Cedar Point Changing, bad and good

[CedarPoint89]

im kinda Angry right now with cedar point (im going in two weeks) because of development. I can Give you 4 reasons, Scwabinchen, Dogem 1, Pirate Ride, and the Cedar point Cinima, theese rides attractions have either been altered or taken away, they may seem small but they contributed to the all around filling of cedar point. They are tearing down quality things for Huge roller coasters, i dont mind the rollercoasters but taking all this stuff out makes CP feel kinda empty. Alot Of the theming is gone that they used to have and so is the polish, like the 60's look of the Dogems 1 and some of the stands is old and not as live as it once used to be, i think instead of building a ride or coaster, for 1 year CP just work on Themeing and polishing the park up so itll look new and refreshed, add scenery buy land, thats what they need to do (I know they really cant buy more land but maybe they could build on the lake)

[Harpo]

I partially agree, but not entirely. I do think it's unfortunate that quite a few smaller rides have been removed, and I've actually written to the park about that concern. I also understand the park's reasoning: they're older rides, with a "carnival" appearance that any two-bit amusement park or traveling show could have.

As for removing the Cedar Point Cinema and replacing it with Snoopy Rocks On Ice, I can also understand that move. When Cedar Point built the Cinema, it was only the third IMAX theater in the world. IMAX theaters are now becoming fairly common -- there are a couple in the Detroit area alone. But, an ice show is rather rare at amusement parks, hence they're providing something different, while also being family-oriented. I miss the IMAX theater, but I think the ice show is a good thing.

The park has been doing on-going upgrades to the infrastructure. Of course, it's a big park -- such improvements are expensive, take time, and don't contribute to the bottom line. So, they will continue to do those improvements a bit at a time.

As for theming, I'd rather not see Cedar Point spend money on theming. If I want great theming, I'll go to Disney or Universal. If I want great rides, I'll get to The Point.

As for enlarging their space, well, it comes down to an "arms race" issue. There are some plans in place for enlargements (although I'm not going to provide details). Whichever plan they choose to implement will be expensive. One of them was scheduled to happen in 2002, but the arms race kicked in -- Magic Mountain was going to pull ahead in the coaster count, so Cedar Point added Wicked Twister. Cedar Point's coasters are their claim to fame, and they wanted to retain and regain coaster records. The economy was also a factor -- they weren't sure about a major multi-year expansion when they weren't positive about the effects that would be seen from a struggling economy.

Overall, the park wants to provide unique experiences, and I think they're doing a great job with that goal. However, I will agree that I'd like to see them keep some more of the small rides for those who are still a bit nervous about riding roller coasters.

[CedarPoint89]

I have an Idea for Expansion, Build a Pier, and they could build Roller Coasters based in the water but that probably costs more money than one of their other ideas, because ground underwater is sometimes unstable, plus they get water spouts and tornads so i guess it would get torn apart.

P.S. I havent ridden Dragster yet, how is it? :up: or :down:

[Harpo]

Personally, I love Dragster. It ranks as a tie with Raptor and Millennium Force for my favorite coaster.

However, Dragster is not for everyone. It provides an exhilirating launch, an awesome view, and a great twisting freefall. Those factors don't appeal to everyone. If you prefer a ride with lots of ups and downs, or with lots of twisting action, then you'll be disappointed in Dragster. If you like rapid acceleration and the feeling of freefalling, then you'll love Dragster.

A pier... what a novel concept. I wonder why they haven't thought of it. (Trying to look innocent, as if I know nothing of what they've been considering.)

