Cedar Point 2020/2021
- Thread starter Matt N
- Start date
Snoo
The Legend
Don't be 'shushing' my boy ATI, else we gonna get gangsta on yo narrow ass!
Boy you wish you had this ass. Don't be jealous.
Howie
Donkey in a hat
I sure do. (Everybody else has!)
Antinos
Slut for Spinners
I mean I've touched it
Youngster Joey
Strata Poster
coastersmith12
Roller Poster
I’m new to this forum, but here are my thoughts on 2020.
I think they are going to focus on a couple areas of the park. The first area I see getting an upgrade is Kiddy Kingdom. There’s enough room to add another kids coaster (thinking BM inverted).
Adding this will replace Cedar Creek Mine Ride. I’m led to believe this is they’re next play because CP wrote a blog post about updating the Cedar Creek Mine Ride station. It seems like such a minor thing to report on unless it’s a clue for something bigger to come. The coaster that will replace CCMR would be a GCI similar but much larger than Mystic Timber. They have plenty of room for it seeing as they can extend it to the island.
Kind of a long shot, but I’d be happy to finally see a pier added to the park. I’d assume this would jut out into the lake between wicked twister and wind seeker. Depending on the size of the pier, they could add another smaller family coaster and additional rides/shops.
Lastly, concerning the space where Sand Castle Suites stood...I could see a campground expansion. This expansion would provide space for future expansion of the water park in 2022. The expansion would go into the existing campground area northwest of the water park.
I think they are going to focus on a couple areas of the park. The first area I see getting an upgrade is Kiddy Kingdom. There’s enough room to add another kids coaster (thinking BM inverted).
Adding this will replace Cedar Creek Mine Ride. I’m led to believe this is they’re next play because CP wrote a blog post about updating the Cedar Creek Mine Ride station. It seems like such a minor thing to report on unless it’s a clue for something bigger to come. The coaster that will replace CCMR would be a GCI similar but much larger than Mystic Timber. They have plenty of room for it seeing as they can extend it to the island.
Kind of a long shot, but I’d be happy to finally see a pier added to the park. I’d assume this would jut out into the lake between wicked twister and wind seeker. Depending on the size of the pier, they could add another smaller family coaster and additional rides/shops.
Lastly, concerning the space where Sand Castle Suites stood...I could see a campground expansion. This expansion would provide space for future expansion of the water park in 2022. The expansion would go into the existing campground area northwest of the water park.
... Unless they are just going to update CCMR’s station.
(Which has already happened, touch up of Cedar Creek Mining Co. writing)I know some folks have thrown out renderings of what a B&M family invert would look like in Kiddie Kingdom... but seriously, where would it fit?
kenny cook
Mega Poster
I honestly think we'll see one of those second generation GCI with the inverting trains, and I don't believe we'll see anything done to Kiddie Kingdom (mainly because that's not their key demographic, in addition to the fact that while Kiddie Kingdom may not be up to par, their other kids area definitely is)
Howie
Donkey in a hat
I'm going back to what my man Snoo said at the beginning of the thread:
For their next 'statement' coaster, there's really only one place that Cedar Point can go: T Rex.
I mean sure, on paper a flyer would fill a gap in the line-up, but it's only a small gap which is already partially occupied by Valravn and Gatekeeper (large, floaty, forceless B&M).
But you saw those Schilke interviews from IAAPA a few months ago - T Rex's could be huge... I mean literally, HUGE. One RMC dude (not Schilke) stated that 300, 400 or even 500 tall was achievable. Another dude (Schilke) stated that Steel Vengeance was only the beginnings of how big and how extreme they can go.
I just can't imagine Cedar Point not wanting to get in on that. If they don't, one of those pesky Asian parks will probably beat them to it. And we wouldn't want that, would we?
Trouble is, the clock's ticking. Seeing as it's 2019 already, I can't see this happening in 2020. If these T Rex thingies are as big as they say, wouldn't construction be underway by now?
