Luna Park Tel Aviv's new mystery coaster!

[FLIPDUDE]

Well... A couple of days ago I had my old recurring dream where my home park, Luna Park Tel Aviv, which is known for it's lack of awesomeness, builds a cool new coaster. Sadly, I always find out when I wake up that it isn't true.

 

...Imagine my shock when today, while talking to the manager of the local waterpark (which kind of deserves a topic of it's own), he told me that Luna Park Tel Aviv tore down it's old, well known Galaxi coaster. The first ever coaster to be built in Israel, if I'm not mistaken. (Which, while everybody claims to hate and fear it, it always had the lognest lines in the park.) ...and is building a new rollercoaster! Immediatly I ran over to look (The water park is just up the road from the amusement park) and was shocked to discover that the galaxi had indeed disappeared from the skyline!

 

 

This is what it used to look like:

See it? To the left of the Anaconda boomerang.

 

The view form the street.

 

 

 

And here is what it looks like now:

 

 

I tried asking the park staff who were wandeirng around the outside of the park what the new ride was going to be. For the most part they were either rude, unhelpful, or both.

I have really had it with how nasty everyone in that park is, staff members and guests alike. Everyone's got that attitude that they've got better things to do than dealing with you. As a result you get staff memebrs blowing you off when you want to talk about the park's expansions, ride ops that don't care what row you want to sit in, or run rides at low capacity, and guests that cut you in line like they own the place.

 

 

Eventually I found the site manager, who, at first, I thought was another regular construction worker being both rude and unhelpful by CLAIMING to be the site manager(not that unthinkable of an option around here, trust me) so we both ended up getting upset at each other, but after we cleared things up he agreed to tell me SOME details about the new ride, leaving out a bunch of stuff, to keep it a surprise.

 

1) The new coaster is not built by S&S(I thought it might be a package deal with the new drop tower)

 

2) It will be a family coaster (obviously I was disappointed to hear that, but I guess it might be the right chioce...) But according to him, it will sitll have that "scare factor".

 

3) It is built by an American company that has built another ride in Israel.

What american company is there that builds rollercoasters?! Keep in mind all the coasters in Israel were built by Vekoma, Pinfari, Zamperla, or some random italian carnival company. None of which are American. Meaning their existing Israeli ride is a FLAT ride, meaning it can't be something like GCI or CCI, who don't build flat rides. None of it makes sense to me, but it's possible he made a mistake?

I am worried it might end up being a Wild mouse or a roller skater, which won't be worth the trade for the Galaxi.

 

4) It should open around passover(May). Same time the drop tower opened last year.

 

 

 

I hate that I didn't ask him a couple other questions, like will it be a model, or will Israel finally be home to an original coaster kayout.

 

 

Could you all help me figure out what it is?

 

 

EDIT: If you want to read my PTR of the park from last passover, here it is:

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=50053&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

 

Also, I REALLY doubt it, since the guy I talked to didnt seem to acknowledge the existance of any other parks besides Luna Park and Superland, but its possible the American company he's reffering to is the one that built the coaster at Luna GGRAND, which nobody is yet to be able to tell me what company built! (Pardon my grammar)

http://www.rcdb.com/1968.htm?p=0

this is the new construction area. It's smaller than the boomerang, but for Luna Park Tel Aviv, this is a HUGE area to spend on a ride!

[Airtime&Gravity]

^i assume you'll be getting a Morgan or Premier coaster, although I'll go with Premier. Sad to hear the staff at the park is so bad, but at least you will have a new coaster to ride. Considering Israel's best coaster looks to be either a Boomerang or SLC, this could end up being the best coaster in the country even if it is a family coaster. I'm holding out hope for a Backlot Stunt Coaster style ride.

[FLIPDUDE]

^Don't overdo it... Like I said, the footprint for the ride is still smaller than the boomerang's, and only slightly larger than the Galaxi.

 

And I thoguht of premier, but I can't think of any flat rides manufactured by them!

 

What flat rides are manufactured by premier/morgan?

I know the usperland jsut got a rockin' tug, frog hopper, and balloon race. who made those? might be it.

[SharkTums]

Two things...

 

1) S&S kind of changed their name recently. Is it possible he's being annoying and it is a ride from S&S?

 

2) Is it possible he means the ride is 'coming' from America as in a used ride by some other random manufacturer?

 

Remember that most people are dumb. He may have no clue what he's talking about, or he may just be being rude to you and telling you random nonsense.

[FLIPDUDE]

1) S&S changed their name? When, and to what? I must've missed it.

Makes sense that he would get that wrong, then.

 

2) Well, he said that it's "an american company" building the coaster. Seeing as all the construciton workers were defiantely Israel-brand foreign workers, that means the company who made the coaster is probably American. But I guess there's a chance it's just coming from america.

[kidcoaster 2]

I dont know how it is over there but here in America most parks don't give out information about a ride till they make a public announcement. And park employees sign a NDA when hired. Maybe thats why no one at that park would give you information or maybe they just don't know.

