Looks like 2013 will be another monster coaster year, and the two coaster capitals of the world, SFMM and Cedar Point (now that SFMM removed Deja Vu, they're tied with Cedar Point, so yeah TWO), are preparing for the installation of big coasters. I'll first start with the rumor that came first:
Cedar Point 2013:From Screamscape:
2013 - New Coaster - Rumor - (2/10/12) Still more rumors trickling in about the possible 2013 coaster plans in the works for The Point. Right now the good money bets are still on it being a B&M coaster once again, but this leads to a question about what style? While I think the park could certainly use a good Floorless mega-looper, there is also hope for a mega Floorless Dive Machine concept.
The rumor mill suggests that management (or at least Kinzel’s old management) did not care for the B&M Flyers. The park already has a plentiful supply of launched coaster concepts, so this really leaves only the new Wing Coaster idea as an alternate possibility, but with SFGAm building one in greater market, I have a feeling Cedar Point isn’t ready to jump on that bandwagon yet either.
(12/29/11) Another Screamscape source has confirmed hearing that a new B&M coaster is supposed to be in the works for The Point in 2013. So will it be something standard like a Floorless or a Dive Machine, one of the new Wing coasters or perhaps something we’ve never seen before?
(7/7/11) While it’s still a bit far out to say anything for sure, we’ve heard from a new source that the rumored 2013 coaster project for The Point will see B&M come back to the park at last with a new project. It’s hard to say exactly what it may be, so I suspect it could be one of the new Wing Coasters, though a Floorless with a ton of inversions or even a Dive Machine would also be a good fit. A location near the front of the park on the Disaster Transport / Space Spiral side was also mentioned.
(7/5/11) If your hoping for a new coaster at Cedar Point in 2012, I’m told you will probably have to wait for 2013. No word on just what it will be, but usually Cedar Point doesn’t disappoint, so it should be good.
Okay, I'm ready to speak out... I'm not sure if I mentioned this in the blog before, but it's time I say it: I was the one who sent the (7/7/11) report to Screamscape.
Last summer when I visited Cedar Point (around June 29th), I was taking snapshots of markings around the rapids area (back when there were 2012 rumors), and then a park security person came. He and I had a chat and he told me that 2012 would not bring in a new coaster, but something else (possibly a water park expansion). That water park expansion was proved true: with the confirmation of Dinosaurs ALIVE, Cedar Point also confirmed the addition of a mat racer slide in Soak City. Also, the markings were for Snoopy (I think).
He then told me that 2013 would bring a new coaster, and he stated that the manufacturer was the one "who made Raptor and Mantis" (I recall him saying that), which means B&M. The design is unknown at this point, so it could be anything (I'm guessing it will be a Wing Coaster, despite Screamscape's doubts). He also said to look for a location in the front of the park, by Disaster Transport/Space Spiral.
I wasn't really sure when to send Screamscape the rumor (whether it be a week, a month, two months, etc), but as my trip up north ended (around the July 5-July 7 time frame) rumors started spreading of Dinosaurs ALIVE for 2012 and the coaster coming 2013, so I decided to send the rumor to Screamscape as I got home. Sure enough, signs are pointing to the rumor being true. Recently (as you can see above from Screamscape) rumors are continuing to spread of a B&M coaster coming in 2013. And what the security person said about 2012 came true too (the mat racer). This makes you wonder the only thing left... when would we start seeing construction in the lot behind Disaster Transport/Space Spiral? Time will tell.
This is also logical: the last coaster Cedar Point installed was Maverick (2007) and the last B&M Cedar Point installed was Mantis (way back in 1996!). The past few coaster installations (Millennium Force, Wicked Twister, TTD, Maverick) have all been Intamins. I think they're overdue for a B&M coaster (though I wouldn't mind another Intamin monster, I think it's time for B&M to come back to the Point).
Six Flags Magic Mountain 2013:Remember the report of Log Jammer closing. Demolition began recently, and the old Metro Station has been demolished too. And just like the latest CP 2013 rumor, Screamscape also reported a little something this morning for SFMM:
2013 - New Coaster - (2/10/12) It’s still a bit too early to lock in anything for the SFMM 2013 project just yet, but with demolition fully under way, what we have heard so far is what it wont be. Screamscape sources confirm that this is not expected to be a B&M coaster of any kind, so throw out all those long rumored Dive Machine rumors that have been brewing forever. (Which is just disappointing, the terrain of the Log Jammer site would have made for a great themed Dive Machine...)
