Ideal and Likely Volcano Replacement Ideas

[horsesboy]

Geographically, if they remove Anaconda and BSC, there's a huge amount of land that can have a theming overhaul and get some really immersive experiences - flats, coaster, kiddie coaster (mini whatever the new thing is maybe?), dark ride, you name it

That would add to the perception that they are killing coasters off while BGW builds them at an mind boggling rate. heck I am not sure that wouldn't be a fair perception at that point. I mean within the last decade KD has lost 3 coasters and built to for a net loss of 1 which is pretty break even. With your suggestions they would lose 5 and build 3 for a net loss of 2. That still not an alarming loss but definitely an eye raiser.

 

[horsesboy]

I thought someone on here was mentioning there were either structural or launch component issues that would be fairly expensive to fix... In addition to all of the effects needing to be fixed (bring back the fireball and proper helicopter effects!)

I know of no structural or launch issues and the fact that it was running strong at Haunt argues pretty strongly against there being any. The fire effects went with Volcano since they were on the same gas line and it was broken during demo. There are definitely other effects that need work but my belief and hope is that the plan is to redo the gas line during the construction and do a general fix on all the effects at the same time.

 

[Zachary]

I'd like to see backlot rethemed in such a way as to no longer need the gas line...

 

[b.mac]

Give me some lights and props inside the tunnel before they burst out underneath the queue, quite a few things they can do to improve it.

 

[Coasternerd]

Give me some lights and props inside the tunnel before they burst out underneath the queue, quite a few things they can do to improve it.

Heck, even some on ride audio could do wonders. Imagine BSC with some audio like you’re on the run from the cops (isn’t that actually some component of the theming?)

 

[EdK]

I'd like to see backlot rethemed in such a way as to no longer need the gas line...

I'd like it to have some kind of jungle theme myself. Turn the cars into camouflaged jeeps and make it like you're trying to escape from a jungle military outpost. You can reuse the helicopter (and maybe the gas line). I'm not sure how an LA Hollywood backlot fits into the new theming for that area.

 

[mwhinva]

What lesson did they learn? That i305 has great throughput and gets steady ridership even though it's in a less than ideal location? I mean I don't disagree that it's unlikely they'd add a second coaster that's as intense as i305, but i305 was not even remotely the failure that people like to say it is and it does draw people to the park.

I did not say a failure. But, I do believe the Corp/park leadership back then thought they would have to tie people to the sides of the Eiffel Tower due to the expected number of folks stampeding to the park to ride I-305. They did not get those types of results.

I-305 is on the very extreme edge for forces exerted on the riders and most folks might ride it once and that is it. Only a small percentage park goers have multiple rides on it. The lines for Dominator and Twisted Timbers seem longer than I-305 even on a Saturday.

If the park wants a new future coaster with moderate forces, they should measure said forces on I-305 and TT. Then, when they approach a manufacturer for the next major coaster, they can state we want said new coaster to have a lower force range than X.

I think CF/KD has plenty of choices for a major future coaster where the forces are moderate and where folks feel their brain was not being forced to exit though their nostrils after riding.

 

[warfelg]

Re-theme it to a safari expedition to fit the area.

 

[Mushroom]

Heck, even some on ride audio could do wonders. Imagine BSC with some audio like you’re on the run from the cops (isn’t that actually some component of the theming?)

Funny enough, the ride actually DID have on ride audio when it opened as The Italian Job. It was removed after just a season or two because of technical issues and poor reliability.

With the whole area being rethemed to a sort of archeological research site, I think it would be easier now than ever to repurpose the ride’s industrial yard appearance into something that fits the area’s theme.

 

[CoasterAuditor]

If they rethemed Backlot I would be thrilled. It's honestly a really fun ride and I've been making sure to get on when I go. Just a fun smooth launch coaster with a cool long pitch black (minus exit signs) tunnel. It would be easy to retheme it to some kind of temple.

 

[Crunchewy]

I did not say a failure. But, I do believe the Corp/park leadership back then thought they would have to tie people to the sides of the Eiffel Tower due to the expected number of folks stampeding to the park to ride I-305. They did not get those types of results.