[iAMpaste001]

I have to tell you, I was sad too when they took the Schwäbinchen out. That was one of the few rides I rode at CP in the days before I started riding the coasters. It was one of my favorites and I still wish it was there. But hey, if you go to the Carousel Museum in Sandusky, they have the statue of the lady on display! :D

[Harpo]

Well, rides that are gone that I'd like to still see there would include:

Rotor
Earthquake Ride
Bayern Kurve
Tiki Twirl
Schwabinchen
Fun House
Jumbo Jet

For some of the attractions (Earthquake, Fun House, Pirate Ride), I know that they had significant issues with getting spare parts. They couldn't keep the rides running, so they gave up and tore them out. Rotor was shipped off to ValleyFair, but it was irreparably damaged in transit. Jumbo Jet had a terrible maintenance record, so they gave up on that one, too.

But, I guess it's all part of progress. Fortunately, Cedar Point is still there. In the name of progress, it almost disappeared in the 1950's, when it almost became a housing development. So, as I see it, we're lucky we've got The Point at all!

[CedarPoint89]

I remember when i was little and rode paddlewheel excursios, there were little scenes of skeltons in bars, drinking and shooting their guns off and dressed in westrn cloths, did they take theese away for the MF? Because if they did im dissapointed, that was pretty funny, i dont know if this is possible, but one time the skeleton shot a cork out of his rifle and hit my moms friends husband, i was crackin up, it was a relaxing , ride, but now the millenium force makes noise, and so does mantis, it will never be the same

[Harpo]

Right scenes, wrong ride. The scenes you're describing are from Boneville. The train to Boneville departs from the Frontiertown CP&LE Railroad station.

I've always felt that they should play a modified Monkees tune for that train ride. Naturally, that tune would be Last Train to Boneville.

The park actually added to the Boneville characters a couple of years ago, so there's no need to be disappointed!

Paddle Wheel Excursions has its own set of characters, but they aren't skeletons. There's a battle across the water. That battle is fought by wooden figures using wooden guns to shoot wooden bullets. Naturally, if one hit you, it wooden hurt. You'll also see Bucky Beaver and his wife, Leavitta. Bucky finally chews through that tree. As it falls, he's been quoted as saying, "It was nice gnawing ya." Then there's the professor, trying to create his flying machine. Naturally, the wings were made out of fly paper. And don't forget the man washing his pigs. He recycles the water, bottles it, and sells it as swine cooler.

Some of the old characters are now gone, however. For example, Spot the Bear was removed. Naturally, he was called Spot the Bear because he stood on the same spot for 9 years. (Well, it was longer than that, but they always used the number 9. I don't know why.) They renamed the dog Spot. The dog used to be known as Timex. Any idea what kind of dog he is? A watch dog, you say? No, he was a Cedar Pointer.

It sort of reminds me of a Muppet Show sketch featuring George Burns. After a terrible joke about Gonzo fiddling while George Burns, George remarked, "I like that. It's nice to hear a joke that's older than I am."

[iAMpaste001]

Originally posted by CedarPoint89
but now the millenium force makes noise, and so does mantis, it will never be the same

The Millennium Force makes noise? Are you sure? Personally I can't hear anything over the deafening roar of Mantis...:p

[CedarPoint89]

Am i going insane or did cedar point used to be open from 10 to midnight more than just once a year, because when we go, we try to be there for the longest time possible

[iAMpaste001]

I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but...you're going insane. I wish there was something we could do for you. No seriously, you're right. It was only open till midnight on July 4 this year (I believe) but it used to be open that late a lot more.

[Harpo]

And, from someone who used to work many midnight closes, I can tell you that the park generally emptied out by about 11. The majority of the park was a ghost town from 11 to 12, so I can see why they've adjusted the hours.

[CedarPoint89]

The 11:00-12:00 hour was the best, everything was a walk on except for the raptor

[Harpo]

Naturally, from a rider's perspective, the walkons from 11 to 12 were fabulous. From a business perspective, if people aren't there spending money, it makes sense to not be open during that period.

Being that I'm both a coaster rider and a Cedar Fair stockholder, I can see both sides quite clearly. It sometimes makes it a bit tough... when I go to the park and it's a bit quiet, as a rider, I'm glad, but as a stockholder, I'm sad. When I go to the park and it's packed to the gills, as a rider, I'm irked, but as a stock holder, I'm delighted. Ah well. Life's all about give and take!

