ReedObsessor

I was looking forward to going to Kings Dominion in 2025. It would have been my first trip there since either 1994 or 1995. I was only 10 or 11, and I wasn't used to coasters yet. I only rode Hurler and Avalanche at the time, and I remember by older brother riding coasters like Shockwave (another coaster type I missed out on at both "Kings" parks) and Anaconda. I also remember a log flume and a Rotor ride called the Time Shaft. I was never there for Volcano or Hypersonic XLC, and my family moved to Dayton, Ohio in 1996 (where we still live today). My vacation plan was to include this and Busch Gardens Williamsburg, which I last attended in 2006 (I often figure out those dates by looking up coasters built on or near those years, and 2006 was the year before Griffon). But now I am seriously considering avoiding KD or finding somewhere else to go on vacation this year, My expectations was that Anaconda would operate in 2025, but be retired at the end of that season. After all, I felt that Volcano's unexpected demise prolonged Anaconda's life (until a Volcano replacement was built), and that Anaconda had enough similarities to Kings Island's Vortex (the last time I rode Vortex, it was unpleasantly rough) to wind up on the chopping block. I did not expect Six Flags to go full David Zaslav on any of these coasters! I'm also talking about Kingda Ka, Green Lantern, Nighthawk, Time Warp & Flight Deck (Canada's Wonderland), Batwing, Superman, and even the flat rides (I consider upcharge attractions exempt). I know I'm saying things that haven't been confirmed, but I am betting on this. I understand that a lot of stuff faced cuts due to the effects of the merger. I don't understand the lack of advance notice. If they announced these closures at the end of July (that's when they announced the impending closure of Snake River Falls at Cedar Point), missing out on Anaconda would have been unfortunate but something I could easily accept. I found out about Anaconda's removal ON Christmas Day. And after having a bad enough year with Top Thrill Lawn Ornament at Cedar Point! Well, I leave you with this: The unofficial rule of ride retirements: For any ride that is being retired, whether a roller coaster, a flat ride, or any other non-upcharge attraction, advance notice of the ride's closure must be provided so that fans of these rides can get in their last rides. This must be enforced unless the ride is unable to operate due to a major incident or malfunction. P.S. I just heard Universal Orlando is getting rid of Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. A demolition permit was filed on December 26. The ride is going away forever... next September. (And that doesn't bother me because 1. They are providing a sendoff, and 2. I rode this back in 2014, and I was not impressed with it.)