Question About Dive and Rocket Coasters

[ThemeParkCommando]

Hello All--

 

This may make me sound kinda wimpy, but oh well...

 

I have yet to ride a dive coaster (Griffon, SheiKra and the like) or a rocket coaster (if that's the correct term for Top Thrill Dragster, Kingda Ka and the like). So my question is: What do they feel like? Could someone provide me with detailed descriptions of the experience and sensations?

 

I'm going to Cedar Point on the Midwest trip, and I'm really, really nervous about TTD. I'm not 100% sure if I'm going to ride it at all, but I know that I tend to challenge myself and not let myself off easy when a coaster intimidates me. I'd also like to get to Busch Gardens Europe in the not-too-distant future, where I'll face the same quandary about Griffon. I figure that detailed accounts could help calm me down.

 

Any help will be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

--Vanessa

[asr]

Dragster isn't scary, It's over in about 15 seconds. The launch is intense, but after that it's kind of a "What just happened?" moment. Haven't ridden a dive machine yet, so I can't help there.

[FeelTheFORCE]

I have never ridden a dive coaster, but I have ridden 2 rockets, TTD and Xcelerator. The feeling at launch is a HUGE rush with the wind in your face, being pushed back into your seat, etc.. When you are at the top of TTD, make sure you look around a bit (you don't have that long to do so, so be quick), it's an awesome view.

[pianojohn]

Sheikra is AWESOME. The first time you ride a dive coaster, it can be intimidating. And that's the way they design it. On Sheikra, the entire time you are climbing the steep lift hill, you can see the vertical drop right next to you.

 

The very slow turn and stop at the top all serve to build suspense. The hold before the drop is a little scary, but you are not facing straight down, even in the front row.

 

Once it lets you go, for a split second you get that "I'm gonna die feeling" that I ALWAYS feel on drop towers. But that feeling is replaced by sheer joy as you float out of your seat for the entire drop. The rest of the ride is fun, not as intense as the big first drop, and the splash looks better from the ground.

 

Don't think about it. Just ride it and I guarantee you will want to re-ride.

 

Dragster, as someone already posted, it very quick. The launch is intense, but by the time your body realizes how fast it is going, you are climbing the tower, cresting, and dropping. I don't remember anything other than the launch.

 

If you can, try to enjoy the view since it only lasts a second or so. Intense but over in a matter of seconds.

[JuanSe_Colombia]

I haven't ride a rocket. But I ride Sheikra. Is so awesome the lift, the curve, and the holding break(in special) are so much tension. The drop is so scary but after that is all joy and the drop become great!.

[happyscrappy]

Both kinds of coasters are awesome and you should DEFINATELY experience each of them.

 

Sheikra was amazing!! For me the scariest part was the turn after the lift hill... I get more nervous going up than down. The drop after the hold brake will make you giggle until it hurts, it's SO much fun. After the drops it's pretty much your normal coaster stuff, although Sheikra was really smooth. My bf and I went to BGA last year and had the park to ourselves (because school was still in) and we went on Sheikra like 16 times, and he was afraid to go on at first!

 

TTD is AWESOME. Just go on it. The launch rules and the ride is over too fast for you to be scared, haha. You'll have a blast, don't worry!

[dr.gumbo]

From what I've heard Dive machines are intimidating (heck, Oblivions themed to its intimidation) but Rockets are'nt as intimidating, I would go on a Rocket coaster anyday

[AstroDan]

Hello All--

 

This may make me sound kinda wimpy, but oh well...

 

I have yet to ride a dive coaster (Griffon, SheiKra and the like) or a rocket coaster (if that's the correct term for Top Thrill Dragster, Kingda Ka and the like). So my question is: What do they feel like? Could someone provide me with detailed descriptions of the experience and sensations?

 

I'm going to Cedar Point on the Midwest trip, and I'm really, really nervous about TTD. I'm not 100% sure if I'm going to ride it at all, but I know that I tend to challenge myself and not let myself off easy when a coaster intimidates me. I'd also like to get to Busch Gardens Europe in the not-too-distant future, where I'll face the same quandary about Griffon. I figure that detailed accounts could help calm me down.

 

Any help will be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

--Vanessa

 

I just saw you are from Northampton and thought, WHAT! You haven't been on Rita, Stealth or Oblivion?! Then I realised it isn't Northampton in England!

 

Well, the only Dive Machine I have been on is Oblivion. This ride is themed to intimidation, with videos in the queue lines and stations to make you really stressed out - implying death is possible, black outs, mental exhaustion etc. However the ride itself is fantastic. It's short and sweet, a really intense dive into a black pit filled with mist. It's over so short than if you dont' enjoy it it has stopped. So it's really fine.

