SDC’s 2024 Project(s) and Park Developments

coalesce99 · May 14, 2023, 09:57:21 AM

Is a new FITH for certain? Like, are there only rumors or has there been confirmation? Even from park insiders? Where would the new FITH be?

I for one think it was in poor taste to use the destruction of a cherished childhood memory (FITH) as a PR/marketing tool. If it's going to be revamped, announce it at the same time as the termination of the original ride.

I'm clearly not happy about the destruction of the original. It brings tears to my eyes - my father died in 2018, he was a retired KCFD captain, and loved that ride. He took my sons on it. My sons wanted to take their future children on it.

Announcing a FITH 2.0 would have at least lessened the sting of the announcement the original was going away.

My prediction: Next on the chopping block will be the Flooded Mine, followed by Grandfather's Mansion. Perhaps laser lights will be added to Marvel Cave. Maybe aliens with phasers will replace the Bolens on the train robbery...

Duelist · May 14, 2023, 01:10:44 PM

With all the talk on this board (and others) and the hints that SDC themselves are dropping I feel very confident that the new ride will be some form of FITH. As has been said many times the building has gotten to the state where it would be more cost efficient to rebuild the ride in a new building. The fact that the new building is over at Fireman's Landing is another tell tale sign that it will be FITH 2.0. As for the other attractions you mentioned I don't think they are going anywhere for a while since Shave and others have pointed out they are low maintenance. To get rid of FITH and not replace it with a similar version, in my opinion, would be a gross marketing and financial faux pas given the love for the ride that so many of us have stated.

coalesce99 · May 14, 2023, 02:33:14 PM

Quote from: Duelist on May 14, 2023, 01:10:44 PM
With all the talk on this board (and others) and the hints that SDC themselves are dropping I feel very confident that the new ride will be some form of FITH. As has been said many times the building has gotten to the state where it would be more cost efficient to rebuild the ride in a new building. The fact that the new building is over at Fireman's Landing is another tell tale sign that it will be FITH 2.0. As for the other attractions you mentioned I don't think they are going anywhere for a while since Shave and others have pointed out they are low maintenance. To get rid of FITH and not replace it with a similar version, in my opinion, would be a gross marketing and financial faux pas given the love for the ride that so many of us have stated.

I appreciate your post. And I agree with it for the most part. The only thing I bristle at is the cost factor. To be clear, if the Herschends/SDC really wanted to renovate the old building/ride FITH, it COULD be done. And while they're at it, they could/should throw the Flooded Mine and Grandfather's Mansion a little TLC as well. I'm 47, I'm old enough to remember all of these rides in their heyday. Heck, I remember "riding" Rube Dugan's Diving Bell. So yeah, I'm a sucker for nostalgia and the old stuff.

Oh yeah, bring back the hobo shower! Turn your heads, ladies!

Duelist · May 14, 2023, 02:45:39 PM

First went in June 1969 myself, right before they filmed "The Beverly Hillbillies" episodes. Rode the stagecoach, Jim Owens Float Trip, went through Herman the Hermit's Treehouse. Been almost every year since. I've been riding FITH since it opened in 1972. My brother and I went up on stage to sing the song "Bingo" while Sherry Herschend played the dulcimer. So I'm a fan of the old stuff too

orangesandpeaches · May 14, 2023, 04:39:17 PM

Quote from: coalesce99 on May 14, 2023, 09:57:21 AM
Is a new FITH for certain? Like, are there only rumors or has there been confirmation? Even from park insiders? Where would the new FITH be?

If you get there quick, say in the next few days or weeks, before they close the hole the rest of the way up, you can clearly see FITO style track on a slow grade, in multiple levels. Track wise, they have painted themselves out of the corner and may soon be ready to seal that side of the building up completely. Photos thru those windows are not too great but in person, it's clear as day what the ride is meant to be, especially when you compare it with construction methods of FITH on the park's own tribute site to the original.

