Strangest layouts

[timetrial3141592]

What about Bizarro @ SFNE? It definitely breaks the mold of "big hills out, big helix turnaround, bunny hops back" that typify the hypercoaster.

 

Other unusual layouts: Cop Car Chase, Fantasia Special, Rip Ride Rockit, and Phantom's Revenge.

[sammmmmy]

As stated before, Outlaw run is definitely the strangest layout we've seen in a while.

[BDG]

 

The Ultimate @ Lightwater Valley, UK

 

No contest.

 

It's also the only coaster in the world built like a railway.

 

[australianalex]

there's a rollercoaster in some country where the train goes up a lift hill then levels at the top, then the whole track section the train is on tilts vertically untill its strait down connecting to the bottom track, then lets the train go. I think its a tie between that and outlaw run

 

 

Sounds like you're referring to the Vekoma Tilt coaster Gravity Max in Discovery World in China. A video on Youtube titles it "the worlds first coaster with a broken track." I do however remember seeing the rendering on Vekoma's site back in the day and thought it was the most amazing thing ever, probably followed by your typical Vekoma head bashing.

Apparently it's quite good. Plus, the trains do look slightly better than the average Vekoma trains. They still look like deathtraps though.

[CorkscrewFoley]

 

The Ultimate @ Lightwater Valley, UK

 

No contest.

 

It's also the only coaster in the world built like a railway.

 

 

Because it was.

[154bmag]

I'd say S:UF at SFDK, it has a pretty weird layout, with the half-loop and everything.

[caffeine_demon]

thunderbolt and jack rabbit at kennywood - both start with drops and have a lift hill later.

 

The mine train at hershey - just does nothing!

[KingRCT3]

I have to say Silver Dollar City takes the cake for strange layouts. Blame it on the mountain air, I don't know, but here I'd be surprised if it weren't the only coaster in the world with a helix before the first drop.

I'd say Great Bear @ Hersheypark. Its got the helix before the first drop

 

Otherwise Cyclone @ Dreamworld got its inversions at the end of the layout:

 

[molemaster43]

thunderbolt and jack rabbit at kennywood - both start with drops and have a lift hill later.

 

Yup, have to agree with that, plus, Thunderbolt's largest drop is next to last.

 

I'd also put Phantom's Revenge in there, its biggest is its second.

[3Mutts]

Although it never opened, I think Orphan Rocker is another coaster that has a odd layout, those transitions look painful. http://www.coastergallery.com/2009T/scenicworld.html Also Vertigo that used to be at Walibi Belgium is just an odd coaster all around. http://www.rcdb.com/3457.htm?p=0

[Generic Name]

Although it never opened, I think Orphan Rocker is another coaster that has a odd layout, those transitions look painful. http://www.coastergallery.com/2009T/scenicworld.html Also Vertigo that used to be at Walibi Belgium is just an odd coaster all around. http://www.rcdb.com/3457.htm?p=0

Orphan Rocker is just full on weird. Cable lift towards the end of the ride, a rather shady past, and check out those trains! Now, tilting trains are nothing new in the railway industry, but this is the only instance where I have heard of them placed on a roller coaster, bar suspended coasters.

[VinTheAttendant]

I throw my vote in for Leviathan just because of its massive brake run that just seems to prematurely terminate the ride. Also, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. To me, it just doesn't seem to know what it wants to be, and while the many MCBRs make for efficient dispatches, it definitely gives more times to catch your breathe than many other thrill rides (even though I still really enjoy the ride). Finally, I have to throw in Hydra for reasons mentioned prior. I love roller coasters with strange layouts, it shows the creativity of the designers. Whether they ride well, however, that makes or breaks the coaster for me.

[Bobby2889]

Although it never opened, I think Orphan Rocker is another coaster that has a odd layout, those transitions look painful. http://www.coastergallery.com/2009T/scenicworld.html Also Vertigo that used to be at Walibi Belgium is just an odd coaster all around. http://www.rcdb.com/3457.htm?p=0

Orphan Rocker is just full on weird. Cable lift towards the end of the ride, a rather shady past, and check out those trains! Now, tilting trains are nothing new in the railway industry, but this is the only instance where I have heard of them placed on a roller coaster, bar suspended coasters.

Isn't the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at WDW gonna have similar trains?

