What's causing the U.S Intamin drought?

[grsupercity]

You guys keep talking about MF cable snapping. What about Gatekeepers chain snapping?

[DoinItForTheFame]

You guys keep talking about MF cable snapping. What about Gatekeepers chain snapping?

 

 

Didn't Griffon have a chain that broke too??

[redfoot12]

Maybe this is a good place to start speculating about what Hershey's next big coaster will be since they love themselves some Intamin.

 

Edit to add:

Just thought about it and Hershey could easily have gone with something like Bakken's Tornado for Laff Trakk. Maybe even Hershey needed a break from Intamin.

Edited September 23, 2015 by redfoot12

[boldikus]

Maybe this is a good place to start speculating about what Hershey's next big coaster will be since they love themselves some Intamin.

 

I have a good feeling we will see more Intamin @ Hershey. They love them and I love Hershey. Forget an RMC of Wild Cat - tear it down and build a Balder clone right there.

[coneyislandchris]

Forget an RMC of Wild Cat - tear it down and build a Balder clone right there.

As much as I'd like to see an RMC'ed Wild Cat, I wouldn't shake my head at that result.

[redfoot12]

Just curious, but were there any issues with Cheetah Hunt? That was a pretty big project and Intamin seemed to nail it with that one.

As a Virginia local, I was a little miffed at the time that Verbolten wasn't an Intamin.

[DJeXeL]

CH had that minor stalling issue on first turn. (Did we ever find out what happened with that??)

Other than that I think most of it's issues are electrical in nature.

[dcxs]

One thing I don't see discussed a lot is the Intamin trains, for accelerator coasters at least. For me they really seem dated compared to for example Mack Rides ones. I've ridden a lot of Intamins and Macks back to back, and the train makes a huuuuge difference! The lap bar, the almost floorless seats ( your feat are dangling) much more comfortable and airy imo. In intamin trains its like you sit inside of a cart. Intamin train designs are like 16+ year old. I really wish more parks open their eyes for Mack!

Edited September 23, 2015 by dcxs

[Ed Farmer]

Maybe this is a good place to start speculating about what Hershey's next big coaster will be since they love themselves some Intamin.

 

I have a good feeling we will see more Intamin @ Hershey. They love them and I love Hershey. Forget an RMC of Wild Cat - tear it down and build a Balder clone right there.

I love Hershey too, I think Wild Cat is just fine the way it is. We thought it was the best wooden coaster there on our recent visit. A (long overdue )sequel to El Toro would fit that park like a glove, though.

[Superbatboy]

Just curious, but were there any issues with Cheetah Hunt? That was a pretty big project and Intamin seemed to nail it with that one.

As a Virginia local, I was a little miffed at the time that Verbolten wasn't an Intamin.

There's a legend that the head guy at BGW hates Intamin, so I guess that's why they went with Zierrer. Seems like Cheetah Hunt was the bigger hit though and at a much lower cost

[coasterbill]

^Smiler incident was due to maintenance personnel error.

 

The empty train vallying to begin with wasn't.

 

Oh for god's sake Leviathan and Rougarou both valleyed this year in Cedar Fair parks, both are B&M's. Valleying isn't a big deal, virtually any coaster can valley with the right combination of factors (either with the ride itself, loose articles or weather / wind).

 

I think defintiley CF's lack in interest for Intamins and SF's lack of interest in investing 20M+ in a new coaster is really hurting Intamin here.

 

Honestly this nailed it. Cedar Fair is in love with B&M right now and the only other American parks that would be in the market for a major 15 - 20+ million dollar coaster are the Six Flags parks which haven't been buying B&M's or Intamin's because they're not spending money on big coasters lately, Universal parks who rarely build coasters but I believe they DID use Intamin track on Gringots, Disney that has no need to buy an Intamin because they build family rides, Silver Dollar City and Dollywood who are on an RMC kick right now, Hershey who does seem to work with Intamin a lot and Sea World / BG who have always been in love with B&M anyway.

 

Sure there might be one or two other parks that could suprise us (I don't think anyone thought Holiday World would buy a coaster like Thunderbird), but the market in the U.S. is limited when you take Six Flags and Cedar Fair out of it.

Edited September 23, 2015 by coasterbill

[redfoot12]

One thing I don't see discussed a lot is the Intamin trains, for accelerator coasters at least. For me they really seem dated compared to for example Mack Rides ones. I've ridden a lot of Intamins and Macks back to back, and the train makes a huuuuge difference! The lap bar, the almost floorless seats ( your feat are dangling) much more comfortable and airy imo. In intamin trains its like you sit inside of a cart. Intamin train designs are like 16+ year old. I really wish more parks open their eyes for Mack!

 

This could lead into an all new thread...

"Why Aren't Any US Parks Getting More Mack Coasters?"

 

I rode Manta at Seaworld San Diego last week and loved the ride and the trains!

[redfoot12]

Just curious, but were there any issues with Cheetah Hunt? That was a pretty big project and Intamin seemed to nail it with that one.

As a Virginia local, I was a little miffed at the time that Verbolten wasn't an Intamin.

There's a legend that the head guy at BGW hates Intamin, so I guess that's why they went with Zierrer. Seems like Cheetah Hunt was the bigger hit though and at a much lower cost

 

That sounds familiar. I think there were some issues with Escape from Pompeii.

I bet BGW wishes they had gone with Intamin on Mach Tower.

[coasterkid124]

Once somebody steps up and builds another Intamin, then more suitors will join. My eyes are on Hershey right now. I'm hoping that them and Intamin can pull something else off due to their good relationship. Especially seeing that all three Intamins there are relatively new and none had any major mechanical issues.

