TombRaiderFTW

Tony did say that the Ride Warriors Club membership would be accepted for Coastermania. He did, however, state that club membership would only be valid for Cedar Point. To my knowledge, Cedar Point does not do any events currently that feature "Ride Warriors" in the title.

Taken from the Pointbuzz live blog (live.pointbuzz.com) because they did a better job of remembering the news from Winter Chill Out than I did: -$40,000 was raised for A Kid Again. (My note: Tony did mention that Cedar Point is looking to support more local organizations. Perhaps that's why Coasting for Kids isn't happening?) -Shoot the Rapids is coming down. If you haven't already seen the pictures on Twitter, the second hill and drop are already dismantled. -Dodgems is getting new cars from Italy. -The go-karts and SkyScraper are being removed from Challenge Park. SkyScraper is already missing from the horizon, so one would assume it's already dismantled and gone. Ripcord's picture was in the presentation, but nothing was mentioned about its fate. (It's still standing.) -Similar to Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Cedar Point will offer premium Sunrise Thrills tours involving climbing Valravn's lift. -Cedar Point is essentially starting a Cedar Point-only coaster club called Ride Warriors Club. Involves exclusive events, ERT, off-season tours, etc. Priced at $120/year. -Aforementioned Chik-Fil-A changes. -Hurricane Hannah's (just inside the front gate) to become a Coke Oasis, complete with bubble machine on the top of the building. Apparently someone told Tony that it would probably only last a week. -The fresh-cut fries place by Raptor will be getting redone, complete with 3D sign. Attitudes will become a Coke Freestyle stand. The other two fries places will receive the new signage. -All-Wheels Extreme will get a new stage. Luminosity will continue to evolve as an experience. It was a wonderful event, as usual. I had a great time. Thanks to Cedar Point for putting it together!

It should be noted that the Instagram caption also contains "#NewFor2016," so one would assume that this is not related to anything coming in 2017, if anything is coming in 2017 to begin with. Given the odd location and short timeline, I doubt it will be anything like a new ride, but it's fun to imagine the possibilities. Maybe a (small) new shop? Since it got posted with a teaser-y caption, it'll be something interesting. This is the level of fanfare that Cirque Imagine got before it was announced, so I'm sure it'll be something we'll talk about this season.

^ To be fair, the box was somewhat better hidden before Diamondback. At the very least, it wasn't visible from all sides like it is now. Here's what it looked like in 2007.

Wonderful article as usual, bkroz! The more parks I visit, the more Tomb Raider: The Ride stands out as an exceptional, adventurous investment for a seasonal park. I always thought it was fancy writing fluff when people talk about how unique and unusual of an addition it was for a seasonal park in Ohio, but it really was. It could quite honestly hold its own against rides in Florida. Especially remarkable to me is the budget--consider that Verbolten is rumored to have had a $50 million pricetag in 2012 and, in my opinion, doesn't exceed TRTR's level of theming. Adjusted for inflation, Verbolten would cost around $51.6 million today, but TRTR would cost around $26.3 million if it cost $20 million in 2002. If only it had lasted! Thank you so much for writing the article and sharing! It was so nice to remember that ride as it was. You've made me incredibly nostalgic. P.S. The number of people here who only experienced The Crypt or never experienced the ride at all is making me feel super old.

If I'm not mistaken, that pond is drained every fall after WWC closes. Just so you know!

They were very popular with me, a money-spending park guest! Just kidding--I know what you meant. It's just a bummer to think about them potentially leaving. They were so stinking good, much like the fries that were in Hank's Burrito Shack before Hank's Burrito Shack was Hank's Burrito Shack. I did notice that that place would shut down when the park was short-staffed. That probably says something about its popularity. The covered patio area behind it isn't the prettiest place in the park, so I suppose I'm okay with this happening if it means that the appearance of that area improves. I'm a little sad that the park is losing a unique building that (I'm pretty sure) was there in 1972, but mainly I just don't want to lose the elephant ears.

What?! No! That's the only place in the park that I know of that sold elephant ears! Tell me the elephant ears didn't get the axe, too!

