imbordisux

I completely agree; one of the things B&M does best is provide open, comfortable seating, and this will only improve the feeling. Sure, it might take an extra second or two to load the car, but I think it's worth the reduced capacity to improve the comfort of the ride. Granted, I can see where two groups of two who don't know each other might argue over who gets to sit "in front", but any incidents like that would be due to a person's own idiocy, not the manufacturer. As for everyone saying that groups will have to "split up", I'm just not seeing it. You're, what, like two feet away from the person next to you? Oh, wow, it's like they're in a whole different country, how will you even be able to see each others' facial expressions at such an extreme distance? The space is comparable to sitting on opposite ends of the couch. My only concern with the new trains is how maneuverable they would be, those are some long cars; granted, Walter and Claude are the kings of smooth transitioning, but still, ya gotta wonder.

I think that's the winning answer right there. As for the rest of my thoughts: - Coaster: Looks awesome to this B&M fanboy. 85* on a Beemer? Awesome. - Trains: The extra view is appreciated, but they seem like they wouldn't maneuver as well. - Name/Logo: I really like the name, and the "theming", while unoriginal, is aesthetically pleasing.

Just noticed that Vekoma is selling a 10-loop coaster, too...

I've changed my mind, and am now thinking that it will indeed be a 10-looper; not only is there the "Perfect 10" line, but they're saying it will be open in 10 months and will be making the announcement at the beginning of October (the 10th month). At first I thought it might just be a reference to the amount of coasters they have now, but they definitely seem to be playing up the number "10".

I like Hydra...

4.5 hours for Kingda Ka, opening day. 5 hours for El Toro; we were the first people on line, but it was broken down all morning.

I really like that sentence. Not trying to be mean or anything, just, ya know, that was good.

Ccron10, thank you for marking the map, though it can't POSSIBLY be that big... can it? I mean, I'm not good with perspective, so I have no idea what something like SFOG's Goliath or SFNE's S:ROS would look like in that context, but that's practically the size of the entire park. Could it be that there are survey-marks for more than one thing? They're supposedly moving the Mouse to where Chute Out is, could some of those marks be where they might be relocating some of the other rides/stands? I dunno, do parks usually mark where they'll be moving stuff, or do they only mark the new ride itself? I anxiously await this. Come on B&M Hyper!

As much as I'd like to do a Colossus clone (those rapid-fire barrel-rolls make me feel all tingly), I think "HP" has enough loopers: Storm Runner, Great Bear, Sooperdooperlooper, and Sidewinder, each one a unique take on the "looper" format (launch, invert, lap-bars, shuttle). Another one just seems like overkill. On top of that, the only real other "genre" they have is woodies. I think what "HP" needs most is a Hyper. A Flyer will bring in the crowds, a Euro-Fighter would is still pretty rare, a Floorless is a nice gimmick (though there are already two nearby), but those are all loopers. I think a B&M Hyper is exactly what they need, a big, massive lift-hill, with very few supports, and a minimalist restraint system. Something that people in the midway can stare up at and say "whoa". That would look mighty nice against the "HP" skyline.

While the "All-in-One" train definitely seems like it needs some more engineering to provide a smooth ride, I think it's a great idea. Maybe to prevent head-banging, they should use these on hyper-coasters, where OTSRs aren't needed. Of course, then you get into the whole issue of how the lap-bars will accommodate those standing vs. those sitting, but, uhh... yeah... Very good idea that just needs some more work. Plus, I don't think most of the GP will care if the ride is rough, all but the absolute roughest coasters do well at bigger theme-parks, the concept sells itself, everyone will be able to see everything. I like it a lot. I also really like that large arm that swings the cars over; that will be a HUGE space-saver should bigger companies adopt that idea for bigger rides. The actual lay-outs, though... blah. This "company" seems like something some kid is trying to start, and his whole selling point is "Look! I make good coasters in NL! Hire me!"

^ While there are a ton of rumors going around about the possible "remodeling" of Coney Island (most of which seem too far out there to be little more than pie-in-the-sky dreams), it's pretty much confirmed that, no matter what happens, the Cyclone will continue to operate in its current spot.

If I were you, I'd leave out "Geauga Lake", as there isn't much there, and probably "Kings Island", too; KI is a big park with a LOT of rides, but nothing that really stands out as being amazing. You might want to try to squeeze "Indiana Beach" in there, which might be a bit out of the way, but according to most enthusiasts (I myself have yet to be there), it's a must-do. I also recommend "Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom", which is by no means a blow-away park, but has a unique collection of rides. I'd also recommend swapping "Hershey" and "Knoebel's", as "Hershey" can get packed on Summer Saturdays (though they do keep the lines moving). Oh, and I HAVE to say, if you're not afraid to travel into New York (and there are a lot of people who are), grab a spin on the famous Cyclone; you can't come all this way and hit this many coasters without hitting the granddaddy of 'em all. Just make sure you leave a full day for this, as driving into and out of the city will take a while.

Wow, lot's of big, elaborate rides represented. I'm gonna go with something much simpler: The "Screaming Swing".

That seriously looks like it's gonna break some ribs. I'd be very interested to try it, but not necessarily excited to.

That looks ungodly painful.

That little girl in the front looks absolutely petrified, and I don't think it's because of the drop.

Yeah, I have version 11, but it still won't play anything.

I thank you for your synopsis of the system, though I already understood it. "S&S" uses a system like this on many of their rides, including the "Screamin' Swing" and Powder Keg. And as many negative reviews as there are about the X-Car's comfort, I still really want to try one.

I have the same problem with Firefox, it won't play certain videos, and I'm pretty sure I've downloaded and installed every plug-in needed. I usually just open Internet Explorer when that happens, and paste the URL there to view it, then close IE when I'm done, but it'd be nice to rid myself of that little nuisance.

I know there are a lot of complaints about the X-Car being uncomfortable (I myself have yet to ride one, though I would definitely like to), but this looks like a wonderfully sick update - I can't imagine what being that free during an inversion would feel like. What do you think? Good idea? Bad idea? Simply following the fad without any real difference in quality? Whatever your thoughts, it's definitely marketable.

Depends on what you're looking for in a park. It's arguably the best collection of coasters you'll find anywhere on Earth (though the flats leave something to be desired), but in the past, the park could be incredibly over-crowded and poorly-run (though most reports say things have really turned around this year). Also, food and drinks can be over-priced, and there can be an over-abundance of rude guests due to the location. It really depends on how heavily you weigh each of those variables - some people prefer smaller family parks with older rides, some people prefer the big corporate parks with all the state-of-the-art coasters. My wife and I absolutely love the park, but we avoid going on Summer weekends. Glad you had a great time, though.

^ The nipples makes the outfit.

I've never heard of "Bowcraft", but that Crossbow coaster really looks like a lot of fun - those B&M-style seats look really cool: "Adventureland" is a really nice children's park, really nothing for older riders (well, more casual, non-credit-whore older riders) to enjoy, but they have a ton of great kiddie rides, the place is well-maintained, great pricing, and a very friendly staff. We were there about two years ago, I didn't even have to ask to bring my camera on, several ride-ops thought it was cool. "Rye Playland" is a personal fave, it doesn't have the massive rides that corporate parks do, but they have a ton of older flats that they run on absolutely ridiculous cycles; if you have a hankerin' for an old-fashioned day at the fair with a ton of spin-and-puke moments, this is a must-hit. What's up with getting rid of the two dark-rides, though? I like those.

Maybe they're adding a Hanukkah section.

That was a really nice post. I'll throw in my thanks to R&E for giving us all not only the great pics and videos, but also for providing this great community.