CoasterNation: RMC Raptor coming to Kentucky Kingdom?

[BoddaH1994]

https://coasternation.com/new-single-rail-rmc-roller-coaster-coming-to-kentucky-kingdom/

[coaster sally]

Supposed to be a wonder woman/railblazer clone but gforce1994 gave it a custom layout.

[IndyGuy4KI]

If the title of their article had a question mark at the end like you added to the title of this thread it would give this article more credibility.  Until the park announces it, this is all a rumor, but that is not how the article reads. Hinting is not the same as confirming. With everything going on KK could change their minds and then CN has got people excited for something no longer there or delayed. 

[FUN&ONLY!]

5 minutes ago, coaster sally said:

Supposed to be a wonder woman/railblazer clone but gforce1994 gave it a custom layout.

Do we know if it is supposed to be a clone?

[coaster sally]

3 minutes ago, FUN&ONLY! said:

Do we know if it is supposed to be a clone?

Can't quote exactly but that is what I hearing.  Also doubt KK would do the added expense in a custom layout.

[gforce1994]

It’ll be curious if the $400k off deal applies to this coaster.

[coaster sally]

12 minutes ago, gforce1994 said:

It’ll be curious if the $400k off deal applies to this coaster.

Mr hart knows a bargain.

[westcoaster]

Awesome addition.it would be. 

[gforce1994]

2 hours ago, westcoaster said:

Awesome addition.it would be. 

I would agree. It’s amazing how tightly squeezed the ride would be in that spot.

[BeeastFarmer]

This piece is about a month behind the times.  While I hope it's true, I'm not holding my breath for it.  If it does happen, I'd bet we would see some response by KI quicker than we would without it.  

But then again, it might not be a Raptor.  It might be a redo of T3 into T4 with a dueling SLC.  At least that is what KK tweeted out. 

 

[SnakePlissken]

1 hour ago, BeeastFarmer said:

This piece is about a month behind the times.  While I hope it's true, I'm not holding my breath for it.  If it does happen, I'd bet we would see some response by KI quicker than we would without it.  

But then again, it might not be a Raptor.  It might be a redo of T3 into T4 with a dueling SLC.  At least that is what KK tweeted out. 

 

I really want the dualing SLC T4 idea even though it was likely just a troll tweet. Then in 4 years they can add 2 more dueling slc's and change the name to T8.

[gforce1994]

That would make a busy year for RMC. They’re finishing Jersey Devil, Iron Gwazi, MM, KD, Adventureland, and KD projects! Wow’

 

[SonofBaconator]

When the raptor comes I think that'll only be the beginning. Also, I see a 4d freespin in their future.

[gforce1994]

1 hour ago, SonofBaconator said:

When the raptor comes I think that'll only be the beginning. Also, I see a 4d freespin in their future.

I’m just secretly hoping they build a Gerstlauer hyper. 

[SnakePlissken]

3 hours ago, gforce1994 said:

I’m just secretly hoping they build a Gerstlauer hyper. 

Kentucky Kingdom is stuck with some kind of height ordinance and there is no way they could build a 200 foot coaster.

[gforce1994]

3 hours ago, SnakePlissken said:

Kentucky Kingdom is stuck with some kind of height ordinance and there is no way they could build a 200 foot coaster.

There’s a small sliver of land where they have the ability to build taller.

[Kenban]

8 hours ago, SnakePlissken said:

Kentucky Kingdom is stuck with some kind of height ordinance and there is no way they could build a 200 foot coaster.

Its complicated but they can, the height restrictions are due to the proximity to the airport.  The restrictions are extremely complicated because they are between the runways, it causes the height restrictions to look like a dome and are lowest where Storm Chaser is located at around 100 ft., but much higher around the entrance, Lightning Run, and where the picnic grounds are located.  To my knowledge the highest the park has ever built was 177ft tall and it was the old Tower of Power, and currently the highest is 150 ft tall.  177 ft tall is close enough that to the riders it will feel like a hyper coaster.  But according to Ed Hart they actually can go 200 ft tall in a large enough area they can build a hyper.  He has discussed it multiple time during Q&A sessions at the park with enthusiasts, so there is likely more information out there then I can remember.

