Mantis Future

This is all speculation and conjecture at this point, but wouldn't you rather have a rideable coaster rather than "filler"? A coaster you never really want to ride or a coaster you might actually want to ride? Some people are saying that the ride wont be vastly different that the current Mantis, how is that possible? Of course the layout might be similar, but no head banging? That makes it a rideable coaster in my book. No one here seems to really enjoy Mantis in its current configuration, if Cedar Fair could get some use out of it at a cost less than a new coaster, it certainly works for me.

Right now if MF has a three hour plus wait I am going someplace else, and not Mantis. Reconfigured, I would definitely hit Mantis, that's the difference.

If this is true, you can bet the whole area will get updated and made to look nice like Celebration Station, Gatekeeper plaza, and the new Gemini midway areas. The Mantis area is getting a bit drab so even if the ride change is small, the whole area will improve.

Which again brings up the ridership question. If the current ridership for Mantis is not that low, then there is no motivation for the park to do anything. I'm not a huge Mantis fan either, but it still seems to draw a longer line than many other coasters in the park.

I agree it does draw long lines at times, usually when CP is packed. But ask yourself, do you really want to ride it? My guess is ridership and complaints have already been noted.

Who cares if any one person wants to ride it? If the park is happy with Mantis' ridership (and there's no indication otherwise), they're not going to invest money to fulfill a less-than-half-baked enthusiast idea.

Mantis still gets quite the line believe me. The GP seems to like it and I doubt it will go anywhere for a while. If any coaster is next it will be MS.

It was just a topic for discussion, no truth to any of it, just discussion. Just wanted to hear what others thought of Mantis. I guess time will tell what really happens when it happens. I just questioned Mantis as not a ride that deserves to be in a place called the Best Amusement Park in the World and my favorite park also. I guess some people here really are experts on Cedar Point unlike me.

Cedar Point has a problem in that it's land locked. SO in order to bring us the rides and new attractions we all want, they are always thinking about what will be heading to the Halloweekend graveyard next. Combine how the ride is holding up with it's location and ridership... That leaves us all wondering... I, for one, am liking how the park is shaping up and I'm excited for what might be coming next. In the mean time, you guys seeing the transformation down at Carowinds?

While Cedar Point is "land locked", that doesn't mean they are running out of space. They have plenty of room left. I think off season maintenance time restraints, and maintenance costs are the reasons why rides are being removed for new ones. The amount of work done to each and every ride during the off season is incredible.

It's always a combination of factors. The powers that be look over the maintenance costs, issues, likely their severities, and combine that with ridership data, any ideas they have for new rides to draw in new crowds, etc. If they find they have an open area suitable for a new ride, they'll use it. If they have an older ride that is becoming a maintenance pain, like John Hildebrandt basically called Disaster Transport and Space Spiral, they'll consider replacing those. It's not as simple as being required to tear something out, sure, but they are not going to keep everything forever, either.

coasterJay said:
It was just a topic for discussion, no truth to any of it, just discussion. Just wanted to hear what others thought of Mantis.

I was doing the same so don't feel bad. It's fun to think out loud ain't it? I personally don't mind Mantis, but I know everyone on here dislikes just as much as they dislike Shoot the Rapids. Adam is right though, they would have to tear Mantis completely down in order to make it a Floorless.

The main thing that they'd have to completely redo is the station. I remember hearing, somewhere, that there's no way they could make the current station work and do a simple modification. If that is the case, then it would have to be torn down and a new one built in its place.

Again, this is not "can they do it?", it's "why should they do it?" and "is it really worth the investment?".

TTD 120mph said:

Again, this is not "can they do it?", it's "why should they do it?" and "is it really worth the investment?".

Can they? yes

why? because Mantis is not a coaster that belongs in a park touted as Best in the World (either is MS - but its somewhat rideable depending on seat choice, Corkscrew is another but the spiral is so iconic)

Is It worth it? that's one I am not so sure on, but I will bet that its less than half of what a new coaster would cost, and it can be touted as a new coaster.

That fact is superficial. The only people that care about how the coasters rank in comparison to an ambiguous title such as that are enthusiasts. By that reasoning, CCMR, Woodstock, MS and Wilderness Run have no business being at the park either. There's nothing crazy amazing about them anyway.

For Cedar Point to make the decision to put floorless trains on Mantis just so they can save a buck and attempt to remarket it just seems like something that a Six Flags park would do. Not Cedar Point.

The only thing I would agree with the park doing to Mantis is implementing a new color scheme......or it's demolition. ;)

TTD 120mph said:
That fact is superficial. The only people that care about how the coasters rank in comparison to an ambiguous title such as that are enthusiasts. By that reasoning, CCMR, Woodstock, MS and Wilderness Run have no business being at the park either. There's nothing crazy amazing about them anyway.

I respectfully disagree. All those coasters you named are good coasters and belong in the park. There are riders who visit CP who need a ride like that. I'm saying, and of course I am biased here, that Mantis is a terrible ride by any definition. The stand up gimmick is over, I don't know anyone who has ridden it that really likes it. Heck a Togo is better than Mantis any day! On the other hand, CCMR, Woodstock, MS and Wilderness Run while not stand out rides are re-ridable, don't cause men to go sterile and knock out all of grandpas teeth.

Maybe it should be demolished and a new coaster pout in its place, but I just think that something can be done. Its not the layout that really sucks, its those damn trains!

^Well for me I don't have a problem with Mantis, but your right, the Stand up gimmick is over. I know a lot of people don't like it though which is why It seems like it's ridership is down a lot. Adam has good points though about how major the modifications would have to be to get it done, but at the same time, I agree with Jay that I'm sure B&M has a couple tricks up their sleeves to make it work.

My point was, being a coaster at the "best amusement park in the world" doesn't mean it has to have hold a standard it whole life.....or even have one. Those coasters I mentioned are, by no means, the best of the best and not what make CP stand out in the amusement world. However, Mantis did just that back in the day. But since what made it "all the buzz" were the trains and not the layout, it seems lame to put floorles trains on when you COULD make a new ride that is unlike anything of its kind.

I'm not saying that slapping some floorless trains wouldn't be a different experience or that it wouldn't be better in some manner. Just that it's not worth it for the park and not nearly as marketable as a new ride.

coasterJay said:
I'm saying, and of course I am biased here, that Mantis is a terrible ride by any definition. The stand up gimmick is over, I don't know anyone who has ridden it that really likes it.

Yes. You are biased. Mantis may be a terrible ride by any enthusiast's definition. The stand up 'gimmick' may be over, by any enthusiast's definition. You're looking at the park through enthusiast-colored glasses.

Meanwhile, Cedar Fair is looking at the park in terms of how the company makes the most money while appealing to the most customers.

And, well, clearly, Mantis has continued to cross that threshold. If the general public agreed with those few enthusiasts that are part of the park's annual attendance, the ride would be long gone.

coasterJay said:
...Mantis is not a coaster that belongs in a park touted as Best in the World...

First of all, you're using a marketing slogan as justification for a multi-million dollar investment. Sit back for a minute and think about that.

Second, it's only your opinion that Mantis doesn't meet some imaginary criteria. You don't know the ridership numbers, maintenance costs, etc.

I got this.
Keep Mantis a standup coaster. But tear it down and start over.

There.