Adventure Express Enhanced - What do you want to see?

[beastfan11]

With the announcement of Adventure Port, our beloved Adventure Express is set to open  with “enhanced theming” in 2023. While no details have been released, I’m sure there are a number of different show elements that we’d love to see brought back up to snuff. 
 

This could include: 

- The return of the “Station Master/Outpost 5” audio that used to play in the queue and station 

- The return of various jungle sound effects that were included throughout the beginning ride 

- Updated show scene and lighting elements in all of the tunnels 

- A refresh of the final lift hill with functioning effects and upgraded audio 

 

What do you think? Is there anything in particular that you do/do not want to see?

 

 

[silver2005]

An actual plaque of the 11th Commandment.

[IndyGuy4KI]

Just now, silver2005 said:

An actual plaque of the 11th Commandment.

Hey @TOPGUN1993Can you make that happen?

 

[silver2005]

Needs to be either in the station, the queue, or on the 2nd lift somewhere.

EDIT- I also realize the irony in putting up a plaque stating 'thou shall not mess with Adventure Express' while they're about to mess with Adventure Express.

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

Not necessarily Adventure Express, but I really want the whole area to get an IMAscore soundtrack. 

[KIghostguy]

Elimination of the FunTVs in the queue. Actually, this doesn’t just go for Adventure Express—how about the entire park?

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

12 minutes ago, KIghostguy said:

Elimination of the FunTVs in the queue. Actually, this doesn’t just go for Adventure Express—how about the entire park?

Especially Boo Blasters! Like seriously everytime I go in Boo Blasters queue and see them on, I just cringe. I think there is a time and place for FunTV's, a dark ride is not one of them. The whole point of a dark ride queue is to build up to what you are about to ride. It is supposed to be theming, NOT advertising/playing popular songs on a TV screen lol. 

[robintodd]

I'm not picky on what is done as long as it is kept up and lasts.  No sense in doing theming that will just end up not working in a couple of years.

[SonofBaconator]

This is more of a fan fiction so bear with me. Full disclosure, I don’t think that all of what I’m about to say will happen; if any of it at all.

Starting off with the updated que, I would put some posters along the line, similar to what you see when you are in line for Mystic Timbers. Here I would do a lot of callbacks to past attractions, as well as tie-ins to other Cedar Fair properties. I would keep the Tomb Raider queue music, but I would also add the outpost five and Station master audio prepping you for your journey. 
 

I don’t really know what work could be done to the station interior but adding a few crates and other enhancements: again taking some ideas from Mystic Timber’s station.

Regarding the coaster itself, I would put a lot of changes in the tunnels. The first tunnel would include enhanced audio and maybe some vines of sort hanging from the wooden beams. The second tunnel is where it would get interesting. In the second tunnel, I would add a block section that would stop the train entirely. I would have somewhat of a midcourse show scene or story telling audio before ascending the first lift hill (again, fan fiction.) The third tunnel would feature a bunch of spiraling red and orange lights underneath the track to give the illusion of lava. Then finally, we get to the fourth and final lift hill. I would first focus on the animatronics and make sure that they are all working and maybe light them up a little better. After the end of the final lift hill, I would enclose the final break run/storage section (Again, very similar to Mystic Timbers) and have one final show scene before entering the station.

This idea pretty much borrows elements of theming from Backlot Stunt Coaster with the mid course break run and Mystic Timbers with the enclosed rides, storage area, providing an extra scene for riders. The only problem with this idea is that you would need to operate all three trains, and to my knowledge they haven’t operated three trains for quite some time with the third one just being used for parts. Train one would be in the station waiting to dispatch, train two would be either ascending the final lift hill or waiting long the final break will run in the final show scene. Meanwhile, the third train would be on the midcourse breakrun scene before the first hill.

Again, this is purely be fanfiction, and I don’t think the park would go through all that trouble, especially with commissioning a third train, but it would be cool.

[BlondyRidesOn]

I love the addition last season of the Tomb Raider loading drums in the station. The downside is that it's difficult to hear, with the other outside noise and FunTV. An updated sound system would really help.

I would also love some themed music in the queue line itself. I don't know how copyrighted it is, but I wouldn't mind them recycling some of the other TR:TR soundtrack pieces:

 

 

[PKIVortex]

Station master returned, the flashing light return on Track 2 closed sign first tunnel. Audio restoration throughout the ride. Final lift restoration.

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[Captain Nemo]

42 minutes ago, BlondyRidesOn said:

I love the addition last season of the Tomb Raider loading drums in the station. The downside is that it's difficult to hear, with the other outside noise and FunTV. An updated sound system would really help.

