Cedar Point: 2040

I know there is a topic about thinking about Cedar Point ten years into the future, and what changes could be made from that point on. However, I want to get your opinions on what you guys think the park will be like in 2040.

(Let us assume nothing happens that results in the park closing before that time.)

With the advances in technology and the such by then, the park will almost certainly be much different than it is today.

Just think of the park in 1986, and now look at it today. That's the sort of a time jump we are thinking about here.

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How many current rides from today would still be around? You'd have to think that at least a few of the newer rides like Maverick and GateKeeper would still be kicking.

Here are the dates of opening for most of the major rides in the park, which allows us to determine how realistic it would be for each to still be open.

Blue Streak - 1964

Cedar Creek Mine Ride - 1969

Corkscrew - 1976

GateKeeper - 2013

Gemini - 1978

Iron Dragon - 1987

Magnum XL-200 - 1989

Mantis - 1996

Maverick - 2007

Mean Streak - 1991

Millennium Force - 2000

Raptor - 1994

Top Thrill Dragster - 2003

Wicked Twister - 2002

Woodstock Express - 1999

Power Tower - 1998

MaXair - 2005

SkyHawk - 2006

WindSeeker - 2011

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I feel like that almost any coaster from the 1900's period would have to either be gone by 2040, or on its very last legs.

- Blue Streak strikes me as one that could still be around, due to it being near legendary in the park. It would be 76 years old at this time though, and there isn't a coaster in the park that has ever touched that type of a workload.

- I feel like the CCMR will have been gone more than 20 years before this time. In fact - I see it as the next coaster gone from the park.

- Corkscrew is another ride that I could see sticking around for a very long time. It doesn't take up a ton of space, and it's still pretty popular and like Blue Streak, is a bit of a landmark in the park.

- GateKeeper should still be around. It would be three years older than Magnum is today, and Magnum surely has more than three years left.

- Gemini, like Blue Streak and Corkscrew has a lot of historical value to the park. However, unlike the other two, it takes up a fair share of valuable land. I'm afraid that we probably won't be racing on the Gemini in 2040, it's future 62nd birthday.

- Iron Dragon is rather iffy, as once again, most of the room is taking up is over water. However, the ride would be 53 at this point, and has already been rumored more than once to be on the way out more than once. I don't think we'll be seeing Iron Dragon in 2040.

- Jr. Gemini is actually a very old ride, being built in 1979. It'll be over 60 at this point, and probably will have been gone for many years in favor of a newer kiddie coaster.

- Magnum XL-200 is a big one to call here. The ride will have just celebrated its 50th anniversary a few years before this, if it is still around. We all anticipate it on sticking around, so I guess we'll have to see if it can hold up another 25+ years. As long as it doesn't sink into the lake, I think it has better odds than most. ;)

- Mantis seems destined to be removed before it gathers a ton of dust in the park. It is in a very nice location, and not the most popular ride in the park unless it is very busy. By 2040, I anticipate Mantis will have been scrapped for at least eight years or so.

- Maverick will be thirty-three at this point, and as long as it holds up and stays popular, I see it sticking around in the park past 2040.

- Mean Streak will hopefully be scrap wood twenty years before 2040, although it was just redone...

- Millennium Force will be celebrating its 40th birthday in 2040, and hopefully will still be around. It's already a timeless classic and a staple at Cedar Point.

- Raptor will likely be garnering a bit of rust at this point (46 years), and is in a prime location right at the front of the park that'll probably make it vulnerable when it starts to age. If Raptor starts to get a bit rougher, we may not see it around in 2040, which would be a shame.

- Top Thrill Dragster... I just don't see it lasting another 27 years. Its current mechanical problems already make it a pain. I can imagine that it will be a major fit by the time it is almost four decades old. Hopefully its replacement is 600 feet tall, as I'm sure it'll be possible by then.

- Wicked Twister would be 38 years young at this point. It takes up almost zero room, but is right on the beach front. I think it's rather hit or miss if WT will be around at this point.

- The Woodstock Express will be a hint over forty if it lasts to 2040, which I see as doubtful anyways.

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That's all I've got time for right now, but I want to talk about the future of rides, coasters, and the lot later with you all.

The very idea of thinking about Magnum being removed from the park, makes me want to fall apart and cry.

I hope I never have to see that in my lifetime. I would rather see millennium go before magnum!

There are too many factors to be able to predict the future that far out with any accuracy.

Maybe somebody gets hurt on one of the rides, shutting it down permanently.

Maybe an earthquake takes down all the rides at the park.

Maybe new technology is invented which makes all existing rides boring by comparison.

Maybe CP closes permanently or is sold.

Any of these things can happen and who can say what the likelihood is of any of it?

