MW's Next coaster Design

[Gazza]

You didn't get the news? http://www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter/

[sonic123488]

I think a coaster like that could be better themed to something like Batman. Something which may be in movieworld's price range is this.

Edited November 18, 2008 by sonic123488

[cadboy]

http://rcdb.com/m/ig1549.htm I once was asking the same question and I think it was Gazza who showed me this design, it has a Batman theme Sonic. I still think a Clone of Tatsu, would be the best however this is a little way out of MW price range at $22,000,000. The experience of lying down with your face pointing both away and towards the track would be amazing I think. Imagine the marketing possibilities First flying coaster in Australia (Iknow even a floorless coaster would have this but it is a claim to fame. But then again if we limit MWs price range to 15 mill then a wooden coaster would be best value. A wooden coaster to the value of 15 mill would be huge, as most big ones only cost 10 mill Edited November 19, 2008 by cadboy

[cerberus584]

You didn't get the news? http://www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter/

Yeah Gazza I had heard about that. But I'm talking about in Australia, in our WB Movie oriented theme park. It just seems weird to me. Harry Potter is arguably bigger than Superman or Batman and certainly bigger than Lethal Weapon (although I'm aware that LW was long before Harry Potter). I just think it's a perfect opportunity. We all know how good WVTP is at theming rides and something like HP has huge potential. I know not everyone is a fan of HP but at least there would be a coaster at the end of it.

[mickey_079]

Cadboy flying coasters don't really give the full of effect of actual flying unless there high off the ground like Tatsu. Tatsu is unique and one of the best flyers around, well maybe apart from Crystal Wings. As much as most of us would love a Flyer, it just won't work. I'd rather aim for something more realistic like a floorless, or standup and just something big!

[sonic123488]

^^ I looked at that a while ago, the theming is amazing! For theming it's right up there with nemesis and Black mamba. Notice all of these are B&Ms, which proves they are perfect for MW's theming standards. (just look at Lethal weapon or scooby doo)

[cadboy]

Notice all of these are B&Ms, which proves they are perfect for MW's theming standards.

Any coaster can be themed spectacularly really, with a decent budget anythings achievable . It doesn't matter if it is Intamin, Vekoma or Mack.

(just look at Lethal weapon or scooby doo)

I don't quite understand how this statement lines up with the sentence before. I mean you are talking about how good B&Ms can be themed then you give LW as an example? I don't mean to be rude, I just want to know what you are trying to say. Cheers

[sonic123488]

I don't even make sense to myself!

[cadboy]

How about a dive machine a little bigger than SheiKra making it the tallest and fastest in the world. It would be the fastest ride at MW as it goes already goes 70mph without the hight increase. In the extensions I would like to see an extra inversion or 2 to make the ride longer and more exciting. Best of all it is MW's price range costing 13.5 million and with the extensions probably about 15 or 16 million still within MW price range. I think this is a unique attraction and definitely something that would deliver a great ride. Has anyone here ridden SheiKra, what did you think? http://www.rcdb.com/id2662.htm

Edited November 20, 2008 by cadboy

[sonic123488]

^^ Movieworld can't afford the tallest, or the fastest dive machine in the world, the best we could hope for in that department is something like oblivion. Something like Sheikra looks okay on the website, but that's in American dollars, and a few years ago, factor in inflation and we'd be looking at something closer to 20 mil than what Cadboy said, also you need to factor in the weak aussie dollar, this is a price which MW can't afford for its next coaster. But I would by no means be disappointed if I saw something like Oblivion go up. After all, it would still be Oz's first B&M, and MW's fastest coaster. Here is Oblivion for those who don't know-

Edited November 20, 2008 by sonic123488

[Gazza]

Has anyone here ridden SheiKra, what did you think?

Well, if its got photos by me in the Database...... http://www.parkz.com.au/parks/US/Tampa/Bus...47-SheiKra.html But yeah, it was awesome. The two drops are the best drops you'll get on any coaster anywhere. The top of the drop is tight, so it throws you out of your seat, but then you get stuck that way as you go down the vertical part (because you are weightless) and it is not until the bottom till the forces push you back down. The Immelmann is cool because its so high, so it slows down a bit at the top, and since the trains are so wide it is really unusual twisting around up there, hanging off the edge. The water splash is a fun little feature since it makes a bit of a soak zone around the ride. It was a cold day when I was there, but I imagine it would be popular in summer. One of the best parts is efficiency. They were doing quad train operation, and each train holds 24 people, so you can imagine how fast the line was moving.

