Seddy Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 Maybe you'd know this then - do flyers rest on their running wheels, or do they have some sort of hidden way that they rest off them? I can't imagine that B&M would have figured out something for everything else but flyers, but I'll also freely admit that I don't really care for any flyers that I've been on, and I've paid a lot less attention to their details because of it. Which perhaps is ironic, because I was in quite a good position to witness a lot of that history. I've never been inside the transfer shed for Superman but I'd imagine that it is set up like all other B&M coasters. I do know that there is no S.A.M. inside of the transfer shed, and mechanics unfold the seats manually once insise the shed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rollercoaster Rider Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 Six Flags wanted to build a park in North Stonington, Connecticut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArizonaGuy Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 Fiesta Texas planned to build a Giovanola drve machine over the cliff face in the early 2000s. The plan actually went far enough that they began construction by blasting off small segments of the cliff face. The plans fell through and the coaster moved to Dallas where it became Titan. - Fiesta Texas would be a great candidate for a dive machine/eurofighter off the side of the cliff. Correct....the Giovanola coaster at SFFT was supposed to be a hyper going from behind the Flags Mercado in Los Festivales across and over what is now the Texas shaped wave pool and the newer expanded part of the water park. John Odum was the new park President back in 1998 when he moved to SFFT from SFStL and he visited a lot with the employees and let us know about some of the parks "visions" for new attractions. The Flags Mercado store was planned on being used as an "exit" store for the new coaster. Plans were scrapped then Red and Blue B&M track began appearing at the park behind Lone Star Lil's Amphitheatre around August 1999 for SKC. That's how I remember it when I was working there from 1996-1999. Also, Frisbee at SFFT was originally installed where Boomerang currently resides in Los Festivales. It was installed summer of 1998 and was called "The Mexican Hat Dance" and the Top Spin called "Der Twister" in Spassburg when Premier bought the Six Flags chain and Fiesta Texas mid season 1998. Once the 1998 season was over, Frisbee was dismantled and Boomerang put up in it's place in 1999 and Frisbee opened up later on in 1999 on the Boardwalk. Boomerang, Poltergeist, Scream, the Texas shaped Wave Pool and water park expansion, and many of the kiddie rides scattered around the park were part of the parks largest expansion project which was $20 million in 1 year. Also in 1999 Scream only opened with two of three working towers. The third tower was converted to operate mid season 1999 so now all three towers run to this date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rollercoaster Rider Posted December 25, 2013 Share Posted December 25, 2013 Six Flags just managed Fiesta Texas from 96 to 98. It wasn't until Premier acquired the company that they owned 100% of the park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackdude101 Posted December 25, 2013 Share Posted December 25, 2013 (edited) China is on the cusp of having more currently-operating gravity-powered roller coasters than any other country in the world. Right now, the United States holds that title. As of the writing of this post, China has 619 and the United States has 625. http://rcdb.com/r.htm?nm=na&cs=277&st=93&pl=26380&ot=2 http://rcdb.com/r.htm?nm=na&cs=277&st=93&pl=59&ot=2 As of today this has changed to China: 625; United States: 625. One more and China out-ranks the USA. Edited December 26, 2013 by Jackdude101 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeromyL Posted December 25, 2013 Share Posted December 25, 2013 Shouldn't we break it down per capita? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted December 25, 2013 Share Posted December 25, 2013 (edited) 1) Shockwave was the first ride marketed as the tallest ride and fastest ride (admittedly, fastest was only a US claim). Before that point, parks didn't really brag about height and speed. Proof? The record holder for speed until 1988 was the American Eagle across the park. Proof? You really didn't show any proof. Kings Island marketed The Beast as the longest, tallest and fastest when it opened. Link to promo info And I'm sure that wasn't even the first time a park marketed a coaster in that manner. Edited December 25, 2013 by larrygator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterkyle Posted December 25, 2013 Share Posted December 25, 2013 I believe Gemini was also marketed as the tallest and fastest coaster when it opened in 1978. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmicha Posted December 25, 2013 Share Posted December 25, 2013 Yeah, it's definitely a lot earlier that they started advertising for tallest and fastest. I recall an animated ad for a side friction coaster as being the tallest coaster on earth. And that was from around the turn of the century. Coasters have long been about records. