Farewell, Wildcat.

You obviously have a stronger connection than many, tcgolfer.I don't see how that would make you a target to be criticized. I mean, we're all pretty passionate about Cedar Point around here. :)

In 2008, Wildcat had dropped to around 300,000. They stopped publishing ridership numbers after that. http://rollercoasterfreak.com/Cedar_Point/Ridership.bmp

Coaster Curt said:
I can't believe how many people are so upset about this and how often I read........."this was my favorite ride as a kid". Here is what I was thinking while reading these comments, when was the last time you rode this coaster more than once a year?

This coaster was clearly past it's prime, the ridership was way down, the queue line was really slow, had break down problems.

This is a coaster that the company clearly didn't want to stick any more money into.

I actually rode it quite often. I love the ride for it's pure skill and I find it very excited. It might not be tall, it may not be super fast, but it is still a great ride with plenty of history. It doesn't take up much room at all, and to remove it for some stupid show just does not seem right.

Walt said:
You obviously have a stronger connection than many, tcgolfer.I don't see how that would make you a target to be criticized. I mean, we're all pretty passionate about Cedar Point around here. :)

You're right.

I think it's just more of a fresh wound for me since it wasn't that long ago that I was on the ride running it. Like I said earlier, my past two summers have been spent on that platform.

No one discounts the fact that no matter what the ride, it's not fun to see it go. From White Water Landing to the Swan Boats, someone is going to have a fond memory or a connection to something that says goodbye. Being a coaster, and one that has been around for over three decades, makes it even tougher. Combine that with the manner in which Wildcat is exiting, and you have a recipe for outlandish Facebook posts and conspiracy theories.

But step back and think for a moment. First, Wildcat's removal was already in the works. Not for this year, but perhaps as early as next year it was destined to go. I would imagine this was going to be it's "farewell tour".

Second, it was going to run this year, and something obviously was not right. The most logical scenario is that it either had another malfunction/accident during testing, or it failed its inspection to the extreme that it was not safe.

So what do you do? Let it sit SBNO so coaster enthusiasts can leave flowers by the queue line all season, or just take it down and get a head-start on future plans?

I'm hearing some interesting chatter about Wildcat.

I may try to do some field research, but in a nutshell, any obvious reason you might think of that isn't "because Cedar Point management is still collectively insane" probably isn't what happened.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Looking at that graph I'm a little surprised that ridership on MOST rides have gone pretty steadily down for 1996 through 2008. What is the source of the data?

Dave, I'm picturing you in a small smoke-filled dimly lit room, surrounded by random computer monitors and a ham radio that's picking up random "coaster chatter" from coaster nerds all throughout the universe. :)

Morte I'm pretty sure that's the data that was posted on CP's own website for the longest time.

Dave, I'd be interested in hearing any 'findings' you may come up with.

Hahaha at how quickly Magic Mountain had to point out that they have the most now-http://www.facebook.com/SixFlagsMagicMountain

^ Haha I was just going to post the same thing. It's all over their social media feeds!

Kevinj: No smoke, but it is a dimly lit room, and I am surrounded by computer monitors and reference materials. No ham radio, though. And there are a couple of computers here that are older than most of the users on this site... :)

It's amazing how quickly word of this has gotten around through various channels; I've received four telephone calls from people who did not hear about it from [Point|Coaster] Buzz, Facebook or Twitter. The sudden-ness of the decision (as it was seen operating on a webcam yesterday, indicating a decision made, announced, and carried out today) has led a number of people...including me...to suspect what I described earlier today as "either mechanical or regulatory trouble.' I now have reason not to believe that to be the case.

The trouble is, the apparent truth doesn't make any *logical* sense, unless, of course, the decisions are being made in a highly illogical manner.

Come to think of it, opting to very quickly turn a perfectly good ride into scrap metal (rather than stacking it in the Mean Streak infield and listing it with ITAL International, for instance) may itself be proof of the nature of the decision: it's the kind of action taken when the decision maker wants to be sure he can't possibly have any second thoughts...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I dont care about MM. I still love my CP. it's quality that matters, not quantity :)

Morté615 said:
Looking at that graph I'm a little surprised that ridership on MOST rides have gone pretty steadily down for 1996 through 2008. What is the source of the data?

The source was CP's website. Although it appears as though ridership went down, in actuality, the ridership stayed about the same. The number of rides to choose from increased over the years spreading the crowds out more and more.

Dave the logic and philosophical nature of your last paragraph is absolutely perfectly put. Consider me as staying tuned in.

@RideMan

This is very... interesting, the seemingly, increasingly conspiratorial nature of this. I would've put money on the "catastrophic mechanical failure" justification between both the testing yesterday and the lack of an attempt to relocate or, well, not scrap it, not to mention the short notice.

I just hope the supposed illogic doesn't bode ominously for the new administration, or the remaining bits of the old administration, especially with how optimistic we all were for this oncoming season.

I have only been on it a few times, but I always liked the way it lit up at night. Its too bad this classic didn't end up elsewhere in the park. If it was unsafe, I totally understand why they decided its time to move on.

Its too bad they don't sell cars from the ride. I would love to have one of the cars in my backyard!

Maybe this is one of the suprises CP had in store for the 1 million who 'liked' them on FB? ;)
Seriously, it stinks because my daughter hit the 48 in mark for this season, and this was the first ride she wanted to go on. I'm wondering if the surrounding construction could have compromised the ride's structural integrity, or if there was a mechanical error, but I too doubt this decision had anything to do with cramped quarters.

So now it's just gonna be concrete?

Hopefully pavers.