Something like Sheikra looks okay on the website, but that's in American dollars, and a few years ago, factor in inflation and we'd be looking at something closer to 20 mil than what Cadboy said

13.5 Mil USD to 20 Mil USD?...I don't think inflation has been 67% over the past 3 years. The exchange rate is a factor I'm not really sure of. It's tanked a bit at the moment, but it's going to have to correct itself eventually. I'd wonder if a ride this big would just be fabricated here anyway. I think with these sorts of projects there are so many variables. The main one I have noticed is that European ones tend to cost more than installations in the US. I mean, back in the day Oblivion cost significantly more than SheiKra, the layout was shorter, but a huge portion of the cost went on the tunnel. The only way you can really be sure is to get a quote from the manufacturer. Edited November 20, 2008 by Gazza

[sonic123488]

13.5 Mil USD to 20 Mil USD?...I don't think inflation has been 67% over the past 3 years. The exchange rate is a factor I'm not really sure of. It's tanked a bit at the moment, but it's going to have to correct itself eventually. I'd wonder if a ride this big would just be fabricated here anyway.

Well, at the current strength of the Australian dollar, something like sheikra wouldn't be happening until we got back to like 75 cents. But yeah if they were to fabricate track here in Australia that would reduce the cost. However we haven't had a B&M, so we can't really know. 1.00 ausd=62.5 Us cents I still think something like Oblivion above ground would be a worthwhile ride. Edited November 20, 2008 by sonic123488

[Gazza]

Hmmmm, dunno, I'd have my doubts over a drop only ride, especially without the tunnel. You couldn't help but feel a bit short changed if thats what we wound up with...It needs a bit more to it IMO, and the fact it is a B&M cant save a dull layout.

Edited November 20, 2008 by Gazza

[sonic123488]

But MW can save rides with theming, without theming scooby doo would just be another wild mouse.

[Gazza]

Yeah, but with Scooby, even if it didn't have theming it would still be a viable attraction, as evidenced by the sheer number of standard Mack mouse coasters out there with little to no theming. So if they were to go and do an above ground Oblivion, what ideas would you implement to make it less dull? Also, if you were interested, this is what Oblivion looks like above ground http://www.rcdb.com/ig1417.htm?picture=18 ....It really is just a drop and a turn.

[sonic123488]

I was talking to a friend of mine tonight who had been on that ride, he said it was great.

[Mad Hatter]

dissapearing into the ground and having the earth rush up towards you is a big part of the attraction on sheikra. As I said back in the rumours thread from some time ago, if they put in a diving machine like that, Id ride it till I was light headed and passed out. I wouldnt even care if it wasnt themed or didnt fit in with a movie.

Edited November 20, 2008 by Mad Hatter

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Yes but then it is not suitable for movie world - everything has a theme. Besides - without some form of theme, that would be viewed as "just another coaster" by most general public. Sure, we would know its a B&M, and an Aussie first, but who at those parks, other than the coaster nerds on here would recognise the difference between an intamin, a vekoma, a B&M, an S&S Power, and a Meisho (see how long for someone to guess where I got that from). POint is, majority of the general public would go "its a coaster" what type of coaster? "a steel one?" You gunna stick a coaster in Movie World - you gotta theme it properly. Imagine if Superman Escape did not have the sound stage around its first stage? You just left the station, and chugged along above the park walkways for 2-3 minutes before your launch? Or if it didn't have the headchopping cut through the corner of the building?

[cadboy]

still think something like Oblivion above ground would be a worthwhile ride.

Nah if it was only going to have the layout of Oblivion I'd take my money and put it elsewhere. Although the general public aren't likely to know what a B&M is I am sure the ride would get rave reviews about smoothness.

and a Meisho (see how long for someone to guess where I got that from). POint is, majority of the general

Isn't that the company who built Thunderbolt?

