Cypress Gardens - Starliner: The Lift Hill Has Risen

Your welcome.

Just glad I have the ability to go to the park and be able to share my photos. For me it is an awesome experience watching what and how they do things. I work in construction so this is cool to me. I kinda wish it was a more elaborate ride, something like a GG or a GCII. Only because the structure and track work are a simple installation. I would have liked to see something a little more elaborate than the Starliner only because it would have been more involved then just standing some bents and laying some track. I only wish that becuase I would have loved getting photos of a more elaborate woodie.

Maybe see you out there ROLLERGATOR. I am there sunday morning for a short photo run.

And thanks to Coasterfan913 for posting links to my photos and updates. Its hard to get around to all the sites and follow all the posting rules and such.

As I said before, hope everybody enjoys the photos. I sure do.

ROLLERGATER> You do know that Sheikras last rides are monday memorial day incase you want a last ride before the switch.

I will have more photos and updates this weekend.
Johnny

I sure hope they keep the old trains as they are - NO horrible L ratchet PTC lapbars, pleeeze!

Looks like the back turn was reprofiled - more banking. I'm assuming the handrails around the station curve are temporary, I hope.

Sorry here is the bad news. From what I know and have heard.
New trains, new lap bar setup and new brake system. They orgianlly wanted to go with the old train but the decided to upgrade. I think it may have had something to do with insurance.

Basically its a new coaster with a few old wood parts. Around 70 percent new structure, new track, new trains. Guess they sould be calling it Starliner 2

Construction Update May 27th, 2007!
What is new at the site today. Well, looks like a bunch more painting has gotten done up in the station area of the ride. It appears that a few footers are going to get poured in the brake area most likely for the transfer track. Onto the middle section as it looks like most of the bents have gone up as there arent that many left to set up. In the far end turn around area it looks like a ton of track layers have gone down this week. They were working the track while I was there. There appears to be a few more hills added since last update and looks like alot of bracing for the supports have been added. The ride is really starting to come together. What do we have with the photos today. Photos show the front station area and the new footers, a couple photos of the middle section and a bunch of photos from the far end turn around..
Enjoy!!!
www.johnnyupsidedown.com/starliner0.html

Greg now has a Starliner Update. It appears that the entire first half of the ride was painted white. He also has an arial photo of the first half of Starliner and the 2nd half of Starliner.

http://cypressgardens.homeip.net/search.php?SearchTerms=Starliner%20Construction

There's good news and bad news. The Good News is that Starliner will open June, 23rd. The Bad News is that it will open WITHOUT the dragon tunnel. This is what I heard from park officials.

That sucks about the tunnel but its awsome that it is opening because I am going to BGA in July and I get to ride this thing along with getting 6 extra credits.

From the guys building the ride. The park officials dont know what they are talking about as they have told me the same incorrect information, same as they told me the wrong angles on the ride. They will not have the ride done in 20 days, sorry..

The tunnel will be added at a later date if CG wants it. The builder doesnt have it on his list of things to do. The ride will open in JULY barring they dont have any problems with the ride. They should have the work done by the end of the month if all goes well with the weather.

Most of the bents should be up this week for the entire ride. They hope to begin steel layers in the next week. About half the track wood layers have been installed. The ride will have magnetic brakes and a set of pheumatic brakes. More soon as I dig it up. *** Edited 6/3/2007 7:22:05 PM UTC by Johnny Upsidedown***

Wow, then Disney2Gardens on Thril Net Work got alot of his info messed up. I also doubt they will finish the ride by June 23rd, but it's a possibility. BTW, JohnnyUpsideDown has a Starliner update on his site.

www.johnnyupsidedown.com/starliner5.html *** Edited 6/3/2007 7:46:28 PM UTC by CoasterFan914***

Disney2Gardens is going buy the same people saying the same thing about the ride that I have heard from the same park people. Thats why I talk with the people building the ride..

While talking with the crew today, they told me the park is hoping for June 23. There is still alot of work to get done. The crews are looking at getting the ride done by the end of the month. A week or so to test it and stuff and should open July 4 to 15th.

That is if no problems occur and that the acclerameter tests go good.

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Johnny Upsidedown said:The tunnel will be added at a later date if CG wants it. The builder doesnt have it on his list of things to do.

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Thanks, Johnny...at least I won't be disappointed when it's missing. Noticed that on some of the grainy park online literature that the tunnel SEEMED to be missing, but since it wasn't clear enough to tell for sure, I held out hope. The Starliner tunnel was one of those mid-ride tunnels where it was more than just straight track, there was some *action* in there. It was the beachside Hades of the 60s, LOL.

Is it too early to start a petition to re-install the tunnel? ;)

FLCC is going to visit Cypress gardens on July 22. Hopefully it will be up and running by then. I look forward to saying "Welcome Back" to this old friend, which I was able to visit only once when I was in Panama City in 2004 (I heard that city has lost quite a few visitors since Miracle Strip Closed. Serves em right!)

Answer my Prayers, Overbook my next Flight!

I hope they do add the tunnel. Kent Buescher, the owner of the park, rode the Starliner when it was at MSAP so he should know that the tunnel is an important part of the Starliner and is one of the elements that made it a great ride. *** Edited 6/4/2007 4:00:30 PM UTC by CoasterFan914***

Tunnels are just cool. Why anyone would rebuild a ride without its tunnel is beyond me.

So they can open the ride earlier.

The tunnel is probably the easiest part of the ride to assemble though.

Well, all I know is that it wasn't on their list of things to do. Tunnels are the coolest part of a ride so I wouldn't care if they opened Starliner later because of the tunnel.

The tunnel may get done by the time the ride opens. Its hard to say, I basically was told that it is up to the park if they want to add it. I hope that they do, as it hides the small hill that would be in the tunnel and makes for a unique surprise for first time riders because you think its just a drop but its a double bump.

Right now the park just wants to get the ride open. It is another thing in a long list of things that have lingerd on for the park. I am guessing that the park hopes that it will help financially to just get the ride open, becuase of the money involved in the loans to get the ride done. With the delays in construction and all the added costs of new lumber because the ride basically rotted in the field. Unfortunatly the 2005 hurricane season really played a part in what has happend with the Starliner.

It is possible that CG will add the tunnel or that they may have the builder add it as the work gets completed. As of now I was told its just not on the list of things to do as they the workers have enough to do just trying to get the ride done. The sooner the better for the park even though its not a huge ride by most park standards its still a large investment that is not showing a return or something they can use for advertisments. Its at least a more adult type coaster that while wont draw people from other states it can surely with locals. Cypress Gardens was and is a park that every grand child that has grand parents in florida would at least attend a few times. I know a lot of people that go to CG just becuase of the lighter crowds and more child rides for the smaller and mid aged instead of the huge Disney parks or similar.

More soon.

J.

^It will certainly draw me back...all the way from Iowa. :)

For those following along, a freind Greg at Cypress fan site has a new update up. The lift has been topped at least with the bents. Large flag on top. Tons of paint has gone on the ride since sunday as it is really white.

http://cypressgardens.homeip.net/

Hit the starliner continues link in the middle.

J.