Stand Up Revival?

[11slataus]

I had a thread a couple years back about the future of stand up coasters, wondering if there would ever be any more. To me, they are some of B&M's most intense rides, although the GP seems to find them either too intense, too painful, or both.

 

But all the stand ups were made before B&M turned to more forceless layouts. The stand up offering is one that might actually be BETTER in a more forceless version as there would be less G-forces, and less people complaining. In addition, I feel like the new vest style restraint on Banshee and the wing coasters would work great for the stand ups, as it would remove the head banging and a lot of the roughness.

 

It just makes me wonder what a new-age stand up layout would be like (zero-g's? Immelmann's? cobra rolls?) with newer B&M trains and restraints. What do others think?

[DirkFunk]

B&Ms being "forceless" is, I'm willing to bet, a result of the rides no longer featuring the sort of sustained positive g-force some of the rides had way back when with the spacing/size of the elements. The positive g's still exist though, and standup coasters simply don't do a good job with that. I think if they believed they could make those sorts of rides, they would encourage their sale. I don't believe they've encouraged sale of standups since the late 90s/early 2000s.

[coasterbill]

I would argue that the GP loves standup coasters. I can't think of a standup coaster that's not incredibly popular no matter how terrible it is (except for the one at SFA but no ride ever had a line there). Green Lantern is one of the most popular rides at Great Adventure, the same goes for Riddler's Revenge at Magic Mountain and Mantis at Cedar Point... heck even Shockwave at KD always has a line spilling out onto the midway and it's BRUTAL.

 

I personally hate standup coasters but they're all really popular. I'm really surprised there aren't more of them but I'm not complaining.

[Dr. M]

^It's hard to say how popular stand-ups are, all the ones you mentioned are at big coaster parks that commonly have long waits for all the major coasters. That doesn't say anything about if those rides would be more popular if they weren't stand-up. My general thesis is "GP loves big shiny coasters and will ride them no matter what." If the GP really loved them that much relative to other coaster styles, I think there would be more of them. As for if any more will be built, I think that as it's been pointed out, B&M's biggest concern at this point seems to be making the most comfortable ride possible. Stand-ups are more intense and less comfortable, therefor it doesn't fit their current business model. Though I totally agree, I think the modern vest design (much as I hate it on wing coasters) would do wonders for the stand-up coaster and would love to see that happen.

[CPSFMMCW]

Those vest restraints should go on just about every B&M. They're great. No headbanging! They make putting your hands up difficult, but whatever. I think the age of stand ups are over, but who knows, I could be proven wrong. I like Green Lantern at SFGAdv. Good ride. But I was never a huge fan of the stand up concept.

[GigaG]

The vest restraints seem awkward for a standup, but I'm sure that could be engineered around.

 

On another note, Mantis rarely has a big line unless the park is crowded. It is a decent-capacity ride with 2 trains (the 3rd was removed and I imagine is used for spare part), but I still don't think it is that popular.

[BotanicalStig]

I had to wait 45 minutes for Shockwave, a miserable Togo, while i305 was a walk on.

 

The GP love stand ups.

 

I think B&M's new design philosophy would suit the stand up much better. High G's and snappy inversions are great on inverts, but make stand ups very uncomfortable. Long, slow, flowy layouts probably wouldn't be too bad standing.

[MisterP]

I don't get the desire for new standups. I've been on a few, and ......yeah....been there, done that. They're never that great, and there is almost always some discomfort involved.

 

They by definition have pretty much no airtime. They're all laterals, positive Gs, and blue balls.

 

Just keep making good sitters or flyers. If I want to stand up, I'll ride the Round-up...

[rcjp]

^I agree. If there is one type of ride which would be improved by being less forceful it is definitely the stand up coaster.

I find the experience really cool but I was stopped from enjoying it more due to my legs starting to hurt a bit, the often head banging doesn't help either.

I would really like to see what B&M could do with this one now.

[Dr. M]

I had to wait 45 minutes for Shockwave, a miserable Togo, while i305 was a walk on.

 

The GP love stand ups.

 

Haha ok, that's why every park in America has one. Next time I go to the local pizza shop and no one else is in it, I'll declare that pizza is dead and soon every pizza shop will go out of business.

[cfc]

I'm not a fan of stand-up coasters, but I've always thought that the often complicated, uncomfortable restraints were their biggest drawback. I've actually been on a few Togo stand-ups in Japan that were fun. The secret seems to be keeping the layouts simple--no "complicated" inversions (except for a loop), but plenty of airtime hills.

 

Just my two cents.

[yay101]

I think the GP would love standup coasters. Mantis at Cedar Point can have long lines for sure, and the GP was content with Green Lantern and Apocalypse. I would love to see a park get one - maybe Kentucky Kingdom or SFGAm.

[BotanicalStig]

^^I may never ride Shockwave again, but the airtime hills would have been a blast if that helix hadn't hurt my ribs so bad.

 

My point about the wait time was that i305, one of the best coasters in the world, was a walk on the same morning a Togo stand up had a 45 minute wait.

