Park Surveys
- Thread starter tursiops
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I could see a new animal exhibit taking the place of the Pet Shenanigans theater, as that's been sitting empty for years.
Seems to be an unpopular/mixed opinion around here but I think a park of BGW’s caliber SHOULD be trying to add a major thrill coaster (or at least huge thrill “ride” if not necessarily a coaster) roughly every 5-7 years. I don’t consider either Wolf’s Revenge or Darkoaster to be that and it’s already coming up on 5 years since Pantheon (even longer if you count when it was actually built instead of just when it opened).
That’s not to say I think they should sacrifice theming in the name of that, or a well-rounded ride lineup for families, but their last several additions have already been in those areas. Whether it’s this Voltron-type coaster or something else, I would certainly hope they have something of that caliber planned in the next 3 years or so.
That’s not to say I think they should sacrifice theming in the name of that, or a well-rounded ride lineup for families, but their last several additions have already been in those areas. Whether it’s this Voltron-type coaster or something else, I would certainly hope they have something of that caliber planned in the next 3 years or so.
The ride system for Runaway Railway or Ride of the Resistance would be awesome.
I don't want anything new/high-tech/screen-based/trackless/etc. I want simple dark ride cars that run on a track through storybook scenes consisting of scenicly-painted sets with simple figures accented by lighting, audio, effects, and, where appropriate to enhance a scene, projections/screens—read: a simple, classic, story-based dark ride á la Disney's Fantasyland dark rides.
Even if the park can find the budget to build something advanced at the start (Lost Island's Volkanu is the reasonable bar to reach for there, not modern Disney or Universal attractions), I am confident that BGW will not be willing to invest in the required maintenance and upkeep to ensure something like Volkanu would continue to function at an acceptable level. Hershey is unwilling/unable—Reese's Cupfusion is a disaster. Knott's is unwilling/unable—Knott's Bear-y Tales is a mess.
The damning thing about those examples is that both of those parks have other, non-interactive, simpler, non-screen/projection based dark rides (Chocolate Factory Tour and Calico Mine Ride respectively) which, despite being far older, remain popular and, crucially, function FAR better than their modern counterparts—in turn, delivering a consistently superior experience.
If Hershey and Knott's can't keep their still-pretty-new, fancy, modern dark rides running, I know a United Parks property can't.
I would much rather BGW build something simple, reliable, and effective than attempt a masterpiece that may fully function for a month before it deteriorates into an unacceptable mess of an experience. I want a dark ride that could have been built 40 years ago that will age like fine wine over the next 40 years, not a tech-heavy ride that will look lackluster in 5 to 10 years and won't make it to 15 because the upkeep is too much to ask as its ridership shrinks.
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Just call up Sally, Alterface, or any number of other dark ride designers and demand Disneyland's Alice in Wonderland, but themed to their pick of Grimm's Fairy Tales. No blasters, no scenes that completely rely on screens or projectors, no trackless or motion-base-infused vehicles, no 3D, no VR, no AR, no on-board audio, no vibration, no head or hand tracking cameras, none of that bullshit. Reject any and all "cool, new, cutting-edge technology we've been working on!" and tell them you want a ride from the year 1980, max. Just scenic blacklight paint on sets and flats paired with simple figures and accented by lighting/audio/effects/projectors. Make them keep it simple. They will desperately try to sell you all manner of fancy, flashy bullshit—you have to be the guy showing up to a car dealership in 2010 angry that you can't buy a car with manual windows anymore because you just know this fancy power windows bullshit is gonna break and it'll be a huge ordeal. The manufacturers want to sell you something cutting edge but it's a trap. Do not do it.
History is littered with once-amazing, cutting-edge dark rides that age poorly even when maintained well—and let's face it, you're not planning to maintain this thing BGW. Meanwhile, the simple, classic dark rides throughout this industry are revered and lauded decade after decade. Six Flags Over Georgia's Monster Manor? A fan favorite. Knoebels' Haunted Mansion? Beloved. Disney's Peter Pan's Flight? Legendary.
