Upcoming 2016 Coasters

Jeff said:

How are B&M's overpriced, and compared to what?

Hard to compare - there's really nothing "comparable" in terms of durability, reliability, throughput, or customer satisfaction.

NB: I put myself in the category of "jaded enthusiasts" who occasionally complain about their *predictability* - but let's be honest, that's an enthusiast complaint, not something you'd hear from park-goers in general.

edited to add Jeff's quote for context and conversational continuity....and alliteration, apparently.

gamerguy said:

IMO the park needs an airtime coaster like eltoro which was almost half the cost of valravn.

Cedar Point hasn't released a cost for Valravn yet. But I just did the math of comparing the cost of El Toro to the cost of the other 2 existing dive coasters in the US. Using this inflation calculator, Griffon would cost $18,365,285.71 in 2015 dollars, Sheikra would cost $13,500,000 in 2015 dollars, so I'd assume Valravn is in the same ballpark, where El Toro would cost $14,127,142.86 today.

Taron, although I'll probably never get to ride it. But Valravn is looking good.

rollergator said:
Hard to compare - there's really nothing "comparable" in terms of durability, reliability, throughput, or customer satisfaction.

Mack is well up there now IMHO. Look at Helix as a good example.

I'm hoping to figure out an excuse to go to Dubai later this year to try Velociraptor...

Mack rides are definitely on that level now...shame here in the States they've mostly built "family" rides, flume-coaster hybrids (the Busch/SeaWorld dark rides), *standard* mice, and a couple (great!) bobsleds. I'm definitely looking forward to Cobra's Curse....but can't say I wouldn't vastly prefer blue fire or Helix... ;~)

late edit: Tonight in an Orlando attractions FB group, there was a picture of an original Disneyland flume boat - it was gorgeous in its old age. Sparked a small discussion about flumes, and it turns out that Dudley Do-Right is a Mack design. Had no idea until just now....

If I remember correctly, for a wooden coaster, El Toro was considered pretty obscenely expensive. They've made a great return on that investment I'm sure, but it was a huge risk to take without proof positive of a success. B&Ms are safe, re-rideable, comfortable, and allow for a much more diverse client base to ride due to the roominess of the seats and restraints. They're also reliable. Also, dive coasters are very interesting visually. Could the park have picked something else that maybe would have been a bit more exciting? Sure, but they're obviously pretty well-versed in what works and who they can trust. Valravn is a good fit for them.

And just be glad Cedar Point got another new coaster so soon after Gatekeeper. My home park is Dorney. 'Nuff said.

And for the record, I'm VERY excited about Lightning Rod. I'm trying to figure out how I'll swing a trip down there, but it's gonna happen. It's one of my non-resolution resolutions this year: RIDE MORE ROLLER COASTERS.

Nothing opening this year excites me. There's not a single Dragon Wagon.

At $12,000,000, El Toro was probably expensive for a wooden coaster based on 2006 standards - especially considering that Outlaw Run, which opened in 2013, cost slightly less ($10,000,000). Initially I thought that Intamin routinely outpriced RMC but since Lightning Rod is costing $22,000,000, that isn't the case. I still haven't been able to find out the cost of Goliath at SFGA. Anyway, Valravn is probably a good fit for Cedar Point but what that park really needs is a high-calibre wooden coaster. It has everything else.

I wonder if parks get a discount for untried technology. It makes sense to me, "We'll give this thing to you for cheap if you accept the fact that it may have some maintenance problems and some bugs to work out."

no love for "The Monster" at Adventureland?

bunky666 said:

And just be glad Cedar Point got another new coaster so soon after Gatekeeper. My home park is Dorney. 'Nuff said.

Where's that post about GL's Big Dipper being rebuilt again?... You could still get one more ride from Ohio.

(Sorry, I had to. Despite it being a punching bag of sorts, I love Dorney. Talon is one of my favorite coasters.)

Talon ranks highly for me as well, and I've grown up with Dorney. I actually remember Iceberg, Flying Dutchman, Journey to the Center of the Earth, etc. My first "real" roller coaster was Thunderhawk, and I first hit the 200 foot coaster benchmark on Steel Force. I used to know how to independently get out of each ride at the end of the cycle (when we were told to do so of course), I knew which cars spun best on the Tilt-A-Whirl, etc. I even had the glass maze memorized. I jest along with everyone else, but Dorney's filled with memories for me, and I've got nothing but love for it.

Except Stinger. I think whenever I even think about Stinger, I get a suspiciously "Grumpy Cat" expression on my face.

Wicked cyclone was 20 million and i would take that over valravn any day of the week. I guess the way everyone is praising b&m's that cp will never put in another intamin or an rmc airtime machine because they aren't reliable enough?

I'm pretty sure Cedar Fair have stated that they would love to put in an RMC installation. Maybe they will do that with Mean Streak. I don't see CF working with Intamin again in the foreseeable future. Not until they can prove themselves with better reliability and get better management for their American division.

^ you got that reversed, RMC stated that "we would love to work at Cedar Point!"

To bad John Pratt is not here. I bet that he would like to comment on here. I read some of his posts on PointBuzz about hiring. Why doesn't he come on here?

I applied last month for the 2016 season. I hope that I get hired! It would be a great experience for me.

I'm pretty sure you're him. If I can prove it, I'll bounce you like a ball.

I'd be relying on my sound intuition, and BOING!
:)

Hahahahahaha! It's gotta be him! That was a dead giveaway.