Attraction Defunct Stinger

[Shane]

At the very end of a blog post detailing upcoming changes to Dorney the park quietly dropped this bomb stating that the Vekoma Invertigo model shuttle coaster "Stinger" would be closed and removed for the 2018 season.

Finally, from time to time we have to move things around or even remove them completely in order to look to the future. Stinger, which came to us from our sister park California's Great America in 2012, will be removed to make room for future planning opportunities. We don’t have details to share right now, but we are working on future planning and development of the park.

More info will surface about our 2018 season throughout the winter, so stay connected with us on our social media channels and through our e-newsletter for the latest updates.

Despite it being an off the shelf Vekoma shuttle coaster, it is unfortunate that the park was unable to announce it's closer before the end of the season to give any potential fans of the ride a chance to ride it one last time. I believe this makes Kings Island's Invertigo the last one operating in the United States.

 

[Thomas]

That ride had no fans.

 

[SLC Headache]

Didn't see this one coming, and glad I got the credit. I thought it was better than Flying Cobras.

 

[Zachary]

I honestly didn't think Stinger was horrible. Plenty better than Vekoma Boomerangs with old trains, better than its sister, Invertigo, at Kings Island, but ultimately, that still only makes it marginally better than some really bad rides. Not at all sad to see this one go.

I am very excited to see what replaces it though. Stinger's corner of the park is far and away my least favorite area at Dorney. A large new coaster of almost any kind would really revitalize that section (and honestly, the park at large).

Dorney Park, in my opinion, has a remarkably strong collection of good coasters. Talon, Hydra, Steel Force, and Thunderhawk all make for a rock solid foundation of coasters to build upon. Dorney has long been missing the flagship to crown their collection though. I don't expect something on the scale of Fury here of course, but even a sister for HangTime, RailBlazer, or Mystic Timbers would be a gamechanger for this park.

 

[Shane]

Depending on RailBlazer's success at CGA, I more than definitely could see a clone going to Dorney. I'd be more surprised for something like Mystic Timbers honestly.

 

[SLC Headache]

Depending on RailBlazer's success at CGA, I more than definitely could see a clone going to Dorney. I'd be more surprised for something like Mystic Timbers honestly.

An RMC Raptor (preferably not a clone) would fulfill the 48" minimum looper role that Laser left behind.

But on the other hand, a bigger GCI would fulfill the big wooden role that Hercules left behind.

 

[Shane]

Based on the Wonder Woman coaster at SFFT and RailBlazer, I'm pretty sure the next installation of an RMC Raptor will be a clone of that same design. Exspecially given that it's a lower tier CF park, but who knows.

 

[SLC Headache]

Based on the Wonder Woman coaster at SFFT and RailBlazer, I'm pretty sure the next installation of an RMC Raptor will be a clone of that same design. Exspecially given that it's a lower tier CF park, but who knows.

Has Cedar Fair ever installed an exact clone (not counting relocations)? I'm told Talon is very similar to Patriot over at Worlds of Fun, but still not a clone the way Batman at various Six Flags parks is.

Although with Valleyfair's two most recent additions being flats more commonly found at Six Flags parks than Cedar Fair parks...

How much more space does Railblazer take up than Invertigo?

 

[Shane]

It's not beyond Cedar Fair to buy an off the shelf design. RailBlazer is an off the shelf design already. If Cedar Fair was going to install a custom designed Raptor at Dorney, why did they not install a custom designed Raptor at CGA? The two parks are on the opposite side of the country from one another and have two different target markets. Beyond enthusiasts and heavy travlers or transplants, it's a lot less likely that any of CGA's regular guests would end up at Dorney and discover a that the park installed a clone.

 

[Pretzel Kaiser]

How about something like Hangtime?

 

[SLC Headache]

How about something like Hangtime?

Eh, between Fahrenheit, Impulse, Thunderbolt, and the upcoming Takabisha clone, I think the upper Mid-Atlantic is pretty saturated with Euro-Fighter / Infinity style coasters (never mind that the first three are not actually Gerstlauer).

Even a RailBlazer clone would be unique to the East Coast. It could have its moment in the sun until Gadv or Hershey one-ups it with an RMC T-Rex.

 

[Pretzel Kaiser]

Fair, but I also don't see Dorney really being a "first for region" park despite its charm.

 

[SLC Headache]

Fair, but I also don't see Dorney really being a "first for region" park despite its charm.

Steel Force was arguably the East Coast's first hyper, Steel Phantom over at Kennywood still having its loops, and Intamin and B&M having yet to attempt a hyper at the time.

An RMC Raptor would be a relatively cheap regional "first" in comparison, and Dorney could be a good place to put it. Carowinds is in the South and not the Mid-Atlantic, and Kings Dominion is pretty loaded on loopers already with Anaconda, Dominator, and Twisted Timbers on the way.

As for the big Mid-Atlantic parks outside of Cedar Fair, Hershey is also pretty packed, and Project Madrid at BGW might be bigger than what RMC is willing to do for their first T-Rex. I wouldn't put it past Six Flags to buy a Wonder Woman Golden Lasso Coaster for Gadv or SFA...who am I kidding, it won't be SFA. Kennywood would be the other vaguely possible location for an RMC single rail.

 

[Shane]

So it looks like Cedar Fair is not relocating or scrapping Stinger as they have listed it for sale here.

 

[b.mac]

Updating: Stinger is not being sold, and is instead being scrapped.

 

[Zachary]

Given its years of seemingly constant technical difficulties, this is probably for the best.

 

[b.mac]

It was actually running reliably from 2015 on, considering its troubled history. It was never worth the trouble, however since it wasn't in an accessible or even popular part of the park. I always found myself walking through Thunderhawk to get back towards the center of Dorney. Since the holding brake for Possessed doesn't work anymore, I wouldn't mind if Dorney just wiped that area clean and put new rides in there.