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ParkHoppin’
S&S 4th Dimension
by Paul Ruben
Coaster for China
Turn The Music Down X2 at Six Flags
Dinosaur Park
I Can’t Hear The Ride!
Magic Mountain
keeps growing
Two trends of late have me either smiling or scratching my head. I'm
S&S Worldwide is to build a 4th
talking about the practice of re-theming and re-introducing existing
Dimension Coaster at Changzhou
rides and adding soundtracks to the ride experience.
Dinosaur Park in China in time for the
Let's talk about soundtracks first. I believe the first example was
2011 season.
introduced on Space Mountain at California's Disneyland. Speakers in
Described as “the most
technologically advanced coaster on
each car produced the sound of space travel, or what might sound
the planet,” the ride will be the third of
like space travel if the absence of air in space could transmit sound.
its kind, following X2 at Six Flags
It can't. Disney went on to add in-car sound to Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster
Magic Mountain in California and
rides in Florida and Paris, featuring the rock group Aerosmith.
Eejanaika at Fujikyu Highlands in
When Hard Rock Park in Myrtle Beach introduced the Led Zeppelin
Japan.
coaster in 2008 it was fitted with speakers that played the Zeppelin's
“We appreciate yet another
brand of head-banging music. Six Flags has tried it on its Bizarro
opportunity to build and install this
coasters in New Jersey and New England, and on X2 and Terminator
incredible coaster, and we anticipate
Salvation at Magic Mountain, while Universal Studios Orlando added
that the amusement industry will be
a music soundtrack to Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. All these are OK but
very excited about its upcoming
they drown out the screams of the riders, which is music to my ears.
installation,” declares S&S vice-
I was originally sceptical of re-theming existing rides: Can parks re- president of sales and marketing, Kevin Rohwer. ““This amazing, extreme
promote an existing ride enough to recover their investment? That coaster takes riders on a journey to an unchartered dimension.”
scepticism has vanished. In 2009 Six Flags renovated and Unlike traditional coasters where trains travel parallel the track, the 4th
reinvigorated its old Monster Plantation, re-introducing it as Monster Dimension sends riders screaming along its 3,600ft course aboard wing-
Mansion. The improvement was shaped seats suspended outside the track. Each 24-seater train comprises 12
dramatic as I fell in love with the dark
two-abreast ride vehicles, six either side of the rack. The seats perform a
ride all over again.
predetermined series of head over heels and forward and backward spins
Six Flags also re-themed two
during the ride.
existing coasters. Medusa at Six Flags
Passengers face backwards as the train leaves the station and begin a
Great Adventure in New Jersey, the
250ft (76-metre) ascent to the crest of the lift hill. They then get a sweeping
first-ever floorless coaster, was
view of the surrounding area before plunging off the near vertical first drop.
introduced in 1999. In 2009 it was
As the seats suddenly flip forward, riders are placed in a unique and thrilling
themed as Bizarro, the fictional comic
position facing the ground. The steep first drop is insane, reaching a
book super-villain who is the exact
breathtaking speed of nearly 80 mph (129kp/h). As the passengers soar
opposite of Superman. With new
through the non-stop sequence of raven turns, dives and half-twists, the
smooth rotation of the seats creates an added surprise with every turn or
theming and speakers, the coaster has
drop, plus an intensity that never lets go.
a new lease on life. The speakers?
Located in the city of the same name, about two hours from Shanghai, the
Rather than blasting unintelligible
Changzhou Dinosaur Park is currently undergoing a major expansion. This
drama in my ears I would have
year it will open a new Zamperla family coaster, Huss King Kong and a 56-
preferred recorded screams. Real
metre S&S Combo tower ride featuring both Space Shot and Turbo Drop
screams would be better yet.
functions. A Huss Sky Tower (observation tower) is also due to open outside
The second coaster to be themed became the biggest beneficiary of
the park in 2010.
all. The 2000-built Superman coaster at Six Flags New England was
reincarnated as Bizarro with new theming, speakers and new trains. I
X2 at Six Flags
was so impressed that I wanted to be Bizarro myself. Bought myself a
Magic Mountain
Bizarro cape and, as you can see in the photo, imagined I could fly
like Luap (Bizarro-speak for Paul).
Bizarro's theming includes stage sets and fire eruptions tightly placed
near the passing train. This is brilliant, and doubly effective at night
when illuminated. Like riding a wood coaster, this picket fence effect
enhances the riders' sense of speed and adds a new dimension to the
ride experience. The new Intamin trains are much more comfortable
than the previous ones, a huge improvement. They whisk riders through
what I still consider the world's most thrilling, best-paced coaster.
From the moment you drop off the lift hill until you return to the
relative serenity of the loading platform there is never a moment to
regain your composure. Let me be clear. Bizarro is now and again the
Number One Coaster on the Planet. With or without the speakers, it’s
music to my ears.
8
MARCH 2010
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