Hawaiian Coasters 325

People really thought the queue would be next to showplace and the station would be where the brake shed is? Tbh they should've kept the old Rivertown Mining Company building and used it as the queue kinda like how Maverick used WWL's old station. Now it's just cattlepins with tarps as shade structures which doesn't scream "rusting/old west" to me.

I've said it many times Camp Snoopy feels unfinished. You can tell by looking at the concrete in the area. It's a mess of old and new concrete with some brownish stained concrete in different areas. The area over by the "new" sign near the flume is pathetic imo. It should've been all the brownish stained concrete kinda like in Adventure Port the year prior. Also why on earth does Kidzbop play in that area when they could be playing Vince Guaraldi music there? Soapbox Racers queue was done fairly well imo with the wooden posts, lighting, and decor but the whole area should have gotten that level of detail. They could easily have swapped out the metal ride fencing at the flats with wood fencing like other parks but chose not to. They could've done more wood light posts with lanterns (like Adventure Port) but chose not to. They could've added more trees to eventually become more shade, but chose not to. They could've added more "camptivities" to the area (ie scavenger hunts, craft parties, dance parties, and even bonfires as the sun goes down), but chose not to. They could've added a better soundtrack/playlist to the area but chose not to. Notice a common denominator? Goes back to my rants in prior threads.

Look I agree that the employee should not have taken that photo and posted it. In my years working at KI, when we would go in for on ride training, we would be told we can't take pics of new stuff/construction that hadn't been publicly shared by the park. I especially remember training day 2023 as the rides I worked were near Adventure Port and we were told if we got caught taking pictures of the construction we would get in serious trouble. At the same time, it's not that hard to make a simple announcement saying that "the decision has been made to retire this ride" before anything gets out by unauthorized people. It's also not hard if they know in advance a ride is going to close to announce it and let people get their last ride. Even if it is a ride with low ridership, it is still someone's favorite ride. I thought this would change with the new CEO, but I wonder if it is those on the board of directors who don't want to publicly announce these things.

There still would've been disappointment/criticism as it's not bigger than Millennium Force in the same state. That only fueled the decades old theory that Cedar Fair purposely does the bare minimum at KI bc of fear of upstaging Cedar Point. Orion also is shorter than I305 and Leviathan in stats so that would also draw criticism.

Orion had the "top secret box" with the old ride posters that were used in the campaign that they sent out to the media before the announcement. That's what happens when you have someone running the PR who sorta "gets it" (Tony Clark). Now if only they would try and restore relationships with the fansites that were sorta pushed out over the last few years when (you know who) was running the show.

When was the last time we saw a media preview package like this? Orion's announcement? This is cool to see.

Hopefully to a new better soundtrack. I swear if the jazz returns for a 5th time....

We got a saloon now?!!!! Jk it's probably that bar that was put in by the conjuring/crypt building

I'm honestly curious when they started playing that song at rope drop and who's idea that was? It honestly fits so well as it talks about having a great day during the summer and mentions building a rollercoaster and climbing up the Eiffel Tower which connects with KI very well. I'm also curious why they chose to not play it anymore at rope drop. I honestly could see a world where the higher ups were sick of that song and as someone who knew associates during the time that song would play they would dread hearing that song as it meant it was time to be in their spots as guests were in the park. I believe 2019 was the last year they played it and in 2021 (the first full season since covid) they started playing High Hopes by PATD but not at rope drop, it would be played as associates started to arrive for the day. In fact, Mr. Koontz selected a song each season from 2021 til his retirement last year to be played in the morning as associates arrive to help set the mood and get employees ready for the day!

I mean if they really wanted to, they could could do a double up/turn into the brake run over the exit of the 2nd vertical loop kinda like how the end of AlpenFury threads through Vortex's supports.

I have never been someone who believes SOB will be resurrected, but lately I have been dreaming about what that could look like so I came up with this overhead sketch of an RMC. Just to clarify how this would work, the drop out of the station and the entrance into the brake run would thread right through Banshee. The drop out of the station would dive under Banshee's upward turn into the inline twist and the finale into the brake run would go right over the exit out of the second vertical loop and right through the supports underneath the inline twist. I included some elements from the original SOB like the predrop, the double helix, and vertical loop, but added some new elements and a new twist on things. For example, the first turn is an outerbank turn like Steel Vengeance has and at the top of the double helix features a giant cutback element. The coaster then extends more towards the boneyard area and the finale would hug that downward slope going towards Banshee and the station.

I know I'm probably in the minority, but I would love to see the Phineas and Ferb theme song (aka Today is Gonna Be A Great Day by Bowling For Soup) return to playing at rope drop again. Imo that song really help set the mood for the day! I also would like to see a new version of the national anthem play as well before rope drop. I was thinking the Tabernacle Choir version like what CP plays at before they open. I believe KI used to play that version in the early CF days in the late 2000s, but then moved to the marching band version that's still played today. Imo the Tabernacle Choir version sounds more grand to me.

The exit ramp is already ADA access. There would need to be a ramp from the lobby to the load area as that's up a set of stairs from the lobby queue.

Looking closely at the "new" concrete path, there does seem to be some sort of temporary fencing set up likely for an extended queue.

I mean Music Hall looks kinda like a castle so maybe the park is going for that kind of vibe with it.

Also while ik it's hard to see it and it could just be the sun shining on it, but it looks like the facade from the metal part of the building has been painted purple instead of the greenish/greyish color from the past which would honestly be a nice touch.

There seems to be a boom truck of some kind in the Monster area

A potential spoiler of the exterior.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDie0UKOk0s Spoiler Alert! Doesn't look like much of the castle was changed just updated paint.

I feel like if they were to expand the Action Theater building it would be more toward Racer in what is the field/queue area for Hotel St Michelle.

Yet only select people will be invited...same with media day if/when they do it.

I personally am going to wait a few weeks for hopefully the hype to die down before riding it. I didn't ride Sol Spin or Cargo in 23 until right after the hype died down. I am definitely not going to wait 3-4 hours to ride it.

^^that honestly looks a little bit like the frame from the display at IAAPA

I doubt we see pass sales drop that much. In fact I think we see the exact opposite. While there may be some people choose not to renew, I don't think it'll be enough to really have an effect on attendance numbers. I don't think doing things like bubble parties, dance parties, or a cornhole tournament comes down to KI being a pass heavy park. The cost of doing things like that would be very minimal. It's more along the lines of people high up at the park not really thinking outside the box and using the whole "ok, good enough" mindset. I even think doing stuff listed above along with tie dyeing shirts and/or a sidewalk chalk drawing party in Camp Snoopy (where kids can draw on the CS concrete for fun) would be a cool idea for late May/June as kids start getting out of school for the summer.

A look at Carowinds' Spring Break activities. It just amazes me that KI can't have activities like this during the early portion of the season or even during the season. Minus the Easter stuff of course as the park opens after Easter. But a cornhole tournament, a bubble party, a paint show (which the park did in 2021 btw), and a peanuts dance party would not be that hard or expensive to do.

I'd like to see a flying theater go in the old Action Theater building and have it themed to flying through space. Have it be tied to the Coney Mall/Area 72 lore the park created. Could also tie into a potential Vortex replacement as well.