News Project 2026: Shoreline Pier (Boardwalk Phase I feat. Barrels O' Fun & More)

[AmyUD06]

That drop tower from in the survey would be a great surprise if we got this for 2026. I wonder if they would have enough time to build all of this for 2026.

They definitely do not have the time to build the 400+ foot tower from the survey for this year. I'm expecting RC, the flyers, and the wave swinger and maybe Swashbucker being relocated and the Nebulaz (I honestly have no idea how quick these can be dis-/re-assembled) in time for this summer. Everything else, whatever that might be, for next year.

 

[RDL]

The point I'm trying to make is that poorly maintained attractions aren't good for anyone. They're a huge reason the park has lost so much of it's attendance over the years.

I'm imagining that they're putting RC over in the plot of land where DDD used to be. In that plot it'll look like a travel coaster sitting at a county fair. I'm not arguing against RCs viability as a family coaster, but it's something I imagine most families will do once and never again after seeing how out of shape it's in.

To be clear, I'm not against adding RC. I'm against adding RC and doing absolutely no restoration on it, and this new regime, while promising, hasn't really shown anything to indicate that the ride will get the makeover it needs.

I don't think there's any chance that drop tower was for this year. I think we should only expect SFA relocations in 2026.

The drop tower from the survey, if it comes true, is probably 2028.

I expect the tower to come next year at the latest. Everything from the survey is probably coming within the next 1-2 years.

 

[AmyUD06]

To be clear, I'm not against adding RC. I'm against adding RC and doing absolutely no restoration on it, and this new regime, while promising, hasn't really shown anything to indicate that the ride will get the makeover it needs.

And what has the new regime shown you, specifically, to make you think that it won't? Especially when you also predict...

I expect the tower to come next year at the latest. Everything from the survey is probably coming within the next 1-2 years.

 

[Zachary]

When did you last ride Ragin' Cajun @RDL? I feel like you have some perception that this is some rickety old pile of rusty bolts. Six Flags America actually took pretty good care of their coasters and Ragin' Cajun, in particular, always looked, sounded, and rode perfectly well in my experience.

I expect the tower to come next year at the latest. Everything from the survey is probably coming within the next 1-2 years.

I think anyone anticipating that Phase II will include anything beyond the Shuttle Strata Spinner, rethemes (read: Superman), and aesthetic additions to the area is setting themselves up for major disappointment. I'd be shocked if Phase II brought anything other than the flagship coaster and more area improvements.

 

[RDL]

And what has the new regime shown you, specifically, to make you think that it won't? Especially when you also predict...

Because they're trying to get it open for this season. Properly restoring the ride would take the entire season and it wouldn't be open till 2027 if they were to go through with it.

Also, installing a drop tower wouldn't take as much time as people think. It took them a year to get a mounted drop tower onto Ka, and they ran into several issues during that process. The regime at the time was also way more dysfunctional. A standalone tower wouldn't be hard to install at all.

 

[harry580]

Because they're trying to get it open for this season. Properly restoring the ride would take the entire season and it wouldn't be open till 2027 if they were to go through with it.

Also, installing a drop tower wouldn't take as much time as people think. It took them a year to get a mounted drop tower onto Ka, and they ran into several issues during that process. The regime at the time was also way more dysfunctional. A standalone tower wouldn't be hard to install at all.

if a drop tower were to be added, I guessing either boardwalk or maybe metropolis would be perfect for it (maybe call it: superman tower of power for metropolis in case superman ultimate flight gets rethemed)

 

[RDL]

if a drop tower were to be added, I guessing either boardwalk or maybe metropolis would be perfect for it (maybe call it: superman tower of power for metropolis in case superman ultimate flight gets rethemed)

It seems like the boardwalk is going to undergo a restoration similar to the one Old Country went through.

 

[Zachary]

Also, installing a drop tower wouldn't take as much time as people think. It took them a year to get a mounted drop tower onto Ka, and they ran into several issues during that process. The regime at the time was also way more dysfunctional. A standalone tower wouldn't be hard to install at all.

Yeah, but it's not about installation timeline. It's about design, production, and manufacturing lead time, shipping, and then installation.

Frankly, if SFGAdv were adding an even near-record-breaking drop tower this season (they're not), it would have already long since been announced. Unlike used ride relocations, that would have been fully solidified and finalized MANY MONTHS ago now. They definitely would be advertising it right now if it were a thing.

Then, next year, it would be absolute management malpractice to add any remotely major attraction alongside the coaster. It would do nothing to draw additional attendance and would just be a total waste of cap-ex with zero real ROI.

That super tall drop tower is only coming during a year it can be a heavily marketed, headlining attraction for the season—in my estimation that means 2028 at the earliest.

