southpuddle

Honestly, Voyage in its original brand-new state is what I really want, and I don't ever want it to age. Impossible, I know! God I have such amazing memories of that ride when it was in its first couple seasons. Haven't been to HW since 2010, but I feel like I wouldn't mind the roughness that some people seem to over exaggerate.

I'm sure they took into account tremors... [youtu_be] [/youtu_be] My first ever trip next month has been canceled due to the unreliability of Lightning Rod. Cinnamon bread isn't going to be enough for me to spend the cash and use vacation time. Sorry, Dollywood.

I've had a fantasy of HW RMCing Voyage with topper track, but staying mostly true to the original layout (maybe 90% the same). My Voyage rides in 2006/2007 were amongst my all time favorite of any coaster my entire life. They were heaven. If RMC could smooth Voyage out and give their maintenance crew a big time break at the same time, that would be phenomenal.

Judging by those recent pics of Riddler, the faded yellow support color was indeed a primer. Some of those supports clearly have been painted a much more vibrant yellow. Hallelujah!

As a former Cedar Point employee, I can tell you that the weather in October ranges from perfect to freeze your nads off/windy/rainy. In other words, what he said.

How does anyone think it was painted too soon? Riddler was still sporting its original paint from 1998 and it was faded as all getup. Granted, it looked better than just about any other 19 year old coaster that had never been repainted (seriously, whatever paint they used was some seriously hardy stuff) but it most definitely needed a fresh coat. Anyway, I was hoping that the yellow on the supports was just a primer and that they would eventually be a brighter shade, but I think it'll look fine once it's all said and done.

I think we are definitely looking at a third lap here, and so happy that they're essentially staying completely true to the original overhead layout! Mean Streak always had such an interesting layout, it was just executed poorly. Super pumped and hopeful that the third lap twists and flips riders through a dense forest of lumber just how the original ride did!

RMC generally has built their converted rides from start to finish (a few exceptions, most obviously the lack of a lift hill currently on MS), so it would make total sense that we haven't seen any work done for the third lap until the second lap has been built.

I'm in the same boat. Never been to Dollywood. Planning to go mid June this year. Canceled last year because of reliability issues with the new star attraction.

So the park is open... is the Mean Streak picture ban still in effect? *ducks*

Three separate credits on one track! *ducks*

The park also has its very own climate and weather from that of mainland Sandusky, so checking the forecast now is pointless.

God, opening day can't come soon enough. This cycle of new posted photo followed by two pages of the photo police telling us why it is/isn't illegal is growing tiresome. That is, assuming once opening day comes, the construction photo ban will be lifted... As for my actual contribution to the thread, that new hill looks bonkers. It appears to be close to the same height as the original third hill, based on the old wood that is still intact. It's evident that RMCs lose their speed faster than the original wooden ride, but they added a TON of structure to the second hill, so I'm thinking that there is going to be some extreme airtime on this third hill. Can't wait. RMC is gonna pull out all their tricks on this ride. I have this feeling that it'll be their Magnum Opus.

During my five years at the park, we'd average one or two trespassings a year for guests who brought in their own liquor and were obviously plastered and actin a fool. Trespassed for public intoxication. I think it was only for a year, though. Not a total ban.

I'm usually against altering the color scheme of major coasters, but I would love it if when Maverick gets repainted, if they changed the support color to a dark brown instead of the tan that they are now, and the track to a more muted red. It would just make it feel more western.

Sounds like the whinings of a teenager who is bored with their home park. Don't worry lil fella. Some day you'll be able to visit Cedar Point. And I hardly think you'll be complaining that you have a dozen world class coasters to choose from all at the same park.

I'd love to see a barrel roll drop on New Mean Streak, but somewhere mid-course. Keep the first big drop traditional. Best of both worlds.

It's hard to tell exactly how much footage has been added to the height, and it's anyone's guess right now as to where the lift will peak out, but less than 40 feet needs to be added to the original MS height to make it 200-feet. It looks like 15 feet or so has been added as of now, and only roughly half of the new lift is in place. That gives us 30 feet added when all is said and done (assuming the lift peaks in the same location as the original MS, which again, is anyone's guess). Also, I can't wait for the ensuing pages of conversation revolving around the morality of posting those pictures.

This offseason is going to be unbearable. Hardly anything interesting to follow, and the hottest conversation on TPR is currently revolving around cargo shorts

I guess I wasn't aware that InvadR would be prtially steel-supported. Interesting. I think this is the perfect addition for a nearly perfect park.

Same. Even though I love the RMC red tracks on many of their rides, I'm glad Cedar Point is making this "look" like a wooden coaster. Also, I'm hoping for a few inversions on this thing, if only for the fact that Cedar Point doesn't have an inverting coaster without OTSRs.

This picture is the best visualization of topper track vs. I-box track.

For the love of god, Cedar Point, please announce soon. I don't know how many more "Brown Streak" jokes I can physically take

In respect to Wicked Twister's November 2001 announcement, do you think that anther news story, say around the first half of September 2001, when the park may have originally planned to announce the ride, just maybe persuaded them to push back their announcement? In respect to Dragster's January 2003 announcement, that ride barely opened on time in May. There's a good chance that they were waiting on Intamin to be more confident that they could actually get it to work before the park announced that it would be ready for opening day 2003.

Also add the fact that the Breakers expansion won't be ready till 2018, likely in anticipation of massive crowds. I mean, I'll eat my hat if they surprise us and open it next year, but I still think it's highly unlikely.