SeaWorld Orlando (SWO) Discussion Thread

[BintamiM]

I went to the park yesterday and mako was testing the whole time I was there. It looks beautiful but it was going a little slow in my opinion. I guess some things just never change. But hopefully the ride delivers more than we expect.

[coasterbill]

The park caters to a family market. I fully expect this to be as "family friendly" a hyper as possible. It should still be fun, but I think people should go in with realistic expectations.

[OrlandoGuy]

The park caters to a family market. I fully expect this to be as "family friendly" a hyper as possible. It should still be fun, but I think people should go in with realistic expectations.

 

Have you been on Manta?

[coasterbill]

Yes, and I love it. It's probably the best coaster in Orlando (though besides the pretzel not overly intense) but I've also been on Kraken. Maybe we'll be impressed, I'm just saying we should have realistic expectations. Even a mediocre B&M hyper is a very good ride, and if it exceeds or expectations then that's even better.

[theintimidator]

I'm being completely honest; it can still haul booty and be family-friendly. Maybe the ride doesn't have that many positive G Forces. Fury hauls, but the whole family can ride. The vertical g forces are very minimal. Same thing with Banshee. It has gigantic elements and it appears to go slow, but the ride did better than I thought. Looks can be deceiving.

[SFOG1991]

The park caters to a family market. I fully expect this to be as "family friendly" a hyper as possible. It should still be fun, but I think people should go in with realistic expectations.

I have never understood this because I see the best reaction from all ages on coasters that are very intense. Many people argue that a park "doesn't want a coaster that intense because it won't appeal to as many people" but at most parks, their most intense coaster is often the most popular with the GP.

 

I don't see why notable airtime would make this more or less family friendly. At the end of the day it is very tall and fast, and most people will decide to ride it or not ride it based on that, not on the negative G calculation.

 

People not interested in coasters will go to SeaWorld regardless, so if anything a standout coaster just helps to expand the park's target customer.

 

 

 

Regardless of all of that, it is a B&M so it will likely ride like an average B&M hyper or maybe a bit more intense than the average B&M hyper. It isn't going to ride like an Intamin.

[OrlandoGuy]

The park caters to a family market. I fully expect this to be as "family friendly" a hyper as possible. It should still be fun, but I think people should go in with realistic expectations.

I have never understood this because I see the best reaction from all ages on coasters that are very intense. Many people argue that a park "doesn't want a coaster that intense because it won't appeal to as many people" but at most parks, their most intense coaster is often the most popular with the GP.

 

I don't see why notable airtime would make this more or less family friendly. At the end of the day it is very tall and fast, and most people will decide to ride it or not ride it based on that, not on the negative G calculation.

 

People not interested in coasters will go to SeaWorld regardless, so if anything a standout coaster just helps to expand the park's target customer.

 

I agree with pretty much all of this. I don't see how running a big roller coaster with a 54" height requirement a little slower makes it more family-friendly. It's not like the park can say "Hey! We have the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Orlando! But we kicked up the trim brakes!" in their advertisements....people are either gonna ride it or they won't and will decide afterward if they thought it was too intense or not but by then the park already has their money so who cares.

 

I get that B&M's are built the way they are for a reason, but I don't think family friendly is one of them. The GP doesn't know what kind of ride a roller coaster is going to give them based on the manufacturer. No matter how fast or slow they run it, it's still the tallest/fastest in the area and it still has a 54" height requirement.

[thrilladdict]

Ah yes, now it's running at a speed like other B&M hypers. It's funny to me that some are still in denial after seeing the clear video evidence.

 

Anyone who thought they were going to leave it hauling like it was in their first POV video was smoking something great.

[The Yeti]

The park caters to a family market. I fully expect this to be as "family friendly" a hyper as possible. It should still be fun, but I think people should go in with realistic expectations.

I have never understood this because I see the best reaction from all ages on coasters that are very intense. Many people argue that a park "doesn't want a coaster that intense because it won't appeal to as many people" but at most parks, their most intense coaster is often the most popular with the GP.

 

I don't see why notable airtime would make this more or less family friendly. At the end of the day it is very tall and fast, and most people will decide to ride it or not ride it based on that, not on the negative G calculation.

 

I think this is very true. Silver Dollar City's most intense ride is easily Outlaw Run, and you see more smiles and laughter on that break run than on any other ride I've seen. There are also tons of kids in the 7-10 year old age group that will ride and then get right back in line, and that's how I was at that age, too. A 200-foot coaster is going to scare people away because of the height, not because of the g-forces.

[thrilladdict]

Maybe B&M's obsession with restricting any possible ejector air across all of their models has something to do w/ the seat / labpar design? The clamshell restraint is amazingly open and comfortable along w/ not requiring a seatbelt (in all parks). Maybe B&M has a legitimate engineering reason why they don't want to let their airtime machines really launch people like Intamin seems to? I'll admit that I would find El Toro's infamous plummet over RT (RIP) way more terrifying w/ a loose B&M clamshell... or even the back row on that first Toro hill. What about Skyrush w/ a clamshell? Or the New Texas Giant? I doubt many people would feel so comfortable w/ the B&M restraint setup there...

 

Maybe they simply decided that they'd opt for the super comfortable "Mercedes Benz" of restraints w/ the caveat that they weren't designed to ever handle intense negative g's. That's fair enough and a legitimate design standard. At no point have I ever really truly "appreciated" my restraint on a B&M compared to several RMC's and Intamins where I've had those "holy ****" moments.

[Projektion]

^ I highly doubt it has anything to do with the restraint system B&M uses.

[theintimidator]

I appreciate my restraint in the front row of Fury. That ride doesn't have the ordinary floater airtime you'd find on Intimidator or Apollo's Chariot, or even Nitro. It's a little stronger, but still not El Toro strong.

