Disaster Transport Removed/ Remodeled/ Renamed

I remember waiting 2-3 hours for Disaster Transport in its opening year, finding room after room with dozens of packed turnstiles. While I thought the environment and special effects were awesome at that time, I got off feeling the ride was fun, but way too short, thus disappointing.

Five years later, you could find 5 minute lines at the end of the night, and I grew to like the ride more and more (I'm a huge fan of indoor roller coasters). While the ride was short and by no means intense, it had a very fun, unique feel that always kept me coming back.

At about 10 years old, the ride really showed decay. Not only had most of the neat robots and scenery been removed long past, but Cedar Point nearly removed all the theming in favor for the Halloweekends event. No longer were you greeted by the robot "Welcome aboard. I'm you're inflight computer. I have been programmed to get you safely back to the voluntary receiving station. Stand clear the cargo loading point!" The ride was just dark, and when new guests were confused by the "Welcome to Alaska!" at the end, it was just kind of sad, remembering what it once was.

Several years ago, I emailed Cedar Point about the decay of Disaster Transport and the removal of Pirate Ride. I got a nice letter from the Vice President (or someone who claimed to be high in the company), and they said the special effects were removed from Disaster Transport because the technology was dated, and that replacement parts could not be found. He said the Pirate Ride was removed, as it was dated and no longer profitable.

While I really hate to say this, as I've grown with Disaster Transport and I'd miss that familiar 12E building, I think it's time for Cedar Point to move on. The scenery made the ride; glow-in-the-dark paint and periods of light in the tunnels are making it feel cheap, like that hand-painted, blow-up puppet on Pirate Ride (with the off-timed growl LOL).

Disaster Transport still holds a place in my heart, but I think it's time for a new generation. Avalanche Run ---> Disaster Transport ---> ? If CP is going to use that same bobsled track (I love it, but it's unlikely), why couldn't more track be made, and the ride could be made taller, faster, and much longer...into the parking lot and more compact onto the beach. The ride would be re-themed, renamed, and I think it would be so awesome, breathing more life into the entire midway. While I know this is unlikely, expensive, and probably unrealistic, it seems that certain parts of the building could be used and added onto, to create an awesome 2.5-minute ride experience.

If Cedar Point opted to tear DT down, they could replace it with a floorless, indoor roller coaster like Outer Limits at King's Island. That ride is satisfyingly long, it's VERY fun, and amazingly compact. Making it floorless, I could picture lava underneath (for some kind of theme), for a very refreshing and fun ride experience.

While I know Disaster Transport still always has a line (probably for the air conditioning) and it's unlikely it'll be torn down anytime soon, I think Cedar Point should start revamping or replacing rides like this. While I like that Cedar Point has so many roller coasters, I think the "Most Roller Coasters" game is immature if it causes them to neglect other things in the park. If Cedar Point had 15 amazing roller coasters, who could ask for anything more? Cedar Point is the best amusement park, but why not increase the quality of rides even further?

I just noticed something that may be misleading. I said,

"If Cedar Point opted to tear DT down, they could replace it with a floorless, indoor roller coaster like Outer Limits at King's Island."

Outer Limits: Flight of Fear is not floorless. I'm saying CP could make a ride similar to that, and additionally make it floorless.

you could have just hit the edit button...DT will not be replaced by any thing else...its fine the way it is.

well not really, but you know what I mean

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TTD=10(frontseat=3)double digits baby!!!
rollbacks seen=2...1 almost stopped at top
*** This post was edited by MeanStreaker 7/19/2003 7:59:08 PM ***

Disaster Transport won't last forever. It might be 2 years, 5 years, or 15 years, but at some point I think it will be history. I don't think it's a reach to say removing DT, when it happens, would be part of a larger goal.

Thanks for the good post, Ffej.

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Walt Schmidt
Virtual Midway
*** This post was edited by Gemini 7/19/2003 8:11:33 PM ***

I personally love the ride itself, although it is short, but i have seen it change over the past couple of years.... first year, i rode it (two years ago i believe, it was completely pitch black, it was fun, and kept getting the frrling we were going to run into something at any second.... but the next year, they put some really crappy themeing in, i like the line, but the ride itself lacks in the theming department. it was the same this year.... the ride has alot of potential, they just need to sink some money into it and redesign it, and make something bigger and better, i love the fact that it is inside though, and also how the trains do not run on a track, it just seemed to feel cooler how it doesnt force you around shapr corners like tracked rides do, and how it banks itself and just glides around them....

I also must admit, the welcome to alaska has thrown me and my buddies off in the past, and last time my friend asked me what that meant.

I go to the point about 10-20 times a season, and i always make it a point to ride DT even if the rest of the people with me dont want to...

i say get rid of all the theming inside the ride itself, and just have it be totally pitch black for the whole ride, like the first part is, that would be cool, the best part of the ride is the first b/c of the fact you can see a thing.

I agree with Raptor1116, they should just leave it pitch black. It would kinda make it moe thrilling

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Cedar Point America's Rockin Roller Coast!!!!!

Well believe it or not, I've been on DT when it was basically entire blackness (except some strobe flickers at the turn around). I thought it would be awesome too, but here's what I found. It felt like I was on one of those motion simulators and the sense of speed was totally gone. With the complete darkness, the ride felt even shorter, as it felt you hadn't made any progress. I believe that's why CP put it back to the way it is now.

