New for 2006 - Skyhawk

Could be a lot worse...

I do think the name is kind of tacky though.

Both can be the same size and still be the largest in the world.

As for the name, I think it fits well for both the ride and the area. Its got a natural "feel" to it, and alludes to the ride's purpose of swinging you in the air.

And to those who don't like this ride (I am one of those who don't like it either), its a tad pointless to continue complaining beyond making your point and leaving it at that. Anything beyond that is simply pointless bickering. Yes, we don't like it. No, we cannot change the ride by whining. Accept it. Move on with your life, and try to enjoy it for what it is. Discuss the wrong "direction" CP might be going in another thread.
*** Edited 10/31/2005 5:47:33 PM UTC by djDaemon***

I like the idea for the ride, but CP has no one to blame for all the anticipointment being experience but themselves. Not every ride has to be the biggest coaster ever, but they picked the wrong year to hype the new attraction with a brand new blog. HW knew what they were doing. CP has just made themselves look stupid with their blog, in my opinion. Why in the world would they hype the wood delivery when it was just for repairs? Do they seriously think people look forward to Gemini repairs? Is there any plus side to a blog entry like that?

As for this being the biggest in the world, it swings just as high as VF's (125') but it is 3 feet taller (100' vs 103'). My guess is the difference is that sign at the top.

Cheez people, keep complaining...its great.

Though Skyhawk and maxAir may look to have the same motion, I am sure that they are very different as others have said. I have never been on a Screamin Swing so I'm looking forward to it.

I agree that the colors and stuff doesn't really fit into Frontier Town and would not call the years to come, with certain more additions in Frontier Town, a revitalization of the area and its theme. I would actually call it the beginning of the end. "The rides are the theming."

Just some thoughts:

I'm surprised it fits in that area. I guess part of the Snake River Falls queue takes up a bit more room then I thought.

Are they going to replace the lockers?

They have a very nice "old-timey" style logo for the ride and... that is about it. Nothing on the ride, doesn't look like anything in the queue, not even a little story. I'm going to guess that the WWL replacement will have the same great theming to fit it into Frontier Town.

Oh... and anyone notice the 48" height requirement? Family ride indeed. More family then maxAir at least.

. *** Edited 10/31/2005 5:58:33 PM UTC by Rider***

Well I won't say that I am not a little disappointed. BUT, they aren't putting it where the swans were or where WWL is. So I am looking forward to what they put in there. No one said they weren't going to put in two rides for 2006. :)

Just because we don't get a giant coaster every year doesn't make CP horrible. Skyhawk looks like a dynamic ride which brings something new. I know i'll be making the wait next year while on my trips from MF to MS.

Remember, not everyone on this planet is a COASTER enthusiast like most of us. FAMILY amusement park is what Cedar Point is....

plus.... ladies and gentleman.... there is that BIG open spot for 2007.... I can't wait to see what they will do back there. Great job CP.

I'm going into this with an open mind.
Skyhawk may not be amazing or groundbreaking, but it looks like fun... so I can pretty much guarantee I'll be in line for it. Also, I have faith in CP for 2007.

The best irony of all is that everyone who wrote "i wont waste more money at CP...blah blah blah", will be right back next year.

In case you all missed it, they are tearing down WWL. Do you think they are going to replace it with a parking lot? A new picnic pavilion? Hmm. My guess is a new coaster.

I think the new ride looks great...and look at the design of the name...its definitely "frontier-themed".

This will fit in just fine.

Remember...CP is usually about 2 years ahead of the curve. No one is taking Cedar Point in a wrong direction. Cedar Point is what it is...its not yours, its not mine, its a place of entertainment, existing purely for your own enjoyment. There is a lot of wasted negative emotion floating around out there. I would be sad, but Im too busy looking forward to next year and getting on the Skyhawk.

At first glance I was a little weary, but when I think about it this will be a great addition. The more rides that people can ride and just purely enjoy and have a good time - the better. As an employee even I got a little tired from the high intensity of the coasters. I loved to just hop on Maxair and know it would be a smooth, fun ride.

Guests are frustrated with Dragster, and there are few rides that are universally popular across the park. When I worked on Maxair, I can't tell you how many people uttered as they exited, "Wow, that was a lot better than I thought." I think it is more important for rides to just be fun rather than every ride being totally unique or a huge roller coaster.

Also, there a plenty of duplicate attractions around the park...3 car attractions, used to be two bumper cars, two drop towers, and many of the coasters share similarities.

Anyways, I have been wondering about the queue. As we know, Maxair's queue is pretty tiny. Looking at the video I cannot quite tell if the queue is just the one set of switchbacks or that set plus the set with the shade covers. If it is the latter, I suppose the park anticipates larger crowds for this ride or just had more room ? Looking at MF's portables and Twister, and Maggie's extra queues (although I grant they were used back in the day) the park has a history of building too many queues. I wonder if this is why Maxair has a smaller queue?

See ya on the midways in my blue jumpsuit next year!

I haven't been keeping track of Cedar Point news this summer, so I was surprised to hear about this ride! Even more surprised about its location, I never would've thought about putting a ride in there.

But if they're putting the ride in there next to SRF, what about WWL? I was really hoping they'd replace it with another flume type ride, but alas WWL's gone forever :(

Where do I even begin.

This is going to hurt, but remember, I love you all. :)

To me it's the same ride we just got this year.

It's already been pointed out, but different ride equals different experience. I have a dollar that says those here who are whining about it being the same ride have never been on one.

I am not paying my money to them next year.

