The Giga Speculation Thread

[SonofBaconator]

A couple of things to note. The first is a file on Warren County's website listing improvements to Kings Island from 2018-2020. Look at the bottom of the picture. We could be seeing something be as early as 2020 according to this file.

Also with the addition of Yukon Strike to Canada's Wonderland we know that Cedar Fair isn't afraid to break its own records since YS basically shatters VR's records within 3 years of being built. With that being said, it wouldn't suprise me if KI built a ride that was superior to Fury 325.

[GigaLover]

I agree 100% something is happening and it will come in 2020.. with that paperwork and seeing B&M on their screams GIGA to me.. nothing is done until it’s done but this gets me excited for 2020.. and 2019 teaser season.. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was mention of 2020 in the announcement tomorrow like a comment like “and just wait until 2020” type of comment.. 

[ohiocoasterfan]

For those that don’t like to read a bunch of names, here is the important parts of the document.

If B&M is coming back to KI it could be a very good chance of us getting a GIGA.

I don’t know where it would go though with all the SOB teasing we’ve seen. They seem to be sprucing up and reinvigorating Coney Mall so I’d think it would go over there. I just don’t understand all the SOB references.

I’m calling Steel Beast!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[adamc]

They make some good points don’t know what may come down the line but exciting times for sure 

[Kenban]

2 hours ago, ohiocoasterfan said:

For those that don’t like to read a bunch of names, here is the important parts of the document.

If B&M is coming back to KI it could be a very good chance of us getting a GIGA.

I don’t know where it would go though with all the SOB teasing we’ve seen. They seem to be sprucing up and reinvigorating Coney Mall so I’d think it would go over there. I just don’t understand all the SOB references.

I’m calling Steel Beast!


 

 

If you look through the fillings, the last time a similar notice was filed it lists GCI, and it was for Mystic Timbers.  Personally I read this as basically a confirmation we are getting a B&M in 2020.  We can argue, model, layout, height, location, etc. but in my opinion we know the year and the manufacturer of the next coaster at Kings Island.

[SonofBaconator]

38 minutes ago, Kenban said:

Personally I read this as basically a confirmation we are getting a B&M in 2020.  We can argue, model, layout, height, location, etc. but in my opinion we know the year and the manufacturer of the next coaster at Kings Island.

I feel like new life is breathed into this thread and into the B&M giga believers. KI fans have wanted this for years and we finally have some legit proof of a giga coming to KI.

[silver2005]

Uh...we only know it'll be a B&M at the moment.  We don't know what type yet.  The floorless, wing and dive models are certainly still in play (CW just proved that CF is willing to put in bigger similar models at parks close to CP).  

[SonofBaconator]

@silver2005 very true, I should have worded it better- "evidence that suggests a giga" would be more like it

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

16 hours ago, ohiocoasterfan said:

For those that don’t like to read a bunch of names, here is the important parts of the document.

If B&M is coming back to KI it could be a very good chance of us getting a GIGA.

I don’t know where it would go though with all the SOB teasing we’ve seen. They seem to be sprucing up and reinvigorating Coney Mall so I’d think it would go over there. I just don’t understand all the SOB references.

I’m calling Steel Beast!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Steel Beast is a name I've used for some of the paint giga concepts I've made and posted on here in the past.

[McSalsa]

Well, this document is very interesting. I would say I am about 90% sure we are getting a B&M in 2020. Is it the long-rumored Giga? Possibly. Could also be...

Dive Coaster: These things are GP magnets, Valravn at Cedar Point is crazy popular (it drew a ton of people away from Millennium Force when it re-opened on a Friday when I was there, Millie's wait dropped from 90 minutes to 45 almost as soon as Valravn when up) and they are not as expensive as other B&M models, so I would not be 100% shocked if Kings Island got one, though they did just announce Yukon Striker for Canada's Wonderland and Valravn is in the same state and is still pretty new, and they may not wanna undercut Valravn's long term legs.

