Mantis Future

Pete said:
All this talk about Mantis getting floorless trains is just a pipedream made up by coaster enthusiasts as a result of whatever it was they were smoking. Forget about the floorless trains, it's not going to happen and Mantis is fine they way it was designed, a stand-up roller coaster.

Yeah, you're probably right. I for one would prefer to stand up. Mantis is my friend's favourite ride and it would blow if they changed it by adding floorless trains: which probably can't happen. After all, I guess when they say "do not sit on the restraints, it will hurt!" Its for a good reason.

I agree, I don't think Mantis would be changed dramatically into a completely different style of coaster. If CP really thought the needed a floorless then they would build one. Could Mantis be changed, perhaps, but I doubt the cost of altering it would be that much less than starting from scratch. It would have to completely re-engineered for the new purpose and I would be shocked all of the existing track could be re-used.

In any event Mantis definitely needs some new life brought to it. A new paint scheme, perhaps some different themeing around the ride, changing up the pathways leading to it etc...

I would be far more willing to believe that they paint the track a swamp green color. Make the back half of the ride look like a swamp area, re-paint and re-theme the trains, and re-name it Rougarou.

AlexGillman said:
No I mean there is a line of people waiting for it. It can also kind of be seen from the live cam.

The queue line was almost completely full on Sat 7-19. The park was really busy though. The line for Mean Streak even went all the way down to the queue's corner.

O wow, Mean Streak's line never gets that long!

I've never understood the purple/red/yellow paint scheme for it going back to 1996. It's a Mantis after all, why not make it the proper colors like a shade of green? Maybe after the Jr.Gemini (another I never understood since it never was a racing coaster)rename, a new color scheme would make sense. I for one would welcome it.

Me too! And I think it would attract more people! Especially the ones who think it's a new ride (given the name gets changed).

I got some more anecdotal evidence today. Today while in line for TTD, I observed that there were some nearly empty trains on Mantis. However, later when I went up that way, there was a line. I think that was due to MF being down. :(

I can vouch for that observation. Actually was going to ride it with my kids just for the heck of it since it's been so long but there was supposedly a half hour wait. it was a longer line than either of my kids had ever waited in to ride it before but Millennium Force was down and the park was kind of busy. We decided to catch the train instead and go for Gemini.

CPfan1976 said:
I've never understood the purple/red/yellow paint scheme for it going back to 1996. It's a Mantis after all, why not make it the proper colors like a shade of green? Maybe after the Jr.Gemini (another I never understood since it never was a racing coaster)rename, a new color scheme would make sense. I for one would welcome it.

That's because it was originally going to be named Banshee, but was changed last minute at the time because of name complaints. You can still probably find some old merchandise on ebay of the ride's old logo. (Also, it would make sense to paint it green).:)

I always thought Mantis should have had Raptor's track colors. I'm not sure how much sense its current color scheme would have fit with Banshee either.

I stopped by CP on the way home yesterday evening from Marblehead and it was pretty busy but I couldn't believe how lucky I got, walking by MF when it was still closed and opening as I was just about to go up Frontier Trail so I turned around. I got a walk on and a re-ride with a 20 minute wait. And I had waited almost 40 minutes for Raptor earlier.

In all honesty, riding Mantis doesn't even register anymore.

I read on Wiki that the original entrance to Mantis was on the other side of the CP & LE RR tracks. Does anyone have a picture of this? Would have been from 1996-1999 (before Millennium)

That is definitely true, but I do not have a picture. It was an arrangement similar to Shoot the Rapids where you had to cross the train tracks pretty much right at the entrance of the ride.

And I believe the concrete for the original entrance is still there, basically due north of MF's photo booth.

Let's say that during mid-season inspections, the maintenance staff identify a section of track on a coaster that needs repair, either in the short-term or long-term future. How would they mark such an area of track?

Spray paint maybe?

To everyone saying a stand up wont work because of the "heartline" element. Isn't a floorless train a little higher off the track than a normal sit down train anyway thus making the "heartline" pretty much in the same position? The station will just pretty much need the floor ripped out to accommodate the dropping floor and mechanics but I really don't think that this is THAT much of a project to do considering the increased load times and probability that it can return to a 3 train op with minimum stacking. I can only hope as Mantis is my least favorite coaster and I have not ridden it in over 10 years due the pain I remember from it.

^ Here we go...just more anecdotal observations ;)

^^ Interesting tidbit. Rode Mantis 2x this year after a 5 year layoff from it. Put family on the front seat in May, wonderful smooth ride, no problems. Went on it again July 2nd, 3rd row (above wheels, I know): Horrible experience with my head banging everywhere and not that fun. Maybe the seat matters? Seems true on Mean Streak also. Just my 2c
BTW, there was a 45 minute wait 7/2 for the ride.

Those are not anecdotal observations. They are fantastical ideas dreamed up by someone who is not be responsible for or likely not capable of justifying such an investment.

Anecdotal observation would be assuming that time you saw Mantis with no line means it never has a line, or that the other day when the line was long means the line is always long.

One person avoiding a ride due to perceived pain a decade prior is not anecdotal evidence of declining ridership but witnessing short lines repeatedly is?

Don't bother, the dude just likes to nitpick EVERYTHING on here because he is just a jerk. Seriously don't even bother, not worth your time.