Author Topic: Texas Giant Extreme Makeover (Read 2253 times)

Jason · « **on:** Mar 16, 2009, 02:41 »

This is interesting.

http://newsplusnotes.blogspot.com/2009/03/no-texas-giant-in-2010-big-sf-11-plans.html

Will it be MF trains or the new GG trains? This sounds like a GCI job.

tonyblackjack · « **Reply #1 on:** Mar 16, 2009, 03:08 »

Big Question is. He said all Six Flags will be getting some huge new attraction's. What is St. Louis getting?

Correction: He also said that the 50th anniversary of the company in 2011 will be big news for all the parks, stating that there will be "major new attractions" at all the properties that year.

AyTrane · « **Reply #2 on:** Mar 17, 2009, 03:35 »

Good, it needs it badly.

Maybe Cedar Point will finally get their butt in gear and completely redo Mean Streak. I've been to the park when it was packed, and even then there is no wait for Mean Streak. The ride has so much potential, but it has to be neutered because it wasn't put together correctly, and it has the wrong trains.

Orient Wolf · « **Reply #3 on:** Mar 17, 2009, 04:35 »

I actually enjoy the Texas Giant. Although I only ride in the front seat in the spring.

While it will likely be GCI doing the work, I would probably choose Intamin if I were running the park. The layout is already awesome so replacing the track with Intamin prefab would make it incredibly smooth and almost completely diminish track maintenance costs. Plus, reduced need for yearly track replacement could potentially allow for the ride to run during Holiday in the Park.

Also with Intamin, the new trains could be three bench allowing them to hold 36 passengers. Combine that with a fast new cable lift and the ride could accomplish a high hourly capacity with two trains at comfortable loading pace compared to the rushed pace of trying to run three trains under current operation.

Jason · « **Reply #4 on:** Mar 17, 2009, 07:21 »

I don't think that Mean Streaks layout has any potential at all. It's dumb.

Remove it and building a dueling GCI.

AyTrane · « **Reply #5 on:** Mar 17, 2009, 08:35 »

Mean Streak and the Texas Giant are very similar rides.

Jason · « **Reply #6 on:** Mar 18, 2009, 05:59 »

I have just never found MS to be very fun. I don't have any complaints about roughness, it's just a boring layout IMO.

AyTrane · « **Reply #7 on:** Mar 18, 2009, 08:12 »

It's not too bad when they have the brakes off, it's just painful.

SVLFever · « **Reply #8 on:** Mar 19, 2009, 03:28 »

Although I never thought I would say this words, I hope it is Intamin. With the success of El Toro at their sister park, it seems like a logical choice to me. Also, he says "massive renovation", which seems to say the track gauge is changing, or the track itself. If not Intamin, I hope it includes MF trains.

Jason · « **Reply #9 on:** Jun 20, 2011, 02:38 »

Holy crap!

Texas Giant turned out awesome. It's like the perfect ride. Speed, air, tunnels...

It's likely a top 5 for me.

zztop · « **Reply #10 on:** Jun 20, 2011, 04:00 »

Better then prowler?

RailBlazer · « **Reply #11 on:** Jun 20, 2011, 07:20 »

For me Prowler > The New Texas Giant. Giant definitely has an awesome first drop, but I didn't love the entire ride as much as I love Prowler.
That said, they are two very different rides and Giant is now a steel coaster.

Jason · « **Reply #12 on:** Jun 20, 2011, 07:35 »

I'll take TG over Prowler. The air time near the front of the train left my thighs bruised. I'd love to see this done to more of the old painful woodies out there.

RailBlazer · « **Reply #13 on:** Jun 20, 2011, 08:11 »

Quote from: Jason on Jun 20, 2011, 07:35

I'll take TG over Prowler. The air time near the front of the train left my thighs bruised. I'd love to see this done to more of the old painful woodies out there.

And the thigh bruising airtime is one of the reasons I didn't love the ride.

Ken12 · « **Reply #14 on:** Jun 22, 2011, 09:24 »

That sounds awesome. My only question is $7-8 worth it for Wolf or is a new ride better suited there for the same money.

Bradley Robertson · « **Reply #15 on:** Jun 22, 2011, 10:02 »

Quote from: Ken12 on Jun 22, 2011, 09:24

That sounds awesome. My only question is $7-8 worth it for Wolf or is a new ride better suited there for the same money.

Blasphemer! Don't you dare talk about removing my precious!

Seriously though, I see no reason for TW to be removed as there is still plenty of room for expansion, and I doubt there are any plans to do so in the near future since they just finished spending around a million (if not more) over a couple of years to refurb.

