Decoding Episode II: Rivertown 2017 and the Falling Trees

[DiamondBanshee]

I'm sure it could get up to at least 300 feet. Even if it couldn't, they valleys would help in getting a 300 plus foot drop.

Also, is there a chance that this coaster may have a B&M roar? I love it and I would lie if I said I was only a little disappointed Banshee didn't have one. Is there a noise law that restricts this at KI?

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[Logan Goddard]

I'm sure the city of Mason doesn't want it to be too loud. We also could for sure get a 300 foot coaster considering the Eiffel Tower is over 300 ft tall.

[Hoosierjtf]

Maybe they can have the trains adapted to ride on King Cobra track or green Intamin track thats laying in a field so the extra 1600 ft would be free.

It's a giga with 8,135 ft of track. Record broken.

That would be one expensive coaster. Remember that Fury 325 (at just over 6,600 feet) cost Carowinds a cool $30 million, and she was erected on relatively flat, un-forested terrain. Most of Rivertown's topography has more hills and valleys than what can be seen even for split seconds riding either The Beast or Diamondback.

[McSalsa]

Well, since my last post (which was only yesterday but feels ages ago with how many pages this topic has gotten), I have thought a bit...

 

On the Giga Coaster subject...

 

I was wondering if this was actually going to be a B&M Giga (only brand I can realistically see KI getting), why put it in this spot directly next to Diamondback? Fury 325 and Intimidator at Carowinds come close to each other, but that's Fury's turnaround and Intimidator's station and not the stations of each, which would be the case here. So I thought a bit about the other spots a Giga could go at Kings Island...

 

-Action Zone

With Banshee in this spot, the old SOB station getting any use would be a mess. The lift would have to be super steep, and then you also need to have the ride get BACK to the station with a brake run much lower than the lift which would possibly have issues clearing Banshee. Plus this section just got the last big coaster a few years ago. You could in theory also demolish Timberwolf, remove/relocate Congo Falls and or Invertigo and that would open up some room but I don't know if the park would be so eager to demolish 2 rides and a Amphitheater at once just for a Giga.

 

-X Base

While the location itself seems perfect (lots of room and could expand behind Firehawk & AE into the old SOB area Banshee doesn't use) I did realize two potential issues with this spot: it is a dead-end ATM, and you don't want a Giga which should end up super popular funneling a TON of guests into a dead-end. Also those tons of guests will also flock to the nearby Firehawk and Flight of Fear, and I don't trust those rides to handle huge crowds all that well given they are fairly low capacity by coaster standards.

 

-Coney Mall, Dinosaurs' Alive! Location

The terrain here is REALLY rugged, possibly even more so than in Rivertown, based on my one experience going through Dinos. It could be done, but cost might be an issue. I also wonder if possibly Dinosaurs Alive has done better than we give it credit for, and thus Cedar Fair might wanna keep it around or something.

 

-Rivertown WWC Area (current discussion area)
The cons here, as pointed out, are the rugged terrain (which would make a B&M Giga pretty expensive) and the fact it being so close to Diamondback would make this part of the skyline look kinda odd (though that is honestly a small cosmetic gripe and something we'd get used to eventually). Though if the drop goes over, say, the White Water Canyon reservoir or some other body of water, with both its size, steepness, and that at the bottom would likely create one of the greatest drops on any roller coaster period which might be what Cedar Fair might want. I don't think it would be the world's longest roller coaster in this spot though as that would probably be extremely hard to fit in and expensive. I also think it would probably not go towards the parking lot and behind Planet Snoopy, as those seem to be fairly important buildings for storage and Google says human resources is there, and building there anyway just makes most of the ride a parking lot coaster for at least its first few years. The area of the station also boasts other high-capacity thrill-seeker rides nearby like Diamondback (at least so long as the crews are doing a good job) so the overcrowding issue X-Base might have would not really be as much of an issue in Rivertown, plus it's not a dead end.

