ZDT's announces Switchback won't open before the end of summer

Anecdote:

I was climbing Loch Ness' lift as the first ride of the day during my second visit ever to the park in as many years. The previous year was 1991 when Loch Ness and Big Bad Wolf were the only rides in the park. As we neared the top, I was stunned to see a brand new bright blue coaster across the park. This was years before I even knew what a "coaster enthusiast" was, and I remember wondering: is it running? Is it even open yet?

Drachen Fire was indeed brand new that year, and it was indeed open that day. But the point is, as an uninformed general park-goer, I actually had doubts that the big brand new ride would be open. At Busch Gardens of all places. The fact that it was open was a bonus, but I certainly didn't expect it to be.

Re: LK
That logic doesn't make any sense. If a park got better returns out of delaying the opening of a ride, they would draw it out as long as possible and would randomly close rides for no reason at all. You would think Flying Turns or X would be the most successful opening schedules ever.

You're thinking too much like an enthusiast. Most people show up, ride whatever's open and go home happy. I bet very few families base any significant portion of their decision to return on a missed ride.

^^That.

Advertising for a new ride will be a factor in the decision of the 98.72% of the park going public who aren't enthusiasts, but not the deciding factor.

What's really weird is that, in my experience, even a lot of people who come for the new rides don't actually care if they end up getting to ride it. They're happy marathoning an arrow looper or the B:TR or whatever has the shortest line.

I have yet to ride Goliath or X-Flight at Great America, purely because I can't bring myself to wait on line that long for a coaster. I'll get on them eventually.

It's easy to get focused on "why is the ride not open on opening day!?!" -- but the ride will be there for years. Relax.

I was extremely disappointed when i headed straight for Goliath at opening of a mid-summer weekday last year and was told it wouldn't open all morning. I came back later to find a 2 1/2 hour line and ended up waiting 90 minutes in the single rider line. With the kinks not being worked out, i still got to ride all the other rides that they have, and even if i hadn't ridden it later i would have been ok, but it was really just an added benefit that i got to experience a new ride.