SKYPLEX + World's Tallest Coaster Announced for Orlando!

[TTD03]

After much speculation that the world's tallest roller coaster, and the first Polercoaster from US Thrill Rides, would open in the Orlando area today the plans have become official.

A part of SKYPLEX, The Skyscraper will take riders up to a world record 570 feet above the ground. SKYPLEX is a planned $200 million entertainment complex that will span 12 acres along International Drive, and feature 495,000 square feet of food, beverage, entertainment and retail space.

The Skyscraper roller coaster will wrap around the SKYPLEX observation deck and feature "inside and outside loops, dives, spirals, and inversions like the world has never seen." Starting above the 535 foot observation level, the coaster will makes its way down after the spiral lift and eventually skim along the top of the retail buildings.

US Thrill Rides has partnered with S&S to create the roller coaster aspect of the attraction, which makes sense considering the company's existing El Loco style ride.

The developers behind SKYPLEX are currently building Mango's Tropical Cafe in Orlando, located near the site. That will open in 2015 - the same year that SKYPLEX is planned to start construction, leading to a 2016 opening.

You can read more about the project on the official SKYPLEX website.

[Oscar]

There is now an animated rendition of this. It looks amazing: http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog ... ml?ana=twt

omg those lines... There are no blocks XD

There will probably be a full-stop brake before each of the vertical drops, at the very least. With those 2-row trains a block brake doesn't need to be more than 15ft long or so.

[Turbo]

this thing might be riddled with brakes but I don't care. Inversions and beyond vertical drops at that height would be FREAKING AWESOME!

TylerE wrote:

There will probably be a full-stop brake before each of the vertical drops, at the very least. With those 2-row trains a block brake doesn't need to be more than 15ft long or so.

Obvious dude is obvious

So what that's like five blocks? that's 40 people. It's going to be an amazing ride with lines longer than Gringotts at Christmas all the time. And it's station is inside that mall, so it can only have so much space to begin with to queue

Not for the feint of heart, that's for sure. Anticipating that first out-banked turn might create a run on Depends before getting on.

Uhhhhh f*** that. The first roll at 500+ feet...

Is this animated rendering the official layout? An outside banked turn at 500ft n the air is crazy but not in a bad way

[TheArchitect]

I actually like the layout, it will be a hell of an experience that I'm going to have to do before I die. I feel that it could've done with a big drop somewhere in that layout, even if it then came back up and did some more half height stuff. But looks really good. S&S had to squeeze an outside turn somewhere or another, and that is about as epic as it gets.

[Paradox]

This isn't S&S right? I thought it was USAmusments.

No it's not S&S. It's what S&S should be doing with El Locos XD I know they are mad...

[TheArchitect]

As far as I knew, US Thrill Rides have partnered with S&S to create the ride. S&S pioneered the whole "polercoaster" thing. See here.

I don't think I have any words to describe this.

Paradox wrote:

This isn't S&S right? I thought it was USAmusments.

I believe that US Thrill Rides has S&S do the coaster part while they take care of the observation tower and such. The coaster is effectively an evolution of the El Loco concept. That said I seem to recall Alan Schilke being mentioned as designing the layout for this, which seems perfectly true seeing this utterly brilliant if slightly messed up layout.

I think that this just won coaster finale of the decade for that drop into double-up-double-down into the mini tophat and zero-g into the brakes.

I would not mind sitting on that giant tower.

[Dirk_Ermen]

Great to see the news finally getting into public and finally a glimpse of the full layout. This looks like good fun. El Loco XXXXL is on it's way.

WOW, WOW, this is so awesome I've just come up with good words to describe! In a word, beyond our imagination! If I say more, props to all those who pre-designed this attraction for this promo! This is so acrobatic that every transition seems way quicker than that of a twisted coaster! I can't stop watching it today! My feeling gauge: of 5 smileys (stars)!

This thing looks freaking insane and is not for the feint of heart. I mean, outside banked turn at 500+ feet? That's one hell of an experience by itself. Im just a little butthurt that our Kingda Ka will no longer be the tallest

Like everyone's said, that outside-banked turn at the beginning is going to be insane. Looks really cool!

Reminds me of a giant K'nex coaster.

[Mr. Freeze]

A little bit.

TheArchitect wrote:

As far as I knew, US Thrill Rides have partnered with S&S to create the ride. S&S pioneered the whole "polercoaster" thing. See here.

Ah so it is an El Loco Tower! I remember that article too! I wrote it off then as industry dreams that probably wouldn't happen lol.

Hi Hypersonic XLC! o/ I miss you!

Edit: Did you see the capacity for the towers? 960pph X_______X

that thing looks insane. I would sure hesitate getting on that one, not only that out-banked turn but followed by a slow inline roll, and a 110?????? drop. WTF!

[mkingy]

Yeah actually would have to convince myself with this! Wonder how much they're gonna charge for this though to make the money back. $20? any ideas?