Perhaps Mr. Kinzel and his minions need to read the famous book: How To Win Friends and Influence People...first the unit holders and now this...one does not charm state regulators by announcing their results prior to their inspection, which certainly appears to be exactly what they had done. How this ends remains to be seen...

And they announced it via tweeting/facebook? Good thing the person in charge of social media already got her promotion.

Perhaps Mr. Kinzel and his minions need to read the famous book: How To Win Friends and Influence People...first the unit holders and now this...one does not charm state regulators by announcing their results prior to their inspection, which certainly appears to be exactly what they had done. How this ends remains to be seen...

For Christmas this year, my grandfather gave me this book, along with a bunch of random nick knacks. Methinks I should put it at the top of my list in reading materials...

The funny thing is this...at one time at Cedar Fair, management trainees and upwardly bound executives were required to read that book, and take associated Dale Carnegie classes...these days at progressive companies From Good to Great is more in style, but there is much wisdom in the management books of old...

...The ride failed an inspection Thursday by Department of Agriculture inspectors, a necessary step toward getting the ride licensed....

Meanwhile, the Red Cross has told the auction winners to show up today:

http://www.sanduskyr...pids-inspection

New pic of StR operating:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/photo.php?pid=42677324&o=all&op=1&view=all&subj=10625691462&aid=-1&id=20923183

Is there any word yet one way or the other if it opened this morning?

It's open:

...UPDATE: 10:40 a.m.

Inspectors and Cedar Point officials smoothed out the snags and 24 Red Cross highest bidders took the inaugural ride just moments ago.

The ride is expected to be open through the weekend, barring any other problems.

Cedar Point official expect 8,000 people will ride the new offering on Saturday alone....

http://www.sanduskyr...and-splash-down

I cant wait to ride this one.Im sure all the legal stuff has been covered or the park would'nt open it up before saturday.

Huh? It JUST opened...

Awesome. This looks like a fun ride. Hopefully I can finally make a trip up to Cedar Point sometime and give it a try.

It appears the issue/snag may have concerned the last row of seats, which is not currently being loaded...the state cleared the ride for operation, subject to certain conditions, just as the park opened this morning.

So it's like Python, on which the last row isn't used?

Good for those guests going this weekend!

Although, I would anticipate the line to be TERRIBLY long due to the hot & humid weather we have been getting here on the shores of Lake Erie, and, given that this would be STR's actual opening weekend, I would also anticipate various breakdowns.

If the lines for water rides are too long, and Soak City is too crowded, I simply exit by Ocean Motion/Wicked Twister and jump in the lake (no, it's not the cleanest of water, but neither are the puke-filled water rides or the pee-filled swimming pools!).

Couldn't you just have Tom pour a cup of free ice water over your head? Surely it's clean...

I'd think.

The minimum height requirement, once announced as 42 inches, is now 46" (46-48" with responsible person). A MAXIMUM height of 78", too.

Just a word to those with little ones:

http://www.cedarpoin...eight_guide.cfm

Good for those guests going this weekend!

Although, I would anticipate the line to be TERRIBLY long due to the hot & humid weather we have been getting here on the shores of Lake Erie, and, given that this would be STR's actual opening weekend, I would also anticipate various breakdowns.

If the lines for water rides are too long, and Soak City is too crowded, I simply exit by Ocean Motion/Wicked Twister and jump in the lake (no, it's not the cleanest of water, but neither are the puke-filled water rides or the pee-filled swimming pools!).

Be sure to enter the lake where swimming is allowed, or the lifeguard may come up and yell at you. Even if only your feet touch the edge of the water.

Lake Erie water is the same as Thunder Canyon, whose water is pumped straight from the bay (visible on perimeter road).

Got to ride Shoot The Rapids on my trip to Cedar Point last week. The ride never had a line in the 4 days I was up there, and after riding it I can see why. When I think of a water ride this is what every one of them should be like, I got soaked to the bone and not an inch of me was dry. The drop is amazing and the steepness really surprised me, as was seen in my on ride photo afterward. The theming is a little scarce at times on the ride, and the jets at the bottom of the second drop were not on for our drop so I was a little disappointed. Overall though I rate it up there with Daredevil Falls on my top water rides list. Both drops took my breath away and were very exhilarating. I still am a little confused as to why the back seats were roped off and had big stickers on the seats that said, Seat Unavailable. Anyone have any insight to this?

