[yawetag]

For CS, I see the theming is more for the overall experience, not the ride. As you're standing in line, you see the rocks and barn. You see the coaster go into the barn, stay in there a bit, and rocket out the other side, probably with some sort of smoke effect billowing out. You hear the screams.

Then you get on. Rather than some pre-fab coaster, you're getting onto an older model vehicle. You go into that barn you saw earlier and stop inside. Some noises, voices, lights, smoke, etc. distract you from the track and loop you see ahead, when all of a sudden you're launched out and into that loop.

As you twist and turn around the track - colored to look like rust - you shoot past rocks that are dangerously close to you. You go in and out of formations while taken through the track. You slow down and enter the loading gate, also themed like a barn.

No, none of that (except maybe the near-miss) will adjust the actual ride, but it affects the experience of the ride. You stick that same ride in the same place, with only the track, unpainted track, and bland unpainted trains, and it's a wholly different.

[Glitch99]

Yeah, I get the "full immersion" thing. That's different. This is a roller coaster, with a random 'theme' tacked onto it; you're never going to feel like you've left the park and entered a different world, unless you close your eyes and dream (in which case it doesnt matter what they've done with it). I dont get the excitement. I just want things to look nice, not trashy or run down.

[dirkdiggler1992]

Would you rather it just have been plopped there and have us sit out in the sun during the pre-launch?

A lot of parks have these coasters with “random themes” tacked on. Verbolten, Twisted Timbers, Firechaser Express, X-Flight, 90% of European coasters, etc. I’m not understanding why it’s so offensive for a park to want to add some storytelling to a ride. Some of us like to indulge with a little more than just airtime and intensity while at a park.

[cadi40]

The themeing on this ride isn’t Disney World, but then again CF won’t ever spend the amount of time and attention it takes to get on that level of immersion. However, compared to previous rides, this is a step up. And if you’ve been to County Fair or Camp Snoopy, then you know that in the past couple of years Carowinds has payed more attention to themeing and it’s turned out well. Personally, I’m just happy we finally got a launch coaster, everything else is icing on the cake.

[fonzlinney]

I would rather have a immersive experience in addition to the launch loops and fast transitions then just A plane coaster with no theming or nothing around it. Bravo to Carowinds for what they have been doing the past few years it is a huge positive for the park.

[yawetag]

Yeah, I get the "full immersion" thing. That's different. This is a roller coaster, with a random 'theme' tacked onto it; you're never going to feel like you've left the park and entered a different world, unless you close your eyes and dream (in which case it doesnt matter what they've done with it). I dont get the excitement. I just want things to look nice, not trashy or run down.

It's in a whole new section of the park that's themed exactly to this ride.

[Glitch99]

Yeah, I get the "full immersion" thing. That's different. This is a roller coaster, with a random 'theme' tacked onto it; you're never going to feel like you've left the park and entered a different world, unless you close your eyes and dream (in which case it doesnt matter what they've done with it). I dont get the excitement. I just want things to look nice, not trashy or run down.

It's in a whole new section of the park that's themed exactly to this ride.

Yay?

[Carowinds Sully]

Yeah, I get the "full immersion" thing. That's different. This is a roller coaster, with a random 'theme' tacked onto it; you're never going to feel like you've left the park and entered a different world, unless you close your eyes and dream (in which case it doesnt matter what they've done with it). I dont get the excitement. I just want things to look nice, not trashy or run down.

I would have to disagree. The whole point for a park to theme something is to give the guests an opportunity to take a break from their regular lives and experience something that only that park offers. A non themed land may have a good ride but it will never spark the imaginations of the guests like it would with themeing. Humans are attracted to stories, its just how we are. So when you take a ride and add a story to it, the riders feel more involved in the ride. Themeing is also good for the owners because making the park unique and setting apart will make the guests' experiences better and they will come back more often.
When you hear of Pandora in Disney World, you don't hear of people raving about how good of a ride Flight of Passage is. Rather, you hear of how themed the queue is and how it tells a story from the moment you enter the queue to the moment you leave the exit. I don't know about yall but I would be much more willing to wait 2 hours in a queue that has eye candy than to wait in one with metal rails and concrete.

[yawetag]

I don't know about yall but I would be much more willing to wait 2 hours in a queue that has eye candy than to wait in one with metal rails and concrete.

That's why you take a good-looking friend with you. Eye candy all day.

[tarheel1231]

Does anyone think there might be a surprise animatronic in the barn? I don’t know if the Weber Group makes them, but I know Mack is more than capable of making them as evidenced by all of Europa Park. This line from the description makes me think it’s possible:

After a sudden commotion, a shrill voice hollers, “Trespassers! Y’all git outta here!” A gun cocks and you high-tail it out.

Only thing is I don’t think the park would want an animatronic cocking a gun at riders.

[dirkdiggler1992]

They haven’t had any problems with Dark Harvest and its fake gun sequence, but I don’t think we’ll see a human animatronic/gun, probably just sound effects like in the animation.

[coasterbruh]

Does anyone think there might be a surprise animatronic in the barn?

Nope. Since "granny" is a character they created, I don't see them investing in an animatronic in the actress likeness or one with a distinct look and looks totally different than the one that may be roaming the area.

After a sudden commotion, a shrill voice hollers, “Trespassers! Y’all git outta here!” A gun cocks and you high-tail it out.

Everything stated in that can be conveyed, successfully, via audio.

[yawetag]

Nope. Since "granny" is a character they created, I don't see them investing in an animatronic in the actress likeness or one with a distinct look and looks totally different than the one that may be roaming the area.

There's a Granny walk-around? Is she married to him:

[Rosko97]

So.....are we expecting testing to start today or this week?

[Edwardo]

I know Mack is more than capable of making them as evidenced by all of Europa Park.

Mack doesn’t make anamatronics. Those get subcontracted out.