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[Joy]

It's the type of coaster that the Mystery Mine at Dollywood is.

[sdcforever]

To be a bit more specific, a g-fighter is short for Gerstlauer (the name of the ride company) Euro-Fighter.  A g-fighter features various track elements (diving loops, barrel rolls, vertical loops, etc) and are generally custom designed.  The trademark feature of all g-fighters is a "beyond vertical" drop--meaning the drop reaches an angle greater than 90 degrees.

[KBCraig]

Ah, thanks.

[History Buff]

I found my old idea.  'Turns out it wasn't as old as I thought.  I think this could incorporate the current Geyser Gulch better into the miner theme, give SDC the Adventure Mountain they may be wanting, bring back a nostalgic theme (Rube Dugan), AND anchor a new mining area complete with coaster, a 4D theater that tells a romanticized, Marmaros story, and a cool new themed sit-down restaurant that could be open even when the park is closed (accessed from inside the park and from outside along the highway).

Rube Dugan's Treehouse OR Miners' Treehouse:

Huck's Treehouse is revisioned and repositioned.  The miners have taken to the trees to throw claim jumpers off their tracks.  The new treehouse is complete with spy gear and defensive capabilities (built from items available in the 1800s).  Visitors who trespass in the treehouse will see their living quarters, kitchen, and even restroom facilities (outhouse in the sky, placed above a sidewalk in the populous Silver Dollar City).

Miners are working their mines during the day, but a may return at any time for a snack or a nap.

A room laden with special effects gimmicks will serve as the Silver Room, where each miner has stashed his findings.

This concept could pay tribute to the defunct Diving Bell as parts of the facility would be built to resemble the bell, now salvaged from the depths of Lake Silver.

This concept could also take advantage of some of the recent additions to other Herschend parks and could include a zip line and ropes course elements.

Of course, my preference would be not to salvage the Bell, but to actually fit it into the Splash Harbor area!

[sdcforever]

I like your grandiose ideas, except for the Adventure Mountain aspect.  Take that out, and I'm all for it!

[Austin Herschend]

I wonder what the new Ride is going to be.Anybody know?

[shavethewhales]

^You mean for next year? MIG has a good summary of all the info on that here: http://www.midwestinfoguide.com/new/riverblast/

There's another thread for that ride in this forum, we've been watching it for 2 years now.

[sdcforever]

I'm going to take a wild guess that a wooden coaster is coming...

[History Buff]

That is a wild guess, but you might have nailed it.  Now what will the theme be?  If it is indeed a new mine train, what does that mean for TNT?  If this is going to be a new mining area, could TNT be rethemed to better fit its area?  I know that's unlikely, but it does seem that SDC is trying to move into themed areas like some other parks.  Would the train go under or through a new woodie?  Is anything already being done in that area now that the big freeze has ended for the time being?

[History Buff]

Whoops, I was editing my last post when you posted.  OK, do you know where, and if so...where?  If it's not the Waterboggan area, would it be around the waterfall?

[shavethewhales]

Quick - everyone pin Swoosh down and make him spill the beans.

I'm surprised they'd let something this slip so early. I mean, I guess it is 2010 already, but you'd think they'd wait till summer. I guess maybe after Coaster Con, they've started to treat the enthusiasts a little differently.

I'm REALLY glad to hear this though. The only question is, will it be new or are they actually going to move OzCat? Either way, it's good for the park, but I hope they try something new and let OzCat fade into history.

[sdcforever]

^I'm glad to hear about it too.  I enjoy wooden coasters more than metal/steel, in general.  Plus wooden coasters are easier to theme to the 1880s.

As for OzCat, I hope they sell it instead of move it.  If they are thinking of moving it to SDC, then it was an odd decision to ship the trains to WA.

As for locations, an obvious one is over by Geyser Gulch and the Waterboggan, especially since Splash Harbor is a goner.  If they do put it over there then I think the rumors about the 'Boggan being taken out are probably true.

Another possible location is by the Grand Expo and the craft school.

[History Buff]

The reason I mentioned the waterfall is that it could be themed to the lumberjacking area very easily (like Thunderhead at Dollywood)  That area is already partially cleared, with Buzzsaw Falls gone there is an opening for a lumberjack ride (other than AP), the area is underutilized (with a dead waterfall), and it keeps the teenagers busy on that side of the park with other thrills located nearby.  It may even be more level, which would make is easier for a coaster like OzCat to be located there with minimal modifications.  I'm not sure what the traffic flow would be like.

That being said, obviously something may be going on at the Waterboggan, and with SH removed, the rumors seem to be pointing in that direction.  I'm not a fan of the roughness of the old woodies, but I do like the way they look - as long as they are left looking natural.

[KBCraig]

I don't think TnT needs to be rethemed at all. I can't imagine a steel coaster that could possibly fit the theme better.

And FWIW, FITH is also a steel coaster. No one ever seems to question its nostalgia or theme.

I've been looking forward to a big wooden coaster at SDC. I've always thought it would fit the theme better than most of the more recent rides, TnT excluded. It will beat the heck out of Watterboggan and Geyser Gulch.

[Swoosh]

TNT isn't going anywhere and it is not being rethemed either so we can kill that rumor right now.