Cedar Point (CP) Discussion Thread

[VF15]

The fact that Cedar Point actually commented on the leak leaves me to question its realness. It does seem to be a little late to be looking at options for 2016, so this could be for 2017/2018.

 

That's what I was thinking as well. I had always heard that the process of a park getting a new coaster takes about two years, and based on what we've heard from Bryan Edwards, it sounds like they may still be in the early planning stages, but I could be wrong, and it's totally possible that the Dive Coaster could be coming in 2016.

[GnastyGnoric7]

I am planning an overdue trip to Cedar Point in June. I will be staying on property at the Sandcastle Suites from June 9th to the 12th, and taking advantage of their 2 day ride and slide package. I will also be purchasing FastLane Plus for both full days. Does anybody have some helpful tips, such as crowd levels in early June, and if FastLane Plus is really necessary on both full days?

[_koppen]

Really pointless addition IMO.

 

Park should get a really high quality family coaster, or even two. Their current family coaster selection is a joke for a park of Cedar Points standard.

[coasterchitchat]

They really need a wild mouse or a spinning coaster before tearing down Mean Streak or doing anything in the big kids steel coaster department.

[janko828]

If they don't get a dive coaster, i think they should get something like Steel Dragon at Waldameer. It is intense but family can enjoy it too.

[GwaziBSRider1]

I am planning an overdue trip to Cedar Point in June. I will be staying on property at the Sandcastle Suites from June 9th to the 12th, and taking advantage of their 2 day ride and slide package. I will also be purchasing FastLane Plus for both full days. Does anybody have some helpful tips, such as crowd levels in early June, and if FastLane Plus is really necessary on both full days?

 

If you're doing two full days, I wouldn't even bother buying FL+ right away. Crowds are light that time of year, especially since you're visiting during the week. You should be able to just enjoy the park at your leisure.

 

If they don't get a dive coaster, i think they should get something like Steel Dragon at Waldameer. It is intense but family can enjoy it too.

 

I wholeheartedly disagree. While I do agree with everyone that a family coaster is very much needed, but something like Steel Dragon would just be a mistake due to the capacity.

[Geauga Dog]

I wholeheartedly disagree. While I do agree with everyone that a family coaster is very much needed, but something like Steel Dragon would just be a mistake due to the capacity.

 

I disagree. If you're concerned about capacity then explain why Wildcat lasted as long as it did? Family coasters are usually not high capacity rides and given how CP's height restrictions are questionable (see Iron Dragon as an example)it wouldn't surprise me if a new family coaster would have a 48" height limit.

 

If we're going the spinning coaster route a Gerstlauer like Spinning Dragons at WOF would not be a bad addition.

[ImNotOneOfYou]

I could see them adding a family coaster along with a Dive Coaster. SFMM transformed Superman, built Green Lantern and a family coaster in the same year.

[JWAddington]

I am planning an overdue trip to Cedar Point in June. I will be staying on property at the Sandcastle Suites from June 9th to the 12th, and taking advantage of their 2 day ride and slide package. I will also be purchasing FastLane Plus for both full days. Does anybody have some helpful tips, such as crowd levels in early June, and if FastLane Plus is really necessary on both full days?

 

Start in the back of the park. Don't head up to Raptor or GateKeeper area until at least 2. The crowd should be spread out by then. I went on Thursday, June 19th last year, and did what i just typed above. The lines were at or ahead of the FL merge point. The people that bought FL were bitching about how they wasted their money...blah blah blah. So don't buy FL until you get a feel for how busy the park is. I was prepared to buy it, but was happy i didn't when Millennium Force and Dragster lines were ahead of the merge point pretty much all day.

[BlahBlahson]

If you need a family coaster at Cedar Point then you need one at basically every park I guess. I think what they really need are lower height restrictions and a family themed attraction. Iron Dragon, Blue Streak, and Cedar Creek Mine ride are all family coasters that run in other parks at 42 inches. They also have Pipe Scream and Woodstock Express, and at approximately 7 years old and 48 inches you can ride 11 coasters, more than about anywhere.

[nicman]

Right now I really doubt that Cedar Fair would install any big coaster, maybe they are planning some family style Vertical Drop Coaster if that is possible.

[RyanTPM]

^What's your reasons as to why they wouldn't?

[nicman]

^

1. They just got Gatekeeper two years ago

2. They are getting Rougaroo

3. There are more Cedar Fair parks that need a new coaster over Cedar Point

4. Cedar Fair usually wait's 4 or more years for a new coaster

Edited January 20, 2015 by nicman

[coasterchitchat]

2. They are getting Rugaroo

Not to backseat moderate, but it's Rougarou. Google it up or check the park's website if you aren't sure how to spell something.

 

3. There are more Cedar Fair parks that need a new coaster over Cedar Point

 

It is only a matter of when the park feels comfortable adding a new coaster. Some of them added a ton of rides/coasters back then, but want to go low tone with ride additions now and focus on the waterpark instead.

 

4. Cedar Fair usually wait's 4 or more years for a new coaster

 

There is no set pattern a park/Cedar Fair follows. When the park is ready, they'll ask for proposals, find one they like, tweak it, and then give it to Cedar Fair for approval. Cedar Fair can say yes or no at this point.

[jarmor]

Why are people saying 3 B&M's in a row? Are people really counting rougarou as a "new" coaster???

[coasterchitchat]

FYI- According to the park's website, Coaster Campout will be on May 28 and 29 this year.

