A fix for Screamin's scream tubes (with "concept art")

[AGD]

Why not just add wooden (or faux wood) box tunnels, like you'd find on classic roller coasters of the period? Actually... you find them on all wooden coasters, practically. Then you don't have to worry about seeing outside of the park, and they'd be period-appropriate.

Yeah, I was considering something like that--the only thing is that the rest of the coaster is styled to be something totally open-air (like the ones others have linked to above). I think that definitely has potential, but I couldn't visualize it in a way that didn't look a little...odd. Like I mentioned in the OP, I was originally thinking of putting some Victorian architectural elements over the tubes, but somehow I just couldn't get the concept to blend in with the rest of the coaster.

[A113]

Screamin's Tubes would be better if they had faux wooden texturing on it. Or make it look like this:

[MainStreetJake]

I think a lot of people do, but noise regulations require for them to be there so the screams and shrieks of the riders don't disturb the surrounding houses.

I like the concept sketches! Looks very effective, although I agree with what someone above said about them potentially being red. Would be much more attractive than the horrible teal but more eye catching than plain white.

Doesn't Knott's have residential living across the street? And if so, then how come they got away with building Ghostrider, and Xcelerator?

nice idea but I am not sure about clear tubes. I could just imagine the maintenace problems with those. They would look pretty bad in just a few weeks. Not only would the sun make them yellow but they would also get filthy.

I rather they just come up with a new paint scheme and work with what they have to add some detail.

The problem i have with them now is that the lighting on Screamin but especially the tubes have not been maintained properly. to many spotlines turned off or not changing color like they used to and many more light features burnt out.


The bottom supports especially the overhead areas that people cross should also be hidden. The worst one is the one next to the Hot Dog stand. That large section that crosses over the walkway should be hidden behind a nice wood arch. It would help hide all the air and electrical tubes and give the area a better appearance. Oh and please do something about the ugly rails around the main supports on each side of the path

I totally agree. I think they should keep CS white. There's alot of color on the boardwalk, and white offsets everything really well. The scream tubes do need to be refurbed/replaced. I think the red would go nice with TSMM, or a darker blue. If they don't replace them (which they should!), I say repaint them, and add corresponding lights to that color (i.e. - Red tunnels, the lights change from dark red, to red, to orange, to yellow. Dark Blue Tunnels -from purple, to blue, to light blue, to green). With the rest of the lights, change the ground lights illuminating the structures from blue, to white, or light orange. Add popcorn lighting to the whole track, just like most classic wooden rollercoasters have today.

If they do change them, create a actual "building". Similar to the "roofs-on-water, but aged, and not plastic looking. Give the tunnels a weathered look, and add popcorn lighting on the "ceiling" of the "roofs".

With the crossovers over the walkways, create a archway, with a wooden look, and with the guests eye-level, create era-posters advertising the Pier attractions"

[WesternRiverExplorer]

Why not just add wooden (or faux wood) box tunnels, like you'd find on classic roller coasters of the period? Actually... you find them on all wooden coasters, practically. Then you don't have to worry about seeing outside of the park, and they'd be period-appropriate.

This would be my choice. I get where the OP is coming from, trying to emulate lattice I think, but it would end up looking more modern than what we have now I believe.

For a while I've wanted a removal of the current tunnels and put in box tunnels as you say. I'd keep one side open still and have sort of an arch colonnade looking out onto the bay. Put in some popcorn lights on the ceiling and sides, add a cupola at the top hill, and lots of pennants, and your golden. Here's a sketch I did of the idea a long while back (please ignore the giant snake, it was a bad experiment):



It's not perfect, but it's a start. I'd probably change the cupola a bit, add more pennants...

[Bexington]

i remember suggesting on this forum clear scream tubes made of whatever material is on the maliboomer scream shields. i wonder where that guy who promptly shot down the idea is?

[dogtherock]

I would like that very much! Good idea!

