August 18th Announcement for Cedar Fair Parks.

[Tr0y]

Dorney Park, Worlds of Fun, Carowinds and Cedar Point are having their 2017 attraction announcement on August 18, Kings Dominion on the 20th and no word on Kings Island's 2nd announcement date. I find this very interesting having a multitude of parks making same day announcement. Cedar Fair must have something up its sleeve that it will be rolling out to majority of its parks. www.screamscape.com

[The Interpreter]

...or, they've learned by benchmarking.

Terp, using a word now passé in corporatespeak.

[ethancoaster]

I believe Valleyfair is also announcing on the 18th.

[Kenban]

Cedar Point sent a large Flip Flop with the date to the media.  I am still thinking this is a water park expansion at Cedar Point.  

 

If I remember correctly Kings Island did state they expected the second major announcement to be mid August.

[IBEW_Sparky]

This has brought up something Ive been wondering about for a while.  Is there a particular reason CF chooses to make their announcements on Thursdays, and if so, what is said reason?

[The Interpreter]

It's the best time to get maximum media exposure on the next day--Friday--when audiences are big and in the mood for leisure time activities--like amusement parks.

[King Ding Dong]

I find this very interesting having a multitude of parks making same day announcement. Cedar Fair must have something up its sleeve that it will be rolling out to majority of its parks. www.screamscape.com

Cue Oprah meme: RMC for Everyone!!! (But KI)

[Beast Gal]

Hopefully CP platinums go on sale the 18th.

3 train RMC with seperate load/unload with no mid course block. 80mph. Tallest and fastest wooden coaster.

[malem]

Cedar Point is hosting an announcement event from 6pm-8pm in Soak City for 2016 season passholders only. There will be one-time-only "deals" on 2017 platinum passes. (RSVP required)

[stashua123]

Is KI's announcement this Thursday or is it later on? Keep on hearing conflicting reports.

[benny1388]

Is KI's announcement this Thursday or is it later on? Keep on hearing conflicting reports.

 

 

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edit: I suck at embedding links here. The link you can click on works, but it's ugly I know

[Shaggy]

For those waiting for CP to announce a RMC conversion of Mean Streak.... I'll be shocked if they do.  I expect the coaster to not be reopened/ready until 2018.  It took nearly 12 months to overhaul Texas Giant (with a more cooperative climate)... and Mean Streak is essentially the *same* coaster as the original Texas Giant.

[CoastersRZ]

And that is assuming they use RMC for it.  It seems like a perfect candidate.  How long did the overhaul to Ghostrider at Knott`s Berry Farm take?  Again, a much better climate as well.

[gad198]

In fairness to RMC, they've significantly shortened the time that it's taken to do these conversions.  New Texas Giant took more than a year, but Iron Rattler, Wicked Cyclone, and Joker at Discovery Kingdom all took less than a year from the time the original ride closed to the time the updated version opened.  

 

Having said that, I agree with your post.  If Cedar Point really wanted the conversion to be done in 2017 they probably would have shut the ride down earlier than the middle of September.  The less forgiving weather certainly will be a factor, and a 2018 opening date would give them nearly a full year to tease the ride.

 

**EDIT**

 

The GhostRider refurb took a little less than a year.  Having GCI come in and do the GhostRider refurb made perfect sense.  GhostRider - unlike Mean Streak - actually had some redeeming traits before the refurbishment; i.e., lots of airtime and a really fun layout.  GCI's major objectives with GhostRider were to make the ride experience better for the riders and allow the Millennium Flyer trains to help save some wear and tear on the track.  Notice that they barely touched the layout at all, not because of cost, but because the layout was already good.  The other thing to consider is that GhostRider is less than 120 feet tall which is right in GCI's wheelhouse.

 

I don't see how Cedar Fair could possibly justify GCI working on Mean Streak.  Why spend all that money to do major re-tracking, probably modify the layout in some capacity, and slap Millennium Flyer trains on the track only to have the coaster run rough again in four or five years?  Cedar Fair already has plenty of experience with really rough and tall wooden coasters - Hercules, Mean Streak, Son of Beast.  I think Cedar Fair knows that Mean Streak needs major help, help that goes well past GCI's expertise in the retracking and refurbishment of smaller wooden coasters.  I also think that Cedar Fair knows that GCI working on Mean Streak would only be a temporary solution.  Not only that, it really wouldn't solve the really big issue with Mean Streak - that of low ridership.  You'd still have the same boring layout, and a few years down the road you'd likely still have it riding rough because of the coasters size.  I simply can't see why Cedar Fair would willingly do that.           

[benny1388]

I wouldn't think a ride being closed to be revamped in any way would get an announcement of it "getting the axe" and that they can't say why yet.

 

Why wouldn't they just say it's closing early because it's the off season isn't long enough to address maintenance needs or something similar?