I would also love some themed music in the queue line itself. I don't know how copyrighted it is, but I wouldn't mind them recycling some of the other TR:TR soundtrack pieces:

 

 

Not that CF has used non royalty free music before (IE WindSeeker). Most of the music from TRTR came from paramount IPs. Such as the preshow ambient music, that is actually a snippet from the show Survivor. The only music Cedar Fair owns outright is the ride music, preshow video music, and the loading drum beat as those were created for the ride by Rob Portoff and the park owns that music. Same idea as IMA score. 

While I would love to see the old outdoor queue music for TRTR to make a return to this area it is music from the (old) Tomb Raider movie, (old) Jumanji, and the film Baraka.

I have attempted to try and upload the indoor and outdoor queue music on YouTube but alas the music police always remove the audio.

I'm not against the idea of using the music from TRTR though. It would work perfectly for this area!

 

 

[Orion742]

4 hours ago, KIghostguy said:

Elimination of the FunTVs in the queue. Actually, this doesn’t just go for Adventure Express—how about the entire park?

Please!

I saw one of the FunTVs playing some dancing monkeys in line for Banshee the other day. I’ll never be able to get that image out of my head lol.

[Gordon Bombay]

1 hour ago, PKIVortex said:

the flashing light return on Track 2 closed sign first tunnel.

Wasn’t there a bell once too? Way back when. 

[PKIVortex]

They could of been, or a train whistle sound?

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[CoasterJack]

6 hours ago, PKIVortex said:

They could of been, or a train whistle sound?

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I think you might be referring to the loop that was played on the stretch of track before the first tunnel. If so I think I found the sound at 0:20 of this video. I believe there was a rainforest style loop that played up until a few years ago including a bunch of various train whistles and sounds.

Rainforest Sounds Loop

[Shaggy]

This is all posted by memory.  I might have missed a thing or two, but you'll get the general gist.

There was originally a bell sound and a long train whistle when you entered the first tunnel. This tunnel was supposed to be a like a "dynamite" tunnel I believe - with kegs of black powder in it.

There was also mist (not fog as some seem to think) along the section of track just after the train left the station and passed under the queue line bridge.  It was sprayed out of misters hoses attached to the side of the track.  You would then drop out of the mist down and into the first tunnel.  There were animal sounds, most notably monkeys.

I believe the second tunnel used to have a long snake in it, and of course always had the spears darting in and out of the "ruins." There were some smaller cobras that used to move around too.

There was music/creaking sounds played on the first lift.

The third tunnel was the "lava" tunnel and had a flickering/glowing red light effect and (I think) more mist originally.

The final tunnel, obviously had the "now you will pay" statues.  But the main effect was at the top, there was more mist and the large figure was animated with glowing eyes, and he tilted the basin he is holding and a minor amount of water poured out onto riders.  

The mist at the beginning and the water pouring onto the train at the end disappeared about the same time, I believed it had to do with rusting track.  Back in 1998 they had to replace a few sections of track - which I think they have done again since.

Its important to note, however, although most of the theming has gone by the wayside in the past 30+ years, it was never on par with something like Big Thunder Mountain etc.  The theming on AE was always sparse, and you went by it so quickly a lot of it got overlooked by riders.

Shaggy

 

 

[CoasterJack]

5 hours ago, Shaggy said:

Its important to note, however, although most of the theming has gone by the wayside in the past 30+ years, it was never on par with something like Big Thunder Mountain etc.  The theming on AE was always sparse, and you went by it so quickly a lot of it got overlooked by riders.

That's a perfect way of putting it. While it never had the level of the Orlando Parks, for KI, it's always had its charm and beats many attempts made by other regional parks. Also, Arrow Mine Trains have always had their charm, but I feel Adventure Express takes this another level with it's theming and character. While maybe not a Beast level night ride, the terrain style coaster gives amazing night rides. I hope KI can bring back some cool lighting effects on the tunnel, as well as on the arches, but at the same time the dark forest atmosphere is part of what makes it an interesting night ride

[Cedar Fair Fanboy]

You know, we can see how Outpost 5 no longer do the Adventure Express project. When they switch the route to Track 2 and how they made us the riders disappeared. That's explain the curse. I can see they add voice dialogue during the ride to make you feel like you're in danger. 

[MeredithGrey]

22 hours ago, CoasterJack said:

I think you might be referring to the loop that was played on the stretch of track before the first tunnel. If so I think I found the sound at 0:20 of this video. I believe there was a rainforest style loop that played up until a few years ago including a bunch of various train whistles and sounds.

Rainforest Sounds Loop

Sidenote/off topic - this is the kind of soundscape that would be perfect "white noise" to play in the background at home. Would love if there was a 1-hour track of this available.

[flightoffear1996]

Could we see fog return?

