Mantis removal or transformation?

Someone had started a thread to ask about how much it may cost to remove Mantis.

My answer --- An arm and 8 legs.

jo linn said:
I was wondering if B&M might take what they can with the infrastructure of Mantis and transform it to a terrain hugging and slightly themed coaster similar to Holiday World's Thunderbird ( not including the winged trains).
Perhaps save the first 3 loops and gravity lift portion and then make a really nice long ride by a second launch into the "bayou".
I miss the old school cheesy themed areas of PWE. This could be a way to reuse that classic area.

That would be cool. I'd like to see them add a tunnel that for once doesn't involve just slapping a few pieces of corrugated steel together and calling it a day.

WishfulThinker83 said:

Has nothing to do with the coaster count anymore, it's a title they claim because they believe that they have the best coaster collection.

I think they have that slogan trademarked as well.

Really? Didn't know they actually had that trademarked! Heck they could tear em all down and still say that if they have it trademarked!

I normally try not to read too much into the webcams but I do find it kind of interesting that both are currently turned away from the park. Earlier this morning there was one pointed at Mantis and another toward the entrance.

I would think since the park has private events today they are turning the cameras away for that reason. If a GP saw the park was open they would try and go when its really a private event.

The cams have not moved since the high noon video posting? I know CP is closed now, but those cams every other time seem to move as much as one of those sprinkler systems that move.. It may be nothing but the CP staff just taking some time away for the first time this season? Or is there something they do not want you to see and the private event? Who knows

WishfulThinker83 said:
However that is to be interpreted coming from Mr. McClure? If there is to be no replacement, then I'd say he could of said anything else but that, unless he's got something in his back pocket that we don't know about?

Obviously he has something in his "back pocket", nothing has been announced yet and everyone knows a new thrill ride is coming from the Sandusky Register article.

My point is... CP in reality at one time was hands down, the Roller Coaster Capital of the World for both quantity and quality! Sucks but it is hardly the best in the World

Best in the world is totally subjective and many parks, based on the specific individual, can be best in the world to someone. What flavor ice cream is best in the world? Everyone will give you a different answer. CP is a clean, safe park with some outstanding rides and shows all built in a spectacular natural setting. Can it arguably be best in the world? Sure can.

I know everybody is gonna not like this, but MF is not the best coaster in the world! It's my all-time favorite but can't call it the best after riding Leviathan!

Well, I actually like Maverick, Magnum and Gatekeeper better than MF. And I like Behemoth better than Leviathan. It all goes back to individual taste. Like "World's Best Park" you can't really have a universal "World's Best Coaster". One man's ceiling is another man's floor.

Tony Clark tweeted two hours ago about a 9 a.m. big staff meeting and said "Think @JasonMcClureCP will spill any beans?"

So he's in tease mode again. Doesn't imply anything other than that there is something more to tell for next year.

I understand your argument Pete but I was just referring to CP/MF as #1, because of their long successful run in the Golden Ticket Awards! I like MF at CP and others may like something else?... I'm just comparing MF to Leviathan because they're both in the same coaster class. I just happen to prefer going high on a B&M rather than an Intamin because my mind was blown for the first time since I rode MF/TTD for the first time when I rode Leviathan! Either way I love our CP til the death!!

Per TC's latest tweets, the 5 year plan has already changed.

So who knows what is happening.

OK, my 2 cents is that it will stay and have new paint and trains.

I don't know how cost effective it would be to remove and relocate a relatively young B&M in great condition.

Slim chance IMO that they modify the course track at all, but I wouldn't rule it out.

While we're on the subject, I've never been a fan of B&M coasters, as blasphemous as this may sound.

They are a must have in the multi-looper and inverted categories, but everything else from them is ho-hum to me.

I think a lot of the effect and illusion of height, size, and speed is lost with the wide-gauge track and the big support beams. The forced-perspective effect. Something Ouimet should be quite familiar with coming from Disney.

I think Magnum and MF look and seem much taller than B&M Hyper and Giga models for that reason.

And, I think B&M coasters are butt-ugly eyesores, whereas MF, Maverick, and Magnum are beautiful works of art to my eyes- though GateKeeper isn't too bad due to the color scheme. Mantis is one of the worst.

As far as ride quality, The B&M Hyper I've been on at SFGAm was a complete dud to me. GK is nice to have but ho-hum and nothing like the experience of X2, the flyers are rather unpleasant to ride, and the floorless concept is barely noticeable outside of the front car. Mantis was a cool gimmick, but I haven't ridden it in years. I would actually rather have Iron Dragon pre-Mantis, as it was fun to ride through the woods at night before the deforesting that took place to accommodate Mantis and later TTD. I'm going to ride Leviathan this weekend, so we'll see if their Giga impresses me.

But so much is lost in the appearance and wide gauge IMO.

Make sure to ride Behemoth also. Both are good rides but Behemoth has airtime hills and more action where Leviathan is a fast cruiser. I thought Behemoth was the best ride at CW and one of the best coasters anywhere.

I do think that B&M makes some decent rides. Unfortunately, I think the quality of newer B&Ms are disappointing. I mean GK and Banshee both have horrible rattling that take away from the rides. That being said, Leviathan BLEW ME AWAY. I rode it last month and I have to say it is definitely in my top 5. A must ride and it restored the hope I have in B&M. Make sure you ride in the very front and very back. The back is better in my opinion.

Rattling? You're heading the anti-rollback dogs bouncing around. That's hardly making them crappy rides. Banshee is twice the ride that Raptor is, and hands down the best invert I've been on.

Thanks Pete, I will do that.

Now you guys are making me want to take a trip to Canada! :)

My favorite coasters at CP are Millennium Force, Maverick, Gatekeeper, and Raptor. I've never been able to get on TTD (always seems to be broken down or the line is too long) so I can't rate that one.

Each ride brings a different experience and I like them all for different reasons. However, MF is the one that I ALWAYS walk away from with the biggest grin on my face. It's just such a joy to ride from the moment the train starts to move until it comes to a complete stop. Even standing in line can be a fun experience...especially when you see teenagers begging their friends to back out, or you see a kid's eyes light up as the train comes flying past when you're standing next to fence just outside the station.

CP does a good job of providing a variety of enjoyable experiences for kids of all ages. At this point I'd like to seem them start focusing on building themes. Maverick was definitely a step in that direction and it would be nice to see it taken to the next level.

Wow people... CONTEXT PEOPLE CONTEXT..

Whomever pointed out that I meant they wouldnt close a announcemnet to close a Major coaster without something Major up there sleeve after saying "rollercoaster capitol of the world".. THANK YOU.. thats exactly what I meant.

You dont say that right after announcung the removal of a major coaster.. its sounds crazy. Unless.. you have something better coming. Give Tony some credit.. sheesh.. he's in marketing.

Going back to the comment that Banshee is a better ride than Raptor, for those who have rode it, does it feel fast and snappy throughout the elements similar to Raptor and Montu or is it more graceful and slow like Gatekeeper? I wanted to make it to King's Island this year and find out for myself, but my wife and I went to Carowinds, Busch Garden's Tampa, and King's Dominion instead. IMO, B&M offers a lot of quality rides that can fit within any parks lineup, but of the newer one's I've been on, they don't seem to offer the same intensity as Intamin or even some Premier Rides. So far I've preferred older B&M's to their newer rides, especially Montu and Kumba.

I would say that Banshee is closer to Raptor than Gatekeeper in terms of ride-style.