Kings Dominion announces Rapterra launched wing roller coaster
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From the official site:
Conquer the skies on Kings Dominion’s Rapterra, the world’s tallest and longest launched wing coaster. New in 2025, Rapterra simulates the flight of the legendary Jungle Hawk with an intense initial launch, plunging dives, twisting maneuvers and sweeping turns.
Rapterra’s Immersive Backstory: Centuries ago, ancient leaders built a shrine to honor the mighty Jungle Hawk. People who entered the shrine became spiritually linked to—and temporarily possessed—the powers and abilities of the bird of prey.
Building the temple at the base of a volcano, Mt. Inferna, proved unfortunate. The ground surrounding the magma chamber collapsed, burying the Jungle Hawk temple under mounds of volcanic rock. The temple seemingly vanished from the earth.
Archaeologists recently discovered the volcanic site and unearthed the remains of the Jungle Hawk shrine. The bird’s ferocious spirit remains at the site, launching brave riders to exhilarating new heights. Rapterra: The world’s tallest and longest launched wing coaster.
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I find it odd that they'd name two rides, er coasters, intensely similar seeing that they're not only in the same park but sitting right next to each other. What do you want to ride first? Rapterra or Reptilian?
Hello, Hello! (hola!) I rode a ride named Vertigo!-with apologies to U2
Fun:
What they do hope is that the price point coupled with the marketing message convinces more people to buy what is essentially a $184 season pass to one park.
This.
As a community, we seem to be talking out of both sides of our mouths. Many enthusiasts claim (and rightfully so, I think) that relatively few park goers visit more than one park in a season. But at the same time, some think a pass that lets you visit those different parks should be expensive. So low demand means high prices? That's generally not how things work.
I think Cedar Fair is doing exactly what Fun said above. Give the appearance of such a good value that consumers think it would be foolish not to buy a park passport, or whatever they call it.
So even with a $64.99 online 2024 Single Day Admission to Cedar Point for a Saturday in August, it takes 2-3 visits to pay for the $184 park passport. If most guests don't visit that many times a year (I'm not sure about that one, but it may be true) then it seems Cedar Fair is making a lot more money on the same product by keeping the all-parks pass relatively cheap.
It's not just the all-park passport.
$99 for unlimited admission to Cedar Point and Cedar Point shores, and parking, for 1.5 seasons - including 2 Halloween events - is wildly under-pricing. The experience at Cedar Point and Cedar Point Shores for 1.5 seasons should be worth more than $99. That Zimmerman and Fisher are doubling down on the Paramount + Six Flags strategy of giving away your product doesn't give me much confidence in the quality of the guest experience they plan on delivering for $99 at their flagship parks.
I doubt that such a low price tag will keep the service level high as well. I hope the quality will not suffer.
The excitement has worn off, and the criticisms are sinking in. The story mentions a dormant volcano, but there is no theming to show it. No near misses with themed structures. No mountain to pay homage to the one they removed.
I guess we could say that what this ride is missing is what makes it unique?
It still looks like fun. In hindsight, it could have been much better with some furniture and curtains.
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Low priced admission gets more people through the gate, which generates greater word of mouth. It does make the parks more crowded, but longer lines means more Fast Lanes and Flashpasses. We don't know the numbers the parks know. It probably makes more business sense to them.
Selling park admission for a very low price reminds me of how movie theaters operate.
-Travis
www.youtube.com/TSVisits
LostKause:
In hindsight, it could have been much better with some furniture and curtains.
We need to adopt "funiture and curtains" as the new "charm".
Considering what has been done around it, I would say it’s def not like its on sitting on the edge of the park bordered by parking lot and nothing else like a recession era SF park, cough (Dominator).
I mean considering Seas budget cut Pantheon to some banners and an empty field, when everything else in that park is pretty well themed it really stands out.
Seemingly, they have completed the track installation on Rapterra today.
Interesting that they are working on a schedule which is quite a bit earlier than you would expect. Some rides of this scale have barely gone vertical in the September prior to their debut.
Nothing to see here. Move along.
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