Productive? No, but that's not the bar for discussions here.
It's an event that is very likely on the horizon and people find it interesting to think about the future. Think it really is as simple as that.
Flight of Fear
- Thread starter Ludwig II
- Start date
Productive? No, but that's not the bar for discussions here.
It's an event that is very likely on the horizon and people find it interesting to think about the future. Think it really is as simple as that.
Yeah, but it's not "perfectly fine" in the eyes of the park. It's a rapidly aging maintenance burden. In addition to almost certainly being one of the most expensive KD attractions to maintain, FoF is also almost certainly one of the most expensive coasters in the park operationally as well. Relatively poor initial quality, 30 years of service, an antique, incredibly demanding launch system, high maintenance costs, high operating costs... These aren't the markings of a "perfectly fine" ride if you're a member of Six Flags management.
Again, whether you believe this or not is up to you. I’m just speculating and trying to temper expectations for those too hopeful about the future.
Repainting a building doesn’t mean it’s sticking around for even longer. Shockwave was removed four years after it got a repaint.
If all this bothers you, you’re more than welcome to not tell us what to do and mind your own business. And keep it that way.
AmyUD06
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Excuse me? I have just as much right to challenge your baseless speculation as you do to spout it. Please try to be more civil - you have no right to tell me how to participate here.
You have no right to bash people, with a very condescending tone, on what to believe.
We’ll see what really happens.
Eh, you never know. Kumba's been permanently closing what, three times now? It's all speculation until it isn't.
Totally agree. This ride has long been rumored to be on the chopping block, going all the way back to before CF acquired KD from Paramount around 20 years ago. Admittedly, I haven’t ridden this ride in a long time, but I’m hoping to get back to KD in the next year to finally ride it again.
I think the sensible take for people regarding FoF is to appreciate it while it’s here, but know that there are more reasons than not it’s gone in the next five years. Unfortunately, it feels like a matter of time.
They probably could, but it would be a very costly upgrade that likely wouldn’t bring in many new riders. I also doubt it would really do much to extend the rides lifespan since the track is still old.
Hope if they do it’s as punchy or punchier than the current one. The launch is the best part of the ride imo
The launch system could be replaced if six flags wanted to pay for a full refurb, it just depends how popular and worth it it is. From what I can gather it stayed over anaconda, despite it being both more expensive to maintain and operate and getting lower ridership, because the park considers it a fast lane seller. Now I don’t know what they value that at but I could see the ride staying for quite a bit longer.
Usually they aim to paint things every ten years and if they paint something it’s got usually at least ten more years (shockwave was an outlier because the togo standup accident in japan that made the insurance premiums go up for those so basically all parks decided to close them that year). The difference here is they only painted the outside of the building which could easily be reused, notably just the front part too, the launch tunnel/ brake run and actual coaster building could be removed for a new attraction while keeping the flight of fear research station. I mean the whole thing was poured as a giant concrete pad that can be so easily repurposed
Usually they aim to paint things every ten years and if they paint something it’s got usually at least ten more years (shockwave was an outlier because the togo standup accident in japan that made the insurance premiums go up for those so basically all parks decided to close them that year). The difference here is they only painted the outside of the building which could easily be reused, notably just the front part too, the launch tunnel/ brake run and actual coaster building could be removed for a new attraction while keeping the flight of fear research station. I mean the whole thing was poured as a giant concrete pad that can be so easily repurposed
I really hope fof at least has 5 years left in it. As I’ve said before, KD has much bigger things to worry about with their coaster lineup
Are you saying Shockwave closed because of the Fujin Raijin incident 10 years prior? Just confused because all the Togo Stand-ups closed well before, well after, or are still operating after Fujin Raijin
I agree that passing around misinformation is a problem in the community, but I also think it's fair to speculate on what could replace an aging attraction, even if there's no indication of it being retired. Afterall, corporate DOES consider plot usage/replacement plans AS PART OF the decision to remove rides, not just as an after the fact (even if that decision is to simply do nothing). To some people, Anaconda's removal and opening the lake actually is a net-positive gain, for instance.
Sometimes park's hands are forced with no alternative (see Volcano) and reusage of the land takes a long time. Other times, the choice to remove an attraction also means that the ride missing will save money AND/OR add value to the park. If and when FoF is removed, it most certainly will happen alongside an intentional plan that follows (albeit an attraction, restaurant, backstage area, VIP parking spot, three replacement trees, a new trash can) something intentional would happen with the area. Heck, whether the building gets hollowed out and remains abandoned for years, or they tear out the building completely and let it just overgrow, those are still choices that someone made alongside the removal.
All that to say that I don't think FoF's time has completely run out just yet, but I think it's fair to speculate what corporate might view as advantageous to losing the ride. Yes the entrance building facade got repainted, but that could easily be reused if corporate had a grander vision. I actually think that being repainted but leaving the original ride (and ride building) untouched is even more telling.
Possible net-positive takes that corporate could be looking at:
-Remove the ride in favor of a large thrill or family flat ride, of which Jungle X and the park as a whole is lacking. They could keep the entry way and even indoor queue in favor of an outdoor flat ride behind it.
-Gut the building in favor of an indoor/partially indoor attraction, as complex as a moving theater or new dark ride or water ride option (none of which are likely but still possible) or just a flat ride inside the building making use of lighting and Jungle theming elements.
-Gut the building in favor of an indoor show space in Jungle X. Indoor "Let's Get Wild"?
-Gut the building in favor of a new temple-themed Haunt maze. It would suck to only use the space seasonally, but look at how successful Ghost in the Machine has been for Dorney, and with upcharge maze passes now, KD could add something very unique in the chain and make out pretty decently.
Many of the above options are highly unlikely, but you bet they haven't at minimum been brought to the table at the corporate level as future ideas.
It wasn’t an immediate thing from that but between the defunct manufacturer meaning higher maintenance costs and that incident raising the insurance premiums for specifically togo standups, it just was far too expensive to justify for a ride that didn’t get very high ridership.
That incident showed that the axels were smaller than they probably should be (though it definitely didn’t help that park didn’t maintain it) which made it more risky for an accident. Cedar fair tries to cut back on costs every year so they saw the continually rising insurance costs on the togo standups and decided to just close them sooner than initially planned.
I think I've said this somewhere before too, but I hope that Six Flags corporate is looking at the eventual replacement of both Flight of Fears together as a singular event. Double dipping on the development dollars required for an indoor coaster replacement for the existing spaces could really help finance solid, well-themed, indoor coaster additions at both parks. They can theme them completely differently (Sci-fi for KI and probably Jungle X labyrinth for KD), but the track layouts can be identical.
Kings Dominion donate a Flight of Fear Chassis to ACE Mid-Atlantic for there silent auction
So does anyone know what happened to flight of fear? Lot of maintenance around there today and yesterday