[robbalvey]

^^ They haven't officially changed their name, but they seem to be using the "Engineering Excitement" in everything lately including their new website. http://www.engineeringexcitement.com/

 

An S&S Free Fly coaster doesn't take up that much space.

 

--Robb

[FLIPDUDE]

WARNING: Rant ahead. Letting loose alot of stuff I usually don't let myself say about the park.

 

 

^^Parks here don't make announceents, mostly because parks here dont make things worth announcing, nor is there anyone to announce it to. If you read my TR you'll see that the day the space shot opened the park was absolutely empty.

 

And my comment about the park staff being nasty has nothing to do with willingness to give info. Had anyone just said "sorry, we can't give info yet" that would of been fine. In fact, when the site manager said there were some stuff he'd rather not tell about the new project I didn't argue a word.

Instead people disrespect me by telling me obvious lies("its a giant multi looping, flying, underground coaster built by ABC!"), or just by acting way too rudely for someone that has any company image to maintain.

 

And in general it was about the fact that everyone in the park is either rude, or uncaring about their jobs(namely ride ops).

 

Not to mention my grudge towards the park began when the park manager invited me to a meeitng about some suggestions I made for the park, saying he liked them, and then just not having the meeting, and obviously screening me when I tried to find out why or rescheduele.

 

 

In general nobody likes telling you ANYTHING. When I would call last year to ask what the new tower does, they would first have to know who's calling, and where from, and why do I want to know, all in a very confused, accusing tone. I understand that SOMEWHERE behind that lies a bit of logic but the park really blows it out of proportion.

 

 

Whew... had to get all that off my chest... I really resent that park, I guess. No wonder why I hardly ever go there anymore.

 

 

 

On a more positive note... Yeah, I guess it might be a FreeFly... That would explain why he described it as a family coaster with a scare factor. Area seems to be big enough, too.

 

Whatever it is I hope it's a good trade for the Galaxi we lost. I'd hate to get something lower, or with less drops/airtime/whatever.

The galaxi was old and outdated but it had two big drops that would give you a good thrill. And I always did like that helix. If we end up getting a Wild Mouse, ROller Skater, or anything of the sort, I'd probably consider that a step back.

[downunder]

^If it's any consolation Luna Park Tel Aviv is way better than Luna Park Sydney, in fact our park makes your park look like Cedar Point by comparison.

 

A Tranan style coaster would be an interesting addition, it was actually a lot better than I thought it would be.

 

Scandanavia seems to be the land that public liability forgot relatively speaking so I don't how a coaster with that type of restraint would cut it against safety laws in other countries.

[Hobbesx2]

so rakevet harim is gone? glad i got that credit. i'm confused, though. that was a fun ride, and why spend the money if they don't publicize it anyway? maybe it was removed because of bad capacity?

 

^yah, but luna park sydney has so much more atmosphere. luna park in israel is small and boring, but the one in sydney is so much fun! its got such a classic, strange feel. too bad ticket prices are $10, or i would have ridden the mouse.

its true though, if you live in sydney you're pretty much screwed for coasters. most people don't realize the gold coast, where they all are, is longer than a 10 hour drive away!

[robbalvey]

If we end up getting a Wild Mouse, ROller Skater, or anything of the sort, I'd probably consider that a step back.

I'm pretty sure there is at least one Arrow mouse sitting around somewhere and that would be both A. Made in America and B. From America.

 

Just throwing out possibilities.

 

--Robb

[coastermoosh]

RCDB lists nothing. Perhaps the park's website has info? I clicked over to the English version and some of the links weren't working (or redirected back to non-English pages).

[downunder]

^yah, but luna park sydney has so much more atmosphere. luna park in israel is small and boring, but the one in sydney is so much fun! its got such a classic, strange feel. too bad ticket prices are $10, or i would have ridden the mouse.

its true though, if you live in sydney you're pretty much screwed for coasters. most people don't realize the gold coast, where they all are, is longer than a 10 hour drive away!

 

I agree with you there, Luna Park is in one of the best spots in Sydney. I went there before the original park burned down (I was actually a tiny tot at the park the night it burned down in 1979). The park was like a mini Blackpool before the fire.

 

Sydney has one wild mouse and that's it, and there's no prospect of another coaster coming - ever.

 

The Gold Coast parks are 1000km away, probably 12 hours drive. Oh we do have Magic Mountain about 6 hours drive south of Sydney - Merimbula's Magic Mountain with it's one portable coaster.

 

It's totally strange to me to be able to go to an amusement park any time you want.

[FLIPDUDE]

RCDB lists nothing. Perhaps the park's website has info? I clicked over to the English version and some of the links weren't working (or redirected back to non-English pages).

 

Well, half of the Israel related RCDB updates get sent in by me, so I wouldn't expect them to know something I don't.

