Cedar Point Announces New Water Ride for 2010 Season

What's being said here over and over again is that to compete for that entertainment dollar building coaster on top of coaster is not going to get the job done, it doesn't build a sustainable base because it doesn't increase their appeal across all markets. They're not making money on folks who buy a platinum pass, pack their own lunch, and come over and over to ride just the thrill rides. You said it yourself, you don't go to eat food. I'm also guessing you don't dump money into arcade games, midway games and souveneirs, and that you don't stay on property or go to Soak City. A family who only comes once or twice a year will. They'll buy tickets at the gate or at Meijer rather than a pass, and will spend more in the long run on the whole package. If they can entice that audience by building a family ride now and again, they'll pad their pockets more in the long run and be able to build the stuff that makes the rest of us happy.

I don't have a platinum pass or season pass (only having had one 3 or 4 seasons in my life) and I don't pack my own lunch. When I said I don't care about food I didn't mean that I don't eat in the park. I just meant that I don't give a rats butt what that food is. I am not looking for a fine dining experience. I just want edible food that is served quickly. I have no problem with the current food options in the park though I wish they were quicker with the service.

We typically do play at least some games and do buy souvenirs for my kids. I have never stayed on property (other than maybe 5 times at the marina though I have never gone to the park on multiple times on the same trip). And do have a family that visits the park once or twice a year (we bought our tickets this year at Drug Mart not Meier though). We went to Soak City for the first time ever this year. Had fun but we likely won't be going back on anything of a routine basis.

The reality of it is that CP is a one day visit for the vast majority of people. There isn't enough to do to stay multiple days for most people. And I think that the park's capacity to support $25 million rides (coasters or not) is limited. Region isn't growing. Debt costs will be higher in the coming years as well.

But once again, and there's really no way of getting around this ... You are who you are ! CP has created their own monster so to speak. They wanted to be the coaster capital of the world and they are. They wanted to break all kinds of records with their thrill machines and they have. That's the label they've put on themselves and that's the label they're going to have to live with, because people are spoiled now.

As far as this whole family ride/park arguement goes - it's all a crock of BS. There's tons of families going to CP. Day trips, vacation, whatever ... And why ?? Because they're obviously happy with what CP is offering ... Coasters and/or yes ... Family rides. Otherwise they'd be going somewhere else.

I find it interesting how they say they need a family friendly flume after removing WWL, yet they decide to install a ride where "you're gonna get soaked" - as mentioned in the latest Point Cast video. If they really want a family ride like WWL, they should consider making STR only get you as wet as WWL. I think one reason WWL was so popular was that it only got you slightly wet, as opposed to drenched like SRF and TC do. If families are getting soaked, this ride will not be as successful with them as WWL.

Finally caught up with the thread. So much commentary has been slung that, at this point, there's very little new I can offer.

I'm sort of lukewarm on the layout. I would have preferred, as many others have already stated, if StR were more of a conventional log flume design, with a meandering course at both ground and elevated levels. And I'm not happy about the whole 'soaked' bit. This is truly more of a replacement for Snake River Falls than WWL.

On the other hand, my worst fear was that they would commission Intaride to slap a virtual carbon copy of Pilgrims Plunge on that spot -- perhaps five feet taller or one degree steeper, but otherwise identical. At least that did not happen.

And at least StR is not a one-trick pony, nor hopefully even a two-trick pony. What gets added to the ride that wasn't in the animation will be the critical factor -- theming, effects, story, immersive experience. The more of this they include (and maintain, for pete's sake), the better the ride will be as an experience for the whole family. And me.

I consider my opinion preliminary since, as Jeff has pointed out, they haven't built the darn thing yet. The truth will tell on Opening Day 2010 -- or whenever it's warm enough to actually ride the thing.

In my opinion, a major element of "family friendly" rides is family interaction. If they keep building rides with no theming or interaction (which I don't happen to mind, but families do), then they are going to keep building rides that divide families.

