They need a better way to check lapbars. Takes way too long. Are they back to running 2 trains? Earlier this week they were only running green train.
Twisted Timbers
- Thread starter Nicole
- Start date
Have fun telling them that. Gotta check the seatbelts first and then the lapbars per corporate policy.
Not all the slowdown is the checking of seatbelts. The person at the end of the line that lets people through for standby and Fast Lane was train after train holding up the dispatch opening day. They were letting through exactly two people per row once the previous train loaded. Sounds great until people get in the front car and are trying to match up with someone in the second row. So then the next train enters to load, row two skips leaving two empty seats, they start at the back of the train checking seats then when they get to row two start calling out party or 2. He would then let two more in and everyone would be waiting on them to get seated. It also was happening that when someone oversized or a single rider would board leaving a empty seat. Then they would look for a single rider in the queue at least once asking all the way back to the steps looking for someone. Thats a huge waste of time. Let at least a couple trains worth of riders in and people will work it out. It felt more like he had some power and was going to use it. He was telling everyone "let me see if I can go get you on the next train" like he was doing them a favor. Once when someone else moved people around to better fill seats he started argueing with thim that they shouldnt be changing up what he had done.
They were running both trains today and luckily the weather wasnt so great so the wait was only 5 minutes. ?
Marketing campaign this year seems to be very focused on Twisted Timbers still. I suppose it makes sense. The billboard they put up in apparent retaliation to BGWs billboards near them heavily emphasized Twisted Timbers. The issue with RMC hybrids and the general public in terms of getting them to visit is I've had several people tell me they see TT as a "rehash" of Hurler and I have to explain it's basically a whole new ride but the average person would not see it like that regardless until they actually ride it.
I only saw the one coming from Fredericksburg right after the BGW sign it's on the other side of the highway.
That makes sense given CEO Richard Zimmerman's new push to draw on the success of large investments across several seasons:
SourceCleveland.com said:
Maybe when a park like Carowinds, Cedar Point, Kings Island, and Canada's Wonderland gets 20+ million dollar attraction, it might be another 5-7 years before they see another 20+ million dollar attraction; instead of one every 3-5 years. I thought Zimmerman stated that they wanted to spread the capital investments more evenly across the chain.
Right now, it feels like the small-medium CF parks sit for multiple years before they see ANY new ride/attraction (5 million dollars or less). Course, places like Michigan's Adventure, Valley Fair, Dorney Park and World's of Fun might not ever see a 20+ million dollar attraction; but, if CF is changing their investment strategy to include the smaller parks, getting an investment of a 5-8 million or 10-12 million dollar attraction every 3-5 years seems possible now.
I could see something like CGA's Rail Blazer or Knott's surfer themed coaster going to a park like WOF, Dorney, or Valley Fair (Heck, maybe even Michigan's Adventure). If not a coaster, maybe a major flat ride.
For the lower tier parks (KD included) I don't think their ride investment would exceed $20 million unless something major happens in their areas that facilitates that kind of investment.
What I basically got out of their yearly financial strategy adjustment was that they'd be more in line with what Six Flags is doing, focusing more on adding something every year but spreading out the major additions by investing more in marketing instead of BIG RIDE, BIG RIDE, BIG RIDE every 2-3 years.
What I basically got out of their yearly financial strategy adjustment was that they'd be more in line with what Six Flags is doing, focusing more on adding something every year but spreading out the major additions by investing more in marketing instead of BIG RIDE, BIG RIDE, BIG RIDE every 2-3 years.
During the TAFT/KECO years, ALL parks received a major attraction every 4-5 years. It was almost like clockwork. Course, the park chain back then was only 5 parks; so, one major attraction per year went to one park (8-14 million dollar range - 1970's/1980's dollars). The rest of the parks did get an attraction; but, in the 2-4 million range. If KECO had allocated capital like CF has over the last 8-10 years, 2 parks would be getting an attraction in the 8-14 million dollar range and the other 3 parks would get nothing.
I really really hope they feel the urge to add a new coaster after removing Volcano...…………………..however I can easily see "Oh but we just added Twisted Timbers they're okay. We will add a new one after another 7 Planet Snoopy expansions and 3 Soak City expansions"
Funny thing is KD has had a marked increase in overall ridership when they expanded Planet Snoopy. 2013 and 2017 were two of KD's best seasons since the Cedar Fair acquisition.
I'm now thinking...with the Monster Jam/Feld tie-in...they leave portions of the "volcano", paint it more "dirt brown", and that Feld designed "Monster Jam" winged coaster going over hills and valleys, etc.
Can I get a "yeehaw!"
Can I get a "yeehaw!"
Until Volcano's closure was announced, I would have been totally fine with Twisted Timbers being the "new" coaster and then 5+ years of smaller park improvements like you mentioned. For that brief period in 2018 when the two coasters coexisted, I felt like KD had a near-perfect lineup, and I've always felt the park benefits more during off-years where the focus is on the park experience. However, now with Volcano gone, the lineup definitely seems like it's missing something. I honestly wouldn't be shocked if attendance hurts this year because of Volcano's closure alone.
tl;dr The park should get a new coaster not because we "deserve" one but because attendance may suffer in Volcano's absence.
^I am very in favor of park improvements. The park today feels so much more pleasant than it did 10 years ago. Volcano being gone certainly does feel like a massive hole in the lineup. We used to have 4 launch coasters now there’s Flight of Fear and Backlot (both fun rides for sure). Just feels weird that the next time I go to KD Volcano won’t be there. However I am very glad we have Twisted Timbers. I wish the general public that hasn’t ridden it yet would see it as something more than a “rehash.”
As long as the woodies and i-305 are there, I will remain happy. If we lost her I would miss Anaconda as she is one of the last Arrows standing.