Potential Disaster Transport refurbishment

I know there are other wish list threads on here but this is purely about Disaster Transports future. Screamscape has posted a rumor for a DT refurbishment for 2014. I know we have to take it with a grain of salt but if they kept it, what do you think will be done to it?

I'd like the actual ride to stay but a whole new building. Another part of me just wants it all to go down and build a new indoor coaster in its spot. Although I believe DT is one of three left in the world.

Why put more lipstick on it? It's still a pig. Actually, it's disrespectful to talk about pigs that way.

As nice as it is in the summer when you really need to cool off, I personally wish something would trigger the park to put the final nail in Disaster Transport's coffin. It has been a waste of space for too long.

I dont know. I think a refurb would be cool if they did it right. Depends on what they would do.

No reason to invest any more significant money in that thing. Just replacing the burned out bulbs and knocking off the dust on the effects would do wonders. Has anyone ever looked up and actually seen how much dust is on that netting?

We always talk about ROI for capital projects. Would there be any ROI on a refurb of DT? I highly doubt it.

It would be great if they did a refurb on it. Too many people enjoy the ride. Its one of the few that is 42" height requirement. Or replace it with another small family coaster.

Why does it have to have a ROI to refurb it?

Does coaster paint jobs have an ROI?

Replacing lights on the coaster have an ROI?

Remodeling the restrooms have an ROI?

I guess its part of the bigger picture to have these things done whether it has an ROI or not, it needs done.

All of those have ROI, it's just not direct. A better guest experience will yield a ROI at the gate, food stands, shops, etc. The question is how do you quantify it and decide whether or not some thing is worth fixing or should be torn down and replaced.

gtpsuper24 said:
It would be great if they did a refurb on it. Too many people enjoy the ride. Its one of the few that is 42" height requirement. Or replace it with another small family coaster.

Why does it have to have a ROI to refurb it?

Does coaster paint jobs have an ROI?

Replacing lights on the coaster have an ROI?

Remodeling the restrooms have an ROI?

I guess its part of the bigger picture to have these things done whether it has an ROI or not, it needs done.

Actualy the height requirement is 46" only DT and ID are at 46" which is the lowest of all the major coasters.

Does anyone know....were those just lowered to 46" for this coming season? I could of swore last time I checked (about a year ago) all the major coasters were 48" or taller. Because we were wondering if our son could get on anything at CP.

I was hopeing with Kinzel out perhaps some requirement would be lowered to near or at manufacturer listing.

I can't believe you need to be 48" to ride any of CF's Arrow Mine trains!

Oh and I hope DT doesn't go anywhere anytime soon...one of my favorite rides and most of my friends like it too. I don't understand all the complaints about it...sure it would be nice if the themeing was better and kept in shape, but it's a neat and relaxing ride. It's indoors AND a bobsled!

gtpsuper24 said:
It would be great if they did a refurb on it. Too many people enjoy the ride. Its one of the few that is 42" height requirement. Or replace it with another small family coaster.

Why does it have to have a ROI to refurb it?

Does coaster paint jobs have an ROI?

Replacing lights on the coaster have an ROI?

Remodeling the restrooms have an ROI?

I guess its part of the bigger picture to have these things done whether it has an ROI or not, it needs done.

Because dropping a couple of million dollars on a refurbishment of DT is a lot different than changing light bulbs. I'm not saying that all of those things you listed are not important, because they are very important to the overall guest experience. Those are generally considered ongoing operating expenses and not capital expenses. If they might be looking at spending big dollars on DT, then I would expect a good return on that and as a unit holder, they better :)

Jason is 100% correct when he asks the question of how you quantify it and decide if its better to repair or replace.

Yeah 42" was a typo, don't know why I though it was 42".

So DT refurb doesn't offer a better guest experience? I would bet the maintenance isn't very high on it, plus ridership is really high.

You'll end up with a ride that people are familar with, a ride that all the bugs have been worked out of it years ago, no "new ride down time". Clean it up, add new LED lights, new decorations inside, new paint and maybe repaint the outside to match whatever theme they decide on. That would be much cheaper than tearing it down and rebuilding something else plus all the hassle of a new ride.

