Greatest Amusement Industry Achievement of the Decade?

[dacoasterman]

Robb spawning kid-tums. She is the future of ThemeParkReview.

[Delirium]

I gotta go with the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. This project alone has put Universal back on the map in the theme park industry and is making Disney step up their game

[The Yeti]

Maverick! I-305 (though I haven't ridden it, it still looks incredible)

 

The Simpsons finally got a ride (although I wish they had their own land at IOA)! Actually, Universal Studios Florida this past decade has been incredible.

 

Expedition Everest and the Yeti were my favorite additions to Disney World, with Mission Space in a close second.

 

Giant Frisbees and Screamin Swings are awesome.

 

I have yet to ride El Toro, or any Intamin pre-fab, but I am so excited.

 

 

Also I'd like to add that while Worlds of Fun is my home park, I haven't been there in about 4 years and I was excited to hear a few people put Prowler on this list. I'm surprised that it could be that good, and I am going to have to go to WoF first thing in spring when it opens.

 

Nebraska got it's first rollercoaster in over 10 years back in 2006. There were a few in the early 90's at a small park, but that closed before I had a chance to ride any of those coasters...and I think I may be the only one on this site who has "The Big Oohhhhh" as a credit, at Fun Plex in Omaha

[Six Flags Enthuseast]

I honestly think the speed of the development of new technologies in the industry in general was the greatest achievement. It's amazing how, as mentioned right from the start, the 300ft and 400ft barriers were smashed within a couple years of each other. Along with this, I was impressed with the much more powerful and efficient launch, chain lift, and cable lift systems developed by various companies.

[imawesome1124]

Intimidator 305

 

Intamin Pre-fab woodies

 

Intamin's hydraulic launch system

[Mechanic]

The queue skipping devices are right up there on my list.

[redmenace8]

What partners hand in hand with all the innovations and concepts everyone is listing is the fact that increasing millions of people have access to all of that around the world and it's been done safely. Sure there were isolated incidents, but, for the most part the amusement industry provides one of the safest experiences for anyone, even as they push into new technological territory.

 

Also, Robb, Elissa, Kidtums and everyone who make up TPR.

 

Thank you all!

[Movieguy]

Robb spawning kid-tums. She is the future of ThemeParkReview.

 

Here, here! It's like Robert Downey JR says at the start of Iron Man 2..."It's not about us...it's about legacy. What we leave behind." We can already see that Robb and Elissa have already planted the seeds of a great legacy in their own family, as well as others.

[A.J.]

I'm going to have to go with the hydraulic launch system.

[djbrcace1234]

This isn't really a certain achievement, but I feel the coaster competition between Six Flags and Cedar Fair brought us better coasters in the long run.

[the ghost]

The wooden renaissance. We have an entire new generation of a coaster type that has been around for decades, and people are still bending ideas with the coaster as it reaches new speeds and new degrees of turns.

 

We must also mention:

 

Hades: The first of the Gravity Group woodies as well as the introduction of the 90 degree drop.

 

Roar(SFDK): The first EVER Millenium Flyers can be found on this coaster.

[CPmillenia94]

Texas giant refurb

I've seen this twice now. Can you explain how a coaster that hasn't even been pulled up the lifthill yet is considered for the "Greatest Amusement Industry Achievement of the Decade"?

 

Because it is an entirely new way to build or rebuild a coaster that so far is very efficient. Also I forgot to mention the topper track which is also a breakthrough in ways to preserve wooden coasters.

[delan]

I think it would be the hydraulic launch. Ever since Xcelerator these things have been pushing the speed barrier.

[hippidude]

i think the invention of the eurofighter is one of the best things to happen because those coasters are awesome

[texcoaster]

I'm seriously dismayed at some of the answers I've seen here. Someone actually said "SFMM Thomas Town" as a candidate for the Greatest Amusement Industry Achievement. It might be great for ONE PARK, but an Industry Achievement? No.

 

While pointing to technological advancements like plug-n-play or 90 degree banking on a woodie or even breaking the 400ft barrier certainly deserves mention, I'm going to go a bit broader here and say that the industry as a whole shifting its focus from teen-oriented thrills to customer-oriented total-park experience has been the industry's greatest achievement this decade and that movement was led by the success of Holiday World.

