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Indeed it is sad seeing all the old AP props that have gone by the wayside. I'd keep expectations low they will bring any of them back after the construction dust settles. Maybe a piece of signage or two at best?

Flooded Mine WILL be next, especially if more of the founders start dying off. We almost lost it a while back. Rumor is it hasn't been touched because Jack Hershend was pushing back on some of the proposed changes.

It is crazy how SDC has remained in the same general footprint replacing old sections of the park while Dollywood in the same timeframe has pretty much tripled in size with only a few casualties along the way being their version of River Blast and the Waterboggan.

ok so you think sdc is not the best park in america that's fine you're entitled to your opinion I just don't see the point of arguing over a family coaster it's not gonna get you anywere

Ultimately SDC's marketing department sucks.  They build up this anticipation of something spectacular, on the scale of the real best in America parks, and then give us this very meh mine train, not 1st of it's kind in the states, not heavily themed coaster

Agreed 100% the Rose Colored Glasses syndrome is quite strong with a lot of folks. This will be my last year I hold a pass until they follow thru with their hype and stop making inferior additions ripped from Rollercoaster Tycoon on a Friday Afternoon at the expense of a classic. (Flooded Mine will be next to share this fate) Vote with your wallet. WOF and SFOT will be getting more of my attention now. Tormenta looks pretty sweet and something like it would have worked well here at SDC. At least someone followed thru with adding a Giga. And huge respect to WOF for keeping Timberwolf around refurbishing it. (a ride OLDER than TNT)

Speaking of, this TNT replacement is also a laughable addition for hosting Coaster Con next year. They could have really knocked it out of the park with something epic but decided to play it safe with the bare minimum again. But hey this new low capacity kids coaster will serve its purpose in boosting trailblazer sales from the GP.

[First, this is the right thrill level for the park]

My initial reaction: underwhelming.

Here's where I'm at:

First, this is the right thrill level for the park. Of course an intense multi-looper or hyper would be fun, but this park is all about families and it's hard for "America's #1 theme park" with a theme based on an 1880s mining town without a mine coaster. It makes sense.

Here's what disappoints me:

This looks to be a pretty standard coaster. Yes, the track is lightly themed. Yes, I'm sure it will be glass smooth. And yes, SDC is very good at marketing. But, at the end of the day, what are we really looking at here for the guest experience? They clear-cut all the trees to create a giant flat pad to be filled with a fairly generic steel coaster track running back and forth. Layout-wise, there is nothing here that Arrow wasn't doing back in the 80s. At least Thunderation uses the natural terrain. Here the steel supports appear to be doing all the work. 

No signature moments. Modern SDC loves their gimmicks. Consider:
- Outlaw Run (wood coaster with loops)
- Time Traveler (looping coaster that spins)
- Mystic River Falls (rapids ride with a vertical lift and drop)

What's the signature moment on this ride? With Mack involved, I was hoping for some Voltron-style tricks like a bounce track (imagine simulating a mine shaft about to collapse), turntable/launch sequence (coast down into the mine, turnaround and blast out). Or even some layout inspiration from Grizzly Gulch at Hong Kong Disneyland with a mild backwards sequence. Nope. Two lift hills, drops, curves through retaining walls, a small wooden tunnel. Nothing that simulates being in a cave from what I can see.

Theming looks light. Yes, the huge mine tower is very cool and very impressive. But if there is more here, there wasn't much revealed beyond that. For all the bluster about backstory and theme, all the hype about exploring down in the mine, there is no mine. I'm sure there will a covered queue box with big fans and some art on the walls. The same standard as Time Traveler, Mystic River, and the new Fire in the Hole. But compare that to Wildfire's queue.

This feels like Powder Keg light. Thrill-wise, I'm great with that. Theming-wise and quality-wise, this is just another coaster.

SDC has gotten very good at storytelling and marketing, but the actual product and experience feels hollow to me. Hope I'm wrong.

