From the outside looking in, I think the park is slowly allowing the classics to slip away because are gradually getting more cynical in how they manage capital investments and maintenance of things that don't provide immediate, overt ROI. A lot of the things that people complain about on FM and FITH could have been fixed years ago for not a lot of money in the broad scheme of things. They'll spend tens of millions on a shiny new coaster, but neglect $10,000 of cosmetic repairs for a ride that the entire family has enjoyed for generations.
This is similar to how other parks operate, especially Six Flags and Cedar Fair. It's a corporate mindset problem. They are completely focused on the "new", the "brand", the stuff they can show off. Gone are the days when the Herschends kept everything around and refurbished or re-purposed as needed. The whole park has a short shelf life now, and when a piece is deemed "used up" it is unceremoniously bulldozed and rebuilt into something else.
That's not to say that redevelopment is always bad, but the apparent mindset bothers me. Too much of the old character of the park gets thrown away without much thought given to it. The newer people don't notice and I doubt many of them would care anyway. Stuff like Flooded Mine was built back when the park was more of a labor of love and the creators enjoyed the process of making it as detailed and unique as they could. It's replacement will be made by a bunch of contractors and designers trying to cost-justify every little thing, and the PTB will be looking for what gimmick they can squeeze in to make it "marketable".
/rant. Sorry, I have to do that every once in awhile. It's cathartic.
Yeah, the day of reckoning is coming for FM and FITH. They are simply getting old, and either mass-refurbishment or replacements are in order. I am a big fan of classic rides, especially these specifically, and obviously I'm super pessimistic that they will be replaced with anything that captures the essence of the originals.