kirbias1

No, it's not hard. As i've been saying and will continue to maintain that CF does not have KI in its masterplan to make it into a major thrill park. That is for Carowinds and CP. Carowinds is 12 hrs from CP and KI is only 4 hrs. The per capita spending is higher at CP and Carowinds than KI. Everything is more expensive and they have a lot of out-of-the park revenue from it's resorts. Notice how Carowinds just opened a resort. That is the connection here. Build record breakers to get people in from far away and stay at your resorts, then per capita spending goes up. People will pay more for Fast Lane, etc. People will travel further to ride record breaking attractions and stay in those resorts. They will not travel further to ride rides that cannot be marketed as "highest" "fastest" etc. I would not have gone down to Carowinds if Fury wasn't there. CF knows KI will draw from its regional base from 5 major cities only 2 hrs or less away. CF also knows they don't have to build the record breakers at KI to get people to show up, therefore, they won't spend the extra money. They will build new and good attractions though. Just good enough to keep the Gold Passes and meal plans selling. That is where KI's revenue is, and unfortunately that is what we as KI enthusiasts have.

I would like to acknowledge @fryoj @BSBMX@DustinTheNow and the others who calculated the 285' foot lift before the rest of the prints were released. Nice work decoding! I'm sure this coaster will be good, although, CF probably could've gone all out on this one and done better

I agree.

Did the plans show the angle of descent?

I doubt there is a max build under the ET height. I've actually heard the max build height because of the Airport (unless height increase is requested to FAA) is 399'. Don't know how true that is but i've heard that from multiple credible sources over the years. To me, this will be a hyper coaster with a giga drop into a ravine. Some people on this site are delusional and will choose to defend CF at all costs by blaming other reasons as to why CF continues to snub KI of its record breaker. To me, it's obvious. CP is always going to get the best coasters. Period. Let's not forget that we lost Firehawk to get this coaster next year, too. So, that takes away from it even more. Wanna guess what CP's 2021 coaster will be? I'm thinking B&M flyer. Firehawk being removed was more strategic than just to free up room for another coaster, it was also so CP will have the only flying coaster in the midwest, plus of course it will be the highest and fastest and longest. Think I'm wrong? Could be. Let's wait and see.

I agree. They really had a chance to do something special here, instead they chose to go the discount route. Some people on this site will continue to stick up for Cedar Fair and just appreciate what they give KI, but I remember when KI used to be the park to go to in Ohio when prototypes and record breakers were the norm and Cedar Point only had Magnum. That will never be the case again as long as Cedar Fair owns it. Very Disappointing. Actually, I stand corrected! We will have the tallest and fastest Hyper now! So, I guess i was wrong about CF not wanting KI to have the record breakers!

It wouldn't break the bank. This confirms everything i've been saying about Cedar Fair not wanting KI to have anything spectacular. They are not even going to have a "true" giga that is 300 feet from lift apex to ground directly below?!. That is pathetic. KI basically will have 2 hypers now!

Awesome! KI will get at least 3 records then: Highest, fastest Hyper and only park with two B&M hypers!

^^^Yes, but if it doesn't measure 300 or more feet from the apex of the lift directly below it to the ground, it is not a giga. It may have a giga drop because it drops down a hillside, but it will not have giga height. Hopefully, this isn't the case.

Do you think the possibility for a 330 + drop is there? Considering the ravine looks to be about 30'-40' deep.

Ha! I remember that.

Depends where the measurement takes place. If the height measurement is taken directly below the apex of the lift down to ground, or if the elevation changes x amount of feet ahead of the apex so the curvature of the track can drop in to get the extra footage, if that makes sense. In the latter case, the drop would be 300 feet long, but it wouldn't be 300' high.

I hope they are not using the ravine/swell to get the extra 20-30 feet to get the 300 foot drop. In my eyes, that would not be a true giga.

