Cedar Point 2013

Just based on the animations and specifications/innovations, I am much more impressed with the 2013 announcements from Six Flags yesterday than what has been released from Cedar Fair.

Magic Mountain's "Full Throttle" triple launch (one in reverse!) and double use of an inversion is much more impressive than the keyhole idea with GK.

Their new steel/wood "Iron Rattler" in Texas is kind of like a Maverick version of a wooden coaster, and it demonstrates innovations are possible beyond supersizing what has already been done elsewhere.

Lastly, a 400 ft version of a Windseeker clone in Texas is really pushing the technology curve!

We can only hope CF has more projects and enhancements they aren't disclosing for 2013, or they are going to loose the coaster record war in more ways than one. I can now see why they were eager to claim GK as having world records - while they could.

The only dissapointment from SF (IMO) was that they are attempting to clone Luminosity at some of the parks. At least they aren't doing the Dino upcharge idea!

SteveH said:
Their new steel/wood "Iron Rattler" in Texas is kind of like a Maverick version of a wooden coaster, and it demonstrates innovations are possible beyond supersizing what has already been done elsewhere.

Except that's exactly what this is - something that has been done elsewhere. Six Flags is taking an existing coaster and adding Iron Horse track, just as they did with Texas Giant. Nothing new or innovative here. They're simply turning a wood coaster into a steel coaster.

Lastly, a 400 ft version of a Windseeker clone in Texas is really pushing the technology curve!

How is a taller clone innovative or exciting?

...they are going to loose the coaster record war in more ways than one.

No one cares.

How is Iron Rattler a Maverick version of a wooden coaster? It's the same damn ride as the one in Arlington. You can complain when CP does something similar with Mean Streak. Also the capacity for the 400 ft Windseeker looks horrible.

SteveH said:
a 400 ft version of a Windseeker clone

The ride going into Six Flags over Texas is a Star Flyer made by Fun Time. It's not a Windseeker Clone. If anything, Windseeker is a clone of Star Flyer. Windseeker was a prototype when Cedar Fair started putting them in at all their parks. Star Flyers have been areound for a quite a while now. Six Flags has been putting in Star Flyers at all of their parks around the country. I'm not sure of the count. But, I think with the 2 installations this off season, they are probably around 8. I know the video only mentioned the one. But, Six Flags New England is putting one in too.

The only dissapointment from SF (IMO) was that they are attempting to clone Luminosity at some of the parks.

Again, I doubt this is a clone of Luminosity. This is an expansion on the iLuminate show that they had at a few of their parks this year. Team iLuminate was an act on America's Got Talent last season. The show was licenced out to Six Flags.

Iron Rattler is only the second hybird steel/wood coaster in the world. This one also brings in the terracoaster concept and it includes a corkscrew inversion.

At 400 feet, you could almost put SS on top of Windseeker. Plus you are held up there by CHAINS! And, by adding one or two, it's not the CF idea of one at every park - in the same calendar year with the same specs and name.

Throw in what they did to Superman last year (Lex Luther drop tower bolted to the side of an existing ride), and that's innovation!

If you can stand the hype...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cMmlxJzuOM0

I am also impressed that the CEO did the video himself. Which demonstrates to me that the company has a real plan for the future - at all thier parks.

SS on top of Windseeker would be over 600 feet

600 - IF you could go all the way to the top of each. Which, you can't.

SteveH said:
Iron Rattler is only the second hybird steel/wood coaster in the world. This one also brings in the terracoaster concept and it includes a corkscrew inversion.

Gemini, Cedar Creek Mine Ride, New Texas Giant, eh, just follow the RCDB link.

RCDB states none of those have inversions. They don't have overbanked turns either.

Putting Gemini and the Mine Rride in the same classification as these coasters isn't even realistic. There isn't a industry name for this type of construction, but if there was it would be something like I-Beam/Wood.

SteveH said:
Just based on the animations and specifications/innovations, I am much more impressed with the 2013 announcements from Six Flags yesterday than what has been released from Cedar Fair.

Magic Mountain's "Full Throttle" triple launch (one in reverse!) and double use of an inversion is much more impressive than the keyhole idea with GK.

Their new steel/wood "Iron Rattler" in Texas is kind of like a Maverick version of a wooden coaster, and it demonstrates innovations are possible beyond supersizing what has already been done elsewhere.

