Mantis removal or transformation?

Be it removal or transformation, if the new "whatever" in the current Mantis loaction IS called 'Rougarou', the choice would be awesome....

If you look at the wiki for Rougarou
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rougarou
You will see its French origins, but down a bit further, you will see the following:
"The rougarou legend has been spread for many generations, either directly from French settlers to Louisiana (New France) or via the French Canadian immigrants centuries ago.

In the Cajun legends, the creature is said to prowl the swamps around Acadiana and Greater New Orleans, and possibly the fields or forests of the regions. The rougarou most often is described as a creature with a human body and the head of a wolf or dog, similar to the werewolf legend."

So, currently, Mantis is in a heavily wooded, swampy/marshy/watery area... What do the Cajun people call this area down in NOLA? The BAYOU....
What is located in/around the EXACT same area as Mantis?
Why, none other than the popular Halloweekends walkthru "Blood On The BAYOU"!

If the new/modified ride IS called Rougarou, then the forethought behind that is awesome... The screamsters walking around Blood on the Bayou could say things like "watch yoself out there in the swamps... that howlin' you hear sounds like the 'ole Rougarou to me... he'll get ya, I Gay-ron-tee!"
And likewise, the ride hosts can add something like "sid down, hold on tight, keep all hands and arms inside the train at all times, or you might just add to the Blood on that there bayou!"

If done properly, the cross-themes could be outstanding...

*side note*
I know what shirts my wife and I will be wearing for our final ride on Mantis ;)

http://i.imgur.com/1IJrMlp.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/av2CqeC.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Kn2vDbU.jpg

Webcam is over at Mantis now. A big building there would be so terrible and a waste of the swampy theme. I think they have learned their lesson that putting bad existing coasters inside will not make them any better.

Sealedseven said:
Unless that's not the only off season construction they have planned.

But why would two projects require the availability of that land? It's not like Mantis has an infield, a la Mean Streak.

Plus movement of the land/water could be a big issue to, same with the train tracks.

They faced those same issues when Mantis was originally installed, only they had to deal with those issues on a much larger scale. No reason to think fewer, less-severe issues would suddenly take longer, after all these years of added experience.

Not saying a simple conversion is not possible. But it certainly doesn't make any sense to close early for that.

I agree that is prime real estate. No way in hell is a 'Guardian' going into that area.

I just can't get past the OCT.19th date however.

Dead Sexeh said:
If you are only taking out part of it, it will take longer because you have to be careful not to damage parts that are staying.

Well, I suppose that's possible, but certainly seems like a stretch.

They can't do too much work without causing iron dragon to be unsafe to operate.

Of course they can - the two rides barely overlap (though where they do, it's extensive).

In fact, all of Mantis aside from the lift and drop could be removed without any impact on ID.

Also I really do admire how hard you fight to prove there is no way you could be wrong about mantis being transformed.

Just as I admire your attempt to completely alter what I'm saying so that you can feel good about yourself. Or whatever. :)

I got to say, is anyone else has suprised as I'am that Mantis went before Mean Streak. I though Mean Streak was the first coaster to go of the "substantial ones" without a doubt. I still say Mean Streak isn't out of the woods yet. Along with the hints and clues of Mantis, they really keyed in on Mean Streak.

I think you're focusing way to hard on the fact that it won't be operational for 3 days.

I find three pages of comments speculating on the OP's question pretty entertaining when the transformation has already been unofficially discussed by others in-the-know...but, let the entertainment continue. CP does a horrible job with making public announcements. For real information dig down a bit deeper in the business sites for amusement parks rather than the forum sites.

Maybe they're giving themselves the extra two weeks because we are forecasted to have the same vicious winter that we had last year, and maybe they want to get a jump on the refurbishment just incase. Or maybe they're completely replacing it. I guess I'm kind of hoping for the refurbishment. Either way, this "announcement" was a letdown for our family. We had been counting down the days and minutes.

BleauxJays said:
I think you're focusing way to hard on the fact that it won't be operational for 3 days.

It's actually 6 operating days, but 14 additional destruction/construction days. Regardless, CP isn't closing it early without a reason.

Coco said:
Webcam is over at Mantis now. A big building there would be so terrible and a waste of the swampy theme. I think they have learned their lesson that putting bad existing coasters inside will not make them any better.

Not every "Dark" ride has to be a big ugly building. If themed properly, it could be partially inside and out. They could build up an exterior around the "building" portion to make it fit with the theme. Other parks have done it...just takes some good design and imagination.

djDaemon said:

BleauxJays said:
I think you're focusing way to hard on the fact that it won't be operational for 3 days.

It's actually 6 operating days, but 14 additional destruction/construction days. Regardless, CP isn't closing it early without a reason.

Whoops Sorry!

I know we are mostly on speculation, but I do wonder why they chose Mantis to close. Was it just not pulling in the same amount of riders as its counterparts? I don't believe there was anything mechanically wrong with the ride. Any ideas?

djDaemon said:
I actually despise the modern "hype" marketing parks do these days, and this is among the worst. It's lazy, in my opinion. But it's hard to argue that it's not effective.

I don't know if you can say it's effective though. I can't imagine that there would be less excitement and discussion if they gave us an actual announcement, which they didn't. If anything, I'd bet it would be equal.

Of course, in one path you live up to your word, and you deploy an actual announcement that is genuinely exciting and filled with pictures, concept videos and genuine good feelings of awesomeness.

The other way is that you tease people with lazy marketing, while parks all around you - even those in your own chain - embarrass you in comparison, resulting in many more people just being annoyed at you.

Both get people talking about you, but which is better?

has anybody made mention of this??

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204635753124119&set=p.102...=1&theater

could Mantis be getting relocated??!!

Jeff da Beat said:
I know we are mostly on speculation, but I do wonder why they chose Mantis to close. Was it just not pulling in the same amount of riders as its counterparts? I don't believe there was anything mechanically wrong with the ride. Any ideas?

Because you can't keep rides around forever, especially ones that are solidly mediocre.

Everyone here wants to over-dramatize every decision of the park.

djDaemon said:

BleauxJays said:
I think they're loooong past a deadline to completely remove an existing coaster then pour foundations and install a brand new ride before next year. Maybe they're taking Mantis out but might not see anything in it's place until 2016?

If they're just installing a dark ride building in Mantis' place, I can see that taking less time than a coaster, considering the concrete work would be substantially less.

A dark ride is not going there. You wouldn't build a building on top of water unless you had to. Sure you could drain the water, but them you have a huge issue of where are you going to put in more detention basins.

Hey, what's for lunch? Smells like anticipointment stew. Yum!

Dead Sexeh said:
A dark ride is not going there. You wouldn't build a building on top of water unless you had to.

There's a lot of land beneath Mantis. No need to build over water.

^^ You mean ::looks around:: Rougarou Stew?

That sure rolls off the tongue well. :)