RCjunkie

A picture from GM Dave's Twitter account. As he states, "We have water!" Getting closer. Slides come alive with water.

Then I am in the minority with you. Purple and Black would look pretty sweet. Have the trains be the same colors with some added silver to offset them from the track and supports and I think you would have one sharp looking coaster. And since High Roller is a classic white woodie I don't think it would have any effects on decision making for the color of a steel track. But then again I don't make these type of decisions so who knows. Like VF15 says, in the end I don't care what color it is...just bring the park a new coaster.

It is good to hear people like this winged coaster! But I don't think wingriders get that much flak. I think that most people over react to so-so reviews of previous winged coasters and equate that with sucking for some reason. I have only been on X-Flight and Gatekeeper and found them be OK to good but not very good or great and people misinterpret that as I think they suck which I don't think that at all. I really like the shorter trains and track layout on this one though, looks to be a much more thrilling and fun ride than the other two winged coasters I have been on. May be time for a road trip to Indiana now.

Right, because another shade of green would be so unique at VF. Maybe an Aqua, Light Blue or Turquise would be better. At least it would be unique for VF and different from WT's green shade of color. Between CS and MM we know the park definitely does not need anymore orange and yellow.

Right, because another shade of green would be so unique at VF.

Fixed that for you.

They had a gate entrance there before for employees and also to move things in and out of the park like towels, food, souvenirs and other supplies to make the water park run. They could use this entrance anytime without disrupting visitors to the park yet keep it running so my guess is they will still have one there for these purposes. Plus it might be used to move the Food (Hot Dog) Truck into the water park on busy days. Remember how the side of the new food truck added last year reads, "Eat, Ride, SLIDE and repeat."? Plus as dippingdotsguy8 points out, that is already a congested corner and if they put a entrance in there it would probably get even worse for traffic their on busy days.

Proof that today is 4/20 and that some people are celebrating the 'holiday' all ready.

I actually think you nailed it. It was all of the ones I could think of too now that all the old trash cans are gone. If someone can think of another location please add it to the list and let me know. And the old logo on the High Roller trains should never leave since they has been there since day one of the park opening in my opinion. Plus the way the old logo is imprinted/engraved on metal plates (not painted or a decal) and are actually attached to the trains hopefully they won't remove them.

A new attraction called "FlyOver" is coming to NU. Details in the link: http://www.startribune.com/local/south/300134141.html Planned MOA ride gives new meaning to flyover land Article by: ANNE MILLERBERND , Star Tribune Updated: April 16, 2015 - 9:36 PM In virtual terms, $20 million attraction will take patrons to American landmarks. People travel from all over the world to experience the Mall of America, and in spring 2016 those visitors can experience some of the most incredible places in the United States without even leaving the mall. Mall officials said Thursday they’ll be adding a new virtual tour called FlyOver America to its mini-amusement park, Nickelodeon Universe. The new attraction will allow riders to see, feel and even smell some of the country’s landmarks in a virtual tour, the mall said in a news release. Riders will sit 10 to 25 feet above ground facing a massive half-spherical screen.

Since VF is in the floodplain, maybe like a monster cat fish or killer Salmon I think it should be "The Wrath of Baron Oom Pah Pah." I like it! Adding a little something to it like "The Wrath of the Drunken Baron Oom Pah Pah." could make it even more exciting and interesting. Maybe something along the lines of using some state folklore like "Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox go on a Weekend Bender." or "Paul and Babe: Undead Giants." (got to get a piece of big zombie market dollar). And if they are going to go with a fish why not just go all the way and theme it after Sharknado? Seriously though, it would be tough to come up with a theme for a dark ride at VF so good luck to the marketing department. The only thing I can think of is since the park is built in the city of Shakopee and named after Chief Shakopee you could go with a Indian 'Spirit' type story.

Most people do too. It was unique and pretty cool looking at night with all that neon. I will definitely miss it. Plus is was one thing that VF had that was better than the other CF parks in the chain. But modern parks have to change or die so due to cost of operation and the ability to actually have messages on the sign I see why they did it. It doesn't mean I have to like it though. But for a modern sign I do like it, it is simple design and the LED screen is most of the sign. I thought it was going to me more like KI's sign but I like this one better due to the sleeker look. Kings Island welcoming sign.

Yes, personally I do. I had to expand and use a personal definition for 'dark ride' because I got tired of saying every dark ride I went on sucked. By expanding my definition to 'any ride in the dark' I was able to find one I enjoy.

