The end of Paddlewheel at Cedar Point

Sorry, Dave. I must have Geauga Lake on the brain. To the best of my knowledge, the rat trap formerly known as Geauga Lake hasn't received a new lighting package in a very long time.

I meant Blue Streak. Don't ask me how I got there.

I guess, Pagoda, it becomes "great" as a ride because my brain compares it to the typical trimmed experience; and the difference is so significant. Dave is absolutely correct. About 4 years ago (and this shows you how infrequent the experience is), my wife and I got an unexpected trimless ride on Mean Streak, and the airtime really caught me off-guard. I could not believe the fun that I just had. So, of course we got off and got right back on, and....well...like George Costanza, we should have quit while we were on top.

Jeff said:
Let me save you that time.

Yeah, but that contains nobody I know.

Jason Hammond said:
I thought the conclusion was that this wasn't possible unless the train was empty. So, if we want a ride with no trims, we should try ridding it after a few days of rain?

That's what I though also, but my last two trips to the park found Mean Streak wth the first drop trims completely off. Totally transforms the ride. Especially the drop after the turn around the lift, loads of airtime as Dave mentioned. Hopefully it will run like that a lot, I really like the ride with the first drop trims off, rode it 5 times in a row last Thursday.

Jeff said:

RPM said:
How long do you think it will be before they completely drain and fill in the lagoon's?

My understanding is that it would be expensive and they'd have to do new wetlands somewhere else. I believe when they put in Dragster they had to do that.

Ah, the wetlands thing, that would make it more difficult to remove them. Although if the wetlands are completely surrounded by loud, fast moving steel coasters, are they really still wetlands (that is, are they a good habitat for a variety of animals)?

In any case, its a real shame that couldn't incorporate the boat ride with the dino's, it seems like a natural fit and a real waste not to do it.

I've been on Mean Streak, with Rideman no less, when we were on the first train they fully loaded. So the train before us had all the off-hours rows closed off, and then our full train hit it. Can't say it was brakeless but the reaction I got out of Rideman was that I was very fortunate to have that particular ride experience.

This was almost right after the Gemini ride where whe we left the station the big light up "Track Brake is Open" sign was lit, and it was off when we got back.

Just living right that morning, I supppose.

Mean Streak with no trims, yes please. Gemini with no trims, no thank you. I prefer not to have my brain scrambled in the final helix. :)

A trimless Gemini helix is also an unlikely occurance now as well. In the 2009/10 off season, the helix trim was computerized and can't be manually switched anymore. I believe the mid course still can be.

This was all explained to me at the 2010 Coasting for Kids. Year one we rode 100% brakeless all day. Year 2, we had the helix trimed all day with the mid course sometimes on, but mostly off.

Never gotten a trimless ride on MS, but it sucks that the Gemini helix trim has been computerized. Got a few trimless rides during employee ride night in 08, had an absolutely amazing Raptor lap during ride night in 07 where the MCBR did absolutely nothing (that last corkscrew and helix are ridiculously awesome). My favorite trimless ride though was definitely Magnum in the middle of a hot August day in 08. Holy crap was that a painful but fun lap!

Ok, off-topic rant done, you can all go back to bagging on the dino fiasco. ;)

Maybe they could use some of the props from the Paddle boat as props along Shoot the rapids to make it a less boring ride?

Maybe, just maybe that was the plan all along. I'm calling it now. Conspiracy 101. :-P

Ok CP, it's not too late! The fans have spoken.

Here's what you need to do to please everyone between now and when the park opens next year...

1. Keep Paddlewheel Excursions and rename it "Dinosaur Expedition Tours". Add some of the dinos around the island so they can be viewed from the boat. Add a station on the island so guests can get off do the interactive stuff. If that costs too much money, just do the first one and have some of the interactive stuff near the boat docks on the mainland. You can still charge $5 to ride the boats if you want.

2. Move the delapidated Paddlewheel Excursions theming to Shoot the Rapids.

That really doesn't seem like too much to ask, and everyone wins!

Has anyone actually written a letter to Ouimet yet?

Save the Whizzer!

Maybe there is some Pepsi money that the "Save the PWE"ers can get to help them with their campaign.

LostKause said:

I think I hate Cedar Point now.

So Great Adventure and cedar Point have more in common than we thought....

Shades said:
Maybe there is some Pepsi money that the "Save the PWE"ers can get to help them with their campaign.

LOL. Thumbs up for Shades.

CPcyclone said:
Here's what you need to do to please everyone between now and when the park opens next year...

Did you actually use the words, "please everyone"?

You must know by now, that is not possible.

Here's a plan for saving Paddlewheel.

1. Make large flags and banners of dinosaurs with X's through them and other propaganda.
2. Visit the park on September 5th the last day of PWE.
   
3. Smuggle the flags and a megaphone into the park in a baby stroller.
4. Pay off PWE captain before your ride.
   
5. Hijack boat and put up flags. Float around lagoon shouting about "charm" and "families" and "Buck Skinner".
6. Hold boat for ransom until CP changes their plans.

I hear online petitions are infallible. Anyone try that?