The queue and station being themed is the bare minimum. They didn't even achieve that.
Project 2022: Pantheon
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Maybe they didn't theme it because they're about to lose the licensing rights. I will admit, it's a pretty obscure series to name a coaster after regardless...
Arent the switchbacks outside the station open air as well? Thats one thing that really grinds my gears that Cedar Fair loves to cheap out on but BGW has almost always done. I mean how expensive can it be to put up some support posts and a roof to keep the sun off people instead of letting them bake like a potato.
Even the the uncovered portions of BGWs are short (Verbolten) or are shaded naturally by trees (Alpengeist, LNM).
I mean don't get me wrong the lack of theming is incredibly lackluster, but this cheapskate move is just pathetic.
If you look in the pov, it appears that there are NO switchbacks. Pause the pov when it hits the spike and look toward the left. Just a planter area, it appears.
Yeah, the switchbacks and queue shelter were cut from the plans pretty early on. The queue is basically just a U-shaped path that runs from the plaza to the station now. Look for lines pouring out over the bridge and into Festa in the coming weeks.
What the hell so on Saturdays is there just gonna be a massive line over the bridge? Some of these budget cuts are just frustrating to like comprehend. "We don't care about organizing a large group of impatient people for our new signature attraction in an organized manner that much so lets spend less!"
^^^ Yep.
Drachen Fire's theming, aside from a flame decal on the ride vehicles, consisted of the attraction just looking sharp standing in a well maintained grassy field with solid pathway landscaping. And that was enough.
The ride station and maintenance building had some nice visual touches. There was only a narrow covered queue area on the back side of the station, if memory serves. The rest of the queue was uncovered but well put together.
While the ride offered plenty to complain about, I never heard a peep about its appearance or lack of theming.
So I don't understand the suggestion that BGW visitors once expected anything even approaching Disney- or Universal-level theming. Yes, BBW had its own "Bavarian village." But overall, if something looked well thought out, manicured, and cared for, that was often sufficient. I remember that era well.
I won't comment on Pantheon's appearance against that standard, but it isn't sounding too good...
I think a reason some people think that Busch should be able to do great theming, is when you look at Verbolten. In 2012, bgw showed us they can theme a ride, and do it WELL. Granted there was a higher bar because they were replacing the Wolf, but still. When we saw that, combined with darkastle, you could tell that the park is capable of great theming. It’s just whether or not they CHOOSE to use that ability. I get that it can add up, but that shouldn’t be an excuse to not do more theming than shrubbery and such.
I'm sure some people feel that way. For my part, I have issues with the level of theming of VB, even as of its opening year, and would even go as far as to hope the park doesn't try that again if they can't do more with it. While the result was (initially) way beyond what the park had done up to that point, in a few key ways it ended up unexpectedly calling more attention to what wasn't done, and then the park showed us what it seems completely incapable of: actually maintaining that level of production. Two-thirds of a Universal product with one-fifth the upkeep is in some ways more bizarre than just augmenting a less ambitious concept with somewhat pleasant queues, two respectable buildings, and maintainable landscaping worthy of the park's literal name. I'm glad the park has one VB-level attraction from a theming POV, but I'm also glad they don't have more than that. Holding that level of theming clearly is not valued at budget time.
I see Pompeii, VB, and DK (RIP) lying at one end of a spectrum of good options for BGW theming, with other rides situated at other also-good points on that spectrum. The variety is a positive attribute of the park; new adds don't all need to hit or even approach the far-right end of the curve. Recent adds like Invadr and FF have unfortunately fallen off the closer end of that spectrum, which is dispiriting to this long-time repeat guest. The solution could have just been to match the visual aesthetic of the rest of the park, had planning and budgeting allowed. Aesthetically pleasing hardscaping and landscaping are perfectly in line with the history and spirit of the park's origins, after all...
Perhaps I will feel similarly about Pantheon, once I experience it myself.
I see Pompeii, VB, and DK (RIP) lying at one end of a spectrum of good options for BGW theming, with other rides situated at other also-good points on that spectrum. The variety is a positive attribute of the park; new adds don't all need to hit or even approach the far-right end of the curve. Recent adds like Invadr and FF have unfortunately fallen off the closer end of that spectrum, which is dispiriting to this long-time repeat guest. The solution could have just been to match the visual aesthetic of the rest of the park, had planning and budgeting allowed. Aesthetically pleasing hardscaping and landscaping are perfectly in line with the history and spirit of the park's origins, after all...
Perhaps I will feel similarly about Pantheon, once I experience it myself.
Alpengeist, and Griffon Both have heavily themed plazas and queue buildings. In recent years, Invadr has a heavily themed queue, station, and plaza. Pantheon couldn't even get themed architecture.
I feel like BGW probably reads this like "...........so thoosies................did you not want Pantheon to be built, could have included that in our budget cuts......."
Hey hey hey, there’s theming. When you’re baking on the uncovered bridge in the 92°, 80% humidity July heat for 2.5 hours waiting for the 4 minute, one train ops to get you on the ride, you get to experience Balmoral Castles exhaust smoke wash over you every few minutes.
If you look at the lack of theming in the same frame as the CF attempted acquisition, it makes some sense. Basically SEAS has been doing everything to improve their short term financials and pump up their stock price, giving them the leverage to make acquisitions and possibly consolidate the industry.
To pump up their financials they basically are trading short term revenue gains and cost cutting (bare minimum theming, low wages, thin staffing, etc) to make their profits look better. Now downgrading the park experience has a longer term cost to it, but if they can consolidate competitors they can then raise prices more than enough to cover costs needed to fix things in the longer term.
To pump up their financials they basically are trading short term revenue gains and cost cutting (bare minimum theming, low wages, thin staffing, etc) to make their profits look better. Now downgrading the park experience has a longer term cost to it, but if they can consolidate competitors they can then raise prices more than enough to cover costs needed to fix things in the longer term.
Considering that you're going into a field, seems to me the best theming should be where it connects to the rest of the park. However, if it was any closer to the basketball game, which is the worst looking thing in the entire park, it would stick out for looking too good. It doesn't connect directly to the park, it connects to Festa which is kind of like an Italian amusement park outside of the main loop.
They also need to make it easier to find the train station.
They also need to make it easier to find the train station.
Jeez entitlement runs rampant…
Themed Buildings, Bridge, barrels and crates, and blacksmith tools on walls.
The eye roll has to be the most useless emoji @Zachary
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