I feel the same way. This is my fear if VF gets the budget for a B&M that they would get a Winged coaster just like X-Flight. My feeling is if you please the hard core enthusiast (ie. Invert or Floorless) then you should be able to please or blow away the GP so why not go that route if you are going to spend that kind of cash? SFGA can have Winged coaster in their line up because they have other thrilling coasters to fill that experience. VF, not so much. In the end I would take a Winged coaster over a Vekoma too. I also think an S&S Free-Spin could fit in easily at VF and be a hit. It would be nice for VF to get a coaster so we could start to speculate/complain about what type of flat the park needs to add.

FOF would be the only dark ride I would like to see at VF, it is my favorite dark ride I have been on. I was surprised at how fun it was compared to most dark rides. And yes it does have an inversion. It is actually a downward barrel roll for the inversion which shocked me the first time I rode because it only has lap bars. I was just not expecting an inversion without shoulder restraints.

^ Just curious, if you call Magnum 'murderous' what do you call Mean Streak then?

Magnum doesn't hurt my legs at all, maybe because I am 6' 1''. Even if it did hurt some it would still be a better and more thrilling ride than WT. For a Hyper coaster WT is pretty weak. After the first drop (good airtime) and the first camel back hill the ride is basically over. It then meanders through the turn around and becomes almost lifeless on the bunny hills back to the station just barely providing some pops of air on the good runs. I personally wish WT had a station at the mid-brake where you could get off because for me the ride ends there.

The only reason everyone (hard core coaster enthusiasts/fan boys) keep saying WT's trains need to be replaced is just a reflection of how average and 'non-thrilling' the ride actually is. Enthusiasts just want a more thrilling ride experience for a Hyper coaster which happens to be the biggest and 'baddest ride in the park' but really isn't. It will not happen and shouldn't happen because like you said there is so much more the park could do with that money. Morgans are just not thrilling hypers, they are pretty tame actually so I get why people suggest this modification in hopes of a fix that would improve the ride experience which it probably would not by a noticeable amount. Too bad VF did not get an Arrow Hyper like Magnum, it has roughly the same layout but a much more thrilling ride with the quicker and more forceful turn around along with air on the bunny hills back to the station. WT used to offer air on its bunny hills but since they adjusted the mid course brake it does not anymore.

It would be tempting from an overall thrill standpoint for sure but a GT-X would not fill the hole of a missing Hyper and people mover that WT is. I think a GT-X or something similar would be a great replacement for CS when it is time for it to go. The dream would be a Intamin Mega-Lite to replace CS.

Yes, it is way too early to see any construction markings. Look for late July or August if at all this year. I think due to lack of land and space that Excalibur will be removed to add another coaster (Unless they go big and redo the entrance with a new coaster). You would have the land with only removing one attraction while also get rid of a dog of a ride and quit wasting payroll on a crew to operate a ride that rarely has a full train even when running just one on busy days. I also say this too because nothing has been done to Excalibur in years. CS got a new paint job, HIgh Roller is getting more retracking after some last year and even Renegade (a much newer coaster than Excalibur) even got retracking last year. Removing the soda and snack stand back there last year is another sign to me that Excalibur's days are numbered.

Plus them rebuilding the retaining wall for the water park across from Renegade points to the same conclusion. Get some support and or/clearing out of the way under this expansion budget to support the next addition maybe.

At least it is better than the old splash pad. But I agree, pretty wimpy considering there are a bunch of suburb cities within 20-30 minutes of this park that have much better splash pad area's. Did they not research their competition? How can you spend millions on a what looks like to be some kick-a** water slides and then skimp on the splash pad? Seriously, what would have it cost to make that splash pad better and compare to other splash pads in the area? $50,000? $100,000 maybe? It is examples like this that make me say that CF treats VF like a red headed step child when it comes to investing in the park. At least it looks like the money they saved on the splash pad they are using for general improvements all over the park which is looking nice.

The article says it is being shipped from Italy so my guess is it is made by Zamperla. It also says it is a custom job and I could not find an exact match for the cars on their website but they do make coasters of that size.

It's great to see High Roller getting some re-tracking love. Maybe it will get a paint job too.

Excellent post, all the points I would have made. Thanks for saving me the time. If anything I think CF feels a "little too safe" with VF having no direct competition in the five bordering states and might be under the mentality of "Why add anything bigger than we have too at this park?."