[BelowThePeak]

I thought it funny that he thinks they’re going to budget money to demolish 3 major coasters, which would kill capacity at the park, in the next Ten years.

And don’t come back with “oh they’ll replace them”.

They’re not doing that.

Kings Dominion demolished three coasters over the period of four years. Kings Island demolished/is in the process of demolishing three coasters over the course of seven years (with two back-to-back years of removals). It's definitely not out of the question that Carowinds would demolish three coasters over the course of ten years... which is clearly a much larger amount of time.

And when these coasters are removed, they will be replaced, although perhaps not immediately. 2-3 new coaster additions over the next decade is hardly unreasonable, especially considering that none of them are likely to be as big of investments as Fury and Copperhead were.

[yawetag]

Sure, but it's an utterly mediocre coaster.

Tell that to the 8- to 10-year-olds. Not all coasters need to be tall, fast, and twisty. Hurler is a great mid-thrill coaster and has a perfect place in the park's line-up.

[BelowThePeak]

Hurler is most likely safe. As others have mentioned (including the park’s director of maintenance), our Hurler is in much better shape structurally than KD’s was, so the park has opted to continue routine maintenance on it rather than convert it.

Sure, but it's an utterly mediocre coaster. If Cedar Fair is serious about making Carowinds a destination park of sorts (and I believe they are), I can't see Hurler sticking around in its current form for too much longer. Other Cedar Fair parks have started taking out their mediocre/bad major coasters more often in recent years, so I think it's pretty likely that at least three of Hurler, Vortex, Cyclone, or Nighthawk won't survive the decade.

Even if you deem it mediocre, it's still a valuable ride. They arent going to remove it (or any of the others) for the sake of removing it. It'll always be better to have a ride that some people dont like, as opposed to not having the ride at all.

Maybe one will go to make room for the next big expansion, whenever that happens. Otherwise, they're staying put unless they fall apart on their own.

I never said they'd remove Hurler (or frankly any coaster) just for the sake of removing it. I'd imagine that whenever a removal does happen, they'll have something else (be it a coaster or something different) waiting in the wings. For the thrills it offers, RMC is a relatively inexpensive option for Hurler... one that's panned out quite well at Kings Dominion.

[BelowThePeak]

Sure, but it's an utterly mediocre coaster.

Tell that to the 8- to 10-year-olds. Not all coasters need to be tall, fast, and twisty. Hurler is a great mid-thrill coaster and has a perfect place in the park's line-up.

Hurler is a very average ride. Other coasters (like a Mystic Timbers-esque GCI) could do what it does much better.

Carowinds might not remove Hurler immediately, but I can't see it sticking around long-term if Carowinds continues to follow in the footsteps of parks like KI and KD that are removing their more substandard attractions for better ones.

[coasterbruh]

Kings Dominion demolished three coasters over the period of four years. Kings Island demolished/is in the process of demolishing three coasters over the course of seven years (with two back-to-back years of removals).

Lets look at KD first. . .
All the coasters they removed where pain in the asses from a maintenance stand point and ride-ability. Hurler was beyond repair, Shockwave sucked balls with razor sharp teeth and Volcano was down more than it was up even after all these years.

KI. . .
what 3 coasters over the course of 7 years? From 2019 to 7 years back, 2013, they removed 2 coasters. One of which was a pain AND in the way of a more lucrative investment and vortex which i am not sure of the reason it's being removed because as far as I knew, it was still a crowd pleaser.

Hurler is a very average ride.

You know what else is "very average". . .Woodstock Express lol. You know what else is getting TLC this off season, yep, Woodstock Express. Again, every coaster doesn't have to be out of this world to everyone. There once was a time when you and everyone thought hurler was AMAZING. Basically, what I am saying is that just because we may outgrow some coasters, doesn't mean it may be the perfect fit for someone to enjoy.

[Edwardo]

Yeah totally different situation.

Hurler and Cyclone are in fine shape. I’m not sure what Nighthawk is like.

Hypersonic, Shockwave, Vortex, Firehawk, and Volcano were removed because they weren’t in good shape. Like Thunder Road.

Volcano and Vortex weren’t long term planned to go. Vortex had terrible ridership. It wasn’t worth it. They blew a lot on Volcano (and thunder road), and neither was able to be maintained and not be a drain.

Hurler and Cyclone aren’t too expensive to maintain, and both have the ridership to be maintained.

[BelowThePeak]

Kings Dominion demolished three coasters over the period of four years. Kings Island demolished/is in the process of demolishing three coasters over the course of seven years (with two back-to-back years of removals).

Lets look at KD first. . .
All the coasters they removed where pain in the asses from a maintenance stand point and ride-ability. Hurler was beyond repair, Shockwave sucked balls with razor sharp teeth and Volcano was down more than it was up even after all these years.

KI. . .
what 3 coasters over the course of 7 years? From 2019 to 7 years back, 2013, they removed 2 coasters. One of which was a pain AND in the way of a more lucrative investment and vortex which i am not sure of the reason it's being removed because as far as I knew, it was still a crowd pleaser.

The third KI coaster removal I was referring to was Son of Beast back in 2012 (which I guess would technically be 8 years instead of 7, if we think in terms of operating seasons).

