[Edwardo]

PvZ truly is a black swan in this scenario. I've been really curious as to why it's there instead of just grading that whole area.

Because that building is way too expensive and useful to just tear down.

[RollerBee]

PvZ truly is a black swan in this scenario. I've been really curious as to why it's there instead of just grading that whole area.

I was impressed with the ride last season, much better use than showing a Dino film.

[BS1983CLT]

Glad to see this thread getting some attention!

I could see us getting a GCI Twister in the spot of WWF. Take out Sand Dune Lagoon and you now have a huge piece of land.

The station and entrance to the next coaster has to be located down by Plants VS Zombies.

Why spend all the money on that ride last season for it to be the anchor of the area?

Doesn't make sense.

Carowind's knows this and that is why I truly believe that 2018 will be a coaster.

All the games down by PVZ are suffering revenue wise because of the lack of traffic in the area.

Now what about Vortex conversion? Could we see that in 2018 as well?

[gabed]

No way both of those will happen in the same year, as much as I'd like to be proven wrong.

(EDIT) Also I did not mean that PvZ is a bad attraction, although I would not call it a home run by any means. I just find it so weird that they could easily relocate Southern Star and bulldoze the rest of it, but now PvZ is there. I would not be so bewildered had they renovated the old County Fair instead of creating a new one.

[FamousAmos]

In the amusement park industry, you build upon the impossible. That's where you get your ideas. When your dreams become a reality. The impossible is what drives designers and builders to do better.
Two coasters in one year?
You may be surprised. Me personally, I'd rather not have two coasters in one year.
It would seem to be quite the challenge.

But then again, the challenge and the feeling of approaching the impossible is one of the things that drives the industry

[Edwardo]

The industry is driven by money. Unless there's a significant return on investment, it's not happening.

[FamousAmos]

I'm just relaying a message. Our GM said that to me 5 months ago. Yes Money plays a VERY big part (of course it would), but you have to think impossibly sometimes. Then think of the budget. Then think back to your idea and make the necessary changes to fit it into the budget. They work hand-in-hand seamlessly. In some cases though, it's not always about return on investment (when it's something small that is). In the minds of the people who create these awesome things that get added every year, they think about the impossible. That's where it all starts. The budget is then considered, then ideas are changed to fit the budget. But again, it starts with the impossible. These are not my words.

[Edwardo]

You completely miss the point of what your GM said. It's one thing to be a big dreamer when designing rides or thinking outside the box when trying new things.

But these parks are a business. Your GM answers to someone else, who answered to a board, who answers to investors. And that comes down to money.

I've been around and have enough friends 'in the biz' to know how parks operate. You tend to romanticize things. No business us going to make any investment if they don't think they'll see the return on that investment.

Please explain how spending millions on a new ride and spending millions on refurbing a ride makes sense to do in the same year when they've found success marketing a refurbished coaster buy itself? Return on investment (which in this case equates to attendance figures) is the motivating factor. They add expensive rides to either grow our maintain attendance. Why would they over spend in one year when it makes more business sense to spread it out to either grow our maintain attendance over multiple years? Attendance is finite. New capital can only bring in so many more people. Blowing your whole load instead of showing it out makes no sense.

[FamousAmos]

Which is why I also stated that I would prefer in my personal opinion I'd rather not have two coasters in one year.
You also seem to think that I have no idea what a budget is. Didn't I just say several times in my post that "budget is considered" "...think about the budget" yada yada yada. I'm not stupid (and no, you didn't say I was). I didn't miss ANY point in the matter. Our conversation 5 months ago was STRICTLY about creativity and design; not the budget. Was the budget mentioned a few times? Of course it was. It would need to be.

In your last paragraph, you must have missed when I said that "I'd rather not have two coasters in one year." two posts previously. I did not say that it would be a great idea to do two in one year now did I? Now, is it still possible? Absolutely. Will it happen? Unlikely. All I'm trying to say is you never know what they may do. If they want to do two in one year, then by God they will do it. It's their decision, not ours.

I did not miss the point of what our GM said. The point to be made was about creativity, design, and imaginative thinking. That wasn't the limit to our conversation, but that's all I'll say about it. The whole idea was about the impossible. On a mental note, that is what drives the industry. That is what drives the self confidence of these designers who spend countless hours working on the next best thing for their parks. On a physical note, it's the budget that keeps it going. And the limits of what today's technology can do.

And I'll repeat myself again, we were speaking on the impossible. The fact that the sky really is the limit (well, in this case, what the airport tells us is our limit ). On how creative minds will always be re-adapting and changing with the times. That was what we were talking about. Each time we spoke about the impossible and ideas, the creative concept came first, then the projected budget for said idea. Then the real budget came in to play, and the creative concept was either downgraded, or upgraded. Again, you have to think creatively on exactly how to downgrade, but still provide the same experience, or vice versa. Creativity. Imaginative and logical thinking.

This wasn't intended to come across as rude, so if you feel that way I apologize. Only getting the intended point across that we were specifically speaking on what I said, and not the budget.

[gabed]

You know I was wishing that this forum would be more active but when that came true all I got was you two lovebirds bickering. Careful what you wish for I guess.

[RollerBee]

You know I was wishing that this forum would be more active but when that came true all I got was you two lovebirds bickering. Careful what you wish for I guess.

Only parks that have gotten two coasters in one season are Six Flags parks I think.

[Edwardo]

And they went bankrupt...

[gabed]

And when they did 3 in a year after bankruptcy all that was was a refurbishment, a kids coaster and a Zacspin.

[Rhyano]

I'm calling Vortex transformation and a slide complex to replace White Water Falls, in my times to Carowinds the waterpark is packed, everything else is a walk on. I may be a little bit Biased though because I'm an Ohio guy!

[Deere839]

I'm thinking Vortex Transformation a Hotel and Possibly the final season of Sand Dune Lagoon