Build a simple, classic, storybook-style dark ride on the front half of the picnic area along the path to Wolf's Revenge and you have yourself an instant classic that everyone who enters your park can ride for the next 40 years—a ride that generations will grow up with—a ride that will look just as good in the year 2050 as it does now—a ride so dripping in charm and simple artistry that it is immune to the rapid pace of technological progress—a ride where things can stop working for a few weeks and most guests will hardly notice. That's the darkride BGW needs.
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^^ now that I fully support and endorse.
No more coasters, no more "thrill" rides. Bring in something simple, sweet and fun for the whole family.
No more coasters, no more "thrill" rides. Bring in something simple, sweet and fun for the whole family.
I cannot agree with this sentiment in any capacity. There are plenty of great coasters and thrill rides themed and presented very well out there. Do I think they NEED to add a thrill ride between 2026 and 2030? No not necessarily. They should absolutely build at least one major coaster in the 2030s, One major thrill coaster a decade seems like a rate of those additions that makes sense to me.
Looking back at the currently operating "Thrill/Extreme" coasters opening years.
1978: Nessie
1997: Alpengeist
1999: Apollo's Chariot
2007: Griffon
2012: Verbolten
2015: Tempesto (which we often state is a "flat" on this forum and I believe it was mentioned before the park views it as a "flat ride" at the end of the day).
2022: Pantheon
*(I consider InvadR, DarKoaster, and Big Bad Wolf 2 to be family coasters)
At least one a decade seems like the rate they prefer to go but absolutely no to the idea they should NEVER add a new thrill coaster and I will die on that hill.
Also completely agree with @Zachary on the matter of a dark ride. Busch Gardens Williamsburg is a park that is practically SCREAMING for a nice dark ride. Not necessarily a Universal/Disney level dark ride but something at least simple but high quality.
For the record, I'd only be on board for a Stryker if it DID have Verbolten/Wolf-level theming. Honestly I'd expect a true dark ride portion if they're trying to build a North American Voltron. I'd be massively disappointed if they built a Stryker without theming it to the level that model is capable of.
A good, re-rideable dark ride is still number 1 on my wishlist for the park
I mentioned it to my daughter the other day that I miss having "different" stuff to do at Busch. The coasters are great, but I feel like that's all we do when we go.
I miss having a 4D movie in Globe, a dark ride, a simulator or a show like Enchanted Laboratory to be able to experience if that makes sense. There's flats and coasters. I would love to steal anything from Efteling.
I miss having a 4D movie in Globe, a dark ride, a simulator or a show like Enchanted Laboratory to be able to experience if that makes sense. There's flats and coasters. I would love to steal anything from Efteling.
I think the three little pigs as a dark ride would work really well, it's got scenes of joy with all three pigs together, then the wolf huffing and puffing and finally the pigs win with the wolf coming down the chimney, burning himself, and running off. It's such a popular story you really wouldn't need a lot of audio explaining what's going on if the scenes are done well. Then the wolf is so angry he takes "revenge" on the pig town which is how BBW2 can be re-themed with basically no effort.
I think Hansel and Gretel would be the perfect story for a dark ride in the Grimms Hollow hamlet proposed in the article. It is a well-known Grimms tale, which is set in Germany. The plot has clearly-divided sections and the sets would be pretty, colorful, and conceptually obvious.
It would also lend itself brilliantly to merchandizing. Gingerbread houses, candy, wicked witch costumes, and woodcutter's tools come immediately to mind.
It would also lend itself brilliantly to merchandizing. Gingerbread houses, candy, wicked witch costumes, and woodcutter's tools come immediately to mind.
I love everything about this - even if high tech stuff gets built and maintained well, it's bound to be obsolete (or at least outdated) within 10 years at most given the current technological cycle of advancement. The initial gasping of impressed guests will eventually turn into sighs and wishes for modernization - even assuming the best, where nothing breaks.
