Your reaction to the Racer news

[Beast1979]

^Yes, yes, yes, there are so many things worng with society we see that now.

I'd like to see someone besides me say something positive please?

[XGatorHead 8904]

Click below for my feelings. It's too much to type over again or summarize.

XGatorHead's recaR Rant

[Cory Butcher]

I am excited for the change, I may actually ride Racer this year to see if she rides smooth. I personally would like to see Red, White, and Blue return in the form of a freshly painted structure. The structure currently just looks weathered and grease stained to me.

[gnarkiller]

Now that they are both going to be forwards i'll probably ride it way less so, I don't approve. I think the backwards train is what made it unique, now its like all the other racing coasters in the world. This change makes me a little bit sad.

[odettekitrigisele]

Front seat of Mean Streak, honestly, I just enjoy it. Not to sound too much like an Acer, I just really like wooden coasters and really like the design of Mean Streak, it's not the most exciting ride but I do enjoy the visuals and the layout.

Gemini, I don't know, I just never much cared for it. It's jerky, that last helix isn't that great. I just find it pretty boring.

I have a weird taste in coasters.

As for reaction to The Racers. Personally, I feel pretty indifferent about the situation. We can speculate all we want about the reasons it was done and such, the point is, this is what's being done and I'm sure the ride will be great. As Mr. Helbig from the park so nicely contributed some photos:

You can see that a lot of track work has been done. I think its safe to say that The Racer's will be running great this year. The only thing I'm really speculating about is what will the logos on the front of the trains look like since there was nothing last season due to the removal of the "Paramount" name.

Were The Racer tracks in bad shape? I knew it was a bit bumpy but I did not know that they had to replace track.

The photo is very clear and lovely.

I'm sure The Racer will be smoother now.

[westcoaster]

its great if we race them, but on slow days it will be closed saves money? And question Insurance was costing that much???

[italianchef]

As I see it, KI is restoring The Racer to the way it originally was and was meant to be.

[Beast1979]

Now all we have to do is paint "Red Racer" and "Blue Racer" on the front, add the extra dip, paint the rails red and handrails blue, and take away the trims!

[Neon]

This is what I posted in another topic:

No... no... no... this cant be happening... no... Cedar Fair, what happened do you... no... backwards was like a memory... just like KCKC... and Flight Commander... no... why is this happening... why does Cedar Fair have to upset us... I see no reason to turn it around... it's safe enough... did anybody die going backwards... this is heartbreaking... it's over... forever.........

UGH! This is the second most dumbest thing Cedar Fair has ever done! (GL was the first ) I suggest that we boycott The Racer, the whole thing. No one will be 100 feet from it, that includes going under it. Thats how mad I am. If we all boycott it (probably not) then maybe they will bring it back. But that is probably stupid.

RIP Backwards Racer

1983-2007

We will miss you!

I think I got the years wrong?

One word: Why?

Two words: The reason?

Three words: Point of this?

Four words: What will this help?

I see no reason or no point in this, and how will it be a race? If they want a race, then where needs to be something, like a video game where there are buttons where you push them down, but you have to push the right one down to keep going, and if you push the wrong button, the ride will slow down and stop.

That right there... is a race. But they wouldn't do that because it's too much chaos. Hehe my imagination is too wild...

But seriously, I see no reason to turn it around. We have a forwards Racer. Why do we need another one? They are "taking a ride out" and "turning it into another ride."

[iChase]

Did you just quote yourself and then proceed to have an argument with yourself?

[DiSab]

^lol at iChase.

[Gordon Bombay]

As I see it, KI is restoring The Racer to the way it originally was and was meant to be.

Uh, yeah, except, you're forgetting about how it has been re-profiled in various ways numerous times, probably won't get any new paint, still has trim brakes, and certainly is not the same ride it once was.

[Beast1979]

Neon: It's 1983-2007.

And Gorden, See my last post!

[DeLorean Rider]

As I see it, KI is restoring The Racer to the way it originally was and was meant to be.

Uh, yeah, except, you're forgetting about how it has been re-profiled in various ways numerous times, probably won't get any new paint, still has trim brakes, and certainly is not the same ride it once was.

Hey hey hey, they may yet be planning on putting that 4th bunny hill back in.

[Beast1979]

To reinstall all of the origional Racer in one offseason would be to much to soon probably. I would do little by little, on season reverse the backwards train, then reinstall the last bunny hill, then take off the trims, ect. ect..

I can seewhat there going for, but to do it all, especially on you're second offseason under management, would be rediculous.

[DarkBeast]

Heres the trick about Gemini, it races everyday, however it will not race until around 11-11:30 and will stop racing when the line no longer supports it (usually 8:30-9:00.) During the first two and last two hours of the day there is no reason for you to ride Gemini, thats prime time for MF, TTD, Maverick and Magnum.

