Waldameer to announce biggest expansion in its history

Okay... maybe I am a bit slow... but it is the midway point of January. Memorial Day is 4 and 1/2 months away. Can a wooden coaster be built in this time frame?

I remember watching Lightning Racer go up at Hersheypark. That was begun in September for the following season. Of cousre, this was basically two 3500 (or so) ft coasters. How long does a shorter wooden coaster take to build?

I can't think of any examples, but I know for sure that a wooden coaster can be built in that amount of time, if need be. Don't quote me on this, but I think I remember hearing that the contract for Sky Princess (CCI's first coaster) was signed in February and opened in May or June.

It would be tight, but it could happen.

Cheetah went up in less than four months. Villain was built in less than five months. That won't be the case here because of the complexity and topography of the site. I remember Paul Nelson saying that the project would be started mid to late summer of the year prior to the coasters' opening season. Unless he has already started construction, I doubt the coaster will be ready this year. It could be a spinning mouse coaster as some have suggested, but I think Paul is more committed to building his woodie first. It's been his dream for a long time.

Wood - anything else is an imitation*** This post was edited by Thrillerman 1/15/2004 4:20:05 PM ***

From what I've heard, it's a spinning mouse. That makes three for the Western PA region with the one going into DelGrosso's. Do we get the prize for dizziest region?

If you wish to pursue that claim ;)

I just can't see these spinning mouse coasters costing more than a real coaster. I beginning to wonder if this ride is only part of the entire expansion plan that includes the Ravine Flyer II opening in '05. I'll wait for the official announcement though.

Maurer-Sohne spinning coaster, used...or so I'm told.

Sorry Rob...no RFII.

mOOSH

Whatever they do add it will add to an already charming park. Missy and I "stumbled" upon it by accident as we were on our way out to see the lighthouse. We stopped there on the way back to the interstate (we were headed to Niagara Falls and SFDL) and had a great time. The Comet was a lot of fun. :)

-Dho

SWOOSH SHADDY

Oh well... here's hoping for that in the future!

Waldameer is definitely a great little park with lots of potential. Not only is Comet fun but Ravine Flyer III [their Miler kiddie coaster] is a blast, too! It's built entirely over water.

This sounds like a great addition!

mOOSH

PS - Rob...it'll happen ;)

I, personally, will be a little disappointed if it is indeed a spinning wild-mouse coaster.

Seabreeze in Rochester, NY is getting one, as well as the other two in PA, so that will actually make a total of 4... it's just too much.

It's like these things will really start to saturate the market now. A year or so ago, it was never heard of... now, they're popping up faster than a single horny guy in a canadian stip bar. I mean, they'll really lose their original appeal if they become as popular as the SLC & Boomerang coasters do.

I sincerely hope y'all are wrong... but I also sincerely hope that this is just a temporary do-over until Paul gets the approval for the Ravine Flyer II woodie... because that'd then bring the parks total coaster count up to 4, and would really put Waldameer Park on the map.

Yep, a Maurer Sohne, they were just talking about it on the local news... (Erie WJET-TV)... They said "Only one other coaster like this exists in the country"... they showed some footage of a banked Maurer Sohne coaster, yellow track. They said "a coaster that will have you running back the entrance after you are taken up over 50 feet and banked at nearly 90 degrees".

---UPDATE--- (6:10 EST)
They just stated on the 6'o clock news the ride duration is 70 seconds "parts have started to arrive from germany, and a contest will be held to name the coaster closer to the parks opening".*** This post was edited by Rctycoon2k 1/15/2004 6:11:58 PM ***

DawgByte - while this has "mouse-like" elements it is more like Spider at Lagoon or the new Seabreeze coaster. Paul has every intention of building RFII as soon as he has all the necessary permits.

mOOSH

Well, that's kind of a relief... but I'm still disappointed that it's another spinning wild mouse coaster.

I'd make the trip down there if it was something more than just the wild-mouse coaster, but not worth the hour & a half trip when Seabreeze will be getting the same thing.

Then again, if I'm in the area to buy some illegal fireworks, I might spend a few hours there & buy a couple tickets to try the ride, if nothing else!

DawgByte - it may not be the same model as Seabreeze...I just used that as an example. I guess we'll know soon enough.

I think this ride will be a fine addition to an already classy park. I'm still having problems with how this ride is such a major addition and the largest single capital improvement expenditure in the parks history. Didn't someone say the ride was *used*? I would think the OD Hopkins flume they installed several years ago would cost much more to install. Maybe I'm wrong, but either way I'm happy they're getting a new ride period.

Wood - anything else is an imitation

The mouse, plus all the infrastructure needed in the new expansion area...it all adds up.

mOOSH

The ride is new, not used... It will be very similar to Spider @ Lagoon... its a SC2000 Model of Maurer Sohne...

Oh well... Maybe 2006 will bring RF2.

I was hoping for the Ravine Flyer coaster, but this is good... very good. I love Crazy Mouse coasters and would love to try another variation of the "spinning coaster" concept. Now I'm even happier that Waldameer is a stop on our western PA trip in the spring, although we may have to make it a little later than we were anticipating so that we can get to the park after the ride opens.

I have no doubt that, when approval is finally granted, there will be a new wooden coaster at Waldameer.