Millennium Force in the RAIN

Has anyone had the opportunity to ride the MF in the rain?

I was there yesterday (7/6), while we were in line there were a few spinkles, as we got to the platform, and started to leave, a rain shower (light not poring) started. Going 90+ MPH and getting pelted in the sun-burned faced with rain feels real, real good. (HAHA) But it was my first time on the ride and it was excellent.

I havent yet experiences MF yet but riding other coasters,you should ride them in the rain whenever possible.For the one simple fact that when the track is wet its a little harder to slow the train down even with the braking system.When I do parks during my coaster tours with ACE,they usually take the brakes off and fully grease the woodies but add rain to the factor,its 500 percent better!

I've done Magnum and Raging Bull in a down pour (they don't close Bull for anything other than lightning, Magnum closed right after). In a word, it can really suck. When you're not shielding your face you're trying to figure out how to keep your hands from stinging.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Millennium Force laps: 35

I can't imagine that rain hitting your face at 92 mph feels very good.

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Mantis Ride Count: 196

I don't know if this is true, but some of the security guards at MF said that the rain one time tore holes in people's clothes. How can anything going that fast and hitting you feel good?

I went on Blue Streak while it started to hail once. Ouch!! That hurt a lot!!!

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Welcome back Raptor riders, how was your flight?

Somebody, just out of curiosity should sneak one of those speed gun thingies the police use on the highway and do a homemade test to see just how fast it goes in the rain (or dry), I mean there has to be a stationary object at the bottom of the drop. I'd be curious to see if it goes faster than 92. Anyway, just an idea...

*** This post was edited by MFistheBEST on 7/9/2000. ***

I can't imagine Millennium Force in the rain. I've been on Corkscrew in the rain, and even that was painful.

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Whats life if you never get to the point?
MF:26
http://people.mw.mediaone.net/mckinnie

In a similar MF topic..I rode in the front at night last time there and now the white shirt I was wearing is smeared with bug guts..LOL..ruined it and I swallowed my share of bug protein too:)

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http://www.msu.edu/~armbrus9/cp.html
http://www.msu.edu/~levydust/mf.html
new MF photos

I have riden in the rain twice. It hurts really bad but is so awesome because you can't see very good.

After riding MF, front car, in POURING, and I mean poring rain, I can say that it dis the most ecruxiatingly painful thing that I have ever encountered at CP. When I rode, the ops asked if we wanted to go. After we told em yeah, they went ahead and sent us out. The entire ride was a black-out b/c it was impossible to keep your eyes open. Well, after we got back, they stopped running it. It felt kinda good knowing that we made the decision whether or not to keep on running MF.

Iron Dragon almost always runs in the rain.

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Dispatch Master, This is Transport one! I'm losing control, I'm losing control!

I've never done a roller coaster in the rain, but I have done Kennywood's SkyCoaster (RipCord-like) in the rain. It poured buckets right before we got on. We had to wait an extra 5 minutes or so for it to let up a bit. When it did and we got on, they started to lift us up and it started storming yet again! We finally got to the top with a good rain coming.

3-2-1 Fly!

Being that it was my first time on the thing, I had a ball. But it stung quite a bit.

For me, it just added to the thrill. Although, it's not 92mph. :)

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WHOO!

Of course ID stays open in the rain. It's shorter than SRFalls, and probably in the same neigborhood as Woodstock Express as far as speed is concerned.

Ahhh yes, but there is something else that determines why rides are shut down in rain. Booth Snake River Falls and Woodstock's Express will close in rain (downpours not drizzle). My guess as to why any ride shuts down is not because of speed (although that may play a factor in some bigger rides) but rather because of the brakes and rails. Oil and Grease combined with water can cause some very slippery circumstances. The rides to Shut Down first are usually Raptor, Mantis, Woodstock, and Wildcat probably becouse they use pinch tires for braking and/or lift systems. Snake River Falls on the other hand is supposed to stay open in rain (though it never does). Unlike White Water Landing the controles on the top of the drop are covered (I don't know if this plays any effect on the ride staying open).

Only two coasters stay open in rain, Disaster Transport and Iron Dragon. Disastor Transport is self explanatory but the only explanation I can think of is that Iron Dragon has some sort of "water proofing" on the station brakes. As the ride is always a little wet from the thick mist that is used in the pretzel and always open in rain.

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Dispatch Master, This is Transport one! I'm losing control, I'm losing control!

I'm surprised they bother closing Woodstock, as it's a 1-train op. Worst that can happen is an overshoot on the station and a run up the lifthill.

You guys think it's bad getting hit by hail and rain I guess you haven't felt that warm gooey samk of a mufflehead on your forehead.

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Remember, line jumping is NOT a sporting event!

I've ridden a roller coaster in the rain! Disaster Transport! J/K :-)

I had the chance to ride MF in the rain yesterday...in the front seat. I have to say, you're no better off at that point than if you were to just close your eyes for the entire ride. As much fun as it was, opening your eyes is like self-inflicted pain because doing so just HURTS!

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James Draeger
C G & C P

Bill, Woodstock closes in the rain because of the pinch-tire lift system...the train will slip on those lift tires and basically the lift won't work.

I've seen Mantis overshoot the station (by a couple of feet) when the braking tires were wet. I've seen Raptor overshoot but never obviously because of wet wheels...but Raptor has optical switches on the brake run. Corkscrew and Gemini also make extensive use of optical detectors which Cedar Point has had problems with in the rain, so they don't risk it anymore. Mine Ride no longer has any optical switches on it, so there is no reason for it to shut down in the rain anymore. Mean Streak also only has optical switches in the station, so technically it should be able to run in the rain even though it doesn't. Possibly because it actually runs *well* in the rain and CP wants to keep that a secret. :) Wildcat can't run in the rain because the brakes don't work when they're wet. Blue Streak can operate in the rain, no problem. Oh, and the Giant Wheel drive system doesn't work well when wet; besides, the Wheel can't be evacuated quickly if lightning approaches.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.