The eleven Cedar Fair parks are home to some of the best coasters and thrill rides in the world. Every year, they build a wide array of new attractions for their parks, and there are always some great rides built. From last year’s awesome additions of Rougarou and Fury 325 to the world’s number one coaster, Millennium Force, new thrills are always announced. This year, the chain of parks is going to bring new and thrilling rides to several of their parks. Since the announcements are coming soon, I decided that I should predict what they will build this year. Here are my thoughts and predictions on what the chain will build this year!
California’s Great America – California’s Great America is one of Northern California’s premier parks. The park is home to a wide number of thrills from their GCI wooden coaster, Gold Striker, to their B&M invert, Flight Deck. In 2016, we are expecting that they will fix their standup roller coaster, Vortex, by giving it the floorless coaster treatment. The “floorless treatment” is taking the standup cars and replacing them with floorless coaster cars. Cedar Fair tried this in 2015 at Cedar Point, which replaced their standup coaster’s cars with floorless cars. The floorless cars dramatically improved the ride experience and are entertaining guests at Cedar Point on their newest ride, Rougarou. This modification will improve the ride, but will it be enough to compete with the competitor, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, which is rumored to be receiving a Rocky Mountain Construction wooden coaster? I don’t see this competing with that, but it definitely will be a great improvement from the standup coaster that currently stands.
Canada’s Wonderland or Kings Dominion – Of all of the parks in the Cedar Fair chain, Canada’s Wonderland and Kings Dominion are the hardest two parks to predict. In 2016, I think one of the two will receive a new roller coaster, but it is nearly impossible to predict which one. Kings Dominion needs a roller coaster more than Canada’s Wonderland does, since they haven’t received one since 2010. On the other hand, Canada’s Wonderland receives roller coasters more frequently than Kings Dominion does. I see one park getting a B&M wing coaster and the other receiving a thrill ride package. As for the thrill ride package, it probably would include a couple of Zamperla rides, such as an Air Race and maybe a Disko. Personally, I think Kings Dominion is going to be the park to receive the coaster. They have a lot more land that can be cleared and I think it’s their year for a new coaster. This one is my “wild” pick, but I’m going with my feeling that Kings Dominion will receive a new coaster. Canada’s Wonderland has received two roller coasters since Kings Dominion received its most recent coaster, so I think that they will be the ones to get thrill rides in 2016. If you want to see more about a possible Kings Dominion 2016 coaster, click here!
Carowinds – This one is a no brainer, Carowinds will most likely receive a waterpark expansion in 2015. The park has been teasing it since the announcement of Fury 325 and have even started a hashtag on twitter to help spread rumors. I am predicting a waterpark expansion in the place of their dueling wooden coaster, Thunder Road, which closed recently. The ride was right next to the waterpark and will open room for more slides and a separate waterpark entrance. I expect them to add a couple of new slide towers and rebrand the waterpark into a “Soak City” waterpark, like other former Paramount parks have in the past. Carowinds will most likely receive a waterpark expansion 2016.
Image – Cedar Point on Twitter
Cedar Point – I don’t think I need to say much on this one. Cedar Point announced the date that they will announce their 2016 project, which the coaster community has proclaimed as a new B&M dive coaster that will be titled Valravn. The idea was leaked months ago and a lot of land has been cleared already. Sadly, I don’t think this will be the best fit for the park, which is home to both a B&M wing coaster and a B&M floorless coaster. A dive coaster is a hybrid of these two types of coasters and I don’t think it belongs in a park with both of these great rides. I’m excited for this heavily rumored ride, but I’m not sure that it will be the right ride for Cedar Point.
Dorney Park – I don’t think it will be a big year for Dorney Park. I can see them receiving a small thrill ride in 2016. I’m thinking that they will receive one of the Zamperla flat rides, which would possibly be an Air Race or a similarly thrilling flat ride.
Kings Island – Two years ago, Kings Island built Banshee, a major steel coaster. Last year, they built family rides. This year, I expect Kings Island to announce a waterpark expansion. They will probably add another slide tower or possibly a kids splash tower. I think Kings Island will receive a new addition in their waterpark.
Knott’s Berry Farm – After last year’s major Triotech dark ride addition, I think this will be another Cedar Fair park that will receive a waterpark expansion. Knott’s Soak City will probably receive another slide tower. I expect an off year for the main Knott’s park.
Michigan’s Adventure – Not too many realize this, but Michigan’s Adventure is turning 60 in 2016. I expect them to celebrate their anniversary in 2016 by looking back to their past. There are no rumors coming out of this park, so I don’t think they will do very much in 2016.
Valleyfair – Even though they received one last year, Valleyfair will probably get another Soak City expansion in 2016. Rumors have pointed to them building another parking lot back behind Soak City and possibly adding a new gate directly into Soak City. I agree with these rumors and I think they will focus on a new gate/parking lot for Soak City. Now, there is a chance that the park will receive more slides in 2016, but I don’t expect this to occur. I see the only new gate and lot being built. Another possible 2016 option is to celebrate Valleyfair’s 25th anniversary. All they have to do is throwback to the past by bringing back some classic traditions from the park’s past. Kings Dominion did this recently and I can see more Cedar Fair parks, including Valleyfair, celebrating their anniversaries in the same manner.
Worlds of Fun – I don’t think that it’s Worlds of Fun’s year for a coaster. What I can see is them installing a brand new thrill ride. The same idea that I’ve had for other parks applies here, a Zamperla Air Race attraction. This ride is not installed at too many parks in the US and would be a thrilling addition for 2016. I would be happy to see this ride come to this park and other Cedar Fair parks.
Those are my 2016 Cedar Fair predictions! What do you predict the Cedar Fair parks will receive in 2016? Do you think that Kings Dominion will receive a roller coaster in 2016? How about Canada’s Wonderland? Comment below or let us know on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! You can also find us on YouTube, Google+, and Tumblr! Thank you for visiting Theme Parks and Travels! Be sure to follow us here on WordPress and share with the buttons below!
Want to see my 2016 Six Flags Predictions? Click here!
Want to view the original location of images? Just click on the picture! If an image does not have a source listed, it is our own image. Feel free to use our images, but please, and I can’t stress this enough, list us as the source! Thank You!
