I don't think you'll have to worrie about any taller coasters for quite a while. Millennium Force should be the tallest for a good number of years; remember, 11 years until they went 105 feet taller.
UHHHHHHHHHH! PO!NT Fan? Have you not heard about Steel Dragon in Japan? Go over to coasterbuzz.com and you will find alot of info on this coaster. It will be taller and faster.
*** This post was edited by Chitown on 6/4/2000. ***
Dan, Sense what do you mean money is not an issue? It is a business with a yearly budget. If Seven Eleven built the worlds biggest slushy machine would it be logical?
-------------
Dispatch Master, This is Transport one! I'm losing control, I'm losing control!
I don't know if it would be logical, but the thought sure is funny! :)
-------------
UCSigep
Rides to the top of the world: 4
When he said not an issue, he means they make the money back. Approximately 30,000 people per day times approximately $35 for admission(averaging in all of the people with discounts) that comes out to around $1,050,000. So in roughly 25 days of operation Cedar Point has made back all of the money it spent on MF and that's ONLY in admissions. Factor in hotels, food, and other merchandise/souviners that's roughly 10-15 days of operation. So even if they spent $100 million on a coaster they would easily make the money back.
I have heard about Steel Dragon, but what does that mean? It just that technology is improving faster. Heck when they built Magnum their was a couple feet left when they were done making the ride and when Mantis was built, you couldn't even fit a piece of paper inbetween the track joints. Just don't get your hopes up for any 400 footer in the near future, say 2 years.
About CP_genius's post:
Yeah, they do make a lot of money, but they do have expenses. What about employees and maintence, and don't forget advertising. Trust me, they don't make THAT much.
*** This post was edited by PO!NT Fan on 6/4/2000. ***
Okay so they will make the money in 50 days of operation.
About the technology, in the original press release for the Magnum
(see one at www.spiritofthepoint.com)
"...the new coaster will exceed 70mph as riders drop from the 201-foot-tall first hill to less
than 10 feet above the ground..."
Just to show how the technology has grown, Arrow didn't even know how high it was going to be! They left out 4 feet! Not to mention that the turnaround wasn't planned the same. (see the layout on Dan's site as well)
I am sure that money was a big factor in determining the height and length for MF. Cedar Fair is a public company, and like all companies, is expected to turn a profit. Money spent on new rides subtracts from the bottom line. Would a 400 foot coaster draw significantly more people to the park then MF? Certainly not enough to justify the extra cost. What do you think is a better strategy for CP – to build a 400 foot coaster and then not build anything record breaking for 10 years, or build a 300 foot coaster and then in 5 years build another record breaking coaster? The two coaster strategy will draw more people because you can hype each ride. And I don’t think CP cares too much about some coaster in Japan. Not too many people living in the U.S. are going to suddenly stop going to CP because there is a bigger coaster in Japan.
And to say that MF is paid for after 50 days of operation is silly. It cost a lot of money to pay all of those employees, buy the food, maintain the rides, etc. Plus, for the ride to pay for itself, you have to look at the difference between what CP would make without MF versus what they are making with it.