Shoot the Rapids?

And I think back to the 60's and 70's when rides at Cedar Point came and went all the time.

The point is, if a park deems its necessary to remove a ride for whatever reason they'll do so. Expense, maintenance, downtime, ridership, age, safety issues, or just a bad decision- all legitimate reasons. If Shoot the Rapids stays the way it is, changes somehow for the better, or goes away someday it will be because the park says so. We've all been surprised and sometimes shocked when we've found out that a ride or attraction is set to be removed. And sometimes we're delighted by whatever comes along to take its place, right?

What cracks me up are the experts out here in Fan Land that claim to know what Cedar Point, or any park for that matter, will surely do or not do, how decision at parks are made, or how the business runs. Maybe it's best that we stick to opinions regarding what we like, what we don't like, and what we'd like to see.

Jumbo Jet only lasted 7 seasons (72-78) Does that mean STR only has 3 years left??

Let me daydream for just a moment.

If I had the proverbial magic wand, I would remove both lifts from this ride, keeping the station and the flume and all the pretty rocks. What's left is a slow moving boat that is perfect for a dark ride. Get some new boats, bring in some props, tell a story, enclose most of it...voila.

Now let's try to make it happen.

Meka Leka Hi Meka Hiney Ho!

Meka Leka Hi Meka Chany Ho!

RCMAC said:

What cracks me up are the experts out here in Fan Land that claim to know what Cedar Point, or any park for that matter, will surely do or not do, how decision at parks are made, or how the business runs. Maybe it's best that we stick to opinions regarding what we like, what we don't like, and what we'd like to see.

Indeed! But I'd like to also think I can state what I think is a crap decision, like Iron Dragon height limit. I have my rationale also and don't agree with CP's. If they didn't give one, I am not going to assume there was a good reason for it and just shut it.

Maybe hindsight is 20/20 re: Shoot the Rapids, they couldn't predict this mess, but I think they should have rethought the design when it became apparent it wasn't going to be the family ride they had originally intended it to be. It seemed to have just got more complicated from there.

Kevinj, I have suggested they convert into something like Splash Mountain, I understand not to the same Disney caliber but an Old Mill style ride not unlike the one they ripped out of Dorney Park when CF purchased it. A coaster in the water doesn't seem like a boat ride to begin with.

I know that everyone makes fun of the TAER IT DOWN!!!11 crowd, but I think in this case, the ride should be removed. CP is VERY lucky that the boat capsizing happened in eyesight of many people. Can you imagine the horror if that boat had capsized out on the island where no one would have been able to see it that quickly? I absolutely believe there should not be locking mechanisms on a boat ride. The ride is a total failure, the boat design is a total failure, and people almost died on it by being locked into their seats while submerged under water. Get rid of it ASAP.

There was a maintenance guy on top of the 1st lift hill this morning. No clue if it opened up.

Kevinj said:
Now let's try to make it happen.

Sorry, only PointGuru has that kind of clout with the park and he's been banned. :)

To be fair, I was using magic. :)

Oh. In that case, carry on! Show us what you've got. ;)

I guess I'm the only one on here that believes that the Downtime isn't as bad as what Pilgrims Plunge had. Everytime I go, Shoot the Rapids is running.Yes Shoot the Rapids has downtime, but so does Top Thrill Dragster. That ride has been up and down this year yet nobody on here says tear that down. I want to have a petition. Save Shoot the Rapids!

That's a great idea, at least you'll get signatures from.... from... Wait, I'm thinking...

Every time I go past Shoot the Rapids it's not operating. I think I've only stopped to watch it (finally) go one time, and I've never been on it.

Shoot the Rapids and Top Thrill Dragster. Now, I'm sure they have something in common, but what is it? Wait,... I'm thinking...

:-)

Anyone else wonder why exactly the ride is always breaking down and the reasoning behind it? I mean, the two lift hill systems looks to be the only things that could cause the ride to break down? Am I wrong? The rest of the ride is just a flume.

Now how is it so hard to control a lift system? All the others coasters and SRF seem to do alright with it.

Simple answer is Intamin. If there's an existing technology that doesn't need improvement, you can count on Intamin to over engineer it. :)

Yet arguably LSM launches are even more complicated than a lift on a flume ride. They didn't mess Maverick up as much as they did STR. What gives? :-/

Any kind of mechanical system these days is too sophisticated. Working in the industry of building automation systems, I have seen engineers split hair to a point where it's gotten quite ridiculous.

...engineers and people who read forums.

Maverick is always on a track though. StR goes from floating to needing to be positioned exactly in the right spot to go up the lift. There are a bunch of kicker tires that seem to do most of the work.

Compare that to the old fashioned conveyor belt method used by older flumes. I don't have any memory of any of those lifts having boats roll back down...

Nope. But that thought sure crossed my mind when I was about 7 years old climbing up White Water Landing's lift. :)

Good times.

I agree. Especially when your boat could be kinda sideways going up the lift.

That new Intamin flume, Chiapas, has the tires, two chains and a belt. Maybe they're taking no further chances with that one.