Hilltopper39

It would be interesting to see what GG could do with that thing. I think SOB still has a lot of potential just because of the sheer size of the structure but at the same time that size of the structure was a big reason why the ride was so unbearable to begin with. I don't really know if timberliners can save it or not as long as it's still a 215 foot tall wooden coaster with wooden coaster trains. Thats why my vote is still to do a full rocky mountain with the new Gerstauler trains. Although if GG raised the bottom of the first drop from 200 some feet to like 175 feet and maybe re profiled it as a crazy long double down it might be cool.

^If they properly limit the number of Fast Lanes they sell everyday then I don't think that the normal standby lines will get that out of control. It will probably take a little while to test and adjust how many is too many per day but once they figure it out then it should be fine. Yeah a significant group of people riding one ride over and over and over might cause some issues but that is the worst case scenario and I don't think the type of people that will pay for the Fast Lane would do this. I think it's a great idea.

^ I don't know, I do agree that Mean Streak was at one point at least a decent coaster but I think that SOB is a much better candidate for the Full Rocky Mountain Treatment. I think with some track work and new trains Mean Streak could be decent but SOB has no chance to ever be a decent ride again without some type of major overhaul, it never was that good to begin with. I also think that considering Kings Islands current coaster lineup a properly reworked SOB with a new layout and trains and full Rocky Mountain treatment would easily make it one of the top 2 or 3 rides in the park, but I don't think that's the case with Mean Streak. I'd love to see Cedar Fair invest in a multi-ride package deal with Rocky Mountain Coaster to cover several of their major wooden coasters at all of their parks. Cover Mean Streak, SOB, Ghost Rider, and maybe even eventually do some topper track rehabs on the Beast, Shivering Timbers, Hurler, Grizzly, Timberwolf, Racer and any other wooden coaster out there.

But do they really need to do something with it? I'll be the first to admit I think the ride sucks and I would love to see some topper track or I-beams on it, but I don't think the park seems a huge motivation to do so. The ride in its current state draws decent crowds (it usually is in the top ten rides - counts wise for the year at the park) and probably would draw more crowds if it wasn't in the very back. A lot of people really like it - we have been on other wooden coasters we know that the grass is greener but to most people Mean Streak is this tall, epic looking ride that shakes you around "like how a wooden coaster should" as my one friend put it. If the rides still draws plenty of rides and for the most part the public enjoys (maybe not loves, but doesn't hate) the ride in its current state then why spend loads of money to change it? I kind of agree with you here, I would love to see them do a rehab on the ride and add topper track or just do a complete overhaul like the Texas Giant but your right they don't really have to. At SFOT The Old Texas Giant was the parks signature attraction that was starting to age a little and by upgrading it they were able to return it to the parks signature attraction again. Mean Streak never was the signature coaster at Cedar Point. They could completely re do the coaster and turn it into the best ride in the world but the general public would probably still regard Dragster and Millennium Force and Maverick as the best rides in the park. And who knows maybe fixing Mean Streak is as easy as a little track work and some new Timberliners. That would certainly be a much cheaper option then a complete NTAG treatment or tearing it down and completely replacing it.

I wonder why they limited it to the hours of 12-7pm? That seems like a bit of an odd stipulation that no other ride reservation system (that know of at least) has. But other than that this sounds like a great idea, and a great value as well. I wonder if leaving off Invertigo has to do with the layout of the station limiting the access? Just the thought.

El Toro is amazing enough as it is, but as you said, CP would take it up a notch and make it the tallest, fastest, steepest, etc. version...which would totally kick A$$. Something like that would definitely give their collection the quality boost it needs. I don't necessairly think they would have to go for a record breaker with a new woodie. Maverick is a good example of them Building a smaller non significant record breaking ride that focused more on an unique experience with a great layout in an imersive atmosphere and It it turned out to be one of best coasters in the park (and most popular). If they go with a pre fab intamin on a boardwalk settng Id expect to see more Balder than T-Express, otherwise with a GCI or Gravity group I would rather see them focus on a great layout in an awesome themed atmosphere (like Maverick) instead of trying to plus a normal Coaster into some kind of record breaker just for the sake of breaking a record.

Can't wait for the details, I love Halloscreams. Even though Horror Night is probably a better and more complete event I always end having a better time at Halloscreams. Night rides on Kumba plus decent houses and atmosphere makes for an awesome event. "Can't Wait!!" -Bart Scott

Jupiter @ Kijima Kogen in Japan

I'm glad someone with some know and some sense finally said something about it!!!!!! I still am shooting for a boardwalk themed area around DT and WT with a nice woody traversing the beach Harry Traver style!!!!! I agree, and said a while back that the falling objects would be the biggest reason for not using that space and not the space itself. I think everyone wants to see a boardwalk area with a wooden twister, it would be great, but would everyone rather see a GCI, a gravity group with Timberliners, or a custom Intamin pre-fab on that boardwalk?

