Vekoma Roller Coasters

[Tmcdllr]

But EE does not have OTSRs, which is directly related to the headbanging which is the major complaint of Vekomas so even though it might be smooth you have to throw it out as it does not count.

[Mechanic]

Does that then make all Schwarzkopfs junk because Revolution beats you senseless? Just wondering...

[Tmcdllr]

Revolution was fine until they added the half-assed OTSRs.

[coastercrazy216]

Am I the only person that loves Revolution? I have never had a bad ride on it and I have ridden really bad coasters before.

[Tmcdllr]

I love everything about Revolution except the hard, painful OTSRs.

[jynx242]

VEKOMA - hmmm....

 

Getting back on topic (we all know Revolution is a Schwartzkopf,) older Vekomas do have their issues (roughness.) When I rode the Great Nor'Easter with the new restraints - the headbanging was greatly lessened, but it was still an SLC. Cool layout, but had the "shuffle."

 

Some of their new and custom jobs (Everest and RnRc,) along with their Kiddies are pretty damned good. BG is having train problems, but they are completely new (read: prototype) trains.

 

It seems to me that the reliability of the "clones" is a big draw. Minus the occasional valley - boomerangs and SLC's are pretty much ALWAYS running (even when you wish they weren't .) To the GP - they are great, therefore a good draw for the parks.

 

I'm interested to see what happens with BG and with the future of this company.

[djbrcace1234]

^

 

I agree about the marketability that Vekoma coasters do offer. So what if parks have "cookie cutter" rides? If the park can afford a coaster, a clone suffices the bill because of how relativly cheaper the ride can be because it is manafactured so much.

 

Personally I think Vekoma does well to give benefits to small parks that need some type of headline coaster, or even the ocasional filler type coaster.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

VEKOMA - hmmm....

 

Getting back on topic (we all know Revolution is a Schwartzkopf,) older Vekomas do have their issues (roughness.) When I rode the Great Nor'Easter with the new restraints - the headbanging was greatly lessened, but it was still an SLC. Cool layout, but had the "shuffle."

 

Some of their new and custom jobs (Everest and RnRc,) along with their Kiddies are pretty damned good. BG is having train problems, but they are completely new (read: prototype) trains.

 

It seems to me that the reliability of the "clones" is a big draw. Minus the occasional valley - boomerangs and SLC's are pretty much ALWAYS running (even when you wish they weren't .) To the GP - they are great, therefore a good draw for the parks.

 

I'm interested to see what happens with BG and with the future of this company.

 

What is "BG"? I can't figure out what ride model or park it's in going on just that acronym.

[the ghost]

^ Battle Star Galactica" The ride at Universal Studios Singapore!

[digimax]

VEKOMA - hmmm....

 

Getting back on topic (we all know Revolution is a Schwartzkopf,) older Vekomas do have their issues (roughness.) When I rode the Great Nor'Easter with the new restraints - the headbanging was greatly lessened, but it was still an SLC. Cool layout, but had the "shuffle."

 

I'm interested to see what happens with BG and with the future of this company.

 

I just did a quick search on Great Nor'Easter and the seats look really similar to BSG/Battlestar Galactica (except the trains for BSG are 4-across), with the whole "freedom seat" design, so I'm wondering what is really wrong with BSG since the seats looked like they're attached to the train the same way.

 

When I rode BSG before it closed, there wasn't much headbanging but the ride (especially BSG: Cylon) was really rough and noisy, as if the vehicles weren't made at the right spec for the track or something. And yes, there's also the signature screeching launch sound which used to be exhilarating to hear in the park.

[coastercrazy216]

^Wait so is it a good ride? I am going to Singapore and I was really looking forward to the ride. What is the ride's current status

[digimax]

^Wait so is it a good ride? I am going to Singapore and I was really looking forward to the ride. What is the ride's current status

 

Currently the ride is still not operating - They're redesigning some components of the ride vehicles. According to their press release, they are supposed to be commencing its test cycles soon, probably at the end of the month. No one knows exactly when it'll reopen to public, but it's looking close to early 2011 according to hearsay.

[chadster]

 

Some of their new and custom jobs (Everest and RnRc,) along with their Kiddies are pretty damned good.