[IneedTPforbunghole]

Although it never opened, I think Orphan Rocker is another coaster that has a odd layout, those transitions look painful. http://www.coastergallery.com/2009T/scenicworld.html Also Vertigo that used to be at Walibi Belgium is just an odd coaster all around. http://www.rcdb.com/3457.htm?p=0

Orphan Rocker is just full on weird. Cable lift towards the end of the ride, a rather shady past, and check out those trains! Now, tilting trains are nothing new in the railway industry, but this is the only instance where I have heard of them placed on a roller coaster, bar suspended coasters.

Isn't the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at WDW gonna have similar trains?

It's Hong Kong counterpart does too, but they both have more modern technology and aren't gonna gut you from the inside out and make your medicine and goo spill out.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

I have to say Silver Dollar City takes the cake for strange layouts. Blame it on the mountain air, I don't know, but here I'd be surprised if it weren't the only coaster in the world with a helix before the first drop.

I'd say Great Bear @ Hersheypark. Its got the helix before the first drop

I'm surprised. And impressed. That ride looks great.

[Ed Farmer]

Otherwise Cyclone @ Dreamworld got its inversions at the end of the layout:

 

 

I always thought this was just the cookie-cutter Arrow corkscrew or loopscrew model- always nice to find out about a custom layout Arrow looper.

[triggernel]

Although it never opened, I think Orphan Rocker is another coaster that has a odd layout, those transitions look painful. http://www.coastergallery.com/2009T/scenicworld.html Also Vertigo that used to be at Walibi Belgium is just an odd coaster all around. http://www.rcdb.com/3457.htm?p=0

Orphan Rocker is just full on weird. Cable lift towards the end of the ride, a rather shady past, and check out those trains! Now, tilting trains are nothing new in the railway industry, but this is the only instance where I have heard of them placed on a roller coaster, bar suspended coasters.

Isn't the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at WDW gonna have similar trains?

It's Hong Kong counterpart does too, but they both have more modern technology and aren't gonna gut you from the inside out and make your medicine and goo spill out.

 

Yah, no they don't. They are typical Mine Car trains.

[australianalex]

Otherwise Cyclone @ Dreamworld got its inversions at the end of the layout:

 

 

I always thought this was just the cookie-cutter Arrow corkscrew or loopscrew model- always nice to find out about a custom layout Arrow looper.

It still sucks though

[Her0ofLime]

I find the Rock'n'Rollercoaster (or Xpress) layout to be weird, twisty. (Lol at replying to my own thread yet sounding like a person that just stumbled on it)

[A.J.]

The Ultimate is...interesting. They certainly wanted it to be the world's longest roller coaster - and nothing else.

 

DID YOU KNOW THAT...the Ultimate's layout was the inspiration for the "Storm" mine train coaster in the Katie's World scenario of RollerCoaster Tycoon? Dare to compare!

[andyuk200523]

^ it's also one of the most painful coasters I have ever had the misfortune to ride.....when it had OTSR's, with the lap bars it is now just violent!

 

I can't believe no one has mentioned Dragon Mountain at Marineland yet.....very weird layout!

[TPDave]

^Ha! I was just about to mention that one. It's very much in the same bracket as the ultimate for me, except the butterfly loop is actually quite good so it has 1 decent bit rather than none!!

[scbt]

I've always felt that Thunderhawk at Dorney has a strange layout because of the long straight stretch right off the first hill.

 

Also, i always thought the way Big Bad Wolf managed to gain so much speed going through the first half of its layout was amazing, but after the second lift and Rhine River Dive, i felt like it could have done some more.

[texcoaster]

The Ultimate at Lightwater Valley is a "Jeckyl and Hyde"--a rather gentle first half coupled with the most insane, brutal second half you'll find on any coaster.

 

THIS. God, I love that coaster. Granted, I only rode it after the OTSRs were removed. I can't even imagine how that would've been... kinda like every bad Vekoma you've ever been on combined into a 5-minute ride. Ugh. With just lap bars, though, the total mindf*ck of that sweet little first half and that butt-kicking back half is well worth a bit of brutality just for the "dafuq did I just do?" thrills.

 

http://coasterguy.squarespace.com/the-ultimate/

My review of it several years ago, which I really need to move to my updated site.

I seriously need some better pictures of this, though. If anyone has any they wouldn't mind me putting on a blog review of this coaster, please let me know.

[Cyrbuzz]

How about Gwazi at Busch Gardens? It twists in and out between the two tracks and they're pretty compact for a wood coaster. Not many other woodies have such a layout that I'm aware of.