Sounds like Cedar Fair got a killer deal on some clearance Dinosaur models. Buy 1 park get 3 free!

^ A Zac Spin has a foot print of just over 4,000 square feet, and the infield of Dragster where the lights are is over 17,000 square feet, I think it would fit.

Its ok to come up with something crazy but having some sort of evidence to make it a viable talking point is, or should be, common sense. Just like if I said "Hey, I think theyre going to build a 200ft dive machine with a 100ft underground tunnel" That should get shot down by someone with knowledge of CP's topography and the insane hurdles youd need to jump over just for that to work. Hence, its a pretty weak discussion. THAT was the point everyone was trying to make...apparently that was grossly missed. If you wanted some evidence you could have just asked.... so here goes Using a simple image from Google Earth, and the measurement tool in Google Earth we can see that the space within Dragster's infield is approximately 75 feet wide by 231 feet long.. infield dimensions, 75 feet by 231 feet. Now if you go to S&S Power's web site you can read that 3 of the 3 standard El Loco coaster models dimensions measure will all fit comfotably within that space (45'x185', 45'x195', and 40'x230' the last would be tight but it does fit). So that's a 9,000 square foot footprint in a 17,000 square foot field. Also I'm sure that the smart engineers at S&S would love to the opportunity to design a custom version that would even better utilize the space. http://www.engineeringexcitement.com/rides/coasters/el-loco Also using those same dimensions, on Intamin's webste it is clearly stated that the largest and most extreme Zac Spin has dimensions of 40m x 12 m or 131.23 feet x 39.37 feet. Both designs comfortably fit in that space a less than 4,000 square ft foot print in a 17,000 square foot field. Again I'm sure the engineers at Intamin would likewise love to opportunity design a custom bad ass version Zac Spin for their favorite customer-Cedar Point. http://data.sphosting.ch/Intamin/Media/ZacSpin%20Coaster/ZacSpin%20Coaster.pdf Anyone still think there isn't enough room for an attraction in there? Now to that whole fire truck OSHA stuff, like I said in most of the posts the old riverboat que area could possibly be reused for the station for a coaster. If that area has worked as a station for 20 years it presumably has adequate paths for sorts of fire and emergency OSHA access and will still be accessibly if similarly used. A Lift hill could go over Dragster into the infield, the brake run could go under dragster or through the structure back to the station. In this picture from Google earth you can see that there is a triangular piece of land with approximately 12,500 sq feet of space... Triangular area for station, 12,500 sq feet And you zoom out a little more you can see that there is over 12,500 square feet of space for the station/que/transfer area, over 17,000 square feet in the infield for the ride itself and plenty of pathways and access areas that the park has used for YEARS for emergency access, that I;m sure will be adequate in the future. overall area But wait there's more! Ifs you want to really get froggy you could jump the ride over the river and onto Millennium Force's Island. Utilizing the path measure tool in Google Earth you can see that a 1 way path around the perimeter of the a section of the island is close to 2,000 feet in length... If yo throw in a helix or a double out and back or something you could probably easily get a 3000 foot long coaster in combination with the island section, the infield section and the station area. 2000 foot long pathway So if we zoom out even further we can see that there is clearly enough space between the old paddle wheel station area, the infield of Dragster, and a section of MILF island there is adequate space for some type of addition. I know that island might be inhabited by dinosaurs some time in the near future but hey T-Rex + Barrel = Themeing !! overall area So in conclusion I still think that there IS enough room in Dragster's infield alone for some type of attraction. It still will probably never happen and is a probably not a great idea, but from the perspective of sheer space and dimensions there definitely is space! So Real, whats more ridiculous now, digging a 100 foot deep subterranean tunnel on an island, or building a 9,000 sq foot based coaster in a 17,000 square foot field ?

What an aweome looking water park. Did those uphill slides have any type of propulsion system on them like a master blaster or they hydro magnetic rocket slides do? I didn't notice anything, and don't think I've ever seen an uphill section without any type of assistance but those looks awesome.

^ I appologize for not considering OSHA standards and fire codes in my initial Blue Sky conceptualization idea on a theme park message board, didn't realize I needed to submit the closing paperwork with idea post number 1. Do you really think I want to see an electrical fire, seriously? Come on man This clearly isn't going anywhere you think Im wrong I think Im right so we'll just leave it at that. But when they need to move Jr Gemini I know there's a spot in the park in which it WILL fit, it may not be a good fit but it is a fit. Again Im sorry for attempting to contribute to the thread, didn't realize that I was gonna get gang raped by a pack of Cedar Point fanwolves.