I wouldn't mind DT if it weren't so big...and hogging up the beach. I think an enclosed version of an (S&S) El Loco coaster in the MIDDLE of the park would have been a better fit.

And, if CP got rid of DT, wouldn't that mean getting rid of Happy Jack's?

I personally like DT, and I'd love to see a refurb. For whatever reason, I'm a fan of the bobsled coaster, and I think it's something unique at Cedar Point that adds variety to the day. It's the only roller coaster my mom will ride at Cedar Point, and she loves it. While not so popular on these forums, it still seems popular with the average park guest.

So many people talk about how it kills the beautiful beach view (and I'll agree to an extent), but it is all the way toward the parking lot, and there is still an open view, especially with the addition of WindSeeker. If Cedar Point was to get another indoor/dark ride, where in the park would it go without hurting the peninsula lake view?

I think much of the negativity with the ride is how much it was left to decay. Its entrance is tucked away in a corner in shame, and some people think the ride is broken down or permanently closed when seeing the closed door which was once the entrance.

It's amazing what theming can do to a ride. Do you remember how everyone used to scream on DT when the in flight computer used to announce, "I'm losing control!" Now the riders are just silent there. Regardless, something needs to be done about the ride in its current state, so hopefully this rumor is somehow true.

scraperguy99 said:Does anyone know....were those just lowered to 46" for this coming season?

It's been 46" for as long as I can remember.

! said:I think an enclosed version of an (S&S) El Loco coaster in the MIDDLE of the park would have been a better fit.

Would have been? El Loco's didn't exist when Avalanche Run was built or even when it was converted into Disaster Transport. Now, Had you said, "Would be" then I might have agreed with you. :-)

I would love to see Disaster Transport stay. The more I read, I realize how many people want the actual ride to stay. How many parks have bobsled coasters? Not many and having a variety of coasters and with DT being rare, it helps with the roller coaster capital of the world. It's all about quality, not quantity.

I think EVEYTHING but the ride needs to go. Build a whole new building and everything. Space mountain is nice to look at from the outside so we can make DT have a nice outside building. Also when building the new exterior building, make sure it can run in the rain.

I still think it should be rethemed, inside and out, as a family, Peanuts-themed experience. Why in the world Cedar Fair hasn't done something like that already completely eludes me.

Ensign Smith said:
I still think it should be rethemed, inside and out, as a family, Peanuts-themed experience. Why in the world Cedar Fair hasn't done something like that already completely eludes me.

Because Snoopy and the Peanuts are a horrible fit at Cedar Point - this would completely destroy the ride. Let's get rid of that ugly dog house on the main midway too while we are removing eyesores from the park.

^What's with all the Peanuts/Snoopy hate? I think that the Peanuts/Snoopy theme is great for the park!

DT should've been overhauled 10-12 years ago, when CF aquired rights to use the Peanuts franchise. The 22 year old building itself is probably due for a new roof, judging from the several leaks present whenever there's rain. That would've been the first thing to fix if the park was going to retheme the coaster and keep for many years to come. CP would be better off to demolish DT and construct a new family-friendly coaster, and redevelop that corner of the park. I wouldn't be surprised if the ride is removed in the next few years, especially with the new leadership.

The biggest reason to get rid of the ride is that it's hideous, on arguably one of the most valuable spots in the park. Every ride on the beach is fantastic except for that one, and Giant Wheel in particular is made less of a ride by the presence of a warehouse next to it.

I would argue that it's only hideous in its current incarnation. Theming can be replaced and improved. The park could add a very comely faux exterior to the building that would remove the eyesore argument, thereby leaving only the "blocks the view" issue (which is going to present itself for virtually any ride that would be built at the locattion). As far as the coaster itself, it's a perfectly servicable bobsled layout--and don't forget it's the only indoor such layout in the world. To me, that kind of uniqueness adds value.