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ParkWord November 2013
Having done this job for over a decade, I’ve become used to new rides and attractions not opening on time. It could be down to bad weather during construction, or perhaps lack or preparation on the part of the park or supplier. Many times though it’s “teething troubles” associated with what very often are prototype pieces of machinery. Still, nothing could prepare me for the four-year wait that has just come to an end at the Nürburgring Formula 1 racetrack in Germany, which finally opened RingºRacer to the general public on 31 October (Halloween). That's a scary amount of time to wait for Europe’s fastest rollercoaster, although I understand the delays have not necessarily been the fault of the ride’s manufacturer, S&S Worldwide.
Since the RingºRacer entertainment centre that RingºRacer anchors opened alongside the track in 2009, I have been to Germany many times and most of them, depending on where my travels take me, I have pencilled in a visit to the Nürburgring, “just in case.” I’ve now run out of both pencils and erasers (I guess that’s what iPads are for). It was particularly frustrating on a tour of Rhineland and North-Rhine Westphalia this summer to discover that not only was RingºRacer still kaput, but a major new ride at another park had yet to open too. It still hadn’t by the end of the season. I’ll leave you to work out which park or attraction that might be, but in the meantime I look forward to scheduling – in pen this time – a ride on RingºRacer some time soon. You can see pictures of the ride right now, however, on page 58. Perhaps more parks should adopt the attitude of Dick Knoebel, a man who doesn’t look like he needs an iPad to organise his life. The ex-Marine has finally opened a unique Flying Turns wooden bobsled coaster at his eponymous amusement resort in Pennsylvania. See it on page 42. Asked since 2007 when the ride would be ready, Knoebel’s reply was always: “When it is done.” If you would like a similar ride built at your park, then don’t try looking for details on any of the manufacturers’ booths this month at IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando. Knoebel assembled a bespoke team of experts to realise the attraction, so you’ll need to stop Dick himself on the show floor and ask nicely if there’s any chance of the Flying Turns delighting your guests too. Plan now for 2019.
Owen Ralph – Editor
Editor Owen Ralph (+44 161 438 2934)
parkworld@btopenworld.com
North American Editor Contributors this issue
Paul Ruben (+1 585 381 1012)
parkw@rochester.rr.com
Heather Eichenbaum, Gene Jeffers, Gary Kyriazi
Sales Manager Mark Burgess (+44 1622 699124)
parkworld@datateam.co.uk
Publishing Director Paul Ryder
pryder@datateam.co.uk Data Development Manager Alex Wetton
awetton@datateam.co.uk Managing Director Parvez Kayani
p.kayani@datateam.co.uk Publication Secretary
Jennifer York (+44 1622 699109)
parkworld@datateam.co.uk
NOVEMBER 2013 ISSN 1462-4796
© Copyright 2013. All materials in this publication remain the copyright of Datateam Business Media and no part of it may be reproduced without the written permission of the proprietors. A request to insert an advertisement is deemed to be an acceptance of Datateam Business Media Ltd’s conditions of trading, copies of which are available on request.
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