Floorless Coasters: Just a gimmick?

[RIP Psyclone]

Having been on a few floorless coasters, I just realized I feel the design is little more than a gimmick, IMO. It was giving my review of Tivoli Garden's Daemonen in the Ask Alvey forum when I realized I felt this way. When riding coasters, I'm usually not looking down at my feet and forget it's a floorless anyway.

 

However, I do think that flying and stand-up coasters are unique experiences and are not gimmicks. I know I'm in the minority when it comes to stand-ups. Few people on here seem to like them.

 

What do you think?

[timetrial3141592]

Floorless = gimmick. Standup != gimmick. A floorless is a sit-down. A stand-up is as unique as an invert.

[kraxleRIDAH]

Floorless coasters and stand-up coasters are sold solely on the idea of offering a unique riding position and vehicle. Nothing about them aside from that make them unique in any way. So they're all technically gimmicks, BUT it doesn't have to be approached with a negative connotation.

 

Stand-up coasters offer a unique riding sensation other coasters can't provide...riders heartlines and peripheral vision are raised much higher than in a sitting position. The bizarre position of standing while moving at very fast speeds and through twisting turns produces a feeling of additional vulnerability. I recall my father telling me the sensation he felt going down Mantis' first drop was almost what it would feel like to leap off the edge of a tall building.

 

Floorless coasters are similar in a way with their unique coaches that play a psychological game with riders. With most traditional sit-down coasters, riders are often used to being enclosed in a protective shell that's the vehicle that consists of a floor and walls around the rider. By stripping away the floor and sides of the car, riders feel a sense of being barely restrained and out in the open while moving at very fast speeds. Not to mention the illusion front-row riders get...where their precious legs may hit the track at every bend or curve.

 

<3 Gimmicks.

[steel]

Finally, someone agrees with me. The lack of a floor does nothing to enhance the experience for me. There is very obviously more than enough room there. If anything, it just makes your legs hurt more during big positives.

[cobra_roll06]

^Yeah I got nothing from floorless. When I rode Kraken I actually forgot there wasn't a floor beneath me during the ride. It's definitely in my top 10 list but even if it had a floor it would be there. I might feel different if I had managed to get a ride in the front but we will have to wait till 2009 till I can enhance my opinion.

[viking86]

Finally, someone agrees with me. The lack of a floor does nothing to enhance the experience for me.

 

I find it to be completely opposite. In my opinion, you feel alot more "loose" without a floor to put your feet on. I think the airtime on, lets say Thundercoaster at Tusenfryd, feels alot stronger when I lift my feet from the floor going over the hills.

 

Visually I dont think its much difference while riding.

[Moose]

I look at floorless as a slightly modified version of a sit down and that's good enough for me. I like being more exposed, but i do not view a coaster as better or worse because of it.

 

Gimmick. eh. don't see it.

 

Count me in the "hate standups" crowd. The forces it excerts on my knees are not pleasurable in any way.

[rbpia]

I might feel different if I had managed to get a ride in the front

 

I think floorless are great in the front. But they lose the effect in any other row.

 

Ron "Front row or don't go!" Patton

[raptorcrew2002]

I have to agree with the floorless = gimmick.

 

I think that whole neat o factor many experience after the first time on one and watching the floor boards slip in at the stations ends very quick.

 

It’s just nothing special in the long run, and like another said unless you are in the front row does it matter? As far as I’m concerned they could slap a floor board on them with a low cut front and have the same coaster.

 

I never did fully understand the justification for the cost increase, and maintenance for the ride station. Give me a good coaster, great layout and lots of fun. Who cares what the cars look like.

 

The only true floorless coaster that does not fall under the gimmick cat., would be the 4th dim, granted not a B&M but still in sense a floorless. That at the least offers a very different ride experience.

[kewlcoasterdude]

I didn't want to say anything before because I thought everyone loved floorless coasters. Now that I say others feel the same way, I will give my opinion. While I agree Kraken and a few other floorless coaster are fun I donlt really even notice anything different from a regular sitdown coaster. So I have to say I agree that floorless is just a gimmick.

