First rider event review

One thing I forgot to mention was the queue. I like the theming and storytelling, as well as the views of the ride you'll get in certain areas, but I was very suprised by it's overall (lack of) size. I really think it won't be big enough for busy day crowds. I'm sure they'll be using extra temporary queues outside the entrance but I was mildly shocked that they didn't build a larger permanent queue. I figure that they didn't want to end up with a lot of dead space for when the ride ages and lines decrease.

It’s funny about queues these days and it does seem like they’re getting smaller. I thought Valravn’s line seemed short, or at least it took up less space than you see on other rides.
There’s a science to lines and maybe the thought is that no matter how long the queue is if passers by see it out the door they’ll pass by til later. Thus improving satisfaction for those that did wait a shorter time.
Someone mentioned too that a ride op stated that the queue as built would result in a four hour wait. As I walked through Friday night I looked at what the possibility might be and it seemed fairly large. Or maybe long, as in long stretches of line. I guess we’ll see.

I don't think any of the other queues at CP are built to hold four hours worth of people. One thing to keep in mind is that tunnel alone is probably a solid 30 minutes if not more.

On the other hand, with a bunch of people using Fastlane, it makes the regular queue move slower. So four hours might not be terribly far fetched.

My nightime wait at First Rider started fairly far back from the tunnel and I was surprised at how fast it went with two train operation. The fact that I got in line with a nice couple I had met might’ve helped while away the time but our trip through the tunnel seemed faster than I ever remembered with Mean Streak.
I’ll be gone to Branson, but I wish I could go opening weekend. And not to ride, especially, but just to observe all the hoopla and see how many people show up and when. Between CP and KI I’ve been to plenty of opening days and spent hours waiting for that new ride so I’m especially glad I got a nice preview this time.

I agree with everyone above, this was outstanding event and probably the best I have been to at CP. The complementary on ride phots, adult beverages, and gifts were unexpected treats. The food spread was some of the best I’ve had at cedar point (shrimp/ crab, are you kidding me?).

Crowd I’d guess was around 600-700 people, and very energetic. We didn’t listen to Blackjack and first took a front seat walk on ride on Maverick (another bonus), and then grabbed a beer and got in line for Steel Vengeance. We waited about 40 minutes for the first ride, but with brew , chatter, and excitement it felt like nothing.

As for the ride. I don’t know how they push the limits of physics like this, but they did. Every single element and sequence of is amazing and well thought out. It’s hard to believe they did this with the constraints of following (for the most part) Means Streaks old layout

It’s hard to pick the best part of the ride because every element I’d rate a 10... But the 2 outward large camelback, into the double up and into zero g roll is just insanity. That sequence had some of best sustained air I’ve ever felt on a coaster, followed by one of the wildest inversions I’ve ever been through.

Ended up with 5 rides with most coming at night and got a re-ride at the end. There is some ‘thigh ouch’ with the ejector air, but it’s nothing too horrible and akin to Magnum. Towards the end I found if grabbed the lap bar and got part of my hand under it and held onto it like I was riding a bucking bronco that softened the blow. Probably not a marathon coaster for most, which is fine.

Also, final note- Girlfriends Mean Streak piece had bolt hole and washer indent. Really cool!

I remember waiting about 4 hours for millennium force in 2000. (That included downtime for maintenance) I will never do that kind of wait again. I guess I’m spoiled with the platinum pass and the ability to pass up rides and comeback back another day. This coaster seems like a similar gamechanger for the park that milly was in 2000 so I would expect huge waits.
I’m sure the queue is designed to work with hourly capacity and expected guest traffic in mind.

RCMAC said:

My nightime wait at First Rider started fairly far back from the tunnel and I was surprised at how fast it went with two train operation. The fact that I got in line with a nice couple I had met might’ve helped while away the time but our trip through the tunnel seemed faster than I ever remembered with Mean Streak.

Yes it was quick! One of our waits started at the tunnel entrance, and it was less than 20 minutes. I feel the assigned seating helps since it gets you right on the ride.

