Action Zone retheme

[thatbandguy8807]

Ever since they added Banshee I have agreed that they should go for a "spooky" or "haunted" theme for AZ. They could open up blackout as a year round haunted house (either rethemed or kept as is) and have Wolfpack open up as well as something else but keeping the Forrest theme/feel. I feel like they would never get rid of timberwolf though as it is their concert venue. Yes it is only used once or twice a year but when it is used, it does bring in crowds. I would only see it go if they built a new updated venue somewhere else in the park. Where it would go I'm not sure but with that and removing Invertigo and Congo (either complete removing or relocating it somewehere else in the park) it would open up a huge new space for another major attraction. If it is all turned into Oktoberfest, I do agree the AZ portion should be more themed towards the Black Forest. I have wanted this for many years but doubt it will ever happen. I mostly want it though because Halloween is my favorite time of year.

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[DownInRivertown]

I love this idea. AZ has never been a theme I liked and Oktoberfest needs more ground because its awesome! Doing a german/spooky hallow theme would be fantastic. I also don't hate the idea of one year round haunted house at the park, and this would be a perfect spot for it. You have my vote!!

[super7]

On 3/11/2020 at 2:57 PM, Arrow said:

I've thought about this for a while so here's my two cents:

I quite like the idea of turning Action Zone into Oktoberfest, as that area doesn't really exist anymore. I've also seen a few people suggest turning AZ into somewhat of a "Monster" themed area, so I'll build off of that a bit.

I'd keep the name Bat, however I'd update it a bit. Although I appreciate KI's idea to update Flight Deck to The Bat, in doing so they really gutted out everything from the queue line and station. To update Bat, I think it would be pretty neat to add loose theming to the line such as props, fog, and sound effects. The tunnel could be transformed into a small cave with lights acting as bat eyes peering down at guests. The station could also be updated to a cave, with the queue line under the exit path turning into a tunnel until you reach inside the station.

Along with renaming the flat rides, updating AZ's to be more green would also be nice. More trees and foliage would make all the difference to change it from the generic Cedar Fair concrete area to a nice looking themed area.

 

It definitely needs more trees. It’s the most barren part of the park.  Although at the rate they’re cutting down trees the rest of the park is catching up with it

[Klabergian Empire]

I love the idea of having Oktoberfest annex AZ. I feel a re-theme of AZ is the best way to go about "fixing" it. But I would suggest Banshee and The Bat to made part of a sub-zone called "The Black Forest" and it can have a spooky/haunted feel to it.

[BringBackOurEagles]

47 minutes ago, super7 said:

It definitely needs more trees. It’s the most barren part of the park.  Although at the rate they’re cutting down trees the rest of the park is catching up with it

Seriously what is with Cedar Fair's war on trees!

I kind of wish they would revive adventure village, because I think that would open up a ton of jungle/safari theming potential, but Banshee really puts a wrench in that idea. Also, Adventure Express being in Octoberfest makes that feel even less-likely. I've never understood why they did that.

Maybe AZ could have a more inclusive "European" theme. Octoberfest is so half-hatched as it is, so it could just be a nice cincinnati-specific transition into the land. Viking fury is Nordic. Banshee is Celtic. The Bat could loosely rep Transylvania/Romania/Eastern Europe, drop zone could be set amidst ancient roman ruins, Invertigo/congo falls could be ripped out and the dive that replaces it could be themed to the swiss alps, there could be a picadilly circus/london themed plaza in the middle, and a Phantom theater-style dark ride themed to a French opera house. Maybe get a spanish-themed water ride in the mix. I am aware they will never do any of this but it's fun to think about.

[Klabergian Empire]

1 minute ago, BringBackOurEagles said:

Seriously what is with Cedar Fair's war on trees!

I kind of wish they would revive adventure village, because I think that would open up a ton of jungle/safari theming potential, but Banshee really puts a wrench in that idea. Also, Adventure Express being in Octoberfest makes that feel even less-likely. I've never understood why they did that.

