Last of Its Kind

[metalhead7]

This question might be a little far out there but I was doing a little thinking...

As technology progressed and theme parks get larger, old rides get knocked down and new ones take there place. Eventually entire breeds of roller coasters are wiped out to make room for taller, faster, more thrilling models. However sometimes one or two rides survive the test of time and outlive the rest of their generation. The first ride that comes to mind is "The Whizzer" at Six Flags Great America. This ride is now the last Jumbo Jet style coaster in America. Even when the park wanted to knock it down to build Superman Ultimate Flight. A group of enthusiasts petitioned the park and kept the ride in operation.

So the question is 50 years from now, what current ride will be the last of its kind? and why? Most creative answer (and logic) wins!

For example:

Why think Ninja at SFMM will be the last suspended coaster
- It is one of the fastest of its kind
- SFMM prides itself on having more roller coasters than Cedar Point, and doesn't demolish coasters often due to
the amount of space in the park
- Even when the park does demolish rides, they are usually rides that don't interact with other rides in the park such as Psyclone, Flashback, and De Ja Vu

 

[rollermonkey]

^That wasn't just enthusiasts that kept Whizzer open, but rather the park's rabid local GP, many of whom wanted their kids to be able to ride the same "first" coaster that they had.

 

[rtotheizzo17]

While there are other Arrow Loopers, Loch Ness @BGW is the only interlocking looper left. I don't know if it will last 50 years, but I think it will outlast all of the other Arrow Loopers. It is an iconic ride, and I am not sure the park has the heart to kills another one of its classic coasters.

On a side note...I think the next "breed" of coaster to be "replaced" will be the B&M standups. The model has not been built since 1999, and they are easily the least guest friendly ride B&M has built.

 

[Nemesis of oblivion]

While there are other Arrow Loopers, Loch Ness @BGW is the only interlocking looper left. I don't know if it will last 50 years, but I think it will outlast all of the other Arrow Loopers. It is an iconic ride, and I am not sure the park has the heart to kills another one of its classic coasters.

On a side note...I think the next "breed" of coaster to be "replaced" will be the B&M standups. The model has not been built since 1999, and they are easily the least guest friendly ride B&M has built.

But the problem is, a lot of parks do kill of rides if they get hard to maintain/expensive, unpopular and could be a place of land for something bigger and better. I personally can't see it still there in the next ten years.

 

[mistermister]

While there are other Arrow Loopers, Loch Ness @BGW is the only interlocking looper left. I don't know if it will last 50 years, but I think it will outlast all of the other Arrow Loopers. It is an iconic ride, and I am not sure the park has the heart to kills another one of its classic coasters.

On a side note...I think the next "breed" of coaster to be "replaced" will be the B&M standups. The model has not been built since 1999, and they are easily the least guest friendly ride B&M has built.

But the problem is, a lot of parks do kill of rides if they get hard to maintain/expensive, unpopular and could be a place of land for something bigger and better. I personally can't see it still there in the next ten years.

It really is an extremely iconic coaster and I think that they'll try to keep it for as long as possible, but I guess it all depend on how it ages in the coming years... I can't see it being gone in the next ten years

 

[rollermonkey]

I saw how much welding it takes to keep Demon at 6FGAm together.

Them Arrow coasters aren't going to last forever.

 

[Gavin]

^^ Parks are a business and don't view things with the same nostalgia as we do if it means that they're bleeding money. Once it becomes financially unviable to keep it open, it will be gone - whether that's in 2 years or 20.

 

[Nemesis of oblivion]

Tbh the corkscrew at Alton Towers was quite iconic. But was it popular near the time of it's death? Nope. Was it getting expensive to maintain? Yep. That coaster made Alton Towers what it is,yet it still suffered the sad fate of scrap.

At least the corkscrews are still displayed at the entrance.

I think wood coaster survive longer as they're more fun and more unique. Blackpool's woodies are still alive as they are still popular and people come over to ride them. Although thats a family owned business, they still look at the same details. It's all down to cost and popularity these days, especially with major business parks.

 

[rollermonkey]

I suspect that the reason for wood coaster's individual longevity comes from the relative ease and low expense of replacing a "few" boards each year, whereas as steel oxidizes over time it takes a lot more money and effort to replace piecemeal.

 

[Gavin]

^Exactly. Although the Blackpool woodies may be "old", I'd bet that pretty much the entire structures have been replaced bit by bit over the years.

It's like that old joke: I've been using this same mop for 20 years, and in all that time it's only needed five new heads and three new handles.

 

[madhjsp]

It really is an extremely iconic coaster and I think that they'll try to keep it for as long as possible, but I guess it all depend on how it ages in the coming years... I can't see it being gone in the next ten years

Could've said the same thing about Big Bad Wolf, and they didn't have any problem getting rid of that one. I honestly have no idea what amount of maintenance Loch Ness requires these days, but you can bet it'll be out the door as quickly as BBW was once it becomes a major money drain. In fact, I'd be very surprised if they weren't already at least considering ideas for a replacement ride by this point.

 

[Hyde]

- SFMM prides itself on having more roller coasters than Cedar Point, and doesn't demolish coasters often due to
the amount of space in the park
- Even when the park does demolish rides, they are usually rides that don't interact with other rides in the park such as Psyclone, Flashback, and De Ja Vu

Did it ever occur to you that Cedar Point's removal of rides draws from the same reasoning as SFMM?

