How much longer for Backlot Stunt Coaster?

[SonofBaconator]

Arguably the most Paramount ride to still remain at the park, BLSC sits on prime real-estate. Will KI ever remove this ride or is it too popular with the families?

[BeeastFarmer]

Like every other steel coaster, it will reach the end of service life at some point.  Then it will be removed.

 

[BoddaH1994]

13 hours ago, SonofBaconator said:

Arguably the most Paramount ride to still remain at the park, BLSC sits on prime real-estate. Will KI ever remove this ride or is it too popular with the families?

“Ever” is a very long time.

10 hours ago, BeeastFarmer said:

Like every other steel coaster, it will reach the end of service life at some point.  Then it will be removed.

 

The ride is a hit with families, but I do agree with the original post - I think its days will be over if/when they find a more suitable use for that land right in the middle of the park. 

[jensenracing77]

Maybe they could combine that land with The Vortex/Bat land and build something big? Not likely but we can hope

 

[King Ding Dong]

Maybe something like a 387’ Strata.  

[Shawn Meyer]

I hope it stays for a long time. It's a great beginner roller coaster for kids in the family. 

[KI Guy]

I think if it's to be replaced it's way down on the to-do list.

I'd venture these come first:

1. Vortex plot - KI favorite lost/ seems empty

2. Tomb Raider Building- underutilized and ugly

3. Boo Blasters revamp- tired ride

4. Timberwolf re-purposing with Invertigo removal?- both have been upstaged and are now irrelevant

5. Bat Removal?- not as old as 'Draggin Iron' but more forces on structure

6. Flight of Fear lifespan?- Approaching 30 years old

Then maybe Backlot. I think very few would say that ride was a good use of the site it's on but they might as well some more years out of it.

 

 

 

 

[ThrillKingsFitzy]

6 hours ago, KI Guy said:

I think if it's to be replaced it's way down on the to-do list.

I'd venture these come first:

1. Vortex plot - KI favorite lost/ seems empty

2. Tomb Raider Building- underutilized and ugly

3. Boo Blasters revamp- tired ride

4. Timberwolf re-purposing with Invertigo removal?- both have been upstaged and are now irrelevant

5. Bat Removal?- not as old as 'Draggin Iron' but more forces on structure

6. Flight of Fear lifespan?- Approaching 30 years old

Then maybe Backlot. I think very few would say that ride was a good use of the site it's on but they might as well some more years out of it.

 

 

 

 

I honestly think it will get removed before The Bat and Flight of Fear. The Bat is too much of a gem for KI to remove and it has some sort of significance. Flight of Fear would leave backlot as the only launch in the park, which would leave an extreme launch gap. I just don’t see backlot staying around this long.

[cdubbs727]

I think people tend to forget how vital it is to have good family coasters instead of just thrill rides. Backlot Stunt Coaster is a great entry-level coaster for kids, particularly those who aren't ready for anything with too big of a hill yet (my son had an easier time acclimating to BLSC than to Woodstock Express because of this). It's a fun coaster and gives a good experience. I think it still has awhile left. 

The only big sticking point for me is location. I hate that it's smack-dab in the middle of the park; that's good real estate, and it's an unsightly mess behind the otherwise picturesque Eiffel Tower (the flames going off tend to ruin the romantic appeal of the tower). But it's gotta go somewhere, I guess. 

[medford]

Stunt coaster is a great family ride, and the type of coaster that KI needs more of.  I've mentioned several times that KI needs a nice intermediate coaster, something like fire chaser express that could accomadate the 44" height crowd and still appeal to the 48" and up crowd and especially the 30+ crowd that is taking their 44" height children to the park.  While stunt coaster is a 48" requirement, it fits a lot of the same gaps that fire chase express does.  fire chaser express is an awesome ride by the way.

BUT (there is always a but), I agree that it is an eyesore.  Personally, I'd change the name to Cincy Stunt coaster, then theme the billboards and attractions to cincy are places and themes.  Perhaps one for mason, something in Northern Kentucky and Indiana, one of the billboards for LaRosa's or skyline, etc.... Perhaps not worth the costs, but make it more unique to the area, perhaps exchange out some of the cargo containers for replicas of area attractions.

[purdude86]

I feel a retheme would take care of most people's issues with the coaster. It is a bit of an eyesore for the area, but the coaster itself is great. Give it a more western theme and it could fit well into Rivertown. Just make the tunnel look like timber, and remove most other theming elements and just add in some water, trees, wood, etc. Make it looks more like Pony Express at Knott's.

[DoomPlague]

I moved this ride up in my list recently. It's arguably more of a thrill ride than a family coaster but a good in between option. The launch is more than you expect and the other day I actually grayed out a tiny bit on that helix. I agree that a retheme would help.

Yeah, its in prime real estate but the park isn't short on land.

[Honorarius]

22 hours ago, medford said:

Stunt coaster is a great family ride, and the type of coaster that KI needs more of.  I've mentioned several times that KI needs a nice intermediate coaster, something like fire chaser express that could accomadate the 44" height crowd and still appeal to the 48" and up crowd and especially the 30+ crowd that is taking their 44" height children to the park.  While stunt coaster is a 48" requirement, it fits a lot of the same gaps that fire chase express does.  fire chaser express is an awesome ride by the way.

BUT (there is always a but), I agree that it is an eyesore.  Personally, I'd change the name to Cincy Stunt coaster, then theme the billboards and attractions to cincy are places and themes.  Perhaps one for mason, something in Northern Kentucky and Indiana, one of the billboards for LaRosa's or skyline, etc.... Perhaps not worth the costs, but make it more unique to the area, perhaps exchange out some of the cargo containers for replicas of area attractions.

I think that sounds like a fantastic refresh of the ride...

