Lusse Skooters Love Thread

[ParkTrips]

OK we have some flat ride threads here and there but now for the end-all thread - the Lusse Skooters Love thread!

 

Share your stories here!! I love these damned things, a lot! For those who don't know Lusse Auto Skooters are what most people would refer to as bumper cars, but these are no ordinary bumper cars. They are run faster, hit harder and can actually be a total blast compared to most bumper car rides which are about as tame as Taco Bell mild sause. Time for some pics:

 

Tim O'brien seems to think the ones at Knoebels are good:

 

I think the best ride was when a few of us were at Knoebels this past may, and I don't know, it was random but we had a blast. Larry t-boned me pretty good, that's all I remember from the sheer insanity. The ones at Hoffman's are legendary in their own aspect to me, the only ride to draw blood from me.

 

As far as I know those are the only two ful, operating sets of Lusses left, with some newer ones here and there and a mixed set at Keansburg - am I missing any?? I would soo go out of my way to ride them!

 

- Joe, who knows some people will think he's crazy...

Edited April 18, 2017 by ParkTrips

[CoasterFanatic]

I have a great story regarding Knoebels' Skooters. This year at PPP, there was a guy on Saturday night (I don't think he was quite all there) who was driving in circles, going the wrong way and running straight into the walls. Over the course of the session he never managed to complete even one lap. Hilarious.

 

Well .... the next day, I was be stupid and emulating his performance from the previous night. I got to one end and ran right into the wall and them BAM!

 

What happened then is when I sprung off the wall, Kathy Lyons' son rear-ended me and sent me flying over the wall. The front end lifted up about 18 inches and managed to take a chuck out of the wall before leaving me stranded with my front wheels off the ground.

 

The operator instructed me to turn my wheels but nothing happened no matter what I did. When he shut down the ride and noticed that I managed to get the front wheels off the track he couldn't believe it.

 

Now try that with any other set of bumper cars!

[ParkTrips]

Oh man that's awesome!!

 

At Hoffman's my girlfriend managed to hit the divider.. head on, full speed without me driving her into it, just totally on her.. I don'w know how mut it was one of those laughing my ass off moments.. but man, I would have loved to see THAT!

 

- Joe, who never actually BROKE anything like that !

[larrygator]

Joe - you know my thoughts. These things rock. Whether I know others at the park or am on my own I have a blast on these things. At Keansburg with a mix of Lusse and non-Lusse the trick is to get one of the Lusse and wreak havok on the kids in the non-Lusse. But not if their mothers' are watching.

 

I had one incident where someone was lining up to T-Bone me and I spun the wheel hard right then hard left and the Skooter abruptly stopped and moved backwards and the guy that was targetting me went straight past me into the wall and he was rear ended pretty bad by the buy behind him.

 

My favorite part is going along the straight away and just banging the crap out of the car along side you the whole length of the straightaway.

[Nrthwnd]

Man, I miss the skooters we had here at Playland. They had their own 'skooter building' too, and actually, same vehicles and layout as I see in these pix. Loved slippin'and slidin'across that floor. And having an actual route to travel (around those tires, one way only please?) certainly helped the enjoyment. Rather than just one big open rectangle of space to go whee on.

 

Thanks for a good early memory of mine.

 

[N'at Man]

Great topic and one I try to keep tabs on.

 

Knoebels and Hoffman's have the old style cars but Knoebels also has a few slightly younger cars and Hoffman's has some of the Lusse sport skooters. Those are two of the best places to ride Lusse skooters. Keansburg was mentioned and they had quite a mix of cars in not the greatest condition when I visited several years ago. Bushkill Park had a few old models in bad condition running before the floods but I don't know their current status. Does anyone know?

 

I have an absolute gem for you. It's the Lusse skooters at Interstate Amusements in Seaside, Oregon. They're all old cars in great condition. It's an old school setup with neon and you can pay per ride and just stay on. The floor is like a mirror. If you're out in the Pacific Northwest and you like bumper cars, do not miss this place.

 

http://www.shopseaside.com/bc/bc.html

 

Here are some places that have what I call the Model T themed Lusses. Dutch Wonderland, Oaks Park (Portland, OR) and Dixie Landin' (Baton Rouge, LA). DW and Oaks are pretty hard hitting cars while DL were kind of lame.