[Shaggy]

4 hours ago, Kenban said:

Its complicated but they can, the height restrictions are due to the proximity to the airport.  The restrictions are extremely complicated because they are between the runways, it causes the height restrictions to look like a dome and are lowest where Storm Chaser is located at around 100 ft., but much higher around the entrance, Lightning Run, and where the picnic grounds are located.  To my knowledge the highest the park has ever built was 177ft tall and it was the old Tower of Power, and currently the highest is 150 ft tall.  177 ft tall is close enough that to the riders it will feel like a hyper coaster.  But according to Ed Hart they actually can go 200 ft tall in a large enough area they can build a hyper.  He has discussed it multiple time during Q&A sessions at the park with enthusiasts, so there is likely more information out there then I can remember.

The tallest rides at KK were in direct correlation to each other due to the height variance.  You could, at one time, essentially, draw a straight line from Hellevator to the Giant Wheel to the top of Chang's lift when looking at the park from an overhead view.  Here's an approximate mock up using the current Google Earth view...

Of note - there was once an Intamin Impulse coaster proposed for SFKK.  It was to take part of the land used by Tin Lizzies and run along the road.  Its tallest spike was supposed to fall in line with the other tall rides there.  The park ultimately installed Greezed Lightning from SFAW instead.

[gforce1994]

2 hours ago, Shaggy said:

The tallest rides at KK were in direct correlation to each other due to the height variance.  You could, at one time, essentially, draw a straight line from Hellevator to the Giant Wheel to the top of Chang's lift when looking at the park from an overhead view.  Here's an approximate mock up using the current Google Earth view...

Of note - there was once an Intamin Impulse coaster proposed for SFKK.  It was to take part of the land used by Tin Lizzies and run along the road.  The park opted to install Greezed Lightning from SFAW instead.

Was that impulse in addition to the one SF ordered for SFO or was that it?

[Shaggy]

That I don't know.  I was just told by a park rep (at the time) that the park had spec'd the land for an impulse.  I'd assume it was a separate install since Superman at SFO was installed in 2000 and lasted until 2006.  This would have been in the early '00s that I was told.

I don't have any tangible proof, just the spoken word of an Exec.  So any "source" hounds out there can just keep quiet.  ;-)

Its worth noting that KK was basically a lamentable mess during those SF years... inside and out.  It was definitely one of the "stepchildren" of the SF parks (another example being Six Flags Astroworld that was treated precisely the same way.)  There were a couple glimmers of hope - like when Melinda Ashcraft, the GM of SFOG, transferred there.  She had just begun making strides... and had much better plans for the park.  But very quickly she was promoted to GM of Six Flags Fiesta Texas (I believe) and then, ultimately became the President of Six Flags Over Georgia. In the short time she was at SFKK, she met with me (I was the regional rep for ACE for a short period of that time) and revealed some really good things she was pushing for at the park.  After she left, the plans just went away.

The park then just got jostled around, bad leadership constantly shuffled, park operations suffered, organization suffered etc etc etc.  Instead of fixing rides, they literally walled them off, or SF sent them elsewhere.  Crime ran rampant in the park,  They never warranted new, noteworthy attractions - and any strides to draw attention literally turned into disasters.  (When they received the "new" shuttle loop - Greezed Lightning - from SFAW, they couldn't even get it running.  Yet knowing this, they still invited media and enthusiasts to a grand opening preview for it.  When everyone, including news cameras, arrived at the park they simply announced it wasn't operating and said everyone could ride the Drop Tower instead and go home.  Some had driven hours to attend the event.  It was mind boggling - they literally managed to create an even bigger PR disaster for an old, used ride  - a clunker they were already challenged to promote.)   

The infamous accident on the Superman Tower of Power, years later, exposed how disfunctional the park was on many levels.  That was the final nail.

