Happy July, Park Journey readers!
It’s that fun time of year again for coaster enthusiasts- permits are filed, construction markers are popping up, and mounds of dirt are starting to get pushed around at your local theme park. All of this starts to happen before the majority of new-for-2018 attractions are announced, which leaves us here on the internet to wildly speculate!
One of my local parks, California’s Great America (CGA), is getting a much gossiped about steel coaster next year. I’m going to have a little fun and give some development background, as well as 5 predictions for what type of coaster we may be seeing for CGA in 2018.

The big developments so far:​

Update July 18: 
Yesterday California's Great America sent out the following Tweet and Picture with even more clues. We love that the park is embracing this and having some fun with the fans. So, what do you think it is? 

Why it could be a fit:
With RMC openly teasing their development of the prototype Raptor, 2018 seems like the likely time for this new coaster style to make its debut. This would fit with the “completely new type of coaster”, and it would make sense that Cedar Fair may have negotiated a package deal from RMC (the raptor for CGA, plus the Kings Dominion and Cedar Point projects)

Also, those survey markers that say “SR1”. What if SR stands for Single Rail? Hmm...

Why it may be a miss:
The RMC Raptor is a cost effective steel coaster meant for a smaller park. If Cedar Point is serious about growing CGA’s attendance, it wouldn’t make sense for them to put in such a low capacity attraction. If this was a Six Flags park, I would sing a totally different tune, but adding low capacity marquee attractions just doesn’t fit with Cedar Fair’s previous expansion strategies.

Personally, based on the relationship, geography, and park demographics, I think that RMC may have sold their prototype Raptor to Silverwood in Idaho. Silverwood gave RMC some of their first contracts (RMC did work on Timer Terror and Aftershock), and RMC is headquartered a short drive away from the park. But Silverwood is a whole different topic for another post, so moving on...

Why it could be a fit:
This fits the bill for both being a “completely new type of coaster” and a renewed relationship with Mack (last used by Cedar Fair for Coast Rider in 2013). It would be fresh, exciting, and would directly “1-up” Superman at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. To me, this addition is the most exciting possibility on this list.

Why it may be a miss:
I have no idea what the price tag is on this thing, but Mack rides typically aren’t the cheapest additions. I love Mack, they build really high quality rides, but I would expect this to be a bit pricey (much more than a Raptor, for example). With the massive overhaul at Cedar Point, the significant project at Kings Dominion, and the likely expansion at Knotts, will CGA have that kind of budget for 2018? My gut tells me no, but I could be overestimating the price on this one.

Why it could be a fit:
A lot of people speculate that an impulse is coming to CGA in 2018. This has largely been fueled by the combination of the “Renewed relationship” comment, which would fit for Intamin, and the fact that the aforementioned planning documents included an impulse coaster.

Why it may be a miss:
Sorry folks, I just don’t buy this one. 110 foot impulse coaster? That would be significantly shorter than any other impulse that’s been built to date. If CGA were to ever get an impulse coaster, I would wager it to be a relocation from another Cedar Fair park. It could eventually happen, but I just don’t see a custom 110 foot impulse moving in next summer.  

Why it could be a fit:
This fits the bill as a “renewed relationship”, since we haven’t seen Cedar Fair work with Intamin since 2010’s doomed Shoot the Rapids project.

But lets dig more into this:

1. Intamin actually classifies their Half Pipe as an Impulse Coaster, which would make the “Impulse Coaster” rumors actually true
2. 110 foot height limit would be consistent with a larger half pipe coaster, if you add in an elevated station.
3. Remember that SR1 marker? Intamin also refers to their half pipes as Surf Riders.

Why it may be a miss:
I can’t think of any huge reasons why this wouldn’t be a fit. Honestly, the only thing I can think of is that it seems too similar to the pre-existing disco coaster at the park. But hey, we’re talking about Cedar Fair, if they’re willing to put multiple B&M hypers into two of their parks, then they certainly wouldn’t hesitate with a Disc-o/Half Pipe combo.

Why it could be a fit:
Three reasons come to mind as to why this would be a match for CGA’s 2018 project.

1. The SR1 marker could literally translate into Sky Rocket 1.
2. CGA is currently lacking a launched coaster, and this would be a nice full circuit ride that is on the lower budget side of things.
3. The wave turns on the Sky Rocket 1 kind of match the swerving tire tracks that the park is teasing us with.

Why it may be a miss:
It doesn’t fit the “new type of coaster” or “manufacturer in recent history” bill. If memory serves correctly, Cedar Fair has never bought a coaster from Premier Rides. Admittedly, there are some Premier coasters in Cedar Fair parks, but those are all old holdovers from the Paramount days, so it would be a stretch to consider those to be a from a manufacturer with “recent history”.

Something else?
When it comes to new theme park attractions, it’s always a good idea to keep an open mind. Do you think something else is coming that I have omitted from my list?

Let us know on Facebook, or tweet us @ParkJourney and @GatorAndrew

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