I will say what I can say. The ride is currently licensed to operate because certain "issues" have been taken care of, for now. When those issues are fully resolved, the ride will operate as Cedar Fair and the manufacturer intended...and not until.

When I think of a water ride this is what every one of them should be like, I got soaked to the bone and not an inch of me was dry.

Some of disagree, when there are already two soakers in the park, we wanted a sprinkler to replace the defunct White Water Landing. We ended up with another Snake River Falls, not all of us want to get drenched.

Exactly. I can`t remember the last time I`ve ridden White Water Canyon or Congo Falls at Kings Island. Its been several years, because I typically do not wish to get soaked. I have however, ridden Race For Your Life Charlie Brown this year.

I rode STR on Friday and here were my thoughts. Theming was on the lighter side. I was not expecting that steep of a drop though on the first one. I think in the development process, they should have went with the little hill first. then the big hill second, but that is just my opinion. I also noticed the ride ops in the station were putting us in order, on the boat, from heaviest to lightest(heavy in the front- light in the back). I asked them why they were doing this and they said boat balance issues? The only guess I have is the back could be much heavier than the front causing the back to sink? Also, there was a mechanic in the ride operators booth, instead of a normal ride op. Which made me think that STR was probably in manual and not on auto.

Shoot the Rapids was a fun experience indeed. But to much of a hassle, for a not so exciting ride.

I'm not really a big fan of water rides in a dry park, except for Congo Falls at KI. I liked Pilgrims Plunge at HW too. I haven't ridden STR yet.. I suppose I will eventually, lol.

I prefer to be soaked, as that's how I believe water rides should get you.. but normally if it's a blazing hot day, I just grab my flip flops and bikini and head for the water park.

Cedar Fair sues the company they initially hired to make and install the fake rocks for Shoot the Rapids:

http://www.sanduskyr...suit051711tjxml

Cedar Point's parent company filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Toledo against an artificial rock company, alleging Rock & Waterscape of Auburn Hills, Mich., cheated the company by taking $221,175 for doing little work on the Shoot the Rapids water ride at Cedar Point.

Shoot the Rapids opened last year as Cedar Point's new ride.

The lawsuit states that in 2009, Cedar c Point hired Rock & Waterscape at an agreed-upon price of $524,360 to manufacture and install the ride's fake rocks and gave the company payments of more than $200,000.

By March 2010, however, Rock & Waterscape said it couldn't get the rocks done on time.

The company finally asked if it could abandon the project, and Cedar Point hired another company, Cemrock, to finish the work.

Under the new agreement, Rock & Waterscape was supposed to keep just $3,895.70 and give $221,175.30 back. But more than a year after the settlement was reached, Rock & Waterscape hasn't refunded any of the money, claims the federal lawsuit that Cedar Fair filed last week.

Because Cedar Point had to hire another company, "Cedar Point was essentially forced to pay twice for the work," the suit alleges.

Gee, I wonder if they did all the fake rockwork for Maverick too... oh wait...

LOL. A sue over fake rocks - and LOL at how much they cost.

And now we know why Cedar Fair doesn't bother with theming.

Exactly. I can`t remember the last time I`ve ridden White Water Canyon or Congo Falls at Kings Island. Its been several years, because I typically do not wish to get soaked. I have however, ridden Race For Your Life Charlie Brown this year.

I know this is a old post but whatever, but last opening day I rode Race For Your Life Charlie Brown for the first time in the 2011 season.

Since the waits were all long and most major rides were closed, me and a group of friends decided to ride it. Out of the million time Ive ridden the flume I have never once got soaked or even wet. But, by the end of the ride I might as well have jumped into a pool, it was crazy.

LOL. A sue over fake rocks - and LOL at how much they cost.

I don't understand, and it's not just the typing. What's funny about the price? Those things are crazy expensive and why wouldn't you sue if someone did not provide something you had paid for.

I don't understand what is funny about the price either. You have to pay for time, equipment, man-power, and materials. Actually sounds like a deal to me.

Shoot the Rapids is much improved. The new boats not only travel the course at a slightly brisker clip, but they skim over the water as opposed to "plunging" like they did last year. There is also no more jolting/jarring at the bottom of the second drop, which many guests felt, including my wife.

I made 7 trips to the park last year, and last weekend was the first time I've ever seen the thing running