Coaster Enthusiasts!

[SRV2LOW4ME]

Yeah, I could see that tilt coaster being in the news one day, only it won't be reporting on how fun the ride is.

 

[ExigeEvan]

My local.

I've also been on another awesome wooden roller coaster, Tonnerre De Zeus at Parc Asterix in France and Goudurix also there that took my loop-da-loop virginity.

Been on the Rollercoasters in Orlando, including almost getting killed before I even got on the coaster (Someone losing their camera on the loop over the bridge!).

Though my favourite place, probably because it was so empty was Flamingo Land in Yorkshire. Don't be fooled by the name. Several awesome rollercoasters there including a surprisingly good one called Bullet which was a point to point one but was so tight and compact it was great.

 

[MagpieRacer]

This coaster took my loop-de-loop virginity. Turbo on Brighton pier, immense drop at about 25-30 foot, and crazy speed maxxing at probably 30mph......:rolleye:

 

[FoolKiller]

That tilt coaster looks fun... But at the same time it's a bit dangerous!

No more dangerous than any other coaster. The only problem could be if the brakes go out, but imagine a 120 mph coaster having its brakes go out. You would whip around the curve at around 100 mph, without any banking, and then slam into the cars in the station. Fortunately the natural resting position of brakes is closed, or on, and it takes power to open them and allow the train to move. So if something did breakdown the brakes would lockup and you woudl just be stuck facing downhill at the worst. A computer malfunction causing something to unlock the brakes is the only true problem and I have never heard of that happening.

This coaster took my loop-de-loop virginity. Turbo on Brighton pier, immense drop at about 25-30 foot, and crazy speed maxxing at probably 30mph......:rolleye:

Trust me, as someone who made Vortex at King's Island (six inversions - see pic below) their first looping coaster, you should probably start out small. I was 12 and about ten feet from the top I asked my mom if it was too late to get off. Of course, my first words after I got off were, "Can we do that again?"

Vortex

 

[TheCracker]

I've been to Six Flags (Ventura? - just north of L.A.) circa '92 - they had some fair coasters back then, i suppose they have better now.

I've also done all the Busch Gardens Florida coasters circa '01 - they had one that was almost complete, i forget the name, which looked good.

I've not been to Alton Towers in years, even though its only about an hour away, but they seem to have some good ones these days.

I still prefere the 'sit-on' type more than the 'suspended under' coasters they do now, unless you are on the first row of suspended under 'seats' you can't really see much in front of you, which to me is the whole point. I've always ended up feeling very sick if i've not been on the front. > >

 

[FoolKiller]

I still prefere the 'sit-on' type more than the 'suspended under' coasters they do now, unless you are on the first row of suspended under 'seats' you can't really see much in front of you, which to me is the whole point. I've always ended up feeling very sick if i've not been on the front. > >

I agree about not being able to see but suspended coasters are a kind of fad. It adds some thrill to have your feet dangling, but that loose body part can't be had in some of the hyper/giga/strata-coasters. The speeds and G forces would be dangerous to have feet flapping about.

Suspended can't allow for many Gs but they will flip and spin you all day. For the big speed and air time, which is what true junkies seem to look for, you have to have a sitting coaster.

The newest fad is launched coasters, whether it be through cable-hydraulic systems (Top Thrill Dragster, KingDa Ka, Stealth) or it be Linear Induction Motors (LIM - magnets). Those get the incredible acceleration and speeds and can be quite expensive, but that is what everyone wants.

Now that bigger, taller, faster is the thing you will see less suspended coasters being built. The new Intamin seats seem to be the popular way to go now with no sides on the cars and just a lap belt and lap bar holding you in (see my Cedar Point pictures for examples). You can see a lot more than you would like with those, especially since the tracks are too steep for any type of maintenance ramps or stairs on the side to block your vision.

 

[DQuaN]

I kid you not, when I saw this thread title I thought you were talking about little mats to put your drink on!

 

[FoolKiller]

I kid you not, when I saw this thread title I thought you were talking about little mats to put your drink on!

I used to collect them when I was in college. Anytime I was at a restaraunt and it my coaster had a drink brand logo that I didn't already have I would take it. I was trying to circle my dorm room with alcohol logos.

Roller coasters are much more fun.