I would still probably prefer a wooden coaster in this particular area (still on Team Wood Coaster ), as I think it would fit the area better, but if Cedar Fair has some awesome idea for a Giga Coaster here (or something else entirely) then I'd still happily take it (Dropping 300+ feet over a water source and then racing through the forest at over 90mph on a B&M does sound awesome). Though also on subject, whatever this ride turns out to be, I hope they preserve enough of the trees to keep some of the area's "wooded" feel and enhance whatever ride/attraction goes in. I also don't see how the Log Flume needs to get removed for any of this. There is enough space with the log flume there for even the huge Giga Coaster.

 

Wow I had a lot of random thoughts for 1 post...then again, these "OMG NEW RIDE COMING LET'S SPECULATE IT!" threads do that... Anyhow, back to waiting for footers to give extra clues...or more vague hints which I learned from Banshee usually mean nothing...

[Vortex lover]

I'm still voting a 700ft AquaTrax that was supposed to go to KK and it is going to switch over to green INTAMIN track halfway through the ride. The project will be assisted by TOGO and Arrow both coming back from the dead!

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[SingleRiderAfter1]

To: McSalsa

 

Using the old SOB station could still work but go the other direction, following the maintenance road between The Bat and timber wolf then dropping into the valley before the parking lot hang a left to the front gate, turn and head home. This is my preferred location for a giga. It would make quite the front gate statement and maybe far enough left to now dwarf the Eiffel Tower.

 

But back to River Town for more clues! .....humm....woody, log ride, or ....

[McSalsa]

To: McSalsa

 

Using the old SOB station could still work but go the other direction, following the maintenance road between The Bat and timber wolf then dropping into the valley before the parking lot hang a left to the front gate, turn and head home. This is my preferred location for a giga. It would make quite the front gate statement and maybe far enough left to now dwarf the Eiffel Tower.

 

But back to River Town for more clues! .....humm....woody, log ride, or ....

Wow, I actually just looked again and there does seem to be room that way I didn't see before- you wouldn't even need to demolish anything, though I wonder if the close proximity to Timberwolf would close the coaster down when concerts and stuff were happening (or Timberwolf could just be demolished to open up even more room I guess). Or you could wrap it around The Bat from there.

 

Granted there is currently apparently no construction near the former SOB station ATM and thus our focus is all on Rivertown for now.

[GamesAndRides]

Hey everyone, haven't posted in a year or so since I haven't been to KI since 2013.

 

 

But looking at this picture, It seems like the trees are like bending, which maybe could mean the wind is bending them, indicating that something fast may be coming? 

 

 

#TeamWoodenCoaster

[westcoaster]

Save the log flume

[MadMaverick]

Could be the first giga to reach 100mph.

[stashua123]

Is there such thing as Team "You can build any rollercoaster you want but do not tear down the Train, WWC and the Log Flume"?

[Magenta Lizard]

I posted earlier about my thoughts resulting from what I saw with my own eyes, of what appear to be legitimate signs of groundwork being laid for the 2017 project.

But, I think it equally interesting and important to address things KI may be doing simply to hint, trick, or mislead us.

I have a feeling some of the hints they hide may only be clear to us after the fact. An example would be the giant gold disco ball, that so intrigued me when I got to the set-up for the 2016 announcement last year.

It wasn't ever addressed, so I just figured it was brought out as a random decoration. However, I noticed it hanging inside the Festhaus last weekend, presumably related to the new show Hollywood Nights. Was it a hidden hint, then? I can't be sure, but I'm intrigued.

So, as Dumbledore once said “From this point forth, we shall be leaving the firm foundation of fact and journeying together through the murky marshes of memory into thickets of wildest guesswork."

The first strange thing I noticed at the park is, admittedly, subtle. Probably nothing. But these two tulips (two two lips?) in front of Kill Mart seemed so lonely and out of place

Continuing the floral theme, this time much closer to the presumed "action" - while on the train I noticed something odd about the Mary Rose Inn. I wasn't certain on the first glimpse before Soak City, so I examined further on the closer pass...

