Cedar Point 2013

BRcoastrpsycho34 said:

Guide_Wheel said:
If this thing's gonna successfully run 3 trains and hit interval, they cannot allow loose articles on the platform at all.

Having seen load/unload on a wing coaster, even flip-flops cause a jam. I can't imagine adding basketballs, stuffed animals, purses, sunglasses, cell phones, keys, water bottles. But CP is bin-crazy, so I'm sure they'll be allowed. I still don't get why any loose articles are allowed on rides, even at Disney.

They need to implement the cubby hole/cubby box system like they have at KD and everyone is resposible for their own loose articles. I think this system is very effective and an individual doesn't have to use a locker at every freaking ride. I haven't been to CP in 3 years... Do they have the cubby hole/cubby box system yet?

You mean the bins by rides? They have bins by the exit on a lot of coasters (MF and TTD are 2 biggies that don't have bins) that you can put loose articles in. You just jump over the train and put your stuff into the bin then load onto your train. It doesn't cause a delay on Maverick because the way the launches are, but on some coasters, the bins are a pain in the butt.

I asked earlier but does anyone know if the inclined dive loop is considered an inversion? It doesn't say anywhere that I can see if this ride has 5 or 6 inversions. I would assume it is an inversion, but not sure. Guess it doesn't matter that much I am just curious.

I, for one, am not disappointed by the ride. I like Maverick as a ride, but it's an Intamin and has suspect reliability and poor capacity compared to Raptor or Magnum. WT is pretty ordinary, Dragster has been a fiasco. As a result of all that, I would say that GateKeeper is the best new ride decision that CP has made since Millennium Force.

A dive loop would be considered an inversion and an inclined loop is an inversion (see Mantis). If they consider the inclined dive loop an inversion it would have the most inversions of any existing wing rider. 67mph would also be the fastest. I asked about that at the Q&A and Monte said the items they had listed as records were all they had in the contract.

That makes me wonder what the stats are on the unknown wingrider going in China. It might be more inverted/faster.

I think Maverick is a very solid ride, but I agree that this has the potential to be the best new addition to the park since Millennium Force. Potential, of course, since it doesn't yet exist. :)

Jason Hammond said:
A dive loop would be considered an inversion and an inclined loop is an inversion (see Mantis). If they consider the inclined dive loop an inversion it would have the most inversions of any existing wing rider. 67mph would also be the fastest. I asked about that at the Q&A and Monte said the items they had listed as records were all they had in the contract.

That makes me wonder what the stats are on the unknown wingrider going in China. It might be more inverted/faster.

Thanks, I figured it was I just heard it called an overbank turn a couple times. I too am interested to see what the one in China will be with it's layout and stats as well. I did look at Wykepedia a second ago and did see it said 6 inversions, not that it is always right, but usually. Thanks!

Watching the crew at Dollywood, they could move trains pretty quickly if they hustled a little (they rarely do). As someone else mentioned, prohibit people from bringing their crap on the platform and you will win huge efficiency gains. I think Raptor would hit interval nearly every time if they didn't have crap bins up there. They generally get pretty close otherwise, most of the time. I recently watched the incoming train stop consistently for about three or four seconds, which isn't terrible.

It surprises me how early in the ride the MCBR is, it's usually after the turnaround on most coasters.

The MCBR is close to the end of the ride, only a helix and a small bunny hop left before the station. I think the last two elements will be taken at speed, not just a slow run to the station. I think the ride will have an exciting finish.

Jason Hammond said:
A dive loop would be considered an inversion and an inclined loop is an inversion (see Mantis). If they consider the inclined dive loop an inversion it would have the most inversions of any existing wing rider. 67mph would also be the fastest. I asked about that at the Q&A and Monte said the items they had listed as records were all they had in the contract.

That makes me wonder what the stats are on the unknown wingrider going in China. It might be more inverted/faster.

Jason, I believe they may be counting "Furious Baco" as one. Granted it's an Intamin ride and a "Wing Rider" whereas B&M's are "Wing Coasters", it does reach 80. This (pending what China does) would be the Longest, Fastest & Longest Drop on a B&M Wing Coaster. As for the inversion number, I guess we'll just have to wait and see what Ocean Kingdom does.

The inversion height also wasn't mentioned in the contract.

Intamin doesn't call it a Wing Rider. So I don't see why they would include it in the comparisons. Especially for marketing purposes. We'll find out when the china ride stats are announced.

^Good Point, they just classified that as an Accelerator didn't they? That was before their Wing Rider design (or what sparked it)

Jeff said:
As someone else mentioned, prohibit people from bringing their crap on the platform and you will win huge efficiency gains.

While I don't necessarily disagree with the idea in theory, it's not a viable solution. CP is in the business of providing customer service, when you get right down to it. If people want to bring tons of crap with them, it's CP's job to find a way to allow for that, while doing what they can to keep capacity high given those constraints.

They generally get pretty close otherwise, most of the time. I recently watched the incoming train stop consistently for about three or four seconds, which isn't terrible.

I've always noticed how rushed Raptor crew seems to be when I ride it, I guess now I know why.

The placement of this ride is going to be nice for those of us who like to enter in from the Soak City entrance and hit TTD or Maverick first!

Hope this don't get the Magnum crew in trouble, but the other day, thoses workers where flying..They were like "We only have 37 seconds to get you into the train, so sit down and buckle up" -- they continued--"don't worry about taking things to the bin, there is no time, just give it to a worker, we will put it in the bin for you."

It was actually kinda cool. - But I thought they weren't allowed to help.

djDaemon said:
...it's not a viable solution. CP is in the business of providing customer service, when you get right down to it. If people want to bring tons of crap with them, it's CP's job to find a way to allow for that...

They're bound to no such premise. You can't bring crap up to Millennium Force, and somehow, people ride it anyway. Ditto for countless rides elsewhere, like Islands of Adventure where they're clearly not having any issues attracting customers.

Titandwedebil said:

They generally get pretty close otherwise, most of the time. I recently watched the incoming train stop consistently for about three or four seconds, which isn't terrible.

I've always noticed how rushed Raptor crew seems to be when I ride it, I guess now I know why.

Our interval is 45 seconds, or whenever the train hits the top of the loop. As a ride op, the coolest thing is hitting interval and watching the train behind not stop on transfer. There are days when people are being more cooperative with the bins then others, but it's still a hot mess. I wish Raptor would switch over to no loose articles, like Montu and Dragon Challenge, I think that would help us capacity wise so much.

While I don't necessarily disagree with the idea in theory, it's not a viable solution. CP is in the business of providing customer service, when you get right down to it. If people want to bring tons of crap with them, it's CP's job to find a way to allow for that, while doing what they can to keep capacity high given those constraints.

I like the way Universal does it by offering guests free lockers while they ride.

That being said, I'm extremely excited for GateKeeper. Only thing that I'm kind of confused as to is why the block break is so close to the end of the ride? It seems like there's nothing to the second half, unless I'm missing something. The first half looks pretty sick though.

That's one thing I always thought was cool at Holiday World and Dollywood. The ride ops take the loose articles while the riders concentrate on getting in the trains.

Jason Hammond said:
That's one thing I always thought was cool at Holiday World and Dollywood. The ride ops take the loose articles while the riders concentrate on getting in the trains.

The only negative part about that would be if something happened to the loose articles... who would be to blame?