Lastly, a 400 ft version of a Windseeker clone in Texas is really pushing the technology curve!

We can only hope CF has more projects and enhancements they aren't disclosing for 2013, or they are going to loose the coaster record war in more ways than one. I can now see why they were eager to claim GK as having world records - while they could.

The only dissapointment from SF (IMO) was that they are attempting to clone Luminosity at some of the parks. At least they aren't doing the Dino upcharge idea!

To be completely honest, I'm thrilled we are getting GateKeeper, I like the look and I think the ride will be much better than Full Throttle. So it has 3 launches and a big loop, other than that the ride doesn't seem to have too much, I think GateKeeper will be a much better ride. As for Iron Rattler and Outlaw Run, I am very intrigued by those, but I am still happy we're getting GateKeeper, but I would eventually love something like Outlaw Run, also, I like our animations better where you have the option to do just POV, or offride, or both.

You said this is only the second hybrid steel/wood coaster ever.

It is not, there are about 20 of them. It's not a new concept.

You want to know who is doing something innovative, it's Silver Dollar City.

SteveH,

-Saying Iron Rattler realizes the Terracoaster concept is pure poppycock. It was a terracoaster (even though the name didn't exist yet) wooden coaster LONG before RMC even signed on to the project. Sure it's going to be a nice ride, but what are you complaining about?

-Once again, as pointed out, a Star Flyer is NOT a WindSeeker. They are built by two different companies. The one at Texas is able to go up to 400 feet, WindSeeker was not due to wind problems at altitude (try dealing with that in Sandusky). Either way, you say that at least they aren't like Cedar Fair and opening them all over the place with the same specs and same names blah blah blah. Well, many have been opened in just the past few years, many have the same specs, and ALL of them (with the exception of Texas SkyScreamer) have the name "SkyScreamer".

So GateKeeper isn't innovation? What it's doing for the Wing Coaster concept doesn't qualify as innovation? Was Raptor innovative to you? It took the Inverted Coaster Model and introduced the next generation, just like what GateKeeper is doing.

You say Full Throttle is innovative, besides it's Top Hat on top of the Loop, how else is it innovative? Your logic eludes me.

Sheesh. Why do the new ride announcements have to turn into an us-vs-them conflict? Last I saw, the back of my shirt doesn't read "Team Cedar Fair".

Both companies are introducing some interesting and fun-sounding new rides for 2013. And considering there are few markets where CF and Six Flags genuinely compete, more power to both of them.

I really like what Silver Dollar is doing with Outlaw Run for $10 Million. Less than half of what GK will cost!

My gripe is that we are loosing rides (DT, WC, PWBE, Chaos, SS), getting upcharged in what used to be a "pay one price" park, and not getting the best in what's new. And everyone here posting seems to be OK with that.

If Gatekeeper has on-board sound effects, if it actually went backwards (as the animation video suggests to some (by accident?)), or there were spinning cars (A-la X2) - I would be more excited about it.

How can Gatekeeper possibly not be construed as the "best in what's new?" It's a wingrider--a novel coaster type that has received nearly universal raves the few places one has been built, and GK promises to be the most ambitious and innovative incarnation yet of that model. So I completely don't understand where you're coming from.

No, it's not a woodie. There are lots of new technologies being implemented with the tried-and-true classic. Someday, I'm sure CP will get a new woodie, perhaps one that even utilizes some of those new practices. But that's then, and this is now. Gatekeeper is a huge investment, and one that will transform the entry to the park for decades to come.

How about we all give it a spin next year before some of us start complaining what a disappointment the ride is?

I would not want Outlaw Run at Cedar Point even if it were free. It is a completely new concept, being built by a company that has never designed and built a wooden coaster, using new trains they are designing in house. In short, it is a $10 million dollar gamble. It will not be a proven success until it operates for several years.

OMG, it's an election year this year as well.

By the looks of it, things aren't going to get any better in Washington (or Sandusky) anytime soon.

Left field just called. It wants its ideas back.

I just don;t understand the concept of SF being innovative. For years their idea of new rides simply involved moving coasters from park to park, or copying the exact same ride layout in multiple parks. They focus much of their attention on a few places essentially ignoring many of their other locations imo. I never put Six Flags and innovative really in the same sentence. Much of what they do comes off as generic to me.

Transfer that call to personnel, there are a few displaced people there that want their jobs back.

If we (the customer) accept the product as-is, it seldom gets improved.