Beech Bend to unveil '06 plans

I thought Thunderhead had 35 crossovers. At least that what at it says at another site.

D'oh!

Coasterpunk are you helping build the MilF's for this one?

Note the opening day, Same as HW's?

I would invite them to open maybe one night early? Or HW, LOL

Chuck

Not only Beech Bends but power Parks as well. I'm working with CGI full time so when the trains are done hopefully I get to take a road or plane trip to one of the parks for work. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a plane ride! :)

How can Beech Bend claim 30 crossovers is "a record" if Thunderhead has more? Or does it?

I can count 31 but I cannot say for sure that is all. You need a couple pics to see them all.

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Lord Gonchar said:
In my eyes, it's inevitable and it won't be much longer.

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Well, given that at KennyKon they specifically announced there will be season passes "of some sort" at Kennywood next year, I'd say it's coming soon :)

As for the Beech Bend announcement (the actual topic at-hand), very cool. *** Edited 7/29/2005 12:15:08 AM UTC by GregLeg***

Hey all,

I happened to be able to skip out of work a little early and head on down to Bowling Green today for Beech Bend's 2006 announcement.

While heading down Beech Bend's tree lined entrance road I came over a hill and suddenly could see the new coaster in the distance. It looked gorgeous among the rolling hills of Kentucky. I was about half an hour early so I hit Beech Bend's brand new Zamperla spinning mouse which was fun.

After that it was time to find out about the second wooden coaster opening up in my area for 2006. It's situated just behind Beech Bend's Looping Star. The Looping Star is down this year while they get new and more padded trains and they are going to move it to another area of the park as well as painting it for 2006.

Arriving at the tent where the announcement was to be made I ran into Jeff Pike of GCI and had a nice chat. Beech Bend's new coaster is going to have a drop-turn-drop just like the Rye Airplane Coaster and he was very excited about that. From listening to him talk about this project it was easy to see how much fun he is having with this coaster not just designing but bringing his creation to life. Beech Bend's owner Dallas Jones really let Jeff have fun creating a winner of a coaster.

Once the presentation began Dallas Jones and the park's PR director Charlotte Gonzalez spoke a bit about the park and its history and how they've been working hard on building the park up over the years. They paid honor to Mr. Garvin who opened up the amusement park back in 1941 by having his son there to represent the Garvin family.

They had Jeff up to talk about the coaster and the designing process. It's going to fill up just about 1.5 acres with over 2800 feet of track so there's going to be a lot of twisting track with more than a few crossovers. It is supposed to have twelve moments of airtime with plenty of laterals mixed in.

The video of the ride was fantastic and it's going to be a fun as well as thrilling ride. The station has three camelback hills flying by including one stretch where the track will go right by at floor level. The coaster will slow a bit on its one high turnaround but with the lift on the highest part of the terrain as well as a 28 foot difference from there to the other end of the property this coaster is going to be flying all the way into the brakes.

After the announcement there was a bunch of chat and discussions about parks and coasters. I headed out to get photos of the site (they'll be up on Negative-G tomorrow night-I forgot my camera cable and won't be home until tomorrow). After more than a few rides on the Mouse, Dragon Coaster, Haunted House, Shock Drop, Sizzler, new Antique Cars and the Super Slide it was time to call it a day. I'll be back a few times this winter to check out the construction progress and can't wait until next year.

Have Fun

Paul Drabek *** Edited 7/29/2005 2:44:14 AM UTC by Paul Drabek***

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GregLeg said:
Well, given that at KennyKon they specifically announced there will be season passes "of some sort" at Kennywood next year, I'd say it's coming soon

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Ahh, I see.

Then I was right! ;)

Paul Drabek said:

....and can't wait until opening day next year.

Well, I don't know about you, but I think I can wait a day or two after Beech Bend's opening date for their coaster. Because I got other plans, mainly a voyage, on May 6th.

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BSBMX said:
Paul Drabek said:

....and can't wait until opening day next year.

Well, I don't know about you, but I think I can wait a day or two after Beech Bend's opening date for their coaster. Because I got other plans, mainly a voyage, on May 6th.

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Well living in Santa Claus I think there's a local ordinance from me missing the Voyage or HW's opening but I'll make it down to Beech Bend soon after. 2006 is going to kick ass.

It sure will.

I used to wish I lived somewhere else, but things have been looking up for several years now in Indiana. Although this ride is in KY. I am Happy. I won't have to drive to 8 hours to ride a GCII coaster anymore.

So since CBuzz is having an event this fall, could there maybe be a SRM-like event at the end of next May? If so, that would seem like a great time for a road trip to that area. *** Edited 7/29/2005 2:51:16 PM UTC by tambo***

If Holiday World has an enthusiast event like SRM next year I suspect it'll be Voyage-related in name.

SRM or another name, I just think HW's Voyage "Event" and BB's new GCI would make a great weekend double-header.

I say call whatever event "The Fantastic Voyage"

For those interested in the new coaster's layout I put a couple of quick photos of the plans here on my blog:

http://www.negative-g.com/downhill/pivot/entry.php?id=1374

I'll have pictures of the whole announcement and construction tonight up on Negative-G

^ Holy ***************** </expletives>

That layout looks incredibly sick. Not sure whether I should be more excited for this or Voyage.