Worlds of Fun Construction - Prowler

[raptorcrew2002]

Zambezi Zinger removed for a boomerang!

 

Nuff said!

[NASA Guy]

When I was at Rumblefest the GCI Guy (Can't Remember his name) said there would be 3 GCI's built in 2009, 2 in the U.S.A.

 

I would not be surprised at all if there's the GCI for SFMM and this new ride being the second.

[Jive]

I'm with TC Ridesalot.

 

As a kid the park was a lot of fun and it was a totally different environment. If Hunt hung around the park would have continued to go down hill though.

 

I don't think that you'll find anyone that's happy that Zinger was taken out. Outside of that ride any other removal is hard to get upset about and the additions have been above and beyond what Hunt would have ever considered.

 

As for theme - there probably wasn't a ton of attention paid to it after the acquisition but as of late the park as stepped up the effort. Spinning Dragons has the same level of theme as any Hunt installation and the area around it looks great. Patriot and it's plaza makes the former beat street area look like a back alley. I'm not 100% sure but wasn't Vitrix removed during the Hunt years?

 

If you want to see a full park head up there in the fall. Saturday Haunts were packed.

[Sticky Nicky]

When I was at Rumblefest the GCI Guy (Can't Remember his name) said there would be 3 GCI's built in 2009, 2 in the U.S.A.

 

I would not be surprised at all if there's the GCI for SFMM and this new ride being the second.

 

What about CGA's already confirmed GCI for next year?

[NASA Guy]

^Then I'm Baffled.

[CP_RULES]

This one seems a bit more confirmed than SFMM's at the moment...

[TC Ridesalot]

In the early years Hunt Industries had a forward thinking on being the first, the biggest, the most unique. They installed rides that others wouldn't attempt. Think of Barnstomer, Incredadome, OE with the connecting loops and double Helixes. These were special times in Kansas City. The city was the number 1 convention destination and had plenty of dollars flowing into it. But then came bad and I mean bad government and the forward thinking city we once were was gone. What also left was the dollars and the city and it's infastructure suffered dearly. WOF had to change it's ways or it would of went bankrupt. New parks began to rise in smaller areas that WOF drew from and the gate totals suffered. The last 5 years of Hunt basically were as bad as the first 5 years of CF. Some of the issues weren't noticed by the GP because it took time for the detoration to show. I also think that CF was running the first 5 years with a very small budget so they could get back the cost of purchase of the park. I can remember the final couple of years on the cotton blossom ship. It actually had areas blocked off because the wood was so rotten that the floor had holes you could fall through. I think most of the budget for year three of CF was removal and repair of exsisting assets.

 

The park is starting to have new issues arise that CF will have to address if they want to keep the family demographics in tact. What I am about to say may upset some here but facts are facts. With the addition of a coaster this year and a very cheap season pass the park will be almost to dangerous to visit. The crime in the park is crazy and the thugs and gang mentality has reached a point where most families won't stay past 5:00 pm anymore. The park is loaded with groups of teenage troublemakers looking for any chance they can to steal anything they can. Our last visit included walking by a group of punks grabbing girls butts when they walked by. Security came and did nothing. We also saw a fight, and witnessed the aftermath of two 12 yearold girls crying at the station of the Mamba because their stuff was took while they rode the ride. I told my 15 year old that this place was off limits unless I came with him. The park has no check points, so any punk could carry a knife, a gun or whatever into the park (as of last year, not sure if they added this year). It needs to clean up it's act and take control of the park. I promise you I'm not some old fougie from the suburbs I grew up in the city so this is

coming from a person in touch with his enviroment. When we attended the October Halloween event this last year I heard a group of boys claiming that they were going to punch the characters in the haunted house.

 

To finalize, I believe the park and the city are on an upswing but, there are needs to address. If they handle the crowd better and ad a few flats the park will be a great regional park again.

[Jive]

Excellent take TC Ridesalot.

 

Your security concerns seems to be a growing concern across the country. I too avoid Saturday's but have found Friday night and Sunday to be issue free. I've worked the Haunts the last couple of years and have seen first hand the type of people you're describing. I have found that security is quick to respond and that they always take care of any issues that we've mentioned. Even if their right on top of ever single call it's still an issue that there would be so many.

 

On to the flats - What would you add? I like the idea of a Revolution and a Dark Ride shooter.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

^You make valid points and I'm sure that as a father your first obligation is your child's safety, so no complaints there, but by my homepark being SFMM and remembering how bad it used to be and what the demographic is for the park, it's not about getting rid of the problem. It's near to impossible to get "rid" of troublesome teens and roudy rougues. The best any park management can do is try to contain it and bring the issue to a crawl. Also, some of the methods to rectify the problems can be buzz kills as well. Metal detectors and constant searches aren't exactly as family friendly as the groups of people who cause the park to use them. I'm not disagreing with you by any means, I'm just saying it will be hard for this, or any park to fix that particular problem.

