No longer # 1?

I just went to Cedar Point yesterday and I'd have to say it was probably one of my worst experiences at CP. Mantis was shut down for awhile, the sky ride never opened, and Dragster kept shutting down. I know Dragster does that, but man there was some VERY angry people. I was in line for Dragster at 10:45 and the ride was opened then closed then opened... around 11:15 after too many fall backs they closed the ride for the night. I was upset because I drove 3 hours and paid 32.50 to ride this ride, but there were other people arguing with the employees because they had drove 2000 miles to ride this and were told it would be open. I was just wondering... Do you think we could see a fall in the rankings of CP due to all this downtime? On top of those rides being closed, the wait for Disaster Transport was out the building, like an hour long. One last thing I noticed was that all the DJs play 80s music. CP is a thrill park with the majority of there guests being in the younger generations. It was kind of funny to see the fact that a lot of people had never heard this music before, and I know my friends were about to kill themselves if they had to hear anymore. It wouldn't be hard to play some new music.

I just think Cedar Point may have some things to work on if they want to stay at #1. I almost felt like I was at Six Flags yesterday.

Big deal I drove 5.5 hours and Dragster was closed magnum was opening and closeing and WT shut down for an hour but I really didn't care. Mind you dragster being closed did tick me off and yes for some reason the worst ride in the park Disaster Transport had its line out of the building.

I really didnt care about all the problems I still had a great time at the park. CP always has been and always will be #1 on my list.
*** This post was edited by Big Jon 7/27/2003 4:03:07 PM ***

One, it probably felt like you were at a Six Flags park yesterday, because that's what they are, Amusement Parks. I still have never gotton what's wrong with Six Flags. Great America, my home park, is very clean, fun, and I have never ran into a problem with rude employees and such. However, I do feel the employee who launches the water burts on Roaring Rapids overdoes it.

Anyway, I think your first mistake was paying $32.50 to ride just Dragster.

I still think Cedar Point's ratings will continue to strive even though Dragster is only open 3/4 of the day. You can't let something like that ruin your experience.

------------------
AKA Cobraroller on Cbuzz
*** This post was edited by raptor323 7/27/2003 4:04:31 PM ***

Let's just hope our Dragster doesn't run into as many troubles as the Chiller has.

------------------
Boycott the RIAA

When i went to CP a few weeks ago there were a lot of people yelling at the ticket booth people for selling them tickets when TTD was closed. What i don't understand is there is signs that say if TTD is open or not that day. So if it says it's not open and u buy a ticket then yell at the ticket people because TTd is closed you shouldn't yell at the ticket people it's not thre fault. I only have to drive about 40 mins to get there so it's not that bad.I don't think Cp will lose it's No 1. spot just because of the records that they have broken. I think if anything there attendance will drop a few % but that's about it.

It's the evil 80's music - that's what's causing all the problems with TTD! And it is causing kids to kill themselves! I knew all those baptist preachers were right! :)

------------------
Without upstops, airtime would have a whole new meaning!

Machines break. Do you think they wanted to close the ride and have a bunch of angry people there? Skyride doesn't open under certain wind conditions. Mantis closed for awhile. So what. Every ride closes from time to time.

I think you went just looking for something to complain about. I've had a blast every time I went this year, and that's with a grand total of one non-media day rides on Dragster. My rides on everything else are too numerous to mention.

------------------
Jeff - Webmaster - GTTP - Sillynonsense.com
DELETED! What time does the water show start?

How would they drop in the rankings? They've been number one for a while now, and I don't believe they've lost any of their attractions that have put them in that spot. Although they are having rough times with TTD, they didn't even have it in previous years and they still managed to snag the number one spot then. I really don't see why adding a new ride would hurt a park's attendence in any way as all of the other rides and attractions are still there.

------------------
CP 2K3: 13
"What are you, a dentist? Or a hippie? Or some kind of hippie dentist?" - Strongbad

Why does the first post sound familiar - almost like I've seen it somewhere else ...

------------------
Walt Schmidt
Virtual Midway

I think what is happening is that since Dragster is down so much, people start to notice the closures of other rides a lot more than they did before. This isn't an unusual thing, rides break down all the time. The problems with Dragster will get fixed. If not now then next year.

I would also say that everyone should go to Cedar Point to ride, not just to ride TTD. When I went, I knew it would be down, so when I actually got there, I wasn't that disappointed. Millennium Force is still one of the best roller coasters in the world and my favorite.

------------------
Ohio State, here I come!

Well the one way CP could drop in the rankings is if a lot of the voters were at CP during Dragster's loooong down period and were thinking "Hmm this is so unlike Cedar point, they've never had this much problems with any of their other coasters, maybe there starting to slip."

I think the reason CP's rating could go down is the fact that some people (maybe some that vote on this) are getting very angry with CP when they buy a ticket and the sign says the ride is open and then they don't get to ride it. I just mentioned the Mantis and Sky Ride downtime because that is the first time I have ever seen a ride closed at CP that I can think of (besides rain delays). And I mentioned the 80s music because if anyone from CP is reading this, I really think they should look into playing something a little more up-to-date. On the subject... does anyone know who was #1 before Cedar Point?

I only go to CP once or twice each year and Sky is usually always closed due to wind conditions. Other rides like Corkscrew, Power Tower, and Iron Dragon been closed due to mechanical problems. TTD this year and WT last year were closed when I went. What I'm getting at is with these rides being down the whole day I never had a bad trip. Rides aren't the only thing at CP there's very nice areas around the park, live shows, and a water park. The park still is and will always be #1 for me.

