TTD---is it worth the headache?

Bat=Suspended Coaster=Not worth any headache

TTD=Best Coaster=Worth any headache

Jeffrey - I think you touch on an important point when you ask if Cedar Point wouldn't want to ensure that their guests have a great experience at the park and leave with no ill will.

I believe Cedar Point does think they're ensuring their guests have a great experience - not because of Dragster, but because of the 15 other coasters (and numerous other attractions) they have to offer. I was at CP for two days last year - the first two days following the Dragster cable snap. On the second day, they were working feverishly to get Dragster up and running, and an unbelievably long line formed just waiting for the ride to open. They kept playing announcements over the loudspeakers reassuring the crowds they were doing everything they could to get Dragster operational before close, but that they strongly advised people to enjoy any other of their dozens of attractions.

And people like me still waited for Dragster. And when the ride finally opened after I had waited in an informal line for four hours, I got to ride it. And it was totally worth it.

To be sure, a lot of people like you or your friends have been disappointed by Dragster's inconsistent operation. I nearly was myself. But it would never prevent me from returning to Cedar Point because Cedar Point is SO much more than Dragster. And I'm sure the park knows that.

With the introduction of Magnum, Cedar Point recognized the drawing power of a big, record-setting, unique ride. So they tried to reproduce that effect with every successive ride. But Dragster wasn't built in the tradition of Magnum, Mean Streak, and Millennium Force. Sure, if you look at its statistics, it is bigger, faster, and record-breaking. But I would argue that Dragster is a whole new ballgame. I'd even argue that it's not the park's signature ride. It's 420 feet of marketing genius. Dragster gets new people in the door. Millennium Force, and all of the other rides, keep people coming back.

And, who knows... perhaps Dragster only benefits from inconsistent operation. If not everyone gets to ride it in its first few years of operation, it'll last that much longer as a "must-do" attraction in the eyes of the public. No ride will draw long lines forever. It's just a matter of drawing long lines for long enough... to pay off the ride, to pay for park improvements, and to pay for future rides that will do the same thing over again.

Epilogue: to ask once again, is TTD worth the headache? And I would ask, what if Cedar Point just happened to shell out millions of dollars for a ride that people would be talking about and staring in awe at for years to come, just at the exact same time a large theme park chain decided to re-evaluate its spending practices and reel things in? Did, in fact, Cedar Point fire the final shot of the "coaster wars?"

I'm not suggesting CP is in direct competition with Six Flags. Heck, they're not even remotely close to a Six Flags park anymore. But they are a business. A big business. And they are in constant competition for the public's dollars. If you can pull something off that will have people not only talking about your business, but patronizing your business for a good stretch of time, you've done well. *** Edited 6/13/2004 2:12:16 PM UTC by Olsor***

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Jeffrey R Smith said:
I only know the people I talk to back in Ohio and have yet to hear anybody that is not disappointed with the TTD problems.

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Well, you know me now and I'm not disappointed. In fact, I've read one trip report after another where people got there in the morning, entered at the resort gate, and got two or three spins in the first hour.

I have no doubt in my mind that aside from the cable replacement they're doing 90% uptime at least.

I agree that this year is a 10000000 times better than last year.

I've been lucky enough to already have 20+ rides on it this year. Though I admit most of them came before the park opened and then on most days I took one or two laps after the park opened. :)

So far this year out of the 10 times I've been there it's been really only down around 20 minutes total. One time it went down because one of the brakes didn't pop up, but they had 3 guys come rushing out and they fixed it right away.

Other things I notice now (compared to last year). There is almost always a mechanic just watching the launch track and area around the motor shed. Someone is almost always just looking and keeping an eye out for something. They also have a HUGE load of water being used to cool down the sled track compared to last year.

To be honest, I realy can't say anything bad about TTD this year. They have been PUMPING the trains out like crazy in the times I have been there. Last year it was like one train every 5-10min. Now this year, They load the two trains fast, pull two trains up into launch area fast, and launch them VERY fast. And the lines are moving VERY well for TTD this year.

Last year I talked to hundreds (yes hundreds) of people who couldn't ride TTD or wouldn't go up to CP because of it. This year I've already talked to many who said it was so awesome and they loved it.

Now the problem is though this ride is running great and then they head over to MF...
*** Edited 6/13/2004 2:44:16 PM UTC by RollerCoasterGod***

I don't think there is any use to rant about it anyway. If Dragster happens to be down, or any other ride for that matter, go do something else. Dragster isn't the only thing to do at the park. :-) I just don't worry about it. It's not the end of the world if your favorite coaster or a coaster you have looked forward to riding is down. There is nothing you can do about it anyway.

My whole attitude is........get 'em next time (with X on my mind). ;-)

-Tina

*** Edited 6/13/2004 2:54:51 PM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***

I have to agree with Jeff's uptime estimate. Virtually all of the rides "downtime" has nothing to do with mechanics and everything to do with the weather. On the days that I've been to the park without precipiation and high winds, TTD has ran like clockwork. Even if weather does send it down and they're having a bit of a hard time getting it back up without rolling back, they re-launch the trains as fast as they can to get it running again.

Besides the cable replacement, which was done extremely fast, the only breakdowns I've experienced have been 5-15 minute ordeals with the brake fins.

