Arie Force One purchased by Six Flags, location TBD

bigboy:

How does the park deserve a RMC?

It's been a very good boy?

I bet the brake run is turned into an unload ala Wildcats Revenge.

Alot of legacy SF parks already have RMCs, Dorney would be awesome, but they would definitely give it to GrAdv first. And yes KI should get a terrain RMC.

Also a good sign they bought it cause CF was off RMC but maybe John and the remaining CF people changed tact, alas one assumes Railblazer will be moved as well, though that really should go to Discovery Kingdom.

Coasterbuzz has spent the past 25+ years reminding people that parks don't make decisions to cater to the niche group of enthusiasts, they make decisions to best serve their overall customer base.

So of course Cedar Flags comes in teasing and then announcing something that 95% of their customers won't know about or care. Yeah, it's a cool thing for the coaster community, but I don't know how marketable the whole "saved a three year old coaster that no one outside of coaster enthusiasts has ever heard of" thing really is. I feel they could have gotten more good PR from saving Wild One from Six Flags America or an eventual plan to save Gold Striker from California's Great America.

As for keeping the Arie Force One name, I have to imagine John Arie's ego is such that keeping his name on the ride was in his terms and conditions of the sale to Six Flags. There's no other reason why they'd do it. Unless again, after 25 years, we're all being proven wrong about parks catering to and marketing to enthusiasts.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the ride is being saved. It's just an odd choice for Six Flags. I expected it to go literally anywhere else.

Saying it makes financial sense and saying a park "deserves" it is not the same thing.

Some of you are saying that Arie Force can't go to a busier park because it has low capacity. This is Six Flags we're talking about. They wanna sell them fastlanes.

Jeff:

Hard pass. "It's huuuuuuuuuuuuge!"

Agreed. If ever there was a name that was compensating for something...

Jeff:

In case anyone needs a reminder, Arie Sr. was posting gems like this when you couldn't get a hospital bed. Not the most empathetic person, trying to rationalize a million people dying.

Ha. I didn't realize it was a family name; I assumed it was a play on Air Force 1.
I still like it.

That FB post is irrelevant since it makes no mention of roller coasters. And what makes you think I was shopping for hospital beds? I have no interest in hospital beds. What was your point?

BrettV:

Coasterbuzz has spent the past 25+ years reminding people that parks don't make decisions to cater to the niche group of enthusiasts, they make decisions to best serve their overall customer base.

Still holds true.

The social media posts are what's catering to the niche group of enthusiasts, and they don't cost anything. Nobody else cares.

The decision to buy a new coaster at a price that most likely is barely more than they'd get for scrap metal is a financial decision.

All the people in whatever market it goes to (except Georgia) will just think it's a new ride with a typo in the name.

Win-win-win. Enthusiasts think you did something "for them", you get a cheap ride, some park gets a new coaster for a flat ride price.

Cedar Flags probably has a park picked out to put the ride. They probably haven’t announced which park yet because:

a) Something could go wrong with the permitting. See Siren’s Curse at Six Flags Mexico.

b) It may be a bit late to be able to get the ride open for 2027. Announcing a ride for 2028 this early could deter some people from visiting in 2027.

As far as it being too low of a capacity for a larger park: when has that ever stopped Six Flags?

The announcement said we would know where by the end of the year and that it's opening 2028 or 2029. So much for not wanting to kill attendance next season.

But I definitely see them using the internet content creators to continue the hype train until it's ready to open. The Bakunawa hype worked. And the patrons of the park stop and look at everything in that area. I can only think AireForce One will do the same if it goes somewhere it can be seen while it's being built and commisioned. My thoughts of them using Kingda Ka's old plot, if it goes to Great Adventure, will make that a challenge though as it's back in a mostly wooded/wetland area.

I'm trying to put the pieces together with what Great Adventure has been saying recently and I vaguely think they may know if it is going there. I believe Ryan has mentioned 2028/2029 for another coaster in the area where Kingda Ka was. I know he did a post recently hyping thrills. Great Adventure locals will probably bitch that it's another hand me down. Flash, Barrels, Arie? They would definitely need to try to go to three 24 seat trains if they really want it to work at Great Adventure though.

dragonoffrost:

So much for not wanting to kill attendance next season.

Approximately no one has read the announcement or knows anything about it. See 0g's post immediately before yours.

And approximately no one will know or care that it's a hand-me-down.

"Used Coaster #1 is too rough for me!"

0g:

Cedar Flags probably has a park picked out to put the ride. They probably haven’t announced which park yet because:

a) Something could go wrong with the permitting. See Siren’s Curse at Six Flags Mexico.

They're shipping it off to SF Qiddiya (i'm kidding, but you can never put anything past them)

Still waiting on the part of news that will turn heads. Maybe they've bought the whole park (sarcasm, of course... or is it premonition)

Putting a coaster the reported level of ArieForce One at any park that doesn't have a RMC Hybrid will be head turning for locals of that park.

I say reported level as I have not rode ArieForce One. But all the RMC Hybrids I have experienced are head turning for the park they are in.

I guess rich guys can be weird but the reports that it is keeping the name as a condition of the sale are head scratching to me. Normal people won't get or care about the meaning behind the name, and it's objectively kinda bad. I guess it's better than Goliath.

Don't worry - Trump is going to rename it after himself. And paint it gold.

Barry Wellington:

Still waiting on the part of news that will turn heads.

I'm guessing the "turning heads" announcement was the 36% APR payment plan option.

Man, reading all this I swear some of y'all enjoy finding ways to not have fun in this hobby hahaha

Jeff, that post is why I avoid social media like the plague. Folks often show their worst on there and I don't need more reasons to dislike people. I understand Arie Jr. really cared for his employees in Atlanta, he took a chance and spent (and ultimately lost) a bunch of money building an incredible coaster. I ran into him a couple times over the last two operational weeks and was at the closing ceremony and can confirm he's a legit good dude, so maybe that makes up for his dad's online ignorance?

Six Flags tore down Kingda Ka without a peep; zero respect for the ride or its fans. The Aries gave 3 months notice of closure, held an event and brought in a giant banner on the ride's final day for fans to sign and leave messages.

Vincent, I'm interested to hear how the name is objectively bad? In fact, one could argue the red/white/blue structure, lead car design and logo stand out well among a sea of Vortexes and Cyclones and yes, Goliaths. The whole name debate is overblown.. I wouldn't be surprised if Arie simply offered the name/logo for free and SF, seeing a way to save a couple hundred grand on re-theming, accepted.

When you sit in the front seat of AF1, there's a faux control panel graphic on the lead car. Nestled in the corner are three switches: "Fun" "More Fun" and "Even More Fun." I'm gonna enjoy flipping those switches again wherever this ride winds up :)

And yeah, it needs to go to Kings Island!