I for one think that STR is going to be one of the least family friendly rides in the park. It's going to be hard to find an entire family that wants to get completely drenched in their clothes and walk around the park. There's a good chance that only a few members of each family are going to want to ride.

Maybe cedar point just likes seeing soaking wet people wander around the park. I think it will be family friendly, but with a different perspective. They want families to ride wet, but assume most families are big thrill-seekers-type of families.

Well, last year between them SRF and Thunder Canyon gave over 1m rides--despite being closed for the 20+ days of Halloweekends. Clearly someone enjoys these rides.

^ I just wanted to bring up a quick point here. Ever notice when people ride the water rides at Cedar Point they wear they're swimsuits? The girls always ride both Snake River Falls with a bikini on and the guys always just have a swimsuit on. I'm not saying everyone standing in line for these 2 water rides do this, but the majority of both the guys and girls do. So it seems to me that people don't mind getting wet when they ride snake river falls, or thunder canyon.

Your mom is to fat to ride TTD. said:
To the soapy water idea: Sounds good if we can get Single Rider Bob to ride it a few times. :)

I think you might have your single riders mixed up. It's Chris that needs a bath. He's the taller, younger, ruder guy that needs a good hose down. Bob's shorter, older, friendlier and pretty clean cut.

What about families who like to ride thrill rides?

Soak City has a lot of water rides. What about folks who don't like to get wet? What does Soak City offer for them?

If you dont want to get wet, why would you go to a water park?

What gets added to the ride that wasn't in the animation will be the critical factor -- theming, effects, story, immersive experience. The more of this they include (and maintain, for pete's sake), the better the ride will be as an experience for the whole family. And me.

Precisely.

Jeff, Walt, Tony, whoever...any idea when what is planned with regard to the "extras" will be revealed? Or is that still a work in progress?

I believe the lack of interest in this thread the past day shows the lack of interest in the ride.

This won't give you an indication of the rides popularity. It will take a few seasons to draw anything close to a conclusion.

^ I don't see how there is already a lack of interest in the ride. It's a family atmosphere type ride that everyone might or will enjoy. Plus the ride has not even been built yet. No one has ridden it yet so it's hard to judge what this ride will be like yet.

From my stand-point, I'd rather see a coaster, however, I think this is a perfect fit for Cedar Point, filling a missing void from the exit of White Water Landing.

The ride's full theme and details are not fully realized, so how can anyone pass judgments on the ride at all, based upon the animation alone? I can't wait to see this ride open and how everything works out. With this location, it leaves a lot that can be used for an awesome theme. Hopefully Cedar Point makes full use of the location and the possibilities.

Also, I completely disagree with the "many people are disappointed" posts. Being at Cedar Point on Friday night, and watching the people and families walking by the big advertisement for the ride right across from the petting zoo saying how "awesome" it looks and how "they can't wait to ride it," I stand to say that at like 85% of the GP will be excited to get on this, and be happy for the addition.

Most people who will want to ride the new ride don't even know about it at this point. And fewer of them even know about this site. So I don't see how the popularity of this thread can be much of an indication of the popularity of the new ride in the years to come.

I agree that it doesn't make sense for someone to go to a water park who doesn't want to get wet (outside I suppose of a parent/grandparent who goes to watch kids/grandkids). But I also don't think the focus on "family ride" makes a lot of sense either. Every ride in the park is a family ride. There are families that ride each and every ride in the park. Though not every family rides every ride in the park. And no matter what the ride, you will have families (and members of famlies) who will not ride it. Some folks don't like intense rides, are affraid of heights or the dark, don't like spinning rides or don't want to get wet.

Personally, I think it is a great and needed addition. However, I wish they would have done more with the space they had. In my personal opinion it will be VERY popular, especially in those days when it is eighty five degrees and higher.

I'll ride it opening day, no matter what the temp. Like last year in may when I rode Thunder Canyon, it was 45 degrees.