PW June 09 P30-32.qxd 5/26/09 2:10 pm Page 32
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Blue
in a very comfortable seat, it
Icelandic theming
could be your living room chair,
Surprise
you have your arms, your legs
and your shoulders free, yet you
never feel un-secure.”
“No one really expected Mack Up to five 20-seater trains are
to a launch coaster,” admits
used at any one time, providing
Michael Mack. The Mack Rides
a theoretical hourly capacity of
director adds that it was several
up 1,720 riders – or a massive
years before the Waldkirch
20,000 a day. A waist-level
manufacturer felt confident to
go ahead with Blue Fire.
restraint system allows those as
It was similar apprehension
young as seven, or 1.3 metres
that led Europa-Park to contract
tall, to ride.
B&M to build Silver Star, its 73-
Those passengers that cling
metre-high mega coaster added
to the bars in front of them –
in 2002. “We were actually
rather than raising their hands
thinking of doing that ourselves in the air – have their pulse rate
at Mack Rides, but it was not measured. This information is
the right time.” As such, Silver combined with video footage
Star remains the park’s one
shot during the ride and offered
coaster (out of 10) that is not
on DVD at the exit. This technology was developed the start of the season, and the video system in
built by Mack.
in-house by Mack Rides and, though it had yet to be expected to go into operation any day now. Also
What prompted the
perfected at the time of writing, will eventually be added at the park for 2009 are Sammy’s Great
breakthrough with Blue Fire was
the firm’s co-operation with
offered to other parks, regardless of ride or Adventure (a new 4D film), several new shows and
InTraSys of Munich on the
manufacturer. parades, an exhibition dedicated to 75 years of the
magnetic braking system for its
Once again Europa-Park has provided the launch Mercedes Silver Arrow and a 1.6km access road
Pegasus (YoungStar) family
pad and testing ground for another new Mack ride. created as part of the resort’s ongoing expansion.
coaster, installed at Europa-Park
After a considerable amount of research, the Europa-Park also continues to strengthen its
three seasons ago. Mack then
company now feels confident to offer a launch hospitality and “confertainment” offering with several
approached InTraSys to supply coaster, a looping coaster or a combination of the improvements to its hotel and lodging facilities and
the LSM system for Blue Fire two to any other venue that wants one. the completion of the Berlin ballroom.
and so saved itself a lot of
“We have proved that we can do it, and I am “The Easter period for us was excellent,”
development time and cost.
really happy with the results at Europa-Park,” says concludes Michael, “one of the best season starts
“The knowledge is there on
Michael Mack. “Opening so new many things at ever. The lowest number I think we had so far in the
the market,” concedes Michael,
once – the coaster, the new area of the park and park is 15,000. In an economic crisis people choose
“what we did was bring together
a lot of different elements to
now the DVD system, it has been a challenge. We to stay closer to home and I think we are getting
make the ride work and reliable
thought one or two pieces might take a little longer, more local families now staying with us overnight.
for us to operate. We designed
but I am pleased it was not the coaster!” People know nowadays that Europa-Park is more
open seats with a new restraint
Both Iceland and Blue Fire opened punctually at than a day trip.”
system, we did two stress
calculations (one for the track
The launch/horseshoe
and one for the foundations),
we changed the acceleration
technique, and we take the
power directly from the network.
We calculate that we need just
over 1 megawatt for a launch,
that’s really energy efficient.”
32 JUNE 2009
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