After many years of fun (and dangerous) rides, Wildcat from Cedar Point will be removed prior to opening day and sent to a recycling plant. Cedar Point announced they will expand Celebration Plaza in part of that.
This news just makes me sick. And their announcement is crap.
Cedar Point wrote:Cedar Point remains committed to being the roller coaster capital of the world.
Uh, NO. Now you only have 16 roller coasters. Even without Deja Vu, Six Flags Magic Mountain wins. And don't try and argue quality, because Cedar Point has plenty of mediocre coasters.
Well it was over 30 years old, and Wildcats aren't in short supply. Though it does suck they're not even trying to sell it though, there are still a few Wildcats out there still running strong from the 60's.
I get the feeling based on the timing of this announcement along with the lack of anything new, I bet the state inspector showed up and requested special NDT on it that the park didn't feel like paying for.
Either way it works out for me, it's one less reason to head all the way out there, that was one of the very few must hit's for me there along with Magnum, Blue Streak and Raptor.
Favorite Wood Coasters: The Voyage, Ravine Flyer II, Thunderhead, Balder Favorite Steel: Voltron Nevera, Steel Vengeance, Expedition GeForce, Olympia Looping Parks visited: 232, Coasters Ridden: Steel: 894, Wood: 179, Total: 1073
The ride was apparently testing a few days ago which leads me to assume something happened during the testing. Perhaps something the park didn't want to pay for or bother fixing. As they stated, it was expensive to keep a ride while losing its popularity.
Top 3 Steel Coasters: 1. The Incredible Hulk 2. Maverick 3. Dragon Challenge (Fireball)
Top 3 Wood Coasters: 1. The Beast 2. American Eagle (Red) 3. Hades
Really bummed about this... probably mostly because I'm an Anton Schwarzkopf NUTcase. I don't have the same level of comfort and FUN I have on his rides.
Went back to CP last summer after a 10 year hiatus - and sure nuff - Wildcat was still the most *FUN* ride (for me, anyway.)
CoasterDemon wrote:Really bummed about this... probably mostly because I'm an Anton Schwarzkopf NUTcase. I don't have the same level of comfort and FUN on other rides as I do on his.
Went back to CP last summer after a 10 year hiatus - and sure nuff - Wildcat was still the most *FUN* ride (for me, anyway.)
Another mark against Wildcat is the capacity; the new guy is big on capacity.
They *could* get Gerstlauer (who operates out of the old Schwarzkopf factory, with some of the same staff) to build a completely BRAND new model, of course. Leave everything EXACT - the seating, profile etc. Just update to new mag brakes and a modern lift, of course. CP can get 2 of them - that will double the capacity... (great ideas start somewhere!)
FParker185 wrote:For some reason Cedar Fair tends to ignore German rides like Gerstlauer, Maurer and Mack.
Compelling evidence that despite the soap opera-esque conditions Cedar Fair's board has operated under the last few years, they're capable of making astute business decisions.
I thought the main guy said that they were going to get rid of older rides that need more maintenance along with lower capacity, so there you have it. They got rid of that boat ride, and this ride. I'm not sad to not go Cedar Point / Kings Island this year because of the Fastlane, and because of Wildcat. Also, Cedar Point isn't adding anything spectacular to me except a nighttime thing, and Dinosaurs Alive which I already seen. Sure, Six Flags has fastpass, but really I rather check out another park than disappointments to Kings Island / Cedar Point for the year. Oh, a new wavepool, big deal. SFGAm has a great one for already I visit.
"I've been staring at the world, waiting. All the trouble and all the pain we're facing. Too much light to be livin' in the dark. Why waste time? We only got one life. Together we can be the CHANGE. So go and let your heart burn bright"
^^ 1. Can you please try and stay on topic 2. try to make more sense when writing, so people can actually understand what exactly it is you are trying to say. your entire comment basically makes no sense.
I am looking forward to going to seeing the new show. I will be visiting the point on the 6th and 7th and am most definately looking forward to seeing the preview of luminousity. I also think that the parks move on adding lights to a few of the rides that will be in sync with the show is awesome. The thing I love most about visiting amusement parks is seeing everything lit up at night.
Last edited by chester016 on May 3rd, 2012, 2:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
FParker185 wrote:For some reason Cedar Fair tends to ignore German rides like Gerstlauer, Maurer and Mack. They do really dig Lietchtensteinian and Swiss rides though.
Like Spinning Dragons at Worlds Of Fun, Sierra Sidewinder at Knott's Berry Farm, and Timberline Twister at The Former Camp Snoopy?
tend/tend/- Verb: Regularly or frequently behave in a particular way or have a certain characteristic: "written language tends to be formal".
As in Cedar Fair tends to ignore german manufacturers like Gerstlauer, Maurer and Mack. Never said they completely ignore them. I don't feel like wasting my time, so perhaps you can tell us just how many B&M(Swiss) and Intamin(Lietchtensteinian) rides have been installed since 2004 when they installed Spinning dragons and Timberline Twister?
Favorite Wood Coasters: The Voyage, Ravine Flyer II, Thunderhead, Balder Favorite Steel: Voltron Nevera, Steel Vengeance, Expedition GeForce, Olympia Looping Parks visited: 232, Coasters Ridden: Steel: 894, Wood: 179, Total: 1073
On one hand it sucks that CP is losing a good ride, on the other hand every time that ride operated CP was rolling the dice that someone would lose a hand. So...
MForce4ever wrote:On one hand it sucks that CP is losing a good ride, on the other hand every time that ride operated CP was rolling the dice that someone would lose a hand. So...
Well... I *know* this is America, but if that is a rule of thumb (pun!) they might as well shut down the whole park. I mean... follow the rules. Thanks to stupidity and rule breaking, we have some really *crappy* and lame stuff at parks now. Like obnoxious, uncomfortable restraints; high side walls on woodies... etc., etc..
MForce4ever wrote:On one hand it sucks that CP is losing a good ride, on the other hand every time that ride operated CP was rolling the dice that someone would lose a hand. So...
Well... I *know* this is America, but if that is a rule of thumb (pun!) they might as well shut down the whole park. I mean... follow the rules. Thanks to stupidity and rule breaking, we have some really *crappy* and lame stuff at parks now. Like obnoxious, uncomfortable restraints; high side walls on woodies... etc., etc..
Tell me that ride didn't collide frequently....my point being all it would take is one simple mistake by an operator or guest (maybe not even a stupid mistake) for an accident to occur.
^ Well, losing a hand would be an unlikely injury in a collision. That would be more likely from putting your hands up on a ride not built to modern clearance standards (I'm looking at you American Eagle barrel exit and Beast at Kings Island double helix tunnel).
^^Wildcat had several documented collisions over the years. Nobody was seriously hurt. It was an old ride with old technology. A newly built Wildcat could be exactly the same to the casual observer, but have a different control system, magnetic brakes and modern lift.
Murphy Brothers Wildcat which was at the WI State Fair for the past 2 years has a new modern control system and magnetic braking. Identical to(65 Meter model) and actually a decade older than Cedar Point's. It runs real nice too, though not sure if it's going to show up anymore now that it's an independent fair.
Favorite Wood Coasters: The Voyage, Ravine Flyer II, Thunderhead, Balder Favorite Steel: Voltron Nevera, Steel Vengeance, Expedition GeForce, Olympia Looping Parks visited: 232, Coasters Ridden: Steel: 894, Wood: 179, Total: 1073