For their next 'statement' coaster, there's really only one place that Cedar Point can go: T Rex.
I mean sure, on paper a flyer would fill a gap in the line-up, but it's only a small gap which is already partially occupied by Valravn and Gatekeeper (large, floaty, forceless B&M).
But you saw those Schilke interviews from IAAPA a few months ago - T Rex's could be huge... I mean literally, HUGE. One RMC dude (not Schilke) stated that 300, 400 or even 500 tall was achievable. Another dude (Schilke) stated that Steel Vengeance was only the beginnings of how big and how extreme they can go.
I just can't imagine Cedar Point not wanting to get in on that. If they don't, one of those pesky Asian parks will probably beat them to it. And we wouldn't want that, would we?
Trouble is, the clock's ticking. Seeing as it's 2019 already, I can't see this happening in 2020. If these T Rex thingies are as big as they say, wouldn't construction be underway by now?
That's the only thing that makes me question it, really. Realistically speaking, if they're going to do something as big as that, then they'll need to be making a move soon, I'd say. Plus, given it's size, we'd like have already seen some things happening as it'll have go over/under/through a few other rides.
Unless they do it on that bit at the back behind Magnum/past Soak City - @Hyde and @Youngster Joey will remember us commenting on that when we were walking in from the cabin. Christ knows how they'd actually do that though - it's a long way out!
Even on Google Maps you can see a fairly sizable area of clear land*.https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@41.4919737,-82.6874859,243m/data=!3m1!1e3
*It's obviously for a hotel/cabin expansion, but we can dream... can't we?
All that being said, I'm a little skeptical that RMC are ready to build something like this. Admittedly, they've done the worst of it getting the Raptor to market, but the T-Rex isn't just a 'LOL BIGGER' version, it's got different trains, new track profiling, and likely a load of different components. We haven't seen so much as hint of a prototype (except that piece of red track that was in their factory years ago), which is making me think that maybe they're still a few years out? If that is the case, then at least someone in another park (maybe one of those "pesky Asian parks") can't get hold of one first. I could definitely see there being some nice deal with Cedar Fair taking the first Raptor, giving them access to the first T-Rex**.
**Of course, Six Flags have one too, so maybe they'll find space for one in between the Larson Loops?
Maybe it's time to bring in a negative perspective too, just to have it covered. A little splash of cold water in our faces. What if the anniversary celebrations will mainly consist of parades, fireworks, flower decorations, and generally dressing up the park as it is, instead of a new big ride? Pouring some millions into shining up the park instead of adding to its large-scale lineup? We all seem to believe that the park doesn't really miss anything in its lineup, it has "one of everything" and most of their coasters have (had) some record or another to boot. Moreover, space is pretty limited too. The park doesn't strictly need another big coaster right now, and if it manages to squeeze one in, it would commit some of the last available land on the peninsula for decades, and make it even harder to add something else in, say, five years when the public starts getting hungry for something new again.
Would it not be the time to lean back and evaluate what they have, maybe try to make a replacement plan of some flagship coasters that are beginning to show their age (or will begin to do so in a few years)? Right now doesn't seem to be a good time to cram something new into the park, particularly when you consider the cost (both money- and space-wise) and the current demand. They can still surf comfortably on Steel Vengeance as their flagship coaster for another few seasons.
Or maybe they'll add a small coaster in 2020, so construction doesn't need to begin right away. There's plenty of coaster types that can serve as "filler" rides that could be built easily in a year. But right now, it doesn't seem like a new flagship coaster is on the way.
Would it not be the time to lean back and evaluate what they have, maybe try to make a replacement plan of some flagship coasters that are beginning to show their age (or will begin to do so in a few years)? Right now doesn't seem to be a good time to cram something new into the park, particularly when you consider the cost (both money- and space-wise) and the current demand. They can still surf comfortably on Steel Vengeance as their flagship coaster for another few seasons.
