[Foghorn-Leghorn]

I think some people are just too impatient... they only gave Cedar Fair a year or two and then completely wrote them off... which is actually kind of unfair.

[KenB]

This is just to give a rough idea of what's possible, taken from Google maps views of SFOG and Carowinds at the same zoom levels. I'm assuming Google maps is scaling things properly. In red, you'll see the rough footprint of SFOG's Goliath, wedged in to use as much of the flume's space as possible. Obviously there would be other layout options to better use the surrounding space, and of course this doesn't go under the bridge. Lots of things could be done here, considering Goliath goes over several buildings, a log flume, and a coaster.

The park could easily use some of the parking lot for the ride, then pave some of the grassy "overflow" area and have no net loss of parking spaces. They could also use that big circular field that the entrance road wraps around for parking with a bit of reconfiguring, or do a direct copy of SFOG and put some of a coaster out there.

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

I think Goliath is a bit bigger than that.. If Carowinds sees a hyper, I'd expect the station to be where log flume is now, lift hill over the parking toll booth/ entrance, then turn and go the Behemoth route on the long grassy strip next to the parking lot... and then it comes right back, over the toll booth/ entrance

[coasterbruh]

you forgot the water splash down and the fire ending...

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

yea... kind of getting ahead of myself.. lol.. it isn't even 2009 yet..

[PreferParamount]

Looking at these maps, it seems there is enough space for a decent caster without moving out into the parking lot.(that is if they remove the flume and picnic buildings).

I will say that if cedar fair plans to grow this park significantly, then they will need to move out into the poorly place, land wasting parkinglog. Because removing good rides everytime they want a new coaster is not the answer.

I think the best place to start is removing the currently unused south gate, and start a new flat pacage along the blue side of thunder road.

[MarkD]

What are you all going to do when you find out they are just replacing the Flume with a new Flume like Dudley's at IOA?

Why do we all think it is a coaster? Imagine the rumors IF they built my suggested parking deck? WOW, talk about freeing up a lot of land for our imagination.

[Jonathan]

As cool as your parking deck idea may be, they could probably build a number of coasters for the cost of a big one.

I looked up costs and found a 500-space parking deck (3 stories I believe) that cost nearly $11 million. How many cars come into the park on a really busy day? Maybe 10,000?

[coasterbruh]

I guess I type slow jon got in before me...

I dont think any park will ever consider a parking deck. I think they will look at it as money well spent, but not money coming back to them. I works for universal because they simply had no choice. In order to build ioa they had to make such a drastic decision to make the deck. And you are right lol it could be something other than a coaster. Most think it's a coaster because they WANT it to be a coaster lol lol. Alot believe if you feel it in your heart you will see it with your eyes...

The only kinda coaster I can see fitting in the flum spot...just the flume part is a multi looper. I mean with all that water there they would have to branch out to other areas or take all the water out...like they did with skum lake.

[Thriller]

I can see it know...the flume gets removed for a new storage building/scarowinds attraction! How bad would that suck! Either way, I do believe CF has plans to eliminate the flume at some point in the near future. Whether or not anything replaces that...idk? I just hope our prayers and wishes come true for 2010!

[Wormy]

Here's my pathetic waste of time / contribution:
Carowinds and SFOG side by side, same elevation, or the best I could do at least. KenB .... you beat me to it.

compare.jpg (120.45KiB)Viewed 3815 times

compare2.jpg (124.4KiB)Viewed 3813 times

Grayscale image on the left is Goliath's footprint dropped over the flume area, without rescaling or any dirty tricks like that. Sure they have the room. Purple image on the right is the ahem, speculative potential area for a hyper. Or thirty flats in a row. While I prefer the previous posts speculating the parking lot/ grassy strip location, this shows it could be done in the front of the park. Downside of this scenario is that it would scare the hell out of the kiddies in Nick Central to see trains full of screaming riders come crashing down over their little cars and whirlyturd helicopters. The plus side is the dramatic placement against the GP parking lot, staring you right in the face as you make your way to the entrance. You could put a hyper anywhere in the park and it would be visible from the interstate, but here it would make it a beautiful addition to the skyline as well.

[KenB]

Good work Wormy, that shows things more clearly than my quick 'n' dirty doodle. I'd think that something along the lines of your last pic would be more what we'd see IF they build a hyper there, although probably not as far towards the kids area and using a bit of the parking lot / unused space bordering the picnic areas near the front gate. They could fit in quite a bit without pulling an SFOG and going over the entrance plaza area. Bordering the parking area and being highly visible from I-77 certainly wouldn't hurt the "wow" factor any.

I highly doubt they'd want to go all the way across the parking lot to build out on the grassy strip - makes more sense to pave that for parking and build right next to the existing park using what's now parking. While it would allow a bigger coaster and would certainly be even more visible, having that much of a ride outside the park proper adds all kinds of complications to it's operation - and who knows how many accidents out in the parking lot from gawkers. Someone needs to get a pic of an old monorail footer to get the rumor mill even more fired up, though.

True, they may build something lame there, if they even remove the flume. It may stay there and run for another 10 years for all we know, while the park collects a few more Vekomas. Nothing harmful in a bit of fun speculation, though.

[aaronf1991]

The only problem with using part of the parking lot is on certain occasions, such as busy Scarowinds days, as well as some of their concerts, I have seen it fill up, or come close to it.

[coasterbruh]

From my profissional, non professional, opinion I think it would be logical to use the grassy area vs tearing up the parking lot to rebuild it when you can just leave the current lot in tact and use unused land that would be perfect and less work.

[Thriller]

I don't like the looks of coasters that go over parking lots, roads, etc. To me, it just don't look good together. Kinda gives it a cheap feel and look. Idk, just my opinion about it!