[Trev32]

that's a great idea!!! it would be awsome to be parking right next to a roller coaster LOL!

[Cephas]

What if they have to do maintenance on the coaster during the day. They aren't going to get 100 people to move their car so they can get a cherrypicker in there to fix some problem

[MarkD]

And...we don't want to end up like other parks that have done similar things just as sticking a coaster on flat paved ground with no theming or sites around.
Top Gun and Thunder Road are about as close as I want to get to the parking lot. Too bad Top gun wasn't turned the other way so the lift hill faces the park and not away from it.

[LocoDriver]

As for a concern over space, how about (now this may sound crazy) putting a roller coaster over the parking lot?!?!? I mean, if there was a concern over things falling on cars then they could simply attach nets to the footers for the coaster, which the footers could just be placed in certain parking spaces. I think it would be really cool to drive into the parking lot and have a huge coaster flying over your head!!!!! What do you guys think?

Six Flags has been there and done that. I think the only way the parking lot should be used is to expand the park with not only coasters, but with theming and other attractions which are incorperated into the existing park. Parking lot coasters look terrible IMO!

[Cephas]

Yes, but at six flags parks you can't park under or around the coaster in the parking lot. They have the ground fenced in around the coaster and you can't drive close. Imagine if carowinds got a scream/medusa clone; you could park somewhere between the loop and the lift and then walk under it on your way to the gate. At six flags parks you can't do that because it is all fenced off. I think being able to park under the coaster would be a great gimmic for carowinds and they could charge you to park there and let platnium pass holders in for free.

[Trev32]

From what i've seen i think you can park really close to Valleyfair!'s Wild Thing, click <a href='http://www.coastergallery.com/2000/V42.html' target='_blank'>Here</a> to see a pic of one part of it, you CAN park pretty close to it.

[Dukeis#1]

I think expansion into the parking lot is OK if they rip up the concrete and put dirt and grass back in, and just create a whole new area.

But I really don't like it when they just build a coaster up over all the concrete. It looks like an eyesore.

[coasterdude89]

I know, I hate to see coasters built over concrete, they are eysores. I mean, which is funner, hurdling down a track at 70 mph at pavement or at landscaping (buildings, trees, theming, etc...) I mean, just take Batman-The Ride (1992) (Six Flags Great America-Chicogo). It looks kinda fun, but the theming sucks. Your over concrete. Now, I've never riden it before, but I do know that Top Gun is based on it, but with more loops, theming, etc..

[hombaca_05]

"What if they have to do maintenance on the coaster during the day. They aren't going to get 100 people to move their car so they can get a cherrypicker in there to fix some problem" - I don't know who said this cause the comp I'm using doesn't allow me to see the posters name so bear with me.

Response: Honestly, this is a sticky situation. Maybe the parking spaces next to the footers could be left empty so allow room for repair men, or you know the stairs up a coasters lift hill, well, maybe they could put those along the whole ride.

"we don't want to end up like other parks that have done similar things just as sticking a coaster on flat paved ground with no theming or sites around." "Too bad Top gun wasn't turned the other way so the lift hill faces the park and not away from it."

Reply: Well, the only thing that really needs to be themed is the station because you'll be flying around so fast that nothing would really make coherent sense....Top Gun is like riding a tornado to me (but I LOVE it!). So, IMO, as long as the station is themed well, and the coaster painted a theme-matching color, nothing else really matters.
Also, I love riding Top Gun at night and seeing Charlotte lit up in the background!

"I mean, which is funner, hurdling down a track at 70 mph at pavement or at landscaping (buildings, trees, theming, etc...)"

Reply: Well, you really wouldn't be hurdling at pavement,you be flying towards cars, which seems fun enough to me.

[MarkD]

Reply: Well, the only thing that really needs to be themed is the station because you'll be flying around so fast that nothing would really make coherent sense....Top Gun is like riding a tornado to me (but I LOVE it!). So, IMO, as long as the station is themed well, and the coaster painted a theme-matching color, nothing else really matters.
Also, I love riding Top Gun at night and seeing Charlotte lit up in the background!

If you are flying around so fast that nothing really makes any coherent sense then how do you see Charlotte all lit up at night?
After all, the lift and drop do not point to Charlotte.
Just wondering.
And as far as which is funner? The themed rides of course. Much better to come close to a Borg than a parking lot unless it was a mock parking lot with bandits trying to shoot ya or Godzilla trampling on them. Then, that would be cool.

[hombaca_05]

If you are flying around so fast that nothing really makes any coherent sense then how do you see Charlotte all lit up at night?
After all, the lift and drop do not point to Charlotte.
Just wondering.

True, TG's lift hill doesn't face Charlotte, but I do believe that if you look to the left while going up the hill then you see Charlotte....I'm not really sure cause I had to take my glasses off, all I know is I saw some lit up builidings.LOL!

[MarkD]

lol

[coasterdude89]

I've only riden Top Gun at night once, so I really wouldn't know is you see the skyline of Charlotte. It would be really cool if Top Gun was turned around the other way so you could see the rest of the park as your going up the lift hill. But, it is kinda ok that it is turned the way it is. I mean, when you enter the park through the South Gate, you get a really good view of the ride because you can see the trains go flying down the hill and into to the loop and then into the trench, which sometimes feels like a tunnel because of the wooden walls that are flying past you so fast.

[coasterbruh]

Now, I've never riden it before, but I do know that Top Gun is based on it, but with more loops, theming, etc..

Actually top gun is based on Its called montu the only thing Top Gun is missing is the mid-course brakes (thank god!!) and the vertical loop and some turns.

The funny thing is that although this coaster is taller, top gun is still faster!!

[coasterdude89]

It does look kinda like Top Gun, but, this book I have about the history of roller coasters, that starts at the beginning of coasters to modern day, says what I said. I am glad that Top Gun is missing the midscourse brakes. Butm something kinda like the brakes is when you go over the satation, it seems like you slow down before you go into another inversion, but, in reality you don't. It's just that it's just a straight away, so it seems like it. Do yall understand what I'm saying about this part of Top Gun?