PKI's 2nd Coaster in 2002?

With all of the "2 in 2002" talk for PKI, the obvious one that everyone has been talking about is the flying dutchman. But what does everyone think will be the 2nd coaster? I've heard about the giga-twister and, although exciting, I think it's probably doubtful. With talk of the 2nd coaster becoming the top steel coaster at the park, it has to be big - but how big, how fast, and what elements do you guys think PKI should consider?

The rumor about the second coaster that I heard was that it is to be a sit down multi looper. It is also supposed to out do the Vortex. My guess is then it's either an Arrow looper of some kind or a B&M (which I would be so happy)sit-down looper. If it is a B&M sit down that could be three different types of their coasters. A Kumba-like coaster, an inverted coaster(You sit down on an inverted, right?), or a floorless coaster. Out of those three, I'd go with something like.....all of them! :) I just want PKI to get at least one B&M coaster and I'd be a happy enthusists(sp?). Okay, I'm calm now. (Deep breaths, BEASTmaster.) ;)
----------------

THE BEASTmaster
www.geocities.com/byostie

Can you take me higher? (CREED)

I'd say go with an arrow giga-looper. It'd be damned fun to go down a 300+ ft hill, and into a 250+ ft loop.

I'll pass on the Giga Looper. I wouldn't mind a sitdown looper, but they already have Vortex. Maybe a Stand-Up that is better than King Cobra, or a Inverted would be nice.

-------------
Only A Few More Weeks To Go Full Force. At The One and Only Cedar Point.

A new standup is probably out of the question. A steel hyper/giga is the most needed coaster at the park.

-------------
Gotta ride 'em all!

They just built a hyper, I am suprised they aren't broke.

-------------
Number 1 And Only Cedar Point

If they build 2 extremelly pricey rides in 2002 expect the park to fold six months after it opens.

-------------
Randy Hutchinson
You build it, I'll ride it

A few things to remember though. PKI is one of the most visited seasonal amusement parks in the country and has quite a profit margin. Remember, too, that not only local money is used in these ventures but also general Paramount cash.

I would like to see either a multi-train inverted, or a smaller wooden coaster to solidify that "Wooden coaster capitol of the world" idea.

If I remember right, PKI is the most visited seasonal park in the U.S., at least in '99. As for this year, beats me... And why wouldn't you want a giga-looper? Arrow coasters are as smooth as glass, and inversions are the best part of Steel coasters...

"Arrow coasters are as smooth as glass,"

I will have to respectfully disagree with that statement. I received a severe ear and neck pounding on Vortex (PKI), Viper (SFMM), Corkscrew (CP, KBF, MA) It is those dang OSTR's on Arrow loopers that kill it.

-------------
Gotta ride 'em all!

The most visited seasonal park is SFGAdv with 3.8 million, followed by PKI with 3.32 and CP with 3.3. Each of the three has a shorter operating season than the one before it.

-------------
Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

Don't forget SFMM was right behind CP with 3.2 million.

We were talking seasonal parks... which by the way really says a lot about the seasonal parks' draw compared to the year-round parks.

-------------
Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

Well, Arrow coasters are smooth as glass now, since the advent of exceedingly good computer technology. Go ride Tennessee Tornado to see what I mean...

Ok, the 'boil down' theory:

Considering that PKI is likely to put in a family inverted next year (be it an Arrow-batic or Vekoma) with the renovation of the log flume, that would make 4 inverted/suspended coasters in the park. Scratch one inverted in 2002.

Since Stealth is the obvious choice for one of them (and I hope they build it over the area of the lake and old fashioned cars combined), the other ride seems more along hyper status to me. They wouldn't build a standup with the reception that King Kobra gets these days, that would be wasteful. Wood is definately out, considering the SOB fiasco. That leaves steel and sit down.

Since the park has a looper already, and no hyper steel, my money's on the hyper. (And I REALLY hope they put it in the back of the park stretching from the White Water Canyon queue area for a station, back behind Keatons Keelboats for the lift, and mingle the rest of it in between and around the Beast. Just my dream I guess).

If it is a hyper, I'd love to see a B&M (like SFGAd is getting). But it won't happen. I'd love to see an Intamin hyper go in to make up for the Drop Zone problem that kept it down for the majority of 99. (and not just the lame excuse of PGA's accident. That was a tragic incident, but, keeping the ride down for that long had to be something mechanical.) But it won't happen. That leaves Arrow, Morgan, and Giovanola (sp?). Gio is out, due to its history with Six Flags, so that leaves Arrow or Morgan. Arrow is out to me because they haven't really done a ton of hypers the size that PKI may want (225-275 ft range, PKI wont touch the 300 mark with a coaster, guarenteed) and their recent reclusion in the coaster industry just makes me uneasy.

So, by the power of poor deduction, PKI will get Stealth and a 250ft Morgan hyper for 2002. And yet somehow, I'll still be dissappointed. No B&M goodness again...... :(

A flying coaster is very likely. If the rumor of 2in 2002 is true, which is not a definite thing (or is it?) then I think PKI will build a flying coaster and a Thrust Air 2000 type of coaster. While I'd love to see anything by B&M (floorless or inverted particularly) I don't think it is very probable. I think PKI will see how Hypersonic XLC turns out for PKD, and if it goes well, they'll make that the second coaster. I think this because PKI has seemed to be trying to conserve space in the last few years. They have Face/Off and Drop Zone, which are small in the first place and they wedged it into the smallest spot possible (or at least the "dead space" where bigger attractions couldn't be built. Then look at the plot of land SOB is on. It only takes up about 3 acres of land, and look how close it is to Top Gun. I think they will put the flying coaster in somewhere in Rivertown, and cram a TA2K in behind the Racer.

In response to Jeff, actually SFMM has only been a year round park for about 5 years now. And the attendance has been pretty much the same for the last ten years with a slight drop in '97 and '98. 2000 saw a 10% increase with the opening of Goliath which means the park probably had around 3.5 million visitors this year.