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[BackInTime]

Am I the only one concerned about the reality of a 2017 coaster actually coming to fruition? Wouldn't it be safe to say that if we were in fact getting something (let alone a coaster) of any significance, we would have seen some signs of it on park by now? I'm not an engineer, and I understand in terms of material and infrastructure a wooden coaster is probably much more involved than anything steel. However, shouldn't we be seeing any markers, earth work, equipment, etc. by now? We are less than a year away from opening day 2017 and nothing. Just for kicks, I went back to our 2013 thread following everything leading up to and through the construction of OR. That got me even more discouraged. Again, I realize there could be things present we cannot physically see at this point, but the lack of nothing even remotely concrete is unsettling to say the least. Take a look at some major milestones for OR and tell me if you don't agree.

November 2011 – Several markers are spotted in the woods from the train near the current site of OR.
12/30/11 – Equipment is spotted in the woods and confirmation of Earth being moved is reported.
1/3/12 – The infamous Robber's Shack is removed near the train tracks.
1/22/12 – RMC confirms two new coaster projects utilizing its proprietary track technology – one presumed to be for SDC.
2/26/12 – First pictures of footer forms and station foundation/footers shared on sdcfans.com.
6/22/12 – SDC releases its first social media teaser video about its upcoming attraction for the 2013 season.
8/9/12 – SDC officially unveils details for Outlaw Run currently under construction at the park.

Again, not trying to assume any apples to apples comparisons here, but what we saw with Outlaw Run's development totaled close to 16 months from the time of markers being spotted to it's debut in 2013. And 15 months if we're talking about dirt work that was reported and confirmed through photos posted here.

Neither of the two sites being speculated about here (the area between GE and EH, or between WF and PK) are very benign real estate. You're talking about lots of woods and no shortage of topography. Wouldn't any addition of note in either of these areas require a significant amount of preparation? Is anyone else not concerned about the absence of any signs of work in these areas (or anywhere else for that matter)?

I'm beginning to worry that 2018 may be the more realistic target IF anything legit is in the works for the near future. That said, if another major coaster is due at SDC, I sincerely hope they did all they could to outdo their efforts with OR, even if it's presumably of the steel variety. If I'm being selfish, I want to see another record breaker in the park. And if I'm being honest, I hope nothing is/was borrowed from the coasters currently residing at DW. Outside of Lightning Rod (already experiencing operational delays and issues), which clearly draws cues from OR, nothing there makes me want to make the trip to Pigeon Forge just to ride it. With the changes coming to Branson in 2016 and planned for the next 3-5 years, I hope SDC is poised to capitalize on the momentum they established with the addition of OR.





 

   

[shavethewhales]

^Uh, you realize it's barely April of 2016? Most parks don't start construction on next year's attractions (including coasters) until near the off-season.

They started on Outlaw Run crazy early, possibly because it was a pivotal ride for RMC, or possibly because that's just how their scheduling worked out. It's not a benchmark for future attractions. Most of the most recent major projects at SDC have started construction on some level in the summer. They used to wait much longer, but it's easier to spread it out apparently.

Most coasters can be built and opened in three months or less so long as they are willing to pay for the labor to go that fast. There's a lot that goes into the scheduling so I wouldn't even try to guess at timelines.

[BackInTime]

No, I totally get that, Shave. And I know OR was a-typical and broke the status quo. Just hard not to draw some comparisons given the sites in question and how much work it seems would need to be done to put anything of significance in by opening day next year – especially given SDC's recent track record of teasing the attraction well before an official announcement. I guess we were spoiled and fooled to some degree by how early things got moving with OR.

[sdcfan88]

Too bad this forum was not around when Wildfire was being speculated about. I think it began construction in August so I expect it to be by that time we see something for sure. But I was in my early teens and wasn't at the park much that year to remember for sure.

[Swoosh]

Well the thing is - they have already done some in park infrastructure work for the new ride.  A lot of new transformers and overall heavy duty power grid items were added to that side of the park this past off season. Also if you give merit to the rumors, this particular manufacturer doesn't take very long to assemble their rides. Also given the terrain and overall growth of the site, they could have done surveying work and you couldn't even tell.  I'd say late August/early September is when things will start heating up. 

[Swoosh]

I'm not saying that this is for 2017 (as I'm not sure exactly what it is) but something is definitely happening here.

https://midwestinfoguide.blogspot.com/2016/04/mystery-markers-appear-sdc.html

[Duelist]

Good catch, Swoosh!

[shavethewhales]

That's not where I would expect to see anything for the supposed 2017 project, but who knows. Could it be part of a new echo hollow expansion? Or maybe they're just going to open the area up?

[Swoosh]

That's not where I would expect to see anything for the supposed 2017 project, but who knows. Could it be part of a new echo hollow expansion? Or maybe they're just going to open the area up?

There's a lot... and I mean A LOT of noise right now in the rumor mill and it is difficult to shift through everything to know what is true and what is not.  I will say, that some rumors have the ride starting over there.  Other rumors have it starting back in Grand Expo.  The thing is - there are markers here.  Does that make that rumor true and the other one not?  Not necessarily.  But something is definitely happening here, it just might not be 2017 coaster related.

[cowboy]

The MIG report says orange markers for electrical but orange is for communication lines.....the flags looked red, so that could indicate electric. http://www.engineersupply.com/APWA-Utility-Color-Codes.aspx?gclid=CIXV2tLpmcwCFZKGaQodEPEAhQ

Why would you survey these? You would want to identify existing utilities so you know where they are during design and construction. Fiber Optics can be very expensive to relocate. What it looks like to me is someone came out and flagged a utility line....this locate could be for survey purposes or it could be a locate for construction purposes.....

Jay

[Swoosh]

Thanks for the insight.  I've updated the report to match that information

[chittlins]

Thanks for the insight.  I've updated the report to match that information

Expurt

[Jemmicat]

Those painted lines are orange to my recollection. I could have remembered wrong, but it is still pretty fresh in my mind

[Swoosh]

^Yes, they are orange.  We covered that in the report.

[shavethewhales]

So my gut reaction was that this couldn't be part of a new ride project because of the proximity to Echo Hollow, but the more I think about it the more I can't presume that Echo Hollow will always be there. I keep thinking that EH is kind of sacred somehow just because it's so useful to have somewhere for big events as they come up. But the more I look at it, the more I see that it really isn't a great setup for bigger, modern uses. It would be one thing if they were obviously in the process of rebuilding and refurbishing it, but we've been talking for several seasons now about how it's slowing loosing it's luster. Perhaps it's being played out of the park like so many other things. I mean, an amphitheater isn't hard to replace anyway, and this would be a super convenient site for a major coaster station.

Still tough to say though. Only time will tell if this means that Echo Hollow improvements are on the way, or something else entirely.