First ride on Batwing Spaceshot

[rival81]

In the 9 month's i've had my annual pass i'd never riden it but decided to try it out on the weekend for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised how much i enjoyed it! The freefall is great and i liked how it bounces up and down a few times... i'll definitely be doing it again next time i visit! Overall it's just a great fun ride.

[cadboy]

Yeah Batwing is a good ride but I wish MW had have gone for the 90m version in a three tower configuration.

[Stef]

I dont see how it ties into batman though, just bounces up and down, i have never seen batman do that haha but yes it is a great ride but too short in duration and height.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

The trick is to listen to the sound effects. As it "bounces" there is a chest-thumping "boom". My interpretation of the sound effects in relation to the attraction is this: Pre-Launch, we have a launch countdown, with pictures of the "batwing" aircraft above us. As we move into launch position, vapour shoots out from behind the batwing as the mixture primes the turbines in preparation for ignition (like they do on the space shuttle). As you launch, a thunderous boom is heard, which could be likened to maybe a sonic boom? or maybe just the afterburner firing. As you reach the top, a second thunderous boom is heard, which, in my opinion, would be the afterburner "flaming out". As we now have an engine flaming out, we lose propulsion, and therefore begin to drop, before the burner again ignites, shooting us back up again, before a secondary flame-out, and so on et al.

[zane]

even though that's a good story line, the "boom" sound it makes when it reaches the top is just the air compression launch system reversing or something to that manner, it hasn't been "added" to this design...all the S&S towers make the same noise.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Well, I don't want to be argumentative Zane, but prove it. I have just reviewed many Space Shot videos online. When the gondola reverses direction, all I can hear is the hiss of air. This included MaliBOOMer - the one that I would have EXPECTED to hear a boom on. I have observed batwing from many different places. The boom is localised to the launch platform - where the speakers are. It is not coming from the engine room, it is coming out of the speakers. The boom is also too consistent, and not always timed the same (ie: doesn't always boom when the gondola is in the exact same spot). In my opinion, The "soundtrack" begins well before you begin the lift, and doesn't stop until you're almost back on ground. There are certainly many references online to "S&S" and "Boom" or "Sonic Boom", however the only time you find those references together with a space shoot is when it is NAMED boom, or some derivitive, like MaliBOOMer. Happy to be proved wrong, but i just can't see it.

[zane]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsWQ_V8G8-k proof, listen to the video closely, you can hear the air reversing at 0:38 secs in and again at 0:40 I'm pretty sure its way they are build. I think it maybe the counter weight as it passes the air valve or something of that nature toward the bottom of the tower. Hahah these forums get way to complex zane.

[Richard]

I'm stunned anyone would actually argue that Batwing Spaceshot actually has good theming or a storyline. Sound effects and their cause aside, it's a tower ride that they stuck in one corner, planted some flowers around and stuck a few Batman images on it. Yeah, it doesn't look bad, but that's about all your could say about the ride in terms of theming...

[GoGoBoy]

Agreed. I personally think it's a great ride but the theming/presentation is well below average - as with many of Warner Villages newest attractions

[Gazza]

Yeah, I think Zane's vid definitely confirms it , though is it is a counterweight, or more of a plunger/plug type thing that is inside the tubes? What Richo said has been my line all along, it doesn't look crap or anything...its all quite tidy, but its not a themed experience.

Edited May 22, 2009 by Gazza

[rappa]

There is a boom on the soundtrack but the more kind of 'pop' boom sound you hear mid cycle is definitely the rapid release of air from the valves. If you look at the flex hozes connecting the cylinders about a third of the way up the tower you will see them 'kick' at the same time you hear the sound. That kick and the sound are from the rapid air discharge.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

proof, listen to the video closely, you can hear the air reversing at 0:38 secs in and again at 0:40

I don't view that as proof. You linked the same video that I viewed when checking them out (that was the vid of MaliBOOMer that I commented on) You can hear the hiss of the air at 0:38, but not the boom that I hear out of Batwing at the same point in the cycle.

