Will we ever see another 300ft Complete circuit coaster?

[SpartanTS]

We've seen hypers pop up all across the country since 2000, but not once have we seen another 300 ft complete circuit airtime machine such as MF and SD2k.

 

I know they're expensive, but most hypers are in the $20 million range. MF was $25 million. What gives?

[Sticky Nicky]

I want to see a 300 100mph Intamin rocket with a layout after th top hat much like SM:ROS at SFNE.

[ginzo]

In short, the coaster wars are over.

 

Six Flags is shying away from installing monster coasters, and now wants to install more family friendly attractions. Cedar Fair is undergoing growing pains from their recent acquisition, and is looking for help from private equity firms. Both firms are heavily indebted.

 

Cost is obviously the big factor. MF was $25 million in 2000, but would cost more to build today.

 

I think we will see another 300 ft. coaster, but who knows when. Wasn't there a rumor of Heide Park getting one?

[Shavethewhales]

Never say never. It may be awhile, but when the economy swings around again and parks start competing, having smaller 'good' coasters won't seem to cut it any more and the big parks will start lusting for the biggest and the fastest yet again.

 

Say what you will about ride quality, having a friggin' monster in your skyline like MF will draw crowds farther and wider than a smaller yet funner woodie.

 

Still though, CF and SF need something like a decade to catch their breath before they get back into anything like a coaster war.

[crazydaveh]

I think we'll see some hit the 300 in the next three years. Yes, Six Flags is trying to get the families in, as are other parks, but there comes a time when all owners realize they need to go back to thrills... I bet CP will be one of the first to build something, followed by Six Flags. I don't see Busch, Universal, or Disney going that route.

[TopThrill182]

Yes SF is trying to get back to the family right now, but in a few years I think they will start adding the bigger coasters again. Once new technology comes along, parks are doing well financially, they will start to cater to the thrill seekers again.

 

And when CP was talking about other coasters they were thinking instead of Maverick, they said one was about Millennium's height. I think shows people are still interested...

[kraxleRIDAH]

Available space, financial resources, and other factors will play a big role in all of this.

 

Truth be told, we won't see any more closed-circuit 300-footers anytime soon. Why? The trend in the industry has shifted from building big expensive roller coasters with relatively unreliable technology targeted to teens and young adults to immersive attractions that involve every member of the family.

 

Amusement parks will continue to build roller coasters, but the days of installing rides the size of Millennium Force and Steel Dragon 2000 are are in the past.

[Airtime&Gravity]

^Exactly, and if you go to RCDB, you'll see that there are very few major coasters built this year.

 

If a 300ft tall traditional coaster is built, then I'm guessing it will be in Europe, but for the most part, I think we will not see any coaster like Millennium Force for a long time. This is perfectly alright with me, as parks are starting to build smaller better rides.

[Chris Benvenuto]

I agree with everything said above. Specially because I live 2 1/2 hrs away from a Coaster War park, CP.

 

The coaster wars are over, at least for now. I wouldn't stay they're over forever, but CP and SF parks will relax for 5-10 yrs and then get back into it again.

 

I remember the days when Raptor opened in 94' and how effing big that was, the AP went crazy over this stuff. But really the media is sort of tired of this stuff and 30+ million dollar coasters aren't in the cards. Didn't SD2k cost 52 million in 03'? and MF was 25 million and was built 3 yrs prior, shows the price increased greatly.

 

But all things aside, I need a break from the big rides being built too I need to lose weight the winter before so I can get on in the summer. Thank god.

 

Just my personal opinions and private thoughts thrown at you all!

[LcHg5265]

 

Didn't SD2k cost 52 million in 03'? and MF was 25 million and was built 3 yrs prior, shows the price increased greatly.

 

 

Steel Dragon was built in the year 2000.

 

http://rcdb.com/id1173.htm

[pkdcoaster]

SD2K also uses about two and a half times MORE steel than MF does.

 

MF was relatively cheap cause it spends most of the time near the ground.

 

JEFF

[CoasterFanatic]

Actually the price does not have as much to do with inflation and materials as it does with the fact that ...

 

It is in Japan!

 

If you are bored, look up the price tag for that 4-D at Fuji.

[Carnage]

The market for a giga is kind of like the S&S towers. So many parks that could afford one already have one. (or at least a hyper).

 

There's probably only a handful of parks that would have the resources to build a giga.

 

It's probably unlikely.

[Coaster Sim. Fan]

Steel Dragon is hard to compare the price cause remember that it is 1 the longest coaster and stile is as far as I know and cause its in Japan it has the be built to a higher stranded cause of earth quakes.

 

If you think about it hough for a long time when we can call it the coaster race there was 3 records that went to gather hight speed and length.

 

The first step to braking this I fell was TTD it proved that you can get both the speed and hight with a complete circuit and with out the length.

 

Then with KK they proved if a park wanted we can just keep tweaking it to get high and faster.

 

So now really what is the point of a park just building another ride just to say it is the highest and fastest coaster. Especially if its similar to both TTD and KK.

 

I would think the next park to brake the coaster hight is 1 going to be a new park or 2 a park that wants to make a longer version of TTD or KK and get back the hight, speed, and length records together.

 

Once the records are back together then I can see the parks competing once again.

