Michigan's Adventure announces SLC: Thunderhawk

I've been on quite a few Arrow suspended coasters and enjoyed them all, especially Big Bad Wolf. I can only begin to imagine how great that ride would be with better trains, particularly that last drop over the river.

New trains that make a ride more comfortable make it a better ride experience, in turn increasing guest satisfaction, contributing indirectly to the bottom dollar as any improvement to guest satisfaction would. If 'smoothness' weren't a value-adding component of a coaster, I'm sure we'd see a lot more SLCs and a lot less B&M inverteds in parks.

I'd also wonder if a smoother ride would result in lower insurance premiums.

I was expecting a name change also. I also expected it to go on the east side of Grand Rapids but between and to the rear of RC and AF will work. People will go to ST and take the train over to TH or vice versa.

TH will probably help attendance to Timbersfest next year as well.

I'm quite surprised, other than to save a few extra bucks, that they're sticking with the same color scheme. It's the same as the Corkscrew. I guess they'll be far enough away from eachother that it won't matter. Also, if you compare color schemes with their wood coasters, they all have the same colors as well! Some continuity with variety is a good thing.

Well it's just the same as when Firehawk was added to KI this season....except for enthusiasts who knew where the ride came from the GP saw it as a totally new attraction so it makes sense to advertise it as new.

When's the last time SFI relocated a coaster & actually announced that it came from one of their other parks?

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What the hell would be the problem with changing the trains? So it wouldn't make the park more money. So what?

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Do you really need an answer or is this a rhetorical question?

AJ said: <em>"Rumor is that they are testing a car on the Great NorEaster next week. "</em>

That's the RUMOR, huh? ;)

Might have to make the Morey's event next year.... :)

Honestly, this is one of the better ride relocations that have been done over the last few years. Reliable, relatively inexpensive, feet-dangly ride that will meet *several* of the parks needs at once. SF(GE) might want to take note... ;)

Allow me to rephrase.

Does everything that gets done need to have an instantaneous positive impact on the bottom line, or can things be done that cost a little bit of money and trade a short-term loss for a potential long-term gain stemming from increased customer satisfaction?

Furthermore, from a marketing standpoint, the ride could debut as the only suspended, outside-looping lap bars-only roller coaster west of the Mississippi (provided the Morey's rumor turns out to be true). But realistically, I think a much-improved ride would debut with more fanfare and long-lasting positive results. Perhaps the general public doesn't know that it will be an "SLC smoother than most" but they likely know the difference between a comfortable ride and an uncomfortable ride.

^ Please note Rob that this is just a small attempt at humor.

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Does everything that gets done need to have an instantaneous positive impact on the bottom line

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Obviously you haven't been here long as the answer is most definitely yes. :)

Someone else (I'm too lazy to look) mentioned the Flight of Fear and Mr. Freeze retrofits. I'd be curious to see what impacts those had besides those rides now getting mostly positive reviews rather than negative.

Ray P
*** This post was edited by ProgRay 10/2/2007 1:35:05 PM ***

If you relocate it, they will come.

CK200 or whatever his name is today, got his wish. Kind of.

I was on T2 this summer and that's enough for me. Thunderhawk isn't going to get me to go to MIA next year. Althouhg it will be a good addition to the park.

From my experience there last time, and the reactions I overheard about their Corkscrew ("I'm not going on that. It goes upsidedown"). It's going to scare some people. That would be fun to see.

And forget KD! send the Beamer to VF. It is wishful thinking, I know.

MiA is finally getting something it needs, and best of all, CF already owns the ride, they just have to relocate it. It works out well for a small park like MiA.

I do have a question, with its location, did the park build a path connecting the two sides of the lake/pond/body of water over by Wolverine Wildcat? If not, that's one heck of a walk.

Painting a building or renovating a restroom are good choices for improvements that have no instant ROI. Spending a half-million on new trains for a ride that virtually no one in Michigan has been on in the first place is not a good use of capital.

More power to them if they were ever to decide to do so (assuming it would make a difference in the first place), but it would be a colossal waste of money.

Here is the story from the local newspaper.

http://www.mlive.com/news/chronicle/index.ssf?/base/news-12/1191338116231930.xml&coll=8

*** This post was edited by SHIVERINGTIMBERS 10/2/2007 2:41:05 PM ****** This post was edited by SHIVERINGTIMBERS 10/2/2007 2:42:30 PM ***

I wouldn't say new trains would be a total waste.

The current trains are more than a decade old and have likely experienced a lot of wear and tear. It stands to reason that new trains would require less maintenance, which I believe would help a small park like Michigan's Adventure. I won't pretend that the trains would pay for themselves but some of the cost of new equipment could be offset by having a minimal impact on the maintenance budget.

Maybe MiA will get the new lapbar-only configuration after the ride's run for a couple seasons and ridership has begun to decline from a poor ride experience, i.e., headbanging.

Then they could get some marketing value out of "the new and improved" Thunderhawk.... :)

^^^Honestly, with the situation at MiA and the one at PGA, I think my limited *infrastructure enhancement budget* might end up going to NorCal first... ;)

So you want the GP to fingure out how much they hurt first before new trains are installed? If people don't like the ride, they will tell others, and that'll hurt the bottom line. People won't break down the doors to get to see the ride if they hear bad things.

http://www.mlive.com/news/muchronicle/index.ssf?/base/news-12/1191338116231930.xml&coll=8

I wonder if it will be open by ACE's Spring Confrence on May 16th - 18th. Because, it says the park doesn't open until May 24th next year.*** This post was edited by Jason Hammond 10/2/2007 3:33:07 PM ***

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Where the hell is Coasterkid200? Did he get grounded?

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Right Here, and I only have one thing to say.

ITS ABOUT TIME :)

For all the ignorant people who haven't ridden Thunderhawk at GL—and I mean that in a 'You're assuming the worst because it's an SLC' kind of way—it's actually very comfortable and rerideable.

The three of us who rode it back in June came off of it dumbfounded, because all the normal parts where you cringe didn't happen. So I'm going to agree with Jeff that they don't need new trains, because Cedar Fair already made it comfortable.

I completely disagree that adding the new trains on Thunderhawk would be a "waste of money". The coaster would be more popular without the headbanging that is so prevalent on those SLCs. The park would have a better coaster, and its ridership would stay higher longer. I talk to people when they get off those SLCs. Many complain bitterly of headbanging and such. I think it would be a good investment and would make a far better ride.

Of course, the people at Cedar Fair will agree with Jeff. On that I have no doubt.