Cedar Point (CP) Discussion Thread

[Password121]

Just wanted to point out something I find interesting- tell me what you think. One of Cedar Point's claims to fame is being voted the "Best Theme Park in the World" by Amusement Today every year since '98. It seems that in USA Today's poll. Cedar Point is about to finish in 4th, behind none other than Six Flags Magic Mountain (as well as SFGadv and Dollywood). My question is, one, I assume these are different, unrelated polls, no? And two, does Cedar Point care/will SFMM care enough to a point that CP may try to get their record back in order with a hard push over the next few years in terms of capital investments? Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but I find it interesting, nonetheless.

 

Cedar point is voted best amusement park in the world by Amusement today's Golden ticket awards. Also if you look at the USA Today poll, it's for the best theme park. Cedar point is an amusement park NOT a theme park. Cedar Fair doesn't theme a lot, and when they do it turns into Disaster Transport. Cedar Point is still in the position of best amusement park however they have lost the most coasters in one park to SFMM.

I completely agree; however, if the poll is for best THEME park, there is no way you can give SFMM an edge over ANY park on that list. In the top 5, Dollywood SHOULD be in first if it based on theme parks.

[Tmcdllr]

SFMM does not belong in any poll that is about THEME parks.

[GCI Wooden]

Another thing about Six Flags parks ranking high is that on their website they have a link to vote for them on every page of their website, so anyone that goes on their website knows about it, all CP did was post it a couple times on Facebook and Twitter. The link brings you to a page where you don't see the other options. I think it should be Disney, Dollywood, and Silver Dollar City. Looking at the poll again Silver Dollar City isn't even on there as an option.

[ajfelice]

One little USA Today Poll isn't radically going to change Cedar Point's marketing or future plans. The award they care about the most is Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Award for Best Amusement Park. Even if they did not win the Golden Ticket, I'm sure it wouldn't change too much of anything, if anything at all. They can still proclaim themselves to be the "Roller Coaster Capital." Furthermore, is Cedar Point in direct competition with any of those parks ahead of it on the USA Today Poll? I don't think so, and again, I'm not worried about one silly newspaper poll.

[CPSFMMCW]

you have to remember that the GP, even newspaper writers, think that theme parks and amusement parks are the same thing. They just are talking about best park in general. And SFMM over CP? That just doesn't make sense.

[MagnumFreak25]

I just want to say this: No matter were you go and ask people what's better Cedar Point or Six Flags, The Answer is Cedar Point every time.

[3Mutts]

Oh come on if you are going to pick a Six Flags park pick one of the better ones like SFGAdv or SFGAm.

[GigaG]

I just fit on Wicked Twister. The test seat and real seat are now of similar size, and it seems as if the belts are longer or the buckles are closer. Can anybody confirm?

[GCI Wooden]

I haven't heard much speculation for 2015, has anyone seen markers or construction. Has anyone heard anything? All I've heard was Mantis being transformed into a Floorless. Has the park dropped any hints?

[MagmMForce247]

My question is why does Wicked Twister even have the back buckle. If I remember right my 12 year old skinny self had to use the forward buckle.

[CPSFMMCW]

^^ If you follow Tony on twitter, he messes with his followers by subtly hinting at things. Also in a blog CP posted, there were some markers around Blue Streak.Theres a also talk about a new dark ride with the whole Rougarou thing, but theres no concrete evidence there. And rougarou may end up being for the mantis conversion. So ya mantis may be the big thing next year.

[loop-de-loop]

^Isn't there a really strong rumour that Knott's will be getting a dark ride next year too? Maybe Cedar Fair is planning on adding dark rides to all their major parks.

[Oryp]

My question is why does Wicked Twister even have the back buckle. If I remember right my 12 year old skinny self had to use the forward buckle.

 

I'm not sure about Wicked Twister since I didn't get to ride it when I was there last year, but I'm a 6'2" guy and I use the back buckle on Possessed.

[Superbatboy]

Even though SFMM is my home park and I think people are way too harsh on the place, in no way is it better than CP

[GigaG]

My question is why does Wicked Twister even have the back buckle. If I remember right my 12 year old skinny self had to use the forward buckle.

 

I'm not sure about Wicked Twister since I didn't get to ride it when I was there last year, but I'm a 6'2" guy and I use the back buckle on Possessed.

 

Possessed has very loose restraints, but the ops will staple you.

 

As for Twister's buckles, they seem to now be screwed onto the third-to-front position, which is the closest to the belt (easiest to buckle.) I guess Possessed might have physically longer buckles. Twister's new system seems less roomy than Possessed. More like the new belts on SFDK's V2 (which are still fairly large sized.) Also, the test seat was redone to make it more similar to the real thing (it used to be much smaller than the already-small seats - the buckle on the test seat was between the back and front buckles on the real seat.) Or at least I think it was redone.

