I'm worried about the fact that retheming 1305 won't bring any new people to the park. So how much are they really gonna spend on it?
Project 2025/305: Pantherian (Intimidator 305 Retheme)
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Getting rid of all the blacktop remaining in Jungle X would be a huge win alone.
I agree, but I actually think this is one of the very few instances where a nominal return on investment almost doesn't matter. You are right it won't bring more people to the park, but the park (honestly, most likely the chain as a whole not KD) is saving money by no longer having to pay for the licensing of the Intimidator name. That alone is worth the investment long-term. It already badly needed a repaint, so it was the perfect time for rebranding, with new colors. I think if anything, finally being able to sell coaster merch again for their most iconic current attraction is a huge win, and will offset whatever theming budget it will have with the rebrand (which I assume will be minimal, but hopefully they make the best of even a small budget).
Investments in food over the years (Grain and Grill, Outpost, Firehouse, Victoria's, Cactus Grove) as an example, wouldn't see a huge return on investment in their individual years either, but it was all in preparation for a big 50th anniversary. Tumbili brought some new people, but the rebranding of Jungle X as a whole was similar. Nobody came just to see Reptilian's or Arachnidia's new colors, but it enhanced the experience of people already there. Investments in a possible repaint of Dominator is similar too.
Next year the park is really hoping to bring in people who used to visit, and want to celebrate its 50th, along with people eyeing up Rapterra. They want to make a great impression on those people, and banking on giving them such a positive park experience that they visit more consistently. Even Grizzly and Racer 75 retrack investments are all about providing those returning guests an experience even better than how they remember those coasters, and want them to come back.
A lot of people have mixed to even poor associations with Kings Dominion, and while there are some rides, IPs, shows from the past that people will never be able to let go of, all of these investments are honestly trying to rebrand the park as a whole as something the local population should take advantage of.
All of that to say that I do believe the 305 rebrand doesn't even need to bring new people through the gates, simply because of the money-savings without the license. In the contrast, investing in a retheme of Backlot makes far less sense financially, given the work that would need to be done, and the limited return on investment, which is probably why retheming Backlot would be one of the last investments, if it happens at all. Don't get me wrong, I want it though, it just makes less financial sense for the park.
That's a really well-written response that actually changed my mind. I'm a bit more optimistic now.
Now what are the odds Dominator gets a significant retheme to fit in with whatever international street is? (Kidding)
Now what are the odds Dominator gets a significant retheme to fit in with whatever international street is? (Kidding)
I still think that idea to theme the entire I-street to pirates would have been awesome, but...
I don't think that's the worst idea I've ever heard, maybe reserve that theme for Dominator and not for the entirety of International Street. In my perfect KD I would remove some of the parking by Dominator and make the whole area lightly Spanish themed, with Dominator sporting a fortress station. Curb the perception of Dominator as a parking lot coaster and essentially create a new area of the park. If you loop a path around dominator with shops and maybe a flat ride, you could put the entrance to Dominator (or whatever you wanna call it) back under the cobra roll where it belongs.
Reclaiming a portion of the parking lot to make the area around Berserker and Dominator a 1700's Spanish/Caribbean/pirate village would be pretty cool. Retheme dominator, tie in berserker, add some shops, a seafood option (since there are none). Maybe add a Pirate-themed Larson loop or a flat or two or (gasp ) a kid's ride. Maybe move and Flying Eagles up there, retheme the ride back to parrots it was when it was put in, and give Old Virginia a new flat in it's place.
My Dominator “Kings Cove” pitch here
https://parkfans.net/threads/dominator-renovation.8382/
We shouldn’t clog this thread
https://parkfans.net/threads/dominator-renovation.8382/
We shouldn’t clog this thread
Looks like the lift hill supports are getting painted a blood orange. Hear me out... what if it's not an animal theme and they theme it to something like a volcano expedition?
That would be a rather brilliant idea in a lot of ways.
Also let's not forget there’s still the yellow test paint on the track, they could use it for part, maybe red supports yellow track (Volcano style) on the lift/drop?
I know this isn't actually related, but the idea of a volcano mixed with a cat temple made me think of this poem by Blake:
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies.
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat.
What dread hand? & what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp.
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears
And water'd heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies.
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat.
What dread hand? & what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp.
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears
And water'd heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
Hoping they go for a real name and not a cheesy name they made up. here are some Big Cat names I think would fit our beast of a coaster:
Sheba
Kong
Rajah
Kuro
Khan
Omen
Creed
Aurora
Also with the different color swatches we could be getting a similar paint job as Xcelerator at knott’s. I’m thinking yellow at the high points and transitions of the coaster and the orange everywhere else and its blended like here:
Sheba
Kong
Rajah
Kuro
Khan
Omen
Creed
Aurora
Also with the different color swatches we could be getting a similar paint job as Xcelerator at knott’s. I’m thinking yellow at the high points and transitions of the coaster and the orange everywhere else and its blended like here:
I’m surprised he hasn’t posted it yet but here’s @Haunted River update
Direct Link to Embedded Media Source
Does anyone know what the flags by the footers might be for
Direct Link to Embedded Media Source
Does anyone know what the flags by the footers might be for
Usually colored flags like that aid in marking buried infrastructure, but it looks like they dug up a wire of some sort out of the ground and the flags help mark it to potentially keep heavy equipment from damaging it. Likely in that scenario, they didn't want that wire to get damaged underground where heavy equipment wheels might break the cable so they dug it up to help prevent damage as well.
For miss utility markings color coding, pink stands for temporary survey markings, but it's common to use pink in scenarios where theres some other infrastructure or landmark to note on a site, like in this case.
Since the ride was down yesterday, these were the best shots I could get of the paint job in the lift hill supports. I really like the black supports and wish that's what was happening with these ones. Ironically, I think the dark supports make the ride look a little more intimidating.
Black track and orange supports for the lift would look spectacular. I’m really envisioning it in your last picture.
The two support columns for the lift hill being two different colors (red and orange?) would actually look pretty sweet too…especially with black track.
The two support columns for the lift hill being two different colors (red and orange?) would actually look pretty sweet too…especially with black track.
I'm really intrigued to see what this final paint job looks like
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