Knott's Pony Express opens

RCPro just posted a photo update of Knott's Pony Express opening day. Looks like a really fun coaster and unique coaster...although it looks to be awfully short. The park did a great job integrating it into the area. Lots of touch up work has been done and the tunnel shed covering the final turn is still being worked on.

Is this and the Darien Lake bike coaster the first of their kinds in the States?

http://www.rollercoasterpro.com/updates/kbf_05.22.08/

I can't wait to snag a ride this coming Tuesday.

Any idea when the final tunnel will be completed?

Lovely, I didn't realize the ride had so much interaction with the midway and rapids. Love it when parks do that.

Looks like a really nice little ride. It's great how it's being integrated into the park and existing features. I love the idea of a tunnel- you don't see too many of those built on new steel coasters.

It looks as fun as Spacely's Sprocket Rockets, or Goofy's Barnstormer. I must get out there now. lol Is this the most hyped roller coaster of the year or what?

What, no comments about how Cedar Fair turns everything into concrete and eliminates charm?

I'd really like to get on one of these rides. The closest I've been was sitting in Vekoma's floor model bike at IAAPA like four years ago. It feels like a strange position to ride in, so I look forward to seeing how it feels in motion.

Nope, not this time. Knott's seems to be immune to the concrete expanses and lack of aesthetic creativity that infects other Cedar Fair parks, at least according to what I've seen.

I think that riding position will make the ride. The layout doesn't look all that thrilling but it will probably be a lot more fun because of the somewhat-unique seating.

The Cedar Fair Concrete Experience™ is only in the boardwalk section of Knott's.

Pony Express looks like a fun little coaster!

^ Most of the buildings in the Boardwalk area at least have theming, so that area gets a pass :)

I do like where they built Pony Express in the park. That area of the park is always so dead. There have been visits I have made to the park where I never made it back there. This attraction will help liven that corner of the park up a bit and probably increase ridership on their river rapids ride.

As for the tunnel, it said that it was being built because of noise concerns. Interesting that a family coaster that is close to the ground would have noise concerns. So, just like Ghostrider and Maliboomer/California Screamin at DCA, it gets the muzzle.

Yeah, if they ever built a hypercoaster at Knott's, the entire ride would probably need to be enclosed! lol

If by 'hypercoaster,' you mean 200+ footer, Knott's already has it's hypercoaster, with Xcelerator. They'll never get a traditional hyper.

Nope, I meant good old fashion out and back hyper. And I was joking. I'm well aware of the problems a traditional hyper would have at Knott's.

Hence, my original point. lol *** Edited 5/23/2008 7:28:54 PM UTC by DWeaver***

What a great looking ride. Knott's did a wonderful job with integrating the coaster into that section of the park!

Just like with Sierra Sidewinder I sincerely hope that Cedar Fair places these rides in other parks. (I'm still waiting, though)

Mike

Yup....way back when the rapids ride was built the neighbors had issues with noise from people WAITING IN LINE. Not to mention the screams when someone got wet. So Knott's spent the bucks for homeowners nearby across the street to have double paned glass put in their windows to help cut down on any noise issues. Knowing the history of this area, I was kind of surprised that they were running a coaster so close to homes, but I guess the tunnel will help with that issue.

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Kick The Sky said:

As for the tunnel, it said that it was being built because of noise concerns. Interesting that a family coaster that is close to the ground would have noise concerns. So, just like Ghostrider and Maliboomer/California Screamin at DCA, it gets the muzzle.

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I rode it last Sunday, June 1. Along with me were my two nephews (ages 8 and 10), my 18-yr-old neice, my sister (40) and her husband (50), and lastly my two 70-yr-old parents.

All loved it. The area around the coaster looks very nice, in fact it's an improvement over how it used to look. I like the interaction with the rapids ride. I hope the park will see another opportunity for the tunnel and us it to support a water element (water curtain, perhaps?) to wet those on the rapids ride.

Did they pull out the Scrambler or did they move it?

Shame that Geauga Lake is gone.. this would have been a nice ride to put in there. *** Edited 6/13/2008 10:48:51 PM UTC by john peck***

It's a nice SHORT family coaster. I'm thinking there's a lot more that could be done with this concept in the future like duelling or racing.

Knotts certainly has one of the more unique coaster line-ups.

The scrambler is gone, at least for now. Not sure if it's the park put it in storage or if its gone-for-good. The ride had a lot of homes in that park, including two locations in the Boardwalk section (one inclosed) so I wouldn't be surprised to see it resurface at some point.

I was told at Solace that they have no current plans for the scrambler, but it is stored. They will be looking to reinstall it once they find a place for it.