Actually, the park didn't hype anything. Sure the videos they release went dark as you got to the shed and their hashtag #WhatsInTheShed were used, but I don't recall seeing the park make a big deal out of it.
The case of shed anticipointment comes from the enthusiast community who made such a big deal about it.
Boy, I just don't think I can possibly disagree more with this. I think this is more a case of the enthusiast community defending parks to the death no matter what they do.
The park has used the "what's in the shed" line in just about every piece of marketing it has done. It received extensive coverage in local media. I think they may come to have some regrets about it.
The idea behind the shed is great (to take away the boredom of sitting on the brake run while the crew stacks trains). It's clever and creative and a step in a direction Cedar Fair has never really invested the time or money to go. I like it.
The over-the-top marketing, however, is going to result in a lot of confused people, and I'm not just talking about coaster enthusiasts. I saw a local news article this weekend with a negative headline about the disappointment of the shed (when I went back later it had been changed, though). Here's another local news article on it:
http://www.wkyc.com/features/kings-isla ... /431307525 Pretty much all of the local press throughout the offseason and leading up to opening day was about the shed. Not about how fantastic this ride itself is, but about the mystery of the shed. If you think it's only been coaster nerds getting fed hype about what's in the shed, then I don't think you've been paying attention.
It was stupid to hype up this minor element of the ride as the centerpiece; I can't believe people disagree with that. Yes, you want to build buzz for your ride, and creating a sense of mystery and intrigue is one way to do that, but you also don't want people to feel let down. I don't think coaster enthusiasts will feel let down. They'll recognize this is (apparently) a fantastic coaster. I think a lot of people who don't pay attention to this stuff (a wooden coaster? Boring! It doesn't even go upside down!) and have been seeing "what's in the shed?" hype on the local news this winter will be pretty confused when they go in the shed and get flashing lights and 80s pop music.
Personally, I don't really care about the shed one way or another. I'm hyped as hell for this ride and really excited to get on it next month.
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