NyTrO Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Personally I'd like to see Diamondback remain the tallest coaster in the park. Like I said in my TR to Cedar Point having Millennium Force kind of negated the point to riding Magnum. While they're different in their own respective ways in the end they're pretty much the same thing. Except Millennium is 100ft taller and Magnum is way Rougher. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Ugh. One of those two has incredible pacing, intense airtime and is a joy. The other is Millennium Force. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gad198 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Great question, OP. I'm setting the over/under at 15 years. And I think that may even be too low. I'm definitely taking the under on that one. Think about it this way... The most heavily attended seasonal parks (excluding Knotts) in the Cedar Fair chain are Cedar Point, Canada's Wonderland, Kings Island, Kings Dominion and Carowinds. If Carowinds is truly getting a giga, then that leaves only Kings Island as the only park in that group without a giga. All of those parks have a hyper already in place except for Kings Dominion. IMO it's a matter of "when" Kings Island will get a giga and not a matter of "if". For those of you who haven't ridden Leviathan - super smooth all the way round, four wonderful pops of airtime (first drop, speed hill, and the two larger airtime hills all offer excellent airtime), it lacks capacity-killing seat belts and it moves about the same volume of people as Banshee does. Before Diamondback was built it was a dream just to have a hyper. Just imagine a park with Diamondback, Banshee and a 300' B&M speed coaster! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMaverick Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 ^ wouldn't Son of Beast be a Hyper in some form? A full circuit coaster with a drop of 200+ feet or according to Intamin a full circuit coaster with a lift hill a drop of 200+ feet and no inversions ( the loop was eventually taken out ) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoaster Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Don't see a taller coaster, but more flats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldschool75 Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Funny how people are saying "Stand ups are out of date","nobody wants them" . Have we forgotten the new invert (I mean the coaster style that hasn't been built in years because they were not popular) Banshee???? I would love to see a Giga stand up coaster! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylar.heizer Posted August 3, 2014 Author Share Posted August 3, 2014 Funny how people are saying "Stand ups are out of date","nobody wants them" . Have we forgotten the new invert (I mean the coaster style that hasn't been built in years because they were not popular) Banshee???? I would love to see a Giga stand up coaster! Never thought of that. That would be one amazing ride. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTW Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 B&M inverted coaster construction slowed down because most parks that need capacity of +/-1000 riders per hour and can afford one already have one. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMaverick Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Any stand up I have been on has been uncomfortable for me. I just don't enjoy them. I remember someone saying that building codes would prevent KI from building a strata, so what's the tallest KI can even go with a coaster. Obviously a giga is possible considering there are already attractions in the park over 300' but how much higher than that can they go.? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Even if there is a height restriction, if they dig down X feet, they can go X feet higher than otherwise. See also Alton Towers. Then the attraction won't stand up so high. Of course, it adds cost. Lots of cost. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterOhio Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 As someone earlier said, having a Maverick kind of ride in Oktoberfest would be perfect. Getting rid of the Mexican grill, and maybe moving Viking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMaverick Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 ^^ that's an expense I don't see them willing to pay for just to reach 400' 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkroz Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 The era of "record-breaking" is more or less over. Cedar Fair still likes to give it a go ("The first face-to-face seating inverted coaster in the Midwest..." Someone break out the streamers!) but the industry has shifted. The new push in Cedar Fair parks and around the country is for "best day" experiences, unique opportunities (for dining, shopping, etc) and things that the family can do together (see Gemini midway, Dinosaurs Alive, WindSeeker [despite its unfortunate marketing], Guardian, etc). Saying something is the tallest and fastest is great, and it certainly draws in a huge number of a certain demographic. Problem is, it alienates just as many. My mom, little cousin, and grandma don't want to ride Top Thrill Dragster, but WindSeeker, Dinosaurs Alive, Backlot Stunt Coaster, and Guardian would bring them to a park. I think in the industry as a whole, we've seen a shift away from "400 FEET TALL" and "100 MILES PER HOUR" and "10 INVERSIONS" to seeing moderately-sized rides that do something unique. The draw for Verbolten isn't its speed or height. Same for Guardian. Same for Gringotts. Big coasters will always be the lifeblood of amusement parks, but the way they're presented is changing. To plug my own agenda for a moment, I recently wrote an article called 'Less Is More: 6 Incredible Coasters that DON'T Break Records.' Similarly, I used Theme Park Tourist's 23,000 ride ratings and the automatic rankings they create to write 'The Top 15 Coasters - As Voted By You,' which is overwhelmingly populated by mid-sized family rides that appeal to everyone instead of just thrillseekers. I think, under Ouimet's lead, Cedar Fair is seeing that that's the way to go. