Accelerators. Are they it?

Im hoping this is placed in the right forum, but I was simply wondering.

Seeing that the worlds two tallest/fastest coasters are accelerators, is this the only way were goin to be seeing the near future of supercoasters? Were so close to the 500ft. barrier and when the industry decides to hit that...is the accelerator going to be the only option?

What other ideas are there that we can do? Would the cable lift system be a good choice? its fast, but is the cable always reliable? probally more reliable than the hydraulic launchers....? & I dont see anyone even daring to touch it other than Intamin obviously.

Im just thinking about a 500ft millenium force basically. Can they make the tera coaster a basic rollercoaster?

just a thought, stupid i know but feel free to discuss if you want.

why would a park want to make such a ride? I can't imagine that ever being a fiscally feasible option for a couple of reasons:

a. The marginal expenses in construction alone are so much greater than those of TTD/KK. It just doesn't make sense: in order to get a standard circuit to that kind of height, it would mean making it ridiculously short. It's a paradox of the logical constraints on design: bigger ride = shorter ride. I hope that makes sense.

b. The industry is just about done with its trend of bigger, taller, and faster. Notice a few more mid-sized woodies being built?

c. The point behind those huge rides is that they are one-trick record-breaking ponies. They produce huge stats in a relatively small footprint and with a minimal ride time. The ride which you are describing actually has very little to do with TTD/KK simply because it would be more of an actual coaster, the proportions of which no park or chain has the want or even ability to undertake.


Keep in mind that most of the world's best rides are about 100 ft tall (or less) and made of wood.

Yeah, the industry is fading away a little from the really huge rides. I doubt that we'll see another 300 footer any time in the near future.

simple fact is large rides dont really thrill people as much as small more complex rides. true they really are a one trick ponie and they go fast and are high and thats about it. give me nemesis over TTD any day.

[jayman]

gazag has said all there is to say here.... period.. my words EXACTLY "one trick pony"

Originally posted by Kevin Brennan


Keep in mind that most of the world's best rides are about 100 ft tall (or less) and made of wood.

That's 100% your opinion only, but I do agree with everything else that you said. It doesn't really seem to make any sense. I'm sure that going up a 500 ft. lift would be SO cool, and i would totally love to see it happen, but there's such a low possibility of it any time soon that I don't really bother thinking about it that much.

Originally posted by Kevin Brennan


Keep in mind that most of the world's best rides are about 100 ft tall (or less) and made of wood.

Ooh someone hasn't gotten a life changing ride on Millennium Force![:D]

^I rode MF mid-summer, last ride of the night, back seat. It didn't change my life ;) . It is my opinion that Intamin over-engineers their rides. Also, not once have I seen a compelling proof of bigger=better. And yes, saying that a majority of the best rides are mid-sized woodies is my opinion, though I believe your error propogation is a bit off ;) .

Personally, if the 500 footers are going to be a single tophat right into the breaks, screw it guys! Don't even waste the money. In my op it would not be worth it at all. Like everyone seems to be pointing out, the small, complex, and insane rides are what get attention and riders...not tracks that blow the wind out of you as they try and launch riders into space...

^You sure about that? Remember how popular MF, KK, and TTD were when they first debuted?

yeah i do they're still popular... well atleast kingda ka is, but it breaks alot because of multiple failures and malfunctions, and i guess TTD has the same problems. I think the new race on the record book will be prefabricated wooden rollercoasters... I think el toro is betten than kingda ka.

[jayman]

accelerators are the pop divas of rollercoasters....

Originally posted by Jimmy Yoshi

^You sure about that? Remember how popular MF, KK, and TTD were when they first debuted?

See, I was just against those single tophat stratas...Top Thrill and Kingda Ka. I have no problem with Millennium Force, great ride in my opinion. Really like the exhileration. I'm just saying, for me, a 500 foot tophat would not be essentially a good idea. Notice that I would not be against all rides that would be over 500 feet. If it is something like MF, than great! Bring it on! But we have two tracks, 400+ ft. 120+ m.p.h...I think we're good.

Originally posted by Jimmy Yoshi

^You sure about that? Remember how popular MF, KK, and TTD were when they first debuted?

And you know how crappy those polls are that rated them so highly because the people who participate in those polls are chumps?

The public does like to ride record breakers, it gives them something to talk about. I do find people, but not too often, who like to talk about how awesome Raptor is. They can say so much about it. But when they get to MF, even if its their fave, all they can say is "Its so fast and so tall" To me, its more the fascination with those two things that evokes such high feelings out of a human which is directly shown in their popularity.

However, MF is pretty lame other than that. Theres no other real signature moments. Where Raptor has several signature moments that any GP can tell me about. So why can they tell me so much about a ride thats good but its not their fave?


