Proof of PKI's coaster intentions for 2003...
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Don't forget "Operation Graduation" June 1st @ SRM - bring Pat Koch a graduation card! See Coasterbuzz News for details.
Legendary said:
I'm with Moosh -- they haven't built a coaster since *2001*!! Do you know how long ago that was?
lol 2001 is that all...my homepark hasnt had a new ride since '99. dont complain ;)
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John
Albany Entertainment:
http://home.nycap.rr.com/albanyent
I actually won the 2002 roller coaster physics contest at Paramount Canada's Wonderland. I won first place for the most fun to ride category where the park engineer picks the coaster that would be the most fun to ride if it were built in real life. Check the pictures below at this link
www.digital-coaster.com/~pcw/watever.htm
[url="http://http://www.digital-coaster.com/~pcw/watever.htm"http://www.digital-coaster.com/~pcw/watever.htm
*** This post was edited by Frankster on 5/22/2002. ***
D'oh...sorry Legendary.
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Don't forget "Operation Graduation" June 1st @ SRM - bring Pat Koch a graduation card! See Coasterbuzz News for details.
Shaggy said:
"PKI will not be getting a coaster in 2003.The agreements for the 2003 additions were signed the day of the Travel Channel SOB shoot according to the park spokespersons.
Shaggy
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Shaggy
A.K.A. John K."
Not trying to pick a fight here, just asking. If they are not building a coaster, then what are they building? Sounded like you might know something.
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So many coasters, so little vacation time....
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So many coasters, so little vacation time....
ROFL pkifanatic...I love your objective opinion ;-)
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Don't forget "Operation Graduation" June 1st @ SRM - bring Pat Koch a graduation card! See Coasterbuzz News for details.
Well...
The part I find interesting about the release is where it says:
The committee will review all tapes and will use these ideas in order to determine what the construction of the new coaster will be. Hopefully your ideas will play a significant part in our selection of the new ride. Your proposals and models will be the first step in our selection of a new ride for 2003.
This sort of tells me that they plan to build a new coaster and hopefully had the plans ready even before they released this statement. Either they're just BSing the kids about using their ideas for next year, or else PKI is really playing it by ear in the planning department.
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Nobody tosses a Dwarf!
pkifanatic said:
They will be getting a coaster. If not they are stupid.
Forgive me for asking this, but why would a park be considered stupid for not putting in a coaster?
Perhaps I am too old to understand this way of thinking but the way I look at things (and I know others may disagree) a park shouldn't be looked at in a stupid manner just because they didn't add an attraction that someone was hoping for.
I mean people are mad about Tomb Raider (I am not one of them) and I am sure more people would be upset if they didn't get a coaster in 2003.
I have heard the exact opposite. Tomb Raider looks to be a HUGE hit this year. I seriously doubt more people would be upset just because they may decide to not put in a coaster for next year.
The park did do research when looking at future options and decided a coaster wasn't probably the best thing to add for the 2002 year. Perhaps they found similar research when looking for next years plans.
-Sean
If I can be quite frank, in my opinion if Paramount's King's Island does not put in a coaster it would be a WISE choice, and not "stupid."
It is pretty obvious to anyone who truly studies the trends of parks that recent coaster additions have proven not to be the people and money generators they once were. Years ago a park could up their attendance simply by adding a rollercoaster. However the past few years have proven that mentality to be out-dated and wrong.
If you reflect upon recent coaster additions you will see that many did not help attendance at all. Some great examples are: SOB, Nitro, Apollo's Chariot. Deja Vu's etc. Even this season's interest in WT has been less than stellar as the ride has yet to produce a full que to my knowledge. Now time will tell at CP, but it still exemplifies my point.
PKI has found it's niche with families. Any study of today's society and culture will reveal a "greying" of America and a re-focus on families. PKI has recognized that the revenue lies with the aging portion of America (the Mothers, Fathers and Grandparents.) The teenage or thrill seekers market is a limited source of income and when parks such as PKI constantly focus on them, the alienate the people that really spend money at the parks.
Who would you want to draw to your park.... a 14 year old kid who, if he is lucky, gets $20 a week from his parents, or a family of 4 with an annual average income of $50,000 or more who is more apt to spend upwards of $500-1,000?
Using that simple logic shows exactly why a $100,000 kiddie ride is a MUCH better investment than a $13,000,000 rollercoaster. The coaster would draw the teen, the kiddie ride the family.
It is pretty clear what PKI is doing. Their focus remains on tapping into as many varying age groups as they can. Tomb Raider is a step in that direction. They want to shift a focus to themeing and other encompassing elements, as well as still "thrill." I am not sure who you have been talking to about the reaction to TR:TR, but I have heard very little negativity about it.