[woolandmammoth]

^

1. They just got Gatekeeper two years ago

2. They are getting Rougaroo

3. There are more Cedar Fair parks that need a new coaster over Cedar Point

4. Cedar Fair usually wait's 4 or more years for a new coaster

 

1. By the time the new attraction would open, it would be 3 years ago. As a point of reference, Millennium Force, Wicked Twister, and Top Thrill Dragster were all built in a 4 year span. By that mark, GateKeeper and "DiveHawk" in 3 years wouldn't be unheard of or even really that surprising.

 

2. First off, they are not getting Rougarou. "Rougarou" has been there since 1996. Paint is considered regular maintenance because when paint stats to fade there is a decrease in protection from rust. Switching the trains is clearly only a fraction of the cost of a new addition. The investment here is so small on the scale of additions that if anything, it really is only happening to put something "new" in the commercials. This would hardly be any reason to delay a new major attraction.

 

3. When those parks have attendances that match Cedar Point's, they will get more frequent additions. They will never match Cedar Points, thus they don't get new additions as often. This is basic business sense. Putting new rides into a smaller market park devalues the possible return on investment.

 

Lets say you have two parks that each pull (for the sake of numbers) 100 guests per year. Park A has not added a new coaster in 7 years and park B hasn't added a new coaster in 3 years. If your research has shown that a new coaster would increase park A by an additional 10 guests per year and park B by 12 guests per year, which park are you putting the coaster in at? Especially if park B is charging more at the door the boot.

 

Now it is clear that new rides must be added periodically to keep the public interested, but they are not needed or expected at nearly the same intervals at smaller parks.

 

4. Time isn't nearly as important as timing. Here are the years that every recent Cedar Point coaster was built:

 

Iron Dragon - '87

Magnum XL - '89

Mean Streak - '91

Raptor - '94

Mantis - '96

Millennium - '00

Wicked Twister - '02

TTD - '03

Maverick - '07

Gatekeeper - '13

 

There have only been 2 times since 1987 where the additions were 4 years apart. However there have been 4 instances where attractions were added in a span of 2 years. Therefore by this flawed logic, this dive coaster would be, historically, 1 year overdue. What you will notice by analyzing the years of additions is that there is no real pattern. As somebody who studies informatics, let me reassure you that this list of numbers has no meaningful correlation or pattern.

 

Don't take this post the wrong way, I'm not attacking you, I'm just tired of hearing these same 4 flawed arguments being thrown around with no real evidence to back them up. The reality is, if Cedar Fair thinks now is a good time to add a coaster in, they will. 2014 was a tough season for Cedar Point. Attendance was down significantly under projections. It wouldn't surprise me if the time frame for the next major coaster was shifted to try and boost attendance.

Edited January 20, 2015 by woolandmammoth

[Password121]

I'd like to state my opinion on the potential of a dive coaster in 2016, as well as point out that many of these "reasons" some are saying why it wouldn't happen are not legitimate.

 

1) Gatekeeper was only two years ago, yes, but if $15 million is a legitimate figure, there's no reason why not.

2) There is no pool of money in a Cedar Fair bank account that is designated to specific parks each year. The parks that turn a higher profit can invest more capital, so Cedar Point would be at or near the top of the list.

3) Rougarou is not a new coaster, please stop saying "Cedar Fair usually waits four or more years." No. Stop.

4) Rougarou is a comparatively small investment to many other recent Cedar Point investments. I'd be shocked if the entire transformation touched $10 million. A major investment at smaller parks, not so for Cedar Point. Same for 2014.

5) Hotel Breakers renovations were built into the budget beforehand, furthering my point that 2015 is an off year.

6) It's Cedar Point. The same park that used to build a coaster practically every other year for a good while. At $15 million, I'm sure another CF would get a major coaster (if the project is even real).

 

My $.02

[drummermattk]

i think i did read somewhere, might have been Screamscape or Cedar Points facebook or a rougarou files video, but someone from Cedar Fair stated that if the conversion from Mantis to Rougarou goes well, that theres other Coasters that they are thinking about transforming.... any thoughts?

[grsupercity]

i think i did read somewhere, might have been Screamscape or Cedar Points facebook or a rougarou files video, but someone from Cedar Fair stated that if the conversion from Mantis to Rougarou goes well, that theres other Coasters that they are thinking about transforming.... any thoughts?

 

yea the whole vortex at cga and carowinds has been brought up for transformation.

 

Now if it makes sense or not is another story.......

[thrillrider]

Looks like there is some progress in the station. The pictures are from the parks twitter.

Kicker wheels are now in place.

Edited January 22, 2015 by thrillrider

[thepoint4life23]

something else to think about is that they have built many flat rides in between the Roller coaster That are still a big investment .

Power tower 1998

Maxair 2005

Skyhawk 2006

2010 Shoot the Rapids was built

Windskeeper 2012

So they still do things is the off season. the only thing that people keep forgetting is the cost of the hotel breakers remodel. Zk

All i will say is that i dont really what a dive coster, but also not sure what i want maybe a good woodie

[grsupercity]

thats what she said ^

[JWAddington]

From what i remember reading, the hotel renovations were paid for with the money from the selling of the waterparks in California.

[thrillrider]

The park just released the park hours for this year here....

 

https://www.cedarpoint.com/hours-directions/cedar-point

2015 Cedar Point Operating Schedule.pdf