How long are the rides closed if there is rain?

I was just curious as to how long the rides are closed once it stops raining. I am planning on going May 13th, the weather is showing that there is a 30% chance of "few showers." If it is just a light rain, how long would the major coaster be closed?

Most rides can run in the rain. Lightening is the bigger factor. Some rides will only run with one train if it is raining. So, there are a few different factors. If the forcast is for showers, you'll probably be fine. The downtime will probably be outweighed by the fact that there will most likely be a smaller crowd. Fewer people tend to come when there is rain in the forcast.

Any rain (even a light drizzle) will shut down Dragster. Most rides stay open in light rain. I haven't made as many trips the last couple years, but I believe most coasters will usually pull at least 1 train off the tracks (if not dropping to single train operation) in the rain, after the Magnum incident a couple years ago.

If there's just a 30% chance of light showers, I wouldn't worry too much.

Thanks guys! I have a season pass so I'm going no matter what, rain or shine. I just don't want to bring my friends and have them waste their money and not get to ride because of the rain.

I took a ride on Wicked Twister last June and it was pouring rain. It was actually a painful ride.

Rides with mag brakes shouldn't have to go down to 1 train op. Rides like Magnum are friction brakes and wet friction brakes can be a bad thing.

Except that rides like Millennium Force reach their final stop with the tires, which do slip when they're wet.

The bottom line is, don't let a "chance of rain" determine your expectations about Cedar Point. The weather can change so rapidly where we live, it really has never deterred me from plans to go. Sure, there have been times when it has turned out as a wash-out, but more often than not a little rain has always turned out to be a blessing, as many customers will run for the hills. There have been days...especially one highly memorable Halloweekends Friday about 5 years ago...where a 30-45 minute rain shower literally cleared the entire park (relatively speaking), leaving us with the impression that we had the whole playground to ourselves. Cedar Point has always done an excellent job of getting anything and everything going asap after a shut-down.

I'm not sure if Woodstock Express uses a tire lift but if it does, it'll go down if there's anything more then a drizzle. Roadrunner Express wouldn't work with rain or too many fat people. It would just slide back down the lift, which would potentially cause a maintenance problem.

Also, Batman's Knight Flight would go down during heavy rain. The wind would start blowing the rain into the station and eventually flood the safety sensors. I don't think Cedar Point has any drop tracks like a B&M floorless does, but believe me, it's a pain.

Big Dipper would go down during rain. It would start picking up too much speed or something, can't remember the reason they gave us. Not sure if Cedar Point's woodies have this problem. Like mentioned above, most rides will only go down during thunder/lightning.

Still, all the more reason to build some dark rides.

Jeff said:
Except that rides like Millennium Force reach their final stop with the tires, which do slip when they're wet.

The tires in the load area are continuously wet during the summer when the track is being sprayed with water all day to try and reduce bad wheels. Trains seem to stop just fine. Or is there a distinction here because these are in the load area and not in the waiting area outside unload?

Skippy said:
Still, all the more reason to build some dark rides.

Well the one "dark ride" at CP I've heard is actually the ride that closes longest in rain. it leaks so bad that it has to close than takes longer to dry because sunlight cant get to the track so they just have to run it and run it till it drys off.

^I don't really consider that a dark ride. I always felt it was one of Cedar Point's record breaking coasters though - you know - worlds largest tunnel. I'm being serious here, a dark ride by definition requires more then just being inclosed in boxes and tubes.

^ thats why I put it in Quotes :)

I see :)

Mr. Potato said:
The tires in the load area are continuously wet during the summer when the track is being sprayed with water all day to try and reduce bad wheels. Trains seem to stop just fine. Or is there a distinction here because these are in the load area and not in the waiting area outside unload?

Moving trains in to the load station is a lot different than trains coming in through the brakes at the end of the run. Watch a fully loaded and warm train come in and see where it stops relative to the unload station.

I understand the mag brakes can't completely stop the train. Does anyone (rideman?) know what speed the mag's get it down to?

Jeff said:
Watch a fully loaded and warm train come in and see where it stops relative to the unload station.

I know. Saw it nearly everyday. But it ran in the rain back then too.

Not saying it didn't, but I think the SOP has changed a couple of times over the last 12 years.