SonofBaconator

It would be awesome to have something like Kumba, Medusa, or even Kraken (which I've heard nothing but good things about)

Not just elements but stuff to set KI apart: Diamondback got a splashdown. Banshee featured new trains, no pre-drop, a dive loop (usually parks opt for an immediate immelman), better theming (the scream at the drop for example) and a station without a drop floor Mystic Timbers was themed extremely well- the que, the shed, its own IMAScore, etc Orion was also themed very well- it brought in all the A72 theming, has IMAScore, has its own preshow building, and a stellar lighting package There's just a lot of extra character and thought added into KI's rides that I don't think a lot of people notice. Its almost like they give their rides personality.

I like to think of it as a twister version of Escape from Krypton at Magic Mountain. I agree it seems somewhat gimmicky but I think they're just trying to appeal to the GP. Visually the concepts look stunning

I'd like to think if KI got one it would be unique enough. KI typically does their own thing with the coasters they get. Maybe they'd get a 6 seater with a thinner track spine that focuses more on inversions. Maybe they'd get one to feature an element like a zero-g stall, cobra roll, etc. Maybe they'd get one and have it feature two 90° drops vs just one. The list goes on. I agree they get repetitive but I think KI goes the extra step to differentiate their coasters.

They don't, but it helps paint a picture. At least we have some frame of reference going forward. Like I said earlier, Covid might change everything but I feel like the nearly 50 years have painted a pretty decent picture

@Kenban I'd argue Congo's lack of popularity is mostly based off of its placement. Also it could be because it doesn't do as much vs WWC or RFYLCB. Back to coaster timelines, here's the giant one (including defunct ones): 1972 (x3), 1977, 1979, 1981, 1984, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2017, 2020. The largest gap is still 5 years which is a tie from 1972-1977 and 2009-2014. By this logic 2025 would be the absolute latest the park could get a new coaster of some sort, however some of those years like 1992 and 2001 saw smaller kiddie coasters.

A lot of their coasters seem mediocre besides Superman and Wicked Cyclone. It just seems like it could be a much better park than it is.

@Gordon Bombay that's why I was never a fan of Six Flags as a company. Their business decisions and ideologies are a joke, their additions are lazy, and they don't see the potential in making proper investments. SFNE is in a good market serving the New England market with just under 10 million individuals in a 75 mile radius. I know they don't have a major highway connection like we do but still, there's potential.

Yeah SFNE is a weird park. From what I hear Superman and Wicked Cyclone superb but after them its just a lineup that's reminiscent of SFA, maybe a little better. I have no clue @Gordon Bombay, I'm not an expert on Six Flags

That would be like New England getting a second boomerang annoying. At least send it to a more deserving park like Worlds of Fun, Valleyfair or someone

Unfortunately, Covid has changed the game. Priorities change. Though KI is a huge park in the chain, that doesn't mean they'll immediately get something soon. I recall there being a 5 year gap between Diamondback and Banshee that consisted of Planet Snoopy, WindSeeker and Dinosaurs Alive, Soak City, and a restaurant upgrade. Yes I'm sure they want to find a Vortex replacement but for right now I'm sure they're concerned with surviving in an industry that has been severely affected by this pandemic. Like I said earlier, some parks can't even open. I don't think Mr. Koontz has been calling up Mr. Zimmerman asking him about our next coaster during these times. Like Ben, I'd love to be wrong but with so many unknowns and so many what-ifs, I'm gonna think the park is taking this all one step at a time.

I want to see how Cedar Fair handles its smaller parks going into the 2020s post Covid. Dorney, Valleyfair, Worlds of Fun, and Michigan's Adventure deserve some larger attractions to hold their guests over but I wonder if Covid will change the company's priorities. I really hope Dorney gets that Gravity Group shuttle

I don't know why I'm suddenly obsessed with this little park but I'd love to see it added to the Cedar Fair roster

You're spot on. We just got a 30 million dollar investment so as if now we're one of the last parks to get a major addition down the road, especially with Covid. We were fortunate enough to reopen but I don't know how much revenue that really brought in. Expect smaller stuff like Soak City additions, changes to Planet Snoopy, little stuff like we saw back in 2019, etc. I think 2022 we'll see the park try to return to its former glory of the 1970s for its 50th anniversary.

I was unaware of that. I'll have to look into this more since that stuff is up my alley!

Here's a hypothetical "what-if": Cedar Fair acquires the land and turns it into an off-property sports complex for tournaments and scrimmages. It would compliment the campground that's being built on the other side of the highway and bring in more out of town guests.

Kings Island will make money off that campground regardless. No the money won't go directly into the park's pocket, but they'll get their guests. After all, the park is the main pull for tourism in that area to begin with. If a family from say Michigan comes down and stays 2-3 days, that's more money they'll spend at the park. RV travelers love to find places to travel and the more luxurious the better. People are buying campers left and right anymore so there's always going to be a market for them. Also, Cedar Fair doesn't have to pay to build or operate the campground leaving 100% of that to the company who'll operate it. I'm sure KI will partner with the campground and offer up some deals to mutually benefit both parties involved but like I said earlier, KI will be making money regardless.

That's why most amusement parks that are super close to cities don't do as well. I know nothing about Denver's geography but I'd say they have to be at least 5 miles away from the city to fully prosper. Land is typically more affordable and in greater supply outside of city limits.

At times... It seems like a few pieces of wood get staked into the ground and people read into it more than they should.

I agree, that would look horrible for the park. I think its obvious that one day Invertigo will leave us but I don't see that day coming anytime soon. Its got extra parts from Stinger so its not like its on life support. I don't think the park could afford to lose another coaster at this point in time

@gforce1994 I'm asking this in the most civil and kind way possible. Why? What specifically do flag markers indicate that would lead you to assume its a ride removal? We just lost two crowd pleasers back to back.

Bare with me, this was an old idea I had from about 2 years ago before the dorms were even really a topic of discussion. Imagine the "campground" as just the dorms It could be a bus route to drop off workers. I have no clue how employees who live in those dorms get to work but maybe they're making the system more streamlined. That or GWL partnered with KI to build a shuttle to and from the resort and the park.

Unfortunately the way the water park was built, you can't do separate admission. The train plays a big role in the whole "two parks under one ticket" thing. I think the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to keeping the parks single admission. I do want more focus on the water park this next decade. A lot of the original water slides are still there and they could use some new attractions. A water coaster seems like a necessity at this point. There's a ton of stuff the park could get that could excite guests. I mean look at what Splashin Safari has

I wonder if contracts had already been signed with manufacturers prior to Covid-19's wrath. If not, there's still a lot they could do. There are a few parks that don't have a 4d freespin clone that would be decent filler. I could also see them focusing more on their water parks and smaller attractions. Then again, Six Flags loves to make those joint-announcement videos so I could totally see them coming out and saying "Covid-19 hit us hard, we're going to focus on future seasons, etc" Bankruptcy might be a real conversation for them right now. They're doing better than many people think but they're also nowhere near they were in the 90s and early 2000s.

This also isn't the 1st time a Disney attraction has been rethemed in favor of other properties: Tower of Terror became Guardians of the Galaxy, they made Pixar Pier, countless Star Wars lands, Avengers campuses are in the works, etc.