jsus

It's, um, not about the size of the crane, but rather how you use it? Okay, so it is about the size of the crane.

Given KI's 2023 additions opening late, and supply chain issues in recent years, it makes sense.

Yeah, that would seem to be it.

Let's also keep in mind just how close this structure will come to Iron Dragon (which presently remains open), Coasters, Rougarou, etc. It's right over top of and next to ID. There's no other obvious reason for them to have just barely started lagoon construction during daily operations when they're not going to shut down ID let alone anything else, at least not yet. Maybe during Halloweekends, they'll work during the week. They'll only have Monday through early Thursday afternoon as CP is open Thursdays 6p-12m. Or they should have enough time if they wait until November. Anyway, no more feeding the trolls.

Yes, we're in agreement.

Capital City Group got a bit of attention on their crane. Adena got a bit of attention on their crew. Cedar Point drew attention to their reimagined ride and the scale of the project. Well, all of this clearly wasn't dictated by the construction schedule. Otherwise, why would they start the lagoon construction in front of the cameras, and as soon as said cameras were gone, stop work in the lagoon and return the crane? What construction schedule (without influence from the client, namely its marketing dept, that is) says you bring in a big, but not big enough to finish, crane, install the very first pieces, and then just stop? When you bring in a crane, especially the more expensive ones, you want to keep going so you can stop the daily rental fees as soon as safely possible. So why else was that crane brought in at that time and paraded in front of the media? What other logical explanation is there? All this comes down to the initial point that was being made - Cedar Point's marketing/communications team is clearly communicating, by use of that crane, that this is not the old Top Thrill Dragster. And potentially spending a decent sum to do so, as unexpected as that was.

Interesting that you seem convinced that marketing is not "practical, business-driven explanations for decisions". Interesting to see the "silly assumptions" you make. And that you feel the need to stoop to personal attacks and straw man arguments. Well, not really interesting.

The big Liebherr was only used for the new tower (and to inspect the old tower when it/a similar unit of the same model visited previously). A much smaller crane, cheaper to rent, right-sized has been used for the non-ceremonial work on the launch and brake track. You don't use a 374 ft crane to build 20 ft off the ground. Unless you can show pictures to indicate something like a Liebherr LTM 1300-6.2 is still on site. So far, no one has. https://www.liebherr.com/en/usa/products/mobile-and-crawler-cranes/mobile-cranes/liebherr-mobile-cranes/ltm-1300-6.2.html Because this is not it. It's tiny by comparison.

And I'm really not sure where the confusion lies. Big crane came in. Except not big enough when maxed out to complete the job. 374 ft hoist height doesn't get you a 420 ft tower. Three base support column segments went up on three footings. CP marketing was sure to bring the media in to witness this event. It was the ceremonial start of vertical construction (even if they technically went vertical replacing the existing track with replicas). Crane has not been seen or heard from since. No further vertical construction has occurred in the lagoon. Normally, when you bring in a big expensive crane, you want to go, go, go as every day, you're burning money on those rental fees. In this case, it was only used for 3 cylindrical pieces of steel that a small crane could've handled. Small cranes are easier, cheaper to find, but they did not do that. Seems pretty clear that the big crane was just for show, as was the erecting of those 3 support column base segments. Otherwise, it would've kept going after the cameras left, instead of itself leaving.

Cedar Point needs to sell TT2 as a new ride. They need to convince the public it's not the same ride, it's not like Mantis > Rougarou which was little more than new trains. Cranes are expensive, especially the big ones with hoist heights of 374 feet, like the one they brought in to start new vertical construction. Except, they weren't actually planning on building the new tower during daily operations with Iron Dragon still in operation. No, they brought in the big, impressive crane (albeit not big enough to finish the 420 ft structure) so that the media could see, clear as day, that they are "building a new ride". They didn't even install more than the 3 base support segments. The crane appears to have been returned to Capital City Group. Why would they take the time and expense to bring in a big crane only to install what a much smaller, cheaper crane could've handled? The only logical reason is that it was a ceremonial installation. They want the media, the public, to see that they are "building a whole new ride here". And in reality, it will by and large be a new ride, even if it shares the base concept and the top hat with its spiritual predecessor. Even the launch and brake track appears to be brand new, fabricated by Zamperla to match the original INTAMIN specs. The trains, mechanical systems, control systems, and pretty much all the steel short of some of the top hat and launch/brake supports are all brand new. The last thing the park wants after all of this is for guests to think that it might be the same ride with the same safety risks as TTD, after all of the money they are throwing at reimagining the ride. Different trains, different control system. Everything that led to the tragic incident back in 2021 is gone. Everything that led to pretty much every major injury-causing incident with TTD is gone, particularly the steel cables snapping and the issues with the chewed up brake fins on the launch. Tony & co may not come out and directly say "we rebuilt the ride to make it safer", but they need you to know that anyway. As much as it may seem like a pretty minor project to some, it's pretty major for the park.

