Why Does Mean Streak Suck?

I can't figure out people complaining about this great wooden coaster. Sure it's rough, but that makes it more fun to ride. That coaster out in Texas is no better then MEan streak believe me. I have been on it before. In fact it's about the same.

Why does Mean Streak suck?

It's not The Villain. ;)

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

It is just opinion. I don't think that opinion is going to change the coaster. MS still gets a fair amount of riders and most people think it is a good ride. If it was a steel coaster I thik it ould really not be good. The fact that it is rough just makes it better. If you don't like it, don't ride it. Don't spoil it for the rest of us.

HEY! CPcyclone - You are absolutely right... I just rode the Texas Giant this weekend. I even rode the backseat (my favorite) for the ultimate effect. The ride was totally smooth. WOW!!! What a difference new track makes! No more headaches... just pure rollercoaster bliss. This coaster has nothing to do with last season's rough ( dice in a Yatzee cup ) sensation.

Yup i was gonna say that Jeff ;)
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Closing Time: 5:30
CP Arrival Time: 5:50

Whose Line is it Anyway?

...or the Cyclone, or Thunderbolt, or Big Dipper, or Beast, or countless other wooden rides that are FAR better than Mean Streak.

But I agree, The Villain is WAY up there.

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--Greg

http://www.pobox.com/~gregleg/

I still like Shivering Timbers better than the Villain. The Villain seemed to have more dead time.

Dead time, sheesh the only dead time i found was the turns and those was even great.

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Closing Time: 5:30
CP Arrival Time: 5:50

Whose Line is it Anyway?

After watching Mean Streak deteriorate from its glory when it opened in 1991 i think it now sucks. But the potential is still there.

The Mean Streak does NOT suck thank you very much. It is a great wooden coaster. Sure, it's not as smooth as some coasters, but who would want it smooth as a steel? No one would! I love the feeling of the first drop. It used to be the highest drop on a woodie! Now it has been overshadowed by SOB but it still rocks for me!!
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Shawn Bailes
Webmaster of Coasters R Us
http://coastersrus.home-page.org

Are wooden roller coasters trying to be like steel ones? Is the preoccupation with height and speed which dominate the steel coaster world spilling over to the wood area only to spoil the unique charm that woodie's can provide? For many decades we had exciting wood coasters with plently of airtime, headchoppers, and quick banked turns. Because of the parks' need for bragging rights, they need to go higher and faster since those statistics can be spit out in 10 second sound bites. It is more difficult to generate interest in a new ride that does not break some sort of record or have some sort new element. Look at SOB. Height, speed and loop; all marketing points. Will this be a good ride when they get the bugs worked out? We all hope so but it may also shake itself apart like the Mean Streak seems to. Look at the popularity of some of the older woodies. Phoenix is relocated as is more popular now than it ever was. With the exception of the SOB, the current trend in woodie's seems to be focused more on creative layout. CCI coasters such as Ghostrider, The Boss, and The Villain are big rides but focus on those traditional elements that wood coasters do well even if they won't show up in anyone's record book. I currently like the current trend in woodie's. Let the taller, faster, looping elements race take place in the steel arena. I rode Mean Streak on May 7th and it was a big, long ride which I did enjoy. But I can't help but think if they put the same resources used to build Mean Streak into a more tradional layout not so focused on height, they could have a huge (length) popular coaster with a great layout which wouldn't be so rough and maintenance intensive. Look how popular The Beast is after 20 years.

*** This post was edited by Jim B. on 5/9/2000. *** *** This post was edited by Jim B. on 5/9/2000. ***

Mean Squeak was fairly comfortable last weekend, but it was slow to the point of not being interesting. It's incredibly dull.

There's a reason this flood of new CCI's tends to fall in the 100 to 125-foot range. Woodies don't need to be bigger, plain and simple.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

A good woody need only to gain some speed in order to jump the bunnies with some effect on the stomach. That's why smaller, classic woodies like Blue Streak, are still better than Mean Streak. Height, loops and other assorted tricks should be saved for the steelies.

I agree with the last three posts, totally. JimB says that elements need to be kept on steel coasters, very true. Jeff commented on the speed of the Mean Streak as dull, very true. Heck, the Blue Streak, for the first time in my life, made me sick to my stomach after riding it twice at night after a few 'road pops' (that may have something to do with it). But, I'll wait 3 minutes for a ride on the Blue Streak, than 40 minutes for a ride on the Mean Streak anyday. I really like the Mean Streak, but not to waste valuable wait time on it, when I can ride Raptor, Magnum, Gemini and now MF.

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There's nothing like a woodie...

For crying out loud, there is more to a roller coaster than airtime! I don't even care about airtime, I think it's overrated. I hate it when people think a ride can't be good unless it has airtime. Airtime is one little element. That's like me saying Magnum sucks because it doesn't have a loop! There are coasters that don't have to have airtime. I love big woodies but I also love the small ones. They're different. Gimme big woodies for chaotic drops and high speed turns, gimme smaller ones for headchoppers and airtime.

That's just it. Mean Streak has no chaos or high speed turns. After the first drop it's a snooze fest, and even the first drop isn't great as it grabs you several times on the way down. Like I said, it wasn't terribly rough last weekend, but it was slow to the point that it creeped over each hill and didn't move fast anywhere.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

I hated the MEAN STREAK on the first try... then tried leaning forward and discovered a better way to ride that was much more fun (and less rib-shattering). While doing a 10 Day 100 coaster mega-trip stretching from Florida to the Great Lakes and back last summer I would rate Mean Streak the 5th most painful, with Six Flags Georgia's NINJA #4, Valdosta's HANGMAN #3, and OUTER LIMITS FLIGHT OF FEAR (Ohio & Virginia) not so proudly taking SECOND and FIRST PLACE Dis-honors! Who sponsors Outer Limits? Advil???
But in all honesty, ANY Coaster is better than a world without 'em!

If the MS is so slow , how come its in the top 5ish or so for "fastest wooden roller coaster"

Which top five is that? I can assure you that when the ride is running a full 20 seconds longer than it used to, it just ain't hitting anywhere near top speed. Not even close.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

Jeez, I never thought this question would attract such an answer.....thanks guys.

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Like my girlfriend always says "I love a big woodie to ride"