 

Riding a coaster standing up is appealing to a lot of people, regardless of how "good" the ride is... That's all I'm saying.

[JonnyRCT3]

Honestly, I think the current B&M is more than capable of creating a excellent stand up, on par with R. RV. or even better.

The only issue is: what park would want one? Especially when comparing the stand up to everything else on the market.

[DirkFunk]

FWIW standups have capacity issues. Having longer waits doesn't equate to being more popular. Mantis, for example, only ever runs two trains because it practically always stacks.

[firewalk13]

I agree with those who feel there's not really a market for these anymore. I am, however, looking for some manufacturer to do a suspended stand up coaster some day. C'mon, I've been waiting since the late 80s!

[dylanreich]

FWIW standups have capacity issues. Having longer waits doesn't equate to being more popular. Mantis, for example, only ever runs two trains because it practically always stacks.

Very true, but people were still willing to GET in line seeing it was a 45 minute wait compared to i305 being a walk-on.

Georgia Scorcher at SFOG seemed to have a healthy line when I was there.

Riddler's is also still pretty popular at SFMM, despite shorter lines being available elsewhere and tons of arguably better coasters available to ride.

Edited March 27, 2014 by dylanreich

[StLCPfan]

I have only ridden (besides the failed Rail Blazer at SFStL) Iron Wolf at SFGrAm and Mantis at CP. I really enjoy the majority of both rides, up until the twisties after both corkscrews. It always feels to me like they are deliberately trying to get riders to lose their footing and/or bash their heads against the OTSR's with the crazy rapid direction changes that end both rides. I don't know what the new restraints would do on those 2 rides to people who don't keep their heads back against the headrest. I would think there might be more neck injuries and fewer ear boxings.

[Geauga Dog]

Georgia Scorcher is a very popular ride. When I was at SFOG back in 2011 it seemed I overheard people talking about how it is one of the best rides there and I have to agree as Scorcher is a rare breed of stand-up being one of the best.

 

Mantis is okay until the twists after the mid-course and corkscrew. That's where it gets brutal.

 

I would like to see a new generation stand-up built. If B&M wasn't trying to sell them then why are they listed on their website?

[Blue Turbo]

While I agree that there isn't really much of a market, they would probably be better if B&M built them now. If they were to use the new vest restraints you wouldn't have the headbanging anymore, but even if they kept the same restraint, the new B&Ms aren't as snappy in their transition so it would reduce headbanging anyway.

[XII]

I agree that is seems like the GP really like stand up coasters, as all the parks that I've been to with stand up coasters has it as one of the more popular rides. I personally would like to see a comeback as I really like the larger models such as Riddlers Revenge, I don't think its gonna happen with so many other options in the market.

[Superbatboy]

I've always loved Riddler's Revenge, it's very smooth and has good pacing between the elements. The positive g's sometimes are a little harsh on my weak knees and I feel like I'm walking on peanut butter after I ride, bu it's all worth it.

[Jhcbiinoc]

Those vest restraints should go on just about every B&M. They're great. No headbanging! They make putting your hands up difficult, but whatever.

 

I will say that I think the no headbanging is a plus, as well as the fact that they seem to facilitate a lowered minimum height restriction (Wild Eagle at 50" and Gatekeeper and Banshee at 52") but I think they may still be working out some of the details on the restraint system before transitioning more models to this system. One, there has been an issue with the restraints tightening on some of the Wing Coasters (which supposedly they are working on) and there also seems to be a cap on rider height with the new vest restraints of 78", which to my knowledge does not exist with their existing restraints (clamshell and OTSR, which have the minimum height of 54" and no maximum height cap which to me would seem to allow more people to ride). In any case, I can definitely see them wanting to move to the newer type, and I thought it was interesting that S&S are using a similar type on their 4D Free Spin model.

 

Regarding stand up coasters-I enjoy Georgia Scorcher and Riddler's Revenge (and those are the only two stand up coasters I have really liked) but the ride experience to me is not as appealing as the sense of flight and freedom with the inverts/floorless/wing and hyper coasters. I am sure B&M would build another one, but I would rather see them invest the resources into new developments, such as the long rumored launching and 4D types they are supposedly working on.

[coasterschile]

I like standup coasters, I'm not saying that I'm a fan but I like them. Remember Georgia Scorcher, was the last StandUp that B&M ever built, and is the smoother one (its the best because Green Lantern and Riddlers Revenge are bigger. StandUp's are enjoyable if you adjust them right. I would love to see more StandUp coasters, maybe not some big ones, but the size of Georgia Scorcher, Vortex (Carowinds), etc. It will be good for medium parks (like south american ones, or like the ones that aren't from Cedar Fair/Six Flags) I think that B&M could do a great job with StandUp coasters

[Kenny B]

It appears I'm one of the few coaster dudes who enjoys standups. They're not my favorite breed of coaster, but I don't see them nearly as the novelty coaster, or leg breaker attitude that seems prevalent on here. I enjoy the crushing forces they put out, and deal with the roughness. An a abusive coaster only gets love once it's gone it seems.