Discussing Land and Space in and around Vortex

[KI Guy]

2 hours ago, Orion-XL200 said:

The cost of that would be enough for a small flat ride! Having done small ponds and budgeting for them, it's not that cheap to do. 

I would rather have this pond than a small flat ride. People don't remember (or aren't old enough to remember) what it was like before Diamondback.

[Orion-XL200]

1 hour ago, KI Guy said:

I would rather have this pond than a small flat ride. People don't remember (or aren't old enough to remember) what it was like before Diamondback.

I don't disagree. 

I personally would rather have this, but unfortunately a new pond doesn't sell season passes. 

[OwenFromTheRacer]

I mean, I wouldn't be opposed to a return of Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal in that area. It could be incorporated into Rivertown in some way.

[Klabergian Empire]

I disagree with the notion of putting a water ride in The Vortex plot. KI already has 3 different water rides in the dry park with WWC nearby in Rivertown. I know for around 15 years or so WWC and Kenton's Cove coexisted, but KI doesn't need another water ride in the dry park. I truly believe The Vortex plot deserves a grand and photogenic coaster.

I believe the ideal ride for The Vortex plot is a Ghostrider model from Vekoma. Its minimum height requirement is 48 inches which makes it very accommodating. It would also give KI a modern launch coaster. The layout can be customized to fit the uneven terrain of the plot that can easily include moments of airtime and inversions. If done well, it could be the stand out steel coaster of KI. Considering the recent track record of Vekoma projects here in the US, a Vekoma Ghostrider seems like a slam dunk in the making.

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

My biggest issue putting any kind of large water feature in Vortex's plot is that you would need a massive retention wall to hold all of that water back from Beast Valley (or maybe it's also a part of Vortex Valley). I've tried to draw a diagram highlighting the three relative elevations that exist right there. The pink is the highest elevation right there, the orange is (approximately) the lowest (and where the ravine is), and the blue is the middle elevation where most of Rivertown sits. The light orange arrows point downhill, with everything emptying into the lower valley. I do think it would be really pretty, I just don't think it would work the best. 

Obviously no water feature would need to be terribly large and fill out the site like the AI had, but anything that goes there would need to take the valley and all of its slopes into account. I wonder how it might look if Beast's water feature was brought back (yes, I've heard all the arguments as to why it was removed) and a waterfall installed to allow water to flow into a basin toward the right side of the valley where you don't need as big of a retention wall. All of this to say I still think they should instead just make a new Swan Lake behind Diamondback's final helix as part of a Rivertown expansion area.

 

BTW I think Vortex Valley would be a good name for either a Scare Zone along that path or the general area right there 

[KICP16]

As much time that has gone by I’m almost tired of hearing “Vortex replacement” whatever eventually goes in that spot should not be thought of as a “Vortex replacement” it’s been too long. Something needs done with that plot of land though and I would completely be fine with 2-3 flat rides and another indoor sit down restaurant in this plot of land. If that happens I would hope for a major coaster in Action Zone. An Invertigo/congo falls/timberwolf removal and replacement. 
whichever of these concepts comes first doesn’t matter too me. 
2027 at the very earliest we see something major happen most likely 2028-2030. 

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

Funnily enough, there is a KIC discussion topic on whether it's time to retire the phrase "Vortex replacement" lol. The immediate slope of the hillsides would make it much harder to install any flat rides there without, again, installing a large retaining wall. Putting flat rides there also reduces the amount of space to put in a coaster (I'd really prefer they not cut down more trees near The Beast), so a coaster is still the best option. For those wanting a new indoor restaurant I think it'd be better to tear down Jukebox Diner and build a Grand Pavilion-style restaurant where KillMart currently is. That would also help to straighten out the midway and remove the awkward bottleneck that exists right there. Let Invertigo live out the rest of its life, replace Congo Falls with a MACK Rides water battle when its time comes, and then build another coaster stretching from Invertigo over to the Timberwolf Amphitheater (but NOT going over the front entrance of the park). 

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

A little thought of mine: When it comes to construction timeline of a potential replacement project, I could honestly see them choosing to not do much during the season when it comes to construction and run the drone show as usual with maybe minor construction happening in the part towards The Beast if anything. Then after the drone show raps up (usually around Labor Day) they go full steam ahead and start construction on the plot. While that would likely be pushing it when it comes to opening the new ride on opening day, I would honestly be willing to sacrifice an opening day opening if it means keeping the drone show going the season before a potential replacement. The land is already cleared if they don't want to go beyond the old Vortex footprint so all they would need to do is rip out the grass and the current drone pad as well as the leftover concrete from the transfer track and then basically can start digging for footers/foundations. They can still spend the season before teasing the crap out of it if they wanted which is what I hope they'd do and not just drop a teaser or 2 a week before the announcement. 

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

If they choose to withhold construction in favor of the drone show then I could see a potential June or July opening, even if it's a small and lackluster coaster. Something I would like to see stay/brought back is the foliage currently present in Vortex Valley. That or some kind of nice landscaping and hardscaping package would make the area around/under the coaster look much better compared to what was there before.

The park could also potentially move the drones to a different flying area depending on the criteria for where they can fly over. I can't imagine they use the entire Vortex plot for the drones when they mostly fly within a relatively narrow rectangle. 

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

Me and AI at it again! lol

 

[WoodVengeance]

1 hour ago, Hawaiian Coasters 325 said:

Me and AI at it again! lol

 

Looks like it was built for giants. 

[beastfan11]

1 hour ago, Hawaiian Coasters 325 said:

Me and AI at it again! lol

 

Truly appreciate your creativity. There’s so much that can be done with this space and I look forward to seeing your other ideas.