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Mushroom

Getting aHEAD of myself
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Feb 12, 2011
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CoasterNation.com recently uncovered long-lost plans for a B&M inverted coaster that would have been built by Paramount. According to the article, the coaster made it to the final design stages before being scrapped at the last minute, and the park instead went with a different invert - Volcano. The B&M would have been themed to Top Gun and would have featured a vertical loop around the lift hill, which wasn't done until Banshee opened at KI 20 years later.

This article explains the planned coaster in much more detail and includes several 3D models of the layout: https://coasternation.com/long-lost-proposed-kings-dominion-coaster-rediscovered/
 
@Zachary I’m curious to hear your opinion on the question the article asks: would you have preferred this to Volcano? I know volcano was a fan favorite but if this had been built instead it likely would still be here.
 
I think it would have been a better coaster than Volcano. I think it would have been infinitely cheaper than Volcano in the long run. I think it would have seen far better guest satisfaction ratings than Volcano. It would have had much, much higher capacity and nearly no downtime too. Plus, like you said, it would still be standing today.

On paper, the Top Gun invert was, 100%, a much better choice. THAT SAID, I have this abstract theory about legendary coasters—coasters that become so famous (or infamous) that they embed themselves into the psyche of the population of a whole region. I think it’s really difficult to judge the value of that kind of iconic notoriety. Volcano was famous and King’s Dominion benefited massively from that fame. This B&M invert would have been great and it would have been popular, but it was never going to be famous.
 
Well said, I like the insight about coasters that really do take it to the next level. Beast, Millennium force, Volcano, etc. have that extra something that makes them, as you said, legendary
 
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I dont think you can compare the two until we see what, if anything, replaces Volcano. If Volcan is replaced with something roughly equal to a B&M invert, then getting something unique like Volcano was worth it even for a fixed period.
 
I dont think you can compare the two until we see what, if anything, replaces Volcano. If Volcan is replaced with something roughly equal to a B&M invert, then getting something unique like Volcano was worth it even for a fixed period.
But wouldn’t you rather see the $$$ for a replacement invested on a completely different coaster in an alternate reality where volcano isn’t built
 
If they ever build an invert then by lineage it'd be Volcano's successor in current times.

However, I think without solid theming a B&M invert instead of Volcano would have been a lackluster follow-up to Alpie. May have been closer to a Raptor clone (didn't look at the designs btw) - great coaster but by no means legendary.
 
Interesting characteristics in there. A Kumba tribute through 2/3 of the layout: left hand swooping drop, vertical loop over lift, diving loop, zero-G role, cobra roll, in precisely the same order.

And located behind Rebel Yell, so they would have popped the lid on that tennis ball can years earlier.

Edit: Check out that downhill brake run, plus a tire-drive 180. When it came to 90s inverts, KD seemingly was in love with premature deceleration.
 
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In all honesty based on the love for Dominator due to the high ridership levels, I genuinely think this was one of the biggest mistakes KD ever made. This ride would’ve been a capacity monster, unlike most additions during the Paramount era. Top Gun is an IP that was much more relevant and popular at the time compared to other lesser known properties used on other attractions. (Genuine question, how many people have actually seen the movie Drop Zone?) It would’ve been highly reliable which can’t be said for many of the prototype coasters like Hypersonic XLC and Volcano. I loved Volcano, but it is also saddening knowing that this coaster would’ve still been at the park today. I think a huge reason as to why this wasn’t installed is due to the proximity of Alpengiest and the challenges that would come with marketing the exact same model of coaster, but smaller.
 
@Zachary does that article reflect the layout that you've seen in the documents? Kinda bugs me that they're so seemingly confident in saying this depicted layout was proposed with no proof to go along with it. Not too hard to whip up a 90's B&M layout?
 
Do we know approximately when this ride should have opened, if it was approved? Another ride themed to Top Gun opened at Kings Island in 1993, and I believe it was the last Arrow suspended coaster. Since this concept was ultimately scrapped, it makes me wonder if a B&M invert was only one concept that Kings Dominion considered.

It’s kind of interesting to me, considering that Top Gun (now “The Bat”) is one of the only AS’s still standing.

Edit: I forgot about Top Gun (B&M invert) at CGA. Still, I wonder if Kings Dominion considered an Arrow as well as a B&M.
 
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But wouldn’t you rather see the $$$ for a replacement invested on a completely different coaster in an alternate reality where volcano isn’t built
I don't think the replacement for Volcano was in KD's original long term plans. In the alternative universe where this B&M was built, there most likely wouldn't be a second unplanned coaster on top of it.
 
This was in planning in late ‘94.
What does everyone think would have happened to alpengeist if this would have ended up being built? That would have put them right around the same time opening, right? Could that be the reason KD went with something else / would BGW not have gotten Alpie if KD went through with this?
 
Flight of Fear opened in 1996, so would this have been that project instead? Of course Volcano wouldn't have happened the same way then either. If any coaster had been combined with the mountain, probably would still be legend.
 
I have yet to ride a B&M invert that doesn't suck unless you are in the front row. Especially bad is either middle seat in any row but the front (of course). So for me, a B&M invert has a 4 person capacity. Volcano was better than the B&M inverts I've ridden. You could enjoy it in any row. Also it didn't bang my head up. And for whatever reason, Volcano had my favorite launch on any coaster.
 
I have yet to ride a B&M invert that doesn't suck unless you are in the front row. Especially bad is either middle seat in any row but the front (of course). So for me, a B&M invert has a 4 person capacity. Volcano was better than the B&M inverts I've ridden. You could enjoy it in any row. Also it didn't bang my head up.
Out of curiosity, what B&M inverts have you ridden? I've yet to come across one that I didn't like, and I've never been on one that was consistently rough and/or painful.
 
Out of curiosity, what B&M inverts have you ridden? I've yet to come across one that I didn't like, and I've never been on one that was consistently rough and/or painful.

I added a bit to my post after what you saw. So see that. But to answer the question, I've only ridden Great Bear and Batman (SFGAdv), I think. I don't think they have bad head banging. So that part is inaccurate in this case (I get worse head banging on Dominator and, god forbid, Firebird). Maybe there's another I'm forgetting that I've ridden. If you wait for the front row, they are fun. Even without headbanging, though, I feel like my view is worse due to the huge OTSRs. That's not even considering how your view is blocked if you're not in the front row.

In the case of Batman SFGAdv, that ride was terrible for another reason. I don't fit on it. I had them force me onto it and it was one of the bigger mistakes I've made. It was very unpleasant and my legs and feet went a bit numb from the compression as well. I've lost some weight since then, so it would be interesting to see if I fit better now.
 
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