 

As for Accelerator coasters, I have ridden Rita - Queen of Speed and Stealth. Both are good rides, the short launch is very, very intense on both coasters. After this, they are vastly different. Stealth shoots you up and over, with a breather and view at the top before the drop down and into the brakes. Rita shoots you round hill crests and bends, and lasts a little longer than the top hat accelerators. Rita is relentless as a coaster in its speed, which doesn't relax until the brakes. It's a thrilling experience.

 

Divers and Accelerators are some of the most thrilling rides you can do, in my view.

[jamesdillaman]

My advice for you is if you've never done TTD, ride it in the front seat, and be sure to look down on MF as you crest the tophat. It may be intimidating, but it is very smooth and as many have said, very short. One of the biggest dissapointments while riding TTD is if you have to spend the short amount of time you have on it looking at the back of the seat in front of you, so ride it in the front seat. It's worth the extra wait.

 

I haven't been on Griffon, Sheikra, or Oblivion so can't help you there.

 

-James Dillaman

[PKI Jizzman]

Well, I have only ridden Top Thrill Dragster in terms of Intamin Accelerator Coasters. TTD is my number two on my coaster list and number one for thrills. Why? The launch is great and set up perfectly! The engines crackling and revving up, the people watching its every move...then the voice comes over "Arms down, head back, and hold on!" Usually they will repeat Arms Down until it launches. Well after the catch car locks and you roll back a bit and the christmas tree counts down...orange orange orange green! And you are pinned to your seat at you speed off and then shoot up, seeing nothing but sky until you reach the top hat, some airtime in the front that feels wierd. Then you just plummet down and spiral, and then skid into the breaks. It is an amazing rush! Well worth a wait and a reride. Where to sit? I would reccomend in the second train (choose right instead of left when you are going up to the dual station) and sit in the back. Sure, the front is great, but the wind tears up your eyes really bad. The back is just great

 

PKI "TTD is awesome! Deffinately my #1 for thrills" ManJZ

[kraxleRIDAH]

I haven't been on Griffon, Sheikra, or Oblivion so can't help you there.

 

...but you've ridden Diving Machine G5?

[jamesdillaman]

^ Oh yeah, marathoned it.

[cprocks22]

I LOVE Sheikra (but my avatar doesn't give it away). Dive coasters (well Sheikra at least since its the only one i've been on) are very unique, but not too intense. The first drop is incredible (especially in the front while your hanging at the top ) with great "airtime", you aren't really forced out of your seat (except for the back a little) but just kinda float on the way down. The ride its self is extremely smooth and very fun, outside seats are a little more intense then the center just because you get flung around a little more, but its not rough.

As for accelerator coasters (all of this is based on Dragster), the first time on one they are VERY intimidating, but they are pretty intense. After going on it a few times the only really intense part is the launch. Other then that its really short, and not much going on (unless your afraid of heights, then your on your own). Like FeelTheFORCE said, look around a little bit, its an amazing view (a little scary for me to see Millennium about 100+ feet below you, and I'm not afraid of heights, as with any ride this is exaggerated in the front).

Personally I would say go on Dragster, its a fun ride and heck even if you don't like it its only 15 seconds so it wont last long, but I would guess you'll like it. Also definitely go on Griffon if you get the chance, dive machines look a lot scarier then they are.

[Worra315]

Well I haven't been on an accelerator, but Dive Machines are another story. My description is pretty much like everyone else's, It (SheiKra) is intimidating even when your not close to it, it's HUGE! Going up the lift hill is somewhat a thrill in itself cause it's so steep and fast moving.

 

As you turn the corner you pick up speed then, you sweep into the breaks, not coming to a complete stop. You creep over the edge slowly and you're perched there for aobut 4-5 seconds, then WOOSH!! you drop, and you're weightless the entire drop, then you glide through the immelman (there's some weightlessness here too), then the carosaul, which is not as intense as I anticipated, but good.

 

Going into the block breaks you almost come to a complete stop. Unlike the first drop, the second has no holding break. So as you drop, you're somewhat thrown up into your restraint, weightless the entire time down again into the tunnel. Coming out of the tunnel you go into the wingturn, not an intense part then entering the splash pool you get a moment to catch your breath. The hill into the turn going to the station, stood out to me, you pull like 2g's so it was something cool in my eyes.

 

After all of that you hit the breaks and it's over. You survived SheiKra!