Floorless Coaster: This is another option, though they would need to make it huge and do stuff Banshee does not do to keep the 2 from feeling too similar. However, it would not be much cheaper than the Giga, and since so many people seem to want a Giga, why not just go for that?

Wing Coaster: The craze for these seems to have died down slightly in recent years, but this is still an option. They could also pull a Thunderbird on this (TBH Floorless too) and have it be launched, though Kings Island is pretty close to Holiday World and I imagine people would notice if KI ripped off Thunderbird. Also, this would also be fairly expensive and not too much cheaper than a Giga.

B&M's other models are options, save for a Hyper and Invert since KI already has them, but the chances for any of those seem VERY low to me. There is also the option that KI gets a brand-new model of B&M, such as the rumored 4D coaster, but we would have nothing to speculate on that until construction started.

If I was gonna bet, though, I'd go Giga. There have been enough requests for it, it was speculated for BOTH Banshee and Mystic Timbers by fans (some of whom got annoyed when it turned out those were a Invert and GCI Woodie) and it would be a HUGE draw to Kings Island. Millennium Force no longer needs protected, it will be 20 years old in 2020 (off-topic: I see MF becoming a ACE Landmark in 2020) and CP has new draws like Valravn, Steel Vengeance, and possibly their own new 2020 coaster. If KI and CP both get huge new coasters in 2020, it could draw people to BOTH parks, meaning even more money for Cedar Fair. It would also be a warning to Kentucky Kingdom not to step on KI's toes, since there are rumors about KK getting a hyper coaster. It just seems to make sense- though if we do get a Giga in 2020, I would not expect another big coaster for at least 4-5 years after, so not sure what the park would do for its 50th in 2022. Probably bring back Phantom Theater or something?

[SonofBaconator]

11 minutes ago, Maverick44 said:

Ugh Just what we need. Another B&M in chain. Give me something else please. Don't they know the B in B&M stands for BORING and the M stand for Mild. So lets welcome the new Giga from Boring&Mild!!

I actually attended an event for interns this summer when I co-oped at Cedar Point where we got to meet Cedar Point executives. When we were able to ask questions I asked the woman who supervises rides, whose name escapes me, if the relationship between Cedar Fair and Intamin has changed due to downtime and the Shoot the Rapids incident. She said, and this isn't word for word, that Intamin got Cedar Point where it is today with rides like Millennium Force, Top Thrill Dragster, and Maverick- however the cost of operating those rides has gone up 53% in the last couple of years. Cedar Point, and to an extension- Cedar Fair, wants to provide guests with fun and thrilling rides while being able to have safe and affordable operations. In a conversation with Jason McClure, he said that the company would continue to work with B&M for a while because of their excellent track record.

Just food for thought. Please don't make this thread a manufacturer bash

[SonofBaconator]

54 minutes ago, Maverick44 said:

Boo this man!

It would be ill advised to "boo" the VP/GM of Cedar Point.

[AintNutinElse2Do]

While the document seems to indicate B&M and 2020 aren't these things usually more about when work is to commence. Meaning just as likely the construction starts in 2020 and opening 2021. Not what we want to hear but seems possible.

[GigaLover]

In my opinion it’s pretty much confirmed we will get a B&M in 2020.. you probably have 4 options: dive, wing, giga or something totally new.. Dive is out, Yukon strike will be going in 2019 just north they won’t install dives in back to back years.. I agree Wing coaster hype has really died off and not popular anymore so that is out... that leaves a GIGA or something totally new.. with the facts we know already this looks like a sure thing for a GIGA.. but I would not rule out something new from B&M that we don’t know about who knows.. A giga has been LONG rumored for Kings Island and I believe we will finally see it come to forution.. now I do believe Intamin could bring something excited but B&M is the way to go, and they will make this thing terrific they will try new things and make it different from others and make it even more foreceful and thrilling.. this will surely be a world record breaker in some shape of fashion.. high capacity and reliability is unmatched for B&M I remember riding fury for the first time and was absolutely shocked how fast we were loaded and dispatched, it was fantastically fast.. anyway I can’t wait for the 2019 season and teasers start to come itd be excited if we even got teasers during winterfest... I hope I don’t get hyped up for nothing but this looks to be happening.. hoping for the long lost giga 

