BGW 2017

Here's the POV the park posted.

https://www.facebook.com/BuschGardens/videos/10153703710638315/

Has anyone figured out why they've decided to do all of this promotion a year in advance?

^ my guess would be they don't want a million questions once they start construction.

That's a lot of straight air hills for a GCI.

So with the POV already out there, how is this going to be a "crowdsorced" coaster? I expected the park to ask questions like, "Should the first curve be a high overbank or a low overbank?" And, "Should it bank to the inside or bank to the outside?" Stuff like that.

Plus, I'll be the first to say it. The layout is not impressing me at all. Why would they show off a mediocre coaster POV a year before the ride opens?

One thing I really like is the treetop view before the first drop. That's kind of cool.

I don't want to judge because a lot of smaller coasters can pack a wallop that a POV can't depict. And I enjoy the effort BGW seems to be putting into this thing. I'm just confused as to why they're doing so much promotion for this coaster so far in advance....someone above said it was because they didn't want all the questions about what was going on. But at the same time, they didn't tell announce Tempesto until three weeks before it opened....

I love BGW, but frankly....they make a lot of weird choices. Weird, not necessarily bad, but still weird.

I think the coaster and layout look great. I think the whole "crowdsourcing" thing is an unremarkable angle - plenty of other parks have had public polls and contests to pick names and theme features and that sort of thing. I mean, it's fine, but I don't get what spark the whole thing is lighting for the public.

The videos hyping the upcoming announcement seemed just kind of undercooked, and didn't really last that long. It felt non-committal, especially compared to other parks that have done the long drawn out viral marketing hype thing much better. If you're into that sort of thing.

I think BGW's public acknowledgement of Tempesto's weird non-announcement was weird. I guess over-communicating early and often what is going on with Invadr is a response to that, but it seems like an over correction. This is just my own armchair marketing speculation and observations.

I dunno. Bottom line I'm thrilled to have a new, good quality wooden coaster within a few hours drive of my house, but I can't make rhyme or reason out of BGW's marketing sometimes. I do think their TV commercials are often really good so they have that at least.

If their goal is to build a moderately-thrilling family ride, this looks like it will be a hit.

I would say this early promotion (which is targeted only at us enthusiasts and people "following" BGW in some manner) is to simply generate talk, like any promotion is. Is this really any different than what Disney does? We've known about "Frozen ever After" for well over a year. I would actually argue the other direction and say why don't more parks do this?

Maybe they're just tired of the "we have to keep it a secret and maybe play some internet game with 54 people" approach.

Maybe they want someone like myself to see what's coming in enough time to plan a trip for my family there for 2017, which is about the amount of time of planning it would take, as any major family trips are pretty much laid out at least a year or so in advance.

I find the lack of need for secrecy welcoming.

You bring up interesting points. BGW's strategy here might be a symptom of something bigger going on in the industry. Are "coaster wars" still a thing? Is ultra top secret secrecy around new ride additions still important? (Was it ever?) How many coasters or other big attractions these days have fully leaked plans, concepts, and layouts well before the official announcement? The Orlando parks especially don't see shy about laying out their plans several years in advance now.

Hasn't the traditional logic been that if you annouce too soon, you encourage people to delay trips this year?

I think Disney or any of the destination parks aren't a fair comparison as they seem to be in a constant state of flux.

Still seems REALLY odd to be doing cutesy PR videos, "crowdsourcing" names and releasing a POV for a ride that's a year away. Seems like standard procedure is to build for a few months of offseason and pop the whole thing with the opening of the ride...kind of common sense. Tension and release. This is more like tantric marketing (come on, that's clever - and I didn't even make a Sting reference) where they think they can just keep sustaining interest.

Either that or they see some benefit to the idea of generating interest now and thinking they can go back to the well next year at this time too and do it again?

You have me so turned on right now...

Cheetaka would have been less ridiculous than InvadR...

