Cedar Fair (lack of) creativity strikes again!

Personally I can't keep up with names nor do I care. I do admit the lack of originality is nothing new. It's not just Cedar Fair. :) I mean the ten million Batmans and Supermans is still confusing after all of these years.

I will probably call it Italian Job for a long time, or make up my own like I did with Batmaninator. :)

Why don't they hire ME to name these coasters?

Oh, because they would probably be X-rated like the ones on my RCT. ;)

-Tina

*** Edited 1/7/2008 8:02:42 AM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***

To me when I think of a Flight Deck, I think of the place that the planes take off and land on. It does not suggest a moving ride at all. "Welcome back riders, how was your ride on Flight Deck!" It just doesn't work. If I do make it down south this year though, I'll still ride it as it kicks much butt.

Tomcat or Hornet woudl have been a way better name or hell even Avenger, Prowler, or Intruder. All are navy planes. I can't see that being an issue at all, we already have Raptor.

^ wouldn't flight deck be more appropriate for a ride like hypersonic? Isn't that what S+S designed the launch from...

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tambo said:
Yeah, it happens every day. Thousands of people walk away from rides with "boring" or "creatively lacking" names.

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I must have missed the part where anyone said ridership would suffer because of the name change.

Complaining about a stupid or unspired name is not the same as saying nobody will ride a ride. "Flight Deck" is just a dumb name, and Kings Dominion could have done much better. Nobody said that people wouldn't be inclined to ride it. Ridership will probably be similar to last year. I would think that t-shirt and merchandise sales could be affected though.

-Nate

I must have missed the part where anyone said ridership would suffer because of the name change.

Perhaps you were busy laughing at all the people who claim that the ride experience is going to suck now that it has a "stupid" name?

I saw ONE person say the ride experience would change (for the worse). That person didn't say ridership would take a hit because of it. I haven't been to Carowinds, but if there's any Top Gun theming that's being removed, then the ride's experience is changing (however slightly). It wouldn't make me (or anyone else) want to ride it any less, but I think it's a potentially valid point.

But regardless, that was AFTER Tambo's original post that implied people were arguing something that nobody was.

-Nate

In either case, Flight Deck will probably remain my favorite B&M invert....and I live near Montu! ;)

if there's any Top Gun theming that's being removed, then the ride's experience is changing (however slightly). It wouldn't make me (or anyone else) want to ride it any less, but I think it's a potentially valid point.

Valid and pedantic, IMHO.

I still stand by my point. The name of a thrill ride should encourage excitement. It may not seem important to some, but it has always been important to me.

The name of any entertainment is important to it's success. Think of a band that sucks but has a cool name/theme. They sometimes make it big. Think of an awesome movie with a sucky name. No one sees it and it becomes a "sleeper hit". Most companies think hard to come up with clever names of the products they sell or promote.

Even if they were the same thing, would you rather purchase "Target Store Brand Microwave Popcorn" or "Market pantry Microwave Popcorn". "Save-A-Lot cola" or "Bubba Cola"?

Maybe that's a bit childish. Maybe I am being pedantic.

I'm not disagreeing that the name "Flight Deck" leaves a lot to be desired. It's not the best name in a long shot. But I also think it's a silly notion that the name somehow affects the actual ride experience.

And really, how important can the name be when on my visit to the park I heard people refer to it as "that gray coaster," "the feet dangling one," "that fighter pilot ride" and "the ski-lift coaster"...just to name a few.

would you rather purchase "Target Store Brand Microwave Popcorn" or "Market pantry Microwave Popcorn". "Save-A-Lot cola" or "Bubba Cola"?

I'd rather purchase whichever is the better tasting popcorn or cola.

As for coasters, I don't care what a ride's name is. What I care is that when I get back to the station I want to run back around the the exit and get back in line.

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Mamoosh said:"the feet dangling one"

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Hey, I trademarked that - someone in Carolina owes me royalties! ;)

Roller Coaster 3 is too intense for me!

(I know, someone already used that joke in this thread, but old wine in new bottles...)

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Even if they were the same thing, would you rather purchase "Target Store Brand Microwave Popcorn" or "Market pantry Microwave Popcorn". "Save-A-Lot cola" or "Bubba Cola"?

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Well, let's see. In my market, I'm well aware that Wally World sells ConAgra's Peter Pan peanut butter as their store brand. I like it, it tastes just as good and I can spend less for it, too? I'm getting the store brand!

Or let's bring this closer to roller coaster reality, shall we? Big Chief's Go-Kart and Coaster was a somewhat raggedy-looking place--more overgrown FCE than park--with large signs warning that they had NO insurance and a 70-foot tall coaster with a WICKED final drop. Now there's flower beds, painted walkways, quasi-themed resort hotels, the buildings are all dressed up with faux Greek columns and...you'll never guess...a 70' foot woodie with a wicked last drop. Still the same ride.

Dopey ride names are good for a chuckle--but insisting they'll impact the ride experience is a REAL knee-slapper.

-CO

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Mamoosh said:
I'd rather purchase whichever is the better tasting popcorn or cola.

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Moosh, they both taste the same because they are the same. Sorry, I should have made that more clear seeing that we all do not live in the same part of the Country.

A lot of people have been conditioned to believe that the flashy brand is better than the generic brand because more effort was spent on making it more appealing. I guess I am coming at this topic from a more artistic viewpoint. Most businesses understand that the name is important no matter how good the product is.

I agree with you that a lackluster name will not automatically make a product less enjoyable, but I will point out that it will make it less appealing.

...they both taste the same because they are the same.

If both brands taste exactly the same then my purchase is based soley on price. I'm buying the least expensive one regardless of the name or how attractive the packaging may be. If they taste differently then I'm buying the one that tastes best regardless of price, name, and packaging.

And I think many consumers are just like me.

...a lackluster name will not automatically make a product less enjoyable, but I will point out that it will make it less appealing.

Are you seriously suggesting that Top Gun, once renamed Flight Deck, will be less appealing to park guests who've previously ridden it, know what a kick-azz ride it is, and ride it every time they're at the park? Or are you referring to those who never knew it had a different name (such as first-time visitors) and are none-the-wiser?

Yeah, but we're talking about an impressive looking roller coaster that any thrill seeker will queue up for whether they see the name or were completely oblivious to it. Its name won't make it less appealing.

Take any park guest and plop them down in front of any coaster -- heck, any ride -- you can think of: kiddie coaster, wood coaster, Top Gun, Millie, Kingda Ka, a mine train, a family coaster, Delirium, a Tilt-o-Whirl, a carousel....any one you can think of! The thought process is simple:

a) It looks fun and I'm riding, or
2) It doesn't look fun (or, that'll make me sick) and I'll skip it.

That's it folks. The decision to ride has nothing to do with the name.

I think you guys are looking at it from the wrong angle.

It won't make a difference to the people in the park who've already made the decision to visit, but rather those who still have to choose to go.

Top Gun: The Jet Coaster might pique my interest enough to make me drive to the park and slap down some cash. Or even visit this park instead of another local or reasonably distanced choice.

Flight Deck less so. :)

I disagree to an extent. If I'm a non-dork researching a park to visit and I stumble on Carowinds' site and check out the coasters, I doubt I'll base my decision to go on the names, but rather the pictures and/or descriptions.