 

[SonofBaconator]

I do wish that the ride was somewhat altered when the Paramount team was cut. For example the Cincinnati Billboards would have been a really cool idea and could have been implemented at Kings Dominion and Canada's Wonderland with their respective local cities. 

I had an idea for a complete retheme that would keep the same layout but change the scenery. Basically I would make Backlot Stunt Coaster themed to fighting fires, I know original, where the trains are emergency vehicles and they're going to stop a fire. During the mid course you would see the helicopter redecorated to look like and EMS or fire department helicopter and you drive straight into the quote on quote burning building. It was something that I would like to create in No Limits 2 but it takes a more creative mind than mine to do that 

[FoF96"]

On 8/16/2021 at 12:31 AM, KI Guy said:

I think if it's to be replaced it's way down on the to-do list.

I'd venture these come first:

1. Vortex plot - KI favorite lost/ seems empty

2. Tomb Raider Building- underutilized and ugly

3. Boo Blasters revamp- tired ride

4. Timberwolf re-purposing with Invertigo removal?- both have been upstaged and are now irrelevant

5. Bat Removal?- not as old as 'Draggin Iron' but more forces on structure

6. Flight of Fear lifespan?- Approaching 30 years old

Then maybe Backlot. I think very few would say that ride was a good use of the site it's on but they might as well some more years out of it.

 

 

 

 

Woah now.  Approaching 30? I’ve still got 5 years left before that.  Don’t age us like that

[KI Guy]

15 hours ago, FoF96" said:

Woah now.  Approaching 30? I’ve still got 5 years left before that.  Don’t age us like that

You got me, haha. Well if they do some of the other stuff first, FOF will probably be 30 by then.

If they get if they were to get rid of BLSC soon it would probably be up for sale.

[PKIDelirium]

FOF is a very beefy structure (especially after the in-house additional track ties added to both KI's and KD's when they thought the track was the problem rather than the restraints) and attached to a massive, 8-foot-thick concrete slab foundation, rather than individual footers. It's also indoors, not exposed to the elements to cause corrosion.

We had a massive Arrow megalooper make it to 33 seasons of operation. The only one left is the newer Viper at SFMM. It might need new motors at some point, but I think it's durable enough to be around for well beyond 30.

Backlot is a fun but ugly ride. Vortex's space needs to be filled before it gets taken out or you'd have a complete void behind the Eiffel Tower. Once that site has been occupied, preferably by a large, imposing ride like Vortex was (large B&M floorless, S&S megalooper like Steel Curtain, etc) then I can see the Backlot location being a good place for something like Copperhead Strike, and have it be a Rivertown ride tied into the overall "Miami River" theme they've been using. Entrance on the side path rather than the back path (I miss when that path was just a nice scenic path with the uninterrupted low brick walls for the entire thing) and it could potentially also cross the path and have an element in the long-vacant plot where the dolphin show arena was located.

For the "family coaster" range, I could see a future, modern family coaster in the space currently occupied by the old Nickelodeon Theater.

[CoastersRZ]

I am still surprised that the park has not added anything on the site of where the Dolphin show arena was once located.  That entire path back to the Rivertown restrooms has seemed deserted for years.   It would be a good spot for a new flat ride of some sort. I have seen that food stand open several times this season though.

[SonofBaconator]

Here's my opinion:

Fill Vortex's land with a sit down looper

When the time comes, rip out BLSC and put in a Mack spinner geared towards families

[CorkscrewMcPuke]

Given how little strain it puts on the tracks, I don't see it going anywhere any time soon. It's not practical to tear out a reliable, popular ride like that. One thing I can see them doing is restyling it. I don't think that would be too difficult with how compact it is.

[SonofBaconator]

1 hour ago, CorkscrewMcPuke said:

Given how little strain it puts on the tracks, I don't see it going anywhere any time soon. It's not practical to tear out a reliable, popular ride like that. One thing I can see them doing is restyling it. I don't think that would be too difficult with how compact it is.

I always felt like if they kept it, pretty the area up and add some stuff surrounding it

[Skibum]

On 8/16/2021 at 12:37 PM, purdude86 said:

I feel a retheme would take care of most people's issues with the coaster. It is a bit of an eyesore for the area, but the coaster itself is great. Give it a more western theme and it could fit well into Rivertown. Just make the tunnel look like timber, and remove most other theming elements and just add in some water, trees, wood, etc. Make it looks more like Pony Express at Knott's.

I would highly prefer this.  Plant trees, remove or retheme the containers (retheme since they contain the electronics and tunnel, and maybe give the "subway" the mine feel with cross timbers and maybe some very dim lanterns.  I always love water features but adding in trees would both help the coaster's theme and would be attractive from outside of the ride and queue.  

On 8/20/2021 at 2:43 PM, SonofBaconator said:

I do wish that the ride was somewhat altered when the Paramount team was cut. For example the Cincinnati Billboards would have been a really cool idea and could have been implemented at Kings Dominion and Canada's Wonderland with their respective local cities. 

I had an idea for a complete retheme that would keep the same layout but change the scenery. Basically I would make Backlot Stunt Coaster themed to fighting fires, I know original, where the trains are emergency vehicles and they're going to stop a fire. During the mid course you would see the helicopter redecorated to look like and EMS or fire department helicopter and you drive straight into the quote on quote burning building. It was something that I would like to create in No Limits 2 but it takes a more creative mind than mine to do that 

My only concern with this is the Dollywood has a coaster (Firechaser Express) themed to fighting forest fires and this would feel duplicative.  

[SonofBaconator]

1 hour ago, Skibum said:

My only concern with this is the Dollywood has a coaster (Firechaser Express) themed to fighting forest fires and this would feel duplicative.  

Yeah that was my initial thought as well