PKIDelirium

The giant multi-level structure that got taken out to build Reptar? Yeah, that thing was awesome.

I recently realized that only the nameplate is painted blue or green, the rest of the model is just plain. Ouch. For that price tag I'd want the entire thing painted correctly, like The Racer set.

That's a little drastic, especially with all the park app functions and cashless. Not to mention almost everyone is also using their phone as their camera now, and some also as their wallet. If this becomes more of a problem as the new phones and watches with this function get into more people's hands, parks could always just make cheap signs for ride entrances reminding people to enable Airplane Mode while riding if they have that feature. Apple could also potentially start geofencing parks to disable crash detection while inside them. Nah, carriers wouldn't need to do anything. iPhones and Apple Watches use Apple Maps, and everyone else uses Google Maps. Parks are already identified as landmarks on those services, so Apple and Google could probably very easily and quickly fence them off for crash detection.

Wow, Vortex is already sold out. Glad I didn't wait...

I wonder if O'Rourke's involvement might include removal of the SlingShot foundations. I want the SoB station out of there for good, but those foundations also need removal.

Say what now? The turnarounds weren't ready for opening day but they got them completed over the next couple of weeks.

To provide a visual on this, I just did a lineup: They all say "Vortex" on them, but they're all different. Not included in this lineup are the original "I Felt The Grip" pinback button (I don't think KECO or early Paramount did pins) and the early Paramount pinback button, which had the logo and and lettering on a green background.

Yeah, I mean, it sure felt like being in a car crash a lot of the time...

Just imagine if this co-existed with Son of Beast, they'd get dozens of calls per hour.

Aha, so the Viking Fury one IS dynamic! I thought I saw a photo that had the ship on the other side from the product page, and the "beefiness" of the pin's appearance and two studs on the back made me suspect it, but I didn't know for sure. I got my Vortex today. It's simple, but original-design logo with the "New for '87" line from the original park guide "centerfold" are nice to add to the other Vortex pins.

Having GravityKraft on the list certainly makes it possible. Racer's return run could be done in house or GCI using standard track.

Diamondback paint, SoB station demolition, and some more parking lot repaving would satisfy me for 2023 projects.

It's the original logo with the "New for '87" that was on the promos using that logo. The grey one from 2020 was the tribute one, with 1987-2019 on it. Paramount's version was the triangular logo but with the Paramount naming and a green color scheme. The one from the "Orion Sequence" was a true-to-ride blue and orange in the same modern style as the other Orion Sequence logos. They're all different. Using the original logo is what I expected a Vortex pin from this series to be.

Vortex one ordered, I’d been waiting for a nice retro Vortex to join the lineup. The back of the card is rather goofed up by the placement of the price sticker, covering up some of the description text, and they also spelled anniversary as “anniversery” in the upper right. Timeline wise, we’re getting closer to the Paramount era so we’ll see how they deal with that. Phantom Theater and Adventure Express are likely to be included, but I’m not sure about the licensed names. They’re good for Flight of Fear, Son of Beast and Delirium, but others are Paramount trademarked names, so unless they get creative and use designs without names, Top Gun, Face/Off, Drop Zone, Tomb Raider and Italian Job are unknowns. WinterFest 2005 might make an appearance.

A B&M Surf Coaster could certainly serve as a spiritual namesake successor for King Cobra like the new Zambezi Zinger is doing for WoF. That brings location into question more, though. Vortex’s location would be best suited for a bold visual statement, like a Dive or Floorless. A new KC would also probably be wanted near the original’s location though, and while Delirium and Banshee rule out using the same location like Zambezi, removing TimberWolf could put it very close.

Vortex’s plot deserves a bold visual statement like Vortex itself was. I don’t think it needs to be a Hulk-like launch, we already have FOF and Backlot for launches and they take a lot of power to run, but a large, overhead lap bar (or even normal OTSR train) floorless has been my preferred model for that location ever since Vortex left.

