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Carowinds' Thunder Road to race no more


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Carowinds just announced on Facebook that Thunder Road will race its last race on July 26.

 

After 39 wonderful years and nearly 40 million scream-filled rides, Thunder Road will give its last race on July 26. The ride is being retired to make room for future family-fun attractions. Please join us this summer as we say good-bye to this iconic coaster.

 

What might these "future family-fun attractions" be?

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Truly a terrible mistake, if you ask me.  Nothing was wrong with that ride except for the last leg of the trip being a bit bumpy.  If they actually remove it (who knows -- maybe we could see RMC do something to it), they'd better put something SPECTACULAR in it's place to justify it's removal.

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It definitely sounds like it's going away, sadly, as it will be replaced by multiple attractions.

 

Combine this with the "big splash" teaser from media day and I'm inclined to believe we'll see a water park expansion out into the parking lot.  It's a shame, really, that they couldn't find a way to work around it.  Magnum divides Cedar Point's Soak City and yet guests find their way around just fine.

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Considering the one at KI is an ACE Coaster Landmark and has a bit of history as helping to revive the wood coaster industry, I doubt it's going anywhere. Why Carowinds wants to take out what appears to be a popular ride is beyond me.

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Definitely not RMC from the "family fun" part. If memory serves me correct, Carowinds said they were investing $50,000,000 over the next couple years or so. The addition(s) will have to cost at least $20,000,000. Which could potentially be a small B&M or even a GCI woodie.

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It's simple.  Thunder Road is blocking in the water park from developable land in the parking lot and beyond.  It's not as if they could alter the structure to create a new walkway to the other side, and put the new water rides over there.

 

Wait...  Why don't they do that?

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I cannot.

I can say individual parks at Cedar Fair are largely captains of their own destinies, subject to overall corporate oversight.

I can also say five years from now Carowinds will be one of the South's finest parks, and have top of mind unaided recall and presence when vacation influencers decide where to spend their amusement dollars.

Truly, the best is yet to come for Carowinds.

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There are things I answer here.

There are things I don't.

I know what I know because I am a strong proponent for the industry.

When it comes to things like this, it's "Don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue."

Also be advised plans change. If they didn't sometimes, Kings Island would have at least five more wood coasters than it does now. The Rye Aeroplane. Sigh....

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There was once a boat, an island, a plantation house.

And Terp once adored Coney Island of Ohio...it was the grandest amusement park he had ever seen. Shooting Star, Lost River...

Most of all, for him...Rolling Thinder...

 

Thinder? Is that a clue or a typo? :P

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Wow what an announcement, hopefully redone, and kept, and yep Land Mark Status means nothing, this Coaster makes it across two states right?

Wow Cedar Fair, better be thinking, more family fun, over a classic. 

 

Wow, what a loss, whats this mean for KI and KD, oh my could not imagine.

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