ariznglori

Wild Thing is spot on.

High Roller's queue is getting modified again? Can't wait to see what it's like this year! Wouldn't mind getting something like iSpeed after the invert! Put 17 million into each, call it a two-year 34 million-dollar investment, round off the coaster collection and change Valleyfair forever. On another note, do you think it's possible we may get a dark ride before our next coaster? With Dinos hogging the best invert location until 2019/20, we might see a dark ride in the amphitheater location before that.

Those look like white tarps with new plants waiting to be put in flowerbeds sitting on top. Probably have the tarps to keep the bricks from getting dirty...or to keep the plants somewhat protected.

I think it was more like the Banshee thing. It was supposed to be used on Mantis, got shelved, and like a decade later it's in Kings Island. I suspect it will pop up in the chain in the future. I think they went with Fury for marketing purposes (#Furyfever and all that). But with that same point, where is the marketing potential for a name like Centurion? It conjures images of soldiers and fortifications...I just arrived at the consensus point...it is a stupid name...nevermind lol

Too much to hope for a "Sign of things to come" I guess. Ah well, one park is bound to get a Centurion, wonder which it will be.

https://www.valleyfair.com/online-fun/in-the-loop

This may be a bit of a stretch, but is it strange that the title of the blog entry about the new sign is "Changing of the Guard"? Maybe a subtle hint at a "Centurion"?

The sign is very bright and highly visible and it goes with the whole switchover to LED. The park is reducing its electric bill, which means more money for other things. I wonder when they're going to get the lighting on Wild Thing's lift and Power Tower switched too... But so far this off-season: 6 thrilling new waterslides Second splash station New sign Tracking on High Roller Painting Corkscrew's trains New retaining wall and tree removal in the old half of the waterpark (prepping for its makeover) New brick path from Planet Snoopy to Renegade area New vendors (Rita's Ice) and new stall locations And who knows what else they've done? So far it's been a very productive off season!

When they redo the other half of the waterpark they may use up the space that the long path takes up now.

Yup, it's definitely intriguing. As has been mentioned before by someone else, I could see us getting a dark ride with a spooky native American theme, but I'm not sure if that would raise PC issues (you never know these days). We could get something with a sasquatch or werewolf creature in the woods type. Maybe even a more obvious theme like a haunted house or mad carnival. Call it outlandish but I would not be surprised if we got an alien-themed one. A decent sized dark ride building could fit in the amphitheater space, and would face onto a midway with a 50s kind of vibe. Alien movies were big in the 50s and they could really toy with the retro feel. And with the airport nearby they could lace aviation into it somehow...? Or a Vekoma madhouse? Hmm.

It's possible that they may. Branding consistency is very important as you want your company or product to have one unified perception, down to the fonts, that you can control. Ouimet being from Disney (the masters of branding) will more than understand that.

It would look cool, so I can empathize at least

They could put the old sign in Route 76, maybe on one of those rotating platforms they're so fond of.

Truth. I'd still love a launched spaghetti bowl coaster like Flight of Fear or Joker's Jinx at Valleyfair. Would spice it up.

I imagine this new one will be more maintenance friendly. Did anyone else see the LA Times article VF15 posted? It looks like Cedar Fair wants a dark ride in every park that tells of a beast or park underworld. What would be Valleyfair's dark underside or beast?

Ermehgerd I love it. I don't know what I was expecting honestly, but that new sign is slick. The old one should have gone to a museum though.

I think we'd wind up with something on the scale of X-Flight, which is disappointing. Even the GP was "meh" about it. But then they were used to the great coasters at SFGA.

Wouldn't mind a dark ride or full-circuit launched coaster at all!

Wing coasters are even more of a letdown than a Morgan hyper. Valleyfair does not need another coaster like that. Sure they're stunning to watch, but as a ride experience, they're a yawn. I could see a 4d like Batman at SFFT at Valleyfair easily though!

Once Valleyfair gets an invert, what would the park's next steps be?

There's floater and there's ejector...and while your concern about shin restraints makes sense on ejector, it doesn't on floater. And sure Wild Thing might be able to deliver decent ejector on the last hills when the mid-course brakes aren't heavily used... but let's be honest, that's so rare that people have to hunt for footage of it from the 90s.

The Chance Morgan website is a good resource. "...all about SPEED" (notice the caps, not mine) is said in the ride type description--they know exactly what they are selling. They clearly are emphasizing that one aspect, not airtime or laterals or whatever. But I feel that the trains they are using do nothing to play up that aspect. So why not just go for it and put trains on the track that can really put the rider in a position to feel the speed? That is what the layout is designed for.

I really like Renegade's trains. Corkscrew has good trains and I couldn't imagine it with any different. Wild Thing has self-defeating trains. As a ride it delivers so little airtime that all the extra room does nothing for the experience. So what good is it? The high walls of the trains only serve to limit your exposure to the wind and air, and following train design trends, we know that isn't what modern parkgoers want. Wild Thing is a speed coaster. Not an air coaster. Morgan hypers were not made for airtime and are not marketed to parks as providing it. Height and speed is what they provide. I just want Wild Thing to have trains that amplify its strengths. I don't think riding in a bathtub makes it feel faster or more thrilling. But again, it won't happen. Even if I want it to... This really does seem to be the most divisive subject on the Valleyfair forum, lol.

They could put GT-X trains on Wild Thing, same low seating, but lower walls around you so you can feel the wind. Would help Wild Thing feel more modern. It won't happen though. But I'd like it to.

Removing trees in the old section...almost seems like they're getting a head start on clearing that side for expansion. 2016 may be the water park sequel after all.