 

[DQuaN]

This coaster took my loop-de-loop virginity. Turbo on Brighton pier, immense drop at about 25-30 foot, and crazy speed maxxing at probably 30mph......:rolleye:

I've been on this. A few weeks later it was closed for maintenance but some people were allowed to ride on it by the moron attendant. When they were half way round the guy at the front noticed that there was a section of track missing and they all started screaming. The attendant hit the emergency stop just in time and the coaster came to a halt with the front wheels hanging over the edge.

Being solidly strapped into a half ton car, hanging over a 30ft drop with the sea below you must be bloody terrifying.

 

[FoolKiller]

A few weeks later it was closed for maintenance but some people were allowed to ride on it by the moron attendant.

Probably 99% of ride accidents are caused by human actions of some form. Most of the time alcohol is involved, yet many amusement parks still sell alcohol.

 

[SRV2LOW4ME]

I think in many cases, alchohol is what gets the coaster virgins on the ride in the first place.

 

[FoolKiller]

I think in many cases, alchohol is what gets the coaster virgins on the ride in the first place.

If you don't have the balls to ride sober then don't bother.

 

[torque998]

I absolutely love roller coasters, the two best being, without a doubt, Top Thrill Dragster and Millenium Force. With my coaster riding comes another hobby: on-ride photo collecting. Is there anyone else here who collects on-ride photos?

 

[FoolKiller]

I absolutely love roller coasters, the two best being, without a doubt, Top Thrill Dragster and Millenium Force. With my coaster riding comes another hobby: on-ride photo collecting. Is there anyone else here who collects on-ride photos?

I did when they were only $6 but as the prices keep going up ($15 for TTD) I gave it up. It's bad enough I have to pay $3 for a soda after already paying $6 to park and $40 ($65 for a two-day pass) to get in. Don't even let me get started on the food.

When my dad and I went in May we ate a big breakfast before we went (we have stomachs of steel) and then just drank water from the water fountains and then ate dinner when we left. Well, I did pay for a 25 cent cotton candy when they had some kind of special for it.

Oh, and I just saw this:

Theme Park Magazine readers just voted Cedar Point America's #1 amusement park. They also ranked three Cedar Point coasters in the top five: 1) Millenium Force, 2) Top Thrill Dragster, 4) Magnum XL 200.

 

[Alex.]

If you don't have the balls to ride sober then don't bother.

exactly


i went to portAventura today and rode:

Stampida
Dragon kahn
and a couple of others

my dad wouldnt go on hurakan condor and i wasnt gonna go on if her wasnt so we ended up not going on it

 

[FoolKiller]

Cedar Point has announced their new coaster today.
http://maverick.cedarpoint.com/

The site includes artist rendered images and POV animations of what it will be like to ride.

Here are some details:

Name: Maverick
Track Length: 4,450 feet
Lift Height: 105 feet
Angle of Lift Hill: 20 degrees
Vertical Drop: 100 feet
Angle of Descent: 95 degrees
Time: Approx. 2 minutes, 30 seconds
Speed of First Drop: Approx. 57 mph
Speed of Second Launch: Approx. 70 mph
Capacity: Approx. 1,200 riders per hour

And another great source with information and links:
http://www.pointbuzz.com
They also have photo galleries of the construction as it has moved along.

This coaster doesn't break any records but it does look like a fun ride. The only time the track is straight/flat is on the launches. I love the idea of a mid-course launch directly under the loading station.

I had been sitting on this for a while as I knew the construction was going on and that the announcement was coming. I also knew what all the rumors were saying. Many rumors came close but others had ridiculous ideas like 500 ft tall (maybe next time?). So, I wasn't going to post until I had solid facts from Cedar Point themselves and this is the first they have said a word about it. Until now they only said that they were doing construction, but couldn't confirm if it was a ride, despite track already being laid.

I have now decided that I am going to Cedar Point in May. Anyone else that wishes to go is welcomed. You just have to get your own hotels and tickets. They aren't hard to come by when I go. I will announce my actual dates when they announce next season's schedule. Of course, if Maverick has a delayed opening then I may have to adjust my dates.

 

[OZZYGT]

Hey FoolKiller!!! Look at these beasts. I just went to Six Flags like a week ago.





Don't get me wrong, these pics don't represent NJ Six Flags at all. They're just pics that I was able to take at the last moment because my cam wasn't working....until the end of the day

And now, introducing....KINGDA KA





This ^ ride was insane, it was adrenaline at its finest, actually you don't feel any. Is just too fast.