Actually, let me clarify that. I have heard very little negativity among regular park guests about TR:TR. I do not include "enthusiasts" in the "regular" park group because, well, quite frankly, most just like to moan and groan about rides. If you base an overall opinion of a ride on what enthusiasts think, then you end up completely off mark. Enthusiasts make up less than 1% of annual park attendance figures.
Never the less, it is my prediction that you will see a concentration on varying degrees of additions at PKI. Instead of one HUGE addition each season, I forsee the park adding a few medium sized additions each season to tap into each parkgoers interests.
I have it on pretty good faith that PKI in particular is no longer persuing the mega coaster additions every other year as they once did. Rather, they will more than likely narrow their new coasters to one or two over the next 10 years or so.
Get used to it, lots of parks will do the same... if their smart.
Shaggy
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Shaggy
A.K.A. John K.
The fence, and even the wording advertising next year's "Adventure of a Lifetime" is a hold-over from last year. It was used around TR:TR's construction site area and has nothing to do with next year's new attraction on that site.
The que is left over from King Cobra.
Shaggy
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Shaggy
A.K.A. John K.
They had a sign in front of where Flight Commander stood right after it was removed that said, "New attraction dropping in next season." But nothing "dropped in" there for a couple years until they stuck that pay-to-ride trampoline dealio in there. Lesson: don't trust the signs. And the bamboo queue is KC's.
I see I was a couple seconds off from answering the queue question before Shaggy...lol..
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Nobody tosses a Dwarf!
*** This post was edited by Gemini Hand Smacker on 5/23/2002. ***
*** This post was edited by Gemini Hand Smacker on 5/23/2002. ***
But do you know the true story of the "Dropping In" sign at PKI?
In 1996, PKI opened Outer Limits: Flight of Fear. In late June a sign did indeed appear on the then vacant Flight Commander site. The sign read "Look for an exciting new attraction dropping in next season." As you pointed out, nothing dropped in....
You see PKI was preparing to celebrate it's 25th season in 1997. That year, Cedar Point was planning to focus it's expansion attention to Soak City Waterpark.
Thus PKI re-evaluated it's ride selection for 1997 and decided that a Waterworks expansion was indeed a better way to draw folks. By late July and throughout the rest of the 1996 season, a sign was added to the exit of Racer and throughout the park that proclaimed the Waterworks expansion was to be the new for 1997 attraction. When these signs went up, the other came down.
However..... something did "Drop In" in 1997.... just not at PKI. The Intamin 2nd generation freefall that had been planned for 1997 at PKI was added to PCW instead.
PKI got theirs eventually, however the waterpark fit the bill in 1997.
Now if you recollect one of the main reasons for Flight Commander's eventual demise and loss in popularity... then you can probably understand why the decision to add a "freefall or drop tower" in that certian spot was not wise in the parks eyes. It also sums up why the ad campaign of something "dropping in" to that area was not exactly appropriate and quickly nixed.
Shaggy
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Shaggy
A.K.A. John K.
*** This post was edited by Shaggy on 5/23/2002. ***
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Nobody tosses a Dwarf!
Shaggy,
Why was PKI's Drop Zone planned to be taller than the Eiffel Tower?
Derek
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Derek McBride
PKI Dude
pkifanatic said:
They will be getting a coaster. If not they are stupid. I mean people are mad about Tomb Raider (I am not one of them) and I am sure more people would be upset if they didn't get a coaster in 2003.
I thought you were one of those peopleswho looked at reality. You just amde a comment that proved me wrong. I don't think you thought twice about what you said. Tomb Raider has 3:00 hour lines....if that isnt popular than neither is Millenium Force at Cedar Point or any ride at Kings Island for that matter. It was probably one of the smartest moves in all of Kings Island's history to add tomb raider. I would put money on a bet saying TR:TR wil lbring in a greater amount of guests than SOB did, or Face/Off and Drop Zone. Noone is mad at PKI accept us enthusiasts who can't seem to look past a park not building a coaster every year. Quit your crying...suck it up...and look at reality:parks do whatever makes them the most money...and dropping 13 mill plus isnt always the best bet...infact it is almost never the best bet. The most realistic thing is some kind of flat ride...it looks like they have established a relationship with HUSS...A mouse like Richochet MAYBE. I doubt any huge coaster wuill go in there after spending so much on TR:TR. Next time think about what you are saying.
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No Limits is every enthusiasts best friend! :)
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