It's not perfectly obvious in the picture what you're seeing, but those two lower right windows now have Venetian blinds instead of the more period-appropriate tattered curtains of the other windows.

If they had simply covered the windows with something like paper or cardboard, I'd assume it was a temporary thing meant to block something unsightly or that they didn't want the public to see. But going to the trouble to install such obviously inappropriate window coverings, almost has to mean something or be intended to be used to reveal something at a future date. I know I am going to be watching each visit to see if sometimes the blinds are slatted open to show something of interest behind.

(stashua123, if there is such a team, I'm on it)

[Infinity]

^^Those are some amazing things you have noticed and pointed out! I'm indeed intrigued.

[upstop]

Excellent observations Magenta... You just might be on to something! Keep looking for Easter eggs and reporting them... This could be fun!

Venetian blinds .... Venice.... A flooded city....

[CoasterOhio]

Excellent observations Magenta... You just might be on to something! Keep looking for Easter eggs and reporting them... This could be fun!

Venetian blinds .... Venice.... A flooded city....

 

Centurion.

[Spectrum91]

[Picture]

It's not perfectly obvious in the picture what you're seeing, but those two lower right windows now have Venetian blinds instead of the more period-appropriate tattered curtains of the other windows.

If they had simply covered the windows with something like paper or cardboard, I'd assume it was a temporary thing meant to block something unsightly or that they didn't want the public to see. But going to the trouble to install such obviously inappropriate window coverings, almost has to mean something or be intended to be used to reveal something at a future date. I know I am going to be watching each visit to see if sometimes the blinds are slatted open to show something of interest behind.

 

Those blinds have been that way for years now. I think I once heard from a train operator that the space used to be an office for train engineers.

[MantisMan]

I recall the group at Coasterstock last year being asked their opinion between 2 coasters of the same style but very different layouts and rider experience.

 

 

The compact wooded layout was the overwhelming choice......

[Sythe]

I really hope KI does not put a giga there...

First of all, if it is that close to Diamondback then I can guarantee that Diamondback is going to look way less intimidating. It also just might look weird having two giant B&Ms right next to each other.

Second of all, I HATE the idea of modernizing Rivertown! With the addition of Diamondback alone it took away a lot of the charm Rivertown had. Not to mention how much more crowded it would be... Just look at Old Virginia at Kings Dominion, they kept most of the trees, and didn't add anything too major there, and it's probably the nicest place in the park!

I would certainly much rather a giga go to the xbase area. That would be an extremely better fit.

[silver2005]

^That and we would finally get our long awaited restroom in X-Base if that's the case.  

[rhyano]

It would be cool if they can theme it with the area, like a legend of the area or something 

[Oldschool75]

Oh no! The world might end if 2 coasters are put that close together. I bet you guys have a panic attack when visiting Cedar Point. If we get a Giga, I don't care where they put it. I would be happy to have it. Another thing to look at. The park knows it's business. They just don't say "hey, let's put this here!". They will do many different studies to see how an area would be affected by a new attraction. What kind of ROI they can pull from surrounding games, and food with a new attraction in so said spot. Me, I would be happy with a woodie or a Giga. Makes no difference to me. I'll be there to support the park and enjoy it.

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[gad198]

If I was given a choice between a B&M giga or a GCI wooden coaster, as an enthusiast I'd choose the B&M giga every single time.  B&M megacoasters are the best ride type in the world IMO, and a B&M giga is going to be an absolute grand slam for Kings Island whenever it gets built.  Rob Decker and company have a very good sense of where to place new rides, and a Rivertown location for a B&M giga doesn't make sense on just about any level.  Most - if not all - of Cedar Fair's new rides have been placed in areas to help better balance traffic flow.  I can't envision having what would be the two most popular rides in the park sitting right next to each other is a good idea for anyone concerned.  I really want the B&M giga, but I'd rather it be in a location that's not where this new project is.