 

 

As for my speculation and rumors. All park chains almost always by rides in bulk to to a corporate discount. I know that when Cedar Fair or Six Flags buy rides, they do so in multiple units, because it shaves about two to three million bucks off the individual ride's base price (Kinda like "Buy the ride, and the trains are FREE!"). Since CF bought Behemoth and Mustang, I wouldn't be to surprised to see a B&M go into this park. Besides, it's a personal opinion that every high profile amusement park needs at least two B&M's. With the STRONG EXCEPTION of flyers, B&M gives you a ride that will have minimal downtime, huge hourly capacities, and provide a decent thrill ride with both intensity and comfort. Of course I'm a beemer fan boy, so I might sound a little bias.

[TC Ridesalot]

^You make valid points and I'm sure that as a father your first obligation is your child's safety, so no complaints there, but by my homepark being SFMM and remembering how bad it used to be and what the demographic is for the park, it's not about getting rid of the problem. It's near to impossible to get "rid" of troublesome teens and roudy rougues. The best any park management can do is try to contain it and bring the issue to a crawl. Also, some of the methods to rectify the problems can be buzz kills as well. Metal detectors and constant searches aren't exactly as family friendly as the groups of people who cause the park to use them. I'm not disagreing with you by any means, I'm just saying it will be hard for this, or any park to fix that particular problem.

 

 

As for my speculation and rumors. All park chains almost always by rides in bulk to to a corporate discount. I know that when Cedar Fair or Six Flags buy rides, they do so in multiple units, because it shaves about two to three million bucks off the individual ride's base price (Kinda like "Buy the ride, and the trains are FREE!"). Since CF bought Behemoth and Mustang, I wouldn't be to surprised to see a B&M go into this park. Besides, it's a personal opinion that every high profile amusement park needs at least two B&M's. With the STRONG EXCEPTION of flyers, B&M gives you a ride that will have minimal downtime, huge hourly capacities, and provide a decent thrill ride with both intensity and comfort. Of course I'm a beemer fan boy, so I might sound a little bias.

 

They have a B&M- The Patriot

[TC Ridesalot]

Excellent take TC Ridesalot.

 

Your security concerns seems to be a growing concern across the country. I too avoid Saturday's but have found Friday night and Sunday to be issue free. I've worked the Haunts the last couple of years and have seen first hand the type of people you're describing. I have found that security is quick to respond and that they always take care of any issues that we've mentioned. Even if their right on top of ever single call it's still an issue that there would be so many.

 

On to the flats - What would you add? I like the idea of a Revolution and a Dark Ride shooter.

 

Flats they need-

1. A real Farris Wheel

2. Any of the Giant Huss rides

3- Flying Swing or even a YOYO

4- Tea Cup ride

5. New Log ride

6. The greatest flat ever- Disc-O

7. You mentioned a dark ride shooter (how about a water one)

 

Any and or all of these would be a great addition during the 4 or 5 years between coasters.

[Jive]

Larger ferris wheel - agree

Giant Huss - probably too expensive for a park this size

Flying Swing - I would love to have one but Flying Dutchman probably would keep that from happening

Tea Cup - not me cup of tea but a good addition

New Log Ride - total agreement, but a lot of people would be pissed about them taking out an old ride

Disco - can't agree with your assessment but it would probably be a popular ride. I prefer the Revolutions.

Water Dark Ride - Fine by me.

[TC Ridesalot]

Larger ferris wheel - agree

Giant Huss - probably too expensive for a park this size

Flying Swing - I would love to have one but Flying Dutchman probably would keep that from happening

Tea Cup - not me cup of tea but a good addition

New Log Ride - total agreement, but a lot of people would be pissed about them taking out an old ride

Disco - can't agree with your assessment but it would probably be a popular ride. I prefer the Revolutions.

Water Dark Ride - Fine by me.

 

So we agree a five year plan between the new woodie and what the next coaster could be filled with some decent flats. Other than Zulu is there any flats in Africa? Fury of the Nile isn't a flat really so add a Disco or a really good Water shooter to that area. You could put a themed shooter kinda like your floating down a river in Africa looking for the Zambezi tribe that was left behind.

 

There's a good area for two or three flats in what I consider to be a waster area up in the Americana area where the Clown Carnival and games are. It could be set up like a 70's carnival in small town America. Add the tea cups, maybe a revolution, or even a new Music toboggon ride.