Personally, I'm 36 now so I don't anticipate being able to ride rollercoasters for more than another 30-35 years. So, being the selfish person that I am, that's all I really care about. What happens to the place after that is my kids' problem.

What's next, Cedar Point in 2100?

You really put a lot of thought into this, I enjoyed reading it.

For anyone claiming there's no way to predict this far, I'm sure he's well aware of that. Even with the margin of error, It's still an interesting topic that's always fun to predict (much like imagining what technology will be like in 40 years).

Whatever happens, I hope the life that CP has today doesn't change for the worse over time. It would really break my heart to see that diminish more than it would to see my favorite rides age and get replaced.

Does anyone think Millennium will be an ACE Coaster Landmark by then? It's not that crazy...

I don't think the amount of space a ride currently occupies is a determining factor. For example, Wicked Twister exudes a lot of energy every time a train is launched, making it one of the most cost worthy rides in the park. The thought of that impulse being removed from the park makes me cringe, however, maybe in a few years they will find more energy efficient ways of launching trains and it can go back to it's original operation? :)

As for Magnum, since it's such a classic ride and still thrilling for a lot of people, I really don't see this iconic ride being removed. If the track ever gets that bad to the point where they're thinking about removing it, (and this might be a long shot), maybe they can retrack some of the ride kind of like Phantom's Revenge with Morgan track, but without the modifications.

I don't see Blue Streak leaving at the age of 76. It's another great classic on the peninsula, and with CP's upkeep, I think it has a lot of years left.

Millennium I think will still be around. This monster coaster was such a hit with the public and one of the most anticipated rides in Cedar Point history.

Mantis I don't see being around in 2040 but who knows...

Last but not least, TTD. I don't even know where to start with this thing. As for 2012, I think it's seen the least amount of downtime since it's debut (not including weather). But whose to say 2013 might be different? I really do think that maintenance is starting to work out the bugs on Dragster, but I thought the same thing for Millennium Force the last few years, and all of a sudden this year it was down A LOT...atleast during my visits ;)

So who really knows what will and will not be around. I'm just going to enjoy them while I can during every visit, because we know how spontaneous they can be when it comes to ride removal.

As above posters have said, I'm fully aware that it's near impossible to predict five years down the road, let alone 25+.

I just love speculation and thinking about how things will be different in the future.

This is what I think is still gonna be there

1. Blue Streak

2. Magnum

3. Gemini

4. Millennium Force

5. Giant Wheel

6. Raptor

7. Gatekeeper

8. Power Tower

9. Maverick

10. Top Thrill Dragster

I think these coasters will be gone:
Gemini
Ccmr
Jr Gemini
Woodstock express
Raptor
Magnum
Mean streak (if it doesn't get the treatment)
Iron dragon
Mantis
Corkscrew

Magnum is a ACE coaster landmark. I'm pretty sure it will be here much longer than 2040. Raptor is a major coaster as well so I see it being here long enough too. I think we may see Giant Wheel replaced by a much larger version by then possibly.

What can you replace Magnum with other than another out and back coaster? Nothing. We already have the best hyper coaster out there, so no need to replace it.

^ Maybe an out and back 500ft B&M;)

Magnum XL-500

I love this question.

The entire peninsula being park space including what is now parking lot. Off site parking structure across from dorms with trams or a train to the park. Also offsite parking structure in downtown Sandusky with ferry boat(s) to that now marina parking area by Millennium Force with a bridge over to the Marina park entrance.

A 500 foot out and back with traditional lift.

In the year 2040, the Sky Ride won't need a cable and we will have robots working at the Nutty Bavarian!

Deep-Fried fuel cell-on-a-stick anyone?!

You joke about robots, but they had robotic food stands this year at IAAPA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opigSaCkYJg

1. I can't believe I watched that entire video, nearly five minutes

2. Seems like that whole contraption would still require a live human nearby to keep things full, etc.

3. Super disgusting that they all share the same spoon.

How far are we as a society to just plug yourself into a computer to get all your sensory input? The day that becomes reality is the day amusement parks come to an end, whether that is 10, 20, 30 or 40 years down the road is irrelevant. With is fast as we are becoming addicted to having a tablet, laptop or cell phone jammed up are butts, how long will it be before we just have a jack implanted somewhere to just plug in.

IMO in 2040 the CP experience won't be needed, when you can just use a program and plug in.

A couple of points:

Wood Casters can last indefinitely. The wood is continuously replaced over its lifetime. The famous Cyclone in NYC is 85 years old, and no one is saying its days are numbered.

No one knows how long steel coasters will last. Whereas wood coasters from the 1920s are still going strong, steel coasters didn't really become common until the 1970s. We don't know how long they will last.

Blue Streak will probably outlast Maggie, Millie & Raptor. Unless they are are essentially rebuilt.