Shoot the Rapids?

Its alright. The line just moves incredibly slow (along with the ride itself) and it's a maintenance nightmare. They could have done so much more on the island portion of the ride. Like another tunnel or something.

While the ride is OK, it could have been designed so much better.

How can you tell that the ride is a maintenance nightmare? Unless you work at CP as a tech, I think you are making an assumption with little to back that up.

Being at the park enough to see it breaking down the majority of the time when walking by or when in line is enough for me to know it's a maintenance nightmare. Not even to mention the fact that I have been stuck on that lift a couple times too many.

I honestly don't think there has been one single time while encountering the ride (in line or on) that it has not gone through some type of breakdown and I ride it almost every visit I make.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the ride still does not load the boats fully, am I right?

Correct. That's the craziest part too.

Yeah, it's kinda-sorta a red flag that indicates a strikeout in terms of the ride's performance.

I wish they could just replace it! like for real

I don't know for sure, but it's possible that there may be litigation between CP and Intamin over this. That would account for maintaining the status quo as far as this operating procedure is concerned. I would surmise that the park wants Inatamin to correct the problem and they're saying no (big surprise). Would also confirm one of the reasons that they are now going with B&M after a decade or so with Inatamin.

I suspect the companies keep their big-boy pants on and are more than civil enough. The industry is too small a world for major players to shout and kvetch at each other forever.

In most cases you would think so, but Sander has burned a lot bridges in this country with his public comments .

Dutchman said:

In most cases you would think so, but Sander has burned a lot bridges in this country with his public comments .

Money talks, people retire, things move on.

Yeah, I can tell you for certain that a number of executives and owners have not moved on.

As with everything you read on the Internet, this may just be a made up rumor, but I did read this about the boats. Two seats are left empty because the boats can't carry the weight of a full boat. Intamin refused to take the blame for this design flaw, saying they would work fine in Europe, the problem is with fat Americans not with the boats.

Sad if it's true. Not only you must be tall enough to ride, but light enough as well. A stick and a scale at the entrance?

Pete said:

...saying they would work fine in Europe, the problem is with fat Americans not with the boats.

Pity that Intamin had no idea Cedar Point wasn't located in Europe.

Oh it's true, I was told by someone that was involved at a management level of this mess. When you spend the amount of cash that Cedar Fair has over the years on your products and they treat you like this, you are going to pay for it eventually, one way or another.

Yeah, if true, that's the type of blatant ignorance of your client base that can cost you a ton of business. Lame.

I'm surprised Intamin is still in business. They sound like a terrible company to work with. I only give them a few more years. I'm sure Cedar Point/Fair dreads making calls to them for tech support.

kylepark said:
Sad if it's true. Not only you must be tall enough to ride, but light enough as well. A stick and a scale at the entrance?

You mean like at the top of Dollywood's Mountain Slidewinder? It's true, the group stands on a scale to make sure nobody puts you over the weight limit. (I was asked to stand off to the side while more than a few boatloads went ahead of me. Grrrrr...)
Mind you, those vehicles are more like sleds and the structure is more like a giant water slide, not the cement troughs and regular boats you find on STR.

Time, money, retirements. I can see pushing them aside for a time, but I wouldn't openly cut ties if there was risk of them creating something that can't be had save from them. Doesn't mean the rumors aren't true.