GCI Woodie - 2006/2007?

I'm a fan of the ride too, I just wish that it was smoother - not so much for me, but for everyone. It was implied earlier that MS doesn't get many riders because people don't like woodies. I was trying to point out that I feel the ride quality is a major turn-off for most.

Dedication or refusal to use the "edit" button to prevent double posting? You decide.

How about the ability to make completely off-topic and useless posts?

You don't like Mean Streak, CP4eva'04. Remember - everyone thinks it's rough and everyone has always thought it was rough.

I'm being sarcastic, of course. There are a number of opinions on Mean Streak (just do a search here to see the variety). Some people think it's rough. Some people think it's slow. Some people like it the way it is. My point is that the changes that were made were motivated by maintenance, not people. Even on the changes - as to whether they were good moves or bad moves - there are different opinions.

I think ride location is as much a factor on popularity as anything else. But there are other issues as well. I think the industry has learned a lot since Mean Streak.

*** Edited 8/5/2005 3:41:19 PM UTC by Walt***

djDaemon said:
Now, any TRUE coaster enthusiast will tell you that a park isn't complete without a great woodie, and CP could definitely benefit from that.

They have one, it's called Blue Streak.

A friend of mine is a bona fide wood coaster engineer (so he obviously works for one of the two or three firms that design the things). It's his opinion that Mean Streak is fundamentally flawed in its design, and there are on easy fixes short of tearing it down and starting over. He thinks the team of carpenters do the best they can given what they have to work with.

My feeling is that The Gravity Group is doing the most interesting work right now. Hades is crazy, and The Voyage is practically number one already and it has barely started going up. I like the GCI rides I've been on, but it's like they're all about twisters only. The Voyage is a great looking combination of an out-and-back and a twister. That's the good stuff.

Oh, and it kills me how many people here think they're engineers.

I've seen several people on here say that they want a replica of PKI's Son of Beast. That would be a more fatal mistake than Mean Streak EVER was. Not only is the structure even more massive than Mean Streaks, but the ride was so incredibly rough when I rode it a few weeks ago that my entire body was in pain and the ride was not enjoyable AT ALL.

Yeah, Blue Streak is a good ride, but its a tad on the short side and doesn't have that world-class woodie feel to it.

I would love to see something like Hades at CP.

Oh, and Jeff... some of as actually are.

Jeff I agree with you about The Voyage. Over on Coasterbuzz when we were all speculating about what the ride might be I basically said an out and back with a twister in between.
I think CP should utilize GCI or TGG, it really seems like woodies are having a major comeback these days, and Frontiertown is a perfect place for one.

I have said it so many times here and on other sites that Mean Streak is one of my favourite coasters ever. I would take it over Dragster any day. I think one has to have a certain feel for wooden coasters simply because there are those who say they love it and those who say it's too rough, it all depends on you liking.

How about this? Do you think the ride on MS would be improved if CP put in some of GCI's Millennium Flyer trains?

Just a thought.

Rideman?
*** Edited 8/5/2005 8:14:04 PM UTC by tambo***

Mean Streak did used to be smooth. If you get a hold of the vintage footage from before it opened to the public you will see how well is traverses the course and how well it maintains its speed.

Granted they didn't have a trim brak on it yet, but I think this gives the perception that the ride is more rough. I've ridden it nearly trimless before and I had more fun on it than Dragster. It didn't seem rough and the ride was actually forceful. I rode it last week and it was god-awful. The car was shaking the whole ride and it wasn't very fun. We were up front and when we stopped at the brake run outside the station I could feel and hear at least one of the wheels (maybe two) continue spinning. They apparently weren't touching the track for whatever reason.

The ride is structurally flawed and they have had two reprofile the first two turns to compensate for it as well as install the trim brake from tearing itself apart.

I wonder how much it would cost for them to restructure the supports, retrofit the whole ride with Intamin track and buy Intamin woodie trains. Probably nearly as much as the original $7 million price tag. I ride it when I go to the park, but it's sad knowing how much potential the ride has and then seeing how it runs today.

Vince982 said:
I have said it so many times here and on other sites that Mean Streak is one of my favourite coasters ever.

Considering all of your favorite coasters in your signature are at Cedar Point, I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say you haven't been to many parks. Visit Holiday World, it's like a religious experience.

The unsubstantiated rumor is that GCI doesn't sell their trains to anyone except those that buy their coasters. Don't know if it's for real. I don't think it would matter anyway. My friend at [Wood Coaster Firm] says the problem is largely structural. It's hardly the only wood coaster with PTC's on it, so why would they be the problem?

I'm certainly no engineer but it seems like it should be possible to tweak it a bit structurally and somehow reach a happy medium. By that I mean a little more speed, which in my opinion is its problem.

Visit Holiday World, it's like a religious experience.

Amen to that.
*** Edited 8/6/2005 2:20:08 AM UTC by BirdOfPrey00***

I think that it would be easier to fit a GCI woodie in FT, or anywhere in the park for that matter, because of their interesting use of underground tunnels.

If you look at Hades, a majority of the ride is underneath a parking lot. Also, it looks like they are making very good use out of tunnels on Voyage. I could see an out and back style coaster weaving through FT and just coming up through the tree's for some bunny hills and then back down underground at the bottom of the hills to clear pathways and other obstacles.

I am really liking the look of Voyage, and I could see something along the lines of that in FT.

Just personal preference. But this is not as silly as some wanting to get revenge on Six Flags for building a higher coaster.

My point was on personal preference of rides. Just because someone thinks a ride is bad does not mean that the rest of the public feels the same way, thus why it exists. I feel some rides are a waste of space, they were in my post, but I however do not think they should be removed by my personal opinion only. They have an audience, just not one with me.

Mean Streak was better in 2000. It wasnt as rough and didnt have that brake on the 1st hill. I wouldnt feel any remorse if they built a new and better woodie in its place. Its good for speed not for air. If you want to ride a good woodie that has mad air, go ride Viper. Or go to Holiday World.

I doubt that they will build a new woodie in 06 as you would start to see footers already. 07 will feature something huge thats steel not wooden. My guess is that CP will build a woodie in 09 after they have recovered their capitol for the 07 coaster.

Jeff said:

Vince982 said:
I have said it so many times here and on other sites that Mean Streak is one of my favourite coasters ever.

Considering all of your favorite coasters in your signature are at Cedar Point, I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say you haven't been to many parks. Visit Holiday World, it's like a religious experience.

You're right Jeff, I haven't visited many parks. Looking at Holiday World's coasters on RCDB they look great. I cannot wait until I am older and done high school because I plan to tour the country, actually your country because my country's amusement park industy sucks, to compare other coasters.
*** Edited 8/6/2005 6:52:23 AM UTC by Vince982***

Why doesn't Holiday World have any steel coasters other than for that kiddy one?

Because they don't need them.

MrScott