2006: A Year of Much New Stuff

For some reason or another, it seems to me that in 2006, as compared to 2005, there are more new rides, coasters, and large expansions being made to parks in North America.

For example in 2006:
HW, the Voyage, Bahari Action River, Gobbler Getaway, Thanksgiving; Beech Bend, the yet to be named woodie; WOF, the Patriot; SFMM, Tatsu; MIA, Grand Rapids and a restaurant; SFoG, Goliath; SFoT, 10 new rides; Dollywood, Timber Tower; VF, Screamin' Swing; Dorney, a new wave pool plus maybe something else; SFGAdv, El Toro, plus new sections and family rides; CP, a Screamin' Swing and maybe something else; PKI, Nickelodeon Universe; PCW, Boomerang Bay; PKD, Italian Job Stunt Coaster; La Ronde, Goliath; HP, Reese's Xtreme Cup Challenge; Knoebels, possibly a Flying Turns; Sea World Orlando three new kiddie rides; DW's Animal Kingdom, Expedition Everest.

Whereas in 2005 it seemed there were only a few big announcements. Kingda Ka seemed to dominate the announces, for obvious reasons. SheiKra, Hydra, Hades, Powder Keg, Italian Job Stunt Track were pretty much overlooked although SheiKra and Hades have had rave reviews. BGW's DarKastle seemed to be overlooked. HW, CP, SFNE just added small additions. GL, SFGAm, HW and many others played it smart with water park additions.

I realize that with the closure of SFAW, SF is distributing the rides to other parks (SFoT, SFGAdv). A quick glance at RCDB reveals that there were more overall new coasters in 2005, but the majority of them were either overseas or kiddie coasters. Not to say that the kiddie sections or smaller additions (flat rides) were more overlooked last year than this year, or that the new coasters this year are better than last year's, but it just seems there's just more new stuff. There isn't any one huge announcement (like TTD or KK in recent years) but just more well rounded expansions (not to say every park is getting well rounded additions). Perhaps it's that there's been more announcements earlier in the year? Or that the anticipation has been heightened due to the things such as the Holiblog and the like? Or that the general buzz over KK last year just overshadowed everything else? Just a bunch of parks happening to have their anniversaries? The more major parks adding big expansions? The economy in an upswing? Am I just imagining things? Ideas?

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bobthecoasterguy said:

For example in 2006:

PCW, Boomerang Bay;

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PCW is getting Mission Impossible Stunt Spectacular (Show).

In 2005, I stayed home. That turned out not to be a bad thing as I finished a project I had been working on for three years, graduated college (10 years late) and finally found a career.

More importantly, I took some time off from traveling to parks and riding coasters. It's amazing how you really don't miss it as much as you'd think.

2006 looks amazing, really amazing. I'm coming out of hiatus to visit a number of parks next year including, Dollywood, Holiday World, PKI, SFGadv, SFOG and Beech Bend. I'm even excited about the B&M up the road from me, and hoping I can celebrate the opening of Tatsu while thanking the park Gods for new SF ownership and management.

2004-2005 were the perfect years to take a break. I obviously didn't miss much. Those two 400ft mistakes back east did little to excite me at all. 2006, now were getting back to why I became interested in this hobby in the first palce!

I'm looking forward to DollyWood next year.
If they would just get a Flying Scooter!

I'll be getting a new pair of pants, and maybe some shirts and shoes! Does that qualify?

-Tambo

I think last year was just a lull in the biz. Major additions will probably not happen as frequently as they have over the last decade.

Yeah, next year just looks really good. Instead of One good looking new woodie(Hades), we're getting three(Voyage, Beech Bend, and El Toro). Goliath looks better than Powderkeg and Italian Job, and all of the other rides just overpower Sheikra's enticement. We're just getting lots of cool stuff next year.

I know I must go to Holiday World, and maybe I might get my first season pass ever now that I can drive to SFOG.

Dweaver: Just a little bit of advice, "GO SLOW". I basically hadnt been to a park since Memorial Day 2004 and recently returned from a Disney Excursion. We didnt even do open to close at all the parks, nor did we do them back to back. But you'll be suprised at how your park "stamina" can take a hit after a layoff.

It's a real good thing that it wasnt a *must* that we ride everything as we missed a whole bunch of stuff as our park speed was set to "mosey" :)

As for next year, I'd love to say that I'm gonna hit all these parks, but I dont see that happening. Most likely, I'll hit Hershey and the new dark ride, perhaps GAdv if they have another Coaster Celebration type event. I'd like to get to Holiday World as well but we'll see about that.

lata, jeremy

Haha@ park stamina...

Man, I used to have so much of that to spare. I can't believe I've become my father, looking at my watch and gathering everyone at 5pm, much to the annoyance of my "much younger" friends and family. Yes, I'm admitting in advance that the PKI, Holiday World trip will probably kill me. ;)

When did I become a grown up? This sucks!

