If You Could Change Any Ride...

[TheCrypt]

If you could change any (previous or current) ride or attraction, what would you do?

Personally, I would have changed The Crypt (surprise!). I wouldn't change much, but I think a change in music and lighting and/or a (minor) change in ride cycle would have helped.

Ride Cycle and Dream is Collapsing- Dream is Collapsing (the music from Inception that plays while the ride was operating) is written in 6/4 time. This means that there are 6 beats in a measure, and quarter notes get the beat. Since it is written in moderately-paced 6/4, this allows ample time for the ride to operate.

When the ride operated, the music was cut to start from approximately the 20 second mark. By the time the main theme comes around, the ride has already started and is in mid-swing at the back of the chamber. So, why not use the full score?

When the music starts, the loading lights dim, and the gondola stays still for about 2 measures or 12 beats, then it unlocks and starts to sway. After 2 measures of this (or 5 seconds), when the violins come in (for four measures or 24 beasts), the gondola raises up towards Durga, with the vehicle still unlocked/swaying.

When the guitar chords come in (the "_bwahhhhhh bwahhhhhh ^bwahhhhhhbwahhhh") at about 23 seconds into the song, Durga's eyes light up blue, red, and yellow, fluxuating between the three. At the same time, the gondola does a controlled flip either forwards or back, then locks into place again. The gondola stays in that position infront of the goddess until the main theme comes in (about 34 seconds into the song), when it releases and goes into the 2 flip cycle (thus making it a 3!).

Lighting and Music- A more realistic change would be to change the lighting and the music. I think this could work, and it would replace the loading and show music with the same piece, Chasing the Storm by Patrick Doyle (opening theme in "Thor"). Have the beginning to 2:20 loop throughout the loading/unloading process, and have 2:21-2:44 loop until the tail end of the ride cycle, then go from 2:45-end of the piece for the finale of the ride.

Lighting-- When The Crypt operated, the lighting kinda seemed random, more often than not. There were a few places where the lights matched up with the music, but other than that, it was just awkward. To fix this, I have simple yet effective changes:

• When the music crescendos, make the lights do that too. Maybe start bright then immediately fall back down to soft, then get brighter?
  
• When a suspended cymbal or gong plays, make a strobe light or just a flash of colored light light the whole goddess. Simple, yet very effective and cool.
  
• At the end, have all the lights used in the show light up, where the music goes "bum" at the end of the piece, then quickly die down (to be replaced with the brightening loading/unloading lights).
  
• Maybe? Add fog (since it is succesful at Universal)
  

Before anyone flames me for it, YES I know that these ideas are not really that realistic, but it's just what I would love to have happened before it hit the road.

So, post away!

EDIT: Here's the score from Thor:

[matthunterross]

Wow - great topic. I was just thinking about this same thing earlier today...

(Similar topic here.)

[TheCrypt]

I see this as a topic where you could make improvements to something, rather than a "I want a wingrider" topic.

[KIfan73]

I would have Diamondback go into a small turnaround before the lift hill, similar to The Beast.

[Titan]

I'd give Flight Deck on-board audio, that way it would feel like you're in a dog fight.

[ahank]

Oh boy. This is me dreaming really really big here, so bear with me.

I would love to see Son of Beast have a major overhaul, starting with the complete removal of the rose bowl, excluding the first drop into the rose bowl. Then, it would dash into the woods (that I wish were there), have a couple of airtime hills, and make a spaghetti bowl element (can you tell I like The Voyage a little bit?) and then come back and finish the circuit starting with the second helix, and make part of the helix a tunnel (much like daddy).

I also thought up a rough story line to go along with the ride (please excuse my nerdiness!).

The son of the infamous Beast that terrorizes the back of the park has been captured and transported to the front of the park securely. Guests are able to take a visit to the high security facility known as Outpost 5 that keeps the son locked up in two ways. One is the "Express" train (Adventure Express) that goes right by the facility. Unfortunately, this train accidentally took Track 2, an abandoned track as they go on their adventure through the woods and the rest of the Adventure Express ride (this isn't really a "new" idea, per say. To see that inspiration, first click here and play Track 3 and listen all the way through, then click here).