Aquamen Waterslide Restoration. The WaterWorks stuff could really use some attention. Baynum also paints and coats slides. As was mentioned Diamondback already got a new chain, but the lift motor seems to be acting up recently. I don't remember if the motor was attached to the track before or after installation of the track, it's possible they might have to temporarily remove a section there, but I doubt they'd need SkyHigh and Fenton for that. B&M, SkyHigh and Fenton were last seen for Orion, but doesn't guarantee a new coaster if they're doing something to address "The Jolt" back there after the turnaround, ideally I'd like to see that fixed up, the motor taken care of, and then have Baynum paint it for a full overhaul. SkyHigh and Fenton Rigging, like I just said don't guarantee a new coaster, but having them in addition to Daniels Woodland and Jack Rouse is quite interesting... I think GCI would be for possible routine maintenance/tracking on Mystic though, and not a new installation. I'd like to see this in either Rivertown or Oktoberfest. If it's in Rivertown, O'Rourke's involvement might be getting rid of the big ugly warehouse. Oktoberfest would currently benefit more from an overhaul, though. Yeah, I mistakenly tied Gravity Kraft to GCI instead of Gravity Group. I believe they are in fact who manufactures the new track, I think a second phase of work on Beast, perhaps more of the helix being rebuilt, is more likely than a Racer retrack. The park could easily do the return run in-house, or have GCI do it like they did the turnarounds, and then of course you'd need Baynum to come back and paint the new track. I'd really like to see the SoB station get nuked. It's ugly, getting worn down and isn't even a good place for a Haunt considering the Club Blood/Blackout building is right there and also not currently active. There's also the possibility I mentioned above regarding Rivertown and a certain ugly box. Would you need someone on the caliber of O'Rourke for that, though? The only actual structure is the stage part. I guess if the SoB station is getting brought down, they could do it at the same time though rather than getting someone else (or in-house crews) to remove it.

Baynum Painting, nice. Diamondback I hope. O’Rourke Wrecking, hmm… SoB station and/or The Box? B&M, SkyHigh Erectors and Fenton Rigging? Hmm… Diamondback work on The Jolt or continued addition of sand in the track? I heard the lift motor might have problems too recently. GCI AND GravityKraft? Interesting. They’re doing a certain unique build at WoF this offseason. Zamperla could be parts or maintenance related to Planet Snoopy rides, but them combined with GCI/GK is something to watch.

It had occasionally-open mediocre laser tag in it during the late Paramount years. In 2004 there was just a big carnival-style trailered midway game parked in front of it for the season. 2005 was back to just kinda being there, abandoned.

Yeah, whoever takes care of lighting and other theme-package things needs to step it up so things don't get shabby. Tomb Raider deteriorated rather quickly after opening in 2002, with various light, sound, etc syncing failing and not getting fixed, it would be nice for that to not happen with newer packages like Mystic and Orion. And while they painted a LOT of stuff for the 50th and have also upgraded signage and logos a LOT over the last couple years, there's still plenty of simple cosmetic things that could be done. Viking Fury looks a lot better with the paint it got, but the rarely used queue house has become rather shabby. Diamondback is a glaring omission from the paint projects, and Banshee isn't doing that great either, especially the track which even when new was more of a wine/maroon than the vibrant purple sort of color from the renderings. Paint, signs, replacement lumber on general structures, etc goes a long way. And don't get me started on the continued existence of that giant box in Rivertown... The old SoB station is an eyesore, but unlike that box, it's at least lower profile and not visible from many places.

Eh, the yellow of the lift supports didn't last very well at all, but the light tan on the rest has done fairly well and fits in. If they switch the track color from red instead of repainting the same like Carowinds did with Intimidator, maybe a deep green to blend in with the woods.

Just paint Diamondback 100%, power wash the pool concrete, and perhaps add some theme elements to better fit with how the rest of Rivertown is, tie the "Miami River" background into it somehow. Mystic is an abandoned lumber company, Beast is a mining operation, Diamondback is... just there. Wouldn't mind some re-forestation in the area behind the Crypt building where it was over-cleared in 2008.

And the other way, Tomb Raider/Crypt used a bank of equipment to bleed off excess energy every time the locomotive-type brakes on the ride were used in the form of sound and heat. If anyone remembers loud screeching coming from over there while in Beast's queue, station, or waiting on the brakes, that was the source.

With the tower being the only part of it that's a visible, dramatic skyline element, I wonder if they might just remove the coaster part all together and install the same Drop Tower system on it that Kingda has. They said "ride experience" which is vague enough to consider elimination of the coaster part entirely. The utility markings could be for removing things for the coaster, like power to the station, transfer, motor house, etc.

I've always kept my pass cards, they live in my old iPhone 4s holster case nowadays, in my pin drawer.