Hey 05 isnt over yet, therefore if you can make it somewhere and experience something new, than this year is still going to be new for some of us, unfortunately. I will probably have to wait for 06 for something new, but this year was all about new parks and experiences for me, so 05 was hardly not a "new" year for this guy.

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j_o_e_y__ said:

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bobthecoasterguy said:
For example in 2006:
PCW, Boomerang Bay;

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PCW is getting Mission Impossible Stunt Spectacular (Show).

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Actually, they are getting Boomerang Bay. Read here. *** Edited 10/26/2005 9:03:31 PM UTC by bobthecoasterguy***

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Actually, they are getting Boomerang Bay. Read here.

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I thought you meant 'Paramount Canada's Wonderland' as the abbreviaton PCW is intended for Paramount Canada's Wonderland and Paramount's Carowinds is PCar

Joey --

Sorry about that. :)

WOW!!! 2006 is going to be an awesome year. The hard part is deciding where to go first!

Yeah Busch Gardens Williamsburg's Kurse Of Dark Kastle was overlook, but honestly it's not that great of a ride (my opinion). I as well as many, many others was sorely disapointed with the end product.

I would love to see Busch Gardens Williamsburg actually start catering to families, and simply add some attractions that are a true experience rather than adding more depressing, morbidly themed rides (The Haunted Light House, Kurse Of Dark Castle, Corkscrew Hill), and placing less emphasis on beer, and other alchohol. Maybe BGW's imaginers and company heads will finally get a clue, someday.

Anywho, 2006 Is gonna be a kick but season!
All For Air In 2006!

Air: What an odd comment. It is rare that one calls out a Busch park as not catering to "families". I would think that, overall, BGW is one of the handfull of parks that "gets it". The whole area of Ireland, IMO, is a good example. The have the beer school there for that segment, the Irish Thunder show for another segment and then the motion sim for the more adventurous types. What's not "family" about those?

And I dont think that C-Hill and H-L-House were morbid in the least. Actually, they had quite a few comedic elements (havent ridden DarKastle). If anything, you could complain that they are trying to hard to cash in on the "Harry Potter" craze (see Lemony Snickett's) but I dont think morbidity is a valid claim.

(begin rant)

That whole post seems like a sarcastic joke and forgive me if it is. But if it was meant to be given plain meaning then I'd suggest that you have no idea of what the concept of "Catering to familes" means. If a park routinely makes additions that can be appreciated by those ranging in age from eight to eighty they are getting it right. You can argue the relative "coolness" of the attractions all you want as that is a purely subjective thing, but it is clear that the additions of Dark Kastle, Lighthouse, and the Ireland area were all meant to have broad appeal.

"Catering to families" is a Bull* term that gets tossed around *waaay* to loosely on these and other boards. If a park is indeed attempting to "cater to families" then they should focus on either broad appeal attractions (such as DarKastle) or multiple additions with targeted demographics (such as the Ireland area). Parks like BGW, Hershey, SFGAm, and even SFGAdv seem to be recognizing this (at least as of late). Dont berate one of the "good guys" with your asinine claim!

(end rant)

But umm yeah, 2006 will be fun for coaster/park tools like me ;)

lata, jeremy

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bobthecoasterguy said:
Joey --

Sorry about that.

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No Problem.

Anyways, 2oo6 looks to be an amazing year that is sure to pack a punch.

Once again, spot on Jeremy.

I for one, can't stand that 'catering to families' crap. Who's family? Ma and Pa Kettle? Or the Beavers?

Cause most "families" I know in *2005*, consists of demographics far too broad to sum up in such a limited term. To me the park that wins, is the one that biulds the greatest assortment of rides, without alienating people who don't ride coasters, or people who like only coasters. There's no right or wrong, only different tastes. Let's not patronize the word "family" like it's some God-like entity. In fact I wish we'd take that word out of the conversation, because it means different things to different people. It's become yet another theme park/message board buzz word that sounds so boring. *** Edited 10/27/2005 12:31:13 AM UTC by DWeaver***

Don't forget SDC with it's ten new family rides from Zamperla. It is not announced yet, but the "fair" is coming to town... :)

And what ever Adventureland is getting although Swoosh won't spill the beans.

Or the Beavers?

You Rang? (those that know will get it)

I think that 2006 is going to be good, but think about this:

At this point, there are 26 confirmed coasters. Aside from the fact that a lot of parks are getting new stuff that will range from family flats, to thrill rides, to ride packages, to water parks, to water rapids, you're only looking at 26 coasters world wide that we know of at this point, and there probably aren't going to be many more added (at least not anything major that we don't already know about).

There were about new coasters (plus relocated ones) this year, but look at what we got. There were a few major thirlls, a Big coaster here or there, and only a few flats, family, dark, and water rides.

Next year the overall quality looks better to me. Out of 26 coasters, we're getting 2 more 'Hypers' (or Jr. Hypers if you will) to the fold, supposedly another 4D, at least 2 new flyers, some new interesting inverts, and more. There seems to be more 'Quality' large rides and all. Or at least to me.

There are certainly more coasters being built next year that I'd want to ride than there was this year.