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerstlaueringvar Posted December 25, 2013 Share Posted December 25, 2013 Found this somewhere, not marketing as the tallest/fastest/longest/etc but there's clearly some similarity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArizonaGuy Posted December 25, 2013 Share Posted December 25, 2013 Six Flags just managed Fiesta Texas from 96 to 98. It wasn't until Premier acquired the company that they owned 100% of the park. Correct..... Premier acquired the the park mid 1998 which is why I posted what I did. Mid 1998 is when they added frisbee and the top spin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seddy Posted December 25, 2013 Share Posted December 25, 2013 To add to the current debate. GASM was the tallest, longest and fastest coaster in the world when it opened in 1973... 16 years before Shockwave was opened. 40+ years later and she is still running strong! Since me and GASM have such a special bond, I had to add my 10 cents. -Seddy™ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rollercoaster Rider Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 Shockwave at Great America was planned for Six Flags Great Adventure but after Easter Weekend in 87, They decided to revamp their kids area to rebuild their family image. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomman295 Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 Six Flags just managed Fiesta Texas from 96 to 98. It wasn't until Premier acquired the company that they owned 100% of the park. Correct..... Premier acquired the the park mid 1998 which is why I posted what I did. Mid 1998 is when they added frisbee and the top spin. Did Fiesta Texas and SF ever have a deal with Huss? Because weren't those added when they first were designed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rollercoaster Rider Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 Six Flags just managed Fiesta Texas from 96 to 98. It wasn't until Premier acquired the company that they owned 100% of the park. Correct..... Premier acquired the the park mid 1998 which is why I posted what I did. Mid 1998 is when they added frisbee and the top spin. Did Fiesta Texas and SF ever have a deal with Huss? Because weren't those added when they first were designed? Neither were firsts. The First American Top Spin opened in 1993 and Frisbee opened in 1994. If I were to guess, They were purchased for Old Indiana but sent to SFFT after Premier abandoned that idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MayTheGForceBeWithYou Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 If you look at the updated aerial views for Alton Towers on Google Maps/Earth, you can see a crane rescuing a stalled train on the Smiler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcjp Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 ^Haha. That is right! Nice one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomman295 Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 Six Flags just managed Fiesta Texas from 96 to 98. It wasn't until Premier acquired the company that they owned 100% of the park. Correct..... Premier acquired the the park mid 1998 which is why I posted what I did. Mid 1998 is when they added frisbee and the top spin. Did Fiesta Texas and SF ever have a deal with Huss? Because weren't those added when they first were designed? Neither were firsts. The First American Top Spin opened in 1993 and Frisbee opened in 1994. If I were to guess, They were purchased for Old Indiana but sent to SFFT after Premier abandoned that idea. Where are said first flat rides located? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillseeker4552 Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 All B&M Stand-Up coasters are located in the US and owned by either Six Flags or Cedar Fair; no foreign or "family" companies own a B&M Stand-Up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Stratosphere Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Not a coaster fact, but it deals with rides. Big Shot, X-Scream and Insanity at the Stratosphere Tower were all lifted into place with a sky crane helicopter. Insanity Insanity Big Shot X-Scream X-Scream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jynx242 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 At SFoG - where Batman the Ride sits now, used to be "The Flying Dutchman." A swinging ship ride. A large part of the area that is Gotham City was actually themed to "Jolly Roger's Island" and had a pirate theme. Where the "Crime Wave" sits now - there was a "Teen Club" (which were all the rage in the 80's) called Graffitti's. SFoG used to get pretty awesome concerts like: Duran Duran, Erasure, Heart, The Bangels, Journey, Billy Idol, Night Ranger and the Hudugurus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bottom_feeder_13 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 ^^ Better than how they removed High Roller, by chopping it up into small segments and taking it down in the elevator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rctneil Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Not a coaster fact, but it deals with rides. Big Shot, X-Scream and Insanity at the Stratosphere Tower were all lifted into place with a sky crane helicopter. That's pretty neat. It's quite obvious that they would do it that way but you never really think about it. Nice to see photos of their construction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Stratosphere Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 ^^ Better than how they removed High Roller, by chopping it up into small segments and taking it down in the elevator. It was actually the most cost effective way of doing it, as a business decision, it was the best method. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screaminkid2005 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Haha if I saw that I would have asked for a piece to take home! That would be fun trying to get on an airplane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now