I-305 is on the very extreme edge for forces exerted on the riders and most folks might ride it once and that is it. Only a small percentage park goers have multiple rides on it. The lines for Dominator and Twisted Timbers seem longer than I-305 even on a Saturday.

If the park wants a new future coaster with moderate forces, they should measure said forces on I-305 and TT. Then, when they approach a manufacturer for the next major coaster, they can state we want said new coaster to have a lower force range than X.

I think CF/KD has plenty of choices for a major future coaster where the forces are moderate and where folks feel their brain was not being forced to exit though their nostrils after riding.

The length of the line isn't a great indication of the success because i305 has better throughput than Dominator and Twisted Timbers, at least it seems that way to me. The line moves faster at least if you are not waiting for the front row. It's also not in as good a location, so that would affect ridership, and yet the ridership is steady. And as far as forces, I agree it's not the most re-rideable ride, but I actually find it more re-rideable than Twisted Timbers. For me, TT hurts and stupidly so. Those damned too fast bunny hops are painful and not fun.

 

[CoasterAuditor]

^This. I honestly don't think I305 gets as low of ridership as some people perceive. I feel like if you go on a Saturday the queue is gonna be in the switchbacks at the very least the trains just DESTROY lines and fast. In addition the coaster is in an objectively remote section of the park and honestly if people like the ride they tend to REALLY like it in my experience. I just think the hit rate with an average person is less than with like a B&M Giga/Hyper. Volcano had massive lines because it had a 16 person a train capacity while i305 holds twice as many. Twisted Timbers has long lines because of the metal detection station, only 24 people per train PLUS the slow loading process AND is in a more prominent location in the park. Dominator is at the very front of the park and the GP eat up B&Ms like kids in a candy store. I think if you consider park logistics combined with I305 having great capacity but a lower hit rate with average guests than a typical giga appears to it makes sense it looks like a failure, but I do not perceive the ride as failure honestly. In my experience it is rarely down and people say things like "that was better than sex!" on the brake run.

Anyway yeah it will look cool from Volcanos replacement when it's built.

 

[Jonesta6]

that was better than sex!

That explains why ride ops sometimes ask guests to say 'oh yeah!' before dispatch...

 

[cschnizer]

Hear me out on this but I've been thinking about the possibility of a Vekoma STC replacing Volcano. I know that it wouldn't be able to have a launch, but it would still make up for the invert category that KD is missing. Plus, there's already FoF and Backlot in that section of the park, and to me it feels lopsided to have all the launch coasters crammed into one corner. To pay further homage to Volcano while staying in tune with the Jungle X-pedition theme, the ride would be themed after a mythical bird that flies through volcanic ruins and rockwork which would be physical theming throughout it, amid occasional lava bursts. As such, it could be named "Firehawk" in lieu of the now-defunct Flying Dutchman coaster at Kings Island (but there could be other possibilities as well), and the ride system would make guests feel as if they are flying like the bird (in a similar fashion to Tumbili and Reptilian). What would make this different from Alpengeist is that from what I've seen on Head Over Heels at Tripsdrill, the model can do lots of whippy turns and dynamic twisting motions allowing for moments of high centrifuge, which would be apparent with the compact space. It would also offer a more graceful ride experience compared to some other KD coasters all the same. The fact that the track would be dodging rockwork and other obstacles would also add an exhilarating factor. The station area (in red, apologies for the crudeness) would actually be where the first half of the big U-turn after Volcano's launch 1 used to be, but the queue line would extend up to it, with the ride track swooping over and even under the path, from the main plaza. Same with the exit walkway. The lift block (yellow) would head towards the Avalanche lift and would drop off when close. The final brakes and subsequent holding zones (in brown) would be in the place of launch 2 and the second half of the big U-turn. The former Volcano queue house and souvenir shop would be repurposed as a shop for the new ride on the first floor, and perhaps an extended queue on the second. Overall, I don't know what Cedar Fair's status is with Vekoma at this point, and it may come off as lackluster for some, but I think it would be feasible in terms of cost, positive guest experience, and Volcanic homage. Again, I also wouldn't be surprised if they just went with a flat ride collection for replacement because I want to stress that something similar to that was there before Volcano, which would give back to the park's deeper roots.