It gets referred to alot as 2.0, but personally, having been on both when they both in their prime, I consider Blazing Fury to be the true FITH 2.0, as BF does have some nice iterations: 18 passenger train, tire drive station, auto lap bars, it's just seems to be missing FITH's superior moisture remediation for some reason (speculation: FITH may have better ground floor air flow). There are more differences of course, as BF was built from the ground up with it's current layout, where as FITH was later modified to match BF's layout, omitting the second lap around the third floor. I personally prefer FITH, still has the lake, great opening scene room, the barrel of laughs, but BF does have some cool features.

I'm thankful that FITH is being allowed to go with its boots on, as I don't know how i would feel if I grew up going to SDC Tennesse and trying to wrap my head around "FIRE IN THE HOLE!!!!" with no splash. I honest prefer the route that has been chosen here.

sdcfan88 · May 14, 2023, 09:57:06 PM

I'd love to be wrong, but I would not expect a straight remake of FITH at the new location. Its been pretty clear in recent years that SDC has gotten pretty loose with sticking with their original theme. Best advice is to expect the new ride to be in the general flavor of FITH but with some fancy modern tech and other gimmicks to hype it. The original theme/story won't likely return. Look at Lost River being remade into Mystic River Falls as a recent example.

I just hope the new ride is more reliable than MRF as the latter was broken down all day yet again when I visited on Friday, that ride is officially the parks new Buzzsaw Falls.
(maybe they need to avoid ride names with the word "Falls" in it to break the curse lol)

shavethewhales · May 15, 2023, 08:23:15 AM

^That's exactly what I expect too. We refer to it as FITH 2.0, but the new ride will almost definitely have a different name, a new story, and a theme that's only tangential to FITH. It'll be something about a fire crew since it's part of the Fireman's Landing area, but I very much doubt baldknobbers will be mentioned or shown expect in passing. It'll be much more generic and they'll definitely try to "honor first responders" somehow.

Who knows though. SDC knows what they've got. They do a very good job at theming and storytelling when they are allowed to, and they've had several years to work on this. One would hope that an entire extra year will make it even more elaborate and themed to the nines inside. Could be a much faster roller coaster experience though, so maybe the theming would matter less.

Duelist · May 15, 2023, 09:53:30 AM

^ You're probably right but I hope not. They're really promoting people to come and ride FITH this year and they're advertising the Baldknobber aspect so I'm not so sure they won't keep the theme but hoping they do that and add the updated animatronics we're hoping for. And they definitely need to keep it a family coaster that young kids can ride.

KBCraig · May 15, 2023, 09:57:26 PM

Quote from: coalesce99 on May 14, 2023, 02:33:14 PM
Oh yeah, bring back the hobo shower! Turn your heads, ladies!

The other way, ladies.

Cseeley · June 14, 2023, 06:40:13 PM

SDC's twitter today posted what looks like to be a front of a book cover or picture frame can't really tell but this most likely has to do with the new coaster.

blatym · June 14, 2023, 09:35:15 PM

I played with the exposure and brightness of the image to see if there were any hidden messages and sadly I didn't find any. However, there is a faint shape of what looks like a girl on the cover of the book. This could be absolutely nothing but still fun to speculate! https://quickshare.samsungcloud.com/qoOxTHyefAnO

blatym · June 16, 2023, 09:56:06 PM

They posted the same exact picture to Instagram for a second time today. Very curious as to what they're doing

Lampie · June 21, 2023, 07:53:03 AM

Another tease today. They added a V and an N to the frame/book cover.

At this rate I think the announcement will be early July. That volunteers needed for a brand new fire in the hole.

Cseeley · June 21, 2023, 09:27:09 AM

I think this puts to rest that it will keep the same name as fire in the hole and use a new name.

shavethewhales · June 21, 2023, 10:08:34 AM

^How so? Only two letters revealed so far and it's probably not the name. I doubt that it will use the same name though, purely for marketing reasons.

Can't believe that it's almost July already. I wonder if this tease is just to announce the announcement. They usually announce things in early August and since this is a major three-year project I'm sure they'll want to put on a similar shin-dig as what they put on for Time Traveler.