Also, don't the signs by the entrance of the park usually say Top Thrill Dragster MAY open today?

------------------
CP Coaster Guide Ride Count
TTD: 1; WT: 9; MF: 4; Mantis: 3; Raptor: 6; Mean Streak: 5; Magnum: 5
*** This post was edited by TopThrillDragster03 7/27/2003 7:40:15 PM ***

I'm pretty sure it said "Top Thrill Dragster is open today."

Read the small print EHemdo09, under EVERY single sign that says it will be open, under it, it always says "INTERMITT DOWNTIME WILL BE ONGOING" which means it IS open, but could go down for any amount of time.
------------------
TTD Laps-5
July 4th, 2003-7:37 p.m...... I reopened Dragster.
The Best On Ride Photo Ever!
*** This post was edited by Gerg 7/27/2003 8:03:03 PM ***

I live 1000 miles away and life's little lesson is not to got to a thrill park with 68 rides and pay the admission for one ride. I was there two days this year and one day Dragster opened in the evening. The other day it was closed the entire time. I wasn't disappointed when Dragster didn't open because from 9:30 in the morning to 6pm that night I rode MF 3 times, Raptor twice, Magnum 4 times, Gemini 5 times, Mean Streak 5 times...and on and on. I had an awesome time.

I flew half way around the world to Italy and only had enough time in my schedule to see Michaelangelo's sculpture David within an hour time (due to train schedules). The hall that housed the sculpture was closed when I arrived due to a staff meeting for the hour I was there. I never got to see it but I didn't bang on the door or argue pointlessly at people that couldn't change the situation. I wasn't that depressed because there were countless other activities to experience. My point is not to put all your eggs in one basket. Sometimes life tries to kick us in the pants and we just have to be ready to change directions.

On the topic of signs.... I have been on the interstate countless times with signs saying "left lane closed ahead" and countless cars are passing me.... on the left. Is it because they didn't read the sign, didn't believe the sign or didn't care? CP is doing their best to manage the situation and I doubt they will lose much in the big picture of the thrill ride industry. We are all too nuts not to keep going back.

---

EHemdo09 said:
I think the reason CP's rating could go down is the fact that some people (maybe some that vote on this) are getting very angry with CP when they buy a ticket and the sign says the ride is open and then they don't get to ride it.

---

People get angry about death and taxes. People are disappointed that Dragster isn't open then go ride Millennium Force and Magnum and get over it.

Perhaps you should as well.

------------------
Jeff - Webmaster - GTTP - Sillynonsense.com
DELETED! What time does the water show start?

I've been to CP a lot when the Sky Ride has been closed. It doesn't run when the wind is above a certain velocity. That's just the way it is, and to be critical of that is just stupid.

As far as the queue line music goes, if music is good, it doesn't matter when it was recorded. The 80's had a lot of good stuff, more so than some of the crap that is "new music". Just IMHO, of course.

PS: did you hear of the new music style that is out? It's a cross between Country and Rap. It's called Crap!

------------------
I'd rather be in my boat with a drink on the rocks,
than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.

You know I used to think the same thing about Cedar Point earlier in the season but you know CP is doing absolutely everything in their power to keep TTD up and running because right now thats their main marketing. I do admitt though some rides have been down more then usual but thats how rollercoasters are they have their ups and downs reguardless of the who made the ride or what park it is at. CP has been through rougher times then this and they will get through it all and I very highly dobut they will lose their title as number 1. You may just get lucky and have a perfect day or you may just get lucky and your day will suck. But hey thats how life goes...

------------------
The scariest thing is realizing its all over.
)()()()()(TTD)()()()()(

I'll also back the 'rides are down more than usual' statement. Trip 16's tomorrow, and I must say they've been down a lot. But also, last year I only went 3 times, year before that only 4 times, etc etc. (Granted one year totaled 10 days in the park.)

I'm placing the higher downtime statistic to coincide with my increase in trips this year. Does the downtime hurt in the fun department? Of course... I'm not going to lie about it. Stinks when you're in line for 10, 20 minutes, an hour, and you get near the station, only to hear " 'Insert Ride' is currently down mechanical." But hey, stuff happens.

This year alone, I've had a front wheel drive bearing assembly (noisy drive, no speeding, pray it doesn't seize), an alternator (knew it was coming as soon as I saw the volt light turn on, that was a nail-biting 30 miles to get out of construction/city and to a gas station), and car battery (please wait one hour thirty minutes for a jump) go on 3 separate trips... it stinks also, but you fix it and move on. (Still have to thank my dad for driving 100 miles just to bring tools and a new alternator, and spending 20 minutes with me putting it in... if by some chance you're reading, thanks again!)

So with those 3 incidents, and only 5 Dragster rides on the 15 trips there (66% "no ride" statistic), and rides going 'down mechanical' here and there, I'm still having some of the best fun I've ever had. One trip this year even qualifies as the best trip I've ever taken to the park in the 18 years straight I've been going.

If you focus on the negative, then you'll make the trip awful on your own, when it actually was a great time. Get up, go to the park, ride what you can, have fun, and remember that the glass is half full.

------------------
18 straight years of real thrills and counting...

Edited for spelling and grammar errors.
*** This post was edited by TekGuy 7/28/2003 3:21:46 AM ***