Project 2025/Caldera: Rapterra (Launched B&M Wing Coaster)
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They’ve worked with GG but they haven’t quite built any new full coasters from them. I would consider GG a more likely addition now than I did 5ish years ago given Cedar Fair is working with them and was considering a project for a ground up attraction from them. I can’t really see them good “wood” for the Volcano replacement though.
A 3rd wooden coaster? Unless it has some sort of trick up its sleeve ala Zambezi Zinger I don't see how it would be that marketable.
Mystic Timbers ostensibly has been a major success for Kings Island and they had Beast, Racer, and Woodstock Express in the park. I guess they really intrigued people with the "What's in the shed" marketing.
That said, I doubt we're looking at a GG or GCI for the Volcano plot. Could see one at KD eventually down the road especially if the park sees revenue growth.
If they put in an Infinity Flyer with a launch it would be the first launch coaster in the mid-Atlantic with (predominantly) wooden track. It’s also a wooden coaster that would have steel (titan) track in certain sections so you get the smooth but rattly feel of a GCI and the butter smooth feel of steel track with inversions and tight twists in one ride. Also this would actually be the park’s 5th wooden coaster counting both sides of R75. I admit I had doubts about another woodie considering it would also be the 5th major attraction in the park with a wooden structure, but does that mean a park can’t do it?
Assuming Zambezi Zinger’s “trick up its sleeve” is the spiral lift hill….I mean it’s just a lift hill as a spiral. You think people are coming over to Zinger just for the lift?
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On one hand, KD did have four woodies too when Hurler was still wooden. On the other hand, KI has more of a heritage of wooden coasters. I don't think an extra woodie would fit KD well.
I'd love a GCI or Gravity Group down the road, but not for this project
I mean the southwestern corner of KD already has three wooden-structure attractions, (one of which used to also have wooden track) so I don't think it would make sense to add yet another wooden coaster in that area. That's one reason why I had the thought of a GCI in Volcano's former land or crammed somewhere in JX as it would spread that type of track to the other side of the park. But it's honestly wishful thinking, the Gerstlauer infinity would be the more likely option over this. As for Old Virginia, I would see a steel coaster with airtime or inversions and possibly a launch to add a bigger thrill factor to this area. But the specifics of that I reserve for another thread.
Bingo.
Do you think Worlds of Fun ARENT using the spiral lift hill as a focus of the marketing for the opening of ZZ?
In the 90's, when the Hurler was built, PKD literally advertised the park as "The Park with the most wooden coasters on the East Coast"
In the form of connecting it to the original ride of that name, yes. Of course if it had the spiral and was original, they still might focus on it, but I doubt that anyone would think that would work.
Sooo the Volcano Replacement I do not foresee being a wooden coaster. I am just going to state that. My general guess is that it's from B&M solely based on the fact they were considering one for the location already. Probably need to pivot away from the idea of if another wooden would work at KD, it would I think but I doubt that's what they're eying for the Volcano plot. My guess is if we got a new wooden coaster it would be in the 2030s are the earliest.
And a very questionable focus of marketing at that. I mean it’s cool and all and saves on space but I obviously wouldn’t judge a ride solely by the spiral lift.
Considering that wing concept was apparently shelved, they’d somehow still be looking at B&M? Couldn’t they have been looking at other manufacturers as well since then?
Marketing is gonna market. DarKoaster's unique, first in North America feature? A building.
I'm not making a definitive statement when I put my ballpark guess. It's mostly of Cedar Fair HEAVILY using B&M for a significant portion of their steel coasters the last 10 years and the fact they were considering it. I mean we have no idea what it is right now as far as confirmation purposes unless somebody that knows wants to cross B&M off our speculation list, that's my personal highest likelihood guess just based off trends with the company. I would personally love to be surprised from something so cookie cutter but I wouldn't be upset either because B&Ms are REALLY fun in my experience (except stand up coasters I hate them all, jury is still out on Pipeline but I am still skeptical).
I mean we saw BGW FINALLY bend on Intamin after so many years it could be anything and Cedar Fair could have decided to experiment with a different manufacturer for this project from the usual go-tos for them (B&M & GCI) which they absolutely have. I would ballpark estimate guess from where I am sitting there's a 35-40% chance it's a B&M (assuming it's even a coaster, but I have a hard time personally not seeing them put at least 1 in that plot of land over other options) and that's the most confident range I would put any manufacturer in based on business trends with Cedar Fair. Note that leaves 60-65% they could have deviated elsewhere and CF will experiment from time to time.
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