Its hard for many to imagine, but prior to the Premier buyout, KK was a force to be reckoned with... and it was actually giving other regional parks a bit of concern.  In just the course of a decade Hart added ride after ride, coaster after coaster.  That turned out to be a move to sell off the park - which he did.  And thus began the parks long descent into madness.

[BoddaH1994]

On 7/23/2020 at 4:08 PM, Shaggy said:

That I don't know.  I was just told by a park rep (at the time) that the park had spec'd the land for an impulse.  I'd assume it was a separate install since Superman at SFO was installed in 2000 and lasted until 2006.  This would have been in the early '00s that I was told.

I don't have any tangible proof, just the spoken word of an Exec.  So any "source" hounds out there can just keep quiet.  ;-)

Its worth noting that KK was basically a lamentable mess during those SF years... inside and out.  It was definitely one of the "stepchildren" of the SF parks (another example being Six Flags Astroworld that was treated precisely the same way.)  There were a couple glimmers of hope - like when Melinda Ashcraft, the GM of SFOG, transferred there.  She had just begun making strides... and had much better plans for the park.  But very quickly she was promoted to GM of Six Flags Fiesta Texas (I believe) and then, ultimately became the President of Six Flags Over Georgia. In the short time she was at SFKK, she met with me (I was the regional rep for ACE for a short period of that time) and revealed some really good things she was pushing for at the park.  After she left, the plans just went away.

The park then just got jostled around, bad leadership constantly shuffled, park operations suffered, organization suffered etc etc etc.  Instead of fixing rides, they literally walled them off, or SF sent them elsewhere.  Crime ran rampant in the park,  They never warranted new, noteworthy attractions - and any strides to draw attention literally turned into disasters.  (When they received the "new" shuttle loop - Greezed Lightning - from SFAW, they couldn't even get it running.  Yet knowing this, they still invited media and enthusiasts to a grand opening preview for it.  When everyone, including news cameras, arrived at the park they simply announced it wasn't operating and said everyone could ride the Drop Tower instead and go home.  Some had driven hours to attend the event.  It was mind boggling - they literally managed to create an even bigger PR disaster for an old, used ride  - a clunker they were already challenged to promote.)   

The infamous accident on the Superman Tower of Power, years later, exposed how disfunctional the park was on many levels.  That was the final nail.

Its hard for many to imagine, but prior to the Premier buyout, KK was a force to be reckoned with... and it was actually giving other regional parks a bit of concern.  In just the course of a decade Hart added ride after ride, coaster after coaster.  That turned out to be a move to sell off the park - which he did.  And thus began the parks long descent into madness.

...and I wouldn’t be surprised if his plan is to ultimately sell it again. 

[BeeastFarmer]

He and his partners have every right to sell the rights to operate the park if they decide it is in their best interest.  That sale is up to the state Fair Board to approve per contract.  I would imagine they would be extra cautious after the pandemic, until parks have recovered financially which will be years.  But that is all for speculation in the KK main thread.

[gforce1994]

Currently there’s a lot of chatter in the Passholder groups about the new coaster. It’ll be interesting to see how the park dynamics change with the new coaster.

[SonofBaconator]

I've only seen one concept people keep referencing. Seems like a tight squeeze.

[gforce1994]

10 hours ago, SonofBaconator said:

I've only seen one concept people keep referencing. Seems like a tight squeeze.

It will be an impressively tight squeeze. Should be fun.

[SonofBaconator]

57 minutes ago, gforce1994 said:

It will be an impressively tight squeeze. Should be fun.

Is that just a guess or is that based off of real blueprints?

[gforce1994]

10 minutes ago, SonofBaconator said:

Is that just a guess or is that based off of real blueprints?

Well, the distance between the the height markers on the FAA website matches the distance between the elements in the prototype model.

[gforce1994]

New Development: the area is being cleared out.

[gforce1994]

It looks like a lot of land has been cleared out.

[silver2005]

It doesn't make sense to me for a park with such a small coaster line up to build a coaster so similar to another one, by the same company no less.  

Also, getting 'news' from Coaster Nation is like getting information off of Wikipedia.