Mantis removal or transformation?

I wonder if there are other sound-deadening materials that are lighter than sand? Maybe some kind of foam or aerogel?

That's a good point about using something like foam which would have just a tad less weight than sand. I always thought it was strange that they filled the supports/track with sand due to the weight issues. If the hollow spaces amplify the sound from the ride traveling on the track it would seem that foam would work just as well as sand. However if vibration is the cause of the noise and the weight of the sand dampens that effect foam wouldn't be a great choice.

Has anyone been to the park lately and seen any activity going on with or around Mantis? I'm getting anxious here!

Saw a few guys walking around the Mantis site with tape measures.

^ with a ratchet wrench and some track in tow?

...and a really big can of bug spray.

^ +1

New king james announcement on the 16th at 11

Really curious to see what the "King James" announcement is... "It's Bigger, It's Better" to me sounds like some sort of transformation...?

Anybody want to take a WILD guess that this is for Mantis?

I think that would be too easy. This could've been some last minute plan but I think more than a rename will happen for Mantis.

Fairly optimistic that Mantis will be bigger and better and floorless, not to mention King James. Probably only for opening day though, or some limited period of time.

Clearly they had plans for Mantis to be remodeled prior to making the wager that LeBron would or wouldn't come back. And they now get to use it for more marketing. Well played Cedar Fair marketing, well played.

I'm pretty sure was being renamed either way. Most likely it would've been called Rougarou.

I still think the paint patches are primer colors. The problem is that I can't find a good calculator or formula for picking a primer color for various main colors.

Cleveland's colors are wine, navy, gold and white. You can exclude white but that leaves the rest, which doesn't speak to if those paint patches pre-date the King James gag.

Shawn Meyer said:
Has anyone been to the park lately and seen any activity going on with or around Mantis? I'm getting anxious here!

Tree clearing - you can see it from a ride of MF near ID.

I highly doubt they would need to clear trees for a simple slappage of some new and totally awesome floorless trains on the existing Mantis track...

But that may be necessary to make it bigger.

And better.

^ I would venture a guess that you are correct that a bigger and better may require some tree trimming here and there.

Well I was snoopin around at the park yesterday and took in a lot over at Mantis! Seems like they've been doing a lot of cleaning and the lift-hill is running abnormally slow, may be nothing but I thought I was riding a Japanese coaster? Nothing really out of the ordinary though, but the atmosphere around the ride, which has changed after the announcement of it's closure! I dunno but what may have been my last ride was definitely one I'll remember, mostly because the reality of riding a stand-up coaster is not very pleasurable lol! Sad to say, but the stand-up concept has played it's course in the industry and may be done for good!

Bigger, better hmmm? To make Mantis bigger/better, wouldn't you have to do more than replace track and supports? NO way will that layout be touched or altered! Everything will have to be changed including it's foundation! Tuesday's announcement may not even have a thing to do with Mantis, but maybe it's replacement? Who knows, but I'm pumped!

If they are truly making this a Floorless coaster, maybe they are going to play with the route a little after the mid-course brake run to make it longer. Still hopeful that this is going to be a Floorless! :)