(2/7/12) Demolition work has begun at Six Flags Magic Mountain on the old Log Jammer ride area. The station building itself is fairly removed, though from the midway it may look more intact than it is due to the façade out front still standing. The splashdown lagoon is being torn up and they’ve even begun work to demolish the old Metro monorail station across the midway from the Log Jammer as well, along with a few sections of the Metro’s nearby beamways.
(1/27/12) The first 2012 edition of the SFMM GoBigCam video blog ends with what some are thinking could possibly be a clue about the park’s 2013 attraction. While the theme of the video is about working out, the hostess ends it by posing in front of a Wonder Woman backdrop and says, “Maybe by 2013 I’ll look like that,” in reference to Wonder Woman. With Six Flags seeming to have a renewed focus on ride’s themed after the DC Comics characters, could it be time for a Wonder Woman themed coaster all these years?
Now in all seriousness, this “clue” is probably way way WAY off track here. After all, the new 2013 coaster is supposed to take over the Log Jammer spot, which is located no where near the DC Universe section of the park. So I really don’t put any stock into this idea at all. I’ve got a feeling we could be seeing something with a more unique theme coming in 2013.
(11/3/11) Sue Carpenter, spokeswoman for Six Flags Magic Mountain confirmed to the local news that the Log Jammer is now closed, to be removed to make way for a future park expansion project which will be announced sometime in 2012. So at least we know where to keep our eyes focused for the park’s 2013 ride plans… lets just hope they try to work in some of the natural landscaping and water features leftover from the Log Jammer into the new ride.
(11/2/11) With the demise of the Log Jammer happening any day now, you can take one last look at the ride as it stands today over at Theme Park Review, as well as catch some pictures of Déjà Vu coming down.
(10/28/11) Sad news today regarding the fate of the Log Jammer at SFMM. I’ve been told that a sign in a ‘break room’ at SFMM indicated that the Log Jammer only had a few days left to run. The basic gist of seems to be that the Log Jammer will be no more following Halloween.
(10/19/11) Its been a few weeks, and I’m sorry to say that the rumors about the possible removal of Log Jammer from SFMM have not let up. As wrong as it seems to remove a classic “log ride” from any park… I’m starting to get worried the rumor could be true. If so… get your last rides in while you still can, or regret it forever.
(9/19/11) To be honest, this is the first I’ve heard of the following rumor… and I have yet to get the story fully double-checked with any other sources at this point, so I have to remain skeptical about it still. That said, a report has come in claiming that Magic Mountain may be considering the possible removal of the popular Log Jammer flume ride. I really hope not, as it get hot beyond belief in the summer at The Mountain, and that park really needs more water rides, not less. Even today, I think the Log Jammer probably has the most consistently long line of all the park’s water rides. If anyone has anything else to share about this, please do let me know.
So we can rule out a Dive Machine (or any other B&M) for this creation (though it would have been nice). IMO, this tells me that this coaster will be what TheCoasterGuy reported a while back (when Log Jammer was confirmed to get the axe):
Brand new gigacoaster to be built were Log Jammer sits today @SFMagicMountain. Will debut for 2013 season.
With B&M out, it looks like this masterpiece will be sent by the Intamin gods, in the form of a Giga Coaster. I hope for a combination of I305's intense turns and Millennium Force airtime hills (and possibly mix a little Skyrush in it, with the new winged trains, and stengel dives). I also doubt this ride will be Wonder Woman themed, but you never know.
Here's an update from February 6th that shows some interesting things:
http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1144657#p1144657
Apparently the pump house and the main entrance building for Log Jammer is still up. Could they be reusing it (they could demolish all this later, but still worth noting)? They could theme this giga to some monster in the wilderness (like a Sasquatch or something). I'm just interested in seeing how that area will look like within the next year, with the Log Jammer plot and Metro plot now open:
This plot is looking bigger and bigger, and when you add Flashback's plot (behind the metro station) to the mix, it looks even larger (though a water park expansion would look good in Flashback's plot).
I hope to hear some more about this 2013 coaster war soon! =)
