Front Gate Coaster?

[SonofBaconator]

Along with a lot of random thoughts that come through my head on a daily basis, I churned up some old memories of people talking about wanting a front gate coaster as well as an updated front entrance. With this in mind I decided to make a poll to settle whether we should get a front gate coaster along with an updated enterance or not so please feel free to vote.

 

I personally said that we don't need an updated entrance or a front gate coaster. I think emerging on the other side of the restaurant and seeing International Street with the Eiffel Tower and the fountains is a pretty awesome experience. It's very similar to one you're at a sports arena and you walk through a tunnel and you see the whole field open up before your eyes. Also I wouldn't want a front gate coaster like GateKeeper, Leviathan, or Fury 325 because it would take away from viewing the Eiffel Tower walking up to the entrance. In theory if you do it right anything will look good but for now I'm happy with the front gate how it is.

[IndyGuy4KI]

Can you add an option of a front gate update without the coaster?

[SonofBaconator]

1 hour ago, IndyGuy4KI said:

Can you add an option of a front gate update without the coaster?

Added for you!

[purdude86]

I don't think KI should get a front gate coaster or change up the entry too much. Need to keep the "entrance reveal" of the park with going through a tunnel opening up to International Street. However I do feel like it could get up dated in some manner with a more spruced up entry of the type and a new restaurant on the second floor.

[westcoaster]

A year round restaurant operator entrance to both in park n out of park...spruced up entrance would rock...

Its one of the most iconic best Entrances anywhere..

[teenageninja]

A destination year round restaurant like a Rainforest Cafe or something the common Masonites would eat up, like an Outback?

[medford]

I don't think a year round restaurant would work well when the park is not open (at least not as a traditional restaurant) but I think if they took the restaurant, and allowed it to operate as a restaurant during park hours then be used as a corporate event center during non-operating hours while also opening it up for the occasional wedding or corporate event during normal park times.  I don't know the capacity, but having a wedding reception up there with dancing and end of the night fireworks isn't the worse idea.  I'm not sure how it would work with the park being opened and having your guest both at your reception and at the park, or all hot and sweaty after a day at the park, but I'm sure a handful of couples would be interested in that.  Obviously easy to pull off in the off season if they desired.

I'm not sure how long before corporate events would work again, I'm not even sure how much they do them any more, but using that upstairs part for meeting/training in the mornings while the rest of the family plays in the park, meet for lunch then everyone hits the park in the afternoon would be a boon for training. mid week during the season.

anyhoo, my point being, I think a revamped front gate is very much needed.  They need to install self serve ticket kiosks to free up those lines.  I'm sure the season pass processing area could use an update, the restaurant above could be upgraded and the overall look needs a boost.  I look how awesome the relatively cheap halloween set up looks and realize that a more permanent setup could greatly enhance your feel to the start of the day.

 

With that said, I never want a "front gate" coaster.  Walking thru the "tunnel" under the restaurant and having the sound and feel of the fountains along with the visual of the tower is very magical.  I am in favor of a "side gate" coaster update, ie getting rid of Invertigo and replacing it with something else and would give visuals to the side of the front entrance.  I just don't want something that takes away from that feel you get when you walk thru the other side of the front gate.  Perhaps a coaster that extended out well past the front gate work or even "under" the entry plaza would work.

[coaster sally]

I would rather have a parking lot coaster if it was a record breaker.

[SonofBaconator]

57 minutes ago, medford said:

I am in favor of a "side gate" coaster update, ie getting rid of Invertigo and replacing it with something else and would give visuals to the side of the front entrance.  I just don't want something that takes away from that feel you get when you walk thru the other side of the front gate.  Perhaps a coaster that extended out well past the front gate work or even "under" the entry plaza would work.

I agree I wouldn't mind a side coaster update. I think we all know that in vertigo's living on borrowed time and that's most likely going to be the next coaster to bite the dust so we will be without a "front entrance" coaster. 

I know I beat this concept like a dead horse but I wouldn't mind if we got a dive coaster to fill that space and sacrifice Congo Falls as well. It wouldn't have to break any records or anything, just be well themed, have a 90° drop, and look visually appealing. I know Cedar Point has Valravn but I don't think it would matter since more and more dives are popping up around the world. Maybe there's a better type of coaster to replace Invertigo and serve as eye candy but I can't think of one off the top of my head.

@coaster sally I wouldn't be opposed to a parking lot coaster as long as it's not like Scream! and has grass and looks like its part of the park

[purdude86]

i agree with Congo likely going with Invertigo. The two of them would provide a good size plot for a new coaster. Plus Congo Falls doens't seem to have huge ridership.

[XjoshhyX]

While I love the idea of having a frontgate coaster, I also don't really "need" it per say. I think you'd have to do it correctly, and while I trust they could, the real question is if they "should". I'd love a front of the park coaster that is right by the gate that isn't Invertigo though. Would personally love a ride that went in and around Timberwolf a bit.

I would love to see a new front gate in general, maybe update it with contactless/personless admissions booths. 

[SonofBaconator]

I may be wrong but I feel like a front gate coaster kills the skyline. GateKeeper works because most the coasters behind it are larger to where it doesn't really block anything. Fury 325 works because its pretty low to the ground in the front and doesn't really have much of a skyine. With our park the average height of our coasters is 104ft so I feel like putting something right in the front would kill our skyline. Invertigo works because its not as tall as the coasters behind it.