stricklandCC

I wouldn't doubt if this has been asked before, so pardon me. What are the most likely locations for next seasons coaster(assuming SFMM is still getting one)? I'm not extremely familiar with the park, so google earth images would be helpful.

Only one comes to mind definitively. Ghostrider. Horrible.

^ Correct. My only visit to Animal Kingdom was on a cast preview day, before the park ever opened to the public.(don't even know how long ago...)Asia was just a plot of dirt. It didn't even seem like construction on the land had started. There was the funny Wildlife Express train that took you back to Rafiki's area, and you could tell that the Rapids was under construction, but that was it.

Satchboogie3 wrote: I go by ratings. If you look at the top 10 ranked roller coasters of 2009 (Mitch Hawker) in BOTH wood and steel, 10 of those 20 roller coasters are Intamins. Intamin had 5 in the top 10 Steel (B&M was next with 4), and 5 in the top 10 wood. No other company has both a Top 20 wood and Top 20 steel roller coaster. The fact that Intamin now produces better wooden coasters than all of the companies that ONLY make wooden coasters (many of which have been around for a long long time) is amazing. well, i kind of have a problem with that — you seem to be trying to use the Mitch Hawker as authoritative “proof” that B&Ms are somehow “better” than Intamins, which is, of course, ridiculous! at the most all you can say is that more people who took that particular poll think that Intamin is better than B&M, and isn't this topic supposed to be about what you think? but, then again, how else could you ever really “settle” this issue? i guess you can't, and i guess that's also sort of the whole fun of debating it! of course, i can't really debate it, since i've never actually been on an Intamin rollercoaster (because i'm from Florida, and i'm broke!), but i will say this much: whenever a new Intamin ride comes out, i'm always excited to see what they've come up with this time — whenever a new B&M ride comes out, i honestly just don't care! B&M was once my favorite coaster manufacturer, but the couple of relatively “recent” B&Ms i've had a chance to ride were really dissapointing, and their layouts are so predictable that it's becoming pathetic! Intamin, though, at least seems to try and do different things, and while not everything they do looks all that impressive to me, there's enough that does to make me feel genuinely kind of awful about never having had a chance to ride one!!! WHAT???^^^ Chauncey, your response makes no sense at all. Re-read it...you are not only mis-interpreting satchboogie3's post...you are you marking scratchboogie3's opinion as un-warranted. you clearly contradict yourself. You state: ....... “proof” that B&Ms are somehow “better” than Intamins, which is, of course, ridiculous..." You also say, "...since i've never actually been on an Intamin rollercoaster........" "...whenever a new Intamin ride comes out, i'm always excited to see what they've come up with this time — whenever a new B&M ride comes out, i honestly just don't care! B&M was once my favorite coaster manufacturer, but the couple of relatively “recent” B&Ms i've had a chance to ride were really disappointing, and their layouts are so predictable that it's becoming pathetic! Explain... Seems to me, but Sacthbogie3 was clearly voting for Intamin.[/u]

since we're talking about it. I never rode Psyclone "post-earthquake" however, I rode it enough times to determine the ride that it was(a good time). On the other hand, I did ride Ghostrider just recently, and although I am very tolerable of a rough ride....I will not ride it again(until they figure out a way to fix it). Ghostrider along with Pony Express are some of the worst rides I've ever been on, obviously for different reasons. But IMHO Ghostrider was #1 most un-ridable roller coaster I've been on. I've enjoyed Flashback, Orient Express, Psyclone, and some more of the so- called "worst rides" in the world, sans Gourderix. Terminator seems to be a true crowd-pleaser, perhaps not the longest or tallest of the GCI's, but I do believe it will show the GP what a good wooden roller coaster really is.

Orient Express at Worlds of Fun

The long lost space dive. photo courtesy of RCDB

^ thats absolutely hilarious...'nuff said. Seriously though, the fact that such high dollar engineering project can be so under-engineered...curious. Does Dodonpa still operate with the original trains?

