Vortex is the more well received of the existing Arrow Loopers. I know people really don't like Viper and Anaconda but a lot of people still praise Vortex. 

I was at KD a few weeks ago. Anaconda was a major let down.

Anaconda is rougher than Vortex in my opinion. I'm surprised that ride is still going. Maybe it's on the way out after RMC Hurler debuts.

One possibility is to replace the trains on Vortex with Vekoma MK 1212 trains.  They use a vest restraint instead of the current OTSR restraints.  Most of the roughness people complain about on Vortex is due to the headbanging so if you remove the solid object for your head to hit I suspect people will find it more comfortable.  If anyone is wondering Vekoma and Arrow used the same track design so the Vekoma trains will just work on the ride without modifications.

Is the steel on the ride in good enough condition to justify the cost of new trains?  Arrow is known to have used low quality steel and Vortex is 30 years old.  I remember a few years ago park maintenance having to replace some rails.  If the park is going to spend 3-4 million on new trains I suspect they would also want to spend money on painting it.  It would be an expensive upgrade.

I love The Vortex and I think new trains would could give the ride a nice upgrade even though there is just something about the nogastic factor I love about the old trains.

Upgrades down the road I would love to see something new that has powerful launch.  Maybe something like an  blitz coaster.  Something that has lots of turns and airtime with an inversion or two.   

I've noticed this year that the arcade beside Zephyr has been closed all year.  I know they use it for Haunt but I'm pretty sure the arcade was open last year.  If you took that arcade space along with the old Flight Commander pad and the Dinos area you could put some flats in there and really improve that area of Coney.  I would love to see a Screamin' Swing come to the park.

That arcade was not open during the normal season last year....there were and are zero games in that building. 

1 hour ago, Rivertown Rider said:

I've noticed this year that the arcade beside Zephyr has been closed all year.  I know they use it for Haunt but I'm pretty sure the arcade was open last year.  If you took that arcade space along with the old Flight Commander pad and the Dinos area you could put some flats in there and really improve that area of Coney.  I would love to see a Screamin' Swing come to the park.

A Screamin' Swing would be awesome as always, but after Skyhawk I don't see Cedar Fair building any more.

That location has been closed for games ever since they started using it as Kill Mart. Which I believe means it wasn't open for the 2015 season either, unless I'm remembering wrong. 

Its closure makes it feel even more dead on that end of Coney Mall, until one gets to Vortex, Shake Rattle and Roll, and WindSeeker. They almost feel like their own separate area now. 

I wouldn't be surprised if they are keeping that area unused at the moment because Flight Commander's old pad area and the current entrance to Dinos Alive may just be central to their plans for their next big coaster.

The seasons kind of blend together after awhile, I didn't realize it wasn't open last year either.  I completely agree about that being a dead area of the park.  Hopefully they improve it with something in the next few years.

Sometimes I wish that the park would just tear down the building.  I think it would be a great place to put a wild mouse coaster.  Either that or put a Ferris Wheel behind where the building is located.  There is enough room to easily get a 150-200 ft Ferris Wheel.

Look at it this way- if the park tears it down, there's one less building that they can work with for future projects. The only building I wish they would demolish is the old Crypt building. That building is way to big to for what's currently in it.

I saw this video about a rumor of Antique Cars coming. You guys can check it out if you want, it sounds somewhat legit. 

 

Did the evergreen trees mentioned just pop up overnight? 

Those must be some fast growing tree's!

I'm not in Tower Gardens often enough to notice if the pines trees have been there for a while or not.  But, large trees are installed all the time.  In my former line of work,  moving a 50' conifer was par for the course.  In Phoenix, we used cranes to install saguaro cacti and palm trees.