But sure, some of Carowinds' coasters are in decent shape now. Over the next 5-10 years, though, they might not be, and even if they are, the park may simply decide that they've run their course ( like Vortex at KI, as you pointed out).

Hurler is a very average ride.

You know what else is "very average". . .Woodstock Express lol. You know what else is getting TLC this off season, yep, Woodstock Express. Again, every coaster doesn't have to be out of this world to everyone. There once was a time when you and everyone thought hurler was AMAZING. Basically, what I am saying is that just because we may outgrow some coasters, doesn't mean it may be the perfect fit for someone to enjoy.

Nobody expects a kiddie coaster to be a great ride, though. Woodstock Express does what it's supposed to do; no more, no less.

If you like Hurler, that's fine. I've never really been a huge fan, contrary to what you think I thought in the past. It's decent sometimes, but I think the park will eventually decide that they can do much better with that plot of land. I'm not in any hurry to see it removed... but I also won't be too sad when it is.

[coasterbruh]

Technically speaking, SOB gave its last ride in 2009. As far as I, and anyone wanting to have ridden it, it left in 2009, 11 seasons ago. All I am saying, and i'm gonna move on, is it's a lot of what could be considered more mediocre coasters in the chain than hurler. I am almost convinced that the placement of Fury 325 has helped renew the ridership of hurler as well. If it came down to keeping hurler or a "twisted hurler" I would much rather keep it and build a ground up RMC/GCI elsewhere in the park.

[Capler]

When Nighthawk is removed, it may be better not to put a coaster back in that location. The park lost a lot with the removal of the island. Instead they could shift the performance stage/plaza to that location. As things stand, the front of the park gets very congested when there is a performance. Honestly I thought opening up the front of the park is what they were doing when the front gate was being constructed. But as it turned out, they only created a huge entry plaza. The park now needs a large center show plaza.

[Glitch99]

It's decent sometimes, but I think the park will eventually decide that they can do much better with that plot of land. I'm not in any hurry to see it removed... but I also won't be too sad when it is.

Isnt that moving the goalpost? I mean, literally every ride in the park is going to be removed eventually. That's a far cry from your initial claim that they're going to demo the coasters simply because they are no longer top of the line.

[uscbandfan]

I'm all for keeping a coaster that is a safe ride, that is somewhat popular, that provides a line for people to get into regardless if I like it or not. That's because if you remove something, the folks from those lines will be put into other lines thus making them longer. So, don't remove something unless you're going to put something back in it's place.

That said, I'm done with Nighthawk, Vortex, Cyclone and, for the most part, Hurler (in it's current state). Any of those being replaced with something better, I'd vote for (including a Hurler conversion). If not, then keep them running so those folks in those lines wont be in font of me in the Copperhead, Fury, Intimidator and Afterburn lines.

[BelowThePeak]

It's decent sometimes, but I think the park will eventually decide that they can do much better with that plot of land. I'm not in any hurry to see it removed... but I also won't be too sad when it is.

Isnt that moving the goalpost? I mean, literally every ride in the park is going to be removed eventually. That's a far cry from your initial claim that they're going to demo the coasters simply because they are no longer top of the line.

You're reading into my post too much. "Eventually" is a word that doesn't have any particular number attached to it. It could mean the distant future, but it could also mean a few years down the line. It'd be safe to assume from my earlier posts that I think it'll go sooner than later, so I'm not sure why we're nitpicking my post?

[Capler]

I'm all for keeping a coaster that is a safe ride, that is somewhat popular, that provides a line for people to get into regardless if I like it or not. That's because if you remove something, the folks from those lines will be put into other lines thus making them longer. So, don't remove something unless you're going to put something back in it's place.

That said, I'm done with Nighthawk, Vortex, Cyclone and, for the most part, Hurler (in it's current state). Any of those being replaced with something better, I'd vote for (including a Hurler conversion). If not, then keep them running so those folks in those lines wont be in font of me in the Copperhead, Fury, Intimidator and Afterburn lines.

I'm of the mindset that too many subpar/bad coasters do more harm to a park's reputation than having too few. Back in the day, Bush only had a few coasters, but they all were highly regarded. That situation left the guest with only good things to say. In Carowinds case, the good things that are said about Fury, Copperhead, Intimidator and Afterburn are negated by Vortex, Cyclone, Hurler, and Nighthawk. Four good plus four bad equals an average park lineup.

If the park took out two of the bad ones, without replacing them, they will not be missed and guest experience would not suffer.
I'm with you. I don't even bother riding the four bad ride. I guess it has been over 10 years since I've ridden Vortex. I only do Nighthawk on a dead day when there is no line. It's not that I have a desire to ride it, but having no line is the only reason.
I will only ride Cyclone when I'm with someone who has never ridden it before.
Cobra and the rest of the County Fair rides are a toss up. I will do them all if there is no line.

[coasterbruh]

You all have to stop thinking like enthusiast. . .

[Glitch99]

You are referring to a very small subset of the population who get offended at the mere existence of what they've deemed to be a subpar ride. It's rather insulting and condescending to claim that vacant land would be an improvement over a ride that literally hundreds of thousands of people still enjoy each year.

I think what you are trying to say is that you dont want those rides to impede further development. Which is fair. But until that development is imminent, these rides are at worst harmless.