 

[AmyUD06]

Because they're trying to get it open for this season. Properly restoring the ride would take the entire season and it wouldn't be open till 2027 if they were to go through with it.

That wasn't what you claimed - you didn't claim that "properly restoring the ride would take the entire season" (which is absolutely false in every possible way - the ride wasn't in bad shape to being with) - you claimed that the newly merged SFEC has done something, anything, to justify your belief that they would just plop the ride down as is. THAT is what I'm asking you to justify.

Also, installing a drop tower wouldn't take as much time as people think. It took them a year to get a mounted drop tower onto Ka, and they ran into several issues during that process. The regime at the time was also way more dysfunctional. A standalone tower wouldn't be hard to install at all.

You clearly understand nothing of the process, and after this....

It seems like the boardwalk is going to undergo a restoration similar to the one Old Country went through.

...when combined with your nonsensical, unjustified insistence that if RC comes to the park, it's going in the DDD plot when the park has explicitly stated that the development area for Phase I is at the other end of the area, it has become clear that you're just trolling at this point. The stated plan is to revitalize the Boardwalk, not shutter it for nearly a decade.

 

[paintervision]

Also, installing a drop tower wouldn't take as much time as people think. It took them a year to get a mounted drop tower onto Ka, and they ran into several issues during that process. The regime at the time was also way more dysfunctional. A standalone tower wouldn't be hard to install at all.

Falcon’s Fury was shorter, but they still used over 100 pilings as deep as 205 ft. Even if they started this today, I don't know that it would be done by the end of the season.

 

[northdetective]

That wasn't what you claimed - you didn't claim that "properly restoring the ride would take the entire season" (which is absolutely false in every possible way - the ride wasn't in bad shape to being with) - you claimed that the newly merged SFEC has done something, anything, to justify your belief that they would just plop the ride down as is. THAT is what I'm asking you to justify.

You clearly understand nothing of the process, and after this....


...when combined with your nonsensical, unjustified insistence that if RC comes to the park, it's going in the DDD plot when the park has explicitly stated that the development area for Phase I is at the other end of the area, it has become clear that you're just trolling at this point. The stated plan is to revitalize the Boardwalk, not shutter it for nearly a decade.

It would probably serve you well to realize that people who disagree with you aren't "trolling." The condescension in tone has always been tacky, but the presumption of correctness and/or authority really adds some Velveeta smarm

 

[RDL]

That wasn't what you claimed - you didn't claim that "properly restoring the ride would take the entire season" (which is absolutely false in every possible way - the ride wasn't in bad shape to being with) - you claimed that the newly merged SFEC has done something, anything, to justify your belief that they would just plop the ride down as is. THAT is what I'm asking you to justify.

They want this attraction open for this season, and if that's the case, I don't see why they wouldn't try and get it open early, as it'd make more sense to just wait for 2027 if the only option was to have it open late. I personally can't see them getting a repaint plus other upgrades in within that timeframe. That's why I made that statement.

My judgement of this rides quality is based off of what other people have said in regards to it's condition when they rode it on closing weekend. If you don't want to take their word for it, that's fine. The reason I'm so against it opening in it's current condition is because it reeks of what the chain used to do under Dan Snyder/JRA. The park doesn't need a rehash of the ride rotation program. It needs to have the same level of care that Great America and Fiesta Texas have received over the years, because if they want to take the market away from Hershey, that's the bare minimum.

...when combined with your nonsensical, unjustified insistence that if RC comes to the park, it's going in the DDD plot when the park has explicitly stated that the development area for Phase I is at the other end of the area, it has become clear that you're just trolling at this point. The stated plan is to revitalize the Boardwalk, not shutter it for nearly a decade.

Jeez talk about an overreaction. You completely took what I said out of context. I was simply talking about how Old County took awhile to redevelop, specifically in regards to the additions that were added on a yearly basis (JL, Cyborg, WW, Flash, etc), I wasn't talking about how it was shut down for over a decade. My personal prediction is that every addition from that survey will go in the boardwalk area. Sorry for not clarifying that I suppose. Still, to assume I'm trolling is a crazy reach. If you've seen my posts in other threads, you'd know that I'm not nearly as negative about this redevelopment phase as some others here are.

 

[Zachary]

They want this attraction open for this season, and if that's the case, I don't see why they wouldn't try and get it open early, as it'd make more sense to just wait for 2027 if the only option was to have it open late. I personally can't see them getting a repaint plus other upgrades in within that timeframe. That's why I made that statement.

We agree here. I think other people are more optimistic about the amount that can be done by late spring than I am/we are. I hope others are right and it will be a nonissue, but I brought up the "I'll withhold final judgement until 2027" case because I struggle to imagine them getting a relocated mouse built, tested, painted, themed, etc in the middle of a large construction site by late Spring and have it look really complete/good. Like I said though, hope they prove me wrong.