So when rain and 25+ mph winds are absent, I'd have to say this ride has been nearly as reliable as any other in the park, atleast from what I've seen. And in addition to the great uptime it has experienced, capacity has also been exceptional this year.

Jeffrey,

I agree with Jeff. The uptime on TTD this year is tons better than it was last year, minus the first two weekends this season.

When did you go to the park this year?

Believe it or not, I know how you feel. I have been to SFGAm 5 times since Deja Vu was built and it has been closed every single time I have been there. I have given up trying to get a ride on it. Heck, it took me 13 visits to PKI in 2000 to finally get a ride on Son of Beast. No joke.

If TTD ends up having a considerable amount of downtime this year, I think CP will pull the commercials out like they did last year. As of right now, it's running great with very little downtime. Personally speaking, I can deal with a couple of minor moments of downtime and not think anything about it.

-Sean

Sean, I got SFGam's Deja on the first visit.....HA! ;-)

I should not say anything....I may never get SFOG's Deja! ;-)

I agree with you. It's better (and less stressful) to not think about it.

-Tina

Correct me if I'm wrong Jeffery, but you won't go to CP this year because you don't want to see TTD's possible downtime?

Unfotunately for me, that first year of SOB's opening I was able to walk right on the ride without problems. Of course I've never been able to walk quite the same again. :-) I say this as a guy who much prefers wooden coasters over steel.

I guess my friends and family must be going to CP during that 10% downtime on TTD! If it is running 90% of the time, I've got no complaints. I was under the impression that this thing was down for lengthy delays throughout each day of operation.

How many trains do they run these days?

Jeffrey,

TTD is currently running 5 trains. The 6th one is elsewhere.

-Sean

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Jeffrey R Smith said:
Unfotunately for me, that first year of SOB's opening I was able to walk right on the ride without problems. Of course I've never been able to walk quite the same again.

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I went to PKI 3 times in 2000 to ride SoB and all three times it was down- it was not even being teasted. Now if you compare SoB to TTD, CP will work on TTD day and night to get it working, and will keep testing it to try and open it throughout the day. It may have it's periodic breakdowns, but more often than not, it will re-open later in the day. There was never a chance with SoB, when I was there, PKI did not even have an employee at the entrance- basically giving no hope to it opening.

And coming from Erie, PA, Cincinnati is not a short trip.

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Sean Flaharty said:
I have been to SFGAm 5 times since Deja Vu was built and it has been closed every single time I have been there. I have given up trying to get a ride on it.

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You should have come to CoasterBuzzCon! Despite people in our party repeatedly saying that they couldn't believe we were gonna ride it, we did manage to get on.

OK for me it was worth the 5 hr wait on saturday of Labor day weekend just because I came in on friday for starlight and rode everything else then. So i was not about to miss it (5 hrs was it was not open first thing in the morning). Off subject a little why do people call TTD a prototype when Cedar Fair built Excelerator the year before. Wouldn't that be the prototype? Or is it because of the height and speed? Don't they both use the same type of hydralic launch? Also I would not wait more than a hour now that i've ridden it unless I was in the front row only 6 trains away and breaks down for a hour. Happpened on 6-6-04. Anybody else consider TTD to be a great THRILL ride and not even a good coaster? Sorry to those who love it just my opinion.

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Iggy ACE said:
Wouldn't that be the prototype? Or is it because of the height and speed? Don't they both use the same type of hydralic launch?

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The launch concept is the same, but comparing the machinery used is like comparing the engines of a Ford Fiesta and a Jaguar.

TTD is worth it. I've been to CP three times already and have ridden Dragster five times.

It has broken down a few times while I was in line but it seems most of time they just had to reset the system. Total time down - about ten to fifteen minutes.

I agree with everyone who has stated that TTD's up-time is drastically improved over last year.

X Factor

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browntggrr said:
The launch concept is the same, but comparing the machinery used is like comparing the engines of a Ford Fiesta and a Jaguar.

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I disagree completely. They're not different enough in any way except the amount of heat they produce in terms of the motor and the friction caused by the sled. Xcelerator's motor does 8,700 hp, Dragster's does 10,000.

My understanding of the weather closure was because of all the kicker wheels and the friction needed by them to drag the trains past the magnetic brakes. I didn't think it had anything to do with "rain+face = ow"

I have seen test trains run in the rain, and they say they don't allow guests because of the "rain+face = ow"...maybe they are lying and the friction issues only happen when guests are on the train.

I waited for three hours last year to ride TTD, including 3-4 breakdowns. I never even knew about the air gate thing until this year, so my guess is that at least one of the delays was caused by this. It seems as though maybe Cedar Point was not the ideal location for this coaster. Let me explain. There seems to be too much bad weather, high winds, and general coldness which hampers this beast. I am not from Sandusky, but I spoke to a woman that works with my mother whom previously lived there and she said that as far as really nice weather goes, Sandusky only gets about 2-3 good months per year. Could location be a problem as well? Maybe. I don't know for sure. Also, it is my understanding that the direction the train is going over the top hat is usually the opposite direction that the wind is generally coming from off of the lake. It seems that maybe they should built it so it would have launched it in the other direction if this is the case. Just what I've heard, I'm not stating facts.