole area. The food stand setup was never great to begin with.

I'm still pondering about the station though. Like I've mentioned, the markers make a pretty tight loop around the bathrooms before joining up again side by side farther down the hill. When you imagine the big B&M track there, there's very little space for a boarding platform. Unless it has short trains...

Perhaps there's still a possibility that the station will be over by GE instead. There's no telling where the markers extend to yet.

[BackInTime]

Somebody just hop a fence and start wandering through the woods already. 

[sdcfan88]

I think they can do it well by designing a pier with a large observation area like how WF is done and have the new restrooms and food stands rebuilt around the edge of it. Then have the picnic tables moved to the center of the pier/plaza/observation area. (or even relocate some over by WF) I wouldn't mind them removing the old TNT queue for this as well and putting it elsewhere.

[BackInTime]

A plaza approach would certainly continue the slow erosion of charm so many of us value about the park, but there's no denying how badly some major issues of park flow need to be addressed. Here's hoping this new ride is a 1-2 punch that brings an amazing new ride, while improving some very real and ongoing logistical issues.

With the park open every day now, it's a shame we don't have a way to stay locked in to the daily changes that are surely taking place within the area under development. 

[cowboy]

I'm still pondering about the station though. Like I've mentioned, the markers make a pretty tight loop around the bathrooms before joining up again side by side farther down the hill. When you imagine the big B&M track there, there's very little space for a boarding platform. Unless it has short trains...

Perhaps there's still a possibility that the station will be over by GE instead. There's no telling where the markers extend to yet.

Shave, you say the markers join together further down the hill.......could this possibly be a turn around for an out and back type coaster or maybe like the helix on top of the cliff of Superman at Fiesta Texas? I'm sure you looked, but were there not any CL markers by the GE?

Jay

[shavethewhales]

I mean a "plaza" could look amazing and far better than what's there. It really all comes down to how they manage the trees and how much effort they'll put into immersive theming. Since they actually put a ton of effort into Fireman's Landing's buidings despite it being a  ride-focused area, I'd say chances are pretty good that they'll do it nicely. What they did for Wild Eagle was pretty sad though - it's such a plain station with absolutely no theming whatsoever other than some screen printed banners and light rustic details. I think there are enough people in charge at SDC that still have higher standards, and it really does pay dividends for them whether it's always obvious or not.

Below is an MS-paint of the line of markings that I saw. I guess when I really think about it, there is enough room there for a station. It's tough to think about in 3D when all you have is markers on grade. Still a tight turn though, but maybe not tighter than Wildfire's pull out of the station?

[Pudgy Jones]

The speculative "plaza" area in question is a very charming, yet bottlenecked area of the park. If the powers-that-be are reading...please save as many trees as humanly possible. Remember that Mary Herschend is watching. Please don't make it a parking-lot-plaza!

[shavethewhales]

I saw your post on our FB page sdcfan88. I'll see if I can adjust those images for you so they can get posted here.

Basically they've added stakes for the column supports. I've never seen such detailed and obvious marking for a coaster before. I wonder why they're doing that on this one specifically? Maybe because of the topography?

[Swoosh]

I think because that cat will be out of the bag soon enough.  With it being built in such a prominent place in the park it's going to be hard to hide the fact they're building a coaster

[shavethewhales]

Here are the photos sdcfan88 posted to our facebook page. I just compressed them a bit to be able to upload to our forums. I'll have to ease up on the file size restrictions.

[sdcfan88]

Thanks Shave. Regarding those new posts, there are three of them to the left of the TNT queue before you enter the station building, and are all spaced about 10-12 feet apart from each other in a triangle. Definitely looks to be coaster support footer markers. I could not get photos but there is now a very large grey construction trailer next to the large clearing by the lift hill building. They also had a lot of heavy equipment running and chewing thru the valley. They had an excavator in operation today right up against the TNT track at the bottom loop around. The scenery is already making a drastic change in a hurry. Those spray painted orange and pink lines on the ground extend out from the maintenance building for the TNT coaster trains all the way to the bottom of the hill near the restrooms. I am thinking this is possibly the plotted course for a lift hill.

Went and shot this view from the Culinary School porch overlooking Echo Hollow. This view will probably look quite different by this time next year. Its hard to tell since this was taken with my smartphone but there is also the same spray painted marker lines just beyond the stage there to the right.

[mhguy77]

Went and shot this view from the Culinary School porch overlooking Echo Hollow. This view will probably look quite different by this time next year. Its hard to tell since this was taken with my smartphone but there is also the same spray painted marker lines just beyond the stage there to the right.

I am afraid you are right and I hope they dont screw this up really badly.

[dawsonrt]

It may be interesting to have a coaster as the backdrop to EH. Granted, it would most likely disrupt any shows they try to do during the day at EH, but they may find a clever way to work the two together. Who knows right now anyway?

[Swoosh]

When do they have shows during the day in EH?  Sure Young Heathens Weekend, but the music is blasted so loudly I doubt the teenagers would notice (or even care).