Playland (PNE) Vancouver Discussion Thread

[Nrthwnd]

Well, somebody has to do it.

 

And it's all the "home park" I got, lol.

[KarlaKoaster]

So, Beast has outward-facing seats! I didn't realise this. Picture from KMG.

 

[Nrthwnd]

^ Hmmm. I dunno. The "usual" XXL has the seats facing inward,

so this is certainly different, if they're placing them facing out.

 

Edit to add: And I went to the site myself and saw the other photo

that might show the seats' direction, better. Or.... maybe it's two

(x 2) sets of seats, each facing out or inwards! That sounds vicious, lol.

The seats do look to be facing inwards, from what I can see. But then,

there's that set of seats facing towards the control booth? eep.

[KarlaKoaster]

How weird! You're definitely right that the ones on the right are facing inwards. The ones on the left look like they're facing outwards. The only thing I can think is that they're not yet fixed on properly and are just on a rack or something ready to be installed? They do look like they are fixed on though. Maybe you will have the choice of either sitting inwards or outwards? I quite like that idea!

[BDG]

Maybe you will have the choice of either sitting inwards or outwards?

And we have a winner.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1549752235312911&set=gm.888343851215679&type=1

[Nrthwnd]

^ Very nice. Is this a first for this flat ride?

Or has the company does this before with other XXLs' seats?

[Nrthwnd]

Just posted on the PNE's BLOG, Mar.19....

Looking west, towards Playland. Not too hard to make The Beast out, lol.

[KarlaKoaster]

^ Very nice. Is this a first for this flat ride?

Or has the company does this before with other XXLs' seats?

It's certainly the first half and half version, and the first XXL to have outward facing seats too I believe. I really like the idea.

[Nrthwnd]

^ Then Playland should get off their PR butts and advertise this "first," yes? No?

I mean, if this is a really First Ever seat arrangement on one of these things, even the

company itself should be publically patting itself on the back too, heh.

[KarlaKoaster]

The Beast is testing

 

[Nrthwnd]

^Ooooooo pretty. Too bad, the only time we'll get to see the night lighting package is during the PNE, itself. Playland usually closes around 6-7 pm once it gets into it's daily schedule.

 

And that would actually be a really cool thing to do, opening hours into the evening for at least a couple of the days in the park's schedule, especially when open daily in the summer, before they close down for the PNE additions.

 

How about that suggestion, Playland? Stay open Fridays and/or Saturdays until say, 10 pm?

(And open later, say around noon instead of 10am those days, to compensate for the extra hours?)

Seeing the park more like this, from time to time, and other than the PNE schedule, would be really nice!

[Evan-500]

I saw them testing the RGB lighting system two days ago, it was fully working, and unreal!

[KingOfNynex2003]

I sent an e-mail to KMG right after I saw the latest photos there to find out if this XXL was the first to have outward facing seats and also to have half facing outward and half facing inward. I got an automatic e-mail back saying that they're busy until March 31st so will let you know when I get an e-mail back from them if this XXL is truly the first of its kind.

[KarlaKoaster]

It is, I've already said it is

[KingRCT3]

Yep it's the first XXL to have either both or all seats facing outward. Though Mondial did it on their model, the Mistral, with Artistico:

 

[KingOfNynex2003]

It is, I've already said it is

 

I just wanted to make sure so I'd know for certain, I always do that with everything

[KingOfNynex2003]

I just got an e-mail from KMG and this is what it said about The Beast:

 

Hello KingOfNynex2003,

 

 

 

Yes, this is the first time we have done this. This XXL is unique in many ways, and this is one of its unique features.

 

 

 

Met vriendelijke groeten / freundlichen Grüssen / Kind regards,

 

 

 

Bas Derkink

Engineering / Support / Aftersales

 

So why in the world hasn't Playland/PNE marketed this ride like crazy right? Considering this is the first KMG XXL of its kind in the entire world you'd think their PR Department would be doing a lot more to promote this ride right?

[Nrthwnd]

^ Then Playland should get off their PR butts and advertise this "first," yes? No?

I mean, if this is a really First Ever seat arrangement on one of these things, even the

company itself should be publicly patting itself on the back too, heh.

 

^ Like I posted, on the previous page.

[KarlaKoaster]

I love Bas's job description... he is a master of many trades Good of them to reply too. Theme parks have advertised far more spurious things before than the choice of inward/outside facing seats, so it is a bit weird that they're not milking it for all its worth. It makes a big difference to the ride and also will mean a lot of people will ride both options to compare how they feel (well, I would do anyway!)

[chickenbowl]

The Beast looks great! I will certain to ride it on my first visit to the park this June.

 

Another question for the Playland regulars, where is the best seat on Coaster?

[KingOfNynex2003]

depends on what kind of ride you want, if you want to see the track and just how fast you're going, then go with the front, if you're wanting airtime galore then you'll want to go for the back, if you don't want to see the track and not get much airtime, then it's the middle for you. personally I like the front because you don't get as sucker punched as you do in the back, I made the mistake of doing a marathon ride in the back one time I went there a number of years ago, took a while before I could feel my stomach anymore

[Nrthwnd]

Just discovered a really great video of COASTER, recently posted at

Roller Coaster Data Base, by David Ellis (thanks!). Excellent off-ride video!

(2:05 minutes running)

 

[Nrthwnd]

They've just posted the new map for the park at this link. Which now shows the re-located Crazy Beach Party; Music Express; and the Scrambler as well. And of course, where The Beast is now located.

 

http://www.pne.ca/playland/maps-and-directions.html

 

(Sorry I couldn't change it from PDF to posting quality, here.)

[Nrthwnd]

Just found this a-ma-zing black and white silent video of the old PNE, circa 1958!

Has a lot in it of the midway, including a rather over long bit about the

Side Show attraction. But the real surprise is - no Coaster in the video!!!

 

 

So - this was the year the new Coaster made it's debut, yes? I remember reading it elsewhere.

 

Huh. What I do love about it, is the ending around 2:14 with four classic fair rides (well, 3 out of 4) in action....

 

[Nrthwnd]

Playland opens today! I'm going to be heading there in a couple of hours, get my season pass,

ride Coaster and 'maybe' the new flat ride (The Beast) there.

 

In the mean time, here's the quote from our daily paper, The Vancouver Sun,

about the opening weekend, with 'the future' all neatly tied up in one paragraph...

 

Canada' oldest amusement park is in the initial stages of a major update and new ride The Beast, which swings riders higher than a 10-storey building at 90 km/h, is part of the rehaul. Over the next 13 years, it is expected that some $50 million will be spent on new, high-tech rides, with the park expanding by some 50 per cent. Until then, if The Beast lineup is too long, we'll see you at the Wooden Roller Coaster (built 57 years ago and still has the fair's finest thrill).