Useless RMC Potential

[Jarrett]

What are some coasters out there that have layouts that are just begging for an RMC job but can't/shouldn't receive it for one reason or another, be it historical status or park status? We always talk about how "OMG [bad woodie literally nobody cares about] would be amazing as an RMC!" but never seem to mention the ones that shouldn't receive the treatment, despite the fact that it would be epic. So just throw out the coaster, what it would likely do as an RMC, and why it can't receive the treatment.

The Legend- This coaster isn't Holiday World standard in my opinion. The airtime is really weak compared to the other major coasters at the park and that helix is beyond vile. This coaster has a ton of potential. A Medusa drop, a 153 on that turn into Splashin' Safari, make the helix change banking and elevation like crazy, overbanks in the four corners of death, it would make an awesome RMC. I actually did do Iron Legend in NL2 and it turned out great, complete with purple rails and orange/yellow/dark blue trains, it would be special. Sadly, with Holiday World's legacy, The Legend has kind of become to big a part of the park to change like that

The Beast- This coaster is often the subject of this discussion and while I'll be a bad KI local and say it would be epic as an RMC conversion diving and gaining speed down that hill like that, The Beast is a Cincinnati icon and delivers night rides that are legendary among enthusiasts. I'd love to see that second lift turn into a barrel roll into a massive awesome RMC helix but it just has too much of a legacy to I-box.

Thunderbolt (KW)- This is often cited as an example of how not all classics are dull and that's probably due to its unique layout for a classic. Between diving down into that trench and spinning around that helix atop the hill before diving back down, it has a very unique layout. And it would make an amazing RMC. Going into a really steep drop out the station like that, taking that high turn, climbing a raised lift, going NTG atop that hill, and then rolling into that monster drop back into the hill, climbing into an overbank, and double upping into the brakes would provide potential for some really cool design elements. However, Thunderbolt is an ACE coaster classic and it runs those fab NAD trains, so it'd be a shame to rip up that profile like that. Not to mention it's fierce as it is.

Magnus Colossus- This is the only one I'll bring up I haven't ridden, but as a Son of Beast survivor that will gladly classify RCCA as the worst manufacturer of wooden coasters of all time, I would gladly imagine this coaster to be as awful as I've heard it is. And with all those hills and overbanks and its cliffside layout, this could easily become Spanish Irat. I would definitely put Maximus Colossus on my bucket list if it were to happen, but sadly, I don't think it ever would. I could be wrong, but I doubt the park has the money to get an expensive manufacturer like RMC to do this, and even if they did, I feel like this is one of those parks that couldn't be arsed to do it even if they could afford it. I could easily be wrong though.

 

[GuyWithAStick]

Mean Streak. I don't need an explanation for this.

Wildcat(Hershey). Bad GCI, twisty layout, asking for an RMC.

I have to agree with Legend. A layout with so much potential, and doesn't execute it properly. The helix, as stated above, is awful, and the way it interacts with Splashin' Safari is really cool. RMC can only make it better.

Coaster Express would also make a good RMC. Or at least make a crap coaster better.

 

[Jarrett]

^Why on earth couldn't Mean Streak or Wildcat be RMCed?

 

[Serena]

Wildcat is pretty wildcrap tbf, especially with fab Lightning Racer right next to it. RMCing Wildcat would make it stand out much more in the park. Plus, it has a huge footprint. Just imagine all the crazy elements RMC could cram in!

 

[elephant58]

I've heard a couple of people say that Grand National and Big Dipper and Blackpool would be good if they were Iron Horsed. But obviously, they're both historical rides that are well-known with the public.

 

[Jarrett]

Wildcat is pretty wildcrap tbf, especially with fab Lightning Racer right next to it. RMCing Wildcat would make it stand out much more in the park. Plus, it has a huge footprint. Just imagine all the crazy elements RMC could cram in!

I literally have the same opinion.

Mildcat, Vilecat, Wildcrap (not heard of that one, so yay for a new one!), call it what you want, it's very rarely regarded as a good ride, and the far superior GCI right across the midway from it isn't helping at all. It holds the record for the longest entrance ramp, it seems relatively unpopular for what it is, and eberyone who rides it usually says it's rough or lame. The only historical worth it has is being a manufacturer's first, and Hershey's a park with plenty of money and regard for ride quality. Not to mention I think it would be PA's only hybrid coaster if built. RMC's also worked with a GCI layout on Joker, so they can definitely do something with Mildcat.

So in my eyes, not only is it not wasted potential, but the exact opposite. It can't not be RMCed, as a matter of fact it's asking for it.

 

[Hyde]

I think folks might be getting thrown off by the double negative context of this thread - Wooden roller coasters that would be good RMCs, but probably wouldn't receive treatment due to the historic context of the wooden coaster.

So, for wooden coasters that would be good RMCs - all of them.

It is pretty well established by this point that RMCs are heads and shoulders better than any traditional wooden coaster out there.

However, those roller coasters that probably wouldn't receive RMC treatment?