I'm stunned anyone would actually argue that Batwing Spaceshot actually has good theming or a storyline.

Well I don't think I am arguing good theming or storyline. My posts were directed at this:

I dont see how it ties into batman though, just bounces up and down, i have never seen batman do that

I was simply pointing out that while it is vague and subtle, the sounds are used to tie in to the ride being batman's plane, having a bit of engine trouble on the way.

There is a boom on the soundtrack but the more kind of 'pop' boom sound you hear mid cycle is definitely the rapid release of air from the valves. If you look at the flex hozes connecting the cylinders about a third of the way up the tower you will see them 'kick' at the same time you hear the sound. That kick and the sound are from the rapid air discharge.

So in essence, we're both right, but the throaty, chesty boom I am referring to is definitely on the soundtrack. I certainly don't know the intricate inner workings of some of the rides out there as well as some of you, but live sound is something I can, and will chew up. I can't speak for all the others around the world as i've only stood next to batwing IRL, but the boom I refer to is on the soundtrack. Clint, you're obviously our insider on this - who developed the soundtrack? Any chance you can listen to raw copy (i'm not asking for you to post it - thats a bit much) and check out how much of the boom comes out of the soundtrack - does it repeat in close time to the "bounce" of the gondola? As to the flex hoses, i'm trying to puzzle this out - why are there cylinders halfway up the tower - it seems a really odd place for it considering the cable drums etc are below ground. I'm really perplexed as to what they are doing there. The only moving part above ground is the pulleys at the top of the tower?

[Gazza]

In the vid at 0:40 you can hear a second, much quieter thud, and I think it would just be the valves closing again.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

This is the point i'm trying to make though Gazza, the noise i am referring to isn't quiet, and it isn't a thud, it is a boom. mechanics aside (because i know the attraction makes noise) the whole discussion is based around what a spaceshot ride has to do with batman's plane. forgetting the noises made by the mechanics of the ride, there is a soundtrack with very specific noises that are intended to give the impression I described above.

[rappa]

Alex I'm not sure who made up the soundtrack to be honest, certainly nothing I even remotely had any involvement in. You're not moron, I'm sure you know the difference between the two sounds, and the fact you recognise two clearly shows you must be right in regards to the sound you're talking about. As for cable drums, I don't believe there are any. You can see the bottom set of pulleys under the gondola when it's in the up position. It's simply a closed loop of cable that goes from the bottom of the gondola down around a pulley, through the long air chamber, out the top, around another pulley and connects back onto the top of the gondola. As for why the cylinders are half way up, I don't know, maybe that's where they fit, or thats the shortest run to where they must connect to the main storage tank. I don't even know what those two small cylinders do, does anyone? Actually on that, where are the compressors that 'charge' the air tanks? I figure they have got to be a decent size and make a lot of noise, yet batwing has not real plan room of sorts close by??

[T-bone]

For once, I am going to agree with Alex. Here's a video which has somewhat clear audio. The "Boom" does sound rather loud, and much louder than any of the video's i've seen of other Spaceshot towers.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sub8x4iXG_E But then again, this one here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1PgxnFgi4c...feature=related seems to have this "boom" (its really hard to tell with youtube video's).

Edited May 24, 2009 by T-bone

[Reanimated35]

took a video of this ride today which i am curently uploading now. ill post as soon as its done and hopefully it might help clear some things up. here it is:

Edited June 1, 2009 by reanimated35

[stardust]

There's a whole page on the boom, lol, all I have to say is DUM TEK TEK (Boom Boom Bang) Ok seriously.. I like this ride, but it's nothing on the giant drop. But MV doesn't have too many rides I like, because I'm too chicken to ride the Lethal Weapon, so it is a good addition

[Gazza]

I observed the ride yesterday, and the only bit that involves a sound track is the initial launch, the subsequent bounces are just noises originating from the rides pneumatic systems.

But MV doesn't have too many rides I like

Does MV stand for Movie Vorld

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Yes, that would be Movie Vorld (Germany)