[AGD]

This would be my choice. I get where the OP is coming from, trying to emulate lattice I think, but it would end up looking more modern than what we have now I believe.

For a while I've wanted a removal of the current tunnels and put in box tunnels as you say. I'd keep one side open still and have sort of an arch colonnade looking out onto the bay. Put in some popcorn lights on the ceiling and sides, add a cupola at the top hill, and lots of pennants, and your golden. Here's a sketch I did of the idea a long while back (please ignore the giant snake, it was a bad experiment):



It's not perfect, but it's a start. I'd probably change the cupola a bit, add more pennants...

Wow, I love the colonnade idea! That's beautifully rendered, and the arches keep it open and not overly boxy. All of my attempts to do Victorian ended up to "heavy" looking, but that's really nice & light.

(I was relieved to read the dragon was an abandoned concept! )

[WestsideCM99]

This:

The spires add fluidity to the rest of the buildings. The dragon gives it kind've a pleasure island feel. I like this.

[Syndrome]

If the faux woodgrain panels are used, why not just put in a faux woodgrain panel covering over a red scream tube? That way the inside would be the same but the outside would match the rest of the pier.

[AGD]

If the faux woodgrain panels are used, why not just put in a faux woodgrain panel covering over a red scream tube? That way the inside would be the same but the outside would match the rest of the pier.

I'm afraid I don't follow you...would the inside be the same as it is now (which is teal), or as the rest of the attraction (none of which is red)?

[Syndrome]

I'm afraid I don't follow you...would the inside be the same as it is now (which is teal), or as the rest of the attraction (none of which is red)?

Sorry for being unclear. Yes, the inside would be red although I guess it really doesn't matter. I was more referring to painting the exterior red but making it look like wood.

[Nautilus]

What's ironic about this drawing is that they had plans (and even went to the model stage) for a villains coaster with the Sleeping Beauty dragon exactly how you have the snake here.

[WesternRiverExplorer]

That drawing was made around the time there were still rumors floating around about the Villains overlay, so yeah, that's where the snake (Jafar) came from. I'm still not sure if I would've prefered they go that direction, but I know I wouldn't want to design it, it's very difficult to mix carnival stylization with well known characters and distinct limits (the shape of the tunnels).

Sigh, that's when I was so certain they would actually fix Screamin's problems sooner rather than much later...

[Seawolf]

That concept above is perfect minus the snake. I really like the little artistic thing you have under the loop. That's more what I was hoping the fun wheel would have all over it.

[AGD]

That drawing was made around the time there were still rumors floating around about the Villains overlay, so yeah, that's where the snake (Jafar) came from. I'm still not sure if I would've prefered they go that direction, but I know I wouldn't want to design it, it's very difficult to mix carnival stylization with well known characters and distinct limits (the shape of the tunnels).

Sigh, that's when I was so certain they would actually fix Screamin's problems sooner rather than much later...

I'm glad that they didn't go the villains route with Screamin'--there's just too much optimism on a seaside pier that the villain theme wouldn't quite work, especially on an open-air coaster. If they were to do a villains coaster, it would need to be completely enclosed & immersive like Indiana Jones. Just having some dragons & witches tacked onto the open wooden structure of Screamin' would look like the cop-out attempts at theming found at a Six Flags.

That said, the dragon idea and I go way back! When I was five or six and went to Disneyland for the first time, I was convinced they needed to have a Sleeping Beauty roller coaster in honor of my then-favorite movie. All I remember of my grand plans was that one of the drops would be when they were throwing the spinning wheels out the window, and for another you'd follow Prince Phillip's sword up the lift hill and then drop down through Maleficent's mouth. I even drew concept art! By which I mean, I scratched out a dragon with a track going through the air and down its throat, in that classic preschooler-with-a-ballpoint-pen style. I'm afraid that's been lost over the intervening years, but I would be so happy if it turned up somewhere in my parent's files!!