oriolat

^Well, most GCIs have 2 12-car trains, but Terminator only has 11-cars per train since the rear part of the train holds the box with the audio system. I bet it won't eat more than 1,000 pph, which is average for a park like SFMM... And I agree that the ride duration (3 minutes) is station-to-station. Maybe this includes loading/unloading as well...that if they don't stack trains

^You got it right. This park was built in 2004 for the "Forum de les Cultures", a sort of multicultural exhibition that lasted for like 6 months or so. When the exhibition closed they had a HUGE amount of space to do concerts, fairs, etc and so they always do April's Fair and September's Fair in that spot.

No, it's just that people over here (Europe, not only Spain) tend to take life easier, let others leave in peace and just enjoy a night out at the fair without thinking that they are going to die any moment. Overall, Europeans are not as sueing-happy and overprotective as in other parts of the world.

I think it's a lamp but I could be wrong BTW, both the Stand Falling Star and the Stand up pirate ship have CCTV cameras to watch people's behaviour and to avoid dangerous situations. And I don't that the so-called Death Shuttle Coaster is THAT deathly since both spikes are the same height. And, as most people know, a coaster with a 100 feet drop cannot go up at 100 feet again unless it has some boosters at the base of the drop. Trust me, these rides have been around Spain for years and nobody has been hurt. If you thought April's Fair in Barcelona was crazy, you should have been to Sevilla's. That's the biggest fair in Spain with up to 5 coasters and tons of extreme flat rides. Maybe not as crazy as German fairs, but still really good!

Furius Canis.

"Muntanya russa" is a generic name, as in, not permanent, that translates into English as "Roller coaster". But, according to the park, they will throw some sort of poll or name contest to let people choose the final name for the ride. Let's just hope it doesn't end being called "Mountain on a mountain" or something along these lines...

There you go. I have uploaded the same POV on Youtube. Thanks for posting the link Ben

OK. Here you have a video from a test run. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNS2Ihgys9w You can notice the loud noise from the lift hill but when it disengages the chain lift it runs smoothly and quietly. Despite the lenght of the video you can appreciate it really keeps the speed going through the S-turns. Hope you enjoy it! Video by Escal, from UMWebsite

Yay! Testing! TibidaboFans has posted a video. Enjoy! http://cas.tibidabofans.com/testing.htm It looks fun without actually being that exciting. I mean, yeah, helix helix, S-turn, etc. I hope it rides good and smooth. BTW, isn't it really quite? Except for the lift hill, you wouldn't notice the train. Despite the video, the coaster took its first test run on Monday night, 20 minutes before the park closed its gates.

The whole thing is almost finished. The layout was completed about three weeks ago, the trains were delivered at the beginning of November but the thing that is taking longer to build is the station building. The queueline is going to be an upward triple helix to reach the highest level of the building which is actually carved into the mountain. The entrance tunnel is being themed to a cave. This week the chain was finally installed and tested. The layout was wired and the ride panel (Allan-Bradley, for the panel geeks like me ) was delivered and is now ready to be connected to the system. Today the trains have been put on the transfer shed and I expect testing to start this week or next week at the latest. I leave you with a link from a Spanish forum where you can see pictures of the trains from today (pics by Devilcry, at the end of the page): http://www.capte.org/foros/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=171&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=286 Oriol "These have to be ugliest trains ever found on a coaster" Monroig

In 2010 the park will be celebrating its 15th anniversary, and there are some rumours pointing to a big new ride. A member from a Spanish forum has posted some projects that are now in the final stage. From these three projects only one will make it to the park. - A Vekoma Motorbike coaster for Mexico. It would be themed to a predator living in the Mayan rainforest. Pretty meh, if you ask me, every GP will constantly be comparing it to FB. Considering how awful the capacity for those IS (just look at Velocity or Booster Bike) I can't see this happening. Plus, I don't think they can fit another coaster in Mexico. - A water dark ride in China. Basically your regular water dark ride with a drop, some fancy 3D effects and animatronics along the ride and a good story. The park really needs a big crowd-eater that catters to families and teens alike and this would be the best option to do it. Personally, I am not a big fan of dark rides so... - A really compact B&M for Polynesia. It would be great to celebrate the 15th anniversay in the same way that we celebrated the park's opening: with a quality coaster. I could see that one happening and being heavily themed to some polynesian bird if it was to be a flying coaster or to any lost tribe if it was to be a DM. No model has been suggested so I really don't know what could it be... I am just especulating. So, what would you like to see there in 2010? What's the best move for the park?

^Ben, I think we'll have to do our planning for the UK trip again... I already have the credit but since it's the last season it will run, I'd love to go on it again... It's sad to see a coaster go, and even more being that old and having thrilled so many people...Hopefully it will be for the better

Photos from today (28th Sep). I hope you like them A sexy closeup. Overall view of The Helix of Death. It has some track missing that shall be put this week, I guess. And now, what you have been waiting for... The Helix of Death! (BTW, it's not the helix before the brake run) The final helix, just before the brake run. I couldn't fit the whole element. It's not meant to be really intense but it's a good way to end a ride (besides, it's built under the airtime-less hill, so bonus for that!). Behind this fence is the soon-to-be station The entrance to the ride will have an underground tunnel to connect the main path to the queueline. Much better Sad that they haven't completed it yet. Let's have a closer look at it... What is that I see in the distance? Uh yeah, a hill

