originally posted on 10/27/2023
Photo: Courtesy of Six Flags St. Louis. View full-sized image.
Six Flags St. Louis Opens Rookie Racer
The opening of a children’s/family coaster isn’t always huge news, but it was for Six Flags St. Louis (Eureka, Missouri). Such a ride was long missing from the park’s lineup. Management knew when the availability of the ride materialized in January that they were getting a late start, but it was an attraction desperately needed. The delay in acquiring the attraction dictated a fall opening, but the guest response was huge even if the debut was later in the season. Rookie Racer was much more than what most people expected.
Supplied by Vekoma, the junior coaster seats 16 riders. The park has the option to run one lap or two, and since its opening at the end of September has opted for two circuits.
With a Formula 1 theme, Six Flags team members upped the “immersive” feel by adding audio speakers in the station and along the track with racing sounds and commentator dialogue.
Photo: Sarah Windisch. View full-sized image.
Loch Ness Monster Gets a Refresh
The coiling yellow track above the waterway at Busch Gardens Williamsburg (Virginia) has been iconic for the park since Loch Ness Monster opened in 1978. The coaster has its own connection with ACE history as well, as the Arrow looper was the draw for Coaster Con I.
The park has announced that the 130-foot legend will receive some enhancements for the 2024 season. Busch Gardens is replacing 900 feet of track. An upgraded queue will have storytelling elements added, and an all-new soundtrack is being created for the lift hill climb. Fans can expect new fun inside the spiraling descent into the monster’s lair too. Press materials report riders will come “face to face” with the monster while in the shadowy cave.
Closing to the public following Halloween, Busch Gardens members will have exclusive “last to ride” access for one final weekend on November 4 and 5.
Photo: Courtesy of Dollywood. View full-sized image.
Hello Dolly — More Days Added to the Park’s Calendar
Fans of Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, Tennessee) are sure to appreciate the news that 23 operating days have been added to the 2024 calendar. This gives the park a season of 280 operating days — a staggering number for any regional theme park.
In addition to the new take on Lightning Rod and all the popular festivals at the award-winning park, the Dolly Parton Experience is set to open next May. This new attraction dedicated to the park’s namesake will be housed in multiple buildings and has a multifaceted approach to showcasing the performer’s life. It will be three times the size of the former Chasing Rainbows Museum.
Photo: Courtesy of Universal Studios Hollywood. View full-sized image.
Keeping the Noise Down at Universal Studios Hollywood
Not much is known about the new coaster planned for Universal Studios Hollywood (Universal City, California). The park announced in July that it would be themed to the “Fast and Furious” franchise, but few details were given otherwise. One fact has been confirmed: the rails will be filled with pea gravel. That’s not much to get enthusiasts excited, but it does address noise concerns from locals. A sound wall stretching the length of two football fields will also be constructed to help contain screams.
In addition, it has been revealed that two 16-passenger trains will run simultaneously, and cars will be capable of rotating. Reports are that it is expected to be a launched coaster, but the manufacturer has not been confirmed. It is also not known if the vehicles will be free-spinning or controlled.
No projected opening date has been announced.
Photo: Steve Elliot. View full-sized image.
Ghost Town in the Sky Still on Hold
Ghost Town in the Sky (Maggie Valley, North Carolina) was never a bucket list destination on most enthusiasts’ radars, but it still offered a unique setting with a fanciful venture into the old west. The park has been dormant since 2016. Opened in 1961, the park had a history of on-again-off-again operation.
Currently, legal battles make reopening the park a continual slog. Representatives of two sides of the issue seem to be at an impasse. Alaska Presley and Coastal Development LLC announced in 2020 that it intended to redevelop the western-themed park and its 250 acres. However, following Presley’s death in 2022, relatives have tangled plans. Whether a resolution can be found looks to be challenging.
The park’s notable draw — at least for coaster fans — was the quirky Cliff Hanger, formerly known as Red Devil. This elusive credit for many is a rare O.D. Hopkins coaster. Its distinctive feature was that the biggest drop came right out of the station with the chain lift at the end.
Although the park has been nonoperating for years, aerial images still show the coaster standing. However, the condition of the ride is unknown.
Photo: S. Madonna Horcher. View full-sized image.
Funtown Splashtown USA’s Excalibur to Receive Improvements in 2024
Add another coaster to those that have received improvements owing to The Gravity Group’s engineered pre-cut wooden track. For the 2024 season, the company will be performing work on the Funtown Splashtown USA’s (Saco, Maine) 1998 Custom Coasters, Inc. wood coaster Excalibur, which is currently the only wood coaster operating in the state.
In recent years, roller coasters such as The Beast at Kings Island (Mason, Ohio) and Grizzly at Kings Dominion (Doswell, Virginia) have been drastically improved with the company’s innovation, and Wildcat at Lake Compounce (Bristol, Connecticut) will follow in 2024.
— Tim Baldwin, ACE News
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