My judgement of this rides quality is based off of what other people have said in regards to it's condition when they rode it on closing weekend. If you don't want to take their word for it, that's fine

Yeah, I feel like anyone claiming that must have some weird standards. People broadly in my experience really liked Ragin' Cajun—seemingly way more than other very similar iterations of the same idea. I know that was my take.

The reason I'm so against it opening in it's current condition is because it reeks of what the chain used to do under Dan Snyder/JRA. The park doesn't need a rehash of the ride rotation program. It needs to have the same level of care that Great America and Fiesta Texas have received over the years, because if they want to take the market away from Hershey, that's the bare minimum.

I think this is all valid. I originally identified the two options as the park potentially being forced to pick their poison. Neither option is good. I think reasonable people can be on either side of that debate if it does come down to "open it unfinished vs open it late." I'm on the "Great Adventure has lost too much recently and getting rides online with future plans to make them perfect is the best route" camp, but there are plenty of good reasons not to be.

 

[abs227]

Falcon’s Fury was shorter, but they still used over 100 pilings as deep as 205 ft. Even if they started this today, I don't know that it would be done by the end of the season.

People in general underestimate how complex foundations for large structures can be. There’s no way that they would be able to design and build a 400 foot drop tower in time for this season without substantial work being completed already.

As a side tangent, an under-discussed reason for the 2027 coaster to mostly avoid Ka’s footprint is that the large underground parts of the footers for Ka’s tower were probably abandoned in place rather than being fully removed. It’s much easier to build the foundation of a very heavy tall tower in undisturbed earth than to have to work with existing concrete abandoned underground. It was probably realized early on in the ride’s design that cost could be reduced by offsetting slightly from Kingda Ka.

 

[MrBradferd]

Imagine getting a 350ft+ spinning coaster that launches upside down and crying about throwing a bone to the kids/familys. Holy hell some people make us thoosies look insufferable

 

[DWNitro]

Imagine getting a 350ft+ spinning coaster that launches upside down and crying about throwing a bone to the kids/familys. Holy hell some people make us thoosies look insufferable

If Great Adventure can get families through the door and spend a whole day or more there = $$$

Gotta round out the experience

 

[northdetective]

Imagine getting a 350ft+ spinning coaster that launches upside down and crying about throwing a bone to the kids/familys. Holy hell some people make us thoosies look insufferable

Imagine perceiving any criticism as "crying" and shooting down people who want better than hand-me-downs for the proclaimed reinvention of a long-neglected park. Holy hell some minds are one-dimensional

 

[Suspense]

I think part of the issue about being upset about the hand-me-downs is that was the only realistic option once the project was delayed. It was announced as a 2026 attraction but was pushed to 2027 late-ish in what would’ve been a timeline of planning a 2026 attraction. Ryan said in the podcast that this boardwalk addition’s scope changed recently. The best case scenario is what Flash (or siren’s curse) actually was, a last minute addition from a ride planned for another park. But I don’t think a ride like that existed for them to purchase this time.

Really what I think should’ve happened is siren’s curse should’ve replaced Green Lantern and then the 27 ride could’ve been planned for 27 from the start instead of 26. Cedar point really did not need that coaster lol. Maybe if flash didn’t get delayed that would’ve been the case…

 

[Great Adventurer]

I reckon the specific sector of the park comes into play here as well; as things currently stand, without the Parachutes and Twister, the boardwalk area is in pretty dire need of activities for younger guests. I imagine it must have been a pain point for many parents to have navigated past numerous game booths and claw machines just to arrive at a secluded dead end containing...

- A generally intense roller coaster
- A snack stand
- A paid basketball game
- Two upcharge attractions

None of those are really appealing to a budget-conscious family that already likely paid for multiple admissions. There could have been some one-time game revenue from it, but it probably left a lot of sour impressions too. This injection of smaller rides is going to help a lot with that.

IMO a lot of wishlist items in this thread, big and small alike, are totally valid wants after the losses the park endured in 2025. That said, regardless of which side of the fence anyone is on, I think most can agree that this seemingly impulsive renovation decision beats the hell out of the seemingly impulsive ride purge we got last year!

 

[RDL]

Imagine perceiving any criticism as "crying" and shooting down people who want better than hand-me-downs for the proclaimed reinvention of a long-neglected park. Holy hell some minds are one-dimensional

I don’t usually agree with you, but I do here.

People are acting like we’re criticizing the park for adding something like Big Bear Mountain at Dollywood.

Guests CAN tell enjoyable rides from non-enjoyable ones. It’s a big reason GAdv has lost its attendance. They see things that look run down and want to take themselves and their kids elsewhere.