[Bwb.32]

The enthusiast fanbase right now 

[fryoj]

The only way I can see this being anything but a giga would be if they are tearing out Vortex and replacing it. The coney mall area seems to be the clear location. In that area you already have Vortex, Firehawk and FoF which are all inverting coasters. Adding another in the area, while possible, just seems unlikely. Diamondback seems to stay as the most popular ride in the park, so putting a bigger version of it on the other side of the park just fits both from a lineup perspective and for distribution of guests. I think we start seeing work on this sometime early in the season for a 2020 opening. They've not spent a lot, in theme park terms, on 2018 and 2019 improvements. So the funding should be there. 

[JubJester]

I'm not going to dismiss a ride that's not even confirmed, based on the manufacturer. As long as it's a great ride. I know they won't disappoint in whatever they do. 

I'd rather save Intamin for a Maverick type coaster. Maybe even Mack.

[Magenta Lizard]

12 hours ago, Bwb.32 said:

The enthusiast fanbase right now 

Don't confuse the fanboys who look at all evidence to the contrary and still believe whatever they want to happen is going to happen, then get upset at the park for "leading them on", with actual enthusiasts. The former may be louder and more obnoxious but they are a very small fraction of Coaster and theme park enthusiasts.

In this case, the seasoned enthusiasts tried to explain to the fanboys that their "proof" of SoB returning was just an artist at Cedar Point having a little fun putting Easter egg references to other parks in his theming posters, some wood that was added by a ride op, and several logos that are scattered around Kings Island, all of which have been there at least a year and some for several years. That SoB is a dark mark on Kings Island history. That since the entire structure has been removed (and was never as structurally sound as it would need to be) that they weren't going to make an RMC SoB  (if they do eventually build a ground-up RMC, why would they continue to reference a failed ride?!) While the enthusiasts were trying to convince them to calm down and actually think about it, they did the equivalent of sticking their fingers in their ears shouting "I'm not listening!"

And now, that it should be clear that sensibly this was never going to happen, they're yelling at the park for raising their expectations, and still holding out hope that next year they'll get what they want. 

It gets really tiring after a few years of seeing this cycle, and giving too much attention to the ridiculousness makes actual coaster enthusiasts look like idiots by association. 

The vast majority of coaster and theme park enthusiasts understand that it is ultimately a business, and Kings Island ideally is going to make the decisions they believe make sense from a business standpoint. The rumors last year made it very clear that a large population (not just a few so-called-enthusiasts) missed the antique cars, and bringing them back would be a popular decision with many park attendees (and not for nothing, it is a relatively inexpensive addition).

I personally believe that it is also a continuation of laying the groundwork of infrastructure in Coney Mall that is leading up to a new Giga that will be around the old Dinos Alive area. I think it would make business sense for the park, and it also happens to mesh with my personal aesthetic belief that is where a Giga "belongs" if the park adds one. But, if I'm wrong, I'm certainly not going to blame the park for "getting my expectations up" with all of these Coney Mall improvements. I'm happy to see the improvements for their own sake. 

[TombRaiderFTW]

I also can't help but wonder how many of the people demanding Son of Beast's return actually rode the thing.

I'm sure someone will reply to this with "it wasn't that bad," but I don't think you all understand how rough of a ride it was. To many, it was literally the baseline comparison for how rough a wooden coaster could be. Beast and Racer never had anything on it. In rougher years, more hyperbolic members would say that both were approaching Son of Beast's roughness, but I sincerely can't think of a time when anyone ever accused either of being rougher. I've ridden something in the neighborhood of 290-something coasters, and the only rides that have ever come close to that experience for me were Boardwalk Bullet and Gwazi.

