Vekoma Boomerang! A first?

[GrapesLie]

So I got to thinking this morning while reading about the Boomerang coming to SFSTL that there had to be a first. So I did some research and it appears the first (and please correct me if I'm wrong) was Sea Serpent at Morey's Piers in 1984.

Now these days when another Boomerang is announced the enthusiast community seems to collectively groan. I actually like them so I may be in the minority here. However I assume when they first came out it must have been exciting! Does anyone here remember what the original announcement for Morey's Piers was like and what the reaction from the enthusiast community was?

 

Also we have all ridden them so I would love people to post their best and worst memories involving a Vekoma Boomerang!

[simon8899]

In Germany we've only one Boomerang in Bavaria and so far never been there. So my first Boomerang was the Invertigo at Sommerland Syd just behind the german/danish border which I quite enjoyed. My first sitdown Boomerang was at Knotts which was quite horrible mostly because of the old Arrow trains - and with Monte and Xcelerator there the Boomerang was just a ride-once credit.I liked the lapbar trains at Vienna Prater but the best are the new Vekoma-trains with the Rubber-OTSRs which I rode at Walibi Holland on Speed Of Sound.

 

Still hope to do a GIB someday...

[fraroc]

It depends on how good the park takes care of their boomerang. Sidewinder at Hershey has those new no-headbanging sexy trains that make the ride so much better than it was years ago when I rode it for the first time. The intensity in the front row when the train goes through the loop backwards is incomperable, and I've been on I305! Other parks treat their boomerangs like trash and they become trash rides.

[Dragon Khan]

As far as I know (since you asked to be "corrected" in your post lol) the first one commissioned by Vekoma was one in Mexico, in 1982, but the first to really open to the public was Bellewaerde's in Belgium... and I WAS THERE WHEN IT OPENED ! It happened to be my first coaster EVER and even if most of us hate them these days, it was responsible for my later coaster madness... And surprisignly, it is smoother than most Bommerangs I've been on.

[ArundelHigh Coasters]

I rode a Vekoma Invertigo ( the former Two-Face at SFA) before I rode my first Boomerang. My first Boomerang was at Trimpers Rides in Ocean City,MD. That Boomerang is actually different then the others. The modern Boomerang's are four feet taller than than Tidal Wave at Trimper's, because Tidal Wave was a standard Boomerang, Trimper's extended the track four feet higher to make it more like a modern Boomerang coaster. Although, the track came off Trimper's property, so the city of Ocean City decalred Trimper's to reduce the track. So Tidal Wave at Trimper's will always be one special Boomerang

 

I really like the ride, I liked zooming around, and beleive or not, Trimper's Boomerang is actually really comforatble, and

they really take good care of it. One Boomerang I had an unpleasent experience with is FlashBack at SFNE. Man... It jerked my neck around so bad in the loop.

[beatle11]

I've ridden 3 boomerangs so far and haven't really had any horror stories. Even the one at Morey's which might be the first, wasn't that bad. The other two are Hershey, which has the new train, and Canada's Wonderland.

[firewalk13]

My only boomerang was the mind eraser now carolina cobra back when it was at Geauga Lake. I'd always wanted to ride a boomerang to tell you the truth and I was definitely surprised with its intensity. I would pass on the cobra roll though, I'd rather a boomerang with a double loop... I'd be interested in riding one with the new trains though.

Edited November 17, 2012 by firewalk13

[Voxelmatic]

I didn't ride one until this year, and that one was Sidewinder. At the front of the train, it's pretty enjoyable, but the back is just brutal, even with the new Vekoma trains. I also did Stinger, which was much better! Parks need to get Invertigos, not Boomerangs! But GIBs would work too

[IronWolfman]

 

Still hope to do a GIB someday...

 

Well there's only one you should do...

 

#Aftershock

 

I, being 14, never have been around for a new sit-down Boomerang announcement, except SFSTL's, but that one is used. I've only been on 1, SFNE's, and didn't enjoy it that much. My next sit-down Boomerang will be either Elitches' or WoF's. I have been around for Aftershock's announcement, and that was obviously very exciting.

[Sammy*]

Im surprised non of the coaster manufactures have not expanded the idea of boomerangs (other than the invertigo and giant inverted boomerang), with different layouts heights and inversions.

[JayTricky]

My first Vekoma Boomerang was also my first EVER roller-coaster. I was 7 years old, and it was at the 'American Adventure' theme park, in Derbyshire (closed now), and I had been going monthly to this park since I was 4, and never built up the courage to ride it.

