SonofBaconator

If anyone has 20 minutes to spare (or speed of the video 2x like I always do) it’s worth it:

Please, I’d love to be able to see what things look like at 50ft

I know that Holiday World and Indiana Beach exist but it’s crazy to me that Indianapolis doesn’t have some type of amusement park. They could reach 13 million people within a two hour radius. Like I said, other parks exist: holiday world, Indiana Beach, Kings Island, Cedar Point, Michigan’s adventure, Six Flags, great America and Six Flags, St. Louis, Kentucky, Kingdom, but it’s still mind boggling to me that there isn’t something. It wouldn’t even have to be something huge like Kings Island but I argue something the of World’s of Fun or Dorney would be enough.

From what I gather, in its current form it’s specifically a spacecraft that is meant to act as a transport to another planet- I believe the former form was a more vague experimental government project (sorta like how Firehawk was loosely themed.)

The story we know wasn’t the story it originally intended to have. IIRC the “meteor shower” and “distant planet” were part of the current “canon.” The original story, if I remember right, was more of XBase/A72 being a secret government base that investigated anomalies like Banshees, UFOs, Tree Monsters, Beasts, and basically all the wacky stuff KI was facing and Orion was just a secret government prototype. Correct me if I’m wrong or if I’m on the right track. Personally the current story is too…”specific” for my liking. The story we got focuses around surviving an oncoming meteor shower and rec colonizing a new planet. I feel like the idea of Orion just remaining a government prototype in a classified region of the park seems more on brand.

Not to be cynical but it’s comments like these that make me cringe a little; like B&M is this horrible company that plagues whatever poor park it works with.

Or this, I wouldn’t complain:

At this point, I’m partially in the camp of leveling the land and just adding a new area of the park- but with that would come the added cost of the actual leveling, running sewer, adding rides/buildings which would require more staff, etc.

So they could actually make 3 micro sections which would give them the excuse to add more theming and detail to each one- similar to what they did with Adventure Port and Area 72.

THIS! I know I wasn’t imagining things! This would be such an easy thing to do. They spent the money to record this audio- take full advantage of it.

I always argued they could’ve gotten one or two more elements in if they simply extended the break run closer to Flight of Fear.

I wonder if the flying coasters in general will start to be phased out in the distant future. I hear they’re one of the more expensive B&Ms to operate and maintain because of the upright to vertical mechanics.

If they were to alter the ride as it currently stands, I would make it 100% thematic. Make the show building a must walkthrough. Sometimes, attendants have non-fastlane riders bypass the show building entirely before heading up the stairs which I’m not a fan of. It adds to the theme and everyone should have to go through it. Add the IMAScore soundtrack in the station. Add lift-hill audio featuring either the IMAScore soundtrack, instructions from the “Captain” or something in between. Have audio on the final break run with the IMAScore soundtrack and/or audio encouraging riders to come back. This wouldn’t cost them anything but would add more theming and make the experience more immersive and memorable.

That’s a fair point- I’m sure there are quite a few rides that *could* be enclosed or covered. Cargo Loco Monster Scrambler Great Pumpkin Coaster (I pitched this idea on a different thread)

Well it’s AI, I’m sure there would be more decorative options- like how the Grand Carousel has that large exterior.

Weird thought, I feel like there might be a benefit of having some flat rides enclosed/sheltered if possible to protect from the elements. Original from @IndyGuy4KI

I hope that doesn’t spell doom for the train if that happens- I always argued the waterpark saved the railroad from potential removal as it became a transport ride.

Anymore, innovations are mainly with the trains themselves: 4D, spinning, flying, lay down, stand up, swinging, etc. In theory you could clone a layout like Banshee’s and modify it for flyer trains and you’d get a completely different experience.

I felt like something was missing, but then again we were down a ride with the Phantom Theater revival. Overall I don’t feel like much was different which was somewhat of a negative for me personally. The train ride needs to be worked on for next season- they continue to do the bare minimum and it’s gotten increasingly stale….

IMO, a ride overhaul is as good as a new ride. If in 20 years if the park would ask, would you want us to either give Diamondback the same treatment Universal did with Hulk, or just replace it with something new entirely?- I’d go with the former. Some rides are meant to fade away because they didn’t have a strong enough legacy or they had a problematic history and there are some that deserve to be preserved. Flight of Fear, I argue, is one that deserves to have be preserved.

I would like to say no because it’s always been included in park admission so I think there would be a lot of backlash. Also, a logistical nightmare for people who take the train as well as those who use the path between Snoopy and the waterpark. That being said, I feel like the likeliness of that happening is somewhat more realistic than some would like to think, considering that Kings Island literally has no competition when it comes to the waterpark with The Beach being long gone as well as Coney Island is shutting down their pool.

They were able to afford a giga dive for their Arlington Park that hits just under 3 million in attendance.

I really wonder if we’ll see any “construction/prep work” before the decade ends. The park hasn’t gotten a thrill roller coaster since 2020 which has not necessarily been part of 3-5 year formula (technically it is if you include the kiddie coaster.) With new chain however, I’m sure that formula has more or less been thrown out the window, but nevertheless as one of their most highly attended parks in the Cedar Fair legacy chain, it’s somewhat shocking that we haven’t heard a whisper of anything large coming down the road.

My personal synopsis: The ride itself was a pioneer in many respects: it the first LIM launched coaster, arguably the most themed indoor coaster at the time, and it paved the way for larger more well known rides like Rockin Roller Coaster at WDW. That being said, the ride isn’t at all dated, but I feel like it might be in another 10 years, especially with newer indoor coasters pushing the envelope of what a dark ride can be. The changes I would make could be mostly operational and slightly thematic: Add LSMs Replace the trains Enclose the whole extended/overflow que to keep the lines moving and to add some extra theming within. Repaint the track black Any minor changes would be maybe adding theming in the bowl somehow. Like I said earlier, while I think the ride is great now, I think it’ll be “dated” in 10 years and these changes might help it out

IMO, this would be a great location for a few things: VIP Lounge PT Gift Shop A museum Relocate Great Pumpkin Coaster indoors (silly I know but it could be another indoor attraction that isn’t dictated by the weather and could open up some space outside)