Lake Erie Eagles: Capacity Nightmare?

I said somewhere a while back it would've made sense for CP to install two scooter rides, side by side, and let them "duel". I think there's room for it and I can't imagine those rides are all that expensive. This would at least double the already crappy capacity on busy days, and allow them to close one side on slow days if they choose.

I am in agreement, though, that if not at first, at least by season two the ride will be like most flats at CP and have a tolerable wait. I hope it's not a FL ride, I don't think it's necessary and will only further delay riders in the standby line.
I also predict, and hope, that operations will stand by some sort of rule about doubling up, especially when kids are riding.

Ya know, I'm not entirely opposed to the Aviator ride, and it might've been a better choice as a family ride for this particular park. Granted, the ride action isn't very good unless you work really hard, but it is spectacular looking and would have better capacity. KD has operated with both Aviator and Flying Scooter rides for a while now, hasn't it?

Lol to those concerned about fastlane... I highly doubt lines will ever be more than most other flatrides of this size at the park (aka minimal).

Invertalon said:
Lol to those concerned about fastlane... I highly doubt lines will ever be more than most other flatrides of this size at the park (aka minimal).

You obviously have never had a fast lane. One of the greatest things about it is indeed using it on the "smaller" rides. Even on a slow day, time how long it takes you to get through the normal line on something like Cadillac Cars or Giant Wheel, then time it with FL.

We went on the same ride at Kings Dominion last summer and the line was similar to Dumbo at Disney World. A LONG wait for a short ride (although I was happy the ride was short as it made me dizzier than any other ride I've ever been on).

Capacity aside, I'm interested in seeing how much downtime this ride will have due to weather. At the park I used to work at, we had an identical flying scooters ride. According to the ride manual, it could not operate at "high winds." I don't remember the exact wind speed, but I do remember that the ride was almost always shut down for "wind." This was at a park in the north east, no where near any water. I'm wondering how well this ride will do in CP's windy lake environment.

Hopefully less than Windseeker...

Luckily for everyone, they are installing the Eagles in a very non-windy portion of the park, whereas Windseeker was built in the absolute windiest part of the park.

It goes way up in the air. I don't think it would matter where it was built.

Looking at the webcam, as of 3pm today (4 days before opening day) something doesn't look right with the appearance of the inner ring of this ride. Compare with the rendering (yes, I know it's a rendering, but this is noticeable). There is dirt around the inner cement circle going to the outer blue gates. I would have a hard time believing its going to be left this way. Wasn't this supposed to be filled in with a different color concrete? Again compare to the rendering to see what I'm talking about. Any thoughts?

It's not abnormal for the infield to be without concrete. See Skyhawk as an example (though originally there was less concrete there). Maxair too.

I for one would prefer some grass and perhaps even...

A SHRUBBERY.

I was guessing that it will be sod for instant grass, as all of the other areas already have the finish soil in place.
On a side note, the live stream of the area is running and I for one hope that it stays right where it is so that i can watch all of the rides in the distance come to life from my desk here in Colorado. So far it is like watching a bad sims program where people just walk aimlessly back and forth carrying a board or some wiring.
I did get to watch Monster all lit up spinning away last night.

I thought about the sod (instant grass/shrubbery idea but noticed they didn't fill in this area after finishing the area between Monster and LEE (Lake Erie Eagles) but then looked at this:
https://www.cedarpoint.com/images/uploads/file/CP2014_8x10_300dpi.jpg
and forgot about the original rendering with the two rings of different colored concrete. I did see lights (lit up at night) directly on the outside of that inner concrete ring the other evening on the webcam. I thought their positioning was weird and not really all that bright.
I do like the grass/shrubbery idea but it seems it would get "trampled" all over by the foot traffic coming off of LEE. Maybe their waiting til tomorrow to finish or decide what to do with this outer area. Who knows?

Maybe once the weather warms up enough they'll plant annuals in that space. I like that idea and it would be pretty, adding even more color to the area.
I sincerely hope and expect that people will walk on the concrete area when exiting the ride and not trample them. A short, trimmed boxwood hedge ringed just outside the concrete would be nice, but there's no evidence of that and they take a while to develop into a hedge anyway.

How on Earth would this ride have FL?! I'm not trying to be pessimistic, as the ride is a lot of fun (I rode it for the first time today), but I'm really dubious that an 8 people per 4 minute ride was the best choice for CP... With FL, that means the standby line will move perhaps only 4 people at a time!

IMO, the capacity killer on this ride is the belt buckle.

I realize they don't want people un-buckling and exiting before the tubs have stopped moving, but it's kind of obnoxious being trapped in there without even the option of getting out in the event of something going awry.

Other parks have been functioning with a regular belt buckle, or a strap/chain with a clasp and loop for many years, and it seems to do OK.

Wait, they have a ride op only buckle release on those? For real?

Yes, the buckle release is a little hole that the ride op inserts a pin to release the buckle.

As far as being trapped, it's no different that a slew of other rides that have locking restraints that the rider can't open. The difference is that most others are automated while Eagles needs a ride op to go the each car.

That sounds awful. I can almost understand it on something like Woodstock Express (but not really... Goofy's Barnstormer has no belts at all), but this?

I can somewhat see the point of that type of buckle on a kids ride (I picture a kid unbuckling the belt on the helicopter ride and jumping out) but what is the benefit on this ride?