Cedar Point: General Discussion

[Ethan]

And how does Raptor compare to the other B&Ms at cedar point. Is it the best B&M at the park? Or does Gatekeeper surpass it

 

[John_P]

It's the best B+M in the park.

1. Raptor
2. Gatekeeper
3. Valrayvn (though getting to go to the top with staff as part of a tour was amazing)
4. Rougarou
5. Mantis

That's actually doing Raptor a dis-service as its comfortably clear of the rest.

Raptor suffers massively reputation wise for being in the same park as Steel Vengeance, Maverick, Top Thrill Dragster, Millennium Force, and Magnum. If it was in the UK it would be the best coaster in the country.

 

[John]

I'm also going to jump on the "Raptor is awesome" bandwagon. For a long time it was my #1 B&M coaster and top 10 overall.

None of the other B&Ms in the park are particularly good examples of their kind IMO

 

[Ethan]

I'm also going to jump on the "Raptor is awesome" bandwagon. For a long time it was my #1 B&M coaster and top 10 overall.

None of the other B&Ms in the park are particularly good examples of their kind IMO

Thats interesting actually. I always thought that Gatekeeper was the best example of a wing coaster but Raptor wasn't for an invert. If someone was to ask me what the best ride from each of the B&M models are I would've said:
Invert- Montu
Dive- Sheikra/Griffon
Wing- Gatekeeper/Fenix
Floorless- Kraken

 

[Rob]

Thats interesting actually. I always thought that Gatekeeper was the best example of a wing coaster but Raptor wasn't for an invert. If someone was to ask me what the best ride from each of the B&M models are I would've said:
Invert- Montu
Dive- Sheikra/Griffon
Wing- Gatekeeper/Fenix
Floorless- Kumba/Kraken

Kumba is not a floorless coaster! And I’d say Dominator is the best floorless B&M I have been on.

John is right in saying that none of the other B&Ms at Cedar Point are particularly great. Gatekeeper is fine but is just lacking something and I remember it being quite bouncy on the outer seats. Valravn was a big disappointment, not helped by the awful vest restraints it has. And Rougarou is fine but nothing special.

Cedar Point is all about the best 1-2 punch of any theme park in the world; Uncle SteVe and Aunty Mavis.

 

[Matt N]

Having never visited Cedar Point, I would probably have taken a stab at Valravn being my most anticipated of their B&Ms, seeing as Dive Coasters generally rank pretty well for me compared to other B&M models. SheiKra is just sublime, and I do love Oblivion too!

Out of interest, how exactly do the vest restraints impact Valravn and the other Dive Coasters that have them? I’m not the greatest lover of B&M’s vests based on my experiences with them on The Swarm, Mandrill Mayhem and Pipeline, but I haven’t done a Dive Coaster that has them.

 

[Rob]

Out of interest, how exactly do the vest restraints impact Valravn and the other Dive Coasters that have them? I’m not the greatest lover of B&M’s vests based on my experiences with them on The Swarm, Mandrill Mayhem and Pipeline, but I haven’t done a Dive Coaster that has them.

The vest restraints on Valravn locked in position, which meant you were pinned to your seat for the entire ride and didn’t get any form of airtime etc. However, this was not the case when I rode Valkyria at Liseberg in the summer, the vests on that did not lock and it made for a great experience!

Valravn also seemed to be quite shaky from memory.

 

[John_P]

The Valkyria restraints are the second generation ones compared to Valrayvn being first generation.

I'd also argue dive coasters are always better when you actually dive into something. They should've built a themeing object you'd pass through at the bottom of the drop.

 

[RicketyCricket]

I usually find wing coasters really dull but thought Gatekeeper was brilliant. One of my favourite B&Ms.

 

[John_P]

From: https://youtu.be/aUEldicikDU?si=bPutN08eHXN2HKLF


A video from various people at Zamperla discussing TT2.

 

[John_P]

From: https://youtu.be/ZnIc_p9U0Qs?si=R9IInqDXZWT-XNj4


Spike tower is complete

The three train colours will be blue, silver, and black

A train made up of the blue IAAPA cars and some silver cars has been put onto the track ready for testing to begin. Done this as those are the ones that are ready now and won't be how they'll be used once the rides in operation for the public.

 

[Danny]

Testing has begun:

 

[Ethan]

Testing has begun:

Why has it got flashing lights on it

 

[John_P]

Why has it got flashing lights on it

So planes don't fly into it.

The Big One and Ice Blast have the same sort of lights at the top of their structures (actually the first 2 drops on the big one).

 

[Ethan]

So planes don't fly into it.

The Big One and Ice Blast have the same sort of lights at the top of their structures (actually the first 2 drops on the big one).

Does Stealth? I don't recall seeing any white lights on it

 

[AT86]

Stealth is half the height.

 

[Rob]

Hmmm looks slow, doesn't even make it over the top hat!

 

[Ethan]

Stealth is half the height.

Half the height of Big one. Wow didn't know that...

 

[Matt N]

Half the height of Big one. Wow didn't know that...

I’m assuming @AT86 meant half the height of Top Thrill 2. Stealth is 205ft while Top Thrill 2 is 420ft.

The Big One is only 8ft taller than Stealth, at 213ft.

 

[Rob]

Can we not get in to a discussion about heights of coasters and whether they have lights on please? It is standard practice for structures over a certain height to have light beacons on them.