The front of the card doesn’t actually identify if you even have a pass for the current year let alone the tier - there’s not a year like the old days. For ERT, how’s that going to work? CP ERT is currently resort guest and Platinum/Prestige only. Next year, that changes to Gold + Passport or Prestige. How will your physical or virtual card identify your Passport? Unless they plan on scanning passes to validate. Historically, you’ve just needed to flash your platinum pass and proceed.

I’m sure it is. Fixed.

Your 2023 Platinum pass remains valid through December 31, 2023. You’ve paid for that, you will get that and all 2023 add-ons you have (dining, drinks, FastLane, FunPix, etc). Your gold pass renewal would take over on January 1, 2024.

Woohoo! 6 weeks is rather impressive given all the inspections that were necessary to re-certify the ride.

Drink Coke, play again. Passport includes parking, even on Gold at parks that do not otherwise include it. So, it's $199 at Canada's Wonderland for a 2024 Platinum equivalent, plus taxes and fees. https://www.canadaswonderland.com/legal/season-pass-terms

It would sure be interesting at some point in the future to learn about which projects were shifted around/canceled/etc in order to free up cap ex funds for TT2. Unfortunately, if we ever learn about that, it likely won't be until well into the future. After all, even such an admission could be looped into the lawsuit filed by the victim of the tragic incident. After all, if they could scramble to put the funds together for the project afterward, why couldn't they before? As for Dorney, haven't they been trying to get something built on this plot for a few years?

Orrrrrr the queue is just programmed in because they expect there to be higher than usual demand even if there really isn't. So you get sucked up into the hype and want to stick around to ensure you get your pass. After all, there's a virtual queue to order, it must be a great deal!

There are 3 different routes you can go with all season dining. Buy a KI Gold/Prestige pass without Passport, add KI dining - $130 Do 1) but later add decide you want Passport after all, and all parks dining - +$19 (total $149) Buy a KI Gold/Prestige pass with Passport, add all parks dining - $149 The option you see is just in case you add Passport later, so you can extend your dining plan to all parks. You don't pay the $149 and $19. $130 gets you KI dining. $130 + $19 lets you add all parks dining later. $149 gets you all parks dining up front. Same $149 for all parks.

Back to school time already... Still, it's a Friday. https://www.masonohioschools.com/academic-calendars

Of course I want the ability to tap my phone or watch to use my season pass. Who wouldn't want this? Why? Unless you think they'd force everyone to use it, but that would cost them more for physical cards with RFID chips (since they probably can't get away with eliminating all physical cards at this time). They already have NFC support for payments - they accept Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc. That means they already have the hardware on the payment terminals attached to the POS units to read NFC passes. They already have park app and Apple Wallet support for season passes, it just currently relies on 2D barcodes (QR codes). It's just software at this point to grab the pass info and seamlessly apply the applicable discount/meal plan/drink plan. Essentially, all that needs to happen is that instead of using the barcode scanner to retrieve the pass number, the payment terminal grabs it from your phone/watch. Another feature they really ought to have implemented by now (unless they've just done so recently and I haven't noticed), is to implement Apple Wallet's feature to suggest passes based on location. When I'm at meijer or Starbucks, for instance, I get a notification on my phone and watch lock screens to instantly pull up the loyalty card. It's right there when I need it. At Cedar Fair parks, I have to pull up my wallet and then find the pass. Plus with parking, admissions, dining, drinks, and merch discounts, you're looking for your pass several times each visit. It's only a couple seconds, and it's a little thing, but for a software developer, it's a really little thing to do. Just program in the coordinates. https://developer.apple.com/documentation/walletpasses/pass/locations Really, there's no reason besides a nominal cost to keep them from implementing NFC support for season passes, even if they keep the barcodes on the physical cards. Get on with it, Cedar Fair, it's 2023.

Something, something, don't feed the trolls, something, something, Prestige was never going to live up to the expectations some had, something, something, whoops.

Where'd you get that idea? $799 KI, $999 all parks, on a 2024 pass. Not valid in 2023.

I said 8/10, it's in your quote (Fixed that almost immediately...)

Not officially live yet but should be on 8/10 (this Thursday), and pricing has already been made publicly available through Accesso.. Interestingly, you have most of the details except for Gold pricing, and the change to 5x single use FL vouchers instead of an all-day wristband, as seen elsewhere in the chain this year. At least we won't see as many complaints on here about how the FL line is the longer of the two... Gold is listed as $105 renewal, $110 new. New and renewal get 5x single use Fast Lane passes. Renewal also gets 1x bring-a-friend ticket starting 8/15 through the end of the season, excluding all Saturdays as well as Sunday 9/3. Oddly, Gold Passport at KI appears to be $5 less than other parks at $95. Prestige is $299 renewal, $325 new, for a decent $26 savings. Prestige Passport is the same $125 listed elsewhere. Passes will be available with 12 monthly payments.

Right? Almost as if they don't want you to choose "Prestige"... How can they put those two side by side where "Prestige" is 225% more than the cost of Gold, and "Prestige" Passport is 25% more? Where's the value proposition?