Just came from the park and it seems that the coaster is coming along nicely. At this time, the only parts of the layout yet to be placed are: - Lower part of the lift hill (2 pieces of track) - Turn from the station to lift hill (2 pieces of track) - Station - Final brakes - Transfer track - The lower part of the ‘airtime’(less) hill - A piece of an S-turn that leads to a helix (the one right before the airtime hill). - Transition from first drop to the first helix - Another small piece from a helix that goes over the log flume So, to my surprise, I arrived at the park and went straight to see what was new from last time I saw the construction site (Wednesday) and then I saw it: The Helix of Death (at least that’s how we call it). It’s a new element that has been built over the last two days and it’s an 80 degrees banked helix which looks it will deliver some good G forces. There’s even a support that holds two pieces of the same helix that looks it wouldn’t pass the side clearance test. I mean, the pieces of track are literally like 2 feet away from each other. Tomorrow, pics of the helix of death

^I thought that too but apparently the final colours for the cars will be different. We shall see in some days/weeks... The track also appeared to be blue in the first renderings and it is finally red.

New update! Quite a bit has been done since last week. From what I have seen around 40-45% of the track is now up and I have to say it looks quite good. It was quite funny seeing the faces of people passing by the construction area and seeing the park is building a new coaster (remember the last one was Tibidabo Express in 1989). Works on the station have also progressed and some walls of concrete have been poured. I have no photos since these walls are fenced off. I guess when they have completed the building they will place the track from this section. The log flume is closed and will remain like this until the first drop / first helix section is completed. It is rumoured that the trains are already on site (why so early?) and their colour will be GREEN for one train and ORANGE for the other one. I haven't seen them by myself but I don't really see how green and orange match bright red... *sighs* Onto the photos: Last photo of this update and my favourite one. The "dueling" helixes. I love how the inner helix is nestled in the outer one. That is right after first drop. Here you can see a series of photos showing how construction on the rest of the track has progressed. Note the closed log flume. First drop goodness again. This is the view you'll gate on entering the park from the lower area. This first drop was designed so that when you drop the last thing you see is Barcelona. First drop closeup. 'Cause I know you love it despite it being like 40º steep LOL First drop. I really like the fact it stands out so much and then it just disappears. If you look on the right hand side of the photo you can spot half of a airtime(less) hill. It's growing bigger! Compare the pic with last's week and you will see... I think that now there are only 2 pieces missing from the lift hill (from the lower section). Close up. If you look carefully you can see an evacuation platform on the turn after the lift hill. There's a piece of railing missing on the crest of the lift though. So, I went to the park before it opened gates and snapped some photos. Here you can see the upper section of the lift hill and turn leading to the main drop.

Vertical construction began this past week. Some supports have been lifted up (mainly for the lift hill and first drop) but I have seen many of them sitting by their footers (I guess it won't take long until they bolt them). Here you have some pictures: I won't be going to the park until Saturday but hopefully I'll bring you a new update with much more track done Side view of this sexy piece. Yeah yeah, through the trees...well, technically, above them Lonely piece of lift already up. You can spot other supports for the lift hill. We see you crane, too! Yummy! For you lift hill enthusiasts: Some new and shiny Vekoma track waiting to be lifted.

Mid-December, at the latest. The park is almost *forced* to open the coaster in 2008 since they marketed it for this season, it appeared on the media... They are doing their best considering they have had green activists trying to cancel the project along with annoying locals...

It's been quite a long time since the last update. The park received the first pieces of track on Wednesday and they are being stored in the parking lot awating to be placed. Vertical construction is expected to start on Monday, so this shouldn't take TOO long... after all, the park is DESPERATE to open this coaster (and it will, because the deadline is December). So, here come the pictures: Pics by Calle and Devilcry. Since the pictures were taken (about two days ago) the parking lot has been filled with like another 10 pieces of track. The lift hill should be the first part to go up followed by the station and first drop. Expect another update by next week. BTW, today there were two huge trailers with some containers. I have heard the trains could be on site already yay!

Superman - la Atracción de Acero - 7 inversions (kinda crap, though) Dragon Khan - 8 inversions Colossus (TP) - 10 inversions (though the only good part of the coaster are the last 4 barrel rolls in a row).

Rita: Queen of Speed, since it was my first launched roller coaster. I was not prepared for the intensity of the launch and the overall greatness of the ride. And, for other rides, The Flight of the Phoenix at Terra Mítica. It was my first drop tower and I was really intimidated by the height and the rush going down was sooo intense I left the ride all white and trembling.

I will be working at Tibidabo, as I did last summer when TPR came. So, if any TPRer is planning to come to the park, drop a message so that I can meet you Don't know if I will be Operating rides or Training Ride Ops though.

^It's no longer there. It was taken out because there were some people crashing other bobsleighs and stoping halfway down the slide. Shame because it was an awesome ride. BTW, I guess that commercial was filmed when the park introduced like 10 rides in one year (back in 1989).

Hey, I just posted what the article said TBH, I don't think that the giant slide will reach 90º but hey, 88'5º or even 87º would still be *quite* steep, almost vertical. Remember when Oblivion was introduced? *World's First VERTICAL Coaster*. And still, that drop is only 87º steep yet it provides an amazing sensation. And, if this artwork is anything like Baco's or HC's, I can guarantee it will match the real thing... Maybe not THAT detailed, but they will stick to that idea.

According to PAC (unofficial PA website), there will be an expansion of the water park beside PortAventura (Caribe Aquatic Park -yeah, that name is horrible LOL) with two HUGE slides. This will be the first new ride at the water park since CAP opened in 2002. Translation of the article from PAC done by me: 3D preview of the body slides: Source: PA-Community.com