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vortex Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 ^ wouldn't Son of Beast be a Hyper in some form? A full circuit coaster with a drop of 200+ feet or according to Intamin a full circuit coaster with a lift hill a drop of 200+ feet and no inversions ( the loop was eventually taken out ) Son of Beast was a wooden hyper coaster depending on who you ask. I just don't see Kings Island getting a giga coaster. I could see another nice size wooden coaster in the future. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMaverick Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Several of the Cedar Fair parks are getting or have recently gotten gigas. First Cedar Point but more recently Kings Dominion, Canada's Wonderland, and Carrowinds next year. I really don't think Kings Island will be much longer . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdawg1998 Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 GYK, that was a great article. I totally agree with you. Maverick, as of my last CP trip, is my favorite roller coaster. Second is Gatekeeper. Millennium Force is...third. I didn't get to ride TTD, but still, the smallest of the major roller coasters is the best, IMO. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTW Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Some people are quick to forget that those responsible for capital expenditures are different than in years past. Will KI get a giga coaster? Maybe. Will it be because of a company wide trend? Hardly. Millennium Force and Intimidator 305 were many years apart and made by a different company than Leviathan and the presumed giga at Carowinds. If it were truly a trend there would be more in common in a shorter time span. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMaverick Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Excluding Millennium Force, the other 3 gigas at Cedar Fair parks have all been/will be built within 5 years of each other. I wouldn't call that a long time span and 3 of the 4 have been built in the last 5 years so I would say they are more of a trend now than they were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanofFirehawk Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Funny how people are saying "Stand ups are out of date","nobody wants them" . Have we forgotten the new invert (I mean the coaster style that hasn't been built in years because they were not popular) Banshee???? I would love to see a Giga stand up coaster!I'm sorry but I fundamentally disagree.Stand-up Coasters seem pretty dated at this point. I think they were more a fad that has died down. The last brand new, built from scratch stand up coaster was Georgia Scorcher build in 1999. 15 years ago. I really don't see a major comeback for this style of coaster. If you recall, Kings Island once had one, but it was demolished for a couple reasons. At this point in the amusement industry I think it seems unlikely that a park would invest heavily in that option like that when there are other things that are "in" right now. Like wing coasters, which have seen quite a lot of attention from a rather modest series of installations. But even it we look past of that, I think a 300 ft. Stand up would just not be feasible. Seeing as most stand ups are pretty inversion heavy like Mantis. And you think that no coaster has broke 200 ft. And had an inversion other than SOB, and we all know how that turned out... Let alone a monstrous 300 ft. Which still, even in the typical coaster style has had very conservative amount of installations. Now do I think that Diamondback will always be the tallest coast at Kings Island? I believe it will remain the biggest and baddest coaster for a couple more years. Banshee filled a very import gap in Kings Islands Coaster line up, but I do see the possibility of giga down the road. Like what is up far, far north. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTW Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Not to be confused with the Santa Claus to the west. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Or the Rampage of Sweet Home Alabama... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldschool75 Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Funny how people are saying "Stand ups are out of date","nobody wants them" . Have we forgotten the new invert (I mean the coaster style that hasn't been built in years because they were not popular) Banshee???? I would love to see a Giga stand up coaster!I'm sorry but I fundamentally disagree.Stand-up Coasters seem pretty dated at this point. I think they were more a fad that has died down. The last brand new, built from scratch stand up coaster was Georgia Scorcher build in 1999. 