Everything up to the first drop after the lift was good. Everything after somehow managed to make meandering airtime- and lateral-lessly into a painful experience. Based on how many "[Relative] of Beast" comments float around each time a new ride gets built, I can't help but feel like many are more attached to the name and marketing than the ride itself.

[Maverick44]

10 hours ago, JubJester said:

I'm not going to dismiss a ride that's not even confirmed, based on the manufacturer. As long as it's a great ride. I know they won't disappoint in whatever they do. 

I'd rather save Intamin for a Maverick type coaster. Maybe even Mack.

I'd take a Intamin Blitz in return for a B&M Giga! sounds fair to me haha

[Keithndayton2]

54 minutes ago, Magenta Lizard said:

Don't confuse the fanboys who look at all evidence to the contrary and still believe whatever they want to happen is going to happen, then get upset at the park for "leading them on", with actual enthusiasts. The former may be louder and more obnoxious but they are a very small fraction of Coaster and theme park enthusiasts.

In this case, the seasoned enthusiasts tried to explain to the fanboys that their "proof" of SoB returning was just an artist at Cedar Point having a little fun putting Easter egg references to other parks in his theming posters, some wood that was added by a ride op, and several logos that are scattered around Kings Island, all of which have been there at least a year and some for several years. That SoB is a dark mark on Kings Island history. That since the entire structure has been removed (and was never as structurally sound as it would need to be) that they weren't going to make an RMC SoB  (if they do eventually build a ground-up RMC, why would they continue to reference a failed ride?!) While the enthusiasts were trying to convince them to calm down and actually think about it, they did the equivalent of sticking their fingers in their ears shouting "I'm not listening!"

And now, that it should be clear that sensibly this was never going to happen, they're yelling at the park for raising their expectations, and still holding out hope that next year they'll get what they want. 

It gets really tiring after a few years of seeing this cycle, and giving too much attention to the ridiculousness makes actual coaster enthusiasts look like idiots by association. 

The vast majority of coaster and theme park enthusiasts understand that it is ultimately a business, and Kings Island ideally is going to make the decisions they believe make sense from a business standpoint. The rumors last year made it very clear that a large population (not just a few so-called-enthusiasts) missed the antique cars, and bringing them back would be a popular decision with many park attendees (and not for nothing, it is a relatively inexpensive addition).

I personally believe that it is also a continuation of laying the groundwork of infrastructure in Coney Mall that is leading up to a new Giga that will be around the old Dinos Alive area. I think it would make business sense for the park, and it also happens to mesh with my personal aesthetic belief that is where a Giga "belongs" if the park adds one. But, if I'm wrong, I'm certainly not going to blame the park for "getting my expectations up" with all of these Coney Mall improvements. I'm happy to see the improvements for their own sake. 

This x1,000,000. Whenever I see speculation of resurrecting either SOB or Flight Commander I roll my eyes. Those two rides will forever be linked with actual* deaths or injuries. There is absolutely no benefit to the park in labeling something new with those monikers.

I also think it's hilarious how much "hmmm, 24 hours isn't a lot of time to build hype for a massive roller coaster announcement, PR is really dropping the ball on what's obviously an RMC SOB Giga announcement" became "OMG, I can't believe the announcement I said wasn't hyped enough turned out to not be the thing I said wasn't hyped enough." I mean, c'mon, 24 hours lead time was exactly the sort of advance notice you'd expect for something like the 'tiques return. That said, I also won't be surprised to see site work begin on something big for 2020 concurrently with building the new 'tiques along with some general sprucing up of that end of Coney. To me, that would fit totally in with CF's style of general area improvements that tend to happen with the opening of a new ride.

*The Bat is a different case. It was an ambitious but failed experiment whose DNA as a suspended Arrow really does live in the current Top Gun/Flight Deck/Bat. While there are some urban legends out there about "my cousin's boyfriend saw..." related to the original Bat (because those exist for every amusement park ride), that's not in the same ballpark as what actually happened on SOB and Flight Commander.

