Mystic Timbers - Worst Ending to a Coaster Ever? Give Me a BRAKE!

Author: Dwain Sponseller

As I was perusing social media this afternoon, I came across someone who asked a question to a group of coaster enthusiasts.  The questions read: “Does Mystic Timbers have the worst ending to a coaster in all of the American parks?” After reading the comments of those who answered the question and the sheer fact that the original author of the post completely agreed that the answer is yes, I decided that I cannot take any more of the nonsense and write a blog about the situation.  The title of this blog might surprise you because it might seem as though I agree, but let me tell you that is the farthest thing from the truth.

As Mystic Timbers was announced last year and we had the instant marketing of #whatsintheshed? The coaster universe began to speculate about what exactly could be in the shed.  Animations of the ride came out and ride renderings that showed the shed and what it looked like allowed for a plethora of ideas to surface about what could be in there.  There were extreme ideas like a drop track similar to Verbolten, but if anyone was following the news closely, GCI had mentioned they had nothing to do with the shed, therefore nothing could be done with track because the design team and manufacturer would have to know about it.  Another wild idea was that there would be a barrel roll in the shed and once again, anything with track would be far-fetched.  Please understand that any and all ideas were good ones when the shed was being built and people were speculating.  Every one of us who considers themselves an enthusiast had an opinion of what was in there.  Looking at the theme, I was convinced we were going to have an animatronic saw blade that was going to come down and look as though it was going to cut the train in half.  Other administrators on this site had similar ideas such as an animatronic tree to something reminiscent of a haunted room. 

This past week, the public found out exactly what was in the shed, and immediately the backlash started. There has been a constant barrage of idiocy on the internet amongst everyone about how disappointed they are about what is in the shed.  Everyone had expectations way too high and the way that people are bashing the park and the designers is absolutely absurd.  The use of the video screens and the images and animations that are used is a perfect way to end the story line that begins when you hit the entrance.  Seeing the truck that is wrecked against the entrance pole just begins an immersive story which you do not typically get with a Cedar Fair roller coaster.  The train is supposed to signify the truck as it busts out of the shed because of what is in the shed.  The train takes you on a wild ride through the woods only to get back to the shed where you are warned not to enter.  Inside of the shed you have the music and the video screens that showcase multiple scenes which makes multiple rides on the coaster a must. 

After riding the coaster a few times and seeing the animations on the screens, it dawned on us that the images are paying homage to one of two things.  They are using current roller coasters and their symbols in the park in the scenes or it could even be coasters that are now extinct from the park. One of the scenes shows a snake which could be for Diamondback or King Cobra.  Another scene shows bats and of course we had the old Bat and the new Bat.  The third scene is of course the tree that represents Mystic Timbers and then my favorite of course is the very rare Beast scene. 

The more I looked at the question that was on social media the more absurd it looked.  They were comparing this ending to Adventure Express and saying that it was a worse ending.  The idea of putting this shed where it is located is brilliant.  One of the worst things about roller coasters especially at a park like Kings Island is sitting on the transfer track and the brake run waiting on trains to unload in front of you.  The park took this into account and must have said something like, "What can we do to make the worst part of a ride something that still allows for some suspense and thrill?"  The shed delivers exactly as it is supposed to.  After taking a ride on one of the best wooden coasters in the country, you then get the anticipation of what is going to be in the shed.  With the fact that the animations can change at any time, your experience on the ride will be different every time.  I do not know many coasters that can say that.  Most of the time I find myself enjoying the roller coaster and then dreading the pressure of restraints while sitting on the transfer track.  With the shed, it allows me one more thrill on the worst part of a coaster.

In closing I want to say that for everyone who is complaining about how disappointed they are in the shed, I think you fell into the trap of marketing and never really thought it through what could really be in the shed.  The shed is exactly what it is meant to be and I believe that it is something that we can enjoy for years to come.  Besides, the shed is just icing as the ride itself is out of this world!
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May The Queue Lines Be Ever In Your Favor