 

As for why no 300ft coasters. I think we might see more remember the excitement that a few weeks ago there was when people thought Canada wonderland might be getting a giga. That shows people stile get excited by the idea of a 300ft tall coaster. Chancres are though the next one wont be in america. Cause right now in any other country a gig would clam the hight recored (well maybe not japan) but in america with rides like TTD and KK a park probably figures its worth it to just make a hyper and get the same effect or go for a recored but then a recored wont be unique.

 

Also those records for hight speed and length mean a lot to a park being able to advertise a ride. So if your going to spend 30 million on a giga you can just go for the recored or save moony by going for a hyper which you can advertise for in the same way as that giga.

[asr]

Except for the problem of Millennium Force being in the same state, I could see King's Island building a giga. Carowinds or Kings Dominion would be the be the next most likely parks in the US to build another one, but I feel that a giga would fit better at KI then at any of others.

[Electerik]

Well, I'm sure we will. I just don't know when, exactly. Both Millennium and Steel Dragon were built to be record breakers, but now 300 is kind of an "in between" height (that is, in between a "standard" 200-foot tall hypercoaster and a 400-foot tall "record breaker.")

 

So, it may not be for a while. But, yeah, at some point, someone will.

 

 

Electerik

Voice of Obvious/Reason

[Gnome]

In short, the coaster wars are over.

 

Six Flags is shying away from installing monster coasters, and now wants to install more family friendly attractions. Cedar Fair is undergoing growing pains from their recent acquisition, and is looking for help from private equity firms. Both firms are heavily indebted.

 

Kinzel has publicly denied this claim stating that they recieve offers all the time though they never make a statement. He also stated that they normally never comment on such things but as it was causing some stock holders concern the came out with a statement that they have no plans at this time to sell the company. They're doing alright.

 

As for a 300 foot coaster... I recon because it is still quite an investment and all the major parks that could afford such an attraction either do not have the room nor want to build anything that big.

[cobra_roll06]

To be honest, I'm sick if seeing ridiculously big coasters. I mean, I remember when I was 10 and I was going on PMBO @ Blackpool Pleasure Beach. I was so intimidated by the size of the coaster, but I was so excited because I kept thinking to myself "Wow! A coaster this big must be great!" Then being so disappointed when I came off the ride. I actually did and still do prefer Irn-Bru Revolution.

Anyway, Isn't an Intamin Rocket coaster Planned in 09/10 at BPPB anyway?

[ginzo]

Kinzel has publicly denied this claim stating that they recieve offers all the time though they never make a statement. He also stated that they normally never comment on such things but as it was causing some stock holders concern the came out with a statement that they have no plans at this time to sell the company. They're doing alright.

 

Yeah, it only took CF what 3 weeks to come out and deny the rumors. What were they doing in the interim? It's quite possible that nobody wanted them, or they weren't able to get the sweet heart deal that they were hoping for.

 

In any case, CF can't afford to build 300 ft coasters right now, at least not and continue to pay out the large dividends that they do.

[peteb]

The price of structural steel and metals has gone up considerably in the past few years, mainly due to massive consumption (China especially) which is making metal fabricated items really expensive and a 400 footer cost prohibitive. Wood coasters right now are much cheaper to build (except for Intamin woodies, all that prefab track is really expensive to make).

 

I also think parks sense there's more growth opportunity in families with young kids so building huge rides doesn't bring that money into the park. Teens and college age kids don't spend money like families do.

[bgwfreak]

Frankly I don't care if they do another one.

 

Millie is my #3 coaster, but it's missing so many air time moments to me and that's what makes a coaster great.

 

My #1-2 are both B&M Hypers and both are 100 ft less (or more) than Millie.

 

Airtime is all I care about. If they make a 300 ft coaster with tons of airtime, then sure I'll probably like it.

[thomas2]

^Apparentely SD2K has alot of airtime.

 

Oh well we'll see what the TPR gang thinks of it after they've ridden it this sunday.

[ginzo]

Frankly I don't care if they do another one.

 

Millie is my #3 coaster, but it's missing so many air time moments to me and that's what makes a coaster great.

 

My #1-2 are both B&M Hypers and both are 100 ft less (or more) than Millie.

 

Airtime is all I care about. If they make a 300 ft coaster with tons of airtime, then sure I'll probably like it.

 

I agree 100%. I'd much rather see a park chain invest in 2 sub-200 ft. "hypers" like EGF or Goliath (Walibi World) than one 300 ft. speed coaster like Millie with scant elements.

[bgwfreak]

Yeah, and since Millie and SD2K were both built during the coaster wars, I don't see anyone trying to outdo them.

 

What kind of tag is this "Coming to Carowinds next year, the tallest continuous circuit coaster in North America!!"

 

Uh, kinda looses something opposed to "Coming to Carowinds next year, the tallest coaster in the world!"

 

Also, SD2K might have lots of air, but frankly, when am I going to get to Japan? LOL

[ginzo]

Yeah, and since Millie and SD2K were both built during the coaster wars, I don't see anyone trying to outdo them.

 

What kind of tag is this "Coming to Carowinds next year, the tallest continuous circuit coaster in North America!!"

 

Uh, kinda looses something opposed to "Coming to Carowinds next year, the tallest coaster in the world!"

 

Also, SD2K might have lots of air, but frankly, when am I going to get to Japan? LOL

 

Yeah, that's another issue. You can market a 200 ft coaster as well as a 300 ft coaster in the US. Though a 300 footer in Europe might be highly promotable. "Europe's Tallest Coaster" has to be pretty good at bringing people in.