Maybe AZ could have a more inclusive "European" theme. Octoberfest is so half-hatched as it is, so it could just be a nice cincinnati-specific transition into the land. Viking fury is Nordic. Banshee is Celtic. The Bat could loosely rep Transylvania/Romania/Eastern Europe, drop zone could be set amidst ancient roman ruins, Invertigo/congo falls could be ripped out and the dive that replaces it could be themed to the swiss alps, there could be a picadilly circus/london themed plaza in the middle, and a Phantom theater-style dark ride themed to a French opera house. Maybe get a spanish-themed water ride in the mix. I am aware they will never do any of this but it's fun to think about.

I disagree with a European theme since International Street already encompasses that. Having 2 areas of the park with the same theme doesn't make sense. Ceding AZ to Oktoberfest OR re-theming AZ to a haunted area would be the two most feasible options. 

[KIghostguy]

Retheme it to something haunted. Don’t annex it to Oktoberfest. Banshee is an Irish spirit, not German. 

[Klabergian Empire]

1 minute ago, KIghostguy said:

Retheme it to something haunted. Don’t annex it to Oktoberfest. Banshee is an Irish spirit, not German. 

I think there is a way to incorporate both a German theme AND a haunted theme into AZ. You cede most of AZ except for Banshee and The Bat to Oktoberfest but you make those rides (along with a minor expansion) centered around a haunted Black Forest (like I said earlier).

[BringBackOurEagles]

8 minutes ago, Klabergian Empire said:

I disagree with a European theme since International Street already encompasses that. Having 2 areas of the park with the same theme doesn't make sense. Ceding AZ to Oktoberfest OR re-theming AZ to a haunted area would be the two most feasible options. 

I guess by that logic, what's left of Oktoberfest should maybe just get absorbed by international street then, and AZ should be themed to something with no geographical reference, since I Street already encompasses Germany. Banshee and Viking fury are already themed to European legends that are not German that's the only reason I ran away with it.

[Klabergian Empire]

12 minutes ago, BringBackOurEagles said:

I guess by that logic, what's left of Oktoberfest should maybe just get absorbed by international street then, and AZ should be themed to something with no geographical reference, since I Street already encompasses Germany. Banshee and Viking fury are already themed to European legends that are not German that's the only reason I ran away with it.

Yes, International Street has a German section in it, but Oktoberfest was geared more towards the German festival of Oktoberfest and to include German themed buildings and attractions. So I disagree that Oktoberfest should be annexed by IS. And Viking Fury is Nordic which (in a sense) is somewhat Germanic since most vikings were settled towards the southern part of Scandinavia and they did speak a Germanic language.

[SonofBaconator]

2 hours ago, KIghostguy said:

Retheme it to something haunted. Don’t annex it to Oktoberfest. Banshee is an Irish spirit, not German. 

I'd say theme it to a old haunted mason town. I'm still coming up with some concept art to share everyone

[Joshua]

I'd be okay with a broader spooky theme that allows for a variety of different styles. One ride could have the old gothic, "castle thunder" style that Universal Monsters and Hammer are known for while another could be themed to 80s horror. The Bat could lend itself to the giant monster craze from the 50s and maybe they could do some Atomic Age stuff with Drop Tower and Delirium. 

They could even theme a coaster to the Maestro himself if his Theater never opens back up.

[SonofBaconator]

Here's a basic concept story for an Action Zone retheme I came up with

Kingsville Hollow

Back in the late 1800s, a group of Cincinnatians decided to move out of the busy city find their own fortune and find a simpler way of life. The took the Miami Valley Railroad up north to a small village called Rivertown. After disembarking Losantiville station, the group moved onward until stumbling upon an empty field. The lush land and abundance of trees from the nearby village showed a promising future for the for the settlers who started building their own town. In no time flat the town was complete and life began to thrive in this newborn town. There was a schoolhouse, a general store, a town hall, and a large farm. There was a huge ceremony and people came from all over southern Ohio to find prosperity. The townsfolk decided to call this young town, Kingsville Hollow after the Kings family who sold off some of their land to the town. All was fine for a few months as the villagers celebrated a simple life in this rural land, but it came as a cost.

