Shoot the Rapids?

I've always assumed that CP was trying for a larger, badder version of Mill Race.

MDOmnis said:
I wonder if they shouldn't just file this crap pile into the category of something Dick Kinzel did while he was senile and rectify it ASAP as they finally did with Disaster Transport. The $10 million they spent on it is gone - it's a sunken cost. Beyond the first year, they were never going to get that back anyway. It wasn't really a marketable ride to begin with. The height requirement is too high for a flume ride. It rarely runs. No one loves it. It's had an "incident." The list goes on.

Use the real estate for something else or a new flume that actually works.

Hilarious .... Couldn't agree more!

Am I the only person who doesn't mind the ride? Sure I preferred WWL and sure it isn't the greatest ride in the park but I still do ride it whenever I do go to CP. It cools you off and does't get you soaked like Snake River and doesn't dump water with dead fish in it like TC does.

I don't mind it but I have no attachment to it. It seems to be a lot more trouble than it's worth. That's all I'm saying.

And they said WWL was high maintenance. Yeesh!

MDOmnis said:
No one loves it, except for Shawn Meyer.

I went ahead and fixed that for you :)

I am all for taking STR out, but Cedar Point won't take it out until they feel like they have gotten their money's worth from it.

STR was installed just 4 years ago. It won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

Cedar Fair has been doing a lot to increase the atmosphere at a lot of its parks. Could we see an improved Shoot the Rapids done in the same way the log flume and dark ride at Knotts was done? They won't be taking this ride out anytime soon, but the addition of decent themeing or interactive experiences added to the ride would be a much better option than tearing down a 10 million dollar ride and having to completely replace it.

I had considered this, but it still has a ridiculously high height requirement. I would argue that this type of work is generally done on family rides. That said, with the way it painfully crawls through its course, this would improve it.

Re-themed into the dark ride attraction that is in the works and planning stage for the park.

I would love to see this ride removed and replaced with something better. It would be interesting to find out how the ridership is and how high maintence costs are. The plot of land it sits on is decent size and count fit a great family coaster, something like I posted in the "In the Dark" thread. If you didn't see it, here's what I said:

"Even though it wouldn't technically be a dark ride, a dark family coaster with some awesome elements would be an AMAZING fit for the park as well. Something with a really low height requirement, a small dark ride section, some launches, an outdoor coaster section, an indoor coaster section, a freefall track finale, on ride audio, some spooky/western Garner Holt theming, while still keeping it family friendly, would be a perfect addition that CP is currently really lacking. It could be something that the whole family could enjoy together. It wouldn't be too boring for the thrill seekers, but not too intense for the young ones. Think Mystery Mine meets Verbolten meets Firechaser Express."

CPboy77 said:
STR was installed just 4 years ago. It won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

Any time sooner than one more season? Remember, Pilgrims Plunge lasted all of five.

That's Holiday World though... When has CP ever took down a ride within 5 years of opening?

When has CP ever put in this particular Shoot the Rapids before?

Then again, the flagship park of the chain has a nice beach ornament that cannot run in any appreciable amount of wind. Located right on a lake. Lake effect winds and all.

CPboy77 said:
That's Holiday World though... When has CP ever took down a ride within 5 years of opening?

Ahem...

http://tinyurl.com/kvsgwtm

I wouldn't exactly say Cedar Point took VertiGo down.

Okay, how about: Cedar Point removed VertiGo.

JuggaLotus said:
I wouldn't exactly say Cedar Point took VertiGo down.

You forget there were 2 towers still standing that needed to be removed. ;)

The whole problem was that Cedar Point did *not* take VertiGo down. They removed the vehicle and let the ride tear itself apart. Only then did they decide to tear the rest of it down. Slight technicality but it's worth making. ;)