The other way is a tour of Outpost 5 itself. While touring, you learn that the son has escaped and caused major damage to the facility. This can be represented by a newscaster from a local news station bringing "breaking news" that the son has escaped (TVs showing this newscast could be put up like the queue TVs in Diamondback, etc.) You then enter Outpost 5 (the station, which is now enclosed instead of open air) and see many of the "officials" on another TV screen inside the station telling you to evacuate immediately and get to Outpost 4 (also referenced in the Adventure Express Station Master audio) via the trams located in front of you. You enter the trams (the coaster cars, of course) and are off. As you climb the lift hill, you hear noises coming from behind you of gnarling, scratching etc. implying that the son is coming for you. You then follow the turn around and hear a loud roar just as you go down the lift, implying that the son is right behind the tram!

You then follow the roller coaster course as usual, blah blah blah, etc. etc. The break run is now enclosed and is where you exit the ride (much like Flight of Fear). You can still see the damage (the building is scratched, there are "mud prints" of the son all over the floor, etc.) but then another TV screen comes on. This screen shows the "officials" welcoming you back and ensure you that the son has been recaught.

[BB1]

A certian place(Some people Carry alot!) to be a old place (Begining of a good day starts with a Bagel. Do the math), Flight Deck=Top Gun with more AA guns and actuall planes!, BBoBH to be Phantom Theater, KI&MRR to have more indian scenes and a shoot out, The Racers to have a tunnel after the first drop in the ravine, The Beast to go further back into the woods, to go through more pines, and to go through a cementary or an area that looks like the ruins of a camp, and The Adventure Express to go more out into the woods, have some palms around, to have more ruins, and to have a larger lift hill. I could say more, but It would take a while!

[coasterfanatic83]

Vortex- I know this is unrealistic, but I would like to see it low to the ground, not elevated. Fill it in?

Racer- Let one of them go backwards again

Invertigo- Scrap Metal

Diamondback- More trees around the track area

Beast- Nothing

Flight Deck- More theming or foliage

Adventure Express- Fog in the tunnels

Firehawk- I'm not sure how to play with this...

Flight of Fear- More strobes/lights, fog

Son of Beast- Campfire?

Just a few things I would like to see. Overall, the rides in our park are very nice (I'm not complaining at all) but some small improvements could be added.

[BB1]

Vortex- I know this is unrealistic, but I would like to see it low to the ground, not elevated. Fill it in?

Racer- Let one of them go backwards again

Invertigo- Scrap Metal

Diamondback- More trees around the track area

Beast- Nothing

Flight Deck- More theming or foliage

Adventure Express- Fog in the tunnels

Flight of Fear- More strobes/lights, fog

Son of Beast- Campfire?

.

Best Ideas ever!

[The Interpreter]

2012.

That which is now will soon not be.

That which isn't yet will be.

Some will be elated, others sad. Such is life.

Time passages.

Diversion.

Amusement and diversion.

And that's enough about that.

For now.

Thrills connect. Go big.

[GunnerMoose]

I would love to see them use the crypt building to build the largest drop coaster, Something like verbolten!

[LongliveKingsCobra]

Terpy...now you speak free verse? Oh my, this must big!

[HHauntFanatic]

2012.

That which is now will soon not be.

That which isn't yet will be.

Some will be elated, others sad. Such is life.

Time passages.

Diversion.

Amusement and diversion.

And that's enough about that.

For now.

Thrills connect. Go big.

How do you get all of this inside information, man? I mean, I'm assuming some way or another you have some connections to the higher ups, but I'm surprised they would even give you any information considering you're an "outsider."

[The Interpreter]

Assumptions about The Interpreter are often not correct.

Terpy, trying to be good.

[MDMC01]

First off, I really like this thread . I've actually thought of some ride-change ideas in the past. Here are some of them:

-Flight of Fear should be pitch-black (except for maybe the "stars" in the tunnel following the launch).

-Son of Beast's rosebowl should be taken out and replaced with hills and drops and turns. The new track would reconnect to the old track at the mid-course brake run. Also, the loop should be re-installed.

-Flight Deck should have fog again

-each side of The Racer should have one forwards train and one backwards train.

-KI should regain rights to the name Drop Zone.

-When the Crypt was still around, I thought of a ride program in which the ride would be scored to a song from Slumdog Millionare ("O Saya") and called "Shiva's Revenge". It would have 9 flips.