A simplistic, tried and true concept of a classic darkride eliminates this concern entirely. It simultaneously makes things easier on the park and keeps its original charm indefinitely. People will pooh-pooh it for a month and then enjoy it for decades.
I find the concept art is very telling of what areas we could see these attractions based.
The LeMans successor definitely has an Italian-Mediterranean theme that will be complimentary to San Marco . But it clearly will not be associated with DaVincis Garden. I’m still mad that they didn’t build the bridge to Pantheon and letting it be the Hamlets flagship. But this sounds even more intriguing as details and hints are revealed. Did anyone else notice that a pair of swinging flats? Pretty obvious where they are intended for. The art also looked very DaVinci style. Also kills the idea of the kiddie rides being moved and as someone mentioned before; redirecting the queues. The coaster is a puzzle because of the Eiffel Tower looking structure.
The LeMans successor definitely has an Italian-Mediterranean theme that will be complimentary to San Marco . But it clearly will not be associated with DaVincis Garden. I’m still mad that they didn’t build the bridge to Pantheon and letting it be the Hamlets flagship. But this sounds even more intriguing as details and hints are revealed. Did anyone else notice that a pair of swinging flats? Pretty obvious where they are intended for. The art also looked very DaVinci style. Also kills the idea of the kiddie rides being moved and as someone mentioned before; redirecting the queues. The coaster is a puzzle because of the Eiffel Tower looking structure.
also posting this here, new concept survey dropped
Direct Link to Embedded Media Source
Options are:
Pantheon theming upgrades
Apollos chariot theming upgrades
Surf Coaster
Verbolten Theming Upgrades
New motion simulator (?) thing
Direct Link to Embedded Media Source
Options are:
Pantheon theming upgrades
Apollos chariot theming upgrades
Surf Coaster
Verbolten Theming Upgrades
New motion simulator (?) thing
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- Verbolten Upgrades: Essential
- Pantheon Upgrades: Essential
- Apollo Upgrades: Needed
- New Corkscrew Hill: Smart
- Surf Coaster: No Thank You
Listen I love pipeline, it’s in my top 10, but I gotta agree here a surf coaster is not what this park needs currently, hell idk what they’d even theme that to at BGW lol.
Please no Surf Coaster. I can already see the idiotic ways they would try to wedge a theme in to that ride that would be so tone deaf to BGW's themes.
Plus I bet improve theming for the 3 coasters would still cost less than a B&M Coaster.
If I had to guess a theme for that Surf Coaster they would do (badly), I could totally see some really weird tie in to Running of the Bulls where the surfing simulates you running away from a Bull in Spain.
If not Running of the Bulls like I suggested in the previous post
I could see something like #6 on this list: 9 of the most epic surf spots in Europe according to surfers
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Just submitted mine but in this order
1. Pantheon Upgrades: Essential
2. Verbolten Upgrades: Needed
3. Apollo Upgrades: Needed
4. Surf Coaster: meh , I'd ride it but I think there are better options out there
5. New Corkscrew Hill: meh. I wasn't asked but my feed back would be that I'm a proponent for a different indoor experience outside of a flying theater. the theme (corkscrew hill or whatever) I am indifferent on.
1. Pantheon Upgrades: Essential
2. Verbolten Upgrades: Needed
3. Apollo Upgrades: Needed
4. Surf Coaster: meh , I'd ride it but I think there are better options out there
5. New Corkscrew Hill: meh. I wasn't asked but my feed back would be that I'm a proponent for a different indoor experience outside of a flying theater. the theme (corkscrew hill or whatever) I am indifferent on.
Look at #6 here 9 of the most epic surf spots in Europe according to surfers
And they have a whole England parking lot behind Ireland they can use, and it appears thats more land than Pantheon uses.
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