- August 7th, 2007, 12:13 pm
#21655
Oh noes!!!! Carowinds is turning into Geauga South !!111!!!!
Honestly, if we have to lose something, Saturator would be one of the first on my list. I've ridden it a number of times but not much the last few years. It's fun, especially when you get a perfectly timed water bomb on an unsuspecting guest or some pesky kid on the water guns. However, at the start and end of the year when it's too cool to get wet, they usually have to turn off the water. And Saturator without water = teh suck. It's really tame.
From the park's perspective, I can see where this makes sense. The ride seems to either have a small line or a massive one, due to it being popular in certain conditions but having very low capacity. Judging by the amount of water effects that no longer work or work sporadically, and the number of times I've seen 1-2 of the cars off the track for maintenance, I'd say the ride is a bit of a maintenance headache. As time goes on, it's going to cost more and more to maintain.
So let's see - low capacity, low ridership during cool periods, high maintenance costs. Sure it's somewhat "historic" by being the first of it's type - but considering there are a grand total of TWO of these coasters worldwide I'd say it's a failed design. If it worked from an economic standpoint, many more of these would've been built.
I'll be sad to see the ride go, although I didn't ride it that much compared to other things at the park. Now if they use the space for nothing, or a waterpark expansion, I'll be really disappointed.
I just can't see them expanding the waterpark there. They just wouldn't gain that much space - the Saturator area could become a walkway, with the waterpark moving out into the current walkway, but you could barely put a slide in that space, so it wouldn't make much sense.
So hopefully we'll get something interesting in exchange. Flat ride(s)? They probably have enough space for two flats there, one would be no problem.
New coaster? I certainly wouldn't hold my breath for it, but there's space for one there if they use some of the surrounding land, going up over Goldrusher for instance. One interesting thing when you look at the satellite picture is that there's that big vacant plot behind BORG's station just on the other side of Goldrusher from Satch - creative use of Satch's area, that plot of land and going over some buildings and Goldrusher would allow a pretty good-sized coaster.
IF it were a coaster something like an Impulse would seem more likely, though. I can't think of any other small footprint coaster that we don't already have. White Lightnin's Revenge, perhaps?
KenB
