Cerberus

Hah! Knew I was right. Wing Walker. Looks like they've changed the design a bit though. Seats supported from above rather than underneath. Although it does seem to still run on non-inverted track. Also, no three seats rows like the old images I'd seen! Thank god. Cerberus

I can only think of water that expands due to reduced temperature, and that is not for the same reason that other materials change. Heat increases the movement of the atomic structure of a material which makes it expand. I'm not sure where you were told otherwise. Heat just makes things run smoother. Like heating treacle (Oil and lubrication) or racing cars doing 'warm up' laps (Softening the wheel rubber) Coaster rules that don't make sense? Hmmm.. Signs that indicate "No Standing up" on rides where the restraints make it absolutely imposible to stand up. And signs that say you can't put your hands in the air. Cerberus Edit: Beaten like an unwanted child

^^^ Nope, very different thing. The Wing Walker was designed years ago whereas the Ball Coaster is a new thing. I'm also fairly certain it was never meant to be a launched coaster, but I guess that's the only way they could sell it in the end. By combining it with their newer innovations like launches... This was around the time that they invented their Jet Ski style coaster (That water coaster thing) and their version of the Wild Mouse coaster (Still to make a sale). I never knew new concepts were so hard to sell :? Either way, I'm pretty sure from the description that this is what they mean. Of course, the description WAS foreign, so I'm prepared to be proved wrong

Here, I've harnessed the power of the awesome MSpaint to show what design I think this may be. The REAL pictures I saw of the concept had the train themed to a Stealth Bomber with black all over. Since black is pretty much useless for clarity, I've used weird Crayola colours. and YES, the 'real' version has three seat wide "wings". I hate three seaters too, but eh, still looks like an awesome concept. Cerberus Intamin Wing Walker

Aha, that there sounds like the key point. I've got a feeling this'll be the first installation of the Intamin "Wing Walker" concept. I really hope so, anyway. I've been waiting for someone to put up (I refuse to use 'erect') one of these for years! Cerberus

Hydraulic elevators are awesome for this! The ones at the Science Museum in London pump up and down with great power. You can easily double the amount of time you spend in the air from a jump when it starts descending. The roof is nice and high too. Cerberus

Clearance envelopes might not be the issue though. It could be that the flexibility of the track is greater than expected and the movement or vibrations are causing the mountain sculpture work to break. Not that I believe it anyway. There are photos of people taking test rides. They only put living, breathing, easily-splattable people on test rides when EVERYTHING is safe Cerberus

^ The train hits a row of booster tyres at full speed in order to skid to a halt?! No wonder there aren't many of these around, the maintenance costs of replacing tyres would be insane. Apart from that, and after looking at your better photo above, I'm actually quite liking the industrial bulkiness of their track design. Very strong and brutal lookin' Cerberus

Holy crap, what are those 'booster tyres' doing on the side of the track like that?! I used to have a Hotwheels toy car track that used a system like that to launch vehicles around loops and stuff. It'd be hilarious if it was put to a similar use on this ride. As for the ride in general... is it still operating? It looks like it is out of action or half dismantled. Probably was quite interesting in its time! Cerberus

Airtime hills Being pushed INTO the seat makes me feel safe and secure. Being pulled OUT the seat makes me feel like I'm going to fall out. Fun fear = Fun ride Cerberus

Hah, some of those are plain weird. It's a shame the squirrel one isn't more technologically advanced. Having it walking the course, or banking around corners would be comedy gold. On the topic of the EMVs, I don't suppose anyone here has been on the ride at Leofoo in Taiwan that uses the system? I only have a few brochure images of what looks to be Indiana Jones Adventures long lost, lower budget cousin. Probably the only other installation of the ride system outside of a Disney park. So some more information would be great! I've attached a scanning of the photos for people to check out. Apparently Intamin Ride Trade designed the EMV, not Disney as they so often claim! Cerberus

Well, maybe.... But I think there's enough evidence to suggest that the ride will be good. -The trains don't have OTSR, so there wont be headbanging. -The whole track and wheel system has been refined for this installation, with Vekoma promising a more precise and comfortable ride than their previous rides. -Disney surely wouldn't let this go wrong. There's no easy track replacement option on this attraction! So, I'm going to assume it'll be good. Of course, I could be proved very, very wrong. We'll have to wait and see Cerberus

Everest for me! Awesomely huge mountain, awesome looking trains, awesome looking drop, awesome indoorness, awesome concept and it has a big, hairy beast! It has EVERYTHING! Cerberus

^ Seems like they're getting Maurer to build them some fancy inward-facing seated cars. Kinda typical from Disney really- They like to keep the family together! ...Although I do have to wonder if I'd be comfortable with a stranger staring me right in the face for the entire duration of the ride :? Plus the outward facing cars make you feel REALLY exposed, which might be a lost feeling on these. Ah well, at least they're theming them really well! Cerberus P.S.- Did I see a spinning tunnel around the lift hill?! Retro!