After the 1st few months in their new town, the folks of Kingsville Hollow started noticing strange occurrences. Their livestock started to show up missing as sheep and cattle almost vanished before day break. There were several reports from eye witnesses who saw a giant winged creature gliding over the farmland at night. Additionally, there were reports of wailing coming from the attic of the school house as even more witnesses reported seeing a female figure flying through the night. Some of the residents were even seen levitating up in the air, some getting close to 300ft high, before falling straight down and stopping just shy of the ground while others were reported to be spinning around uncontrollably. After only a few short month of these occurrences, the townspeople decided to abandon Kingsville Hollow in hops of finding a new place to live. 

Now the once bustling town of Kingsville Hollow sits vacant. The old farm was abandoned after all the livestock disappeared and the crops dried out. A lot of the villagers moved to the neighboring Rivertown where most of the townsfolk work for the local mining company. It was rumored that the residents can still see the flying creatures off in the distance followed by the sounds of screams, shrieks, and moans.

 

Concept art will be added if I ever have the time.

[Klabergian Empire]

35 minutes ago, SonofBaconator said:

Here's a basic concept story for an Action Zone retheme I came up with

Kingsville Hollow

Back in the late 1800s, a group of Cincinnatians decided to move out of the busy city find their own fortune and find a simpler way of life. The took the Miami Valley Railroad up north to a small village called Rivertown. After disembarking Losantiville station, the group moved onward until stumbling upon an empty field. The lush land and abundance of trees from the nearby village showed a promising future for the for the settlers who started building their own town. In no time flat the town was complete and life began to thrive in this newborn town. There was a schoolhouse, a general store, a town hall, and a large farm. There was a huge ceremony and people came from all over southern Ohio to find prosperity. The townsfolk decided to call this young town, Kingsville Hollow after the Kings family who sold off some of their land to the town. All was fine for a few months as the villagers celebrated a simple life in this rural land, but it came as a cost.

After the 1st few months in their new town, the folks of Kingsville Hollow started noticing strange occurrences. Their livestock started to show up missing as sheep and cattle almost vanished before day break. There were several reports from eye witnesses who saw a giant winged creature gliding over the farmland at night. Additionally, there were reports of wailing coming from the attic of the school house as even more witnesses reported seeing a female figure flying through the night. Some of the residents were even seen levitating up in the air, some getting close to 300ft high, before falling straight down and stopping just shy of the ground while others were reported to be spinning around uncontrollably. After only a few short month of these occurrences, the townspeople decided to abandon Kingsville Hollow in hops of finding a new place to live. 

Now the once bustling town of Kingsville Hollow sits vacant. The old farm was abandoned after all the livestock disappeared and the crops dried out. A lot of the villagers moved to the neighboring Rivertown where most of the townsfolk work for the local mining company. It was rumored that the residents can still see the flying creatures off in the distance followed by the sounds of screams, shrieks, and moans.

 

Concept art will be added if I ever have the time.

I love this backstory!!! I would love to see this in AZ sometime soon.

[KIfan73]

Below is an older pic of Congo Falls, but I'd like to see this kind of theme come back.  That was one of the things that I initially liked about Kings Island way back when...so many things were sort of hidden away, and you definitely didn't feel like you were in an amusement park.  So many trees and landscaping, giving you the feeling of entering a different world.  Current examples:  Beast, MT (they did such a great job with this), of course Congo, Viking Fury, WWC, and The Bat.  Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal was another fantastic example.    

[purdude86]

Would love to see more trees planted in general. I think that is one of the things I love best about the idea of a dark forest theme. It would necessitate planting a lot of trees to give it a forest vibe. I like he spooky theme in general but trees is definitely a big perk. Weeping Willow trees like those scattered around would be great for the vibe too.

[amapan]

On 4/19/2020 at 1:57 PM, BringBackOurEagles said:

Maybe AZ could have a more inclusive "European" theme. Octoberfest is so half-hatched as it is, so it could just be a nice cincinnati-specific transition into the land. Viking fury is Nordic. Banshee is Celtic. The Bat could loosely rep Transylvania/Romania/Eastern Europe, drop zone could be set amidst ancient roman ruins, Invertigo/congo falls could be ripped out and the dive that replaces it could be themed to the swiss alps, there could be a picadilly circus/london themed plaza in the middle, and a Phantom theater-style dark ride themed to a French opera house. Maybe get a spanish-themed water ride in the mix. I am aware they will never do any of this but it's fun to think about.

Are you a fan of the World Showcase at EPCOT? I’m getting that vibe :)