Kentucky Kingdom to open “Storm Chaser” in 2016

Today Kentucky Kingdom announced the long anticipated outcome of what the plans were for their 2016 season. We knew for som time that Twisted Twins was getting “redone” for next season but, no one knew exactly what that entailed.  As time went on the 3 letters that most coaster enthusiasts long for started to come up in the conversations, RMC.  Now we know all the details of the new addition and it DOES include those 3 aforementioned letters. RMC = Rocky Mountain Construction.

 

John Mulcahy, the park’s Director of Marketing and Communication Says “Storm Chaser, standing 100 feet tall at its highest point, will be the first coaster in America to feature a barrel roll drop from a 10-story lift hill, not to mention a near-perpendicular 78-degree angle of descent.  But that’s just the beginning.  That first roll isfollowed by a stall dive, a tip-out corner, airtime hills, a twisted airtime drop, and even a corkscrew, features that simply can’t be offered on traditional wooden coasters.”

Mulcahy went on to say, “What makes Storm Chaser so special is that it will have RMC’s unique and patented iBox track, which will rest on wood, creating the “feel” of a wooden coaster, but will be supported by a steel superstructure.  This yields a ride that’s smooth as glass, yet also very fast and intense.  The iBox track also allows for the addition of exciting elements not normally associated with traditional wooden coasters.”

Check out the video of the ride here.

Ed Hart, President and CEO of Kentucky Kingdom, noted, “Since we’re all about creating exceptional thrillsat Kentucky Kingdom, Storm Chaser fits the bill.  Storm Chaser would normally cost as much as $15 million all-in, but we’re saving money by using some of the existing superstructure from Twisted Twins.  However, because of the new configuration, taller lift hill, and many other innovative features, we are essentially redesigning and building a new coaster.”  Hart went on to ask, “When’s the last time you dropped ten stories while doing a barrel roll?”

Some might refer to Storm Chaser as a hybrid coaster, but it’s actually an entirely new category of coaster.  There are only five other parks in the world to have a coaster with the revolutionary iBox track and they are the marquee attractions at some of the largest parks in the world, including Six Flags Magic Mountain (Valencia, California), Six Flags Fiesta Texas (San Antonio, Texas), and Six Flags New England (Agawam, Massachusetts).

Fred Grubb, co-founder and “chief innovator” of RMC, added, “We are thrilled to have been selected for this project and to help introduce our special brand of coaster design to Kentucky.  Storm Chaser will be one of the most exciting coasters we’ve ever built!”

The American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) appears to agree.  With anticipation for Storm Chaser building, ACE has selected Kentucky Kingdom to be among the four major regional theme parks to host its national convention next July. 

Photos and interviews via Kentucky Kingdom Press Release.

Reporting for Bparcs.com Jason Slone

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Kentucky Kingdom’s New Coaster For 2016

What does Kentucky Kingdom have have up its sleeve for the 2016 operating season?  Time will tell and from what we found out recently it will tell soon.  Since the park reopened last year after being closed for the 5 previous years, the word from the park was the former Roller Coaster “Twisted Twins” would reopen.  However, at that time we didn’t know much more than that.  Now I think we can shine a little more light on that subject.  During a recent event at the park we were given a “behind the scenes” tour of the site where the former coaster resided.  The park officials would not go into many details about what they were doing yet, but did say that a official park announcement would be coming within the next couple of weeks.  As you can tell from the photos we took during our tour, construction (or should we say deconstruction) is well under way.  It also looks as if a lot of the existing structure is planned on being reused.  The new coaster is rumored to be a RMC redo and with the work they have done with other coaster revamps I know nothing but high expectations for this one if they are indeed the one doing the work.

We will keep you posted as soon as the park makes the official announcement we will post it here.  I think this is going to be a very intriguing one for sure.

 

For more information on Kentucky Kingdom and other parks check out our Facebook page.

Reporting for Bparcs.com Jason Slone

 

 

Kings Dominion to Close Shockwave.

Kings Dominion announced today that they would be closing their stand up roller coaster , Shockwave,  on August 9th, 2015.  The ride has been at the park for 29 years as has given over 22 million rides during those years.  The ride was manufactured by TOGO which also manufactured a similar coaster the King Cobra that was also removed from Kings Island several years ago.  The park says that the closure is due to park expansion in the 2016 season.  Guests can take their last stand on shockwave over the next month before he ride is retired.  Special events surrounding the closure will be announced on Kings Dominion Social Media.

 

     

 

Photos courtesy Kings Dominion

 

For information about Kings Dominion and other parks check out our Facebook page.

 

Reporting for Bparcs.com Jason Slone

 

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The Selfie Stick Debate

Over the past year a rather vocal debate about the use of selfie sticks in Amusement Parks and if they should be allowed.  Not only were folks talking them to the park to use taking photos while just walking around the park, but they also have been used to take photos and povs on rides more specifically roller coasters (YES ROLLER COASTERS, THERE IS PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE).  This causes a great safety hazard for other park patrons that are in the immediate vicinity.  The social media out cry has been in full force to start having parks ban them.  This week that started to take affect as all Disney Parks became the first chain to ban them from all their parks.  Will this start a trend however??? We can only hope. If not something very bad is going to happen and someone is going to be seriously injured.

I took this photo at Kings Island while waiting to get on Adventure Express and low and behold look what we have…… Someone getting ready to get on a roller coaster with a selfie stick.  IT SHOULD NOT BE OUT!!!!!  

 

The Cedar Fair chain has even decided to sell them in all their parks.  This photo was taken at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City.  First thing is first…… If we are trying to get them out of parks we do not need to be selliing them in the parks and give folks the opportunity to abuse the use of them.  I understand that they are another way for parks to make money, but I think there are plently of other revenue sources that we don’t need these for sale in parks.  Those 15.00 bottles of water should cover it just fine.

 

So the next time you head to an amusement park, think again before you park up the old selfie stick.  Leave it at home and remember you have a better selfie stick that you carry around with you all the time.  Your arm!!!! Heck,  maybe ask someone passing by if they will take your photo with whatever you are wanting to take a photo with, there’s something that hardly never happens anymore. 🙂 

 

Reporting for Bparc.com Jason Slone

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