 

[EvoLee]

removed

[Thorpe park maniac]

the only rocket coaster ive been on is rita, all i can say is if your so scared(like i was) hold on, embrace the restraint(if its overhead) and scream, it works

 

it'll be over in a couple of seconds, but sometimes feels like minutes, oh yeh, the best part of the ride is the launch

[IceDragon]

Rocket Coaster: expect tunnel vision to a certain degree

 

Dive coaster: like any ordinary coaster, just vertical... Try to get the front outer seats, much scarier as there's no track below you... In my opinion, you WILL be intimidated (especially by Oblivion if you do it, the videos don't calm your nerves or anything), but as soon as it's over, you'll think: hey! I wanna do that again! I thought that as soon as I got off. On the way back home, I was almost craving the front seat of Oblivion... It's one of the best models out there! Thank GOD I might be going back in the summer... super crowded or what?

[BrownStreak]

To me Top Thrill Dragqueen is HIGHLY over-rated and I would not wait more than 15 minutes if I ever do it again- it is over before you have the chance to enjoy it- I would rather try Stormrunner personally.

[RctInfinity]

I've never been on a rocket coaster but I have been on SheiKra.

 

A vertical drop feels like a regular drop to me, but the only difference is that you're pointing more steeply (of course) and I was pushed against my back.

 

I used to be so afraid of big drops, so don't worry much.

 

LOL, and if you're very freaked out while going up the lift of, let's say SheiKra, the steepness gives you an advantage. It feels like you're in bed almost, especially adding the comfort of B&M restraints.

 

Also, the lift should give you confidence because it looks pretty short when you're on the ride. When I was going up the lift I said to my sister "Whoah, this almost looks like it's only 100 feet tall!"

[hemmy]

To me Top Thrill Dragqueen is HIGHLY over-rated and I would not wait more than 15 minutes if I ever do it again- it is over before you have the chance to enjoy it- I would rather try Stormrunner personally.

 

You know what they say about opinions...

[kennywood!007]

I've ridden 1 rocket, and no dive machines...so heres some info on the rocket.

 

First of all, what ever you do, do not talk yourself out of it. The experience is one of a kind, and no other coasters provide the same feelings/experience.

 

 

Storm Runner is the rocket I was on, it was very intimidating rolling up to the launch. You will most likely be nervous sitting there waiting to launch.

 

As for how it feels, Storm Runner is a very short/fast launch, so it was extremely intense, yet, not too intense. They pretty much feel like a Enterprise flat ride mixed with the stomach droppage of a drop tower. You get sucked into your seat and your stomach drops, or gets the feeling you do on coaster hills. Very smooth launch nothing is painful about it.

 

Now for the tophat, provides major airtime, don't know how it is on TTD but Storm Runner you practically floated the whole time you wen't over the top. going down you also get some airtime. The brakes may look short and harsh when your watching but they are in fact really smooth and gradual.

 

 

 

One more thing, have fun!!

[missingmusician]

Yeah, the dives are a little scary. The worst part of it, frankly, is the anticipation of the drop...the lift hill, etc. The drop itself is not dissimilar from a drop tower or even a steeply dropping water ride (Jurassic Park River Adventure, Splash Mountain)...just steeper than them, obviously. After the shock of the dive, it's not too bad. I still come off Shiekra shaking, though.

[gax]

as a lot of other people have said, I've never had any problems with rocket coastaers, but dive coasters can be intimidating.

 

The first time I went on oblivion at Alton Towers, when I was about 13, I was SO scared, but since then I must have been on it about 40 times.

 

But when I went on Sheikra earlier this year, I was still absoulutley terrified. I dunno why, it's just made to be initimidating I guess. But as soon as I started falling down the drop I loved it, and managed 3 re-rides perfectly fine!

[CoasterNut17]

I'm nervous to ride TTD, too, because I'm going this summer, but I can give some advice on Sheikra! Really intimidating in the line, because once you get to the actual loading platform (goes for Griffon as well) you are staring right at the drop which looks so huge! As people have said, it is pretty much floater air time all the way down. Griffon will totally be awesome, because without the floor and the steepness of the holding break, you'll be up against that harness praying that it doesn't come open! By the way, TTD only has lapbars, which would definitley increase your manuverability and sense of danger. I would recomend going on a less intense launch first, like Maverick (if it's open when you go), just to get a feel for what it's like. It's pretty much just a large sort of "tickle" feeling all over and you being pressed into your seat. Totally fun! You'll be wishing the launch was never-ending once you get off.

 

 

P.S. You should watch the Sheikra video by TPR, but nothing beats the real thing!

[BrownStreak]

To me Top Thrill Dragqueen is HIGHLY over-rated and I would not wait more than 15 minutes if I ever do it again- it is over before you have the chance to enjoy it- I would rather try Stormrunner personally.

 

You know what they say about opinions...

 

No what do they say? Isn't that what everyone on here is giving? Just because you disagree with mine you have to put me down!?