 

I believe Paramount Canada's Wondeland still has sport skooters and Erieview Park had some beat up ones as well. I visited one of the most off the beaten path parks, Family Funland (Farmington, NM), to pick up some coaster credits and I found a few Lusse skooters there. The park was so dead that they weren't running although only two cars appeared to be serviceable.

 

I've read that the following places had Lusse bumper cars of some sort but I question if they still have them. They would be Atlantic Playland in Nova Scotia and Bumper Arcade at Bagnell Dam Strip (Lake Ozark, MO). I'd love to here anything about these two places.

This is a skooter from Oaks Park. You'll find similar skooters at Dutch Wonderland.

A closer look at the Seaside Lusse's shows the great condition of the cars and the clean, shiny floor.

The Seaside, Oregon operation is a true gem.

[Token Yankee Guy]

I have a great story regarding Knoebels' Skooters. This year at PPP, there was a guy on Saturday night (I don't think he was quite all there) who was driving in circles, going the wrong way and running straight into the walls. Over the course of the session he never managed to complete even one lap. Hilarious.

 

 

Oh man, that was such a classic moment, I wish I had my DV camera to film it. And of course everyone was laughing, rooting, giving directions to this guy at the same time. But in the end, we all shared a "Awww" when he didn't complete one lap.

 

Of course Ted, you forgot to mention that when we got to board, they had us turn around and go the opposite direction. Oh man, I never had that much fun on those bumper cars

[N'at Man]

Now try that with any other set of bumper cars!

 

I've seen that done more or less with other bumper cars but that would be scary at Knoebels considering they're old, steel Lusse cars.

 

I've been involved in what we've called "bumper car incidents" in the past. Essentially you set up chain reaction of multiple cars into the wall of the bumper car arena. Often times it's most fun to do it into a springboard but other walls will do. I will say that I've never tried this at Knoebels and I don't plan on it. That could be painful if not hazardous. Plus I respect the old cars too much to try it there. You can plenty of fun with normal bumping there.

 

Anyway, VisionLand was where these "incidents" were perfected. It was very easy to create a chain reaction and "beach" a car over the short side wall. See the pic below.

VisionLand beached bumper car circa 1998

[dougr]

I have an absolute gem for you. It's the Lusse skooters at Interstate Amusements in Seaside, Oregon. They're all old cars in great condition. It's an old school setup with neon and you can pay per ride and just stay on. The floor is like a mirror. If you're out in the Pacific Northwest and you like bumper cars, do not miss this place.

 

http://www.shopseaside.com/bc/bc.html

 

Here are some places that have what I call the Model T themed Lusses. Dutch Wonderland, Oaks Park (Portland, OR

 

Having riden only on the Oaks Park (and loved them), we have to check out the Seaside place.

[CoasterFanatic]

I will say that I've never tried this at Knoebels and I don't plan on it. That could be painful if not hazardous.

 

Very true. I picked the back wall for it's "springyness" as to not upset the car, but never thought about someone crushing me on the return.

 

And yes ... it hurt like hell! I have been rearended a couple times while driving and I don't think they held a candle to the whiplash that resulted.

 

In other words ... don't try this at home. Ever!

[ParkTrips]

Tim -

Thank you for your insight. Since there are so few installations left, and most are at ultra-small parks, info is hard to come by. I love it.

 

The ones at Wonderland are the new models. like the ones at Dutch Wonderland. I would have loved to try them but didn't even know they were Lusse's until after I visited the park.

 

That's great to hear of another set in Oregon, I suppose that even if the one wasn't enough to draw me to Oregon while in the Pacific NW at some point, a second set will definately pull me away from those woodies in Idaho. Those look beautiful.

 

Skooters in the Ozarks to? I guess an upcoming trip to Branson will take a detour. From what I understand, the Skooters at Bushkill are in serious danger.

 

I didn't even pick up on the fact that Hoffman's had a split set - we got lucky and picked up the regular old ones. I will never forget our one ride where I was hit so hard I got a big gash on my knee..

 

Larry - I know you like that contsant banging down the straitaway move.. you pulled it on me a few times!!

 

- Joe, who actually believes that the one's at Hoffman's hit a little harder, but Knoebels can't be beat with their ride cycle

[verticalzero]

I love bumper cars and these look so lovely and well taken care of.

[peteb]

I had lost interest in bumper cars due modern, lightweight, slow, lap bar laden bumper cars that you find in many parks. The Lusse Auto Skooters at Knoebels reminded me what bumper cars are supposed to be like; hard hitten sparks flying smelly ozone producing cars.

 

Sometimes older is way better.