Jackpotter
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Monday, March 30, 2009 7:54:55 AM
From all outward appearances Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom began removing their Huss Rainbow late last week.
Erik9976
Monday, March 30, 2009 7:56:30 AM
Maybe theyre taking it apart to inspect it
2ndgencarnie
Monday, March 30, 2009 8:06:15 AM
Thats too bad, It would be nice to think they are just performing some sort of maintenence or inspection but I doubt that is the case...
Jackpotter
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Monday, March 30, 2009 9:33:36 AM
On Friday they had a crane attached to the top of it where the Rainbow sign goes..holding it up as there was a crew (two guys) on lifts with torches cutting the bolts where the boom joins in the middle. The Gondola was already off. Today all that is left is the base sitting down in the concrete pit and it looks like they are working on getting that out too. There's a flatbed semi parked there by it as well which I assume will be used to haul it away. If they are taking it apart to inspect it then they are sure making it look permanent.

I'm assuming that with the incident a couple years ago with the accident at KY Kingdom, combined with the Rainbow accident overseas last year despite clearance to run the ride with repairs, that Six Flags didn't want to take another chance on another accident.
Predatorocks
Monday, March 30, 2009 9:58:07 AM
I think they took one out of Great Escape last year. They are going get rid of stuff so they can save money. It might also cost too much money for parts. Part of the reason they are making a profit (Pretend there is no debt.) is because of - rides, - operating expenses, and so on. I wouldn't be surprised if the Falling Star is next at Six Flags America, and Six Flags St. Louis.

That one year, Magic Mountain took out a Tilt-A-whirl, Baveryn Kurve, Intamin Generation Drop Tower 1, Rotor, and Psyclone. The year before they took out Flashback, or that could be reversed. Almost every park, they have been taking out stuff to save money.
cny_chris
Monday, March 30, 2009 2:41:14 PM
Not surprising at all. When you consider that most of the Rainbows are 25+ years old, the incident in Europe, and the litigious society we are in, the ride is a liability to the operator. I'm guessing that pretty soon, Mexico will have a bumper crop of Rainbows operating.[;)]

Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by Predatorocks

I think they took one out of Great Escape last year. They are going get rid of stuff so they can save money. It might also cost too much money for parts. Part of the reason they are making a profit (Pretend there is no debt.) is because of - rides, - operating expenses, and so on. I wouldn't be surprised if the Falling Star is next at Six Flags America, and Six Flags St. Louis.

That one year, Magic Mountain took out a Tilt-A-whirl, Baveryn Kurve, Intamin Generation Drop Tower 1, Rotor, and Psyclone. The year before they took out Flashback, or that could be reversed. Almost every park, they have been taking out stuff to save money.



You really don't understand anything about business in the real world, do you? Most of those rides you mention are older pieces. New rides bring in more visitors. It's not about saving money.
"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." - Lao-Tsu

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HUSSRAINBOW
Monday, March 30, 2009 8:34:14 PM
Thankgod Australia's one is safe... but is taking this year off, due to the owners health reasons.
UserPostedImage
Skywheelrider
Monday, March 30, 2009 11:11:04 PM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by cny_chris

Not surprising at all. When you consider that most of the Rainbows are 25+ years old, the incident in Europe, and the litigious society we are in, the ride is a liability to the operator. I'm guessing that pretty soon, Mexico will have a bumper crop of Rainbows operating.[;)]

Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by Predatorocks

I think they took one out of Great Escape last year. They are going get rid of stuff so they can save money. It might also cost too much money for parts. Part of the reason they are making a profit (Pretend there is no debt.) is because of - rides, - operating expenses, and so on. I wouldn't be surprised if the Falling Star is next at Six Flags America, and Six Flags St. Louis.

That one year, Magic Mountain took out a Tilt-A-whirl, Baveryn Kurve, Intamin Generation Drop Tower 1, Rotor, and Psyclone. The year before they took out Flashback, or that could be reversed. Almost every park, they have been taking out stuff to save money.



You really don't understand anything about business in the real world, do you? Most of those rides you mention are older pieces. New rides bring in more visitors. It's not about saving money.

I don't think he understands the real world, period.
"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first." -- Mark Twain
DrNickRiviera995
Tuesday, March 31, 2009 6:37:10 AM
Sad to see all the classics disapearing. I thought those older rides were still available through Huss last I checked, but I just pulled up their website and no Rainbow, no Troika, no Swing Around, no Flipper, no Condor...

I'm not a big fan of many of the newer rides. Seems like everything is either a major coaster or a kiddie ride. None of the parks are putting in the smaller thrill rides anymore.
HUSSRAINBOW
Tuesday, March 31, 2009 8:02:44 AM
there was news that HUSS would build a Rainbow etc for the right amount of money... but with the economy and the euro at the moment... it would be well over $4M for a new Rainbow..