[Shaggy]

I wouldn't think a ride being closed to be revamped in any way would get an announcement of it "getting the axe" and that they can't say why yet.

 

Why wouldn't they just say it's closing early because it's the off season isn't long enough to address maintenance needs or something similar?

It's called speculative marketing.  They did so to drum up interest.  Whether the coaster gets demolished, refurbished, rebuilt etc, CP made the news by announcing it as they did.  Leaving it's outcome vague continues the online interest and speculation.

 

Its not different than a press rep releasing a pic of a celebrity "out with" another celebrity.  It causes people to speculate and talk about that relationship - whether it exists or not.

[benny1388]

Maybe.

 

I just don't see them being that clever with this. I'm betting it's going away entirely and we'll find out tomorrow why.

 

If it's not mentioned in their announcement tomorrow, then only (more) time will tell, really.

[IBEW_Sparky]

For those waiting for CP to announce a RMC conversion of Mean Streak.... I'll be shocked if they do.  I expect the coaster to not be reopened/ready until 2018.  It took nearly 12 months to overhaul Texas Giant (with a more cooperative climate)... and Mean Streak is essentially the *same* coaster as the original Texas Giant.

I agree with the time table on the RMC renovation of Mean Streak, but my thoughts are that they will announce it tomorrow anyway, along with whatever else they are planning.  My reasoning for this, is that by next May there will be enough progress made that it will be blatantly obvious what is going on with it anyway, so waiting until next August to formally announce it will be quite the anti-climax.

[silver2005]

I wonder how long a complete re-track of MS to accommodate Millennium Flyers would take.  

[IBEW_Sparky]

Longer than would be justifiable considering the fact that all of the numerous re-trackings have been nothing more than a Band-Aid on an artery wound.  I absolutely do not feel any amount of work by GCI would give anywhere close to enough "bang for the buck" to justify using them.  And I am in no way at all anti-GCI, Prowler and Renegade are smokiing hot coasters, I simply dont see sufficient ROI from doing anything but a complete reconfiguration.

 

Edited to also note that, the things that make Mean Streak "bad" to me wouldnt be remedied by that type of work, Trim Brake Fair would still keep the drop trim and the overly grabby MCBR.  

[silver2005]

I'm just speculating based on the time line they're using for Mean Streak's closure.  I'm not entirely sure what they intend to do with it.

 

With so much of the chain announcing at the same time, I'm thinking they're getting the same thing.  Winterfest's return kinda sounds plausible, though, having it at CP and Canada's Wonderland doesn't seem too smart.  

 

I also wonder if they're leaning to a SIX approach now for announcements.  

[IBEW_Sparky]

Agreed definitely on the CP and Canadas Wonderland being less than stellar candidates for Winterfest, for sure!  What steers me away from that being the only thing announced for CP, is the sandals/flip flops the Media got from CP.

[silver2005]

I've just been going through all the CF parks' Facebook pages, and it kind of looks like they're taking the SIX approach.  Some of the hinting the parks are doing don't look like they're matching up.  

[TheBEASTunchained]

Final list of today's FUN announcements:

 

Cedar Point Shores Waterpark

 

Dorney Park introduces bumper cars, Troika, and other park improvements

 

​California's Great America converts Vortex into floorless coaster

 

Kings Island adds Soak City amenities and WinterFest event 

 

Carowinds introduces "new " flat rides and WinterFest event

 

Valleyfair introduces North Star - Funtime Starflyer

 

​Worlds of Fun introduces "new" flat rides and WinterFest event

[CoastersRZ]

I am not thrilled with the new name of Vortex at California`s Great Ameria, as there is already a Patriot ride at Worlds of Fun.  But it does tie into the theming of the area that the ride is in, so I guess it is ok.

[Vortex]

Also California`s Great America is getting Winterfest in 2016.

[jbum123]

I am not thrilled with the new name of Vortex at California`s Great Ameria, as there is already a Patriot ride at Worlds of Fun. But it does tie into the theming of the area that the ride is in, so I guess it is ok.

There is also two Intimidators in the chain as well. One just tacks on "305" to the name.

[King Ding Dong]

It sure would be cool if that new slide tower were really installed next to Dragster as shown in the photo. it would be similar to the path for The Bat.

Edit: https://www.cedarpoint.com/what-s-new/cedar-point-shores-water-park

It is not just the trap door slides, more tube slides, dinning options, new adult pool, shower house, gate, cabanas (with TV lol. ). New kiddie area. Afoot indeed.

Edit 2: New Breakers tower for 2018 in addition to the BE expansion already underway. CF is dropping some major coin up there especially if they do something soon with MS.

[CP Maverick]

If you have been to Cedar Point, you would know how massive that tower is, and by that measure could tell that the slides can be hundreds of yards away and still look very close.

[Gplez90]

I sense some big coasters coming to CF in 2018 and 2019!

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