I finally got to ride FITH today and based on that, I'd say they need to accelerate their timetable. The condition of the ride was truly deplorable, and felt like a marked comedown even from last season. Still a lot of missing audio, new train whistle and "FITH!" for some reason (why?), and a ton of visible deterioration.
If you'd have told me ten years ago that Dollywood would put some TLC into Blazing Fury and SDC had let FITH rot, I would have never believed you or thought you'd gotten the parks confused somehow. I just don't understand the thought/rationale behind allowing the ride to even get to this point, what was once and I had thought to be still a signature ride.
I would have hoped for a Knott's style refurb, but alas, it seems like that's unlikely. Hopefully they'll do a fantastic reimagined version, but right now I have my doubts. And until this visit I hadn't really ever doubted the park before.