Potential Disaster Transport refurbishment

Many record breaking attractions have been removed from Cedar Point over the years...

Just curious, what would those be?

PWE the fastest boat ride around an island, under 4 minutes!!

SteveH said:
It is very obvious that there are three schools of thought here.

Build coasters. (Thrill Seakers)

Build Dark Rides. (Innovators)

Build attractions that bring in the whole family. (Parents & Accountants)

I think we see a great combo of this in Busch Gardens Verbolten. While there is no POV or anything else that lets us really know this for sure, but just from looking at pictures, it does look like it can be a family friendly ride. Along with the Dark Ride aspect when you go into the building.

Verbolten looks to be just an awesome ride, especially the element that has the free falling track piece. I think it may be a little intense to be a true family ride, but I think it will be one of the best coaster experiences found anywhere.

SteveH said:
Comparing a seasonal park to a year round park really isn't fair..

I find this frequent assertion to be untrue. Assuming that unlike things can't be compared is wrong when you consider they compete for the same currency.

Jeff, in what sense are you saying that a seasonal and year-round park can be compared?

A seasonal park has 2-3 months of peak revenue in a year. Would Cedar Point ever have a budget of over $300 million to build a Harry Potter area as the year's addition?

Now, if you're talking quality of food or something, I'm more on the same page.

What you're describing are differences in product, but it has nothing to do with what people spend their vacation money on. Just because Universal can build Hogsmeade and Cedar Point can't doesn't mean that a family can't choose one over the other. They do, in fact, compete for my cash.

All Jeff is saying is that many families have X amount of money reserved for vacations, etc...in that sense, Disney, Dollywood, Cedar Point, and Universal Studios are all competing.

Shades said:
You are saying that Avatar has as the same kind of fan base as Potter?

Yep...well, Avatar: The Last Airbender does, the James Cameron movie doesn't.

Shades said:
I don't see that.

Oh it's the same kind of fans alright. Go to Comicon and you'll see (and be scared) lol

It could've had the same size fan base too, as there are many people turned off by animation and Nickelodeon who would probably enjoy the series, if only they hadn't blown it with the live-action movie (which has to be one of the worst movies ever made). Too bad, if the movie had been successful like the first Harry Potter, the fan base would be MASSIVE.

Shades said:
And unless the park themes an entire area to Avatar, like Universal did with Potter, I don't see people flocking to the park to ride the Appa ride like they had at Kings Island a few years back.

Well, I believe I brought up the subject while discussing the Curse of DarKastle ride system and how this franchise would've been perfect for such an extravagant attraction, so you know doing what Kings Island did wasn't what I was suggesting. If Universal had simply slapped a Potter cutout on the side of a flat, they wouldn't be having the kind of success they're having now. IDK, I thought I was pretty clear and I apologize for any confusion. If you'd like, we can continue this discussion via PM, since I'm fairly certain nobody else wants to hear us lol

tambo said:
Just curious, what would those be?

I don't know. Just thought it sounded good lol

Jeff, what happened to when you used to say that Cedar Point doesn't compete with other parks like Six Flags because they aren't in the same markets? What is the difference between that and what you are saying now?

I'm not being a smart ass if it sounds like it. I am actually wondering.

I was wondering the exact same thing and had a response typed up, but I ended up deleting it, figuring it'd cause some kind of argument. But now that the ice has been broken, I'm also curious of the difference in what you're saying now in comparison to the past.

I thought we generally agreed that the overwhelming majority of CP guests come from the Great Lakes region. Considering the vastly higher costs, planning, and time required for a trip to Disney / Universal, your average Great Lakes customer wasn't going to be deciding on Disney / Universal, Dollywood, or Magic Mountain very often. Thus, while there are some exceptions like your family, on the whole, the parks aren't after the same market.

Maybe you are saying that CP needs to become more of a national family destination now? As in, someone in Kansas would choose Cedar Point over Disney for their big family vacation? If that's the case though, I think the products would have to be compared, and Planet Snoopy could never compete with Harry Potter World.

CP doesn't compete with other regional parks. But it does compete for the dollars of vacationers in its market. As a Clevelander, if I have a finite amount I want to spend on tourism, I can consider my local choice, or a destination resort. In fact, I opted to do extra time at Universal one year instead of get a room at CP closing weekend. I didn't feel the value was there at CP, especially after having a dirty room the year before.

I understand now. People in the great lakes region probably don't have a clue about Six Flags Magic Mountain, as you always say, but they do know about places like Disney and maybe Universal. People actually do choose between these parks, making them compete, but not with other regional parks like Six Flags.

Not sure you can compare Harry Potter to Planet Snoopy. Harry Potter is almost an entire theme park in itself.

No WAY !!! I still love the Disaster transport ! I hope they keep it the same just maybe make the rooms scary to walk through again like they were in the eighties!

I say keep the ride, remove the building, and re-theme it. It has potential! It's also very rare.

You know, there's a reason it's rare. Being rare is not always a good thing. Something things go extinct for a very good reason...like, perhaps, being a really bad ride.

It would be nice if dt was rethemed with a snoopy theme... they could easily make a nice story around the ride and it is tame enough for most kids. Could make a nice family experience and it is close to the snoopy area already.

Don't be surprised if DT is demolshed in a year or two.

Near where I live, there is a power plant in Avon lake that reminds me of DT. It happens to be on the beach too. It's pretty neat how it's similar, only its a coal plant and it's dark red, where as DT is beige.