[Hyde244]

Yeah, right now, I'm really missing the trees which where taken out for dragster, also, the Fronteir Trail got recked when they put in MF. But I really hate that they took out the Pirate Ride to put in an arcade, which they took out, so now, it is a just a building that supposedly is used for storage, but I dont think that anything is in there. Also, another thing is that I think that DT should be renevated badly, because now, since I rode it last, half of the lights of the half that still work, arent working. pretty soon, it'll be a ride in complete darkness. I mean, it used to be that there where there where robots that talked in the line, but they took that out and put the whole work garage in, also, there used to be audio, like when the overheating sign used to pop down, a voice would say, "overheating" and also there was a voice that said "we're losing control!" I think that they shouldrenevate, or make it avalanche run once again (an outside coaster). Well, I really miss the dolphins, but one of them died, so they couldnt help that, but now that Splah 2003 is there, it is pretty kool. If ur ever in the park, try to see Splash 2003, and if u dont want to get wet, sit a lil higher up.

[Harpo]

Originally posted by Hyde244
Also, another thing is that I think that DT should be renevated badly,

Actually, I think that's part of the problem: It was renovated badly. Oh well. Theming never was Cedar Point's strong suit!

Looking to the Pirate Ride building... the cleaning crew offices were moved into that building. Their offices were demolished to make way for Raptor. As a result, they were moved into the Pirate Ride building.

As for the dolphin show, from 1980 to 1996, they announced the four Atlantic bottle-nosed dolphins, "Misty, Breeze, Cocoa, and Striker!" Cocoa and Striker died in August 1996. The show ran in 1997 with Misty and Breeze, but Misty died over the winter 1997-98. Breeze was then sent to a "retirement" facility in Florida.

[CedarPoint89]

i dont know if its still there or not but somewhere on the corkscrew midway about 50ft or so past the iron dragon iremember seeing a little pond and in that pond were 2 concrete blocks raised up, sticking out of the blocks were supports and track, just about 2 pieces of track going strait, you could barely see it through the trees, the pieces of track were steel, old and rusted, so does anybody know what once was here, i dont have my park my with me so i cant pin point the location but i think im pretty close :weird:

[Harpo]

Hmmm... in 34 years of visiting The Point, I don't recall the item of which you're speaking. However, I could take some guesses.

Where Power Tower now stands, there used to be Jungle Larry's. Prior to the construction of Corkscrew, I have a map (1975) showing a bridge going out from Jungle Larry's in the general direction of the Frontier Trail.

The Frontier Lift used to go over the lagoons. Part of the Frontier Lift still exists: the buckets are now used on the Sky Ride.

There is some old looking track located in the lagoon. If you ride Paddle Wheel Excursions, you'll see that it's part of an animated display featuring an inventor who's trying to get his new flying machine off the ground. If you only see the bottom part of the display, it can look like remnants of a very old coaster. Oddly enough, that's the newest display on Paddle Wheel Excursions -- it was just made to look old.

[TopThrillJunkie]

Originally posted by CedarPoint89
I have an Idea for Expansion, Build a Pier, and they could build Roller Coasters based in the water but that probably costs more money than one of their other ideas, because ground underwater is sometimes unstable, plus they get water spouts and tornads so i guess it would get torn apart.

P.S. I havent ridden Dragster yet, how is it? :up: or :down:


Dragster is AWESOME, but sadly you wait all that time for a small bit of time on the ride, just remember... its better with your arms up! forget that "ARMS DOWN" stuff they say!!!! but if u go and your a 1st time rider, dont wait for front, the longer you wait, the worse chance you have of it breaking down on you for the day (hasnt happened to me, but ive watched it... im a 6 time rider of the front seat lol)