 

hobbes, when were you in luna park tel aviv?

but yeah, it is small and boring.

 

robb - yikes. scary thought. I'm really hoping for something with a decent thrill.

 

^^like i said, parks here aren't like american ones, the park usually doesnt write anything about the new ride until it's already been open for a couple of wees.

[sccoasterfan]

^Don't overdo it... Like I said, the footprint for the ride is still smaller than the boomerang's, and only slightly larger than the Galaxi.

 

And I thoguht of premier, but I can't think of any flat rides manufactured by them!

 

What flat rides are manufactured by premier/morgan?

I know the usperland jsut got a rockin' tug, frog hopper, and balloon race. who made those? might be it.

 

 

Well they did make MAX RPM/ROUND ABOUT and Soak'd/Slippery When Wet at Hard Rock/Freestyle Music Park.

[sccoasterfan]

If we end up getting a Wild Mouse, ROller Skater, or anything of the sort, I'd probably consider that a step back.

I'm pretty sure there is at least one Arrow mouse sitting around somewhere and that would be both A. Made in America and B. From America.

 

Just throwing out possibilities.

 

--Robb

 

 

Yeah there is. It is sitting in a parking lot beside Nascar Speedpark here in Myrtle Beach. Its the older one from The Pavillion.

[FLIPDUDE]

^Don't overdo it... Like I said, the footprint for the ride is still smaller than the boomerang's, and only slightly larger than the Galaxi.

 

And I thoguht of premier, but I can't think of any flat rides manufactured by them!

 

What flat rides are manufactured by premier/morgan?

I know the usperland jsut got a rockin' tug, frog hopper, and balloon race. who made those? might be it.

 

 

Well they did make MAX RPM/ROUND ABOUT and Soak'd/Slippery When Wet at Hard Rock/Freestyle Music Park.

 

Yes, but Max RPM and soak'd aren't flat rides.

[RCFreak]

http://www.chancemorgan.com/

[FLIPDUDE]

^I just went through both Chance's website and Premier's website. Neither showed any rides that exist in Israel, unless the ferris wheel is some ancient ancesstor of the chance version, which I doubt, since I have an old, black and white photo of the ferris wheel.

 

This is quite the enigma.

 

 

Especially given the fact that up untill now the parks, to the best of my knowledge, always built model coasters(Vekoma SLC, Vekoma Boomerang, Pinafari, etc.), and I can't say this for sure for all the rides, but as far as the SLC and Boomerang go, I'd say it's pretty much guarenteed those weren't bought off some other park, considering the SLC is a modern, smooth one, and the Boomerang has a fairly new train design. Not to mention moving a ride form antoher country is bo0und to be expensive, and I doubt the park would go to that length.

 

So given their history, I wouldn't put it pas tthem to build another existng model ride. However this just confuses things even more.

 

 

Right now It's either that S&S, weird Flying coaster thingy, or the guy just got it wrong when it said it was an American company.

[Loefet]

^ Well S&S also makes the El-Loco coaster (Mumbo Jumbo, Steel Hawg) so you can't assume that it will be a Free-Fly just yet. An El-Loco would possibly fit that ground better then a Free-Fly ever will.

 

It can also be that the guy you were talking to had misunderstood everything and it's just a second-hand coaster from an American park. Do you know if any rides have come to Israel from an American park recently?

[larrygator]

I think you are too obsessed with this installation! You know it's not going to be anything great, does it really matter if you find out today or 5 months from now what it is?

[FLIPDUDE]

^^That's the thing though, he said the coaster doesn't go upside down, and that it's a fmaily coaster. Also, as I explained in my last post, while I'm not SURE of it, I think that the park tends to build new rides rather than buy them from other parks.

 

 

^Truly spoken as someone who lives in a place that actually has rides. Israel doesn't have any proper coasters or parks, the two best coasters in the country are an SLC and a Boomerang. If I want to ride something good I ahve to pay $1000 for a plane ticket, whereas this park is right under my nose.

 

Not to mention we just lost one of our few existing coasters for the sake of this ride. So I don't think it's that unreasonable for me to wonder what it is.

[larrygator]

I think you are too obsessed with this installation!

[Evan1127]

Well, half of the Israel related RCDB updates get sent in by me, so I wouldn't expect them to know something I don't.

 

I submitted one a couple years back that has since been removed from the database. Do you know anything about Europark near Acre (if I remember correctly) in Northern Israel? Is it gone?

[FLIPDUDE]

^Yes, the reason it was removed completely is that it was a traveling fair, and not a permenant park.(Strange thing, though, it was removed from RCDB before I had the chance to tell that to Duane(the webmaster)! I wonder how he knew?)

I really wanted to go there, but it was last spotted in 2007 in Be'er Sheva(Very far from Acre), and I have no clue where it is now. I reffer to it as "the phantom park", because it pops up randomly, nobody ever knows when or where, and then it disappears without a trace. not even a phone number.