Without joking, something like this is fine. It’s something unique for the region. KD needs proper attractions and this is one that will impress guests.
The main issue is KD really needs to communicate some of their strategy to the public as secrecy is not serving them well in this case.
May I ask what you expect? The leaked documents are literally working plans from inside the park. That’s what businesses do... they plan things before announcing them.
Totally agree, especially considering a coaster to replace Volcano almost definitely wasn'tin the park's 5 year plan and thus wasn't budget for.
I see where @rswashdc is coming from. Moreso than with almost any other park I can think of, Kings Dominion tends to project an almost eerie silence. Interviews with the media seem almost non-existent, public statements are a once-in-a-blue-moon occurrence, and there's very little face-to-face interaction between pass holders and park management. The void of humanizing communication makes it really easy for the community to be skeptical and doubtful about the future of the park.
I firmly believe that Kings Dominion would have been much better served by pulling back the curtain some and telling people a little about what was going on with Volcano—tell people why the ride had to close—tell people why the mountain had to come down—tell people that the park is working to try to bring a new, unique experience to the park in the future.
A lot of chain parks feel like cold, lifeless corporations, but I'd contend that even amongst similar parks, Kings Dominion is particularly bad about it—and I think it really does harm the public's perception of the park's management and direction.
I don't see where anyone can argue with this. Even an outsider looking in can see that I305 didn't exactly hit the mark. Look at installations leading up to it and compare that to the 8 years of silence that followed it. It could be a fluke, I know there was a recession going on. Heck; Cedar Point took a 6 year break after Maverick. That being said, the apparent trajectory of KD changed when I305 was installed. The fact that this park even has a ride of that caliber blows my mind. I'm glad it's there, but it really breaks the mold of a mid-tier park. Was it a mistake? I don't think we have enough information to answer that question accurately.
That ramble aside, TT was a much more reasonable sized addition, and it seems to be a more popular addition. If that is the case, then seeing another mid-size ride makes sense. I don't think that there would be as much butthurt about this potential B&M if it weren't for the fact that it was sitting on Volcano's grave.
Volcano was unique. I loved volcano and will always miss it, but element wise I believe a wing coaster will kick it out of the park. Volcano was people’s favorite because of the powerful launch that lead to shooting out of a mountain, and attracted people because of how unique it looked. A short wing coaster will provide more elements than volcano did, but will never be as appealing since it isn’t built around a 100+ foot mountain.
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