SDC's 2018 Project(s) and Park Developments

cowboy · October 20, 2016, 06:37:21 PM

Went to the park today, expecting to see hills scalped, etc. I guess I had prepared myself for something more than what was there. Anyhow, here are my thoughts and observations.

Right now you cannot see much unless you get down into Echo Hollow, or ride Thunderation. I was expecting to be able to see a lot of clearing from the picnic tables around the skillet area, but you really can't. Also, I'm assuming the construction hidden from view by the wooden fence in G.E. is for the new Echo Hollow bathrooms (there were door frames, etc. being staged in that area).

It looks like the "footers" are now going down the hill. Lots of work going on today. You could hear a bunch of sawing which I assume is for the footer forms.

I was also happy to see a small retaining wall next to Thunderation, which leads me to believe Thunderation will survive this expansion.

I didn't try to take any pictures because there wasn't anything easy to photograph and my group didn't want to stay for the show (sorry, I failed).

Jay

sdcfan88 · October 20, 2016, 06:57:03 PM

Lol I was there today too. I will just leave this here. I brought my telephoto and took lots of photos today which I will upload tonight after I get home.

Video: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154616921217232&id=503502231

shavethewhales · October 20, 2016, 07:58:13 PM

Wow, all of this has basically popped up over the course of 5 days. Just goes to show, if they wanted this thing open next season, they could have easily done so. I'm guessing they'll build the station and get the footers ready, then do all the steel next summer?

cowboy · October 20, 2016, 08:59:31 PM

Quote from: sdcfan88 on October 20, 2016, 06:57:03 PM
Lol I was there today too. I will just leave this here. I brought my telephoto and took lots of photos today which I will upload tonight after I get home.

Video: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154616921217232&id=503502231

Great video! I wish I would have stayed until E.H. opened so I could have seen this too! We may go back tomorrow, but that depends on how my daughter feels in the morning.

Jay

HumphreyHawk · October 21, 2016, 11:18:13 AM

Gotta give HFE credit for keeping everything on the down low. I mean the fact they are building foundations for something means that at least 90% of the plan has been approved. But I don't get the feeling from the interwebs that anyone knows exactly what is going on.

HumphreyHawk · October 21, 2016, 11:23:57 AM

Quote from: HumphreyHawk on October 21, 2016, 11:18:13 AM
Gotta give HFE credit for keeping everything on the down low. I mean the fact they are building foundations for something means that at least 90% of the plan has been approved. But I don't get the feeling from the interwebs that anyone knows exactly what is going on.

Which brings up the question: Is it more exciting to find out about your presents (new ride) before Christmas (official announcement) or to be completely surprised on Christmas morning (official announcement)?

sdcfan88 · October 21, 2016, 03:44:18 PM

Here are additional photos shot from my DSLR with my Telephoto Lens, the first set here is taken all the way from the Culinary School porch.

The crews have finally moved in and setup around TNT:

Access Road and retaining walls for EH & the new coaster:

The likely station platform and footers can be clearly seen from the porch:

Seen thru the trees there is the bottom loop around on TNT for reference to the rest of the area:

New Echo Hollow Restrooms going vertical as the plumbing appears to be completed minus the sinks and toilets:

Echo Hollow finally opened up for the evening so I went down to the current restroom facility and saw all of this:

To get a sense of scale of all this, the stakes go all the way out to Indian Point Road which is also clearly visible now:

ThuNeraTion once again:

Not entirely sure what this is gonna be:

But it is definitely looking interesting... and massive.

There was a lot of chatter down there from the GP with some of the park employees about it as people have been noticing the stakes and asking about the new coaster. One denied it's construction completely while another said it would indeed be a steel coaster larger than Wildfire. We shall see...

Coaster · October 22, 2016, 09:20:20 AM

Thanks for the pics!! I am really surprised so much is being done when this won't open until 2018. So much to watch for!

sdcfan88 · October 22, 2016, 08:57:02 PM

With the price tag previously being speculated in the 30+ million range, and with gaining a better perspective of the cleared area, if it is for sure a Mack I am betting it will be like one of these: http://www.mack-rides.com/en/products/coasters/mega-coaster/c-mc-picture-gallery/index.html

While I doubt SDC will get on on this scale despite what one of the employees had commented (being larger than Wildfire) here is video of a similar Coaster in China: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvKFdHFo7J0

This to me would make sense that it would take them nearly two years to build.

sdcfan88 · October 22, 2016, 09:02:35 PM

double post

shavethewhales · October 24, 2016, 05:53:52 PM

^ That would be nice, but I'm not getting my hopes up. I don't see them going for a second Wildfire when they could do something more innovative instead. That's just the way they are. Wildfire was actually their most conservative coaster, and even it has it's quirks with the special trains.

It would be fun if they built a Mack Mega with a spinning car on the end, but I don't think that would look as good for the marketing plus the logistics of managing the line.

Keep in mind that the price tag speculation is just that, speculation based on whisps of rumors.

I'm hoping the extra time will allow for more detail vs. more coaster.

brianconway34018 · November 12, 2016, 09:41:33 AM

It shall be a launch coaster. Silver Dollar City said they are going to have to spend an extra 1.2 million dollars to build a power system in order to power the launch system which will be magnetic. Now since it has been said that the company is German, isn't it nifty that one of the choices on the survey was a MACK launch coaster with spinning seats?

Swoosh · November 12, 2016, 02:17:17 PM

Interesting, because everyone else I've talked to that was there said they didn't mention the attraction at all. However, thank you for creating a new account to post that amazing bit of info as your first post.

shavethewhales · November 12, 2016, 02:26:04 PM

I'm here at Coaster Christmas, and nothing is being announced. They said wait till August and its like nothing else.

Not sure where you are getting that info...

Lots of footers complete though.

brianconway34018 · November 12, 2016, 10:46:13 PM

Well my dad happens to be an employee who gets a lot of information from the higher ups since he's been there for 25 years. But yeah at the moment they're having an energy crisis.