Oh wow, I never knew it was going to be such a major ride! Those little Maurer spinners are really awesome. And if I'm not mistaken, I think I can see there is one of those vertically banked turns included in this DLStudios version, which is easily the best element of these coasters. Doubley awesome! And you don't even need to worry about their relatively low capacity either- the studios park only attracts about ten people every day Cerberus

Now, I dunno about anyone else, but recently I've been really interested in rides where the actually vehicles are just as special, if not more so, than the actually track or path they follow. I think the most obvious examples of these would be the EMV vehicles used in rides like "Indiana Jones Adventure", "X"s flipping seat train or those shooting ride vehicles that drive themselves and don't actually have a track such as "Challenge of Tutankhamun". I consider these sorts of developments the future of the industry. Where companies aim to un-tether the action and produce a ride experience that you can't just figure out beforehand by looking at the track. So simply to fuel my fascination, has anyone come across any outstanding rides like this where the ride vehicle itself is half the experience? Especially those that are really well themed, or have movements that are really fitting for the ride's overall theme. Cerberus

Are the park not releasing much information about this on purpose or something? I heard a mention of it a while back, but then nobody seemed to care when the lack of updates or information got them too frustrated :? So far it is looking really awesome! But I still can't find it in myself to pay any particular interest... I really should be more excited about this class installation, but there's just something about it (Or the marketing of it) that really isn't screaming out for my attention =/ Cerberus

Yes! I totally agree on that. I voted 'NO' overall for the question of crappiness of these rides, simply because of my awesome experience on this particular installation. For anyone who doesn't know, "Blue Tornado" is a mildly aviation themed coaster with a really clean blue and white colour scheme. A large amount of the track is supported over a suspiciously blue pond from which little jets create a thick mist for the train to plunge in and out from. I don't remember it being too rough apart from going through the rolls, and I even remember getting some really great airtime dipping down from the diving turn! Also, the additional helix is very fast and close to the floor. Very cool touch! So, personally I'm quite thankful for these 'cheap' option Vekoma coasters. It allows small parks to finally break into the big scene and attract the attention that'll allow them to expand further. I don't think half the privately owned parks in Europe would have become half as good were it not for their of-the-shelf Vekomas! Cerberus

Everyone keeps raving about the Boosters and making me want to find one SOOO badly. What is so good about them (A question aimed at the lucky few riders, of course)? They look similar to those more common Crazy Shake rides in movement, but are apparently ten times better? I think they look a little odd personally. The punched metal sheet floors on the cars look like an afterthought. Much different to the usually solid block and panel style of other Huss attractions. Cerberus

Is the splash-tube-slide-watery-thing-of-wonders (I forget the name) from the same company that made the more permanent looking version at Park Asterix? Because that was awesome fun and I wish more parks would give them a go! SkySwats are actually really, really good rides when they actually run. SFNE visitors are lucky to be getting the chance to ride it! Cerberus

That thing is insane. You know it's going to be dodgy the second you turn onto the lift hill and see a later part of track crossing over it at a height that forces tall people to duck! I remember the first time I rode it. When we returned to the station half the cart had collapsed into my lap and I could see the workings of the wheels through the floor. The ride-op was like "Meh, I'll just put this piece to one side and fix it later" Didn't even take the cart out of use! =D It’s like the retarded, rabid member of the mouse family! Cerberus

In addition to all the comments saying how lame it rides, I'd like to point out (as if needed) that it looks like a reject from a building site.. Like a retarded crane that nobody loved... Cerberus

That 'Zeus' one at Park Asterix. I've always wanted to know how the back seats managed to offer so much airtime on a drop that doesn't even look that steep! Plus the tiny open-mouthed face rock thing at the bottom of the drop makes for a great "Shall I pull my hands down?!" moment, as well as acting as a really loud sound tunnel for the train's wheels. Sounds like you've actually smashed through a rockface :o Cerberus

Urgh! I am so jealous of this one! :o Tussauds and Thorpe blatantly have the same, if not GREATER funding than Tusenfryd! That first looping thing under the escalator looks like it'll pull some huge forces I have relatives in Norway who annoy me, but I think this'll make the chore of staying with them really worthwhile! Cerberus

I love stand-up coasters, and really can't understand why people tend to despise them! In particular the BaM trains have saddle seats about as "hard" as tripping up into a pile of bubble wrap, mayonnaise and cotton wool (But notably less sticky!). I think the people claiming it hurts their *areas* are just making out they're super manly Shockwave at DM is my fave, easily. The z-g roll on the right hand side of the train is the most amazing feature of ANY coaster I've ever ridden. Cerberus