^ Interesting! Thanks for posting Paula's response. That does make sense--this is above and beyond the typical work that their Coaster Cats do. On the other hand, that does make me wonder who did the actual work of modifying Voyage's spaghetti bowl a couple years ago. Perhaps the smaller scale of that project had something to do with it.

A couple thoughts: 1. I'm curious to know what the double down will be like. That's one of the two slower moments on that ride where it isn't throwing something intense at you, and it was one of the better aspects of Legend's pacing for me. The pacing is (was?) almost a more condensed version of Voyage's pacing--wide turns, a pause (the top of the high-lateral turnaround under the water slides), the airtime and helix, a pause (the stretch of track to be replaced with the double down), and then the intense last three turns. For me, it's a bit like them announcing that Raven's fifth drop will be replaced with a double down--maybe it could work in its favor, or maybe that will change the ride's identity (for better or worse.) Or both? I don't know. Alls I'm saying is that lack of action can be just as important to pacing as action. (See also: Beast, Iron Rattler, Magnum XL-200.) 2. I'm confused about the change to the dip under Frightful Falls. Why is it being lowered, again? The graph thing doesn't totally make sense to me. It's showing airtime on the original design of the preceding turn, but... there isn't, right? That's not just me, right? It's appearing that the shape of that turn will be changed significantly to increase the airtime, and the shaping looks really different. If the original profile is straight lines and circles from above, the new profile is an eccentric arc. According to the video, the turn has been lowered... Hmm. I've never ridden a GCI with laterals like Legend's, so I'm curious to see where this goes. I'm a little bummed that that photogenic turn is going to look different, but obviously, it could end up better. We'll see how things go. 3. I'm also very curious about the Legend changes vs. the Voyage changes. I've wondered for a while what the state of the relationship between Holiday World and The Gravity Group is, and the fact that they are going with GCI for the Legend changes makes me think that relationship is nonexistent. (It also begs the question: if these plans were originally Will's, then who had he originally considered to make the changes?) TRFTW, not trying to be whiny, honest. I just love my CCIs, and I'm wary when they change.

From Tony Clark (@TonyClarkCP) on Twitter: I know what you're thinking. "It's Tony Clark," you say. "Of course it's a hint, or at least something to make people talk. There's no way that's a real product." Apparently it's real. It's a "realistic interpretation" of the smells from water rides like "Pirates of the Caribbean, Jurassic Park and Splash Mountain," with "the familiar note of chlorinated water, a thrilling accord of theatrical fog and pyrotechnics and a hint of atmospheric mildew and damp ozone." Really. The company appears to be legitimate and is based out of California... so in case you were concerned, one could assume that their dark ride smell inspirations come from Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood. Because goodness knows this would be a ridiculous idea otherwise. I want to imagine it's part of some PR trickery, but Cedar Point is in the middle of building the very expensive result of its last round of hint-dropping. I highly doubt that Cedar Point could get away with using Disney and Universal ride names for such a thing. And there are a lot of other fragrances on that website that aren't nearly as questionable. Which means that, by process of elimination, there apparently is a market for people who want to smell like a dark ride. I have so many questions. And there's some part of me that wants to find out if it does actually smell like a dark ride...

Aw, I love this! I never knew anything about Cincinnati's and Coney Island's history with steamboats until I picked up Cincinnati's Coney Island by Charles Jacques this year. I thought it was one of the coolest things about Coney's history. It is so neat to see it recreated. And recreated well, too! Thank you for sharing both the video and your story, Thrill_Biscuit. You're very talented! We're very lucky to have you around these parts.

I don't know that I have one park I must get to next year, so: -I really want to get to Carowinds for Cirque Imagine. And/Or Kings Dominion, if it's there. (I feel like, as a coaster fan, Fury 325 should be part of my reasoning, but it really isn't. I just need more Cirque!) -I'm mildly intrigued by Lightning Rod and haven't been to Dollywood since Wild Eagle was new. So a Dollywood trip might be in order. -I'm excited to find out if the rumor of Dimensions: A Cirque Experience coming to Kings Island are true. -I really want to ride Rampage. -It's fairly certain at this point that I'll be at Six Flags New England sometime next year. I'm excited for it. Especially so for Wicked Cyclone and Superman! -I'd really like to make it to Disneyland and California Adventure, but there's too many unknowns about 2016 for me that need straightened out before I can commit to a trip like that.

