Time for a new woodie?

Well, it has been nearly 25 years since Mean Streak was built, and Mean Streak was built roughly 25 years after Blue Streak, so could we be due for a new wooden coaster in the next 5 years?

I think that we'll be seeing a new woodie very soon.

It would be nice to get a new one. But I think they are more expensive to maintain and not many of them are getting built today. Hopefully RMC will build it if they do one.

I'm not entirely sure what the trendy manufacturer is nowadays though it does seem to be RMC; no clue if Gravity Group or Intamin Prefab are still in favor, though again I seriously doubt the park will be considering much from Intamin anytime soon.

As much as I love Gatekeeper that was kind of the best place for a classic-type beachside woodie, and as has been mentioned a million times here, there's no way they're ever going to build out onto the lake.

Really, the only place off the top of my head that I can think of, considering that woodies tend to need a bigger footprint as a general rule, is if they go forward with demolishing Cedars and rerouting the Perimeter Road. It's a very square footprint but it would have the same sort of lakeside effect if done properly.

The biggest downside about Cedar Point versus a park like Kings Island or Kennywood is that there's really no "terrain" to speak of, and IMO woodies tend to work best when they interact with the terrain, which also gives a little more flexibility with the layout. But hey, we'll see.

I'm not going to hold my breath but I would love another wooden coaster.

I think that they are going to have to do something with Mean Streak first before they build another woodie. The fact that is alluded to above......

I definitely think a Mean Streak makeover is in order. RMC re-tracked Texas Giant when it got too rough, then did the same for Rattler.....if they can be brought in to redo MS, it'll once again bring crowds to the far back of the park.

Just imagine: a >85* first drop, a few overbanked turns, maybe an in-line twist (or three).....and a MUCH smoother, but still wild ride! If I were a betting man, I'd say Mean Streak as it stands will be around for 3 more years, tops.

electr0maniac said:
I definitely think a Mean Streak makeover is in order. RMC re-tracked Texas Giant when it got too rough, then did the same for Rattler.....if they can be brought in to redo MS, it'll once again bring crowds to the far back of the park.

Just imagine: a >85* first drop, a few overbanked turns, maybe an in-line twist (or three).....and a MUCH smoother, but still wild ride! If I were a betting man, I'd say Mean Streak as it stands will be around for 3 more years, tops.

Because that little red thing back there doesn't ever have much of a line.

I would like something new back there to divert attention from Maverick. Maverick is one of the worst, if not THE worst ride in the park for lines. Even the Fast Lane can be waiting a while. Maverick is one of my favorite rides, but nothing I'll wait more than 45 minutes for. If MS got redone, that would take some attention away from Maverick back in that section of the park.

^I totally agree. Maverick is one of my favorites, but last season I only rode it 5x or less because of long lines

Thabto said:
I would like something new back there to divert attention from Maverick. Maverick is one of the worst, if not THE worst ride in the park for lines. Even the Fast Lane can be waiting a while. Maverick is one of my favorite rides, but nothing I'll wait more than 45 minutes for. If MS got redone, that would take some attention away from Maverick back in that section of the park.

The line for Maverick is rough. As much as I'd love a wooden coaster back there, I'd prefer a Dive Machine (or some sort of other B&M) simply for the amazing capacity those coasters have. Luckily for Maverick, it's worth the wait. Best coaster in the park.

I agree about Maverick. I love it, but I refuse to wait in that line unless the wait is 45 minutes or less. There does need to be a bigger draw in the back of the park. Most people who go back there ride Maverick and there isn't too much else to draw in crowds and better spread people out so there isn't one line that's massive, like Maverick currently.

I would LOVE for another woodie, or at least giving Mean Streak the RMC treatment.

I would love a new custom woodie as much as the next person but a RMC Iron horse rebuild of Mean Streak would be even more stunning.

Mean Streak is quite similar to (Old) Texas Giant, the coaster on which New Texas Giant was built. If Mean Streak were given a similar reprofiling (near vertical drop, overbanks, more airtime hills), the park would likely have another top ten coaster for a relatively small outlay of cash (~$10MM).

Given that Mean Streak is at a dead end, I've always thought it would be neat if they extend the path back around Boneville and connect up at Gemini by the restroom area, creating a secondary, mini Frontier Trail.

The trouble with the RMC I-box track like on NTG is that it turns a wood coaster into a steel coaster. I'm all for reprofiling Mean Streak to make the layout more exciting, but I would like to see the ride remain a traditional woodie. The Rocky Mountain product that I think they should use is the Topper Track, it reduces maintenance but allows the ride to remain a true woodie.

Maverick has a beyond vertical drop, overbanked turns and airtime hills. Why do something similar with Mean Streak? Reprofile Mean Streak to give it airtime, re-track it with Topper Track and let it rip! The park would get an exciting woodie that remains what it was originally intended to be.

I'm sure I'm simplifying it (or perhaps getting it completely wrong), but isn't part of the reason MS is trimmed is because the structure tears itself apart at full speed? If true, doesn't that preclude Topper Track as a solution?

Thabto said:
Even the Fast Lane can be waiting a while.

What's wrong with that? Fast Lane doesn't mean walk on. I expect different results this year with it being on FL+, we shall see. I still say though FL is a bang for the buck. You add up all of the FL wait time vs a person normally waiting all day, it's a huge difference, usually on the side of 1/8th the time a normal person spends in line during the day.

When I used FL, I waited 40 minutes for Maverick, no problem there, could have waited 3 or more hours. Then other rides not as popular I only waited about 10 or less minutes for 30 or more wait. I'll take it.

I agree with Pete. Plus, the park already has 14 other steel coasters.

I think it is the track that gets torn up, not the structure. According to the RMC website, the Topper Track has substantial steel cross ties to keep the gauge correct and not allow the wood stack to roll. I think that would work perfect on Mean Streak.

thedevariouseffect said:

Thabto said:
Even the Fast Lane can be waiting a while.

What's wrong with that? Fast Lane doesn't mean walk on. I expect different results this year with it being on FL+, we shall see. I still say though FL is a bang for the buck. You add up all of the FL wait time vs a person normally waiting all day, it's a huge difference, usually on the side of 1/8th the time a normal person spends in line during the day.

When I used FL, I waited 40 minutes for Maverick, no problem there, could have waited 3 or more hours. Then other rides not as popular I only waited about 10 or less minutes for 30 or more wait. I'll take it.

I know me and you disagreed on this subject last summer in a thread I made. But, I think a Fast Lane shouldn't wait any more than 20 minutes. I got on just about every right in less that time, I just waited longer at Maverick. The problem with Maverick is the poor capacity which causes longer lines. But with that being put in the Plus category this year, it may not be as bad. But, I try not to go on crowded days, so there's never any reason for me to get a Fast Lane band.