Anaconda Slated for Demolition

[Fenrihr]

Considering Miss Utility Tickets have a lifetime of 14 business days, work should start very soon.

As a locator, this is laughable. Legally, MU Tickets have a lifetime of 14 days; realistically, I've marked tickets that were years old and the work had yet to begin, they just keep calling in updates to extend the ticket life.

However, this does mean that if they really wanted to, the work could begin on 12/26 at 7AM.

 

[horsesboy]

Given the current interest in water attraction at several other Six Flags park I wonder if there is any chance we could see the spot reused for a new water attraction.

 

[Zachary]

EXPANDING the water park on this side of Racer would seriously make me question whether or not there is any actual long-term vision for the property. I can see no reasonable land-use justification for using any of Anaconda's land for the water park... ever.

Long-term I think everyone agrees that the water park should all be unified on the other side of Racer. Right now, most everything on the park-side of Racer is super old. As long as KD sticks to only adding new offerings on the other side of Racer, they could, eventually, legitimately depreciate the front bit of the water park. Adding a new slide would basically reset the age clock on that area and likely kill those dreams for many, many, many more years.

 

[horsesboy]

EXPANDING the water park on this side of Racer would seriously make me question whether or not there is any actual long-term vision for the property. I can see no reasonable land-use justification for using any of Anaconda's land for the water park... ever.

Long-term I think everyone agrees that the water park should all be unified on the other side of Racer. Right now, most everything on the park-side of Racer is super old. As long as KD sticks to only adding new offerings on the other side of Racer, they could, eventually, legitimately depreciate the front bit of the water park. Adding a new slide would basically reset the age clock on that area and likely kill those dreams for many, many, many more years.

Yeah I wasn't clear I was thinking more like a dry park water ride that similar to what SOG is getting or some of the rumors for Carowinds prodject 26. I don't see an argument for expanding the water park in that direction. But Shenandoah Lumber Company and White Water Canyon both see extremely good crowd flow in the summer balancing them out with a jungle themed water ride for JungleX wouldn't be the worst idea. Plus we know how problematic those old Intamin raft rides are if removal of White Water Canyon is on the radar for the future rolling out a new water ride in advance would be wise choice in my opinion.

 

[Gavin]

As a locator, this is laughable. Legally, MU Tickets have a lifetime of 14 days; realistically, I've marked tickets that were years old and the work had yet to begin, they just keep calling in updates to extend the ticket life.

However, this does mean that if they really wanted to, the work could begin on 12/26 at 7AM.

View attachment 35702

As a locator, you have really shitty contractors.

 

[Laggasaurus]

Rest in peace, the first half of Anaconda.

 

[c.timber17]

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.

I could see this being like Carowinds where KD loses as coaster and at least 1 flat ride. There's a certain flat ride near the front of the park that is the last of its kind (I believe) and its counterpart at Carowinds was removed a few years ago... That definitely raises some red flags IMO.

 

[MasonNewton917]

I could see this being like Carowinds where KD loses as coaster and at least 1 flat ride. There's a certain flat ride near the front of the park that is the last of its kind (I believe) and its counterpart at Carowinds was removed a few years ago... That definitely raises some red flags IMO.

Said flat ride is open during Winterfest. If you’re a fan of it then I suggest getting a ride in on Berserker before it’s too late.

 

[GoHokies87]

With this closure, LNM and Tennessee Tornado are the last operating custom layout arrow loopers(excludes loop-screw and mega-looper variants) in the US.

 

[VB06Hokie]

Would be a great spot for the first Intamin Water Coaster in the US.

Just sayin'.

 

[Fenrihr]

As a locator, you have really shitty contractors.

Not denying that. I wish they'd work in a timely manor, but... Here we are.

Anycase, I told my son and he was very upset. This was his first inverting coaster. Then he asked what they were going to build in it's place, and he was upset again.

 

[Mike541x]

Would be a great spot for the first Intamin Water Coaster in the US.

Just sayin'.

Would be kind of nice to see something like that pay tribute to Diamond Falls too.

 

[guy305]

If they build a Diamond Falls tribute, hopefully they can use the lake water to supply it again. They have an opportunity to create a real jungle experience. Maybe build a new bar on the lakeside, pump the water into the drink lines, and create authentic jungle-X drinks and cocktails. Dysentery Daiquiris anyone?