Ciao!

 

[socomplayer2]

SROS is my local hypercoaster, and I've ridden it plenty.

I need to ride KingdaKa.

i live not to far from kingda ka, about 20-30 mins away to be exact. too scared to go on it.... not much of a coaster guy but i have been on some nice ones.

iva actually been rite up to the kinngda ka rite before it opend at six flags

 

[FoolKiller]

So does Kingda Ka pretty much suck your breath away during the launch? I know on TTD that you have to make an effort to breathe up until you start climbing.

I want to get out to that Six Flags park sometime, but my dad is the only person I can get to go do these things with me and he only wants to do Cedar Point.

Well, I am glad you managed to actually get on Kingda Ka. These hydraulic cable launched systems that Intamin built are notorious for downtime. At Cedar Point it is hit or miss on TTD. If the cable breaks then it shuts down for the day. I doubt we will see many more coasters like this in the future.

To go bigger they are going to have to improve LIMs and LSMs to be able to do these massive launches in an affordable way. The last I heard the Air Force is working on it for carrier launches so it should only be a few years away.

 

[OZZYGT]

Actually we had to wait 3 hours to ride it, because they closed it due to some technical dificulties

Would you believe that, because me and my girlfriend wanted the front row seats (we always do ) we had to wait half hour longer of course, and the guys who were in front of us...when it was their turn, the coaster actually came back to its starting position when it was about to get launched!, after that we had to wait 20 more minutes to get it started again. I've never been scared of coasters, but at that time I was scared as a chicken, I was literary shaking because we were next!

It was fun though...I tried to close my eyes due to severe dryness but the wind coming into my eyelids wouldn't allowe me to.

I'm really looking forward to check C.P. out, but right now I just have to focus a little more on school.



Ciao!

 

[HACKr]

Actually we had to wait 3 hours to ride it, because they closed it due to some technical dificulties

Would you believe that, because me and my girlfriend wanted the front row seats (we always do ) we had to wait half hour longer of course, and the guys who were in front of us...when it was their turn, the coaster actually came back to its starting position when it was about to get launched!, after that we had to wait 20 more minutes to get it started again. I've never been scared of coasters, but at that time I was scared as a chicken, my was literary shaking because we were next!

It was fun though...I tried to close my eyes due to severe dryness but the wind coming into my eyelids wouldn't allowe me to.

I'm really looking forward to check C.P. out, but right now I just have to focus a little more in school.



Ciao!

Lucky!

Damn, it's been MONTHS since I've ridden a coaster. I need one now, lol.

 

[FoolKiller]

Actually we had to wait 3 hours to ride it, because they closed it due to some technical dificulties

This is common for this kind of coaster. They use an oil hydraulic system that yanks the coaster with a cable to launch it and while it proved to be the cheapest system for launching coasters it also proved to be the least reliable. LIMs and LSMs, which require multiple computers to run in perfect synchronization and use as much electricity for one ride as the Las Vegas strip have proven better.

This might explain why CPs new coaster will use LSMs, even for the lift hill (instead of a chain).

Would you believe that, because me and my girlfriend wanted the front row seats (we always do ) we had to wait half hour longer of course, and the guys who were in front of us...when it was their turn, the coaster actually came back to its starting position when it was about to get launched!, after that we had to wait 20 more minutes to get it started again.

I know the love of the front row, but with the stadium style seats they put in now it doesn't seem worth it anymore. I still try for it on older coasters. Although, if there are any good airtime hills, or bunny hills, try the back seat. Before you clear the top you will fill the train start to pull and whip you over. You don't get this on KK and TTD though, because they go over the top very slow.

When it came back did the operators say things like, "Reset system 1. Reset system 2," and whatnot? At CP this year I sat through six of those in a row while in line. What should have been a walk-on ride turned into a 45 minute wait. Then after we rode and were coming back in we got stopped at a brake just outside teh station while they tried to reset it again, but it wasn't working so they came out with a battery pack to unlock our seats and let us exit via the access ramp. These coasters are so glitchy.

I've never been scared of coasters, but at that time I was scared as a chicken, I was literary shaking because we were next!

That sounds about like my first ride of TTD. After that though it was nothing but an adrenaline rush. There is somthing about the launch that made me more nervous than any coaster with a slow climb to the top.

I'm really looking forward to check C.P. out, but right now I just have to focus a little more on school.