As far as inverts go, I think it is just a very unique experience. I love almost all B&M inverts except for the Batman versions. They are very fun and I enjoy every ride on them. Raptor remains one of my top coasters and I believe it is because of that unique invert feature. I would love to see more inverts. Kings Island could really use one of these ride. They are great!! Nothing gimmicky about inverts folks.

[FeelTheFORCE]

Even if they are just a gimmick, they are the best gimmick, in my opinion. I like them way more than just regular sit down loopers. Floorless gives you that more open and free feel, especially in the front.

[Hang And Bang]

I don't consider inverts or stand-ups to be gimmicky. I love both formats, especially stand-ups. I'm kind of surprised they're not more popular given they tend to provide large doses of both positive and negative g's. Do stand-ups really hurt people's legs that much??? I never have a problem with them.

 

I still haven't ridden a floorless coaster yet so I can't comment on those.

 

I DO consider flyers kind of gimmicky. They're fun for a few rides but the novelty always wears off quickly for me. I don't hate the format but I don't find them to be very substantial either. I don't think the format will have much longevity. That is, I don't think 20 years from now they'll still be building new ones nor do I think many of the the existing ones will still be around. (BTW, yes, I know the same could be said of stand-ups but I personally consider them more substantial than flyers.)

[Scaparri]

I don't think it was intended to be so gimmicky. I figure they probably thought it was a good idea, and it just didn't turn out to be so unique unless you're in the front row. Personally, I'd much rather have a sit-down be floorless. It doesn't hurt anything, and at least I have the opportunity to have a unique experience.

[mightypotato]

The only floorless coaster I've ever been on is Griffon. And I really didn't notice the lack of floor, even when sitting in the front or on an outside seat. Well, except for the holding brake...that was cool.

[asr]

Floorless coasters are a gimmick, and not a very good one. Inverts are alot better in my opinion, you feel alot more free with no track beneath you. And on really compact inverts (like Vekoma SLCs) the footchoppers are really frightening.

[Manny In England]

I consider train design to be the gimmicks and track design to be unique. There are some exceptions like inverted which is half train, half track. For instance Vertical coasters the uniqueness is in the track, enhanced by a widened train to make the drop and holding brake more exciting. Putting floorless on Griffon was a gimmick no question.

[doom1001]

I don't think Floorless coasters are a gimmick,a ride on a Floorless in the front row is a very cool experience,the feeling of speed is amazing.The other rows you don't get that visual of the track under your feet but you feel more free when riding a Floorless like it's just you and the seat,they're not as amazing as an Invert which in my opinion is one of the most amazing coaster design EVER!!Stand-ups are cool but nowhere near Invert status.

[KGA29]

I won't ride a floorless unless I've already ridden in the front. THe front is way better with that feeling that your legs are going to hit the track. I don't see the point of not having a floor in the middle rows. It does nothing for me. Just seems like an inverted coaster.

[easytoremember]

I agree. The front gives a really great visual, but the rest of the seats on a floorless coaster are lame.

[Ccron10]

Floorless coasters are unique in my eyes. It was one of them that gave me my first ride on a looping ride. These were in the front row though, but it was a fun experience.

[Pufferfish]

I can't bring myself to call either stand ups or floorlesses gimmicks. My first floorless was Kraken when I was about 7 or 8, and I was scared the entire ride that I was going to loose my feet. It was a very unique experience for me and I loved it. Stand ups are very different in my eyes. I love the feeling of all that extra force on my legs.

[coastrfreak2000]

I think floorless coaster are a terrible gimmick. Unless you sit in the front row it just feels like a regular B&M sit down.

[kraken613]

Id rather have a floor less than a sitdown w/floor. It gives you a more open feeling.

[raptor6]

The front seat of of floorless coaster is just incredible. The exposure that you receive makes the ride feel so unique. There is nothing blocking your view of thousands of feet of looping track goodness.

[coreyml]

if you are in the front row, it DOES enhance the experience. When you go thru a sharp or fast turn, all you can see in front of you is track.

Ive been on Medusa and scream - post MCBR turn

Kraken - post cobra roll turn into MCBR

Dominator - Post first loop turn

all great times for the floorless design

Not to meantion - Every loop is a good time to have a floorless seat

 

BUT front seat only - the rest of the seats are gimics

 

Im sure Sheikra is bettter - in the front seat - due to the floorless trains now