Or maybe they'll add a small coaster in 2020, so construction doesn't need to begin right away. There's plenty of coaster types that can serve as "filler" rides that could be built easily in a year. But right now, it doesn't seem like a new flagship coaster is on the way.
And SFMM was rumoured to be building one in 2019. We saw how that turned out (or, well, we haven't actually even seen that yet, because of construction delays).
Can you imagine if SFMM announced West Coast Racers as a distraction, and then just built a T-Rex?! I think @tomahawk might die...
oriolat2
Giga Poster
For the sake of coherence, if Cedar Point is celebrating a special anniversary and they are a coaster park (hi, "America's Roller Coast"), they should get a big new roller coaster. Then again, they have just received Steel Vengeance, but if we look back, MF happened in 2000, WT in 2002 and TTD in 2003. Three coasters (admittedly, Wicked Twister was a filler addition), so who knows if they can get creative and erect an iconic coaster that manages not to sacrifice a lot of valuable real estate?
Aaron Smith
Mega Poster
I'm not completely opposed to a general "sprucing up" of the park. I have been going to Cedar Point since I was very little and my first real memory is 1987 when Iron Dragon went in. Besides the obvious of the many amazing coasters that have gone in since then and relocation of some flat rides, the park buildings don't look *too* different over the past 30 or so years. If Cedar Point when through and gave much of the park a face lift (repainting, refacing, renovating bathrooms, etc...) it could be a welcome update before the next big coaster installation.
I also wonder what the replacement plan is as their coasters age. It'll definitely be weird when they have to replace Magnum or even Gemini.
Antinos
Slut for Spinners
First... regarding the old Sandcastle Suites plot...they announced at last year's Winter Chill Out that the site will be used to expand their RV slots.
Next, for those saying that work hasn't started yet...are we sure about that? Nobody knows what's happening on Millennium Island at the moment and as far as I know there haven't been any tours or photos or announcements at all. Who's to say they're not pouring footers on footers all over the middle of the park?
Finally, the impression I get when Schilke talks about raptor vs T-Rex is that T-Rex is ready to go, but raptors are the money makers. Raptors are small, easy to build, and fully developed rides with (assumingly) huge profit margins where they could essentially be plopped down in any empty space as long as a park wants one. T-Rex is your hybrid hypercar, your Falcon Heavy. It's the Pinnacle of the industry. It pushes the bar up even higher. Unfortunately, raising the bar costs a lot of money, and with how Schilke talks about the product, it doesn't sound like they'd be making much money off of it, but instead it'd be a celebration of roller coaster innovation and achievement.
Bonus...recent whispers are led to believe that after running the financials, it was concluded that a 500 footer isn't gonna fly from a finance standpoint. Instead, the park is looking at another ride to pay homage to a classic. What if...what if Cedar Point builds a custom Raptor with nods to Schwarzkopf's Jumbo Jet?
Next, for those saying that work hasn't started yet...are we sure about that? Nobody knows what's happening on Millennium Island at the moment and as far as I know there haven't been any tours or photos or announcements at all. Who's to say they're not pouring footers on footers all over the middle of the park?
Finally, the impression I get when Schilke talks about raptor vs T-Rex is that T-Rex is ready to go, but raptors are the money makers. Raptors are small, easy to build, and fully developed rides with (assumingly) huge profit margins where they could essentially be plopped down in any empty space as long as a park wants one. T-Rex is your hybrid hypercar, your Falcon Heavy. It's the Pinnacle of the industry. It pushes the bar up even higher. Unfortunately, raising the bar costs a lot of money, and with how Schilke talks about the product, it doesn't sound like they'd be making much money off of it, but instead it'd be a celebration of roller coaster innovation and achievement.
Bonus...recent whispers are led to believe that after running the financials, it was concluded that a 500 footer isn't gonna fly from a finance standpoint. Instead, the park is looking at another ride to pay homage to a classic. What if...what if Cedar Point builds a custom Raptor with nods to Schwarzkopf's Jumbo Jet?