Your obvious sarcasm to cover up your annoyance with our replies... it fails. No need to get all crazy because no one liked your idea. It happens. No need to respond like an upset teenager. You thought outside the box but not very logically or imo, with common sense. Oh lighten up and have a sense of humor (maybe read that disclaimer at the botto of the page). I never asked anyone to like my idea, I really don't even think it's a good idea, all I was saying was that there is space existing in that area that a properly sized and designed attaction will fit in. Your responses didn't make me upset in the least but they did remind me why myself and a large percentage of people in the coaster world completly despise Cedar Point and just about every other park in Ohio. Sorry for attempting to contribute to your thread!

I'd be intersted to see how they apply the fast pass/Q-Bot system to these existing parks. Half of the que lines aren't currently capable of handling an additional fast pass line and I would think they would have to either renovate the existing ques or let peole load from the exit platform. I'm pretty familiar with the Flashpass concept at six flags but have never actually used it, do you enter in the exit or is there and actual flashpass enterance for most rides that merges somewhere near the station ?

that would be awesome, great idea man! But if this is true CP better seriously invest in some surface to air defense technology because someone could drop a paper airline off of Dragster that might fall near an operating attaction and someone could lose an Eye!

^^ According to all the experts in this thread there is no way a GCI will ever get built on that island because there isn't nearly enough room for a fire truck to extend it's outriggers and there isn't an access road to OSHA would never allow anything to ever get built on that island. And why would they ever build a coaster anywhere near Millenium Force, it's one of the parks signature attraction and buidng a wooden coaster around it might mess up it's visual aesthitcs by actually giving riders something to look at and thus keeping them Awake during that incredibly boring island section. Heaven forbid you mess with the skyline too. This isn't RCT, you can't just build a coaster on a piece of empty land, there's way more to it than that That's what some people would say, as far as Im concerned if that mini golf place in Wisconsin can fit a kick ass wooden coaster like Avalanche around their tiny facility then Cedar Point can probably find a way to squeeze one onto MILF island.

it'd be just like on Toy Story Mania

^ Yeah if I'm going to a new park that Ive never been to that has more than 5 or 6 new credits Id be willing to spend the extra money to make sure I get all the credits and have the best day I can possibly have. I'd say that the majority of non season pass holders and non enthusiasts families that visit most parks visit 1 time and 1 time only each summer ( maybe every other summer), and spending a little more to get on everything would probably be worth it.

^ I agree that denying someone a ride can be a little uncomfortable or difficult at times, but as a ride op that is kind of your job. Being a ride operator isn't the easiest job in the world (not the hardest either) but there are only a very small amount of things that can go wrong from an operations standpoint that can also result in a critical accident, and not enforcing rider requirements is one of them. I don't really think that the park can be blamed for lack of significant training, and your right this whole situation is very very bad for everyone involved, but at the end if the day the ultimate fault for the accident will be on the operations team. I'm sure bartenders hate turning down people under age from drinking but that's their job and those are the rules.

I never said that they WILL build a ride in that area, I never said that they MiGHT build a ride there, I never said it was a good idea or a bid idea, in reality it will probably never ever ever happen. I was just trying to saythat there IS a significant amount of free space in which they COULD build a ride in if they ever needed to. Not that it matters but I doubt a 40-50 foot tall coaster would significantly affect the Skyline that has 7 attractions over or near 200 feet tall. And I agree if you remove the car ride, or shuffle around some flats, or use some parking lot or build a boardwalk there are plenty of other and better options for space for new attractions, but space will eventually be an issue. It may still be 5, 10, or maybe 20 years away who knows, but it eventually be an issue.

I'm really interested to see what finally happens to Son of Beast. Feels like it's finally time to make a move with that thing for better or for worse.

I thought pointlessly arguing about coasters that will never get built (but really could be) was all part of the fun. What the hell else is there to talk during roller coaster rumor and announcement off season?

I thnk I mentined somewhere re-using the paddle wheel excursion station as the area for the coaster station. I'm sure if OSHA fire truck regulations allow them to use that as a station now then they could use it as a station again for a coaster in the future if they wanted. All I said was that there is enough room in the infield for a layout of certain types of coasters. Engineers are smart, and they're capable of designing things so that all safety regulations and codes are met and they're creative enough to design around little obstacles like this. Good idea or terrible idea it could be done, and that's all I was trying to say. And I agree that Cedar Point is not Grona Lund and there is a certain but if aesthetic integrity that the park has and likely will maintain in the future, and cramming a coaster in that infield might compromise some of that aesthetic integrity. I also think that you would have to agree that any major additions to that park at some point in the future will require removing an existing attraction or sacrificing some of that aesthetic integrity at the few available pieces of land on that peninsula, one of which is Top Thrill Dragster's infield.