I am not in tears over it or Nighthawk but I am not happy with the process and how it's being carried out.
Anaconda Slated for Demolition
- Thread starter Zachary
- Start date
I am not in tears over it or Nighthawk but I am not happy with the process and how it's being carried out.
I don’t like this growing trend of forgoing last ride announcements. Even if I don’t mind the idea of Anaconda getting the boot, it still deserves a goodbye.
What we got next on the SFEC attraction Deadpool? Sad to see the bigger arrows go but I felt pretty indifferent about my one ride on Anaconda
There's a decent chance these decisions were made very recently due to poorer than desired financial issues, vice a desire to pull one over on guests.
Considering both parks are still open for the season, the ride closures aren't being done lightly. Most likely these rides were already prospectively on the chopping block, but some internals made SF realize they needed to take action sooner than later.
There was a water park entrance there until they built Backlot. I still hate that ride. I’d much rather have Diamond Falls over there
I can remember when the preview car for anaconda was sitting with the coming soon sign just in front of Mt Kilimanjaro. Another piece of classic KD gone but one I’m not too sad about. I’ll miss the way it looks but I won’t miss the ride itself. Onward to the future I guess…
I'm neutral on this ride leaving. It wasn't my first big coaster nor was it my first looping roller coaster. But it was one of the first roller coasters that helped me get over my fear of them. My first ride on it was 20 years ago and I remember being nervous to actually enjoying it. My friends and I marathoned it later that evening at leas 30 times. It was actually somewhat smooth back then, or we were just younger and could handle the roughness better than today. I still rode it when I could and even got my last rides on it during it's last operating day which presumably was P305's last day. It definitely fell to one of my least favorite coasters in the park over the years and if they can replace it with something much better, I'm all for it. That said, these unannounced closures fucking suck and is a real shitty thing to do to their customers.
Well, might as well share some last shots of this ride I took during Haunt and Winterfest.
Well, might as well share some last shots of this ride I took during Haunt and Winterfest.
This is exactly what's happening.
Wow, I thought KD would avoid the corporate grim reaper this round. Anaconda can’t be that expensive to run can it?
There are Anaconda fans out there. I definitely would have made my way up to get last-minute rides. I have fond memories of riding this with my GP friend. It was her second roller coaster of the day, and her entire life (Woodstock Express was the first). She loved it and had to get a second ride on it instantly. Anaconda gave her the confidence to overcome her fear of coasters and make her way up to rides like Dominator.
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This is the thing that's alarming for me. So far we have only seen the removal of super problematic and/or super unpopular coasters. Anaconda was neither of those.
I think that if corporate passed down a mandate that KD had to cut a coaster, Anaconda is, unquestionably, the right choice. On a chainwide-scale though there are far, far, FAR more compelling options—and ones that are even less valuable to their respective parks in my assessment.
I worry about the next dominos to fall. Oh, and given what happened at Carowinds and Great Adventure, what's to say Anaconda is even our only 2024 casualty...? Scary thoughts.
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If the chain needs to cut costs say 5% ASAP without hurting revenue, these kind of moves would be what you would see happening.
It's possible that they came to the same decision point that BGW made with Loch Ness Monster - it was time to replace track, but in this case, the numbers didn't add up, and the decision was made to pull it. I've ridden it a couple of times and will not be pouring one out for it - it had its moment.
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I wouldn't be surprised if the next domino was a park such as SFA, or at least the dry part.
I think the unceremonious closings suck, but I appreciate (if nothing else) seeing Six Flags make tough, deliberate decisions this early into the merger. Whether this and Nighthawk were decisions of panic or not will determine how I feel going forward. From the outside, this new company is either extremely calculated and has a great plan in place, or they're already floundering and trying to cut costs wherever they can.
As far as the future of the plot goes, I would love to see the lake become more to the park than just the setting for their forgettable arrow looper. I liked Anaconda more than most, but I'd be more sad to lose it if the real estate it occupied wasn't (imo) the first step to fixing KD's idiotic layout. Now just move the rest of the water park south of Racer 75 and we're golden (never gonna happen, I know)
As far as the future of the plot goes, I would love to see the lake become more to the park than just the setting for their forgettable arrow looper. I liked Anaconda more than most, but I'd be more sad to lose it if the real estate it occupied wasn't (imo) the first step to fixing KD's idiotic layout. Now just move the rest of the water park south of Racer 75 and we're golden (never gonna happen, I know)
As Anaconda’s number 1 and probably only devoted fan I have to say from what I have heard from the ride operators and some second hand information from maintenance Im actually really surprised they decided to get rid of anaconda this season. There was a issue last season where a part of the support on the lift hill broke and they kept anaconda closed for a couple weeks to manufacture a replacement piece. It’s only the scaffold type support there so the part wasn’t too big but if it was planned for removal why even bother fixing it for haunt. Also a few of the ride operators seemed rather confident they would be working at anaconda again next season, none of them seemed to have an idea it would close.
I fear if anything else will go like carowinds or great adventure, but the late decision and increasing frequency of these coaster removals is getting rather concerning for the greater chain’s wellbeing.
I fear if anything else will go like carowinds or great adventure, but the late decision and increasing frequency of these coaster removals is getting rather concerning for the greater chain’s wellbeing.
It could also be a product of a common procedure or decision making process not being in place for removals yet. They may just be winging all of these this season before settling into more of a routine with the process going forward. Completely talking out of my ass but it's a thought.
If it IS financial issues, I hope these removals solve them. And I hope the savings go toward guest experience, not to their shareholders' pockets.
If it IS financial issues, I hope these removals solve them. And I hope the savings go toward guest experience, not to their shareholders' pockets.