 

The Polar Coaster will also be a big feat. Another record for Intamin, and they remain the only company to "push the envelope" with limits. However, the coaster has to work. I think it will be fine because there are no launches or anything that could cause issue, but I said the same thing about I305, so we'll see.

[coasterkid124]

Just curious, but were there any issues with Cheetah Hunt? That was a pretty big project and Intamin seemed to nail it with that one.

As a Virginia local, I was a little miffed at the time that Verbolten wasn't an Intamin.

There's a legend that the head guy at BGW hates Intamin, so I guess that's why they went with Zierrer. Seems like Cheetah Hunt was the bigger hit though and at a much lower cost

 

That sounds familiar. I think there were some issues with Escape from Pompeii.

I bet BGW wishes they had gone with Intamin on Mach Tower.

 

I've heard this too. It's probably only a BGW issue because BGT just installed Falcon's Fury

[TB305]

^Correct, Larry Giles (the head engineer at BG) distrusts Intamin. They went with Moser for Mach Tower and hey, look where that got them! Worse reliability than an unreliable Intamin, as its closed 1/2 the times I visit BG, and I go fairly often. I also wish Intamin was chosen for Verbolten because Verbolten has a nasty rattle after the event building.

 

Viva le Intamin!

[coasterbill]

I also wish Intamin was chosen for Verbolten because Verbolten has a nasty rattle after the event building.

 

I like Intamin but I know another company that could have probably built something that followed the same track layout for the second half, didn't rattle and was way better.

 

...Arrow

 

...Murrica.

 

For the record I like Verbolten and don't think it rattles at all but I'm just a little bit bitter.

[_koppen]

This is what i wrote on the subject a while ago:

I think is also has to do with the market. The US market for coasters isn't as big as it used to be. Parks are buying lot's of different rides these days, not just coasters.

 

Also neither Six Flags or Cedar Fair is interested in the Intamin offerings right now. Six Flags are quite happy with their lower-cost investments at the moment, and CF is on a roll with B&M. Without them two chains the other parks aren't really buying that many coasters, and none of the Intamin offering seems to be "the thing today" like a RMC or a wing rider.

[Coaster Hero]

Intamins usually cost slightly less than B&M's, but it seems that for that extra $3-5 million you're getting a lot more precise engineering, as well as better capacity (that depends), and reliability. However Intamin is the one manufacture that always seems to be pushing the envelope, but at the cost of the above 3 things. It's really a tradeoff; either you get an unrelieable but extremely innovative coaster, or you get the much more reliable but not nearly as innovative coaster, and it seems most parks are beginning to think that choice 2 is the better option. (even though it's sort-of a paradox and there is no "better" option for both sides)

 

If there's a park that will soon get an Intamin, it would probably be Hershey. SF doesn't want to spend a lot on one coaster, and CF seems perfectly content building B&M's everywhere, eliminating the majority of themeparks in the U.S. I could see BGT in on the action eventually as well, as both them and Hershey seem to have a pretty good relationship with Intamin despite all of the past issues. If Hershey ever got an Intamin PreFab I would literally walk to the park 2 hours away in NJ just to get one ride in (and Skyrush of course)

 

And one more note, if you look on CF's corporate website the only track on the page is B&M track. Intamin drought for CF confirmed . (jk)

[Midgetman82]

Without them two chains the other parks aren't really buying that many coasters, and none of the Intamin offering seems to be "the thing today" like a RMC or a wing rider.

Intamin has wing riders. But in all seriousness, Much of what you had said I can agree with.

 

To add on, I read somewhere on the SeaWorld thread involving Mako where someone said SeaWorld needed to be conservative and choose a company that would guarantee to be the most reliable while still providing the thrills they wanted (apart from the strong relationship they have buying from B&M). I think this was partly in an argument against why they didn't choose a company like Mack to build a coaster just as exciting, because they're probably not in a position to have something super-innovative at the moment due to risking having something super-unreliable.

 

This has also been a really interesting thread to read through.

[grsupercity]

Chance, Vekoma, RMC, and Premier all making better coasters. Let the market choose who is best. I like B&M, but I am so glad to be seeing some new faces on the block

[DJeXeL]

^Agreed. Can't for that Mack Giga coaster to pop up.

[DirkFunk]

The Polar Coaster will also be a big feat. Another record for Intamin, and they remain the only company to "push the envelope" with limits. However, the coaster has to work. I think it will be fine because there are no launches or anything that could cause issue, but I said the same thing about I305, so we'll see.

 

I hate to be Debbie Downer, but I wouldn't get too excited about Polar Coaster ever happening.

[Koasterking48]

As others have stated, the U.S. market has shifted pretty dramatically since 2010. Premier and RMC have moved into the spotlight now (as well as B&M staying steady all these years) and have filled the void. Could the drought have something to do with Intamin's reliability reputation? Maybe, but they are far from being "blacklisted."

 

I see Cedar Fair being more likely to return after more of the overseas Intamin installations prove to be reliable. They seem to have the same "wait-and-see" strategy with RMC.

[coasterkid124]

The Polar Coaster will also be a big feat. Another record for Intamin, and they remain the only company to "push the envelope" with limits. However, the coaster has to work. I think it will be fine because there are no launches or anything that could cause issue, but I said the same thing about I305, so we'll see.

 

I hate to be Debbie Downer, but I wouldn't get too excited about Polar Coaster ever happening.

 

They're building one in Orlando right now. Not sure if you meant that in a "nobody would ever build this way" or "it won't work" way.