I do think the tunnel might have been shortened a bit though? I noticed the tunnel only extended to when the track made the final hop up because of clearance, where as the old mean streak track was high so the tunnel could have run longer. The Mean Streak tunnel seemed longer to me, but honestly the last time I had to wait in that is when I was probably 10 (so everything seemed bigger, ha)

Our Initial wait was 40, starting next to the tunnel with a straight line going out to the deprivation building exit and back to the tunnel. It really wasn't using much the queue, so with fast lane I could easily see this holding a 4 hour wait.

^Fast lane, that's a good point... fast line makes the main line move slower, there is no way around it.

Interestingly, Europa Park doesn't have a fast lane and just relies on super-fast dispatches without extraneous seatbelts *thinks*...

kpr66 said:
...and you are also correct on the guest needing to get it green if we don't. For those of you on here who haven't ridden yet, please, PLEASE use the test seat

So ride ops can’t give the restraint an extra shove if needed to get the green light?

Correct.

It is part of the Three Amigo’s “Eat Healthy” campaign.

RCMAC, do you know if they will allow a riding buddy give a small shove like at Dollywood?

No, but I reckon you’ll be ok as long as they aren’t the ones.
The best advice is from our kpr66. Try the test seat.

So, I took my three oldest kids (14,10,9) to the First Rider Benefit last Friday, and we all had an amazing time! Steel Vengeance lived up to my hopes and then some! Hard to say anything about it that hasn't already been said, but I will just chime in and say it's now my favorite coaster, and it'll be a hard one to top!

Of my 4 rides (I could have gotten a 5th, on the last train of the night, but deferred to somebody else waiting at the exit hoping to do just that), my favorite was riding in the front row, at night! It was truly mind-blowing, and my daughter who rode with me agreed that it was just on another level! My other rides were either towards the back, or in the very back row, and of course they were amazing back there too. But SV again seems to be one of those coasters that surprisingly gives more air and a better ride in the front. Coming out of that 3rd inversion, right where you get your picture taken, multiple times I was incredibly disoriented, and actually thought the train was moving sideways! lol

The final run of bucking bronco ejector airtime was notable, in that unlike the similar elements on Lightning Rod and Storm Chaser, I didn't find it uncomfortable at all. I don't know if they found a way to make the restraints easier on the thighs, or what, but it was a welcome development! I actually could see myself marathoning SV, and I survived 20 rides in one day (many consecutive) on Storm Chaser! The quad down on LR, not so much... lol

As others have mentioned, it was a fantastic event, with great food, nice gifts, and hard working staff! Props to CP for giving us this opportunity, and though I do think it really should have been BEFORE Media Day, to truly be a "First Rider Event", at least the money went to a good cause! My kids had a great time, and that's always #1 to me (and I had a great time as well), so thanks again to CP for putting the event on!

Seeing how many of you were there, it makes me wonder who all I "saw", without knowing it! lol

I was the drunk guy in a bright red CP retro logo football jersey if that helps.

I’m in total agreement about the front, and I was all ready to make the back seat my go-to seat. There are a couple of spots where the back might be preferable, (the first drop, natch, and that holy crap dive through the structure behind the station) but otherwise the air in the front is unsurpassed. I also got a front seat ride after dark and when we pulled in I must’ve had the “shock and awe” look on my face because those waiting for our train had a good laugh at me. I also had to pull my lip down off of my front teeth. It was stuck.

Now, will the front seat be the place to be at the height of bug season? Probably not so much. Well, to be fair, anywhere, really....

For those who rode Maverick, exactly what all theming did they bring back?

Most of the tunnel effects. The railroad crossing signs, lights, and sounds were working. Our train came to a complete stop, just like it did in the first year, and then slowly rolled forward a foot or two, then launched. The strobe lights and camera at the end of the tunnel are not back, at least not yet.

I can confirm what DRE420 posted, the crossing signs at the beginning of the tunnel were operational. Most trains I rode did not slow down in the tunnel though, I think that is still pretty standard Maverick blocking. It depends on where the other trains are whether there is a tunnel slowdown.