Kentucky Kingdom (SFKK, KK) Discussion Thread

[A.J.]

Hearing how insane Larson/ARM drop towers are and reading about all these great things about them, I wonder why S&S towers are everywhere but Larson/ARM drop towers are relatively rare even compare with Intamin towers. Are they more expensive than the drop towers of their competitors?

Smaller parks can easily market a drop tower that's 70-140 feet tall. Larger parks, who want the biggest and best rides around, can't. Most of the S&S tower complexes around the world are 200 feet tall or more. Most Intamin towers are also over 200 feet tall as well.

 

It's especially hard to market a smaller drop tower when certain rides would be larger than it upon construction, or when there's a drop tower in the park already.

[coasterbill]

Yes, 12 is correct. Takes 70 seconds to raise to the top and drop. They are a quick ride to load/unload and start up, so the 12 person capacity should not be too detrimental to wait times especially when Kentucky Kingdom is not the most crazy busy park around. Only one operator is needed as well, so that can save a few bucks for the park too.

Hearing how insane Larson/ARM drop towers are and reading about all these great things about them, I wonder why S&S towers are everywhere but Larson/ARM drop towers are relatively rare even compare with Intamin towers. Are they more expensive than the drop towers of their competitors?

 

They're actually very inexpensive compared to their competitors and there are a lot of them. The only downside (that I know of) is that they have is a very low capacity (as was mentioned above), so a major corporate park probably wouldn't build one.

[mikeykaise]

The other factor in drop towers when it comes to Kentucky Kingdom is that it sits right next to the airport so they are limited on how high up they can go. I'm sure Ed would have loved to put in a 200 ft+ tower.... that would be a cool affect being 200 feet up in the air and a UPS 757 passes right under your feet as long as no one got hurt by a passing airplane that is.

[Barge84]

Hearing how insane Larson/ARM drop towers are and reading about all these great things about them, I wonder why S&S towers are everywhere but Larson/ARM drop towers are relatively rare even compare with Intamin towers. Are they more expensive than the drop towers of their competitors?

 

Most of the S&S towers were built in the mid-to-late 90s. The Larson/ARM towers only started popping a few years ago.

[lilsam1993]

The Larson tower stands at 129 feet...The Hellavator stood at 177 feet

 

But I will take a drop tower than no drop tower

 

BTW, The height limit for Kentucky Kingdom varies, but no ride can be over 200 feet

[Diamondbacker27]

It can be. But you would have to dig a big hole

[gerstlaueringvar]

It can be. But you would have to dig a big hole

Then it would be painful to go down the hole and walk back up. Is it possible to set the station midways?

[Diamondbacker27]

It can be. But you would have to dig a big hole

Then it would be painful to go down the hole and walk back up. Is it possible to set the station midways?

I mean just dig like 100 feet down. Not the entire 200 unless you want a record breaker. It's obvious they aren't getting a new drop tower anytime soon. But they could make an underground tunnel for a coaster.

[AdventureJack]

^^^ This would be kinda cool! Not just a solution for the height requirements so that they CAN have taller rides but also a unique element that would drive people to come see and ride. I mean I would want to check that thing out.

[coasterbill]

The Larson tower stands at 129 feet...The Hellavator stood at 177 feet

 

Yeah but the Larson tower will be better anyway because it will give you ridiculous ejector air all the way down and then stop on a dime at the bottom. Like I've said before, Larson towers are the best towers I've ridden... better than S&S towers, Intamin 1st Gens, Intamin 2nd Gens, Intamin Gyro Drops, Lex Luthor... seriously, Larson towers are better than all of them. Just wait... you'll be impressed.

[boardwalkbullet91507]

Larson Towers are amazing; they're the only ride to date that I still get jittery and nervous on when I ride. Very intense.

[gerstlaueringvar]

Haven't been on a Larson tower but the drop tower at Orange County fair was insane. Is that a Larson tower? If not? How does it compare to Larson towers?

 

Photo from rcdude's TR

Photo credit: rcdude

[Koasterking48]

What if Larson built 200+ towers? I wonder if they would be as insane as the smaller counterparts...

[Diamondbacker27]

Haven't been on a Larson tower but the drop tower at Orange County fair was insane. Is that a Larson tower? If not? How does it compare to Larson towers?

 

Photo from rcdude's TR

Yes, I'm almost positive that is an Larson/ARM tower. Any drop tower at a fair s more than likely a Larson.

[KingRCT3]

^^^ This would be kinda cool! Not just a solution for the height requirements so that they CAN have taller rides but also a unique element that would drive people to come see and ride. I mean I would want to check that thing out.

 

That was the basic idea behind Oblivion.

[boardwalkbullet91507]

Yes, I'm almost positive that is an Larson/ARM tower. Any drop tower at a fair s more than likely a Larson.

 

That's not a Larson; I believe it's an SBF/Visa. The catch car on a Larson is MUCH smaller than the one shown in the picture gerstlaueringvar posted. I could be wrong about it being from SBF but for sure it's not a Larson.

[_koppen]

Yes, I'm almost positive that is an Larson/ARM tower. Any drop tower at a fair s more than likely a Larson.

 

That's not a Larson; I believe it's an SBF/Visa. The catch car on a Larson is MUCH smaller than the one shown in the picture gerstlaueringvar posted. I could be wrong about it being from SBF but for sure it's not a Larson.

 

It's a Fabbri tower

[boardwalkbullet91507]

^yes, that it. That's the one manufacturer I forgot to check! Thanks for the confirmation!

 

Back onto KK, lightning run looks great! It shouldn't be much longer before we are some testing. Having ridden steel eel I'm excited to see how this compares at is is more 'flexible' I guess you could say in track design (granted, the trains are smaller).

[_koppen]

So this looks pretty dope! They should start on the speed slides any day now.

Source

[DarienLaker]

Those slides almost look like Darien Lake's Swirl City slide complex except Kentucky Kingdom's new water slide complex is more colorful while Darien Lake's Swirls water slides are just red, blue, and yellow. Do I see two Tantrum slides in Kentucky Kingdom's new water slide complex or do they just have one Tantrum slide like Darien Lake's Swirl City?

[KyKingdomMike]

4-8-2014

Mark Brunner Lightning Run Photos

 

[DanTheBooker]

Haven't been on a Larson tower but the drop tower at Orange County fair was insane. Is that a Larson tower? If not? How does it compare to Larson towers?

 

Photo from rcdude's TR

 

Fabbri Mega Drop. Not ARM/Larson.

[Diamondbacker27]

Wow! So pretty!

[matteocrepaldi]

That first drop looks pretty good!

[gerstlaueringvar]

Looks fantastic! I'm imagining the OMFG airtime on the backseat.