The Cedar Point website is linking to today's vote, resulting in a surge of votes for its roller coaster Maverick over last year's champion, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror from Disney's Hollywood Studios.
When I saw a surge of votes come in for Maverick, I closed the poll temporarily to find out what was going on. Once I did, I reopened voting.
If theme parks want to link to the tournament and encourage their fans to vote... fair game. This is the first example I've found of a park doing that, although I know that many park employees and ride designers have been linking to the tournament through corporate Intranets and personal blogs. Cedar Point's move takes that up a level.
Of course, Disney, Universal, Six Flags and Busch are welcomed to play that game, too. As are fans site for those companies. So, Disney fans, if you want Tower of Terror to live past today, you'd better start campaigning, too.
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I Respond: EXACTLY!
It seems that previously ignored voices are now being heard loud and clear. The amusement/theme park industry does exist outside of California and Florida, and it's good to finally see those fans here voicing their opinion. I totally encourage all park fansites for all parks to cast your votes. It would be a stacked deck if only Disney fansites linked up now wouldn't it. Since this is an opinion based poll, I say the wider the demographic, the more accurate the result.
Even though this rattles the Disney/Universal fan cage, congrats Robert on the increased traffic and web exposure.
So, Robert, if all the major theme park companies pulled a similar stunt, would/could it crash the servers?
So many sites are either amusement park based or theme park based. Nowhere has there been a site that was able to really give both sides the proper attention. TPI has always given a forum to regional amusement parks, but they've never been properly represented by the people, and most news coverage has gone to Disney or Universal because of that. I've been posting here for a long time (almost 7 years) with the message that the regional amusement parks, be they big or small, have a place in the industry, and that while Disney and Universal have some great attractions, there are some really good rides and parks outside of Florida and California. I remember when even Busch Gardens in Williamsburg didn't come up in conversation. While I'm pretty sure I was loud and clear on my points, it took an army of Cedar Point fans to really get the message across.
If anything, I hope that this tournament and the wild turn it has taken... brings in new talent, and opens up real conversation about the industry and it's offerings as a whole, and not just a select few parks and their attractions. Now that the amusement park fans are in the house, this website has the very real potential to be the absolute, ultimate, and definitive source and authority on all things theme and amusement park related.
I just wish you woulda pulled this stunt BEFORE all the Dollywood rides got wiped out!
I hope that plenty of smart, articulate, insightful CP fans stick around and contribute to the site. I suspect that many folks who instead just followed instructions will soon forget about the site, as well. It'll all even out.
In the meantime, I'm planning plenty of features that will appeal to the theme-first crowd, and will make the tone and spirit of the site quite clear to our newcomers.
Finally, I'm testing some code this weekend to deal with the 70+ comments on blogs. I'd like to switch to a feature that just shows the most recent comments since your last log-in, like on the discussions. It's a nice problem to have, though.
Still, good for you Robert. The theme parks care!
This is terrible though too! Call up Disney! Call up Unviersal, Call up Six Flags! So I guess the Disney fans are not the craziest anymmore ;)
First, the poll was made more difficult for me because it was WDW's ToT, a far superior experience to DL's version because the ride vehicle actually leaves the elevator shaft and the window in the star field effect is amazing. The theming in the queue area is also the best of breed.
On the other hand, Maverick has many features that are one-of-a-kind and that carries a lot of weight with me. Sure, you can take hundreds of millions of dollars (literally) and make a fairly short drop ride interesting. Cedar Point doesn't have that kind of cash and they have a short season so that also hampers what they can do. But over and over again they produce world class coasters with limited resources but lots of innovation and forward thinking.
Put me in an imaginary park with ToT on my left and Maverick on my right. I'm heading to the right. But, I'll be looking to my left while I wait in line!
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Cedar Point is the BEST "amusement" park in the whole world. With Disney World and Universal Orlando tying for best "theme" park(s). Kudos to Cedar Point for paying attention!!