Wildcat and Mantis Looking Good!

Check on over at Virtual Midway for some great pictures of Wildcat and Mantis. Those new paint jobs look great! Wildcat looks like a whole new ride!

http://www.pbase.com/walt100/opening_day_new

i'm glad mantis has a new paint job, but wild cats new colors piss me off.

------------------
And if the cloud bursts, thunder in your ear
You shout and no one seems to hear
And if the band you're in starts playing different tunes.
I'll see you on the dark side of the moon

Wild Cats new colors kinda look like the Laser at Dorney Park. Mantis looks amazing, so bright and vibrant. Hopefully some other Cedar Fair coaster *Steel Force* will be getting a paint job next year.

I think mantis looks great,Ihope they finish the job up. It looks werid to have some brite colors and they have some dull colors.

Trying to paint Wildcat is kind of like giving the "Miss Congeniality" award in a beauty contest. Bottom line - it's nice that they painted Wildcat, but she's showing her age. I say replace her with a new spinning wild mouse (and I'm talking like Cedar Point hasn't done anything for me....what an a-hole I am sometimes).

Mantis, on the other hand, while it's by far the most unimpressive B&M I've ridden, was dying for a paint job. Come on - as much of a Cedar Point fan as I am (and take it from me - no one is more devoted to a park on this site than I am with CP), I have to fault whoever is in charge of repainting attractions at Cedar Point - why let a central attraction like Mantis chip and peel in the blazing Ohio sun? If I spent $14,000,000 on something, you'd better be DAMN STRAIGHT I'd keep it in tip-top condition. Look at what the re-paint did for Raptor (albeit it was WAAAAAAAAY past due). I swear those B&M's perform better after they've been painted. It defies the laws of physics, but I swear it's true. If I can fault Cedar Point for anything, it would be that it doesn't keep it's stars looking beautiful. Do you see Busch Gardens let Loch Ness Monster fade? Nooooooo. But a Busch park is much too classy to let this ever happen (I guess you could say I am a bit partial to Busch parks as well).

But what about poor Iron Dragon in all of this??? Hmmmm? I think this much-under-appreciated Arrow suspended coaster's greatest asset was STOLEN when the TTD site was prepared. How can you not LOVE swinging through the trees on an Arrow suspended? I challenge anyone to tell me a better way to spend a hot Ohio afternoon than riding Iron Dragon. No wait, no fuss, and all reward (with a nice, but brief, mist at the end - I love it). Anyone who messes with my Iron Dragon is at the top of my s*** list). I just hope the trees grow quickly to preserve some its' dignity.

Bottom line - I love Cedar Point. Let's keep what makes people coming back (i.e., the rollercoasters) look just as good as the enjoyment they provide us.

Replace Wildcat? You iight? ;) Wildcat's bite is bigger than it's bark. I would have never expected such a ride from such a small coaster.

------------------
Never Has Gravity Been So Uplifting.

I'm iight! Don't get me wrong. Wildcat is great for the "county fair" but doesn't seem to "fit in" at Cedar Point.

I'm consistently amazed that there is a line for this coaster at Cear Point. It seems like I wait longer for it than I do for Blue Streak.

I think the park should have just left Mantis' railing unpainted...

Wildcat does look like a cousin of Laser with that paint job. I wonder if Dorney sent the paint over to CP because the colors are exact. All Cedar Fair Schwarzkopf's must now be purple and green, but in bright candy tones.

And yes, Wildcat is one of the best "surprise" rides anywhere. It looks so innocent, but the ride is classic Schwarzkopf all the way.

------------------
www.coasterimage.com
Dorney Park Visits in 2003: 2

Wildcat looks exactly the same as Boomerang at Knott's. Same colors. :) I kind of like it actually.

I thought Wildcat was a lot of fun! Very intense little ride.

------------------
The Trip: CP, SFWoA, PKI, KW, HW, IB, SFGAm, MiA and LeSourdsville too.
8 Days- 10 parks. May 2003

1) I think they painted Mantis' rails because of the success they had when they painted Raptor's rails.

2) Medusa North... er Wildcat... Is all part of the "Hey, let's pick on Six Flags" plan :p
(If anyone has noticed, TTD seems to be the perfect way for CP to give SF the finger ;) )

While we're on the subject of paint jobs, how about Magnum getting one pretty soon? Yes I know that the cost of painting a mile of track and supports is a big chunk of change, but come on, Magnum is looking pretty sorry these days.

I don't really like the new paint job for Mantis. Wildcat was definitely a big surprise when I went on it. It was much better than I thought it would be.

------------------
All who think Mean Streak needs a match taken to it say I.

Why are there parts of Mantis that aren't painted? Will they be finished soon, or are is there some reason why those certain track sections wouldn't be painted?

------------------
Intelligence is a God given gift: Know how to use it.

Two thoughts: If I was going to paint Mantis' rails (which i proably wouldnt) I would have painted them purple like the supports

Magnum's turn is next I bet, I mean the thing hasnt been painted in 13 years now. It will be nice to see Magnum in its true candy apple red form for the first time since the first time I layed eyes on it it was 10 years old.

*spelling*

------------------
Summer 03-CP, HP, Canobie, SFNE, SFWOA, and SFGAm.
*** This post was edited by Touchdown 5/6/2003 5:17:41 PM ***

kRaXLeRidAh said:
I think the park should have just left Mantis' railing unpainted...

They painted the rails so they don't rust. The latest B&M''s now have the painted rails. In addition to that, I think it would have been very difficult for them to try and repaint the track without touching the rails. After the train rolls over it so many times, the new red-painted rails won't pop out as much. I also think that the colors for Raptor and Mantis are backwards.

And since we're on the subject of painting coasters, how about Gemini. Once they finish that 5-year project of replcaing every piece of wood, it's time to paint. I think Gemini would look good in white.

Corkscrew could use some cosmetic attention as well. You can barely notice it now that TTD is there. Let's paint it with a really loud color. How about pink track with yellow framing?!

------------------
YOUNGSTOWN 2010

Wild colors . For A Wild and intense Coaster.

Right On.

------------------
I pray that the next coaster @ CP will be an Arrow 4D

Mantis should be finished this week, the painter trucks and cherry pickers were all parked in the soak city lot, and I saw purple and red paint on them, also kiddie kingdom got all new railings in red and green. Also they tore down the bathroom next to matterhorn and built a new one, with auto toilets and some spongey blue stuff every where, some other bathrooms up front got the make over as well. I surely hope that Magnum is next, every racer is white, leave Gemini natural.

-----------------------------------------------------------

I have gone threw a process of illimantion in my head the 2005 CP ride will be an Intamin Plug and Play

Gemini looks just fine the way it is. The great thing about wood vs. steel is how awesome a wood coaster looks (I know Gemini is steel but you see mostly wood so for this topic it is a woodie even though it is really a steel coaster) without paint, steel looks horrible unadorned, after a year painted wood looks horrible. Bottomline: KEEP THE NATURAL WOOD!:)

------------------
Summer 03-CP, HP, Canobie, SFNE, SFWOA, and SFGAm.