Mean Streak is history!

Last Monday, (June 2) right after getting off Mean Streak about 3 pm, I ran into Dick Kinzel (Richard L. Kinzel has served as chairman of the Board since 2003 and aspresident and chief executive officer of Cedar Fair L.P. and GeneralPartner since 1986.) and another man right at the railroad crossing there at the Mean Streak entrance. They were obviously very involved in a some form of a site evaluation as they talked, pointed, jotted down notes and walked around the area right around Mean Streak. As I said, the other man had a tablet and was taking down notes on their discussions there. I walked up to Mr. Kinzel and he was very gracious and immediately introduced his friend as Rob Decker, "the man who designed and put this whole thing together." (Mr. Decker has served as Corporate Vice President of Planning &Design of Cedar Fair L.P. and General Partner. since the end of 2002.Prior to that, he served as Corporate Director of Planning and Designsince 1999.) Again, it was obvious they were in the information gathering stage in their planning for this location so I asked Mr. Kinzel what secrets he had to share. He only stated that if he told, they would not be secrets but that they "are always looking to stay ahead of the curve on their planning and projects." Mr Kinzel has stated in other interviews that they are always planning at least three years out for it takes that long to get a ride built and installed. My bet is that if it takes three years to get a new ride decided on, ordered, built and installed, that Mean Streak will soon be history!

Yes, you're correct. You've found them out.

Not that I would mind if MS was gone but I just don't think they're about to tear it down.

If the Planning and Design building were to be demolished there would be a significant tract of land open between Mean Streak and Gemini for some type of project.

If stalking Kinzel is an adequate basis for starting a new thread, I'll just throw in this. Yesterday, at 2:45 DST (I checked my cell phone), while standing next to the women's bathroom in front of Park Operations, I saw Kinzel and five other shirts stride by in a group.

My party (mom, sis and moi) were heading to Blue Streak anyway, so we sort of/kind of followed Kinzel et. al. as they made their way over to Raptor. They stopped off at an alcove facing the midway, along side Game Day Grille.

There, they looked at a green tank of some sort that is the same color as Raptor. I'm not Ride Man and I have no idea what the tank is for, but Kinzel pointed at it and said something obviously very important and earth-shaking*, while other shirts took notes.

This can only mean that they're getting ready to taer down Raptor! OMG!11!!

*Not really.

Seems a lot of people have been seeing Kinzel lately at CP. Hopefully I'll be able to see him on my next trip!

You know, he /is/ just a person. He's very nice, and I enjoy talking to him when I run into him from time to time, but he's just a regular guy like you and me.

Josh

NO WAI!! HE IS THE REINCARNATION OF JOHN F. KENNEDY!!

Now go wash your mouth out with soap! ;)

Does that explain why there is all the construction equipment back by Mean Streak. You can see it when you ride the train back towards MF.

CPboy77 said:
Seems a lot of people have been seeing Kinzel lately at CP. Hopefully I'll be able to see him on my next trip!

Why?

The only thing is, what do you put in its place? The enthusiast obviously says new wooden, the park needs a top nothch wooden(GG, GCI, pre-fab). However, the general public probably wouldn't really notice if a ride very similar to MS went up in its place. Unless it was heavily advertised, the gp might not even realize that it is different. You basically have to replace it with wood, as getting rid of it would mean only 1 wooden. And the whole frontier setting needs a wooden.

Not saying that I don't want a new wooden, but I'm just saying that it may not be a smash hit with the average un-informed park goer.

Also, I have heard rumors that CF signed a multi-coaster deal with GCI, and CP will be getting on around 2010. This makes sense with Renegade, the one at Cal Adv, ...

And also, I find it kind of funny that I wrote a complaint about Mean Streak and the lack of woodens, got a letter from the head of the Planning and Design department appologizing and saying that more woodens will be brought up at the next department meeting, and now this...even though they could just be discussing new flowers or something.

Just found this on ScreamScape(wow, never thought I would say that)

While this could be for just about anything, a reader who visited the park did notice a series of red and yellow marker flags and some red paint along the pathway in Frontier Trail in a clump of trees across from the petting zoo as well as in between the “midway and the railroad tracks/boneyard/SRF predrop”

Don't count on anything happening to Mean Streak.

But I think you CAN count on SOMETHING happening back in that space in the not too distant future. As someone pointed out, removing the planning and design building and the large lot behind it opens up a nice space adjacent to both Mean Streak and Gemini, and accessible to the midway from both sides of the railroad track without too much trouble. Why might something happen there? Because with the construction of the new Cedar Fair building, there is a chance that the Planning and Design office might be moved to the new structure, making it possible to vacate the space in question.

Now what is the timeline for this? What will happen in that space? I haven't the slightest idea. It may be nothing at all. It may be a fifth park gate so that Lighthouse Point customers don't have to walk so far.

The point is, it's dangerous to jump to conclusions in this business!

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

To add to the "People In the Know sightings:

I ran into Monty Jasper at KI on my way home from Holiwood Nights, and I think he was wearing a GCI hat!

Also, while we are at it, I seem to remember suggesting to Rob Decker a Giant Frisbee a while back. In 2005 the Point got one. Coincidence?

The above statements should be taken with a grain of salt because they don't really matter. Would it matter if my suggestion to Rob Decker led to MaXair? Does it matter that Monty was wearing what looked like a GCI hat? No. I just hope they can come up with something better than a crappy Intamin for their next ride.

Anyway, they could move the office part of P&D to the new World Headquarters building, but where would they move the shop?

-Sam

There you have it everyone... Tell Sam what kind of ride you want and you will get it.... Even if Monty is/was wearing a GCI hat that doesn't mean anything Cedar Fair has built one, announced another, and may be building another.... I don't think we will see another wooden coaster at CP. In this market area a wooden coaster does appeal to the GP, and the GP will always be the main focus.

I can remember riding mean streak and i had to actually wait in a line

for 1 1/2 hours. Those days have been long gone for years. All the space

for the lines, is just sitting there. Even on the busiest of days, there might

be a 1/2 wait. Most days there is only 15 minutes. I do wonder why

they operate all three trains. When the ride attendant ask, how was

your ride-most of the time is like, why did you wake me up? I don't

believe anybody would cry if mean streak is gone and replaced by

a better coaster-wood or steel.

If they get a new wooden coaster I hope it is like El Toro. Quite possibly the best wooden coaster on teh planet.

Not only is El Toro one of the best woodens, it is one of the best coasters on the planet, period. I would be very happy to see an Intmain pre-fab woodie in its place.

There are myriad reasons why Kinzel was there; we can all dream.

For women with a big chest, mean streak is hell on earth. I didn't ride it for a couple years and then decided i would give it another try this year.... bad idea. I won't be riding it again anytime soon. I wouldn't be sad to see it gone.

^ Jen never seems to have a problem riding Mean Streak. Then again, she's got a little support from me. :)

-Josh

^ Haha, nice.

I like the part about this being his first post. :)