Jason · « **Reply #16 on:** Jun 22, 2011, 03:08 »

It could turn wolf into a top tier steel coaster and give them the flexibility to add another modern woodie in future expansion.

Cory · « **Reply #17 on:** Jun 23, 2011, 07:03 »

If TW was smooth and unbraked, it would kick all sorts of ass. Even as far back as like 1999 it was fun; I wish I could've ridden it in its heyday.

Bradley Robertson · « **Reply #18 on:** Jun 23, 2011, 11:19 »

Quote from: Jason on Jun 22, 2011, 03:08

It could turn wolf into a top tier steel coaster and give them the flexibility to add another modern woodie in future expansion.

I like the idea more of Worlds of Fun holding on to it as long as possible. I think older wooden coasters give parks character. Screamin' Eagle at SFStL is one of my favorite woodies, and is extremely tame compared to BOSS. Now, I'm not saying SE is to TW as BOSS is to Prowler. I'm just saying that I think there is room for TW in the park for some time.

Honestly, as much as I personally would like to see the park get an Xcelerator Clone, I think a good next coaster for the park would be a MotoCoaster. However, based on what I have heard from folks here that seems unlikely since management wasn't that pleased with Pony Express. I just think the park needs a non-spinning, no-inversion, family coaster that fits a niche between Wacky Worm and Mamba. I would be willing to sacrifice Le Taxi Tour for this, or maybe move the theater to the OE lot like has been mentioned before.

Jason · « **Reply #19 on:** Jun 23, 2011, 01:24 »

I agree with everything you just said. The TW stuff should be way down the road.

steel · « **Reply #20 on:** Jun 23, 2011, 07:43 »

I would be sad to see Timber Wolf go the way of the old Texas Giant. By no means is it a bad coaster, and I'm worried we're starting to lose our classic woodies. I love Gravity Group and GCI as much as the next guy, but Dinn and Allen and CCI and all that are great too. I agree with Bradley 100%, they give parks character.
However I would like to ride the new Texas Giant.

Swoosh · « **Reply #21 on:** Jun 24, 2011, 07:18 »

^I agree with everything you said except loving GG. If you have ridden Voyage lately (or any of their other woodies, including Hades) you would not love them. Their coasters age worse than Arrow Corkscrews

zztop · « **Reply #22 on:** Jun 24, 2011, 08:35 »

Hades is not in very good shape either

Bradley Robertson · « **Reply #23 on:** Jun 24, 2011, 01:23 »

Quote from: Swoosh on Jun 24, 2011, 07:18

Their coasters age worse than Arrow Corkscrews

Still haven't been on any GG's but the above statement makes me not want to.

Every time I ride Ninja at SFStL I realize it is probably better to be nostalgic about OE today than still have it standing.

Swoosh · « **Reply #24 on:** Jun 24, 2011, 02:18 »

FYI - Ninja at SFStL is not an Arrow coaster... technically

Jason · « **Reply #25 on:** Jun 24, 2011, 05:31 »

Rattler at Fiesta could definately use a Giant make over. What a turd. Mean Streak would also be a good candidate.

steel · « **Reply #26 on:** Jun 25, 2011, 11:07 »

^Mean Streak would be good, but only after Cedar Point gets that GCI. Of course Mean Streak is doing a poor job of it, but a park that size definitely needs more wooden coasters than just Blue Streak.

Quote from: Swoosh on Jun 24, 2011, 07:18

^I agree with everything you said except loving GG. If you have ridden Voyage lately (or any of their other woodies, including Hades) you would not love them. Their coasters age worse than Arrow Corkscrews

HAH that's so true. I rode Hades the year it opened and it was outstanding, then I rode it last year and.... well, I see no reason to go back to Mt. Olympus any time soon. My first ride on Voyage was actually awful. I hated it. I was completely baffled as to why people liked it, and even more, why people had the gall to say Beast is rough and Voyage is smooth. I think it grew on me, but that was just a year or so after it opened, so I can imagine where it is now. I do like what Gravity Group does, though, even if it doesn't stay good very long. Hades was an awesome ride when it opened. But GCI is definitely better. Absolutely no question. In that post, I just meant I like *new* wooden coasters in general, but I also like the classics.

Jason · « **Reply #27 on:** Jun 25, 2011, 01:41 »

I just haven't found many old woodies that I like. The layouts are usually pretty boring and most have aged poorly.

zztop · « **Reply #28 on:** Jun 25, 2011, 04:33 »

I like high roller at valeyfair and judge roy scream at sfot but that's about it on old wooden coasters

steel · « **Reply #29 on:** Jun 25, 2011, 06:17 »

I was really surprised by Thunder Road at Carowinds and of course Beast is my #1 wood.