15 years ago. I really don't see a major comeback for this style of coaster. If you recall, Kings Island once had one, but it was demolished for a couple reasons. At this point in the amusement industry I think it seems unlikely that a park would invest heavily in that option like that when there are other things that are "in" right now. Like wing coasters, which have seen quite a lot of attention from a rather modest series of installations. But even it we look past of that, I think a 300 ft. Stand up would just not be feasible. Seeing as most stand ups are pretty inversion heavy like Mantis. And you think that no coaster has broke 200 ft. And had an inversion other than SOB, and we all know how that turned out... Let alone a monstrous 300 ft. Which still, even in the typical coaster style has had very conservative amount of installations. Now do I think that Diamondback will always be the tallest coast at Kings Island? I believe it will remain the biggest and baddest coaster for a couple more years. Banshee filled a very import gap in Kings Islands Coaster line up, but I do see the possibility of giga down the road. Like what is up far, far north. Yes, I remember King Cobra, and rode it many times long before you were born. King Cobra was a very popular coaster; even after the accident. Many factors resulted in it's demise. One would be inferior steel used by Togo to build the coaster; causing constant repairs to be made to the steel, and second; the cost of maintaining a coaster whose manufacture was out of business. At this point in the amusement industry I think it seems unlikely that a park would invest heavily in that option like that when there are other things that are "in" right now. What did Kings Island just do?? To emphasize my point, that people thought inverts were fads and their day was over. It seems Banshee has brought new life to inverts. I wouldn't doubt we see some more new inverts from B&M in the next couple of years. As they say "Everything old is new again" One question I have is why would a 300ft stand up not be feasible? How is any other 300ft coaster more feasible? As Admiral Kirk once said "Young minds, fresh ideas." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark6495 Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Well I wouldn't think a 300 got standup would be possible just due to G forces. I think that King Cobra would have hung around much longer if it wasn't the first (or one of the first) by Togo. I remember during the last few seasons KC had decent 20-30 min lines on busy days Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DontWantToWait42mar0 Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I wonder if people wondered if Racer would always be the tallest roller coaster at Kings Island. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkroz Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 One question I have is why would a 300ft stand up not be feasible? How is any other 300ft coaster more feasible? Is a 300-foot stand up possible? Sure. Is it likely? Probably not. An inverted stratacoaster? Dueling 4th dimension coasters? A suspended wooden coaster over 100 feet? Its feasibility (n. the state or degree of being easily or conveniently done) would be based upon two things: A park / chain's asking for it A manufacturer's willingness / ability to make it I don't think a standing giga-coaster would make it past condition #1. Even if it did, condition #2 might be a sticking point. Few would've guessed that the year 2000 would've seen a wooden hyper-coaster though... But there was a 1, and then a 2... sort of... 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LovinMeSomeBanshee Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I'd say KI gets a giga during its next turn in line. 2019. The only huge open spot is the majority of Son of Beast's former footprint. They could even utilize and refurbish the old station and move Wolfpack elsewhere. There is plenty of queue space, but Action Zone would be incredibly crowded.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMaverick Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 There is plenty of room on either side of Diamondback or next to The Beast but if they get a giga next it think it will be located where Dinosaurs Alive is currently unless they decide to keep Dino's longer than that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIFan1 Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 Kings Island will get bigger coasters and other massive attractions. It depends on what the park's General Manager wants and what Corporate wants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 Kings Island will get bigger coasters and other massive attractions. It depends on what the park's General Manager wants and what Corporate wants.Really?I would HOPE it depends, at least in part, on what the target market wants. I thought Dick Kinzel retired. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanofFirehawk Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 Kings Island will get bigger coasters and other massive attractions. It depends on what the park's General Manager wants and what Corporate wants.Really?I would HOPE it depends, at least in part, on what the target market wants. I thought Dick Kinzel retired. And who is this Target Market? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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