Edited April 28, 2016 by theintimidator

[gerstlaueringvar]

Now this is the real speed of Mako!

 

Link

[gmann88]

Maybe B&M's obsession with restricting any possible ejector air across all of their models has something to do w/ the seat / labpar design? The clamshell restraint is amazingly open and comfortable along w/ not requiring a seatbelt (in all parks). Maybe B&M has a legitimate engineering reason why they don't want to let their airtime machines really launch people like Intamin seems to? I'll admit that I would find El Toro's infamous plummet over RT (RIP) way more terrifying w/ a loose B&M clamshell... or even the back row on that first Toro hill. What about Skyrush w/ a clamshell? Or the New Texas Giant? I doubt many people would feel so comfortable w/ the B&M restraint setup there...

 

Maybe they simply decided that they'd opt for the super comfortable "Mercedes Benz" of restraints w/ the caveat that they weren't designed to ever handle intense negative g's. That's fair enough and a legitimate design standard. At no point have I ever really truly "appreciated" my restraint on a B&M compared to several RMC's and Intamins where I've had those "holy ****" moments.

 

http://www.aceonline.org/acenewsnow/?article=504

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201503/4483/

Fury and Intimidator at Carowinds have seatbelts

[gmann88]

Deleted Double Post

Edited April 27, 2016 by gmann88

[SFOG1991]

The park caters to a family market. I fully expect this to be as "family friendly" a hyper as possible. It should still be fun, but I think people should go in with realistic expectations.

I have never understood this because I see the best reaction from all ages on coasters that are very intense. Many people argue that a park "doesn't want a coaster that intense because it won't appeal to as many people" but at most parks, their most intense coaster is often the most popular with the GP.

 

I don't see why notable airtime would make this more or less family friendly. At the end of the day it is very tall and fast, and most people will decide to ride it or not ride it based on that, not on the negative G calculation.

 

I think this is very true. Silver Dollar City's most intense ride is easily Outlaw Run, and you see more smiles and laughter on that break run than on any other ride I've seen. There are also tons of kids in the 7-10 year old age group that will ride and then get right back in line, and that's how I was at that age, too. A 200-foot coaster is going to scare people away because of the height, not because of the g-forces.

In addition to this point, regardless of how family oriented SeaWorld is, they are adding Mako to attract more thrill seekers and expand their target market. The park isn't adding a hyper coaster so mothers and children will come to the park. The fact that it is a family oriented park has nothing to do with this coaster. A 54" height requirement is far from family friendly anyways and you'll see that restriction on all their major coasters.

[SFOG1991]

Maybe B&M's obsession with restricting any possible ejector air across all of their models has something to do w/ the seat / labpar design? The clamshell restraint is amazingly open and comfortable along w/ not requiring a seatbelt (in all parks). Maybe B&M has a legitimate engineering reason why they don't want to let their airtime machines really launch people like Intamin seems to? I'll admit that I would find El Toro's infamous plummet over RT (RIP) way more terrifying w/ a loose B&M clamshell... or even the back row on that first Toro hill. What about Skyrush w/ a clamshell? Or the New Texas Giant? I doubt many people would feel so comfortable w/ the B&M restraint setup there...

 

 

 

http://www.aceonline.org/acenewsnow/?article=504

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201503/4483/

Fury and Intimidator at Carowinds have seatbelts fyi

 

I would love it if Skyrush and El Toro had comfortable clamshell restraints and honestly I would feel more secure with those bulky clamshells.

[SFOG1991]

Now this is the real speed of Mako!

 

Link

It looks like they are applying a trim in the MCBR now because that looks much slower than the POV (unless the perspective is tricking me).

 

Still excited.

[prozach626]

The controlled speed of the ride probably has more to do with a combination of maintenance, comfort, and longevity of the ride than anything else. I enjoy a B&M hyper like I enjoy a good Intamin or RMC. I'm not quite sure why everyone has to get all butt hurt about it.

[theintimidator]

I seriously appreciate my restraint in the front row of Fury. That ride doesn't have the ordinary floater airtime you'd find on Intimidator or Apollo's Chariot, or even Nitro. It was more like a "I'm trying to throw you out, and you're lucky you have that restraint" type of airtime.

 

Uhm, that must have been a different Fury than I rode. It was just as weak as any other B&M.

 

But we all know what to expect. It will be a solid ride but nothing extreme or groundbreaking. Still good for SW.

 

It's not the strongest, but it's not the weakest airtime. It isn't the floater airtime you'd expect especially when it's 100 degrees out and the trim brake doesn't catch hard like it usually does. The last two little hills are good too.

[theintimidator]

Sorry, I double posted.

[DILinator]

The controlled speed of the ride probably has more to do with a combination of maintenance, comfort, and longevity of the ride than anything else. I enjoy a B&M hyper like I enjoy a good Intamin or RMC. I'm not quite sure why everyone has to get all butt hurt about it.

 

Agreed! I love B&M Hypers, and haven't had an un-enjoyable on one ever! I get plenty of air time on them as well! So what if it's not all ejecter.. It's still airtime!

 

Uhm, that must have been a different Fury than I rode. It was just as weak as any other B&M.

 

Then you rode a different Fury than me as well, because the Fury I rode was the best coaster I've ever ridden, and was incredibly intense, with a bunch of airtime moments! Nothing about it could be even remotely described as weak...

[Khat26]

^ I agree. Fury has the strongest airtime I've felt on a B&M and it's not even close.

[theintimidator]

Hate to be the one to ask, but Fury developed a rattle it's first season... Do you think Mako will get a rattle before the season is over?

[theintimidator]

Hate to be the one to ask, but Fury developed a rattle it's first season... Do you think Mako will get a rattle before the season is over?