BGW really just stopped maintaining stuff. The theming in that park was just a little below Disney but after the holdings company took over they just stopped fixing things when it broke and that has led to a subtle but yet very noticeable difference. Then you look at rides like Verbolten which has degraded a ton solely because they didn't maintain the theme elements in the building leaving the dark forest not so dark.
I'm really hoping they actually follow through with theming this thing.... It's going to make or break it. They dropped the ball with Pantheon but at least it is a fun coaster but DarKoaster is just a complete failure without the full theming.
This entire story made me laugh. In a lot of ways this is the same way that many old houses are supported with the main difference being the house takes up less square footage. Racer has been like this for years (probably it's whole life) and was just waiting for the right person to come along and make a big deal out of it.
Now wait until they learn how much coasters start leaning and flexing 😂
It does fill a need for the park but I'm disappointed in it as a Volcano replacement. I just don't think a B&M wing coaster is at all in the spirit of Volcano. There are so many better options for KD to go with (even non-Intamin) like Vekoma, S&S, Chance, etc, that I think have the ability to do something incredibly unique and thrilling. Joe Draves would also be the perfect person to design a Volcano replacements because he is a master at mixing grace and intensity which is something that Volcano did better than any coaster I ever experienced.
This layout does look great and this is probably going to rival Thunderbird (if not become the best wing coaster in the US) but it just doesn't fill Volcano's shoes IMHO.
Thank you @sunaurus@lemm.ee for all of your work. I am continually realizing that I chose the right instance with how transparent and responsive you have been.
Here's the point that I was done with any passes from SeaWorld/United Parks:
Prior to 2020 everyone with a Platinum pass had their own parking lot and could use the employee entrance to access it (and avoid the line at the main gates). When Covid arrived they told us they had to remove that benefit temporarily because the alternate access impeded screening.... That was reasonable. Two weeks later that lot reopened as the premium parking option at the main gate and all of us pass holders were welcomed to purchase parking tickets to use that lot... The same lot that our current membership gave us free access to. It also confirmed that they used Covid as a false excuse to take this benefit away and by giving the same thing to purchasing customers they clearly showed there was NO legitimate reason for them to remove that benefit from us.
Following that they later changed tiers in the middle of pass ownership taking many other benefits away and then they kept enticing us to renew our passes so we could ride Pantheon when it opens in 2021.... 2022.....
And I was done. They did send me the free ticket so I could ride Pantheon when it opened.... I paid my $40 parking fee and went straight to pantheon which was down and not declared as being down on the board at the entrance to the park. That day every single coaster was down at some point with many being down all day. I talked to guest services who took my information and said they would send me another ticket.... That never happened.
They have a really long walk to get me to even consider a pass again. The truth is, I just don't have much interest in going there at all. I've had so many horrible experiences in the last 5 years that being in the park has just been associated with misery.
I hope they can turn it around though.... The parks have so much potential.