Mourning a loss

[HeartlineCoaster]

Recently woke up sweating from a nightmare in which Mr Wanda had bulldozed all his parks to build more malls...

Just wondered if anyone on here has lost a ride out of their top ten to unfortunate circumstances (closed, burnt down, melted etc.).
A ride that was cut from your life while still in its golden era, leaving a hole in your list, rather than being allowed to fade to nothing over the years before bowing out gracefully.
How did it feel?

If not, how would it feel?
+
What's your most likely candidate and why? (Park is next to a fireworks factory, Sweden is a hotspot for asteroids, Merlin etc.).

 

[nadroJ]

DODONPA waaahhhhh!

So sad that I'll never get to experience that amazing gut-punch of airtime ever again

 

[Will]

It's looking increasingly likely that Heide Park will do just that.
If it happens, I shall mostly feel anger - partly at the park for their shambolic maintenance and lack of investment, but also with myself for only riding it the once.

 

[nadroJ]

It's looking increasingly likely that Heide Park will do just that.
If it happens, I shall mostly feel anger - partly at the park for their shambolic maintenance and lack of investment, but also with myself for only riding it the once.

Won't happen.

 

[Will]

^
Do elaborate.

I'd feel happier with a reliable source, but hope you're right - as I saw someone on Facebook say a few months back, "ohne Colossos ist kein Heide Park"

 

[nadroJ]

^
Do elaborate.

Can't. But...it won't ;D

 

[gavin]

Not out of any top ten since I don't keep one, and I really don't feel any emotional attachment to large pieces of metal, but some that went prematurely:

Dodonpa: A big case of "If it ain't broke..." Well, maybe it needed work, but replacing the top hat with a loop and not even bothering to break a record with it was stupid.

Eagle's Fortress: Even with T-Express opening, it was still a massively popular ride. I left the country a month after it closed for good, so I'm personally fine with it, but it's still a shame something couldn't have been done.

Black Hole Express/Horror Express: Again, I'm not really bothered personally, but it was easily Vekoma's best traditional-style looper. It's kind of a shame that the park closed down and left a fairly major city with bugger all.

Flamingoland Schwarzkops: It was the "right" decision to replace traveling rides with permanent installations, but the replacements just weren't as good.

 

[ATTACKHAMMER]

The only example that I can think of is Dodonpa for the obvious reason that the top hat was incredible!

 

[Will]

Thought of another one - I'm quite naffed off that I'll never get to ride Dragon Challenge. I know it wasn't supposed to be one of the all-time greats, but it was still iconic - and any B&M invert is better than no B&M invert - especially when there's TWO of them!

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

Fabulous Dodonpa! As Jordan already mentioned, that was one moment of airtime I will never forget, and now I will never experience it again

Big Dipper at Geauga Lake was another sad loss. It's probably the nostalgic value for me, but I remember being a kid at the park and riding Shipwreck Falls about a million times in a row, then whizzing around on Big Dipper a few times to dry off. It was a good little coaster and it had historic value.

 

[Hyde]

^ I was about to say Big Dipper! That was the ride growing up in the Cleveland area, and carried so much history as the oldest roller coaster in the state. I guess I am most saddened that it was not able to find a new home, despite other rides from the park going on to happy second lives.

 

[Sandman]

Flamingoland Schwarzkops: It was the "right" decision to replace traveling rides with permanent installations, but the replacements just weren't as good.

These are all I can think of really. And Twist 'n' Shout at Loudoun Castle. Shame really, as anything like that will be now be considered mind-blowing in the UK just by default.

 

[chainedbanana]

Not a Coaster - but Wicked Witches Haunt at Thorpe - was shocked and gutted when it Burnt down! Still not over it TBH!

 

[Pink Cadillac]

There are 4 coasters in my top 10 i'm worried will go sooner or later as well as lots of Disney rides I haven't done yet.
What will we do when Nemesis goes?

 

[rob666]

The Virginia Reel at Blackpool.
Such a cool ride of my youth, a strange cross between the Mouse and Waltzer, six seater cars, more at a squeeze...with no seatbelts.
Always ended up in a strangers lap, how to make friends and influence people.
"Excuse me, you are sitting on my face."
Rotted away sadly, shed a tear as it was pulled down before my eyes.

 

[TilenB]

These are all I can think of really. And Twist 'n' Shout at Loudoun Castle. Shame really, as anything like that will be now be considered mind-blowing in the UK just by default.

Well, all of those have found a new home elsewhere. Maybe a good reason to schedule your next holiday to Mexico or Croatia?

 

[GigaG]

Georgia Cyclone. An intense woodie with plenty of airtime that could've honestly been a well-loved and great coaster if it was kept up just a bit better. The ride was very good in a certain "magic seat" (Red train, second to back row, left side) and I imagine that with a bit of work, it could have been similarly great in other seats. The first turnaround had nice floater on the first and second drops, as well as the 4th and 7th drops and their ejector airtime. I rode it this June, and it rode fairly well, but the general public's reaction was mixed and, of course, it could've been kept up a bit better. It sadly looked like crap, with paint peeling everywhere and large sections of handrails devoid of the teal paint that they once had.

They should have finished the topper job at the rough parts, keeping the original profile but with no trims, especially making sure the 4th and 7th drops were still crazy intense, and given it a nice white paint scheme with teal rails. Would have made it an amazing woodie (and in my opinion it already was pretty darn great.) But rather, it was closed to be RMC'ed. I was disappointed that we were losing a very good woodie that had potential to be even better, but was eagerly anticipating the RMC conversion. Then I saw it.

Now I love RMC conversions. What really rubbed the salt in the wound after this ride (probably the best woodie to ever close for the RMC treatment) closed was the fact that the RMC conversion will cut out 1/3 of the ride, and additionally didn't preserve anything about the crazy 4th and 7th drops (in fact, the ride ENDS about where the 7th drop was.) Rather than go the route of Twisted Timbers, which will make the original taller and preserve the length of the original, this ride simply sliced out 1/3 of the structure, presumably to save money.

So while I'm sure Twisted Cyclone will be a great ride, I feel that GA Cyclone deserved better than to have its RMC conversion half-a**ed, for lack of a better term.

 

[Hyde]

An intense woodie with plenty of airtime that could've honestly been a well-loved and great coaster if it was kept up just a bit better.

Every Dinn Corp Coaster Ever.

 

[HeartlineCoaster]

Some good stories so far, let's go for part 2:

What's your most likely candidate and why?

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

I agree with whoever said Georgia Cyclone. I like when crappy woodies get the RMC treatment, but Georgia Cyclone was up there with some of the better wooden coasters in my opinion. It was fairly smooth with some nice pops of airtime here and there, so it's a shame to see it go.