[MisterP]

I rode WT last month, and couldn't come close to buckling the test seat (it was a shoulders thing), but gave it a shot anyway because there was no line at all, and I fit pretty comfortably once I got on the ride...

[tarheel1231]

Question....

 

Why do people fail to understand the theme of Gatekeeper?

I've seen people say that the coaster has no theme at all, and it's just a bird. It's clearly themed to a Griffon, but they can't just call it that since BGW took that name. I just don't understand why people can't clearly see that the coaster is themed to a Griffon. The entrance sign has Griffons on it, and people still think that the ride is just a bird that flies over the gate.

[Tmcdllr]

Question....

 

Why do people fail to understand the theme of Gatekeeper?

I've seen people say that the coaster has no theme at all, and it's just a bird. It's clearly themed to a Griffon, but they can't just call it that since BGW took that name. I just don't understand why people can't clearly see that the coaster is themed to a Griffon. The entrance sign has Griffons on it, and people still think that the ride is just a bird that flies over the gate.

 

Ok so explain exactly what the theming is, how it ties to that area, and what makes it themed to a Griffon.

[GigaG]

^I remember seeing some sort of ties to a griffon. I think Gatekeeper is supposed to a generic "guardian." The guardian is a griffon, of course, but the theme is quite generic. It is supposed to be, it's a "general" theme to set the mood for the park.

 

Would TPR pull pictures taken from the Skyride or Giant Wheel? Technically, CP doesn't allow photography on those, but I don't see why.

[OrlandoGuy]

Question....

 

Why do people fail to understand the theme of Gatekeeper?

I've seen people say that the coaster has no theme at all, and it's just a bird. It's clearly themed to a Griffon, but they can't just call it that since BGW took that name. I just don't understand why people can't clearly see that the coaster is themed to a Griffon. The entrance sign has Griffons on it, and people still think that the ride is just a bird that flies over the gate.

 

Ok so explain exactly what the theming is, how it ties to that area, and what makes it themed to a Griffon.

 

um...well he just did. Thats what his whole post you just quoted was about. Im not sure how you missed that.

 

However I dont really see the big deal either way. Cedar Point isnt a theme park. Its about the rides. If people dont know the true Gatekeeper theme, I dont think its a huge deal...it doesnt really significantly affect the ride experience in any way.

[Tmcdllr]

Question....

 

Why do people fail to understand the theme of Gatekeeper?

I've seen people say that the coaster has no theme at all, and it's just a bird. It's clearly themed to a Griffon, but they can't just call it that since BGW took that name. I just don't understand why people can't clearly see that the coaster is themed to a Griffon. The entrance sign has Griffons on it, and people still think that the ride is just a bird that flies over the gate.

 

Ok so explain exactly what the theming is, how it ties to that area, and what makes it themed to a Griffon.

 

um...well he just did. Thats what his whole post you just quoted was about. Im not sure how you missed that.

 

However I dont really see the big deal either way. Cedar Point isnt a theme park. Its about the rides. If people dont know the true Gatekeeper theme, I dont think its a huge deal...it doesnt really significantly affect the ride experience in any way.

 

um...well... I didn't miss anything. He said he didn't understand why people don't get the theme so I wanted HIM to explain what it is, which he did. Since he explained basically what it is in a clear way, that says that the theme is not difficult to understand, which is what I was going for, supporting what he said.

 

Do you understand that?

[Samuel]

Here’s my quick-hit review from a trip the Point on Thursday, 8/7. The weather was great, and crowds were moderate. Lines were about 30-45 minutes for the B&Ms and Magnum, and 1-1.5 hours for the Intamins. I go to Cedar Point every year, and I have a pretty good pulse on how rides are running – this time, a few took me by surprise:

 

Millennium Force – I’ve had rides in the fog during Halloweekends where MF is just hauling, and it gets my #1 coaster slot. Oddly, like during this visit, I’ve also had plenty of *only* good rides on it. The first drop still delivered excellently, but the rest felt a bit pedestrian for reasons I can’t really put my finger on. Still a favorite, though. 8.5/10

 

Dragster – Every time I think I’ve ridden it enough to be familiar with the feeling of the launch, it surprises me and takes my breath away all over again. The hill is almost an afterthought to me: I just love that launch. 9.5/10

 

Magnum – Holy smokes, this was the surprise of the day. Listen, I know the thigh pain and back-thwacking action of Magnum, and while I appreciate the coaster historically, it’s usually not one of my favorites for these reasons. I rode in the middle row of the back car three times (once I find a good seat, I stick to it), and each lap was coaster bliss. Great airtime, unusually smooth, no thigh pain, no back thwacking! Results may vary with Magnum, but it was running superbly – at least in that row. Give it a try there! 9/10

 

Maverick – Another one that took me by positive surprise. I'd ridden Maverick 20+ times coming in, and honestly I never cared much for it. There’s just too much defensive riding for my taste, and my feeling is that any newish coaster that has to post “Take out your earrings” signs isn’t as perfect as enthusiasts want to imagine.