 

My memory of it, was that it DOMINATED the park, and the whole day built up to riding it, as you had to work your way round the park - just looking and hearing The Missile, til eventually you'd make it there...

Beautiful in it's prime. The reason I love coasters.

[DATman]

Im surprised non of the coaster manufactures have not expanded the idea of boomerangs (other than the invertigo and giant inverted boomerang), with different layouts heights and inversions.

 

http://rcdb.com/9607.htm

 

[ArundelHigh Coasters]

What if they made made a flying Boomerang?, lol. it would be cool if it was in the form of a GIB. People who hate inversions would not like that at all , they would be pretty much upside-down on the whole climb up the first lift.

 

 

Which would answer one of GP's common questions:

 

"Does that start off going upside down?"

 

"Yes, it does. "

[thestripedtaco]

^ Sounds like a good idea until you think about the capacity...

[Voxelmatic]

^ Sounds like a good idea until you think about the capacity...

Mr. Freeze would like to talk to you.

[thestripedtaco]

^ I get what your saying but Boomerangs are made by Vekoma, not Premier.

[rollin_n_coastin]

My first was The Bat at CW, as introduced by Count Floyd below in 1987. I found it scary then and still do today--the backwards part gets me every time. The GIBs are the freakiest of them all.

 

Other than SLCs, I personally don't mind Vekoma rides. Ok, the odd corkscrew can be brutal

 

[Sammy*]

What if they made made a flying Boomerang?, lol. it would be cool if it was in the form of a GIB. People who hate inversions would not like that at all , they would be pretty much upside-down on the whole climb up the first lift.

 

 

Which would answer one of GP's common questions:

 

"Does that start off going upside down?"

 

"Yes, it does. "

 

Going backwards on a Flying coaster would be intersting?

[Ed Farmer]

Now these days when another Boomerang is announced the enthusiast community seems to collectively groan. I actually like them so I may be in the minority here. However I assume when they first came out it must have been exciting!

 

They're definitely nowhere near as bad as some make them out to be. I think a lot of the negative opinions stem from how common they are. You can get away with that if it's an excellent design, like B&M's Batman coasters- but even those aren't immune from the occasional fickle enthusiast that whines about them because they have nothing better to do.

[downunder]

Ah, I don't remember my first 'rang (too young), but I do remember what it was: Titan at World Expo Park in Brisbane. Which I then rode as Demon in Sydney, and Zoomerang in Alabama. Hopefully there won't be another place I can ride it, and it will be left to rust in pieces in the deepest darkest pit of hell.

 

In all seriousness, they pull some good g's on the drop. Though the restraints, like the SLC's, seem designed for maximal cranial damage - I didn't think the newer vekoma trains at Power Park in Finland were much of an improvement in that respect.

Edited November 12, 2012 by downunder

[A.J.]

Though the restraints, like the SLC's, seem designed for maximal cranial damage - I didn't think the KumbaK trains at Power Park in Finland were much of an improvement in that respect.

Actually, believe it or not, the trains on PowerPark's boomerang were actually made by Vekoma.

 

Rolling X-Train, a coaster in Everland in Korea also uses that train design. I believe that those two coasters are the only ones in the world with those trains, and Rolling X-Train isn't even a Vekoma.

[downunder]

^Forgive my poor memory on that. I do remember the trains looking very snazzy. but didn't address what I see as a fundamental problem with the restraints being rock hard and at ear level. Vekoma definitely got the restraints right with the new trains on the Great Nor'easter at Morey's Piers.

[Skycoastin Steve]

The first one I ever rode was at Hershey when I was in 8th grade, and I thought it was awesome. I didn't ride another one for probably 7 or 8 years, and when I finally got on another one, I wished I was dead. I absolutely hate them now.

[Hilltopper39]

My first Boomerang was the Vampire at Kentucky Kingdom and I thought it was terrifying when I was a little kid, looping while going forward and backwards? Crazy stuff back in those days for people from Kentucky.

[mightypotato]

My first Boomerang was The Bat at Canada's Wonderland, probably sometime around 1998 or so. I recall thinking it was really cool and scary at the time. Since then, I've ridden a bunch more and my opinion has certainly changed. Now, I will only ride it to get the credit and then move on.

 

I guess the "best" Boomerang I've been on would be Sidewinder at Hersheypark. This is entirely due to the new restraints which do manage to minimize any headbanging. That said, I still wouldn't ride it more than once.