IOA 2016: Grinch coaster?

[Sam]

Screamscape brings us exciting rumours about post-Potter IOA, though right now, it's hard to think of a time when they additions at Universal won't be Potter!

Sounds like they're going for a Verbolten/Th13teen style system.

2016 - The Grinch / Poseidon’s Fury Replacement - Rumor - (7/18/12) With all the focus on Universal Studios Florida, fans of Islands of Adventure maybe wondering when IOA will get another new attraction. Sure, IOA will be linked with USF via the Hogwarts Express, but what then? Other than the Wizarding World the rest of IOA has mostly remained unchanged since it opened in 1999.
There have been a few major attractions rumored over the years since then which failed to get off the ground at the time, but one of these may be coming back for a second chance. According to the latest buzz, IOA’s next big attraction will be due to premier the year following Potter’s Phase 2 roll out, which would put it around 2016 or so. If things hold true between now and then, we can expect to possibly see that long rumored Grinch / Mt. Crumpet themed coaster ride added to Seuss Landing in an interesting location. I’ve been told that the Grinch coaster proposal may see it added as a replacement to Poseidon’s Fury, possibly even reusing the attraction structure after some cosmetic changes of course.
Technically Posiedon’s Fury is in what remains of the Lost Continent section of the park, so this would allow for Seuss Landing to expand beyond the borders of it’s own “Island” to take it over. This would also leave Mythos and the Sinbad stunt show as the only remaining pieces of the Lost Continent, expected to stay as they are for years to come. This isn’t the first time Universal Creative have pitched putting a coaster inside Poseidon’s Fury, as it was the original location pitched for the Gringott’s bank coaster before it all moved over to USF.
As for the ride itself… look for this to be a good fun for all coaster experience without any inversions. Beyond that, the only other interesting rumor I’ve heard is that Universal has been keeping a careful eye on Verbolten at Busch Gardens Williamsburg which features an exciting free-fall trick track section that could be put to use on Grinch. That said, I’d expect that they have also been talking with Vebolten’s creator, Zierer, about this as well. Stay tuned…

Surely it'll be an Intamin, not a Zierer?

 

[Benzin]

Why can't it be a Zierer?

Indeed, maybe Universal will go for the Disney approach and have a cheap system allowing for LOTS of awesome theming?

 

[Sam]

Why can't it be a Zierer?

Because throughputs any lower than Th13teen (which are pretty damn high anyway) would be disastrous for IOA. They need 1500 MINIMUM really, and I don't think the Zierer system can get anywhere near that. The transfers, drop and changes aren't anywhere near as quick as the Intamin system - just see how long it takes for Th13teen to drop and launch backwards, it's astonishing!

Also, Intamin could put a double station on it, which I don't think Zierer have ever done before. And the Intamin system is just better, frankly.

 

[Danny]

I’ve been told that the Grinch coaster proposal may see it added as a replacement to Poseidon’s Fury, possibly even reusing the attraction structure after some cosmetic changes of course.

I thought the plans were for Poseidon's Fury to be stripped out and be replaced by the rumoured Gringotts Coaster as a part of the WWOHP expansion?

Either way, I hope it doesn't happen. I love PF and it would be a damn shame to loose it. It would be a complete kiss goodbye to the Lost Continent and might also lead to the loss of the talking fountain, which would be a massive shame.

 

[Sam]

I thought the plans were for Poseidon's Fury to be stripped out and be replaced by the rumoured Gringotts Coaster as a part of the WWOHP expansion?

The Gringotts coaster is now being built at Universal Studios, on the site of the late Jaws ride. There'll be a Hogwarts Express train attraction linking the two parts of the Wizarding World.

Never been a massive fan of Podeidon's Fury, felt like filler when I went. No problem seeing it go for a new coaster at all!

 

[Benzin]

Why can't it be a Zierer?

Because throughputs any lower than Th13teen (which are pretty damn high anyway) would be disastrous for IOA. They need 1500 MINIMUM really, and I don't think the Zierer system can get anywhere near that. The transfers, drop and changes aren't anywhere near as quick as the Intamin system - just see how long it takes for Th13teen to drop and launch backwards, it's astonishing!

Also, Intamin could put a double station on it, which I don't think Zierer have ever done before. And the Intamin system is just better, frankly.

Verbolten has 5 trains, if it cannot hit 1500 an hour, then the operators are to fault for that...

I dunno how you can throw any a ride type which you haven't seemed to experienced, where many enthusiasts seem to have approved that the ride is very good, regardless of the different system... Indeed, what does a double station have to do with anything? Separate on/offload platforms can improve throughput without a need for an overally complex station system...

Just because the Intamin system is 'better', doesn't mean it's a park's best system to choose... Indeed, if parks just picked what enthusiasts deemed as 'the best' we would be filled with Macks, B&Ms and Intamins and nothing else...

I would not be surprised if Universal are looking at Verbolten, especially as it seems to have lacked the constant issues that Thirteen has had in it's two years...

 

[AstroDan]

Th13teen's reliability has been absolutely fine this season, and for the bulk of last. The problems only seem to bewitch it for the first 6 months.

Not that I am fussed whether they get an Intamin or Zierer system, presume Zierer is cheaper.

 

[Maelstrom]

A family coaster is something that is currently missing from IOA line up, as you have Hulk and Dragon Challanage as the thrill coasters, then the flight of hippogriff and Pteranodon Flyers are really kids coasters.

Interestingly the Grinch coaster was one of the first expansion plans for IOA back when it opened in 1999 (would have been on the spare patch of land near cat in the hat) but was then expected to be a bobseigh style coaster. There were so many projects planned for IOA after it opened but where all shelved due to IOA not performing as well as expected (the guest numbers at the resort didnt increase that much they just spread out between the two parks) and varuous other reasons that happned in the early 2000's. Other planned projects included a huge E Ticket Jurassic park jeap ride that would have recreated the T-Rex and jeap scene from the first movie, a jurssic park version of Disneys Sorin ride, i think a B&M flyer was also once considered as well from the JP area. Also in early plans for the Park the Marval area was going to a highy theme Batman area (there is concept art for this floating around the internet).

With the success for HP its great to see universal are investing big money in the parks with the new hotel, the London side of Harry Potter for Universal, a mysery new project under construction at the studios (expected to open late next year as a stop gap before the HP area is ready) highly runoured to be a copy of transformers the ride and now the possiblity of the grinch coaster at IOA.

More reasons to keep going back to Orlando!