[johnjniehaus]

If the existing theming would actually be restored to working order it would be something. So, I'm definitely for mist/fog... runaway mine train at six flags over tx had a fog machine in it's first tunnel (for fright fest probably) but it added a really cool touch to the ride experience. They should definitely do something like that with AE 3rd tunnel because it's so fast it'll be over before anyone has the chance to suffocate in the fog. 

 

Anyway, I would like to see the final tunel repainted and updated with better audio. Other tunnels just spruce up what is there. The ride should have some projection lights or something to light up the trees or scenery at night. Basically enhance the night Rides. Even if they just touch up the que and add a few thematic elements like they did FoF que when building Orion (meteor with mist, barrels, etc)

 

One final thing is probably something I only have an issue with how boring the que tunnel is...like I would like to be able to watch as they dispatch the trains because that's so much more interesting than watching the fun TVs! As it's constructed currently, I have to squint through the cracks in the boards to watch the dispatched trains. Makes the line feel shorter if you can watch the ride while waiting. Sadly Firehawk was the master of that... you could see the entire circuit from that que! 

[PKIDelirium]

Invest in a spring-closer bar for that maintenance door in the final lift tunnel.

[PKIVortex]

Invest in a spring-closer bar for that maintenance door in the final lift tunnel.

I've believe that door has been replaced. I can't remember the last time I've seen it open.

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[super7]

Although it would slightly reduce capacity I would love to see the front car have a train theme like Carowinds Goldrusher.   It looks great.   CF has been theming front coaster cars in the recent years like Carowinds did in the 70s.   I doubt if it happens 
 

They will probably do some knickknack theming in the station and maybe queue like they have done at Jungje Expedition at Kings Dominion.  Someone is having a good time at flea market treasure hunts!
 

it would be nice if the fog returns.    Any on ride theming should be done in the 2nd and final tunnels.  The reset of the ride is too fast to see theming.    I hope they leave the first tunnel dark.  It’s great at night. 
 

This isn’t theming but the biggest improvement they could make to the current coaster is removing that stupid  kink in the helix.   Arrow really knew how to make a coaster unnecessarily janky. 

[purdude86]

I would be happy enough for all the current elements to be restored, and the sound effects and fog for the first bit to return. Main wish list item would be to have full theming of the third tunnel like the other 3 have. That stretch always feel so out place to the rest of the ride, like the ran out of budget and just stopped. The first one has a nice mine shaft look with props. Second has stone tiled wall look throughout with spear effects and artifact props, final lift has the statues chamber. The the third tunnel is just a basic wooden box with a spinning light. I know the little rock facade and red light are supposed to simulate a volcano, but I would have never guessed that if I wasn't told. can keep the volcano theme but love to see it get a rock wall interior with orange/red/yellow underlighting below track to simulate lava/magma with light fog for a steam effect.

Other potential enhancements would be something for the turn into the station. Don't think there is much they can do for it, but just a little theming would help that little dip and turn not feel so plain after the lift. Additonal queue and station theming/props would be great too. Neither of these is really necessary but would enhance the experience.

[rlentless]

I would love for the mist to come back but I thought they removed it because it prematurely rusted out track.  I guess they can use non-misting type of foggers but not sure how cost effective it would be for the long term.

I love AE but I remember the year it opened and I went to ride the new coaster that year.  I was loving every moment and then the final lift hill, the music, the statues with the arms swinging, the lava being dumped on the train.  I think they even had droplets of water dripping on you (not sure about that one).  The doors opened and I thought with this huge buildup we would be dropped in a deep dark tunnel or something.  But no, the just opened back to the queue line.  I thought "What the crap, that's it"!! 

Like I said I love the ride, rode it dozens of times.  Just that first time I was expecting something amazing after the final lift hill.

[BeeastFarmer]

Hmmm...buildup to an awesome ending involving a Volcano...only to met with anticipointment in the end.  Sounds like Kings Dominion took a hint directly from KI. 

 

[BoddaH1994]

I wonder if the mist is possible now. Clearly there is some sort of paint or coating available. See: Diamondback splash. 

[MDMC01]

Cool ideas so far; I too remember the rainforest sounds at the start of the ride (when I clicked the link to go to Youtube, one of the videos on the side was audio of the drum beats in the station (which is apparently from Tomb Raider)). And unlike others, I would love for that third tunnel (the supposed "volcano" tunnel) to go dark. I feel like the ride felt so much faster at night when those lights were out in the third tunnel. It was great to hit that long stretch and then feel an "oomph" in the side during the sudden right turn before exiting the tunnel. Also, the fog/mist effects sound super cool. I am all for the rainforest theming of the area, so the more the merrier for me!