This is another thread I could have sworn I replied to. I think I have amnesia, except backwards. I even remember when this thread was new. Anyway, these really are incredible. I'll have to do some digging and look up some of his park concepts (especially the revised Kings Island one. I still daydream from time to time of Action Zone becoming jungle-themed and featuring Tomb Raider: The Ride.) This is very, very good, but those are my favorites.

If you wanted to give them another try, they're available for purchase for the price of $550,000. Gently used. A nice, familiar shade of blue.

Thanks for bringing this back, Terp. It's interesting that the Mighty Canadian Minebuster was based on Shooting Star--I never knew that. It's also somewhat relieving (and disappointing) to know that it's not a particularly good version of itself these days. I was extremely underwhelmed by MCM this summer. I'm curious to know what the original Shooting Star was like. I'll have to do some looking.

On Alabama Splash Adventure's Facebook page today: This is the first time I've seen a connection between Pat Koch and Santa Claus, Indiana since 2012. Santa Claus is not Holiday World, but it's nice to see that's she's still welcome in town, anyway.

Given the very short amount of time between an Indiana court declaring Lori Koch in charge of the park and the announcement that the Timberliner testing was cancelled, I am not holding my breath that those trains are coming back. In fact, I'm very curious to know who is designing the modifications to whichever coaster is being changed. I know nothing, of course--just speculating. Also speculation: I think Voyage will get an inversion in place of its final 90-degree turn and the following turn. The two hills after that point seem probable for such a thing, too. Tunnel-wise, I'm thinking it will either be Legend under the water slide or Voyage under Thunderbird. I really don't know where else a tunnel would seem natural or necessary to protect riders from falling objects. Of course, both locations already have netting, so I should reiterate that I am making things up as I go.

I feel like buses are the only choice for transporting guests down Universal Boulevard to a hypothetical third park. A monorail, apart from being very expensive, seems like it would require Universal to own every piece of land a support travels on. Something like the Hogwarts Express would have the same issue. And then I wonder if Florida's department of transportation would be concerned about distracted drivers, etc. Universal Blvd. also isn't particularly fun to drive down, either. The lights take forever, and traffic can get very congested in the evenings. The times I've stayed on International Drive, the two-mile drive from Universal could take 15 minutes or more during Friday night traffic. It's awful, and I could see that being an issue for buses. It seems most advantageous to me to just make any new park a standalone effort without too many ties to the rest of the resort. But I'm also not a marketing guru, so maybe that's not a great idea.

