I'm not sure if anyone has noticed, but over the last week and a half the ring of seats on drop zone has been noted as sitting on various levels of the tower, meaning it will rise to a level and sit there for an hour or so.

Well if you had seen this from the street/highway you may have been confused.....but once you closer in the park you would actually see 3-4 people standing on the maintainince level of the ring.

So...naturally the question is: whats going on???

Guess what.......the tower is getting a new paint job!!!!!

Thats right...the park is finally going back over the fading paint on the tower!!

Just another of the capital improvement project going on in the park this year.

it's about the time. I hope this means that Drop Zone will be operating this weekend.

They're painting DZ?

SWEET!

Good info... that ride really needed it.

Is Top Gun getting some tlc this year as well?

Is it going to be done before opening day? Is it going to be the same colors?

It's about time, it's needed it for a few years now.

Nice... but let's hope the paint dries quickly. XD

~A~

Yes, it is about time. The colors were starting to fade quite a bit. With Face Off getting its coat of paint last season, it was only logical that Drop Zone would get painted soon. The maintenance workers could also be checking the bolts that hold the sections of the tower together.

DZ is looking good, they are about half way done with it. It ran fine today and is currently scheduled to operate this weekend, but thats subject to change.

Wow it really needed it! The paint job is a while overdue but I'll take it.

They were painting today and then ran the ride quite a bit... I dont think they painted the purple segment though :-/. It should be able to operate despite wet or dry paint...

I think the paint must be dry to operate

I'de hate to mask off that thing!

I think the paint must be dry to operate

I do not know that with 100% certainty... I do know, I was at work yesterday and they were painting the structure and within about half an hour, they were running the ride. I could be wrong, but the paint wouldnt dry that quickly.

They have spe cial paint that drys very fast and with the weather as dry as it was it probaly wouldn't take long for the paint to dry in the warm weather but I could be wrong.

cuold anyone post pictures after today?

I cant go to the park untill... a long time away.

iF YOU CANT POST PICTURES please DISCRIBE IF IT LOOKS BETTER/ WORSE/ EXACTLY THE SAME

I was at PKI today. The purple kinda looked brighter, but thats it.

-edit-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v672/Har...ow/IMG_2209.jpg

DZ pic.

Are they just Re-Painting it or is it getting a whole new paint job?

I'm guessing re-paint.? Someone who really knows what they're talking about can back me up if they want...

The yellow, green, and red had been repainted from what I saw today. There was some purple splatter near the top of the purple ring, but that was the only fresh purple. I would assume they will be finishing shortly.

The paint was more flat than it was glossy, but it did shine a bit. Overall what was painted was more brilliant.

On a side note, I noticed Vortex got a new sign.

From some of the pics I saw, did Top Gun get painted as well?

No Top Gun didn't get any TLC over the off season. The track looks horrible. The tracks look almost rusty.

You can see the old track paint job now, when it was red. Bleh!

You can see the old track paint job now, when it was red. Bleh!

You could see the old red showing in the station for the last few years now.

I'd really like to see Top Gun get some TLC, the theming to be fixed and re-painted. It seems to be the ride that never gets any TLC. I guess maybe they don't care cause it's all the way in the back of the park.

^Yeah Top Gun needs more than just a little TLC........it needs a complete overhaul! Its a good ride but as many people pointed out the track looks rusted and dull. The trains are filthy and covered in grafitti. The soundtrack and music can barely be heard through aging and dying speakers. The aircraft themed area which once was the que you walked through is now closed off and delapidating. The supports have paint peeling off of them to show how rusted they are. Trash, debri, parts of track and cars is just laying everyone on the ground beneath the brakes. The station paintings are chipped apart and the tarp that is along the sides of the station que is missing at some parts or featuring huge holes. On the lift, the speakers are always crackling and sound terrible, chain link fence lines the bottom of the lift and right side while most other suspended coasters have nice looking glass. The line theming is missing (the Russian mig and tomcat are gone, just the support stands there) or broken. IF you look at the original concept drawings for the ride there was supposed to be a F-14 tomcat replica on top of the station and a tower to be built to make it look like an aircraft carrier. Top Gun, while a great ride, does not help the parks image at all. And my biggest pet peeve of all about the ride, is that big billboard that shows an aircraft carrier and two F-15 Eagles, planes used by the air force not the navy and cant even be used on carriers are showing with a big Gillete Mach II symbol. Does gillete even still sponsor the ride? I dont see it on the back of the trains or hear it on the announcments.

And if they have a sponser they are no excuse for the ride to look like that. Of course doesn't Gillete have a new razor now? I don't hear much about the Mach III anymore.

But maybe whatever happens with the sale of Paramount Parks, something will happen to Top Gun. Either all the theming will be removed, or fixed. We shall see.

Yes, Gillette has a new razor, The Fusion.

And Gillette is now owned by Proctor & Gamble of Cincinnati, Ohio.

You would think that would mean something!

Top Gun has gone to Pot they need to retheme it and get a new paintjob or just remove it because while it is a good ride with no wait all it does is take up space.

It certainly did NOT have no wait yesterday or today.

It is a good ride and most assuredly does NOT need removing.

What's your favorite ride? Perhaps I will suggest IT be removed.