 

I'm actually hoping that if the B&M giga isn't coming in the next couple of years that this is a GCI wooden coaster.  A coaster like Prowler or Gold Striker would make sense for a lot of reasons, because they:

• don't take up much room relatively speaking.  More compact = fewer trees that need to come down.  See the link for the Gold Striker overhead view - http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I00008eyBO3lqhB4/s/600/600/aerial-rollercoaster-Great-America-AHLE0048.jpg
• are reasonably priced.  I don't believe the official price for Gold Striker was made public, but the Cedar Fair GCI installations prior to that - Renegade and Prowler - cost $6.5 million and $8 million respectively
• are 48" height requirement.  This is much bigger deal than people think.  The last two coasters installed at KI (and still operating) with a 48" height requirement are Backlot (2005) and The Bat (1993).  48" inch guests - and their families - could actually get excited about this addition
• are friendly enough for families but interesting enough for all but the most jaded of enthusiasts
• come with those super comfortable Millennium Flyer trains

The only concern with a GCI install might be the capacity, but the recent GCI installs are all capable of 800-900 people per hour with good crews.  I would be completely on board if this addition is a GCI. 

[Sythe]

^ the thing about a gci though is that GP might just not be excited about new wooden coasters anymore since Son of Beast was such a tragedy.

[Voicetek]

Oh boy, here we go.  Dare I even get involved in another "Decoding" thread? Hmm...I will just say a couple of things.  First, I have no idea and no guess of what might be coming in this area.  Second, KI please leave the log flume alone.  There, that is my contribution to this thread.  Carry on.

[Joncars05]

Rob Decker and company have a very good sense of where to place new rides, and a Rivertown location for a B&M giga doesn't make sense on just about any level.  Most - if not all - of Cedar Fair's new rides have been placed in areas to help better balance traffic flow.

Diamonback and Beast are arguably the two most popular rides at KI and their entrances are a two minute walk from each other.

[SonofBaconator]

Looking at online maps I can only speculate that KI will utilize the area behind the log flume and the woods by wwc. Falling trees?-possibly some KI deforestation or rather some type of ride that fully utilizes the forest scenery around it. And I know this is extremely far from reality but theres a huge chunk of trees between Beast and DB that could be utilized for expansion. I like to utilize the word utilize

[CoasterDirected]

Two tulips? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dueling Giga coasters confirmed 

[gad198]

 

 

Diamonback and Beast are arguably the two most popular rides at KI and their entrances are a two minute walk from each other.

 

Your point is taken, but even those ride entrances are still a decent spatial distance apart.  I'm sure anyone who has gotten off of Diamondback at 9:55 PM and wants a Beast ride at the end of the night can probably attest to that!

 

Think about this another way.  malem has been kind enough to post the ride counts at KI the last few years.  Based on the last few years data Firehawk and Flight of Fear - two rides right next door to each other - average about 1.4 million riders total in a season.  Diamondback had its worst capacity year last year and still did nearly 1.6 million riders on its own.  Could you imagine how busy X-Base would be - which is already popular - if you added Diamondback's ride traffic to that area?  That's essentially what you'd be looking at by adding an extremely high-profile ride like a B&M giga with a ride entrance almost directly across from Diamondback.

 

I think a medium-size GCI coaster makes sense for the current Rivertown project location.  There are several other areas of the park better suited for a B&M giga-sized project, areas that could really use the foot traffic to help balance things out in the park.       

[Oldschool75]

Two tulips?

Dueling Giga coasters confirmed

Tread lightly with the word "confirmed" here; you may be breaking the TOS of the site.

[DiamondBanshee]

Honestly, there are only a few places with a low distribution of people, one of which is in Coney Mall by Vortex and WindSeeker. Every time I go, that place seems the most deserted. We must remember, if it a giga, it can have an entrance and go all the way past everything (flying past The Beast and Diamondback) all the way out to the markers and coming all the way back. Even though there are markers out there, it doesn't mean the coaster can't start somewhere else. (Look at The Beast and, to a somewhat lesser extent, Diamondback). Plus, even if the entrance is by Diamondback, 2 B&M coasters can handle the foot traffic better than pretty much everything else in the park Imo

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