- Any ACE landmarks or ACE Classics. Many of these roller coasters thrive on the quintessential wooden coaster experience, and wouldn't be altered out of interest of providing a historic ride experience.
- Wooden Coasters at Non-Top Rated Parks. Rationalizing the cost of removing one wooden coaster for another can be difficult for those parks strapped in cash or ride offerings. Rather, that capital can be spent on additional rides or park improvement.
- Gravity Group and GCIs... yet. Similar to the first point, it's tough to invest in major alterations of reasonably newer wooden coaster designs.

 

[GuyWithAStick]

Ah, I see.

Mean Streak(for a bit); RMC isn't working with Cedar Fair(yet), and I doubt they'd start with one of two woodies are their flagship park. Not to mention how they already have 2 hybrids. Granted they're not as good as RMC, but it's not a good setup in terms of sensible marketing.

Ghostrider: They missed their chance this time around. Could've been amazing, but GCI says no.

White Cyclone: As far as I hear, it's really rough, and it's not that enjoyable(as are most rides at NSL). This has tons of wood to work with. Especially those helicis. But as stated above, it's a lonesome woodie at a smaller park. Not to mention how RMC could work with a non-European international client.

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[Lofty]

Magnus Colossus at Terra Mitica (that double down would be fab).
Big Dipper at Blackpool (just a great out and back layout for one).
Stampida needs the treatment.

 

[cjbrandy]

Been seeing people say the Blackpool woodies, it would be a fantastic but challenging decision, they would pretty much need an entire rebuild.

Problem is, I bet you'd get old people who don't give a flying **** about coasters and have maybe rode the BP woodies once or twice in their lives, if that, suddenly act like preservation means the world to them. I don't mind the BP woodies and Im not a Grand National hater but the only BP woodie I'd really want them to preserve and leave alone is the beastly Wild Mouse.

I know all too well how people can be with preserving old junk. In my town Northampton there's this ugly monstrosity called St Edmunds hospital, its abandoned and rotting yet some **** morons decided should be grade 2 listed. Its **** hideous and they've done a **** job protecting it too!

 

[Dave]

Been seeing people say the Blackpool woodies, it would be a fantastic but challenging decision, they would pretty much need an entire rebuild.

Problem is, I bet you'd get old people who don't give a flying **** about coasters and have maybe rode the BP woodies once or twice in their lives, if that, suddenly act like preservation means the world to them. I don't mind the BP woodies and Im not a Grand National hater but the only BP woodie I'd really want them to preserve and leave alone is the beastly Wild Mouse.

It be a bit of a shock if PBB got rid of the woodies in favour of RMC conversion, as those wooden roller coasters are part of the character of the park.

 

[cjbrandy]

Been seeing people say the Blackpool woodies, it would be a fantastic but challenging decision, they would pretty much need an entire rebuild.

Problem is, I bet you'd get old people who don't give a flying **** about coasters and have maybe rode the BP woodies once or twice in their lives, if that, suddenly act like preservation means the world to them. I don't mind the BP woodies and Im not a Grand National hater but the only BP woodie I'd really want them to preserve and leave alone is the beastly Wild Mouse.

It be a bit of a shock if PBB got rid of the woodies in favour of RMC conversion, as those wooden roller coasters are part of the character of the park.

Sure it'd be a bit of a shock at first, but if RMC did their thing it would be a huge improvement. The new and improved RMC version would become the character of the park and the public would love it

 

[BBH]

^Except part of the draw of Blackpool, at least from an outsider's perspective, is that it's the only place in Britain with wood coasters in that sort of quantity in one place. So if people want the "novelty" or the thrill of riding a woodie, Blackpool's a pretty attractive destination in that regard.

 

[BBH]

^Except part of the draw of Blackpool, at least from an outsider's perspective, is that it's the only place in Britain with wood coasters in that sort of quantity in one place. So if people want the "novelty" or the thrill of riding a woodie, Blackpool's a pretty attractive destination in that regard.

 

[cjbrandy]

^Except part of the draw of Blackpool, at least from an outsider's perspective, is that it's the only place in Britain with wood coasters in that sort of quantity in one place. So if people want the "novelty" or the thrill of riding a woodie, Blackpool's a pretty attractive destination in that regard.

There's a very simple response to this. What will attract your average Joes and Jills in the UK more? Blackpool being the only place in the UK to ride classic wooden coasters or the only place in the UK where you can ride a badass state of the art steel hybrid coaster? Its so obvious in my opinion that it doesn't need to be answered.

 

[BBH]

^Except part of the draw of Blackpool, at least from an outsider's perspective, is that it's the only place in Britain with wood coasters in that sort of quantity in one place. So if people want the "novelty" or the thrill of riding a woodie, Blackpool's a pretty attractive destination in that regard.

There's a very simple response to this. What will attract your average Joes and Jills in the UK more? Blackpool being the only place in the UK to ride classic wooden coasters or the only place in the UK where you can ride a badass state of the art steel hybrid coaster? Its so obvious in my opinion that it doesn't need to be answered.

You've missed the point entirely. From my view, Blackpool's not there to cater to the steel coaster market first. If people want to ride a badass steel coaster they can just as easily go to Alton or Thorpe. The wood coasters are, in my outsider opinion, part of the draw of Blackpool, just because of the history behind them and the uniqueness of Blackpool within Britain.