I'm sure the ride will be popular. Maybe this is all it needs to be, but it just stings a little when the park prides itself as being so much better than everywhere else, and they bait their fans into thinking this will be more special than what it appears to be. But again, I'd love to be proven wrong on this.

You worded all of my feelings here perfectly. As I feared, this is yet another replacement low capacity ride with nothing truly groundbreaking. Thoosies will obviously be disappointed, but it will be great for milking trailblazer sales.

I have struggled with this feeling since FITH2 opened but with all the nostalgia elements slowly getting removed one by one, (Flooded Mine WILL be next) there's little that keeps me coming back. (which is bizarre in itself when the park was built around nostalgia of times past) I havent given WOF my money in a few years and I think I may start doing that again. At least they are trying to keep their existing attractions around.

And let's be honest here, yes the park will lose its records, but Outlaw needs new trains and a retrack (IBox conversion) job like what was done for LR at Dollywood.

The Wild Moose is a great ride concept. Looks like there will be one going to a park in the midwest in 2027 (not SDC, though).

I wouldn't say that RMC and SDC have a great relationship, though. As I understand, the park isn't exactly in love with how Fire in the Hole turned out.

What about FITH specifically are they not happy about?

Too much downtime like Mystic River

Honestly this back and forth that's been going on reflects badly on these boards and if there are indeed park employees engaging in this silliness, this is subsequently leaving a bad look on the park itself too.

Just some food for thought, this is all I'm gonna say on the matter.

I do find it interesting the park is still doing structural maintenance to TNT as I just noticed some fresh wood on the final drop and on one section of the walkway railings. I'm assuming even if the ride is being scrapped at the end of the year insurance still required the park to structurally reinforce parts of the ride if areas of concern is found.

lol as I said I'm trying to reserve judgement here since we got less than two weeks to go now before the announcement. We shall see what happens with this layout soon enough.

Looking at this layout with the tower up here it would be neat if part of this actually went underground with a tunnel but it's hard to say one way or another if that is what's happening with what we see right now. It would seem to be a no brainer element with the theme though. Have riders meander around the station then launch into some kind of top hat element and down into a tunnel to "enter the mine shaft". Lots of thematic possibilities here and I hope they took notes from what Mystery Mine got right.

With more construction and flooring in place at the station you can clearly see the divide in the station where the coaster track sits and it appears to be too narrow for a Stryker or even a Big Dipper. This is likely for two across seat trains. I'm trying hard to reserve judgement here but I'll be disappointed if this is another low capacity ride. With the expansion plans for the park and the ever increasing crowds, they really do need something in addition to what Wildfire offers in terms of capacity.

In other news since I couldn't legally obtain pics, there are at least a dozen more footers for the coaster itself being constructed down the hill from the station. The large concrete area adjacent to it appears to be footer columns for maintenance/transfer track. These can be easily viewed from Wildfire as you drop. Really surprised they still haven't progressed beyond the pouring footers stage with the announcement being under 2 weeks away now.

 SDC is teasing the "Gold Dollar City" name change right now. I remember "Goldrush Junction" or something similar being in one of the ride surveys so it might be the new ride name here.

This was also one of the early day names for what became Dollywood so anything's possible.

Welcome back everyone!

It still wont be a TNT replacement. Yes its a coaster, yes its mine themed but the similarities end there.

Lets make peace and call it a Hyper Mine Train... lol now everyone's satisfied and it fits their standout "1st of its kind" criteria.

All it needs is a 200ft drop to be classified as such. (not overall height) This can easily be achieved with the hillside as we already see an example of this as Wildfire is deceptively only 120 feet tall but its drop into the valley gives it a drop of 155 feet overall. Hyperia is an example of whats possible with a compact Mack Hyper. (not saying it is one in the traditional sense anyways)
Also see the recently opened Tormenta at SFOT. Its a B&M Dive Coaster but it gets the "Giga" classification for its unique 300 foot drop.

That lines up with the things I've heard too. It will possibly be located in the valley where the former Indian Ridge homes were.