You tell me. Im still trying to figure that out. Ive even had the same person say Raptor is the best ride, but MF is their fave...its something pyschological about a ride being uber tall and uber fast. In the minds of the majority, how can a ride with those two characteristics NOT be their fave? It would be a crime.


I dont see us going this big in such a boom with 4 rides over 300ft in the span of about 4-5 years.

Gazag has said it all.
People seem to thing bigger is better. Its not, without a doubt. TTD is way better than KK, and always will be.
Rumours off a 500ft+ coaster at Blackpool few months ago, and ive not heard anything since the director of construction at Blackpool past away. And now they build an SLC.
The real forces are in small coasters, Nemesis, Black Mamba, Expedition GeForce to name a few. They give a much greater thrill, and of course more of a duration than a rocket coaster.
Reals also correct, the public dig coasters that break records, its more of a nostalgic thing.
The Big One, a perfect example, so many people are in love with that ride whilst leaving the park. "The Big One was my favorite" they say. Even though they know that" Grand-National was the best".
Big coasters will always be a nostalgic thing.

Dont get me wrong, i love a good rocket coaster, but would MUCH prefer to be riding a compact.

You're all correct. Id defintley agree the public will rave about a taller coaster. See even at my home park, Sixflags great America, I find batman more intense than Raging bull. Its only the height of bulls first drop that I love. Its the view, the speed and the air. Compare it to even viper though and viper kicks ass.

stratas, accelerators and even gigas are insane to me. & its that height factor. The speed that follows or that is contained in the coaster drives one crazy. Theyre quick, but they leave you in a daze r breatless. I honestly would so much more prefer a millenium force strata coaster deal. More to ride and take in.

I just fear the only way were gonna rise is to accelerate. But then again as some have said, what park can take that on? Its so costly. I mean $25million for Ka, gah! Just like megastructures said, thats "like a million dollars per second of thrills"...thats also ridiculous. Then again I feel if someone can take it on, Im all for ridin it of course but it doesnt mean its due to be the best.

The reason why I think people love really tall rides (like me for example) is that is gives them an immense feeling of speed that addicting adrenaline rush. Yes, smaller rides like Batman and even Hyper coasters can deliver great positive and negative forces, but for the sheer excitement of going 100+ mph in a matter of a few seconds, there's nothing like it. Kingda Ka (which I got a bloody nose from one time) is a good example of this.

But speed + great forces = El Toro, which is why that is my favorite coaster.

....you had to of known i was bound to ask...how did this bloody nose happen?

Originally posted by Real

Originally posted by Jimmy Yoshi

^You sure about that? Remember how popular MF, KK, and TTD were when they first debuted?

And you know how crappy those polls are that rated them so highly because the people who participate in those polls are chumps?

The public does like to ride record breakers, it gives them something to talk about. I do find people, but not too often, who like to talk about how awesome Raptor is. They can say so much about it. But when they get to MF, even if its their fave, all they can say is "Its so fast and so tall" To me, its more the fascination with those two things that evokes such high feelings out of a human which is directly shown in their popularity.

However, MF is pretty lame other than that. Theres no other real signature moments. Where Raptor has several signature moments that any GP can tell me about. So why can they tell me so much about a ride thats good but its not their fave?


You tell me. Im still trying to figure that out. Ive even had the same person say Raptor is the best ride, but MF is their fave...its something pyschological about a ride being uber tall and uber fast. In the minds of the majority, how can a ride with those two characteristics NOT be their fave? It would be a crime.


I dont see us going this big in such a boom with 4 rides over 300ft in the span of about 4-5 years.

I didn't mean the polls, I meant how long the lines were and still are. I do see your point though.

Well I'm not happy everyone (well not EVERYONE, its an exagguration) is downgrading MF, but I see your points. I do enjoy raptor a Shizload, and every year I go, Raptor seems to get a little better, as MF seems to get a tiny bit worse. Soon enough, Raptor will beat out MF for me. In my opinion, ALL (<< another figure of speach) of our (In the USA) opinions will change when Maverick opens. But we'll have to wait and see.

^Thats what I mean though. MF started out high for me, but, every year the thrill just isnt the same.

But people are drawn to the tall fast rides...its built into us. Thats why the lines are so long. However, on a packed day, Raptor will match MF and TTD and Raptor probably puts through more PPH because of lack of delays in loading and breakdowns overall. So what does THAT tell you?

Not to say I dont love the front seat rides on MF or TTD for the insane speed feeling, but, nothing is better (in that park) than the back right seat on Raptor. Nothing is more dynamic in the park than that.