Save Paddlewheel Excursions!

Atleast they are leaving us time to get a last ride in on it by announcing it on Friday. I would be pissed if they announced during HW when its already closed. Hope I get one more ride.

I say good riddance.

djDaemon said:A more effective "Save the Paddlewheel" method might be to carry around a metal can in which donations can be placed. I recommend rudely interrupting any high school-age couples who may be kissing in public - you never know how that might work out.;)

I dont know why, but reading that made me think of the scene in Airplane when Rex Kramer is confronted by the missionaries in the termal. Only I imagine one of the persons saying "save the Paddlewheel" before getting roundhoused by Robert Stack. :D

Agreed Ensign. Businesses that closely interact, listen, and respond to customers everywhere they can get feedback are going to be the most successful. I've never been to Holiday World, but I believe this is why that park is where it is today.

Holiday World seems to be very active with customers and listening to what they want. I get a much more alienated vibe from Cedar Point.

Anyway, on the topic, if PWE leaves Cedar Point for Dinosaurs Alive, the management is very short-sighted, and I feel they will have made yet another mistake.

There is a reason that these Dinosaur attractions come and go so quickly at various museums and zoos all around. They draw alot of interest and are popular initially, but after everyone has seen them in the area, they slowly fizzle. Then, they move onto the next city...and cycle back a few years later.

I may be very wrong, but I don't think Dinosaurs Alive is going to work well as a permanent attraction. I went to Kings Island's Dinosaurs Alive last week, and it was pretty nicely done (though we couldn't get hardly any of the motion sensors to activate the dinosaurs, which was frustrating). However, I have seen it, and I don't plan on paying the $7 ever again...even if they add a couple new dinosaurs. If it comes to CP, I probably will not participate if it's a pay attraction...I already experienced it at KI.

I do think it'd be acceptable to re-theme PWE as a FREE Dinosaur ride for the main 2012 attraction, where the boat perfectly activated all the Dinosaurs, and the Captain told interesting facts and a few dinosaur jokes. ;) Then, the PWE theming could all be moved to Shoot the Rapids.

Sadly, I can see management getting prematurely excited over KI's success, and trying to replicate the upcharge experience at all parks, removing anything in the way. Then, when it fizzles in a few years, we'll be short another classic family attraction.

I applaud the idea of moving the animation to StR...if it has to be removed at all. Removing it is still a horrible idea...but at least that would be making lemonade out of lemons.

Surprisingly, I have mixed feelings about PWE. I had one feeling (keep it!) until I watched those 1980's super-8 films posted recently. My point is, PWE really is a shell of it's former self. In fact, I would say that PWE is Disaster Transport of family rides at Cedar Point right now. The theming is nowhere (and that is an understatement) of what it once was, and also completely and forever lost is the charm of the entire ride, shortened a great deal, and pulling in to the station beside Dragster isn't exactly "western-cruise" like. It's really sad to see what it is today. The crew does the very best they can with what is there, but I think, at least in my opinion, I am of two minds:

1) Just kill it, with the hopes of making absolutely sure that a quality family attraction is soon to come. I really do not like the idea of dinos at Cedar Point. I think that is cheesy, and while it may make an initial splash, it will not last. I do however like the idea of taking some of the animatronics and shipping them over to STR.

2) Restore it. But I do not see this happening in my lifetime.

Cedar Point simply cannot lose another family attraction (and by that I do not mean a kiddie ride...I mean an actual family attraction like Pirate Ride, etc.).

I cannot fathom Ouimet's first move as being the removal of another family attraction.

I suspect this was in the works long before he came on board. We can chalk this up as Kinzel's last folly.

But he has the power to change course.

I seriously hope they are not planning the dinosaur attraction for CP.

Is this a rumor? B/c I want to know, really. : /

Frito Joe said:
I doubt they read this forum any more.

Whether or not anyone posts in an official capacity, I can tell you this site - and other industry sites - are read at many different levels within the company on a regular basis.

If PWE had Better animatronics, I would say keep it, but they aren't good at all and are very outdated.

Walt said:

Frito Joe said:
I doubt they read this forum any more.

Whether or not anyone posts in an official capacity, I can tell you this site - and other industry sites - are read at many different levels within the company on a regular basis.

Walt, I completely agree with you on them reading this and other sites. My wife's cousin works in advertising at the Point and she says they read the coaster geek websites all the time. And no don't ask me if she knows what future plans are for the Point, if she knows she doesn't tell me. And frankly I quit asking years ago.

So they read the coaster geek websites. That still doesn't tell us whether they keep up with Pointbuzz.

;)

^LOL

Does anyone know if the Winnebago bay cruise is a private venture or does CF have a stake in it. If they do, I could see them saying that it is their way of "preserving" the Paddlewheel experience, while making way for "Dino". They would then have 2 upcharge attractions while staving off the bad pr for the removal of PWE (plus a place to put the remaining boats). While I agree that "Dino" would make a poor permanent attraction, maybe it's CP's way of freeing up space for 2013 (Get rid of PWE, with "Dino" on the island for a summer or 2, then a new permanent attraction.)

My understanding is it's a private venture, much like the parasail and jet ski operations.

I agree with Kevinj. Those films from the 80's posted on the site reminded me of what a shell the current ride is of what it once was.

I don't want it to vanish, however. The use of the lagoons as a water boat attraction is a part of CP's heritage. I would hate to see this link to the past obliterated.

However, to save it, it needs to be re-invented. Personally, I don't think dinosaurs are the answer. I don't know off-hand what to do with it, but maybe it can be used as transportation to stops around the lagoon. Perhaps adding a pier/stop point on the STR side of the island would make it useful as a quick way to get to attractions on that side of the peninsula rather than a long walk. Maybe more convenient stop points could be added. Theme: don't know.

Someone asked about fan outcry having an impact on a ride removal...

Has anyone ridden Ocean Motion this year? :)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

(Okay, maybe we just got lucky that it didn't sell...)

Was that fan outcry or just the fact that no one wanted to buy it?

Probably. :)