I was looking more closely at the clearing yesterday and there is a 20-30 foot ravine right where the drop appears to placed.

"stupidest things that the enthusiast community ever produced" ? Wow! It seems like you are getting very emotional about this. I am stating my opinion from actual stats of rides. I see nothing to back your argument that deals with facts. Also, I think you're still missing the point. I'm not upset we are possibly getting a giga, i' m upset with the possibility that KI is going to get something that could've been done better, especially with all of the land it has to work with. Please keep in mind that everyone on here is entitled to their opinion and just because you don't agree with it, doesn't give you the right to let your emotions get the best of you by being rude. Just remember we are all KI fans here.

I think they'll start in June or early July.

Banshee and DB weren't major record breakers in their respective coaster categories, unless you want count to an inverted roller coaster length record that most people do not care about. Why do you think they didn't spend the extra money to go highest and fastest with Banshee? It probably would not have cost significantly more. Well, because they didn't want to break Wicked Twister's height and speed record for inverted coasters AND they didn't want to go higher than GateKeeper, which is similar ride due to similar restraints, etc. that opened a year earlier. Yes, Banshee is only 3 feet less in height than GateKeeper, but to me this minimal height differential is more obvious in how it is intentional than not. Why? Because it shows how CF kept these coasters at a minimum height apart to minimize cost and to maximize marketability to boast superior height and speed, albeit by only small amounts. I guess some people will agree and some won't, but nevertheless, what I'm stating here are statistics that are factual. It's not too difficult to sell this if you look at the numbers because it pretty much sells itself.

It wouldn't diminish Carowinds. It would diminish CP. Per capita spending at CP is higher than KI. CF wants CP to remain what it is, The Roller Coaster Capital, which gets people to go there from afar. Building something larger than Fury would take away from that. Unfortunately, KI is stuck in the middle. Don't get me wrong, KI is still one of the best parks in NA, but unfortunately it's just not in CF's game-plan to make KI into what it's trying to create with Carowinds and been doing with CP.

It's not just "the timeline" you speak of. It's the fact that management has said they want to invest more in the two aforementioned parks to keep CP what it's been, and to make Carowinds the thrill capital of the south. They have mentioned this on multiple occasions. Once again, I'll maintain what i've always said, KI will continue to receive very good additions from CF, they probably will not receive many record breaking attractions though.

How many feet between Levi's lift footers?

I agree. I think that is why the RMC owner was possibly spotted there last year.

Carowinds went bigger the year after DB opened in 2009 when they built their hyper coaster- Intimidator in 2010. Intimidator is higher and longer than DB. When Banshee was built in 2014, it was a very good KI addition, but in 2015, Carowinds built the highest, fastest Giga in world- Fury 325. In 2017 KI made yet another good, but not great addition IMO with Mystic Timbers. The following year CP opened Steel Vengeance, which IS a great addition. CP management have said that they want to invest more at these parks due to per capita spending and market capability, etc. I still think KI could push the 4 million attendance mark with all of it's potential being so close to so many other major markets though.

Money is not the issue. Cedar Fair has plenty of financial resources. It is the fact that CF does not want to outdo CP and Carowinds. KI will continue to get very good investments in terms of rollercoasters and other attractions, just not record breaking coasters. This new coaster will probably still cost somewhere between 26-28 million. Fury was 30 million. The extra couple of million less in cost is not that significant for CF to "go the extra mile" and build something massive. That is just not in their plans for KI for reasons dealing with different market capability and proximity of parks to one another.

Gotcha! Just watched the POV of Shambala. It has a similar layout to our possible Giga. It climbs 249 and drops almost 260 and seemingly has the unique helix. It is also about 5100 feet in length, which is what KI's will probably be close to. I wonder if KI and B&M are combining elements with this and Fury to give us Polaris.

Yes, but this seems to be closer to the beginning of the ride. KI's will be towards the end. I could see the same height, but not 50 feet higher.