SonofBaconator

It's been 6 years since the craze started so it's definitely overhyped. We still have a long way to go before things are set and stone. We need trademarks, permits, construction equipment, and blue prints before speculation can go any further.

My friend and I have been trying to figure out which park has the best B&M collection. We narrowed it down to three parks- Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags Great Adventure, and Cedar Point. What are your thoughts? Is there another park that has the best collection that's not in the poll?

And a lot of rides have been plagued with mechanical issues and downtime.

Also, just because a company is interested in doing something doesn't mean they're the #1 choice. While I praise RMC for their innovations, they're still a fairly new company. I'd entrust a giga to B&M because they already have 2 reliable gigas under their belt and have more experience with larger scale coasters. Rmc just broke 200ft this past year.

@BlondyRidesOn RMC has made awesome wooden roller coasters but they're all huge and intimidating. While GCI delivers a good amount of thrills, their wooden coasters more tame than others. I vote GCI.

Like what @silver2005 said, layout's not limited to just an "L" shape. The coasters that have been built with a "L" shaped layout typically fit into spaces that are pretty restricting: Behemoth, Mako, Intimidator, Goliath (La Ronde), etc. All the coasters I listed are at parks where there isn't that much space. Kings Island on the other hand has a TON of land to work with. Notice how Diamondback isn't the typical B&M "L" shape because of the abundance of land it sits on. Personally I think Diamondback's popularity comes from its unique layout. I think KI will repeat the formula it used on Diamondback and build a giga that doesn't have a restricting layout.

I might have an idea where the proposed hyper coaster would go. I found the coordinates on a permit for what appears to be the lift hill structure. After drawing it out, and looking at other concepts for inspiration, I got this. If this is true, the proposed hyper would cut through the park as opposed to being placed on the outer perimeter. I also added other proposed attractions the park plans on receiving in the following years.

More speculation from Coaster Nation. They're predicting the proposed wooden coaster will go next to the water park where some of their former water attractions once stood as opposed to the Dinosaurs Alive area. http://coaster-nation.com/carowinds_waterpark_closures_project_2019/

Kinda relating to the topic, who's in charge of theming a ride? Does it come down to park executives, cooperate executives, or is there a branch of management that handles that sorta stuff?

If each park in the chain would receive only one RMC, this is how I think it would break down. I included current RMCs as well. I excluded S&S freespins because literally any park could receive one. Ibox- Cedar Point, Kings Dominion, Canada's Wonderland, Carowinds Topper Track- Kings Island Raptor/ T-rex- California's Great America, Valley Fair, Dorney Park, Knotts, Worlds of Fun Nothing- Michigan's Adventure (maybe a free-spin but even that's stretching it)

It does. I really wish Cedar Fair could take a page from Busch Gardens and add some more theming around some of their sections to give them more individuality. We've seen some improvements to Rivertown, Coney Mall, and even Action Zone, but Oktoberfest leaves something to be desired. Oktoberfest doesn't really feel "Bavarian" like it should be. The park used to have Der Spinnen Keggers, Bavarian Beetle, and Bayern Curve which fit the German theme. As years went on, I felt like Oktoberfest became more of a subsection of the Lion Country Safari with Adventure Express. Nowadays it feels like a random cluster of themes; a tropical mine train, a Mexican burrito shack, a Viking ship, a German bar and patio, a large German cafeteria, and a slingshot ride. I would repaint Slingshot some vibrant colors, retheme Adventure Express to fit a German theme, change the name and food choices of Hank's Burrito shack, and add another flat ride that would fit the German theme.

That looks cool, but I would prefer a giga coaster more towards the back of the park. Cedar Fair has added so many front gate coasters within the past couple years that it's become extremely repetitive. A dive coaster, if the park were to ever get one, would be a better choice for the front of the park than a giga IMO.

They added vr to Iron Dragon so they could be exploring new things all around. I have no recollection of a time when they changed their rides to go backwards at any of their parks.

Agreed. I'm curious if Cedar Point will ever reverse one of their trains.

The selling of the Busch Gardens parks to another company seems more of a reality than in years past. I could see Cedar Fair showing some interest in buying BGT mainly because it would be year round. Nevertheless, if BGT is ever put up for sale, I hope that the purchasing party would keep the animals since they're a huge draw to the park.

Any speculation on the secret project in 2019? Rumored to be called "Project: Alpha" its supposed to be in the South Carolina side of the park according to permits filed. https://coaster-nation.com/carowinds-building-new-hotel-and-new-attraction-in-2019/ Since its in the South Carolina side of the park, one can speculate that it'll be a coaster. If this is true, that would be four years since their last coaster, Fury 325, so they're certainly due for a new coaster. Also, Dinosaurs Alive is in the SC side of the park and seeing as its departing from Cedar Fair, the DA land frees up a lot of space for a new coaster. I think it would possibly be a wooden coaster by GCI since a good wooden coaster is something that the park significantly lacks, especially with the removal of Thunder-Road and the likeliness that Hurler will get the RMC treatment.

Read post below

It was the first GCI so I wouldn't think that would a wise move. If anything, GCI should come in and overhaul it.

I think a good facelift would be repainting Slingshot an identical or similar color scheme to what you see at Cedar Point. I'm tired of big grey towers. http://coasteraddict.com/carowinds-adds-slingshot-for-2015/

@Hawaiian Coasters 325 There were some who speculated that we'd get a Maverick type coaster over swan lake instead of Diamondback.

@Tera Ryzing What does that have to do with anything?

Wooden Coaster Capital of the World is a title that KI could easily obtain. The Beast ranks high every year with the Golden Ticket Awards, still is in the top 10 for speed, and is still the longest wooden roller coaster in the world. Also The Beast and Racer are both ACE landmarks. With the addition of Mystic Timbers, the park has also retained its record for most wooden track in one park. I'm curious to see if the park will invest in more wooden coasters in the future.

Why? I've ridden Lightning racers a couple of years ago and had a blast on it.