Is this really true about BGT?? :-(

That they are NOT adding any major rides or coasters for the next 3-4 year?? I have heard a nasty rumor on the internet suggesting that? And WHY are they so (bleep)ing slow at building a white knouckler AIRTIME filled hyper while BGW has one for several years?? I have relatives in the area that I can stay at so this would be like my second home park to me beside Valleyfair. So I need a WORLD CLASS NONSTOP airtime machine there!!!! BTW I couldn't find any recent posting about a BGT hyper and yes I have used the search engine and it hasn't done a thing for me! :-(

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I'm sure if you gave them $20 million or so they'd be glad to build it for you to enjoy when you are staying with family down there. Really though, you've seen it on these very boards before, and you'll continue to see it: Parks are at a point where they are going less for coasters, and more for family entertainment and low-risk spending.
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Jonathan Hawkins
Starcoasters.com
"There is a cluster of bees at the top of the lift. Sorry for the inconvenience."

But Busch is more wealthy than most other theme park companies making money off their booze. All I want is ONE world class nonstop airtime machine and they can stop adding coasters for the rest of my life. BGT is a year round park and a good balanace is add a family ride for 2-3 years and than a "scary" thrill ride and I consider Gwazi a family ride and Rhino Rally a family ride. The last "white knuckler" was Montu! Another alternative would be an L-shape out and back airtime filled woodie 135'-150' tall which I'd prefer over a steel hyper but I have hear rumors of a hyper for the last few years until about the last 8-9 months the changed their mind!!! :-( BGT is WAY overdue for an intense airtime filled thriller and all they need is ONE!! They have more than $20 million to spend and I'd bet GG can still build a large L shape Shivering Timbers type woodie for $7-12 million about half the cost of a steel hyper.

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I will venture to say the parks see little, if any, money from the parent Busch [booze] Company. They have to earn their own money, or else they would be unprofitable and the parent company would divest them.

Also keep in mind it's a RUMOR, nothing more/nothing less. The only way to know for sure is to wait and see.

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the member formerly known as MisterX
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Lifts are for wimps. Real enthusiasts use their minds to make the trains go up the first hill.

I'll be a senior citizen by then (I'm 40) and won't be able to enjoy it much by then if they ever get out of their shell and get smart enough to build one! :-(

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No hyper. Florida has a well documented ceiling of somewhere around (but under) 200'.

Just so you know, that explains Dr. Doom's relative shortness.

But a Jr. Hyper would do them very well. I'm not sure they're holding back, but then again, I've heard Rhino Rally was a complete flop, and they need to recover from that before venturing into anything else big.

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"Well, I'm sure I'd feel much worse if I weren't under such heavy sedation." - David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
http://www.loopscrew.com

The Gwazi I rode must have been a different Gwazi. Anybody in my family who rode it or myself would say it's beyond a white knuckle ride, it's a pain ride, no where near a family ride. I must have hit it on a bad day, becuase I always hear it's a great coaster, but the ride I got was rougher than Shockwave (SFGAm) on a bad day.

Anways, AC was built in 1999, wasn't it? Gwazi was also built in 1999 to my knowledge. Paterns seem to show Busch builds coasters at both parks within the same year or a year or so. So, I wouldn't expect to see a new coaster there until BGW gets a new one, too. Anyways, I hear that Gwazi does have airtime. I don't know where it was when I was there, so maybe it doesn't.

*** This post was edited by TrBiggar on 10/26/2002. ***

Well I meant to include Jr. hypers too. One like Goliath @ SFH would also do wonders or a little bigger like about 195 feeet like Expedition G-Force but build the rest of the layout like Goliath (SFH's) with EGF's twisting first 82 degree drop added and you would have one hell of a ride!!! It don't need to be huge although that would be nice too, just a ton of airtime nonstop from start to finish in EVERY and I'd be one VERY happy camper!

I don't buy the 200' ceiling bit. Maybe in that area, but not statewide... if it were so, there would be no towers over 200', no buildings over 200', etc. etc. etc.... it's a lie!! you can't buy into it!!