 

[Coasternerd]

Hear me out on this but I've been thinking about the possibility of a Vekoma STC replacing Volcano. I know that it wouldn't be able to have a launch, but it would still make up for the invert category that KD is missing. Plus, there's already FoF and Backlot in that section of the park, and to me it feels lopsided to have all the launch coasters crammed into one corner. To pay further homage to Volcano while staying in tune with the Jungle X-pedition theme, the ride would be themed after a mythical bird that flies through volcanic ruins and rockwork which would be physical theming throughout it, amid occasional lava bursts. As such, it could be named "Firehawk" in lieu of the now-defunct Flying Dutchman coaster at Kings Island (but there could be other possibilities as well), and the ride system would make guests feel as if they are flying like the bird (in a similar fashion to Tumbili and Reptilian). What would make this different from Alpengeist is that from what I've seen on Head Over Heels at Tripsdrill, the model can do lots of whippy turns and dynamic twisting motions allowing for moments of high centrifuge, which would be apparent with the compact space. It would also offer a more graceful ride experience compared to some other KD coasters all the same. The fact that the track would be dodging rockwork and other obstacles would also add an exhilarating factor. The station area (in red, apologies for the crudeness) would actually be where the first half of the big U-turn after Volcano's launch 1 used to be, but the queue line would extend up to it, with the ride track swooping over and even under the path, from the main plaza. Same with the exit walkway. The lift block (yellow) would head towards the Avalanche lift and would drop off when close. The final brakes and subsequent holding zones (in brown) would be in the place of launch 2 and the second half of the big U-turn. The former Volcano queue house and souvenir shop would be repurposed as a shop for the new ride on the first floor, and perhaps an extended queue on the second. Overall, I don't know what Cedar Fair's status is with Vekoma at this point, and it may come off as lackluster for some, but I think it would be feasible in terms of cost, positive guest experience, and Volcanic homage. Again, I also wouldn't be surprised if they just went with a flat ride collection for replacement because I want to stress that something similar to that was there before Volcano, which would give back to the park's deeper roots.
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I love the idea- but my concern is the queue and such. It would be such a long queue and exit. Queue being long isn’t an issue- but that exit being long would kinda suck, unless you’re keeping a big amount of theming in it- which would draw attention away from the fact it is a long exit.

 

[Jonesta6]

I mean, why not add a ride like Voyage to Atlantis and let it be the Haunted River 2.0?

Even better, one of the scenes can be a volcano erupting and the carnage involved (while being distinct from EfP down the road, of course)

 

[bill s]

" it wouldn't be able to have a launch" -- expect Vekoma could, and would be a lot better choice for a launched invert than anyone else.

 

[CoasterAuditor]

There's this thing about Vekoma not building major thrill coasters in the US because of S&S Sansei being based here. Not sure why that's a thing I think they don't want to cannabalize S&Ss market which is unfortunate it seems like the newer vekomas are more interesting than newer S&S coasters.

 

[Jonesta6]

There's this thing about Vekoma not building major thrill coasters in the US because of S&S Sansei being based here. Not sure why that's a thing I think they don't want to cannabalize S&Ss market which is unfortunate it seems like the newer vekomas are more interesting than newer S&S coasters.

I wasn't aware - are they owned by the same company and thus don't tend to compete against each other?

If that were the case, couldn't they use each other to broker sales? Like S&S would broker the sale of Vekoma products in this situation and they can figure the revenue portions out internally? I'd think this would essentially expand the offerings by either manufacturer that way

 

[CoasterAuditor]

^Yeah they are both owned by Sansei Technologies. I've seen other folks mention on several other forums and posts about how Vekoma won't build anything large in the US because of S&S but I'm not really sure why that business decision makes sense for Sansei, you'd think they'd prefer to offer the whole catalogue to all markets. I will note I have not quite been able to verify if this information is accurate or if people are just speculating it. I mean I wouldn't be surprised it could be significantly more expensive to buy a Vekoma and much cheaper to buy an S&S in the US for both parties and the overall difference in experience on the rides, particularly from a corporate standpoint is immaterial.