Next big "break-out" company/model?

[imbordisux]

At first, there were only wooden coasters, most of which did not invert (the first few that tried ended-up, well, killing people), and parks wanted them. After that, there was the big steel-coaster boom, and parks wanted them. Then Arrow came along and figured-out how to safely navigate inversions, and parks wanted THEM.

 

After that, everybody wanted an Anton lapbar-looper. After that, everybody wanted a B&M invert. After that, LIM coasters became popular. Then Hyper coasters became the "must own" item that every park wanted, with B&M and Intamin overtaking the competition. The last few years have seen the big parks try to top each other in terms of height and speed, and now, presently, everybody wants an Intamin Rocket.

 

Quietly, woodies have been making a come-back, particularly in the form of "new-school" woodies by GCI and Gravity Group, with "Thunderhead", "Lightning Racer", and "Hades" all getting rave reviews, and it looks like next year will continue that trend: Holiday World, Beech Bend, and SFGAdv are all building new-school woodies.

 

So, with new-school woodies looking like the new "it" item, what do you think will come after that? Will we see a rise in popularity of an existing model, or do you think we'll start seeing new innovations in ride-design?

 

I'm going out on a limb, and predicting that the Maurer-Sohne "X-Coaster" will be he new "it" item in a few years. I've read some reviews of it being boring, but that doesn't necessarily mean much; many people find B&M's flying coasters boring, but just as many people love them, and they consistently have long lines. I think the design shows a LOT of promise, and the "hanging with only lapbars" effect (not to be confused with the high-speed, high-G inversions of Anton and Premier lapbar-loopers) will have the same effect on people that other "unique" train-designs (Inverted, Flying, B&Ms clamshell, 4D) have.

 

I think that, if they worked out a full-sized hyper, they could really be the next big thing in the industry - imagine "Ride of Steel" with a few inversions thrown in... yeah, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout. And I'm no engineer, but I don't see any reason why they couldn't either link several cars together into a full train, or at least mount the specialized seating/restraints onto cars/trains that could handle it.

 

Also, if you remove the lift-hill, I see no reason why this couldn't be configured into a launch-coaster...

Edited September 21, 2005 by imbordisux

[Meteornotes]

After riding Balder and Colossus, I'd like to see the Intamin wood coasters become the new "it" ride. They are spectacular rides, and if Colossus is any indication, seem to hold up well over the years...

 

dt

[peteb]

I think Intamin's wood coasters will take off if SFGADV's new coaster is successful. The new track technology should save the parks money in maintenance and re-tracking in the long run. And look what happened when B&M came on the scene with smooth running steel coasters. You could see one of these pop up in every Six Flags park. You have to wonder what the guys at GCI and Gravity Group are up to; they're coasters are pretty much built by hand, but perhaps they are starting to incorporate more sophisticated fabrication methods as well. I'd hate to see them caught in the same position as Arrow when new coaster technology blew them out of the market.

[Reon]

Airtime-giving wood twisters Also, accelorator coasters seem to be "it" right now, and new-school mice have been on the rise lately (Euro-fighters, spinning coasters, etc)

[benzo41190]

here is my view on the Amusment Industry. I think that in a few year parks will start paying attention to water parks. I mean look at the looping coaster, it failed at first but then 50 years later it was a sucess. I mean i sure some ride manufacturer will be able to design a looping water slide that will be able to work for most weights and hights.

 

Togo, I think Togo was just to far a head for its time. I mean there trains are maybe ok for some rides but not there loopers. I mean look at there heart-liners, they used the same train which produced a bad experience. If that kind of ride was built say 3-5 years ago, and they change the design of the trains, it would be fine. Like I said, i think they were just to far ahead for its time.

 

Vekoma, well I think that they are to far back in time. Well at least for there looping coasters. They kept the same train design for almost all of there coaster designs and look at the wheel arangments. Now they fixed there problems and are making some really nice, smooth rides that are very good.

 

I really think in the next couple of years Togo or Vekoma will pull something off that will be a big hit and will be the "it" ride.

[BiCoastal Kid]

^Lets not mention togo's obsession with flat piece of inverted track.

[CoasterFanatic]

S&S Log Flumes Well I can dream.

[What Now]

I can just envision an air launched Log Flume.

 

0-WET in 1.8 seconds!

[benzo41190]

that would be cool. I think a Intamin Giant Flume ride with......

-200 ft. drop

-vertical drop

-3 bunny hills

-top hat

-T-Bars

-BIG SPLASH

[Stitch]

I think Maurer Sohne's spinning coasters are "in" right now, I have no problem with that, I think they all look amazing

[benzo41190]

IMO, i dont think we will see a change in a "huge" step in techonlgical advance (spell?) for at least 3-5 years. I think coasters now are doing good so far, and i think we will see better versions of what we have out there now.

[DATman]

I vote the new SMOOTH vekomas are in right now, as well as X-cars, which are coming onto the scene. The big craze is rocket coasters though, and i'm not complaining. I hope SFMM decides to put in an intamin woodie-THAT WOULD OWN!

[benzo41190]

Since a Intamin woody doesnt need as much matenence as a normal woody, It would fit perfectly at any California park because it seems like Cali parks cant take care of Woodies

 

well there are some exceptions.......