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the member formerly known as MisterX
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Lifts are for wimps. Real enthusiasts use the power of their minds to make the trains go up the first hill.

BTW I have heard that you can go over 200 feet if you use aircraft beacon lights and than you can do a lot with 195 feet! :-) Opps2 Sorry about the double post.

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Isn't AC under 200 feet?

Well, PFF make sure that you make a trip to BGT's Guest Services next time your down there. I'm sure they'd love to hear what you have to say on the matter.

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Fav Steel: Millenium Force Fav Wood: Viper

It's probably like talking to a wall just like at Valleyfair and yes I try to be nice about it first and they still blow you off or give you a generic response either that or like in VF's case they DENY changing WT's operation when I know for a FACT that WT's is braked MUCH more heavier that in its first two seasons. I'd make a NICE suggestion to GR but I don't think it gets any results or either that they are VERY SLOW at responding to the friendly complaint! :-(

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The Kissimee skycoaster is over 200 ft... it's like 350, right?

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Jes
Jes's Roller Coasters DJ Jes
Six Flags Worlds Of Adventure 2002 Ride-Ops Crew (Have Fun Trying To Find Me!)

I think AC is under 200ft, but the drop ends up being 200ft+ because it dives down into lower terrain. In a way its like the Steel Phantom's(or Phantoms Revenge) second drop.

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BGT, like other Florida parks does not follow the same "season" schedule that most regional parks do. Kumba was added in 1993. Montu was new in 1996. In 1997 Akbar's Adventure Tours was added. In 1999, Gwazi; in 2001, Rhino Rally; and in 2003, Haunted Lighthouse. Disney's last big addition was Primeval Whirl and it was years in the making. I don't think IOA has added anything new since opening (I could be wrong).

Every other year or so for large capital expenditures isn't unheard of for a park that hits around 4 million visitors with year round operations. This is an average daily visitor count much lower than a regional corporate park.

When Busch built Gwazi they had to do some considerable "dancing" for the neighbors. Not because of the height, but due to the noise. Unlike many other parks, BGT is in the middle of a mixed-use suburban (some could say urban) neighborhood. We're not talking a few hundred acres off the interstate in vacant farmland/desert.

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Okay, I guess I post too often to be a lurker now.

What about an Intamin jr. hyper with an elevator lift? Isn't that quiet enough???

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Based upon their past additions I would think it's safe to say that we'll have to wait until late 2004 or 2005 to find out. Only time will tell.

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Okay, I guess I post too often to be a lurker now.

Not sure how significant, but the Maris family had a distributorship here in North Florida...well, apparently they ran afoul of A-B in some way, and after much wrangling, a lawsuit was filed and the Marises walked away with QUITE a large judgment. (Think it was finally settled in '00). Don't know the exact amount, but it was into the tens of millions...probably unrelated to the park business, but considering the amount involved, you never know. It seems that Busch did mention something about scaling back expansion last year.

Kind of a bummer, BGT was my first homepark. Remember seeing Gwazi under construction, then came the huge expansion (in terms of $ and land) of RR...which apparently didn't perform up to expectations...

edit: the 200' limit in FL is *bogus* and purely imaginary. As bad as the notion that we don't want, or couldn't handle taller rides, totally laughable. Kissimmee's Slingshot goes to 350' (scary spinning around at that height, BTW). Haven't gotten the nerve up yet for the skycoaster, also at around 350'.

Also, IoA has had an expansion of rides since opening...Flying Unicorn and Storm Force (teacup ride) were added the year after opening. One racing woodie and IoA would be ALL set....am I "greedy", lol?

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"CCXXVI....will the drop ever stop?"
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle....unless you've got a spare planet!

*** This post was edited by rollergator on 10/27/2002. ***

To add onto the bogus 200 ft limit in Florida..

It may have started seeing that Disney built TOT only 199ft, making people mistake that they could not build to 200ft when really they just did not want to add beacons to it!

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"Mark, you have to try this! Its gross!"

I will never doubt Robb again...