 

Well, THANK YOU to whoever wrote the advice of holding onto the horse-collar near the head and pushing up during the transitions (I know I read it from someone here). Again, I don’t like the idea that there’s a right and wrong way to ride, but it DID made the experience much more palatable, and I really appreciated the elements this time without being physically battered. The only draw still against the ride for me is that this type of seat (same with Fahrenheit) gives me butt stapling! That’s right, butt stapling. It feels like my tailbone is getting ground into the bottom of the seat as the restraint clamps down throughout the ride. With some train modifications, this would be near the top of my coaster list. 8.5/10

 

Wicked Twister – Going up the rear spike in the last row is one of my favorite coaster moments. There’s still an innate part of me thinking in fun, “Uh-oh, what if this is going too high!?” The launch is pretty aggressive, too. I think the upward transitions are intense and a smidge too tight, leaving me feeling a bit exhausted afterwards, so usually one ride per visit is enough for me. I still like it overall. 8/10

 

Gatekeeper – A very beautiful coaster. I kept taking pictures of it throughout the day to keep as candidate photos for my computer background. Unfortunately, that’s the best aspect of the ride. As for the ride experience, it’s a vanilla dud. The train moves lethargically through the elements, and it’s a bit bumpy, too. That airtime hill does not deliver, and I think a Hair Raiser-style airtime bump in its place would’ve been more effective and could’ve tremendously helped with the overall pacing. It’s smoother and has a nice feeling of wind in the front, but I don’t think any part of the coaster is particularly thrilling. 6/10

 

Raptor – I ended up stuck on the ride at the end of the night for 30 minutes and got some exit passes for another date for the trouble. I’ve had some awesome and smooth rides on Raptor, but it was running a bit violently on Thursday. I like the old school snappiness, but the cobra roll and a few other notable spots were just rough. Speaking of, can they not modify 10 feet of track to eliminate the harsh transition into the brakes? It feels like an unnecessarily sloppy conclusion to an otherwise typically-solid ride. 7/10

 

Mantis – It's fun through the dive loop, and then it’s a positive G clinic and head-banger’s ball to the end. I actually love the current color scheme, but I’m in favor of a revise. 5/10

 

Mean Streak – It’s the Eeyore of Cedar Point’s collection. It really isn’t the worst ride in the world, but it under-delivers for its size to the point that I feel sorry for Summers & Dinn, the park, and everyone who rides it. I will be astonished if it doesn’t get RMC treatment within the next 2-3 years. If it does, it’ll be hilarious if Mean Streak starts outranking Millennium Force and Maverick in polls. 4/10

 

Gemini – Only one side was operating, and it kept going down throughout the day. I snagged one ride on it, and it was not bad. I think the first drop is fun and unexpectedly steep, but there are a few bumps in that Arrow mine train sort-of-way along the course. 6.5/10

 

Blue Streak – A fun out-run with nice airtime, but after the turnaround the train started bobbing and bouncing all over the place on the return. Not the best, not the worst. 6.5/10

 

Power Tower – I enjoy the space shot side and its pop of air at the apex of the first thrust, but both tower types are less thrilling to me than an Intamin drop. I think the ride’s presence disqualifies the park from pursuing an attached drop ride on Dragster, so I guess we’ll have to continue appreciating it for what it is. 6.5/10

[SFOGdude25]

On the topic of Mantis, One of the things I kept thinking about with the floorless conversion rumors is that floorless trains would require the floor drop mechanism to be retrofitted into the station. I don't know how hard/easy that would be, but it just seems a little impractical when a just as good option would be to use the open-air sit-down trains like those on Wildfire. They appear to sit just as high as the floorless trains, but they wouldn't require the dropping floor in the station, so the transition from stand-up to sit-down would be a bit more practical and seamless.

Photo taken from the TPR Index.

[SingleRiderCam]

On the topic of Mantis, One of the things I kept thinking about with the floorless conversion rumors is that floorless trains would require the floor drop mechanism to be retrofitted into the station. I don't know how hard/easy that would be, but it just seems a little impractical when a just as good option would be to use the open-air sit-down trains like those on Wildfire. They appear to sit just as high as the floorless trains, but they wouldn't require the dropping floor in the station, so the transition from stand-up to sit-down would be a bit more practical and seamless.

We think that the floorless conversion is possible because it has once happened before on Sheikra. Example:

 

Before:

 

After:

And the Wiki article for Sheikra said that the station was modified so people can board the floorless trains. So if Cedar Point can modify a station, they can make Mantis a floorless coaster.

[GigaG]

^Good point.

 

Manyis provides one big challenge - heartline. On one hand, a standup has a higher heartline. On the other hand, a standup has to be designed so both low and high heartlines are reasonably comfortable.