Two thoughts: First, the "straight airtime hills" are becoming more typical for GCII, and that's a really good sign - first ProwlR, then White LightningR, now InvadR...

Which brings me to thought #2....InvadR, when it gets converted to VR, can just become inVadR.... ;~P

I'm going to change my name to VatR.

Darth Vatr

...wat?

Lord Gonchar said:

Hasn't the traditional logic been that if you annouce too soon, you encourage people to delay trips this year?

I think so, yes. That said, though, our plans for this summer were pretty much set quite awhile ago. Maybe we're a weird family (OK, so that goes without saying in some respects). I can't fathom a family uprooting plans to go to BGW because of this announcement, especially since 99% of families would not even be aware of this. I suppose you could argue a family who planned a vacation there this summer would see it on the website, but what rational parents would scream "Well! Vacation plans cancelled kids!" I just don't see that happening.

It may be traditional logic, but that doesn't mean there is any data to actually support the idea. Even as an enthusiast, there is no way I would consider postponing a trip with my family to a park 8 hours away simply because they are building a new ride.

We knew Frozen Ever After would not be ready when we got to Disney. Did we cancel our trip and wait till next year because Avatar stuff and that will be ready? Not a chance.

On the flip side, what I can see happening is families planning for the future saying "hey, maybe BGW would be a good spot to hit up next year, I hear they are building something new".

I think it plants a seed, if anything, to keep BGW in someone's plans for the future.

I think Disney or any of the destination parks aren't a fair comparison as they seem to be in a constant state of flux.

True, but what major park isn't, really? Parks like Cedar Point and BGW always seem to have something new in the pipeline. I think I know what you're arguing here, but to anyone who is not a local, isn't a trip to BGW a "destination vacation"? Any year we go to Disney we certainly would not also have a trip to Dollywood/BGW, etc (and they are just an 8 hour drive away) on the agenda. For that year, Disney would be the "destination". Next year we already have Dollywood pegged as a Fall destination trip, and the rest of the year we will spend hitting up the local parks (Cedar Point, WWK, etc.).

OhioStater said:

...but to anyone who is not a local, isn't a trip to BGW a "destination vacation"?

Not necessarily. It can be part of a broader vacation. Folks spending a week at Colonial Williamsburg might add a day to BGW, but the park's not their destination. I go to Orlando to hang with my friend Amy, but I always visit the Mouse while I'm there.

I see at the CW website they're offering a "Best of Both Worlds" package, with free shuttles to BG, free tickets to BG and CW, free tours of the Clydesdales and Loch Ness Monster, and free breakfast at the hotel, all starting at $77 person per night. Hm. All the free adds up, I guess :-)

SlithR

I guess my own example works for next year; we won't go to Dollywood for 7 days, but we will be in a cabin in the Smokies for a week. Dollywood might be just a day or two.

I see what you're saying; that the park, per se, is not the destination, but no other park is getting your money either in that scenario.

So you're right, technically speaking the Smoky Mountains is our destination, but Dollywood is a part of that.

The broader point is, let's say 6 months before our trip Dollywood announces two new world-class coasters will be on the way for 2018. Does that mean I will cancel our trip? No. How does that in any way impact our trip?

No matter when you go to any major park, it seems like there is always going to be something new coming a year after you leave. Unless, of course, you frequent Michigan's Adventure.

I just don't buy into the reasoning that announcing future plans deters any significant portion of the guests.

I make a distinction between Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando and, say Busch Gardens or Cedar Point. The first two are destination resorts. They're where a lot of people go as their vacation.

Amusement parks, in general, are destination resorts to me -- aside from the weekends when my mother has sufficiently guilt-tripped me into a visit home :-) and visits with Amy, my travel is to amusement parks, usually for an ACE event.

But I think that most people are like you: they go someplace for a week, and if there's an amusement park there, they may visit.

OhioStater said:

It may be traditional logic, but that doesn't mean there is any data to actually support the idea.

You should do a survey:)