 

In the middle of freaking nowhere, a tiny little park transformed itself from a local also-ran into a million-plus visitors per year juggernaut. Not only do they have insane attendance figures for such a small park, but they have a rabidly loyal following - and not just from folks within a day's drive of the park. The addition of a small but intense wood coaster (Raven) got them some attention. Adding a world-class water park (and the emergence of the water park industry as a major player in the industry is my #2 pick for this category) put Holiday World squarely on the map and made area biggies like KI and KK take notice. Add not one but TWO more wood coasters, including one that redefined what a wood coaster is capable of, and you've got a recipe for ticket sales.

 

But it's what HW does for their guests AFTER they've bought the ticket that has shifted the industry in a good way. Will Koch and his family made the place feel like you were invited to their backyard shindig rather than being just another number at the turnstiles. They were often seen greeting guests in person at the front gates and there again to say goodbye as you left. It was rare to spend a day at HW without seeing Will out and about in the park with the guests.

 

Other perks made you feel welcomed as well. Free parking, free soft drinks, free sunscreen at the water park. Is there any better first impression to a park than rounding the corner, seeing three great wood coasters, and not having to pay a penny to park your car? It beats the hell out of the typical major park experience of inching along at a ticket booth car queue, having your arrival delayed with this first of many lines, all so you can fork over $15 for the privilege of putting your car on their precious pavement. If you want a good spot, you'll have to fork over even more for "premium parking." Bite me. I'm already paying $50 to get into your park, now I'm adding a big chunk to park, then I'll pay $5 for a soda every time I'm thirsty and $10 for a tiny bottle of sunscreen if I forgot to bring mine from home. I don't feel welcome, I feel like an ATM spitting out money all day.

 

The success of HW and the loyalty of their patrons has been noticed by the industry. It might take a few more years for your big themers to really turn themselves into customer-focused parks, but that trend is already showing with a more balanced ride package that gives everyone in the family something they can look forward to, as well as the trend toward toning down the sponsor tie-ins (Tony Hawk, Wiggles, etc) in favor of letting the park and its attractions speak for itself.

 

The industry is slow to change and this transition from "teen hangout" to "customer-focused family attraction" is going to take a few more years. The change might result in huge, badass thrill rides and mega coasters being installed only every few years with in-between years seeing tamer, gentler rides added. That might make us, the hardcore enthusiasts, a little bit upset... but if the end result is that the parks thrive and stay financially ABLE to put in the big stuff from time to time, then we all win.

 

Just my $0.02

[Movieguy]

It'll be interesting to see how the Texas Giant refurb goes. If it indeed helps, this may just be the way for CP to fix Mean Streak (I know, sounds impossible, but have a LITTLE faith, people. )

 

I know some people say that wooden coasters shouldn't feel like steel coasters, but...you know you're riding on steel rails anyway, just like Rocky Mountain coasters pointed out at IAAPA.

[Mozart67]

Wow, great thread! I had to go out and have a smoke and a glass of cabernet in order to frame an intelligent(ish) reply:

 

Design and execution:

 

The significant revolution in the world's wooden coasters with regards to elements that were almost exclusively steel coaster-related, such as the 90-degree turn, the high-speed station flyover, breathtaking airtime monsters (Balder, El Toro, T Express, The Voyage), raising their first drops to almost 200 feet, and so forth. Also, employing trains that are more specifically designed to cushion the shock of the woodie's classic runaway-locomotive experience without losing the experience of being out of control. The designers in the category have offered consistently amazing and innovative layouts, a far cry from the conventional out-and-back/figure-8's that dominated for decades.

I always felt that steel coasters would hit the mega- and giga- status at some point; in the 90s, the revolution was B&M's floorless wonders. This time, we have insane steels (Expedition GeForce, Intimidator 305, the Bizarros and such) but the true accomplishments, I feel, rest in attractions such as the Gerstlauer Beyond-Vertical coasters (with their equally strange inversions and curves), and the truly one-of-a-kind for their time: Furious Baco, the ZacSpin, the X-Coaster, the launched vert (Gerstlauer?) like Anubis at Plopsa Coo, and so forth.

I have to put an extra kudo out to the designers of the new breed of flat rides (XXL, Evolution, Shake and Roll, Airwolf, Flying Circus, Booster, etc.) I got on the small version of the XXL at the Big E, my first non-classic flat, and while I almost pissed myself, WHAT A RIDE! Simply amazing.