 

Just thoughts but after the new woodie is in place there not going to add a thrill machine for a while. We don't need a lack of new items with the new theme water park and all the new (give-me-your-money) areas around town keep popping up. I see 2010 bringing a One park seniro and that will excite the GP. This city is growing in the right direction I wonder after the Slitterbaum and possible Lego-land if Disney will look to come in. We have the original T-Rex concept and I have heard talk that has continued for 5 years about Disney placing a off shoot of Quest in the old Union Station since Science City has been a flop. We will see.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

B&M floorless coasters are pretty cheap. (I didn't know "B&M" and "cheap" could go in the same sentence) A two train floorless with a length of about 3000' would run between 13 mil and 16 mil. Plus Hydra, the Superman clones, and the Batman clones proved you don't need size to make a good ride.

[TC Ridesalot]

B&M floorless coasters are pretty cheap. (I didn't know "B&M" and "cheap" could go in the same sentence) A two train floorless with a length of about 3000' would run between 13 mil and 16 mil. Plus Hydra, the Superman clones, and the Batman clones proved you don't need size to make a good ride.

 

16 million won't be spent on any single attraction at WOF anytime within the next 4 or 5 years. With the addition of the woodie this year we won't be getting a coaster for a while. Think flats and improvments for this park.

[gcifan]

I dont mean to sound like a pessimist, just because a track bender happens to show up on site with a lot of wood, doesnt' mean that GCI , could not be doing alot of track work and structural support work for timber wolf as well, instead of building a new coaster. I am just throwing that into the mix. I am just speculating.

 

But now that i think about it, with the web campaign , I dont think they would be making big deal about a haunted house for a scarefest or what have you, so maybe it is possible they are getting a GCI woodie, well have to see, what happens.

[Hercules]

B&M floorless coasters are pretty cheap. (I didn't know "B&M" and "cheap" could go in the same sentence) A two train floorless with a length of about 3000' would run between 13 mil and 16 mil. Plus Hydra, the Superman clones, and the Batman clones proved you don't need size to make a good ride.

 

13 - 16 million for a coaster is cheap? I would say that is about average to slightly above average for a major coaster from one of the big 2 in the coaster industry.

[The Alex]

Well when you consider that B&M can be as expensive as $26 million, 13-16 isn't so bad. Didn't Patriot only have a price tag of 14? SLCs cost around 10 the last time I checked.

Though Intamin gives you MUCH more bang for your buck. $12 million gets you a S:ROS-sized hypercoaster! That would get you something the size of Georgia Scorcher in B&M Land.

[TC Ridesalot]

Why is everybody talking about costs of a B&M for WOF. That is nowhere in the close future for this park. It is a wooden coaster the park is getting I drive by about every two days and see new things in the lot. Timberwolf has had a lot of work already done on it.

So, please explain why everybody wants to discuss B&M when that has never been discussed. Somebody posted the park needed a B&M without even knowing they already have a B&M and now the conversation has turned to this.

[NASA Guy]

^It's already known it's a Woodie, but whether it's a GCI or a GG or anything else is questionable.

[Jive]

Here's some clues from the back parking lot at WoF.

 

http://bradleyrobertson.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=69

[NASA Guy]

^Than We have a Confirmed GCI for CGA and a GCI for WoF.

 

Than the Coaster for SFMM isn't a GCI or the People from Rumblefest were lyers.

[christianscoasters]

YAY!!! A GCI!!!

Cannot wait to hear more about it and to see the concept art.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

Why is everybody talking about costs of a B&M for WOF. That is nowhere in the close future for this park. It is a wooden coaster the park is getting I drive by about every two days and see new things in the lot. Timberwolf has had a lot of work already done on it.

So, please explain why everybody wants to discuss B&M when that has never been discussed. Somebody posted the park needed a B&M without even knowing they already have a B&M and now the conversation has turned to this.

 

1. GCI has not been confirmed

2. Wood has not been confirmed.

3. for a 2009 ride it's a little early for erecting a ride

4. You can put more than one ride from the same manufacturer

5. CF just bought two B&M's so expect a third somewhere wihin two years.

6. At this point everything is speculation so it seems we are all free to shed light on it. We could all be wrong so let's not forget that.

[Jive]

1. GCI has not been confirmed

2. Wood has not been confirmed.

3. for a 2009 ride it's a little early for erecting a ride

4. You can put more than one ride from the same manufacturer

5. CF just bought two B&M's so expect a third somewhere wihin two years.

6. At this point everything is speculation so it seems we are all free to shed light on it. We could all be wrong so let's not forget that.

 

Here's some clues from the back parking lot at WoF.

http://bradleyrobertson.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=69

 

It's pretty clear what's coming.

 

This is the perfect time to get started. The area that's flagged is a dense forest. Patriot was actually started earlier than this and I would image that steel coasters are a bit easier to put together.