There are plenty of others who will take your place, especially with the price breaks. It's one thing to be disappointed. But, to be blunt, if you're going to skip Cedar Point for the entire season because the new ride isn't want you want, you're not a true Cedar Point fan. Real fans, even if they don't particularly care for a new attraction, enjoy the park for all that it is.

And what of the WWL site? 2007?

Makes sense to me.

The reduction in daily addmission means nothing to season pass holders.

How many of the 3+ million do you think are season pass holders? High attendance is good for everyone. And with everybody moaning about the high food prices all year, how about a little credit for freezing or lowering all food prices for 2006?

To me Cedar Point Died at the end of the 2003 season... and has become this place we know now as the Dissapointment Park ... Just something different to add a little variety

People complained for years that all Cedar Point did was build roller coasters. Now, you're complaining because they're building flat rides. No variety!?

I think it's stupid ... I would like to see the construction of it hopefully they will put some webcams over there this winter.

Yeah.

Wow. Cedar Point truly has no idea what it's doing.

That's a pretty bold statement. At least this complaint is original - instead of not thrilling enough, it's "too thrilling." Do you know how many people rode White Water Landing in a season? About 650,000. If it was the "end all be all" of family rides, why such low ridership? In spite of that, however, the ride filled a need and I don't think that fact is lost on the park ... no matter how stupid you think they are.

they say it will be the largest ride of its type and yet it's dimensions are exactly the same as Valleyfairs swing

Cedar Point's is 103' tall. Valleyfair's is 100'.

but they picked the wrong year to hype the new attraction with a brand new blog

Listen real close. Big, shocking secret ahead. At least it seems to be a secret, because it appears that no one understands .... OnPoint!, Cedar Point's official blog, was not created for the purpose of hyping a new ride! Let's say it again, so it sinks in: the blog was not created to hype a new ride. The blog exists to give you an insider's look at Cedar Point. An insider's look at Cedar Point does include talking about new rides. But it also includes so much more, as has already been demonstrated.

Yes, I understand that's how Holiday World used their blog. But when Holiday World did their blog, they did not lock in mold that every amusement park must follow. Is the thinking around here so unoriginal that when a new blog is announced, you just assume that it will be the same as HW's - and continue to assume that when it's shown over and over to be different?

Do they seriously think people look forward to Gemini repairs?

Yes. Lots of park fans enjoy hearing about what it takes to keep the world's best amusement park up and running. I honestly enjoy reading each and every new blog entry, and I know I'm not alone. To Tony and Tyler (if you make it down this far), please accept a sincere "thank you" for the wonderful job you guys are doing.

In 1999, people complained that Millennium Force's was ride time too short. In 2001, it was the lack of a holding brake on Wicked Twister. When Top Thrill Dragster was announced in early 2003, we were introduced to the term, "One Trick Pony." The whining continued in 2004 because maXair wasn't the coaster everyone wanted.

Welcome to 2005, where nothing has changed.

This isn't Roller Coaster Tycoon.

I feel better now.

*** Edited 10/31/2005 6:40:55 PM UTC by Walt***

Welcome to Cedar Point. The park with the least amount of water rides and loops when compared to other parks it's size.

What ever happened to the water ride we were supposed to get in 2005? I thought for sure we'd be getting that when they announced the removal of White Water Landing.
*** Edited 11/1/2005 2:07:37 AM UTC by CPcyclone***

Well said

^ I second that.

Well obviously, CPcyclone, if you seek loops and lots of water rides, you need to go somewhere else.

?

Your complaint is equivilant to walking into a Vegetarian restaurant and complaining that there is no Hambuger on the menu.

I think you'll find a list of attractions on the website very handy. If you dont find what you want, maybe you should find a place that does!. :) That way everyone's happy!

I was hoping that the color scheme would fit somewhat better with the area. Perhaps a maroon/gold-ish scheme? I'm no designer, but the ride (beyond the sign, which looks good) just looks odd back there.

And I also hope that they are gonna be careful as to how much concrete they pour back there in the next couple years.

Craig the Coaster Freak said:
When I worked on Maxair, I can't tell you how many people uttered as they exited, "Wow, that was a lot better than I thought."

Sup Craig. It's Greaseman. :)

I too have a thought about the queue. Notice how the path into and out of the switchbacks runs side-by-side for a while (and I am not talking about the part with no rails at all... that render is missing some gates and stuff anyway). Better watch out for line jumpers.

Anyway... some more random thoughts from my head:

If this was Six Flags Cedar Point we would have seen a new coaster or more per year. A Scream Clone in 2004. A Superman: Ultimate Flight in 2005. Maybe an El Toro clone for 2006. It's customer service would ALREADY be crap and it would be rumored to be for sale because Six Flags can't pay it's debts.

Cedar Fair is NOT Six Flags.

And the blog thing.... let us be clear here: Cedar Point has always offered the most information about new things and goings-on in the park on their website. You might even be able to say that the construction updates back in 1999 was the first blog ever. *** Edited 10/31/2005 6:56:39 PM UTC by Rider***

I was a little disappointed when I first read the announcement, but the more I think about it, the more excited I am about the ride. It's exactly the kind of ride that appeals to me, and looks like quite a bit of fun. And I don't think anyone can argue that that area of the park wasn't in desperate need of an attraction.

djDaemon said:
I was hoping that the color scheme would fit somewhat better with the area. Perhaps a maroon/gold-ish scheme? I'm no designer, but the ride (beyond the sign, which looks good) just looks odd back there.

Keep in mind that MaXairs renderin showed a color scheme not even close to that of what it ended up being. I am not saying that it's going to be another color, but it is possible.