Is that high school or college? If it's college I recommend a trip to Cedar Point the first week after the spring semester ends, on a Monday or Wednesday. The park is practically empty. When TTD is working it's wait is only about 15 minutes, Millenium Force is practically a walk-on, and everything else pretty much is a walk-on.

The only thing that might hold you up is if the area schools decide to have physics day when you are there. Then you get held up by a bunch of kids trying to measure heights and whatnot with homemade instruments. Honestly, if they were smarter they could read the signs for the data, then do the math backwards to lie about how they got it. It's one less step and they aren't holding up the line.

Damn, it's been MONTHS since I've ridden a coaster. I need one now, lol.

I know the feeling. I was hoping to go to King's Island because I have yet to ride Son of Beast but that won't be open for the rest of this season. SOmething about splintering wood and a safety risk.

I am thinking about going to Holiday World to try out their new coaster before they close for the year.


It just occured to me that I use a lot of what I consider common coaster terms, such as LIM and LSM. If I use a term or initials for a ride feel free to ask. I know these aren't something that people outside of enthusiast groups use. I just spend too much time cruising enthusiast Web sites and watching scientific documentaries on roller coasters.

 

[astrosdude91]

I'm bringing this thread back to the limelight!

I am a Roller Coaster enthusiast! Infact, I'm more of a Roller Coaster nerd!

The parks I've been to are:
Six Flags Over Texas
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Six Flags Astroworld (I miss it dearly)
Sea World San Antonio
Disney World.

My biggest regret is not enjoying Astroworld enough! I didn't aquire an addiction for the Roller Coaster until after Astroworld closed. Those last few years were not very good though. It turned into Ghettoworld, alot of rude people. I do make it a point to go to go to Fiesta Texas wheneverI'm in San Antonio, which is not very often. My all time favorite coaster that I've ridden is Superman: Krypton Coaster, at Fiesta Texas. It's a fantastic B&M floorless coaster.
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I also play Roller Coaster Tycoon 2. I never really got into RCT3.

I hope this thread gets alot more hits now that coaster season in here!

 

[lbsf1]

Last week it did my first big coasters.
Went to thorpe park and rode.
Stealth
Nemisis Inferno
Saw

Now I'm hooked and want to go again.

 

[Austin343]

I also play Roller Coaster Tycoon 2.

That's a fantastic game. 👍 My favorite part was always designing roller coasters; I usually ended up making them too long to be practical in terms of cost, even though they scored very highly in the Excitement category. In the original Roller Coaster Tycoon, I lived in constant fear of the catastrophically bad Station Brakes Failure, and was very glad to see it gone in the second iteration of the game. Only later, after having played the second game for a while, did I hit upon the solution of adding a set of regular brakes right before the station.

 

[astrosdude91]

In the original Roller Coaster Tycoon, I lived in constant fear of the catastrophically bad Station Brakes Failure, and was very glad to see it gone in the second iteration of the game. Only later, after having played the second game for a while, did I hit upon the solution of adding a set of regular brakes right before the station.

I still have nightmares about station brake failures.

And while were on the subject of RCT, what the hell does "Saftey Cut Out" mean!? It seems like every other breakdown is a "Saftey Cut Out!"

 

[Austin343]

I know! The omnipresent threat of a station brakes failure must have shortened my expected lifespan by at least a month. And I'm not sure that I ever understood what exactly a safety cut-out was, either.

 

[dylansan]

What about RCT3? I would think that would be more popular that the second, right? I've had plenty of fun with that, but there were some problems that prevented complete creativity as far as park design. Not to advertise, but for those theme park enthusiasts out there, there may be another sim worth waiting for: http://www.tpb3d.net/

 

[Mrs. Famine]

I went to a theme park yesterday, I rode a new coaster I've not been on before (I've not done rollercoasters for a while, although I was at Six Flags near SF last year).

The one I rode yesterday was this one. If I'd been there with older people and not my 9 year old daughter and niece, then I would've gone on a few more

 

[astrosdude91]

Sadly, with Astroworld gone, the only roller coaster in the Houston area is in Kemah, at the Kemah Boardwalk.

The Boardwalk Bullet:

It's a woodie, built by the Gravity Group. It's 96 feet tall. It's built on only 1 acre of land, so it's one of the most compact wooden rollercoasters in the world!


I haven't had the chance to ride it yet, but I plan to sometime this summer.