The Original Banshee/Mantis Design

I don't know how much truth there is to this but here it goes.

My nephew works at CP and told me an interesting fact about Mantis. I guess when it was originally designed, a good portion of the second half of the ride was to be enclosed and totally in the dark.

The whole layout of the station was totally different and it included both a load and unload area (unlike now where there's a poor excuse for a station). He said that there's indications of this design in the user's manual for the ride. I guess when they changed the name, a lot more was changed then just the name.

I think there might be a lot of truth to this because I can remember my company pricing out creating either a large tessla coil or plasma globe for the ride (I can't remember which). Nothing ever came of it though.

From what he said, CP screwed up the initial design for this ride so bad, that B&M refuse to work with them on any other ride. Now CP is begging B&M to work with them once again. Word is, seems CP might have their eye on a B&M flier.....

Again, take it for what's it's worth. I just thought some of the statistics on Mantis were quite interesting.....

Now I have no clue on any of this, but the last part about B&M refusing to work with CP again sounds like a load of balogny (sp?). The other part might be truth but again I have no idea.

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2003 Statistics
Top Thrill Dragster: 9
Magnum XL-200: 44
Trips to the point: 27

Hah, CP "begging" B&M? I bet this has something to do with the troubles with Intamin, huh?

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2002/2003
KPTM

Why would CP "beg" B&M? It's not like B&M is doing CP a favor by taking their money! With the relative lack of new B&M coasters lately, I can't see B&M refusing business.

I don't know what got screwed up, but if the original design was partially enclosed, the only thing that probably changed was the elimination of the building. If anything on the ride was screwed up, I would blame B&M, not CP, since B&M are the design engineers.

I remember the original Banshee announcement, and I don't recall it mentioning anything about the ride being partially enclosed.

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I'd rather be in my boat with a drink on the rocks,
than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.

The enclosed part doesn't sound too likely considering a good part of the ride is over water.

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Bob M.

Pete said:
I don't know what got screwed up, but if the original design was partially enclosed, the only thing that probably changed was the elimination of the building. If anything on the ride was screwed up, I would blame B&M, not CP, since B&M are the design engineers.

you would be surprised on how much input a client has into a design in my industry (web). sometimes you have to suck it up and make the change, even thought you know it wont work. im sure its very much the same way in the coaster design world.

Yeah, right. Oh puhhhleeeeeze take my $13 million...pretty please?

Hah, CP "begging" B&M? I bet this has something to do with the troubles with Intamin, huh?

You got it.

And a lot of TTD was in the drink before they filled that in. They could of done the same for Banshee/Mantis.
*** This post was edited by TPolansky 7/31/2003 3:28:36 PM ***

Spelling Lesson...think of the ad campaign..My Bologna, has a first name it's OSCAR...BOLOGNA:)

Now back to the original post...There was never any mention of an "enclosed portion" of the ride...I think you can safely file this one under other myths and urban legends about your's and mine favorite Amusement Park.

I believe that Talon at Dorney was built after Mantis at Cedar Point. If that is the case then I guess B & M does not have a bad relationship with Cedar Fair.

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No matter where you go, there you are.

I do get the impression, though, that Mantis' layout was changed somewhat late in the design process. The back half of the ride just isn't very B&M if you ask me. It's too compact.

It's almost as though late in the design phase the folks at Cedar Point said "we know we're going to be building a coaster through over there somewhere (Millennium Force). Can you compact your ride a little bit?"

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- John
I Snap Flyers
*** This post was edited by Michael Darling 7/31/2003 4:43:44 PM ***

B&M was just designing to land the customer had available for the ride, that's why it's compact. I really like Mantis a lot. It's a B&M that actually packs a punch (along with Raptor). Most of the newer B&M rides are not as intense as some of the older designs, Mantis is one of the most intense B&M rides out there.

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I'd rather be in my boat with a drink on the rocks,
than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.

sounds like a load of crap to me...
a big load of poo poo...
i highly doubt that there would be any plans to enclose the last half of Banshee/Mantis, AT ALL!!!
and B+M and CF are doin purty fine if ya ask me... look at Talon...

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"One word: DAMN!" - Large Man Exiting Dragster
Phantom's Revenge? DELICIOUS!
TTD: 6

yeah ive heard about this, im not positive what i was reading was true but yes, the ride was to be inclosed, the track was going to be like purple and black, the mangle of track after the hill, the large loop, and the dive, basically where the line is under the track (that area) was to all be enclosed... im guessing they would have put the ride on land like they did with TTD... but yeah, enclosed, i think ghost theming but they changed the name and scraped the idea to have it partially enclosed...

i read this on a website a few years ago, ill try to find it and put a link, but the website had the original promo for banshee computer rendered video...

Im not sure if the site was bs on it being covered or not
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TTD: 2 (Rollbacks seen: 1)
MF: 18
WT: 8
Usually at CP: every mon, tuesday, thursday
*** This post was edited by MrFat699 7/31/2003 8:47:44 PM ***

Honestly, I seriously doubt this to be true, if anyone here has access to the users manual for the ride maybe they can check if the "indications" are really in there. And a question for TPolansky, where in the park did your nephew work, was it ON mantis or was it in food services or something?

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Arms down.....Arms down.....Arms down.......Arms down.....Arms down....Arms down...(you think they would get it the first time?!)

TTD-8 Rollbacks-1

Mantis and MF

Old Timer Tim, thanks for the spelling lesson, I didn't have my dictionary right with me and I forgot how to exactly spell it, all I knew was it was spelled differently then it is said :).

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2003 Statistics
Top Thrill Dragster: 9
Magnum XL-200: 44
Trips to the point: 27

I think I would have heard if it was intended to be an enclosed ride.

Why would they want to do that? They had already failed with Disaster. That area would look awful with a big ugly building covering the ride. Imagine riding by it in the Paddlewheel Excursion.

I don't think so.

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No matter where you go, there you are.

Michael Darling said:
I do get the impression, though, that Mantis' layout was changed somewhat late in the design process. The back half of the ride just isn't very B&M if you ask me. It's too compact.

Have you not looked at the layout for the second half of Iron Wolf?

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James Draeger
Ride Maintenance 2003

I could put some truth to that enclosed last half rumor. I could imagine them building a haunted house, or a mini-forest scene to create the i-l-l-u-s-i-o-n that you are enclosed, just to spice up the theming. That would have been AWESOME!

But a huge gray building in the middle of no where would have looked like poop. If there was any realy truth to the enclosed rumor, I would guess that it would be themed on the outside as well as the inside.

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LeWiS