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[Pokemaniac]

You've missed the point entirely. From my view, Blackpool's not there to cater to the steel coaster market first. If people want to ride a badass steel coaster they can just as easily go to Alton or Thorpe. The wood coasters are, in my outsider opinion, part of the draw of Blackpool, just because of the history behind them and the uniqueness of Blackpool within Britain.

Thing is, only a very, very, very small part of the attendance ever go visit a theme park because of the types of coasters it offers. For your average Jill, a park is a cool place to spend a day, which happens to have coasters in it. The type of coaster is not important to most people, as long as it's "fun" (arbitrarily defined) it will serve just fine. What matters more - much more - is the convenience of getting there (and/or combining with a trip to the same area), prices, weather, or just variety of things to do. The type of coasters on offer might not even be in the top 100 factors to be considered before going to a park, unless you pay a lot of attention to that kind of things (i.e. being a hardcore enthusiast, which make up a minuscule fraction of the attendance).

If Blackpool decides to overhaul one of their woodies, you won't find anybody outside the enthusiast community lamenting the loss of a classic wooden coaster. Most people will simply see it as the park making one of their coasters even more "fun". It certainly wouldn't make the attendance figures go down, at any rate.

 

[elephant58]

Iron Horsing one of their woodies would potentially be a major PR disaster, considering as someone's already said, Blackpool has 2 major draws; the (very well-known in the UK) historical coasters and the Big One. Just imagine the Mail headlines; "Blackpool Pleasure Beach destroys cherished fun for all the family 90 YEAR OLD roller coaster."

I don't think Blackpool would ever take the risk of destroying one of the UK's oldest and well-known coasters (basically any of the 3 major wooden coasters).

 

[mouse]

Thing is, only a very, very, very small part of the attendance ever go visit a theme park because of the types of coasters it offers. For your average Jill, a park is a cool place to spend a day, which happens to have coasters in it. The type of coaster is not important to most people, as long as it's "fun" (arbitrarily defined) it will serve just fine. What matters more - much more - is the convenience of getting there (and/or combining with a trip to the same area), prices, weather, or just variety of things to do. The type of coasters on offer might not even be in the top 100 factors to be considered before going to a park, unless you pay a lot of attention to that kind of things (i.e. being a hardcore enthusiast, which make up a minuscule fraction of the attendance).

If Blackpool decides to overhaul one of their woodies, you won't find anybody outside the enthusiast community lamenting the loss of a classic wooden coaster. Most people will simply see it as the park making one of their coasters even more "fun". It certainly wouldn't make the attendance figures go down, at any rate.

I think thats under-estimating the GP slightly. Blackpool is known for its historic wooden coasters - the Big Dipper is practically a cultural icon. Whether its for older visitors to enjoy a nostalgic ride or younger people to enjoy the novelty of a classic wooden roller coaster, Blackpool's woodies are a major selling point. Generally in the UK I think people do visit theme parks for the types of coasters they offer - They go to Thorpe for extreme coasters with inversions and height, Alton for a mix of extreme and family coasters, Chessington for tamer family coasters, and Blackpool for its mix of more extreme coasters and woodies with historical significance.
Actually I think Blackpool has the best range of coasters in the UK, and is the only large park in the country that truly caters for all ages. There's larger and inverting coasters for thrill seekers, tame coasters for children and families, and classic woodies for older people (who are often left out in target markets for theme parks) to have a genuinely fun and nostalgic theme park experience. PBB fits perfectly amongst the range of UK parks, largely due to its wooden coasters. For one of them to have an RMC conversion would spoil its identity imo, and would be unnecessary to their already strong line up. Could anything that great be done with their height or layouts anyway?

 

[cjbrandy]

I have a strong "out with the old and in with the new" mindset to things like this, especially when I perceive the new as clearly better than the original. Sure you would get some people complaining about the removal of history and maybe Elephant's prediction of a negative headline from some of the below-average IQ folk at the Mail (although its worth noting they could decide to be really positive about it) but we have to stop living in the past and get with the times.

Say it happens. In the long term when people have stopped crying about the loss of Big Dipper/Grand National, please explain how a super smooth coaster with airtime and inversions, higher capacity and requires less maintenance isn't better? Furthermore, its also safer. Yes I know all coasters are extremely safe but Big Dipper and Grand National have had some incidents and coaster safety is a big concern to the British public after The Smiler accident, if I had a pound every time some dumbass member of the public said "Oh Im never going to Alton Towers/riding a rollercoaster again because I'll get my legs chopped off" on Twitter/Fb, I'd have enough to treat myself to a lavish Orlando theme park holiday.

My final point is that BPB is a business, not the English heritage charity. They want to make that bread. Obviously I haven't conducted research to back this up but I believe the vast majority of people would be in favour of RMCing Big Dipper/Nash if they understood it. Pokemaniac pointed out that it wouldn't negatively affect attendance and he's absolutely right. The only effect it could have on attendance is increasing it, after all that is what major new coasters do at theme parks 99.9% of the time