[16gwoods]

^ On the topic of the crypt in i believe 2009 it did do 9 flips. (that didn't work to well)

[MDMC01]

^ On the topic of the crypt in i believe 2009 it did do 9 flips. (that didn't work to well)

True, I do remember riding it back then and it was a little much for me...

[The Interpreter]

It was even more much for the ride. Buried it, almost.

[bengalsguy23]

BLCS: retheme to something else and use the soundtrack, Maybe a ferrari theme.

Vortex: Repaint and get new trains.(or atleast new restraints.)

Racer: Both trains go backwords during HH/Hf.

Flight Deck: Repaint.

Firehawk: add 3rd train and give six flags treatment. (paint trains silver, add soundtrack + random fire and fog)

FOF: use the Tv's and add more themeing in the que.

The Beast: continue to do yearly retracking on some parts and add music to the que.

[KIfan1980]

At Kings Island, I'd use better steel in the manufacturing of King Cobra (assuming reports I've heard are accurate)

For fun at another park - I'd install the second half of Tennessee Tornado

[coasterfanatic83]

^^ They just repainted Flight Deck recently. And how could you add a 3rd train to Firehawk?

[KIfan1980]

Adding a third train to Firehawk may be possible, as it was originally delivered with 3 from what I understand.

The benefit of doing so would be nothing as it already stacks with two trains.

[Mr. Christopher]

Adding a third train to Firehawk may be possible, as it was originally delivered with 3 from what I understand.

The benefit of doing so would be nothing as it already stacks with two trains.

I believe the third train is used for parts.

[Thrill_Biscuit]

I'd get the details back onto the BLSC "Mini's," but I'd completely re-theme the ugly, urban LA dock theming with something more 'Autobahn' (faux mountains, trees, etc.);

The Grand Carousel band organ would be restored to its original glory;

The Clock above Festhaus would be restored;

Ambient music would be theme-specific;

I'd park a flying scooter ride on Zodiac's footprint(!);

Eiffel Tower would get a good sand blasting and fresh coat of paint (looking a little 2004-ish these days )....

DB's splashdown would have some dynamic lighting effects at night (but that's not really necessary, because it always looks darn impressive!)

[TheCrypt]

I don't know why, but it seems that Paramount didn't do such a grand job repainting its rides... Lets see, there's been the Eiffel Tower, InvertiFACEgoOFF, Vortex, The Racer, etc. These rides' paint faded relatively quick. And don't get me started on the choice of sealing for Italian Job!

On the subject of paint, why is it that Cedar Point's paint on the supports looks like they put wallpaper in a spiral fashion on them?

[Fear the Four]

And how could you add a 3rd train to Firehawk?

Like KIfan1980 said, running 3 trains is possible. I heard Vekoma's flying dutchman trains were intended to recline on the lift and sit back up on the break run. From what I understood, this put a lot of wear and tear on the GAU motors and the hydraulics. I know Batwing at Six flags America reclined on the lift in the early 2000's. Not sure if this was done on X-flight at Geauga. Without reclining the trains on the lift and lifting them back up on the brake run, the 3rd train would sit on the last block before the station even longer.

[beastrider97]

Not Kings Island, but I was thinking of a cool way to shake up TTD at Cedar Point. Flip half of the trains backwards, so that in the station one train is forwards, while the other is backwards. Both experiences would rock, and the backwards train would give the experience of a rollback!

[TheCrypt]

^I don't think that would necessarily work, as Top Thrill Dragster doesn't operate with 6 trains anymore, rather 5 (this is due to more efficient operations). So, this would mean that there isn't an even number of forward and backward trains, and you can't modify each side of the station every time.

Ok, I have no idea if that made sense or not, but I tried!

[Jr for Birdy]

Backlot needs water under the bridge.it looks like crap.

[KingsIsland1972]

Eiffel Tower would get a good sand blasting and fresh coat of paint (looking a little 2004-ish these days )....

It did get fresh paint in 2005 (hmmmm, prior to it being sold) So, if we see drop cloths around the Eiffel Tower I'd say it's time to bring in the dog and put out the cat because a new sherrif is coming to town. So, very doubtful that will happen anytime soon.