[sixohdieselrage]

The only thing I'll give SOB was that it was very intimidating. Just the sheer size of the structure just made my mouth drop at the time. Just think, a wooden support Diamondback, save for a couple feet tall. SOB in my opinion, looked more intimidating than SV does now. 

[silver2005]

^For all that 'intimidation', the ride itself was quite boring.  Every hill was drawn out so there was absolutely no airtime to be had, and the layout was all giant drawn out helices.   The only real good part was the loop since it was made of steel and it actually went into it quite fast.   Premier wooden coaster trains are very uncomfortable as well.  The fixes in 2007 just made it more boring and rough.  

I seriously don't get the love for such a boring, bad coaster.  

[JubJester]

3 hours ago, Maverick44 said:

I'd take a Intamin Blitz in return for a B&M Giga! sounds fair to me haha

I'm saying giga then an Intamin Blitz 

[Maverick44]

^^ That's fine with me as long as long as we get the Intamin Blitz. I'll take that offer any day!

[Rifleman]

44 minutes ago, silver2005 said:

^For all that 'intimidation', the ride itself was quite boring.  Every hill was drawn out so there was absolutely no airtime to be had, and the layout was all giant drawn out helices.   The only real good part was the loop since it was made of steel and it actually went into it quite fast.   Premier wooden coaster trains are very uncomfortable as well.  The fixes in 2007 just made it more boring and rough.  

I seriously don't get the love for such a boring, bad coaster.  

I think the love for SOB come not from the ride itself, but from the idea of the idea. SOB was a ride that tried to do  something very ambitious ( a looping wooden hypercoaster for Gods sake!). It was something unique and special, even if in reality it was a terrible ride. There has never been another coaster to match the pure ambition of SOB.

Rides like Diamondback and Banshee are great rides, and are among the best (if not the best) in their respective families. Any enthusiast who lists the best inverts or best hypers will include these rides in their top 10. As good as these rides are, there is no ambition in them, and there is nothing to make them really stand out as a landmark attraction.

In KI's history, there have been several hugely ambition projects. Some of them have worked out, other not so much. The Racer was honestly a risk when it was built, but its legacy is the second golden are of roller coasters. The original bat was a risk that failed, but its legacy is seen on every coaster that does not sit on the top of the track. The Beast, when it was built, was by far the most ambitious roller coaster ever built, and its success has had an unmeasurable impact on the coaster industry as a whole.

SOB was not a good ride, but it was a true spiritual successor to The Beast. It tried something that was beyond the scope of what had been viewed as possible before. When people ask for SOB to return, they are not asking for a return of the rough, painful, and arguably boring ride that the SOB actually was, they are asking for KI to once again attempt to do something that pushes the limits and cannot be found anywhere else. Right now, the only experience that you can have at KI that cannot be replicated elsewhere is The Beast. Sure, Banshee is the longest invert, and Diamondback is the only one with a splashdown, and Mystic is an all around great ride, but these alone do not set KI apart from any other park. The "Bring back SOB" crowd is longing to make KI something special again, and not simply "just another park"

[flightoffear1996]

I was not a huge fan of Wing Riders at first.  I have been on Wild Eagle, GateKeeper and X-Flight.  However, on my last trip to Dollywood over this past weekend it really dawned on me how awesome these rides really are.  I am on the giga train but I wouldn't mind a wing rider.

[JubJester]

^You would probably like Thunderbird. That ride was fun, and the launch really surprised me.

[Maverick44]

So lets speculate if it is a giga coming in 2020 how tall and fast are we thinking?

I am going to say 345' and go about 98 mph.

[purdude86]

1 hour ago, JubJester said:

^You would probably like Thunderbird. That ride was fun, and the launch really surprised me.

YEa I love Thunderbird. I haven't ridden X-Flight yet, but between GateKeeper, Wild Eagle, and Thunderbird I think Thunderbird is easily the best one. I honestly didn't really like GateKeeper much. The layout looks good but it just felt slow and dull for some reason.