Can spinning coasters offer a non-spinning car?

[Samuel]

According to my RCDB addition skills, 92 new spinning coasters have opened since 2015. Yes, that list includes the Golden Horse hoard, but there are also some very fun-looking, original layouts from Mack, Gerstlauer, and Maurer included. As coasters move from "taller and faster" to more originality and better engineering, some of these spinners look like kick-butt family coasters, but I just can't get with the spinning.

 

Now, at least in my family, no adult (myself included) wants to spin anymore. I have park-going adult friends who also feel the same way. A few years ago, I saw a mom ask, "Does it have to spin?" about Steel Dragon at Waldameer, and when spinning was confirmed, she just let her daughter ride and went over to the exit ramp to wait. I know I've read about ridership numbers dropping for coasters that have inversions (which may be true, but I don't have sources), but I wonder about spinning.

 

It might be a hassle or tougher whenever the whole coaster gimmick is spinning (Cobra's Curse), or maybe it's not a big issue at all, but is it possible to just intentionally run a fixed/locked car for people who don't want to spin? I know I've had non-spinning rides on Exterminator at Kennywood, and I've seen Maurer models spin throughout or unlock at a certain segment of track.

Edited June 16, 2017 by Samuel

[larrygator]

Anyone else wish new spinners offered a non-spinning option? What? If new spinners offered a non-spinning options they wouldn't be spinners. Who or what are the new spinners offering options? Sorry, this is just a horribly worded question.

 

But if I interpreted your question correctly: No, there are plenty of coasters that don't spin.

[gerstlaueringvar]

Don't ride it then.

[Samuel]

Anyone else wish new spinners offered a non-spinning option? What? If new spinners offered a non-spinning options they wouldn't be spinners. Who or what are the new spinners offering options? Sorry, this is just a horribly worded question.

 

But if I interpreted your question correctly: No, there are plenty of coasters that don't spin.

 

I changed the title. I hope it's more clear for you and others.

Edited June 16, 2017 by Samuel

[Nrthwnd]

^^ What he said. Regardless of the layout of it all, it' still a spinning coaster. Period.

No option to make it "non-spinning". You know what you are getting on. Or you

should know that, at least.

 

But then, Bert and I went through a "floorless-non-floorless" event with Rougarou

at Cedar Point, during CoasterMania! weekend. And it then shut down on us, first try.

 

That was nifty to experience.

[Samuel]

^^ What he said. Regardless of the layout of it all, it' still a spinning coaster. Period.

No option to make it "non-spinning". You know what you are getting on. Or you

should know that, at least.

 

We see coasters in Japan that offer stand-up and normal trains; why not offer a choice with the spinning coasters? I think you can market the option to spin and thereby not disqualify riders who would prefer not to spin.

[Nrthwnd]

^ It actually could be a new "thing" with coasters - that being the rider is

offered a choice in how to ride the coaster, in question. Who knows?

[WestCoasterKing]

If you want to ride a non-spinning coaster there are plenty of them out there. The vast majority of roller coasters are in fact non-spinning. Go ride one of those. Why do you want so badly to ride a spinning coaster if you don't want to spin? Are you seeing the layout of the track and thinking man that looks fun if only the cars didn't spin? I'm pretty sure there is just such a coaster around, probably even in the same park.

[theymitbgi]

You know what I kind of like this idea. Have the option of a non-spinning car. My local park, SFSL, doesn't really offer an intermediate coaster and having a non-spinning car could be a good thing.

[Samuel]

Why do you want so badly to ride a spinning coaster if you don't want to spin? Are you seeing the layout of the track and thinking man that looks fun if only the cars didn't spin? I'm pretty sure there is just such a coaster around, probably even in the same park.

 

Spinning coasters, especially the newer custom ones, are essentially good family coasters with a vehicular gimmick. As I wrote before, if you make the spinning gimmick optional, you get broader appeal while still preserving the marketability of the gimmick. Many parks need modern family coaster updates, and these are just what the doctor ordered, but the spinning mandate can narrow their appeal.

 

This has nothing to do with me "so badly wanting to ride a spinning coaster"; it's about discussing an idea that doesn't seem impractical and could enhance ridership for these coasters. There are enough coasters that have offered different trains on the same track -- this isn't uncharted territory.

 

And there are plenty of unique and fun layouts on newer spinning coasters that you don't find everywhere, and certainly not in the same park: Tarantula, Spider-Man Doc Ock's Revenge, Twist, Dwervelwind, Vicky, Han-Katten, etc.

[WestCoasterKing]

That might work for coasters with individual cars but a train with several cars like Sierra Sidewinder for example it wouldn't. One non-spinning car would throw off the axis. They work by all counter acting each other. And a whole train of non-spinning cars would defeat the purpose of the "gimmick". As for that you are just wrong. It's not a gimmick. It adds an element of disorientation to an already disorienting ride. As has already been stated there are plenty of non-spinning family coasters. There is really no need to even offer the option because there already is the option. It's called a go ride a different ride.

[bill_s]

A point can be made the spinning coasters are getting more ambitious and larger. If it's some little POS that relies on spinning for excitement yeah just ride something else, but a new one by Mack at a major park is another matter.

 

I've only had 3 spinning coaster rides total, last 2 were Rajin Cajun, second time they put me by myself, OMG. I like that the spinning doesn't go on too long (Penguin's River ouch) but balance does help. I could see a variable brake, preset per ride or even under riders' control. The problem with having a non-spinning car is getting the people that want it aligned with it.

[Jetstar2]

I rode Kyary Pamyu Pamyu XR Ride which is normally a spinning coaster (Space Fantasy), but the cars were locked in a non-spinning state (and only the two forward facing seats were loaded) to accommodate the VR thing. There was no choice between spinning and non-spinning cars though. So yes, spinning coasters can offer a non-spinning car, even they almost certainly don't.

[SoCalJasonland]

I am pretty sure you could lock out the individual car from spinning but then you have the queue issues from the change. I think most parks are already dealing with fast passes and single riders that they don't want a third issue to deal with in the their limited queue space. It is kind of like trying to have separate rows for non VR riders. Things back up differently and rows would need to be relabeled to avoid confusion. Probably too much work for what they consider to be limited value when the market is already crowded with non-spinning options.