quick Kings Dominion/Dominator update

Have you ever been to a Cedar Fair park?

Six Flags parks are no more "carbon copies of each other" than Cedar Fair parks. If anything, Cedar Fair parks are more homogenized across the board than other chains.

-Nate

Regarding the location of the coaster, I think you guys are forgetting the fact the CF is trying to pay down their debt and they are looking at all available land at their parks to either sell or do a Joint Venture with someone else.

I would speculate that it played a part in where a new coaster would be placed.

Okamoto designed hyper? S&S towers? Custom B&M invert?

Must be a Cedar Fair Park. ;)

I think having Dominator right at the front of the park and easily visible from the parking lot is a decent idea. The effect that Shivering Timbers' large hills give off when you park in front of them at Michigan Adventure's parking lot is quite impressive. Hearing the screaming riders on the coaster while getting out of your car only makes you more excited for the day.

The Raven at Holiday World has much the same effect as well. *** Edited 1/10/2008 11:17:45 PM UTC by arw84***

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coasterdude318 said:
Have you ever been to a Cedar Fair park?

Six Flags parks are no more "carbon copies of each other" than Cedar Fair parks. If anything, Cedar Fair parks are more homogenized across the board than other chains.

-Nate

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What are you talking about? I find all CF parks to be all totally different. The only things that are the same are the Snoopy logos and the trash cans every two feet.

^^I should hope that they don't sell off extra land because the park certainly needs it for future expansion.

I see nothing wrong with having Dominator in the front of the park,it just makes it easier to get to & what with all the shops on I-street it may lead to increased revenue for the park as guests now have more reason to stay near the front of the park than before.

Most Cedar Fair parks have an extremely similar "feel" to them. They use the same style of landscaping. The buildings have the same architecture. Ride names are similar (if not identical). As mentioned above, many parks have the same set of rides (Morgan hypers, S&S towers, and Top Spins, for instance). Shows and food offerings are similar if not identical. Even the way things are painted are the same.

Personally, I think Six Flags parks generally have a heck of a lot more character and individuality than what CF offers.

-Nate

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think I know one coaster that has the same name as another coaster at another CF park. Anwyways, what I find so boring is that SF makes the same coasters at all there parks with the same names. Like the Dark Knights, the Supermans, etc.

Geauga Lake had several coasters with the same name as other Cedar Fair parks. Thunderhawk (which is also the name of Dorney's wooden coaster) is now going to Michigan's Adventure. That's just one example.

Part of the appeal of Six Flags parks is that they let people experience rides named after popular superheroes and characters. Outside of those attractions, Six Flags parks generally tend to have their own character, styles, themes, etc.

-Nate

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Rob Ascough said:
Here's to Avalanche being a ride much better than its launched neighbor!

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I realize this is personal opinion, but you guys honestly thought Avalanche was much better than Volcano? Not sure what the ride was doing that day, but if comparisons can even be made at all...I just don't see it.

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ErinGoBraugh said:
Now put a headlining roller coaster in such a place that the riders have a spectacular view of the parking lot. Brilliant.

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Actually, it is brilliant.

They need to generate excitement for their new "people eater", as it were. Why not put it in a spot which is easily visible from the parking lot? No other coaster in their lineup has the potential capacity as Dominator, so it's placement builds excitement for people entering the park.

Why do you think a large amount of the public runs to Action Zone at KI?

You can see it from the lot.

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Intamin Fan said:
There's a famous proverb (or phrase) that says "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." To break it down, it means not to reject the gift you're getting based on some problem you may have with it.

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This doesn't really apply in the case of amusement parks, if it did, we really wouldn't have much to talk about. New attractions in a park aren't really "gifts" in the spirit of the cliche.

I mean imagine if Disneyland built a Vekoma Boomerang next door to the Haunted Mansion. Obviously that's the most extreme example I can think of but I think people would be more than just looking the horse in the mouth, they'd be punching the horse in the face.

^Or if Disney threw up a standard mouse with virtually no theming at DCA? ;)

Oh, wait, bad example... :)

matt., try telling BatwingFanSFA that Dominator isn't a gift. He's only been waiting for one in his area for years.

As I read the origin of the proverb, it said that you could detect the age of a horse by looking at its teeth and how far they stuck out. Dominator is no spring-chicken (wow, there's phrase I'll have to look up:) )

Being that it opened in 2000, 2008 will be its ninth year of operation. I certainly find it to be a gift in that Cedar Fair could've sent it anywhere or even kept for themselves at CP, but chose KD--a park about two-hours from my house.

And I wasn't referring to a new ride as being a gift. That's just someone spending money on something they think you'll like. That's a corporate decision, or park-owned decision in the case of a small-time operator such as Knoebels.

Finally, I'm not sure why I give into this time and time again, but I'm going to have to after BatwingFanSFA again (even though I'll give him some respect for posting the link to the Dominator construction interview). I have yet to go to any Six Flags that looked like another Six Flags.

On the other hand, I've been to another CF park that looks a lot like another CF park. I'm referring to the Dorney Park comparison to Cedar Point. Let's see:

1) Carousel at front entrance

2) B&M invert at the front of park

3) S&S Towers

4) Overgrown minetrain (Steel Force/Magnum XL-200)

5) Coasters Drive-In restaurant

6) Giant Arrow shoot-the-chutes

7) And for 2008, Impulses

I totally agree that the architecture and paint schemes looks identical too, especially on the flat rides.

Avalanche is a good coaster and when you have a lady friend even better! With Hyper going out, I'm glad they got this coaster. KD needed a floorless and putting at the front doesn't hurt anything. It means shorter lines in the back off the park when they open. Save the space when you get a new woodie (hope) or another wave pool.. (God NOOOO) Hey all CF and SF look alike in ways, they all can't be a Kennywood or Cypress Gardens.

Avalanche is okay if the lines are short, but it's really fun when they only run one train and the midcourse is off! I've only experienced it once, but man was it a rush.

It's really a shame that no one else ever built another Mack bobsled in the states. As it is, there's only about six or seven in the entire world from the last time I looked. While I'm not complaining at all, it would've been cool to see someone go higher and not brake the thing so close following the lift hill.

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coasterdude318 said:
Geauga Lake had several coasters with the same name as other Cedar Fair parks. Thunderhawk (which is also the name of Dorney's wooden coaster) is now going to Michigan's Adventure. That's just one example.
-Nate

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Actually CF had to change the name of some of the coasters at GL if they in any matter had a trademark (no sure if thats the right word?) to SF. I think it was smart on CFs part to rename the coasters other CF coaster names because of merchandising. I doubt very many people who went to GL (face it, was there ever very many people who even went to GL?) knew (or cared) that Thunderhawk and Steel Venom were names of coasters at Dorney and VF.

Dominator rocks (wish it wasn't moving so far away from me) and the ride will be no different based on where it is built. Although I think the area they had it on at GL was pretty awesome.

Let's not forget (fka) X-Flight, yet another parking lot coaster!! X-Flights-uh-Firehawks ride at KI is no different although the terrain it is built on makes the ride "feel" taller.

Jo
Lifetime Raptor flights: 1229 :)

Funny thing about Avalanche is that,even in multi train operation the MCBR doesn't act like a parking brake unlike on FOF & Anaconda.