^ Did they ever replace the pneumatic wheels with traditional polyurethane coated wheels? And when the tires did fail, and the train evidently dragged the frame, I'm assuming it wouldn't have completed the circuit. I would've hoped that engineers would have incorporated some sort of back-up or "fail-safe" system.

Is there any conceptual art pertaining to the building fly-through? I'm curious to see how they incorporate the surrounding facade.

While maybe not a true suspension system, S&S used rubber, air filled tires/wheels on Dodonpa and Hypersonic XLC as an attempt to create a smoother ride. Eventually trains were modified/replaced for reliability reasons, I do not know if the pneumatic wheel system was effected or a cause of this modification.

one of my all time favorites "Flashback" SFMM just a simple filter. photo courtesy of RCDB

^^ My friend's brother had been a mechanical engineer on the ride. He had told us that it was ill-equipped and needed further engineering and design. I later heard (obviously from an unreliable source) that the ride had failed. But according to Linda Orgera, vice president of sales and marketing for the park: "By regulating the water pressure, the riders control how high and fast the swing goes, spraying fellow riders and onlookers in the process". Or at least that's how the ride was supposed to work when it premiered last year. ``Basically, [we closed it) because it wasn't as exciting as it could be" So seems as though my friend's brother was correct on his assessment, however, I can find no information regarding an accident. link to full article http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/go2-1663,0,7807199.story It still seems slightly odd that the ride was closed so quickly after completion due to lack of excitement.

I know exactly what type of ride you're talking about. They used to have one at Wet-N-Wild in Orlando FL. Last I heard, it was often down for maintenance and eventually catastrophically failed, severely injuring both riders.

^ It seems as though there is some sort of braking apparatus beginning just before the final dive. photo courtesy of RCDB

This monster is shaping up really nicely, great pictures. Just a silly side note\question though, I know that the "dead man's turn" is a common element on many wooden coasters, however, is there a reason they named it "dead man's turn"?

Does anyone know the status of Deja vu'? will it be operating for the event, or can we expect it to be down for its yearly re-hab?

The pretzel loop by far, has to be one of the most intense elements/inversions to date. Flashback's "space dives" were...well, rough, but a lot of fun!

All time favorite: Rampage. Nemesis, Ninja, Montu, Viper, Hades... Zambezi Zinger...thats just silly, but a cool name as well. I always thought Marauder would be a sweet name, not sure if anyone has done it yet.

Looks like a truly unique experience, thanks for all the photos. I myself have never ridden a spinning coaster, so to have this one as close as it is... I look forward to gaining an entirely new credit. Just a question out of curiosity though. Does anyone know why (if there is a reason), that the leading set of wheels are much smaller than the trailing set. just an observation. Thanks again for the great pics!

$10 million=Moving X to former Psyclone location, adding a new unique pre-lift segment and reconfiguring load/un-load sequence, and "happy ending" for all at the end...

This park took my virginity back when I was eleven-ish, beginning with Zambezi Zinger, then to Orient Express, Timber Wolf had just opened(2 years previously) and only good memories of the park "pre-Mamba and Patriot years", love to look at the photos...thanks...Still wish Orient was still there though...my first looper.

a little off topic,but speaking of bloody ears, I don't have earings, and FLASHBACK SFMM actually busted the top of my ears open back in 93, still love(d) the ride though.,...

Every year, WDW opens their doors till late for graduating seniors("grad-night"(highschool)) and their guests...yes, 14 year-old freshmans. After working at MK for a while, I've watched my pop-corn cart completely tipped over,Ice Cream cart robbed for it's bank(till), the entire Christmas Shoppe LOOTED, busted windows and all. Fornication and oral services on Haunted Mansion, and monorail "surfing attempts". Mayhem seriously takes place at that park during this time a year. The media(nearly all owned by Disney) is only allowed to report these situation every so often...

wow, you're right, I dunno how i for got that, I will fix it though... any suggestions to improve my next one?