 

Case and point, Steel Lasso at Frontier City, although fabricated by chance morgan, the design and trains make it for a smooth suspended family ride. Ride cycle's only about 50 seconds, but it's an enjoyable 50 seconds.

[cfc]

Kvasten is a very good Vekoma suspended ride, too--and it has fire!

 

[chadster]

^ same trains as Lasso, so it must be a good ride editing bucket list to include ride with fire element.

[cfc]

^What they did at Grona Lund was pretty cool. The coaster is themed to a witch flying on her broomstick, and the "fire tree" is located across from their haunted-house walkthrough. The fire goes off everytime a train passes overhead.

[CoasterEricHP]

Aside from the larger rides, I do enjoy roller skaters. I think Vekoma could do a good business just building (hopefully custom) roller skaters. Now those mini inverted coasters.. if you can't build a 30 foot tall ride that doesn't murder you, you shouldn't be building 100 foot tall SLCs!

 

I feel bad for and dont understand how park officials would go ride a Vekoma and look at each other and say with excitement "we NEED one of these!" and end up building one.. but I feel worse for the people who go to that park, get beat up, and think that its the best coaster ever.

[chadster]

^^ Sounds sweet! Guess I'm going to need to dust off my passport and start saving some money. I'm hoping next European TPR trip I can go, if this park happens not to be included or an add on, a nice side trip would be in order considering I'd be closer to the park than I probably ever would be. Just checked out their website, looks like a cool place.

[rollin_n_coastin]

Came across one of my favourite TV spots as a kid that featured none other than a Vekoma Boomerang! Can these coasters be cool and scary? They can be when Count Floyd is your spokesvampire for The Bat (Canada's Wonderland, 1987)!

 

Just looking at it scared me and I think it took me until the mid 90's to get enough courage to ride this. Been on countless ones since...at least it seems that way

 

Enjoy!

 

[australianalex]

Ive only been on 2 vekomas, one SLC and one suspended family coaster.

The SLC I went on was Lethal Weapon, which TPR called a particularly bad SLC for headbanging. Sure, it hurts and I cant ride it more than twice in a row, but I still enjoy it. Probably cos I've never ridden a B&M lol but still I find it a fun ride and headbanging aside, its fairly intense and the BONUS HELIX is fun. I'll admit though, Vekoma know when to stop. After the double inline twist I was praying there were no more inversions and there werent, thank god.

[cfc]

^^Count Floyd rules!

 

I'll admit though, Vekoma know when to stop.

 

This has not been my experience when it comes to SLCs. But this isn't to say that Vekoma hasn't built some good rides. Many parks have made good use of Vekoma Mine Trains, and Kumali was good back in 2006.

[cal1br3tto]

I'm still not a fan of Vekoma. But there are now...five Vekoma coasters I give decent ratings to: Aftershock, Deja Vu, Firehawk, Invertigo, and Invertigo. And while I no longer bother trying to tell Boomerangs apart (though there are several slightly fun ones), I do have a special favorite SLC: The Great Nor'Easter.

[E1ticket5]

Vekoma has a rep of making uncomfortable-to-ride roller coasters. But, I really like that they are making improvements with the new restraints. Props to Vekoma for that.

[buckaroo234]

I feel like many vekomas overpromise and underdeliver. They rush rides and concepts out the door without checking them through all the way. but they know that and price accordingly. I do have to say i am a fan of many of their rides (except most SLC's). I was in love with Deja Vu before it was paved, and have had alot of fun on the mine trains. Also kinda have a hardon for BSG, just gotta see how the redesign works out.

 

Overall vekoma is what it needs to be, and as parks get bigger they work with them less.

[djw44]

The boomerang is a simple but effective design. The problem was with the headbanging but this has been fixed with the excellent new comfortable trains. I could ride the new trains on Sidewinder all day. Storm Runner and Maverick could use comfy trains like this, I think it would greatly improve the ride experiences. Those OTSRs are hard on the neck and shoulders and Intamin should take some notes with this new type of restraint (not sure how the new restraints on I305 have changed the experience).

 

I was always a fan of the boomerangs, even more so with these new trains. The SLCs are a different story. I would be curious to see how the new style trains have improved the ride experience.