[Richard]

I think it's a bit boring that half the rides linked in this topic are among the smallest B&M's out there, and whenever someone posts photos of a larger coaster I keep reading "no that's too expensive for Movie World!". Firstly, most of these small B&Ms have been built small due to land constraints, and secondly the difference in price between one of these small rides and one that is larger (i.e. large enough to be billed as an Australian record breaker) is not the difference between viable and unviable for our parks. These US parks that get 2-3 times the attendance of our parks, are also spending 2-3 times the amount our parks do on new attractions. It's not that they're adding grossly expensive rides every few years that our parks simply can't afford, but rather are adding new major rides more often, and frequently upgrading/adding minor rides. I'd say that anything sub-USD$20 million is not out of the realm of possibilities for our parks long-term. Probably not in the current financial climate but our dollar will be back up within a year and with a bit of luck this psudo-recession/depression will disappear within a similar timeframe, and you simply can't discount anything strategically in the long-run based on short-term conditions. The real question that should be asked when someone posts something that looks like it'd be out of the grasp of our parks financially, is what is something similar that can be achieved for less?, and then does it achieve the same goals?

[Gazza]

On that last point, and going back to the Dive Machine, one thing that sticks out about Sheikra is that it is clearly designed for a park with very high attendance (4.4 Mil) so I think one of the easiest ways to reduce costs is just to design it for lower capacity. Trains are very expensive both to buy and maintain, and if they hold 30 people anyway (Current version) then why would you need more than two? Its funny how a ride like Superman has very fast queues when run properly, yet still operates well below the 1000pph mark. I think there are other way you can 'design out' some of the expenses. Say If it were 50m tall versus 60m tall would it matter that much? It would still look massive, 50 is a nice clean number, its still the tallest full circuit one here. (Personally, I think Batwing should remain the tallest thing on MW's skyline anyway) The other thing I have noticed is that these dive machines have decent sections of track high in the air doing not a lot (Eg MCBRs, the slow U turn at the top of the lift) Imagine how much they spent on this bit of the ride, with its stairs etc. While it acts as a MCBR, it also is necessary to slow trains down to negotiate the drop. If I were designing a lower capacity requirement version, I'd shorten that bit of track, slope it slightly, and just have zero maintenance magnetic trims. Dunno, guess I'm rambling. If they can get the return on investment I think there are a lot of possibilities for MW.

[sonic123488]

I would be the last one complaining if a B&M were put in Australia, but I just don't see it happening for a long time. I personally think MW would have been better off getting a B&M inverted for lethal weapon, instead of the one they got (thanks vekoma...). If you look at places like parque warner Madrid, which on opening had a B&M floorless and inverted coaster. While there is a larger customer base in the Madrid area, surely Movieworld will have built up the fan base it needs to build a smooth looping coaster?

Edited November 22, 2008 by sonic123488

[Gazza]

I've thought about the B&M for LW thing, but back in 1995, Vekoma would have been much more established as a company, and in 1995 (the year LW opened) Vekoma built more SLCs than the number of Inverts B&M that had opened to date. For a laugh, check out the 2nd last page of this PDF from the MW education section: http://movieworld.myfun.com.au/upload/Docu...20Trail%201.pdf

Lethal Weapon is designed to be the smoothest and quietest coaster in the world.

I guess at the time LW would have seemed like a good purchase. Of course, these days we know better....

[cadboy]

Lethal Weapon is designed to be the smoothest and quietest coaster in the world.

Haha what a joke, it amuses me every time I see that. I wonder from those who rode it back in it's opening years, was it smoother and quieter than it is now.

've thought about the B&M for LW thing, but back in 1995, Vekoma would have been much more established as a company, and in 1995 (the year LW opened) Vekoma built more SLCs than the number of Inverts B&M that had opened to date.

Yeah it must have seemed like a good purchase, reasonable price, good layout and five inversions. Now remember this ride was built 13 years ago so to have 5 inversions would have been quite impressive and something to promote the park on.

[sonic123488]

My school went on a trip to MW when I was in year 7. We didn't use those sheets at all. The most educational thing we did was when we got to look behind the scenes at the Police academy stunt show. We also got to sit inside the batmobiles that MW uses in the parades. Pretty much all MW's rides have cost around the 13 million dollar mark. If they continue spending this much we could still see a small but thrilling floorless, who knows? I think that MW should be due for another coaster soon, because the longest they've gone without adding one is five years (Lethal Weapon-Road runner), so based on this I would say the next will come next year or the year after. Any longer and I would be start to be really worried about MW.

Edited November 23, 2008 by sonic123488