Engineering Cedar Point/Park 8/1/07

Students at Ohio State created a new group, Theme Park Engineering Group, as a way to allow students who want to pursue the field to get some experience.

Today, we took a trip to Cedar Point to meet with Monty Jasper. For some reason, there was something at King's Island that forced him to leave CP and go to KI that morning. We were then escorted around the park buy another Engineer.

Our group learned the different aspects of different rides, like MaxAir, Dragster, and Maverick. Well, it may sound dull, but thought it was fascinating.

MaxAir- Ran buy a huge motor. It took 5 cranes to situate the supports. Each support isn't bolted to the ground, but locked in by pins so that, if removed the supports could move. Sounds Dangerous, that the ride is attatched by pins, but pretty cool nonetheless.

Dragster- Got to go into the control room with the ride processors. Thought it's pretty cool that of the other rides in the park, Dragster has more ride sensors than ALL the other rides combined. Didn't believe it, until i saw the room. Also, what was told to us, why they used the sling-shot idea, instead of a magnetic launch. The motor(s) for the cable on Dragster takes 47 seconds to build up the energy to propell the coaster. It takes 3 seconds to release teh energy. Magnets take more energy, and so it would cost them more to run the ride on magnets due to the amount of electricity the ride requires. There was alot more to dragster we learned, but it's too much to type in here.

Maverick-Didn't get much of a tour, because it's new, and we were told they wouldn't recommend a tour into the ride. My guess, because it's new. Also, the wooden board that was sighted in the construction on the front of the train, I found out that it's mostly for making sure that if someone were sticking their hands out, that they wouldn't hit anything. So teh board is large enough to symbolize that area.

Last minute questions that I found reasonably interesting, is that even though it isn't confirmed, SP is definately not planning a coaster anytime soon, or any ride for next season. He said that, any ride that is planned to be added, Meetings start mid-summer. No meetings or any sign of erecting a new ride has reached him. So maybe this will be the first dead winter for Cedar Point, hopefully not, but it might happen.

Park:
We decided that half our day was gone,we would ride coasters. Surprisingly on a wednesday (yes, Wednesday) There were possibly more people at CP than there usually are on Fridays or Sundays. We rode Maverick first because we were near it, and there was a 2 hour wait. One thing i noticed was that they have new music on the ride, same theme, more filler.

We rode MF afterwards, wasn't great. i mean, we have been noticing that MF is getting kind of old. It's getting that ware and tare that all coasters go through. Most think MF will be around forever, but today, being a hot and humid day, the train and track roared like no other.

We headed to Dragster, which had broken down, and waited outside the queue, and were let in after 5 minutes. Wait was about 30 minutes. Great ride. Better than Kingda Ka, I love it. Oh and the Black train, which happens to be a dark maroon, was running today. Usually it sits out, but the purple was sitting out, and they kept the other trains running.

Magnum, was pretty intense, rode back row, and loved every bit of it. We then rode Wicked Twister, and that was excellent. First ride on it, this summer, and it was a lot of fun.

Finally. Demon Drop should be removed, first time on it today, and I don't want to ride it.

Concern I do have is, the 3-Point shootout game that has popped up in every theme park, is in a bad spot at CP. There is no crowd, and no talent. Nobody knows it's there. I think it would have done excellent near dragster. Or MF, perfect places for the nation's most popular park game.

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Also, I'd like to make it clear. The Theme Park Engineering Group focus on these trips is the education of the visited parks. *** Edited 8/5/2007 12:09:20 PM UTC by BANDandDCI***

I hope CP gets a new ride, it will be very odd not hearing anything about CP over the off season, after being so entertained with the building of Maverick this year.

Is there any way I could join the group. I am senior in Mechanical Engineering that goes to school in Detroit but am from Cleveland. I would love to get some experience in the field, thats my dream job!!

Well, considering CF wants to sell the parks, what do you expect (about something new)?

This is how CF gets in debt along with SF:
Maverick (21 million)
Sky Hawk (6 million)
Max Air (7.5 million)
Top Thrill Dragster (25 million startup cost, but probably it was 40 million because of the troubles. Shapiro said that Kingda Ka cost around 50 million which is ridiculous)

They could skip a few years without getting anything.

For an engineer, you used some great descriptions.

I hate to say it....but certainly NOT the Grammar and Punctuation Group, eh?

There are two three-point shooting games, and every time I've passed them, it was like they were printing money. Lots of money.