No it doesn't, not on my 3 visits last year, at least. I go every year in early May, usually the Thursday and Friday of opening week. Last year it was closed on Thursday, and on Friday (which was Physics Day, the park was packed, last time I'm going that day), they only ran the blue side all day. I went to Cedar Point again on June 13 with a friend who had never been there before. That day, they only ran the red side all day, and it was somewhat crowded. Not really crowded, but crowded enough to run both sides. In years past Gemini was either broken down all-together, or both sides ALWAYS ran, no matter the crowds. There were even times that it was so empty, I raced a nearly empty (sometimes completely empty) train, yet they still ran both all day. Last year was the first time I've seen Cedar Point slip and pull a Six Flags.

[beastrider97]

Why must you do this to us! I hate the forwards, backwards was fun!

[The Interpreter]

....Last year was the first time I've seen Cedar Point slip and pull a Six Flags.

Somehow, I think that Kentucky Kingdom fans would be VERY pleased if only one side of Twisted Twins ran most days this summer.

[Browntggrr]

*BUMP*

Now that the 2008 season is in full swing, and most of us have had the opportunity to enjoy Racer, has anyone's opinion changed?

Also, how often has Racer only been operating one side?

[KIfan73]

Last Tuesday (6/17), only the Blue side was open. It looked to be that they were testing the red side.

[Jeffy]

I've been going to KI since the mid-70's. The Racer was the first big rollercoaster I rode in my lifetime. It is also the first one that my son rode as well. This ride as a special place in my heart and with the restoration this year it portends a long life for one of my favorite rides of all time. Additionally I have never been to the park that both sides were not running, however it was always somewhat disappointing when they did not "race". (start at the same time with the same number of cars on both trains.)

[Cormaster]

I oppose them flipping it back around for one reason: They don't run it right! I understand they were going for the original classic theme of the "Racer", as in its supposed to "Race", however first time I rode it this summer, the blue train was shut down, the second time both were running but they were NOT racing! I was in the blue train and it left the station while the red train was still loading! If they are going to run it this way they need to just flip the blue train backwards again, and be done with it. However I'm not completly opposed to this, as long as they run it right, but I am very dissapointed that pretty much the KI staff screwed up the whole purpose of flipping the car back to its original postion!

[The Interpreter]

...the whole marketing stated purpose for flipping the ride around, perhaps.

There were other reasons. Flipping it back around to running one side backwards really is NOT a realistic option at this point. Besides, are you saying if one side is not running, it is better to close down the ride? As for always racing, we knew that wouldn't happen. It greatly reduces capacity. Sometimes they try to race, sometimes they don't. That's been that way for many years now. I doubt it changes.

[Cormaster]

Where did I say if one side is not running it is better to close the ride? I didn't say that at all. All I'm saying is the way they talked about it at the beginning of the season was "we flipped this train around so they could race again" and now they aren't racing. I for one preferred The Racer backwards, but I thought it was a cool idea if the coaster operated as should. The Racer practically seems like a walk every time so I don't see why they couldn't just race them.

[Gordon Bombay]

Well first off, it's not that they aren't racing every time. Maybe thats just how you noticed it or perhaps every time on your recent visit it seemed that way, however, The Racer just like The Beast, Vortex, and Firehawk, has recieved those Cedar Point style headsets and now the ride operators get each train pumped before racing and every visit I've had this season except one they have raced. Sometimes they can't race due to accomadating a disability, mechanical delay, or other delay. For the most part though I'd say The Racer's are great this year, Red side is really smooth, the head sets are great, and its back to being a decent ride.

[Ashers]

I wasn't too happy with the decision to turn The Racer forwards at first, but after riding on both sides several times this season I would have to say that I don't really even miss riding backwards anymore. The ride operators do try to pump everyone up...sometimes it works and other times people just don't feel like screaming..lol. There was one time though when KJ and I went and everyone was SO pumped up about riding. We were having yelling matches and everyone was cheering and everything. It was one of the most fun times I have ever been on The Racer. And we rode about 3 or 4 times in a row so that was great. I love how they don't make us run all the way back through the line...they always just tell us to grab an empty seat if there is one. So I'm pretty happy with their decision to run it forwards because they actually race the trains almost all of the time and that is the best part!

~Ash

[kjkjkj]

Yes, it was raining slightly that day, and almost every single person just kept going back in line to ride again! It was awesome that day! I still miss the Backwards Racer, but I think I enjoy it now that they actually race them. And get you pumped up to race! It also seems like they've made adjustments so that they race a litlle more evenly now! Now The Racer is a "can't miss" ride again because of how much fun it is! Before, it seemed like we got on it once, but no re-rides. Now we ride 2-3 laps in a visit in a row!

[Cormaster]

The Racer is a classic IMO. Its still a fun coaster even when it doesn't race or go backwards. I love those old hilly, airtime wooden coasters. Glad to hear they do race it sometimes, maybe that is only on busy days, I dunno. I stay away from the park on busy days.

[kjkjkj]

They race them almost all the time now! I just went on a not-busy thursday, and they were racing!

[Cormaster]

I've been to KI 3 times this summer, first was opening day, which was a bad trip, and I ended up leaving the park early, so I didn't even go near The Racer that time. We road Top Gun, Firehawk, Son of Beast, and Vortex, and got out of there. I don't want to go into that trip. Next trip, only one side was open, and my most recent trip, both sides were open, but they didn't race. They launced the blue car, then loaded the red car, and launched it.