Because obviously they are just trying to hide what losers they are or are preparing to sell and can only get decent value this way. /s
Grizzly
- Thread starter I305Evan
- Start date
I guess that means it'd be a good idea for someone to corroborate
I know that it's down for a bit but I wasn't under the impression that it was as serious as a track failure.
On the bright side, and maybe I’m being naive here, shouldn’t replacing wooden track be a lot easier than replacing track on a steel coaster?
Theoretically, though the thing with steel is it's usually just a unbolt, replace, and bolt-on procedure assuming they have can get another piece that fits the same section... Or it's not an old-school welded structure. Biggest challenge is getting everything to the work location and any weird angles/obstacles in the way.
Wood could require custom carpentry work and special lumber types depending on what's needed. Also, it could require extra structure work that further complicates things.
As of today Grizzly is no longer listed as closed on the scheduled closures page.
Here's a thought - as much as I love Grizzly it's getting a bit long in the tooth. What if they tore it down and replaced it with a new coaster from Gravity Group like The Voyage (Haven't been on the voyage but I heard it's good). A new modern out and back wooden coaster that uses some of the forest next to Grizzly would make for a great coaster and it would once again be buried in the forest. Of course it should still be called Grizzly. This would never happen with the coaster count being down but it would be nice having an RMC and a modern wooden coaster right next to each other.
Here’s a better idea
Why don’t we take cga’s grizzly and make them dueling coasters
Removing Grizzly would be sacrilege if you ask me—and I don't even really like the thing all that much.
Of all of the Coney Island (Ohio) Wildcat clones (that I know of), Kings Dominion's Grizzly seems to have far and away the best reputation and hence, should be the one that we try to preserve in my opinion.
Of all of the Coney Island (Ohio) Wildcat clones (that I know of), Kings Dominion's Grizzly seems to have far and away the best reputation and hence, should be the one that we try to preserve in my opinion.
- Coney Island's Wildcat (1926): Defunct
- Canada's Wonderland's Wilde Beast (1981): Existing
- Kings Dominion's Grizzly (1982): Existing
- Wonderland Sydney's Bush Beast (1985): Defunct
- California's Great America's Grizzly (1986): Likely Defunct Soon
I love Grizzly. And they've just replaced some of the track. I don't think it's being take down or converted to steel any time soon.
I have fond memories of Grizzly when it first opened and I ride it every time I go to the park but it just beats the hell out of me (not to mention other people I convince to go on it with me). It is the scariest ride in the park because it feels like it's going to collapse or the train is going to come off the track. Standing in line you can see the whole structure swaying as the coaster goes by. The turnaround after the first drop, when the train barely has enough speed to make the turn and it's shaking like crazy and you're thinking death is imminent, watching people limp off of it and complain of bruises, yes - the coaster certainly has it's charms and is best to ride after a few beers. But as sad as I would be to see it go, another part of me would be thankful if it was replaced with a more modern wood coaster.
@Zachary - I didn't realize it was a clone. I also thought KD built it themselves (not using an outside company).
@Zachary - I didn't realize it was a clone. I also thought KD built it themselves (not using an outside company).
Grizzly was built by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, but it was designed by Taft Attractions Group, a division of Taft Broadcasting, which was KD’s original parent company. So Grizzly really was designed “in-house” in a way, although as @Zachary mentioned, the design was closely based on Coney Island’s Wildcat.
Wilde Beast at CW is an exact clone of Grizzly (minus Grizzly’s wooded setting and midcourse tunnel), using the same design by Taft Attractions since both parks were owned by Taft Broadcasting. It was also built by PTC. Grizzly at CGA is a slightly different variation of KD’s Grizzly and Wilde Beast, with a mirrored layout and more drawn out hills and smoother transitions (which reportedly completely diminished the ride’s intensity). CGA was never owned by Taft, but was purchased in 1989 by Kings Entertainment Company — a new company owned by Taft’s former theme park GMs and executives that had purchased Taft’s theme park division. So although Grizzly wasn’t technically built by Taft Attractions Group, it does share its lead designer with its Virginian and Canadian counterparts: legendary coaster designer Curtis D. Summers.
Edit: Corrected info about CGA’s ownership.
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But is it even that great of a layout, like think about it. I rode it and it didn’t really pull any forces, its got a nice setting, sure, but think of what you could do with not one, BUT TWO GRIZZLIES. Jokes aside, at least its a nice woodie for the park even if Woodstock xpress is my favorite woodie in kd
No im not joking
Grizzly does have a great layout though. You get a great pop of air on the first drop and the laterals, while aggressive, are hella fun.
When was this? I did notice it running better this last weekend, compared to just a few weeks ago, as impossible as that may seem. Maybe round wheels now.
Retracking started right before COVID hit in 2020 and, after being put on hold, was finished around Memorial Day 2021. The work they did was mostly on the second drop, the turn after the tunnel, and the larger bunny hill before the final turnaround. It’s still a damn rough ride and I wish they retracked more of the layout, but you can feel that the retracking made the ride smoother in some isolated segments, namely that bunny hill which almost feels out of place because of how smooth it is compared to the rest of the ride.