New attractions are built to draw attendance. When those attractions have lived their lifecycle, you demolish them or relocate them. And often, you replace them with something else.

There is no "pride" involved in these cost/benefit analyses - it is the honest economics that keeps the parks open.


At any rate, Ninja and Iron Dragon both have a fair shot at being the longest "lived" Arrow suspended.

Both are entwined with neighboring attractions (Ninja with Jet Stream, a log flume; Iron Dragon with Mantis), and sit on land that does not carry a high opportunity cost.

HOWEVER, I would actually envision Ninja at SFMM being removed before Iron Dragon. Ninja is entwined with a 1970s log flume. Iron Dragon is entwined with a 1998 B&M Stand-Up and borders a 2003 Intamin Accelerator. If SFMM were to remove both Ninja and Jet Stream, that would be a lot of room available for a new addition, versus the marginal amount of space Iron Dragon would offer that is not closely located to another attraction.

SFMM could easily remove Ninja and Jet Stream, build a new log flume to supplement the loss of Jet Stream (and Log Jammer), and have additional space for expansion.

Cedar Point's removal of Iron Dragon would free up marginal space, which could be used for a smaller attraction.

Of the two scenarios, SFMM's would be more ideal, and provide better returns.



And let's be honest. The oldest Arrow in 50 years will most likely not be at a major amusement park, but some small, family-owned operation which is not as highly driven.

 

[Dan1989]

I had a conversation like this at Alton last Friday, about Nemesis. I think out of all the coaster in the UK this one will last the longest.

 

[Jason Voorhees]

For example:

Why think Ninja at SFMM will be the last suspended coaster
- It is one of the fastest of its kind
- SFMM prides itself on having more roller coasters than Cedar Point, and doesn't demolish coasters often due to
the amount of space in the park
- Even when the park does demolish rides, they are usually rides that don't interact with other rides in the park such as Psyclone, Flashback, and De Ja Vu

The last was Flight Deck at Kings Island that opened in 1993, and Ninja opened in 1988. Plus Vortex at Canada's Wonderland opened in 1991 and Eagle's Fortress (which is SBNO) opened in 1992 in South Korea.

 

[Nemesis of oblivion]

I had a conversation like this at Alton last Friday, about Nemesis. I think out of all the coaster in the UK this one will last the longest.

I'm not sure the longest, but defiently one of the longest. Mainly as it's so well landscaped, to replace it would be a hard and costly task. Plus it's still rated so highly by the public as seen in the vote poll for the best coaster at Towers in 2011.

 

[Dan1989]

Hopefully Megafobia will last the test of time aswell

 

[Kebab]

I had a conversation like this at Alton last Friday, about Nemesis. I think out of all the coaster in the UK this one will last the longest.

The woodies at Blackpool have already lasted since 1940's, so it'll be quite hard. Out of the steel coasters however, I think it should, depends on how long the lifespan of a B&M actually is, which we haven't yet had chance to witness.

 

[metalhead7]

- SFMM prides itself on having more roller coasters than Cedar Point, and doesn't demolish coasters often due to
the amount of space in the park
- Even when the park does demolish rides, they are usually rides that don't interact with other rides in the park such as Psyclone, Flashback, and De Ja Vu

Did it ever occur to you that Cedar Point's removal of rides draws from the same reasoning as SFMM?

New attractions are built to draw attendance. When those attractions have lived their lifecycle, you demolish them or relocate them. And often, you replace them with something else.

There is no "pride" involved in these cost/benefit analyses - it is the honest economics that keeps the parks open.


At any rate, Ninja and Iron Dragon both have a fair shot at being the longest "lived" Arrow suspended.

Both are entwined with neighboring attractions (Ninja with Jet Stream, a log flume; Iron Dragon with Mantis), and sit on land that does not carry a high opportunity cost.

HOWEVER, I would actually envision Ninja at SFMM being removed before Iron Dragon. Ninja is entwined with a 1970s log flume. Iron Dragon is entwined with a 1998 B&M Stand-Up and borders a 2003 Intamin Accelerator. If SFMM were to remove both Ninja and Jet Stream, that would be a lot of room available for a new addition, versus the marginal amount of space Iron Dragon would offer that is not closely located to another attraction.

SFMM could easily remove Ninja and Jet Stream, build a new log flume to supplement the loss of Jet Stream (and Log Jammer), and have additional space for expansion.

Cedar Point's removal of Iron Dragon would free up marginal space, which could be used for a smaller attraction.

Of the two scenarios, SFMM's would be more ideal, and provide better returns.



And let's be honest. The oldest Arrow in 50 years will most likely not be at a major amusement park, but some small, family-owned operation which is not as highly driven.

SFMM has more space to expand than Cedar Point does, so my point would be that they usually don't need to demolish old rides to make new ones. And I think over all being able to advertise "Most roller coasters in the world", is a huge benefit for a park to have. I honestly can't say which will last longer, Ninja or Iron Dragon, but thats the point of this thread.

I want people to make outrageous claims regarding a style of coaster coaster, then use some B.S. logic to support it, then have the rest of CF tear that claim apart. :--D

 

[BBH]

I think the Wacky Worm at the fun fair down the street will be the last one because it has the most sturdy support structure of all. It's solely made out of duct tape at this point.