KarlaKoaster

Around 50 companies in the Swanscombe area have received letters asking for details on their stake in the land local to where the park is planned to be built (tenancy durations etc) which a lot of people are considering could be the first stage of compulsory purchases requiring them to relocate. The park have said that these letters don't necessarily mean that they will be bulldozing those businesses, but that it's part of the development process. Often this will mean court cases as businesses try and protect themselves and fight for the best compensation, but it is positive in that the project still seems to be advancing. Tarmac have already said they will be selling their land on the peninsula to Paramount. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-32253887

Paradox, it is a Huss version; Knotts Berry Farm have (had?) one too. I like that the rows are back to back so everyone has a front seat view, and I think the back wall is great because it really makes you lose your bearings. It's a great programme too... the best one I have experienced at a park. The downward loops are really intense!

It's not as bad as it looks, honestly

I didn't think there was much theming in the video? It was a heavily stylised video with moody sky, sparks etc, but I don't think there's much missing from the ride, if anything. Liseberg don't normally theme their rides as they're a city amusement park anyway so I would have been surprised for it to be anything more.

Add Dragon Khan to that list too, all three seem similar in terms of roughness. They're ferocious in parts, but for me it isn't headbangy rough. I don't know if it's my size (I'm really petite), have a high pain threshold or if a lot of people are wimps, but I do find a lot of coasters absolutely fine in terms of roughness that do get complained about (both here and elsewhere). I think 'rough' is a relative term though and now coasters have become smoother, people's tolerances are lower.

To be fair it's not aimed at thrill seekers. I think it looks quite fun for what it is, and when it stops on the brake runs there's animated scenes to look at anyway so it's not a big issue IMHO. I think of it as less of a coaster and more of a fun way of getting between each of the animatronic scenes, and considering it's an outdoor ride I think the theming looks quite impressive.

Top Scans by miles. I also like a well run Zierier Star Shape.

I love Bas's job description... he is a master of many trades Good of them to reply too. Theme parks have advertised far more spurious things before than the choice of inward/outside facing seats, so it is a bit weird that they're not milking it for all its worth. It makes a big difference to the ride and also will mean a lot of people will ride both options to compare how they feel (well, I would do anyway!)

Oh yes, I agree, I guess the water is just a bit deeper so that it slows you down. I think it's bit of an optical illusion too in that it is probably longer than it looks. Hopefully people won't overshoot it as there is a support slap bang in the middle at the end of the trough

It must be so traumatic to be involved in something like this. I hope everybody is OK. I wonder who the ride manufacturer was? I don't recognise that particular model of ride.

I think MagnumFreak meant the runout/splashdown bit where you slow down, not the slide in general

Officially they're KMG, but I think Chance are either just resellers or possibly manufacture them under license from KMG.

Good thread! I love these rides, and have done the following: KMG XXL (at fairs) KMG Freak Out (at fairs) KMG Afterburner 24 (at fairs) and 32 (park version) Mondial Mistral (at fairs) Huss Frisbee (at fairs) Huss Giant Frisbee (park version) Intamin Gyro Swing (park version) Huss Pirate Ship (at fairs and theme parks) I have to say it's a tie between the XXL and Huss Giant Frisbee. I love the sheer power of the XXL plus how much it spins and the Huss Giant Frisbee is really exhilerating. Least favourite is the Freak Out as they all seem so badly run, even at fairs. The Mondial Mistral was pretty average too. The Afterburner 24 is a lot of fun too but it's been ages since I've ridden one Best swing ride I have ever done is Konga which is a brilliantly themed KMG XXL... it has a funhouse style queue now and the staff all wear safari outfits! Here's a video

It is, I've already said it is

Thanks for answering, and yes I think you're probably correct

Is this photo taken from outside the park, or is it a backstage area? I'm just asking because if it's taken from outside the park I wonder if pretty much all of that section will be either enclosed or behind a mini mountain for soundproofing?

Wow, Bullet looks in great condition. Glad they're looking after the ride

So basically one minute of airtime?! Not even an Intamin has that!

Oh in that case yes, you're probably right. Silly me for giving Merlin the benefit of the doubt haha.

They look like extremely overbanked turns to me (like 120 degrees) but it's hard to know as the horizon goes out of view which is our only reference point. It's definitely not clear to me either from the animation or the layout. I guess KingRCT3 knows best from the POV of the animation as he created it. Also I guess it's opening a whole can of worms to debate whether an extremely overbanked turn is an inversion or not. I always think the same about the little immelman on Black Mamba because although your bum goes over your head, it's not fully upsidedown.

I've really enjoyed the coverage, thanks for the opinions and photos from those of you who have ridden it. If I've learned one thing in life it is that you can not judge a ride by a POV video. The helix is so huge and sprawling that it is difficult to tell how fast it is. The crossties are a blur and it probably looks slower than it is because the radius of the helix is so vast, but I just won't know until I ride it. I don't think every ride needs airtime to be good, particularly if the park already has airtime on other coasters.

Honestly I'm not that excited by this ride, but the theming around the hole is pretty neat, particularly the van.

I love immersive theming, but I also just love stylised rides like Cedar Fair do. It looks so slick with the sign and the hexagonal honeycomb aesthetic running through the ride in the station, on the sign, in the tunnel etc etc. Cedar Fair really know how to create a strong brand with their coasters.

Older ones do as well... Nemesis at Alton Towers does for example and has done since it opened

I suppose it is down to the station layout as to why Nemesis's SRQ didn't work? Sometimes SRQs can be bit of a false economy in that it is quicker to send a train with an empty seat rather than hold back 31 riders to wait for a single rider to fight their way through the people on the exit platform.