I can dream..
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Jackpotter
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Tuesday, March 31, 2009 8:24:35 AM
As an update: it is ALL gone today. Just the concrete pit where it used to be remains.
Predatorocks
Tuesday, March 31, 2009 8:32:23 AM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by cny_chris

Not surprising at all. When you consider that most of the Rainbows are 25+ years old, the incident in Europe, and the litigious society we are in, the ride is a liability to the operator. I'm guessing that pretty soon, Mexico will have a bumper crop of Rainbows operating.[;)]

Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by Predatorocks

I think they took one out of Great Escape last year. They are going get rid of stuff so they can save money. It might also cost too much money for parts. Part of the reason they are making a profit (Pretend there is no debt.) is because of - rides, - operating expenses, and so on. I wouldn't be surprised if the Falling Star is next at Six Flags America, and Six Flags St. Louis.

That one year, Magic Mountain took out a Tilt-A-whirl, Baveryn Kurve, Intamin Generation Drop Tower 1, Rotor, and Psyclone. The year before they took out Flashback, or that could be reversed. Almost every park, they have been taking out stuff to save money.



You really don't understand anything about business in the real world, do you? Most of those rides you mention are older pieces. New rides bring in more visitors. It's not about saving money.



Huh?? The Intamin Gen was replaced with nothing. I think the Tilt-A-Whirl was replaced with a Basketball game. The Rotor was replaced with a fence. I don't know what the Baveryn Kurve was replaced with. Flashback was replaced with about nothing, but a Flash Pass stand. The Psyclone is being replaced now which was 2 years from than. They didn't put in a new Huss Top Spin for the Tilt-A-Whirl. They put in a Basketball Game. Of course, I know they are trying to make money by putting in a Basketball Game, but each flat gone means no operational costs (employees), and no more maintenance for that ride.

They are getting rid of the flats left and right though at Magic Mountain especially. People want to go on other things than roller coasters in an amusement park.

They are saving money at every park to turn a profit by getting rid of rides (and not replacing some of them) as I said along with increased revenue from sponsorships in the park plus tvs with advertisements during the segments, lockers (put this stuff in lockers while you go on the ride), getting rent money from restaurants like Johnny Rockets / Cold Stone, increased parking prices, increased discounts for season pass holders for stores (Everyday, they had a discount for something at a store basically.), and so on.

For Six Flags Great America, they took out Deja Vu but put in another roller coaster in the Theatre. The live stage Theater no longer plays shows in there, and thus they are saving money that way. They added a Basketball game, got rid of a water ride, and a simulator ride. An outdoor theater also doesn't have shows anymore like it did previous. Instead, once and awhile (Maybe, 5 concerts a year.) they have a major star in concert. At the park now, they open a big section towards the back of the park at 11 am even though the park opens at 10 am. It's to save money on operational costs.

For Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, they are probably going to put a basketball game in that Huss Rainbow spot, or another food stand.

They also said that they are doing less advertising on tv, and radio. They are trying to do more through the Internet.

This is how they turned a profit. They might have turned a profit, but huge debt is still looming.
Jackpotter
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Tuesday, March 31, 2009 9:48:55 AM
I can tell you this, Sponsorships are way down this year. Don't expect Six Flags to see any kind of revenue increase from sponsorships...if anything they'll probably see a decrease. It's gonna take a lot more than what you are saying to turn it around and make a profit.

Although...I do see your point. Your argument is that by removing rides and not replacing them they save money on operating costs. One less ride to run & maintain.

I say that's not why they took it out. My theory still is that with the Europe accident on the Rainbow that Six Flags KY Kingdom didn't want the risk of another accident like the drop tower deal a couple of years ago...especially with the negative PR it could cause by happening on the Rainbow, which now has a bit of a history.

Also, wasn't there a bulletin put out to make the neccesary repairs to the ride after the accident last year? Perhaps the costs were more than the park was willing to pay considering ridership on the ride?
Predatorocks
Tuesday, March 31, 2009 10:06:59 AM
http://database.thrillne...71/the_great_escape.html 

It is a Six Flags park even though it's not called Six Flags The Great Escape.

I think this accident happened last year. You have a good point that maybe they would have to get more insurance on that ride though, and extra stuff for it because of the accident.

The company has made a profit last year. Seriously. Though they are stil in debt, and have to get rid of the debt.
Jackpotter
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Tuesday, March 31, 2009 2:58:51 PM
Again, this is purely speculation...but...

I doubt it had much to do with insurance as it did what I'll term "risk management" since they just recently settled the very high profile drop tower injury case. From their standpoint, you'd think they may be thinking "why take a chance with a ride that was not cleared until recently industry wide".

I don't know where it went. I have driven around looking for it as you can weave your way through some side streets which lead around their storage and surplus lots. They have an old Enterprise looking ride racked and the old Vekoma Earthquake ride stored in pieces along with the kiddie apple/worm and something else stored on a trailer...but no sign of the Rainbow.