 

[halfabee]

Maybe build a new bar on the lakeside, pump the water into the drink lines, and create authentic jungle-X drinks and cocktails. Dysentery Daiquiris anyone?

Around the time Anaconda debuted, there was a stand in that area of the park that sold big slushy drinks. There was strawberry and some other flavor. I opted for strawberry, which came with a preposterously gigantic real strawberry jammed onto the rim of the cup. To this day it remains the largest strawberry I have ever seen in person.

We sat down within a stone’s throw of the lake, and after sipping the drink for a while I noticed the little black seeds on the strawberry were moving. They were also falling into the drink. Lots of them. I broke open the gargantuan strawberry and discovered it was home to a horde of thousands of tiny ants, the entire black mass of which flipped out immediately and poured out of the opened berry in ungodly numbers.

It occurred to me as I ran to the trash can that there was something authentic-feeling about being in a themed “jungle wilderness” and discovering that nature had helped itself to a piece of food before I did.

 

[lyingtorobots]

I really, really hope we never see another coaster built over Lake Charles. KD doesn't have much in the way of water. Taking up the largest body of water with a coaster is just... not good. KD has infinite amounts of land. We should use that instead of cluttering up Lake Charles.

I really hope they don’t fill in the lake…

 

[halfabee]

The original full-size lake gave that corner of the park a real sense of place in the 80s. It left Anaconda looking a bit lost because the ride’s footprint only covered about half of the lake (give or take), leaving some people wondering why the ride wasn’t larger or what would be done with the portion the ride didn’t cover. It only took a year or two for the water park announcement to answer that latter question. I wasn’t a fan.

Without Anaconda around to give the remaining portion of the lake a specific reason to exist, I wonder what purpose it will serve. It isn’t big enough to be particularly scenic and command anything like its original idyll, nor small enough to simply be ignored or drained into a dry bowl without becoming an eyesore. It could host another over-water ride at some point, maybe, given that the station, acreage, and utilities are already there. I’m not so sure the park would have the appetite for another over-water ride, though. Meanwhile the days of water ski shows, paddle boat rentals and stunt extravaganzas are largely in the past. So what do you do with half a lake? (Aside from arguing that half a lake is still a lake, of course, just a far less interesting or beautiful one.)

There is a lot of useful footprint under the current lake which could connect that area of the park together cohesively if filled in to create dry land. But I’d rather see the lake restored to nearly its original full size, with the water park section north of the coaster demolished to make room. The lazy river is the only attraction I’d miss. Spending money to sacrifice guest-facing park footprint in the name of pure scenery isn’t what most parks do, and assuredly is far away from whatever Cedar Flags wants. But KD has a vast amount of land and better options than most parks for new attraction locations, so hope springs eternal…

I dunno. They’ll probably just leave it as is.

 

[RollyCoaster]

I’ve got to find the source for it and have been meaning to, but I swear, at-least during the initial planning stages, that Anaconda was originally intended to have 6 inversions. I’ll try and dive deep tonight/tomorrow. Fun to bring up every now and then.

 

[Jonesta6]

Big question - are we expecting visible portions of footer and/or anything that wasn't the track or supports being removed?

It's costly for an over-water demo to begin with, but I could see them removing in phases - first phase being just the structure, second phase they drain the lake and remove the remaining concrete down to the lake bed plus do some landscaping, perhaps adding the parts for a fountain system.

If they decide to build something else over the lake, then phase 2 is a mix of new construction and landscaping with maybe some demolition if they want to remove any of Anaconda's substructure.

 

[grkitalny]

I’ve got to find the source for it and have been meaning to, but I swear, at-least during the initial planning stages, that Anaconda was originally intended to have 6 inversions. I’ll try and dive deep tonight/tomorrow. Fun to bring up every now and then.

The original brochure advertising it stated "throw you for a loop six times...." -- Might be where you're remembering that from!


KD Brochures and Maps

 

[horsesboy]

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.

yeah I also worry about parks that might not be able to handle a lo

Big question - are we expecting visible portions of footer and/or anything that wasn't the track or supports being removed?

It's costly for an over-water demo to begin with, but I could see them removing in phases - first phase being just the structure, second phase they drain the lake and remove the remaining concrete down to the lake bed plus do some landscaping, perhaps adding the parts for a fountain system.

If they decide to build something else over the lake, then phase 2 is a mix of new construction and landscaping with maybe some demolition if they want to remove any of Anaconda's substructure.

If the tunnel stays that is going to be a fairly decent eyesore.