I'm officially "qualified" (to a lesser extent) to join in on this thread. I've wanted to get in on a Disney thread around here forEVER! Last month, I went to Magic Kingdom and Epcot (or EPCOT, as I should apparently capitalize it. I get why people say that now!) Right now, those are the only two Disney parks I've ever visited. I'd never been to EPCOT before, and I was in a stroller during my last visit to the Magic Kingdom. (It's because I was that young. I know what you were thinking.) I'm right there with Steph88 and jcgoble3. I LOVED EPCOT--definitely moreso than MK, although I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels like EPCOT has aged horribly and is kinda forgotten/going in an unnatural direction. It seems like when EPCOT is good, it's really good--I loved Journey Into Imagination With Figment, the World Showcase, Spaceship Earth, the World Showcase, the aesthetics of (most of) Future World, and the World Showcase. Test Track is probably one of my favorite rides ever. I'd put it just below Tomb Raider: The Ride, Curse of DarKastle, and The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man in my top four favorite flat rides. (I wasn't sure if I had the stomach for Mission: SPACE, so it got skipped.) I could live in just about any particular World Showcase pavilion, though I'd personally request France. The pear ice cream and beignets were out of this world. But when it's bad, it's extremely obvious. The Land building and the area around it is laughably dated and feels as magical as a dying shopping mall. Soarin' was one of the biggest disappointments I've ever had in an amusement park; I can honestly say I prefer Europe in the Air at BGW, which is nothing to write home about. I will admit that I did not experience anything in The Land besides Soarin', so perhaps my judgment is premature... but I'm not holding my breath. The building containing Ellen's Energy Adventure is in the same boat, and its placement is really awkward. Outside of the World Showcase, the appearance of any Disney characters felt incredibly forced--which now makes sense, given bkroz's post. Even within the World Showcase, character appearances don't feel natural, but they're at least excusable because the characters are typically in appropriate pavilions. I am cringing at the idea of Norway becoming Arendelle, because that's so much of a step in the wrong direction for EPCOT's overall theme. If you have to implement the Frozen thing, MK's Fantasyland would feel at least slightly more natural. Now that I know other people's reactions to EPCOT, I'm a whole lot more curious about the park's original purpose. I'll have to research this. I wonder how my opinions will change because of it. I'm also curious to know what I will think of EPCOT if/when I make it to the Disneyland Resort. Or, if I should be so lucky, one of the overseas parks. EDIT: On a related note... Now that I've experienced the Magic Kingdom park, I'm also cringing at the idea of a Star Wars area at Disneyland. Sorry, jcgoble3. If my understanding of Disneyland is accurate, then that will seem like an extremely obvious and out-of-place attempt to stem the tidal wave of Californians descending upon Wizarding World West. But that's me. (Also, I never realized just how unique of a place Wizarding World East is. There really isn't anything comparable around there outside of Universal--all the Disney film properties are limited to specific rides, not entire park areas. The closest comparison is, quite seriously, the Sesame Street kiddie area at BGT. Until this year, Universal was essentially reduced in my head to "We do what Disney does, but without the Disney." It really does stand its own.)

Honestly, the only two things that bother me about waiting in line are: 1.) When people (namely kids) bump into me repeatedly, and 2.) When I am in line at a Disney park and am in the vicinity of guests complaining about FastPass. Like, the passing nudge doesn't matter to me, but if it's an hour wait and you and/or your child repeatedly bump into me over and over, I'm strongly considering if the ride is worth it to me. I was somewhere (a Six Flags, I think?) once where a child was definitely leaning on me just about every time we stopped walking. It drove me up the wall. I guess I was raised differently. With the Disney thing... I could scream. I visited my first official Disney parks last month (Magic Kingdom and Epcot) and endured two hours of waiting in line for Soarin' near two families who were so sure that the reason the line was moving slowly was because the cast members were only letting FastPass+ people on. For all I know about Disney parks, perhaps that was the case (I never heard an announcement about the ride going down?) but just being around that for so long was nearly unbearable. (Worst of all, I endured all that just for Soarin'...) My point: you get access to FastPass+, too! Stop it.

I've ridden that flume before. Its boats and track are pretty typical log flume fare, which makes me wonder what he was doing during the ride. That account wasn't especially clear and makes it sound like he was being dragged by the boat, with no employees bothering to stop the ride even after noticing. I am interested to know what any investigations uncover. At any rate, he is certainly in my prayers.

Both videos were made in NoLimits 2--that's the default environment for everyone. That's why they look identical.

Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, the size of the event can be overwhelming. I think I read on Twitter somewhere that there are nine miles of aisles at IAAPA, and I would entirely believe it. It's basically a prerequisite that you be gellin' if you're going to explore the IAAPA show floor. Did you try any of the rides or food? If it's okay to ask, did you have any favorites?

They remind me a lot of the trailer-style two-bench PTC trains that, until recently, were featured on Predator and Texas Giant. Neither were particularly well-received by enthusiasts, although I never experienced either personally. I've also never ridden PTC's one-bench trains, either, so perhaps I should reserve judgment. PTC has offered one-bench trains for a while (as in years) now. It's not extremely clear to me what distinction these trains have from the original one-bench trains, except that they have a B&M-style "zero car" and that PTC has approved them to go through inversions.