 

Theming:

 

A sudden and wonderful return to true theming rather than the stock "this is Europe, this is France, this is blah" scenery and elements that were fresh in the mid 1970s but not so much now. The addition to more stimulus-based thrills such as the additions to X-2, Bizarro, etc. added a whole new level of experience to attractions. The theming surrounding rides such as Blue Fire, Furious Baco, Fly Over Mediterrenean at Happy Valley, is masterful, and should be noted and employed by the world's major theme park chains as soon as finance permits; in my mind, it is what seperates true theme parks from fairs; it aint a theme park if there aint no theming, yanno?

 

Philosophy:

 

The other thing that has impressed itself on me is more abstract (hope y'all will bear with me). China's choice to relax certain political and ideological tenets and promote tourism is a massive accomplishment. Even more so is the creation of several high-quality park chains and standalones that rank as highly as parks such as Everland, Magic Mountain, Cedar Point, etc., but with their own unique identity. Identity and openness were not words once used to describe China; it's great to see them doing it!

The move to either keep or revamp classic coasters, rather than viewing them as aging and razing them for the "flavor of the season." While many have disappeared, the fact that rides like Whizzer (Gurnee), Shock Wave (SFoT), Revolution (MM), The Beast (KI) are still operating in parks/organizations known for their desire to be cutting-edge no matter the cost is a breath of fresh air!

The creation of FastLane, Q-Bot, and other intake/dispatch programs has created, for me, a new park experience. It was nothing to wait 1-3 hours for a coaster at parks I went to in the 80s and early 90s. WoF's Orient Express and Astroworld's Texas Cyclone had notoriously long waits. I once waited 5 1/4 hours to ride Space Mountain at WDW. Now, it's rarely more than an hour. Well done.

 

Finally, the move to save classic parks from the wrecking ball, or if that isnt possible, find reliable homes for their attractions, in my mind, is one of the best advancements the industry can strive for. The fight for Coney Island was truly wonderful to participate and watch because the park, more than any other, defines the American theme park vision that allowed the parks to flourish and appear in every corner. While it's sad that other parks such as Joyland, Geauga, SFKK, etc. did not receive the same reception due to local indifference, corporate finance or other factors, relocating Dominator from its closed home and the purchase/moving of classic rides to other parks (Deja Vu to Silverwood, for example) is what will ultimately save the industry from a crash similar (in scope, not in detail) to the dot-com bust or the 1983 videogame crash in that it is preserving its past for future audiences.

 

Oh..and Japan not becoming mainstream, retaining many of their weird and incomprehensible TOGO/Senyo coasters and eccentric attractions..and just being themselves. Individuality is key in this business, but retaining it despite pressure to be cutting-edge (something Japan has been part of for decades) is truly accomplished.

 

Thanks for reading, and I welcome any comments, conversation, etc. on it. Happy January!

 

Scott "I type way too goddamn much but one cannot have too much passion for something they love" Mayfield

[Nrthwnd]

Tokyo Disney Sea

 

(You just have to go, and find out for yourself...)

 

and, coming up this September,

 

Happy 10th!

 

You lovely and awesomely-created park, you.

[gisco]

RMC's topper track.

[larrygator]

Electronic skip the queue technology.

[gerstlaueringvar]

1. Basically everything Alan Schilke has done.

 

2. Intamin Hydraulic Launch system.

 

3. Euro Fighter.

 

4. Continuous launch system (Cheetah Hunt, Manta, Helix)

 

5. Free fall coasters (TH13TEEN, Verbolten, Polar X-plorer)

 

6. Mega-Lite

 

7. New restraint shapes (Storm Runner's, Bluefire's, Jet Rescue, DDD, MK-1212, NTaG, SkyRush's, X-Car, Timberliners etc)

 

8. Water slides innovations (Aqua loop, Tornado, LSM water coasters etc)

 

9. New generation log flume (Chiapas)

 

10. Q-Bots

 

11. Magnetic anti-rollback (Smiler)

 

12. TOGO leaving the world, no more RCCA coasters, B&M stepping into family coaster or kiddie coaster market since 2004.

Edited April 17, 2014 by gerstlaueringvar

[rcjp]

1. Basically everything Alan Schilke has done.

12. TOGO leaving the world, no more RCCA coasters, B&M stepping into family coaster or kiddie coaster market since 2004.

LOL

 

7. New restraint shapes (Storm Runner's, Bluefire's, Jet Rescue, DDD, MK-1212, NTaG, SkyRush's, X-Car, Timberliners etc)

Not quite sure about that one, though. They surely looked like they would be great (lots of freedom to move and so on) but, in practice...

[tarheel1231]

I think The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman at IOA set a new standard for dark rides.

[GoBears]

Alan Schilke's mullet and other awesome creations of his.