For CM '03 we got to ride DT with the lights on. How was that? Well, let's just say I was dieing for some Pledge and a big dust rag! ;)

I must admit CP having their own FOF in there would be too cool. Not gonna happen but too cool none the less!

Jo
2000/2002 Raptor Crew
2003 Crew?
Lifetime Raptor flights: 761 :) (goin for 1k in '03!)
Who got to hear her name over Talon's loudspeaker! :)
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It's all about getting around the barrels, or over the fences, right leads, no faults, fastest time and looking pretty when done. What's so hard about that? :)

As fun as it is to ride DT and scream "We're losing control" at the MCBR, I'm pretty sure Walt is right. Although CP is proud of its number of coasters, we'll definitely see DT be replaced before we see another solution to the space problem, like off-peninsula parking.

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CP 2K3: 13
"What are you, a dentist? Or a hippie? Or some kind of hippie dentist?" - Strongbad

Well, I'd be sad to see DT go. It's a decent ride, but more importantly it's a great family-type ride for people who don't/can't go for the more intense coasters.

Some day it may be gone, but I'd like to think it'll be awhile.

I agree with Walt, the ride isn't a lifer, if its 5 years or 10 years, its going to be taken out. The ride takes up way too much realestate.

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Dan Haverlock
'03 Magnum Crew
magnum 2402 * TTD 12
www.dannyjphoto.com
"get a job man!"

I totally agree that it will be sad to see Disaster Transport go, but it's a natural part of life. If you drove the same car your whole life, at some point you wouldn't find it as fun anymore, and you'd be craving the higher performance engines and modern luxuries of today's cars.

Here's a better comparison...Mill Race. When I saw Mill Race being torn down, I felt really sad, remembering times riding with my grandma in her last visits to CP. But, what was it replaced with? Raptor. I think it's fair to say that Raptor is one of the top three rides at CP. So, I've learned I'll always have those memories of Mill Race, and I can also have incredible rides and create new memories on Raptor.

I think CP carefully evaluates rides before tearing them down. They will hang on to rides like Blue Streak, Gemini, and Magnum as they are excellent rides, and they will be living memories to many. You can go to Cedar Point 50 years from now, ride Blue Streak, and remember celebrating high school graduation on the ride and etc. But rides like Disaster Transport...well, they just weren't designed to last forever.

I really liked Walt's comment on a larger goal, as those were my same thoughts. When CP can no longer compete in the coaster race, there will be a higher quality control.

Here is my thought on Disaster Transport though. I don't think Cedar Point is going to take it out all together. What I think would be a great idea for the roller coaster is maybe nestling it in Frontier Trail/Land as Avalanch Run. Bring back the wooden theme and maybe even add a little to it and I think it would fit right in.

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Ohio State, here I come!

Oh, I really do believe Cedar Point already has plans of removing DT. Otherwise, I think we may have seen a little more TLC when it came to "refurbishing" the ride's effects.

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Boycott the RIAA

The very fact that the halloweekends themeing has just basically been integrated into the ride itself just shows the lack of any real plans for the ride. Obviously it was cheaper to board everything up, and put glow in the dark handprints over everything. So the guy said that the themeing was dated, solution: get rid of it entirely and start over, don't just leave parts of it here and there....overall, DT was a good ride, but like many of the park's now removed rides, it just wasn't meant to last..
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Go Full Force. :::::::::::::90

I think DT is a fun little ride, despite that it is somewhat short. The recent makeover is pretty good, except the hand prints look like they belong in Kiddieland and the carpet in some parts of the queue looks like it out of a child's bedroom.

I also think it is a ride that might not last for years and years, the property it's on is worth more than what the ride might be returning in productivity.

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Andrew L. of Waterville, Ohio
"Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes?."

Who knows........maybe CP has plans about removing it already. Didnt Monty, or someone say that they had plans of putting TTD in a couple of years ago? How do we know that DT isnt sitting on the site of a new recording-breaking coaster? It is sad to know that it is going to be removed at sometime, but there are endless possibilities of the rides and coasters that it can be replaced with.
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Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Are your ready for some speed? We've got 120 miles per hour! Are you ready to get vertical? We've got 420 feet. Are you ready for the tallest and fastest rollercoaster in the world?! ARE YOU READY FOR TOP THRILL DRAGSTER?!?

I hope they keep it, its a nice place to cool off on a hot day....

Good Morning.As I was reading your posts regarding the Removal. revamping issues you discussed about Disaster transport I thought of another reason to keep it operating.

As a father or two young kids ages 5 and 3 I realized that Cedar Point does not have the assortment of "intermediate"coasters.Sure JR Gemini is a hit with the beginners and Woodstock Express has its share of thrills but what happens between the heights of 46' and 48"?

Both Iron Dragon and Disaster Transport have a reason to exist and that is to help the future riders get more experience riding the "big"coasters as my daughter calls them.She is excited as she finally hit the 46 1/2 mark and is finally able to ride them and will be later this year.

Sure I would love to see a floorless coaster or maybe a nice woodie built but not at the expense of these coasters.Our little ones need these coasters to build up to the "monster"coasters and Iron Dragon and Disaster Transport are the ones to move them up to that level.

Hopefully Cedar Point might consider at least bringing it up to somewhat of what it used to be and let the kids have fun on their new found thrills and on what will lay ahead of them in the future.
*** This post was edited by causewaycruiser 7/22/2003 2:55:53 AM ***