[gabed]

What I THINK is going to happen:

I've got a few ideas:

1) Vortex's days are numbered. 2019? Maybe.

2) Screamscape reported several months ago that our Hurler might get a RMC makeover in 2019. While I want this to happen, I don't want to see it in 2019. I'll get to why later.

3) Something's gonna happen to Crossroads soon. Since 2014, (holy crap it's been four years since the expansion started ) every single area of the park has seen new life breathed into it except for Crossroads. PvZ was added in 2016, but that felt like putting a band aid over a gunshot wound. There's a lot of land left over from WWF, even with the gliders going over there. Take out sand dune lagoon (is that what it's called?) and you've got a pretty sizeable chunk of land for a new coaster.

What I would LIKE to see happen.

Option 3, with a GCI going in that plot of land. Wait until 2021/2022 before giving Hurler the RMC makeover so the park doesn't go several years without a wooden coaster.

[carolinaman]

I haven't heard anything, but I think Sand Dune Lagoon maybe on the way out. It's just dividing the area of the old Thunder Road station and the area of WWF.

[gabed]

I haven't heard anything, but I think Sand Dune Lagoon maybe on the way out. It's just dividing the area of the old Thunder Road station and the area of WWF.

Not to mention that it’s typically the first thing to close when Carolina Harbor is understaffed

[Edwardo]

I definitely think our next coaster could be a decent sized woodie. I don’t see our hurler converted. The main reason is because the park invested quite a lot and I’ve heard rumors they’re planning on investing more for GCI tonrenivate it whereas KD’s hurler had not had much done and wasn’t in the best condition. Henirigional olan therenwas for GCI to pull a Ghostrider in it from what I’ve heard, but RMC really wanted to work with CF.

I see a vortex comversion on an off year, more waterpark goodies, and a wooden coaster.

[Edwardo]

Oh, also anothwrnmajornflat sooner rather than later.

[gabed]

Oh, also anothwrnmajornflat sooner rather than later.

Please not Electrospin, I know it was a maintence nightmare this entire season but it’s the best flat in the park by a mile. Also preferably not Windseeker, I don’t care what anyone says that’s a great ride.

[Edwardo]

I meant we would get another new major flat soon. DYAC

[gabed]

^Well in that case put me down for a Mondial frisbee, if Cedar Fair feels like crawling back to them again. Delirium at KD was better than the Huss frisbees by a mile

[Grobble]

2019
-Vortex floorless conversion, the last of the stand ups in the Cedar Fair extinction plan
-hotel Spring Hill Suites & adjoining entertainment district
-Dinosaurs alive removed end of season

2020 New ground up launch coaster - Cedar Point and CGA got a new ground up the year after a floorless conversion

[FamousAmos]

I personally think that 2019 will be two things:

1) New GCI (which would include Sand Dune Closing)
2) small water park additions in the back of the water park. Possibly utilizing the land where Thunder Road's turnaround was (I still miss that thing, but oh well)

I'm not sure what to think about a vortex conversion. I mean, both of the most recent conversions haven't had that much of an impact from what I've heard. I have friends who work at both converted coasters. The one at CP (apparently. Again I'm not completely sure if it's B.S. or not) but I heard that Rougarou did not have as many riders as anticipated, thus did not possibly provide much of an R.O.I. Again, I don't work there, so I'm not completely sure if this is true or not.

CGA, on the other hand, may have actually had a small R.O.I., so it's entirely possible that Vortex will get converted, but it's also possible it won't happen. It's just as cheap to add the newer B&M stand up trains to it (those of you who have been on GA Scorcher know that the new trains make for a very smooth ride).

I personally think that our Vortex will get new Stand-Up trains. But it's honestly 50/50 right now.

I also agree with a 2020 hotel opening as it usually takes more than a year, to a year and a half to build those sometimes. Right there on that piece of land where (proposedly) the parking lots would go, there are storm drain basins that would need to be filled. So when you add the time to build the hotel, as well as work on the surrounding landscape for your utilities, it would take a good year and a half to complete.

[gabed]

I heard that Rougarou did not have as many riders as anticipated, thus did not possibly provide much of an R.O.I. Again, I don't work there, so I'm not completely sure if this is true or not.

Wouldn't surprise me at all if it was true. I loved it when I went, so much that it's still my favorite floorless, but that thing never had a line.

[arby]

I'm not going to go overboard in predicting a new coaster for 2019 and follow the predictions every year of a new coaster....

I predict that crossroads will be the focus for 2019. New flat? New coaster? No idea, but I think it's going to happen back in that area.

With KD's Hurler getting RMCed, it's just a matter of time until ours is converted. While I'd prefer a new RMC instead, I'll take a RMC at the park over no RMC at the park. It will certainly be a lot more reridable than Hurler in its current state.

[uscbandfan]

Yes, GA Scorcher is a MUCH better ride than Vortex. Frankly, its a much better layout too. But I'll digress. I would be in favor of new stand-up trains for Vortex and leave it like it is.

Regardless of what is added, something MAJOR needs to be done to the Crossroads area. They don't need to just think about a new ride going back there. They need to think about the overall flow. If you walk in a circle around the park, you miss Crossroads entirely unless you're looking for it. I wish they had taken out the old Jalopy entrance (WWF) and made a wide path from there connecting to the old Thunder Road entrance area. Whatever they do, it needs to have more flow... along with a major attraction.

[gabed]

Given that the expansion has morphed into a complete overhaul of each part of the park, I highly doubt they would just put a flat in Crossroads and call it a day.

[formeryogi]

Thoughts--
Most of you are roller coaster fans... I love them too... and they do create headlines and up the numbers during the summers. I'm not discounting a coaster. I'm just saying not to limit your "speculation."

It's obvious, Cedar Fair has changed. These days they are looking for more ways to expand their operating calendar. Halloween and Christmas stretch out potential revenue generating days.

I speculate they are examining options that would make guests more comfortable year round. They've got to be looking at ways to build some buildings that can house attractions in the summer, fall and winter-- that would lesson the impact of bad weather (especially in the fall/December).

I'm not suggesting Disney/Universal dark rides-- (although I would welcome something of that caliber) but they have got to be brainstorming ways to multi-purpose attractions across the seasons. I wouldn't be surprised to see a flex building with changing attractions (VR in the summer, maze at halloween, craft/vendor stalls at Winterfest).

Remember, they are building a hotel in Charlotte. It's not going to be sitting beside a frozen lake all boarded up in the winter like at Cedar Point. They're got to figure out how to sell those rooms year round. They are not affiliating with Marriott for a hotel to sit empty.

Cedar Fair is a publicly traded company and it has Wall Street to answer to. The company has plans we haven't even considered. I say "speculate" with your eye on filling hotel rooms year round and generating overall additional revenue during all seasons.