Exactly We're engineers, We're not writer. And if you want more details, you could ask. I also left out a good bit of what was done, mostly because there was a lot to remember.

Where's the other 3-point Shoot out? I can only think of the one by Demon drop, and the locations of the other shoot outs at other parks.

Ah, and how many people would read a post if it were packed with terms that most won't find interesting?

Cedar Point doesnt always get new rides. They have had quiet years like 95, 99, and 2004. So its not like they need anything, they actually have added as much if not more than most parks over the past few years.

They need to conserve some money, and then go from there. Finacially its not a secret the chain is struggling, but adding would just add to money woes and put them in very similar situations to what six flags went through about 2-3 years ago.

By the way the other three point shootout is in frontiertown, by the elephant ears stand, by the gemini railroad crossing. *** Edited 8/3/2007 2:24:19 AM UTC by MagnunBarrel***

I saw you guys walking around. Sounds like you had a fun learning experience.

The chain is not "struggling." They're not trending in a particular warm and fuzzy direction, but a struggling company doesn't pay out a $1.90 a pop to its unit holders.

And if you're going to be an engineer, then it's expected that much more that you get your English and grammar together. No one will hire an illiterate engineer.

Those 3 point shoot outs are genius. The first one I saw was at BGA and I didnt think it would be as entertaining. I think add so more of those if they need some extra money.

No matter what is said on here, CP is more than just rides.

1992, 1995, 2001, and 2004 were all years that saw no new rides in the park. That doesn't mean nothing goes on. The park has plenty of other things to work on than just rides.

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BANDandDCI said:
Exactly We're engineers, We're not writer.

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Calling CP "SP" is bad enough...I'm sure differences like a 7 and a 2 are meaningless when it comes to engineering feats such as bridges and the like...

^I know but following Maverick was awesome.

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gomez said:
No matter what is said on here, CP is more than just rides.

1992, 1995, 2001, and 2004 were all years that saw no new rides in the park. That doesn't mean nothing goes on. The park has plenty of other things to work on than just rides.

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I really hate to double-post, but CP is to the 'point' (pardon the pun) now where you pretty much can't "do" all of CP in one day anyway!!

I'd take a second ride on Maverick at this point than anything that might be coming next year....Lord knows the lines will still be long enough!!

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joe. said:
I saw you guys walking around. Sounds like you had a fun learning experience.

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Yea, I wish more people had the opportunity. I thought it was interesting enough to post, but I guess some would rather criticize the writing.

But I've probably been overlooking the other 3-Point game. I haven't ventured near Gemini at all this season, so that could be why I didn't see another.

And as for adding new rides, The swinging ship, in the side pocket of the park near Wicked Twister could be taken out for a new ride in the next few years.

And it's impossible to do all CP in one day, unless you get a lucky Joe cool Morning, and where aren't many club members trying to ride in the morning. Then you could hit maverick in the morning, then head to MF, and you could technically get to all the rides knocking out those in the morning.

Honestly, how much more can people expect from CP. They've done a wonderful job giving us all new things to look forward to. So what if they don't get a new ride for a year? Give them time to sort out their own things with the sale of the parks and what not. =) Us losers in Chicago haven't had a new coaster in years.

*kicks Deja Vu* ...ow. ;P

BandandDCI I really enjoyed your post. As an undergrad mechanical engineering major myself, I am glad to see a college campus form groups pursuing this career. I cannot tell you how many times I have tried to get some sort of career path advice in this business from professors at my university and how many of them have no advice at all. Looks like you got to do all the searching yourself. I wish I was out that way because I would've definately been apart of that group. I'll see if I can start up something similar here at Boston U. I'd like to get more details from you about the rides, etc. In addition, don't let the people who take it as their sole purpose to criticize and make smart comments on these forums get to you. I'm glad that you wrote about this oppurtunity. People like that just take the enjoyment of you sharing your experience. I know there's people who feel the same way but regardless people are going to make remarks. All the drama within this forum is petty and ridiculous. It makes people not want to use the forums on this site. Again, thank you BandandDCI for your post.

I'm not trying to be disrespectful or unappreciative as I also (and very much so) found the post interesting and enjoyable from a factoid standpoint...

However, if the writing and grammar are poor it makes it difficult to the reader and hard to understand. I dropped out of advanced French class for a reason, and don't care to go back! And calling CP "SP" just takes the cake on this one...