Expansions start at Jamberoo Action Park

[AllegroCrab]

Damn, shouldn't they really wait? I guess it is the downside of having the bit at the start.

[Gazza]

Another gem: http://sphotos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/602740_10151519513746177_1231579944_n.jpg

[Monkeypie]

I was going to go on the 16th but they are having a big Mardi Gras thing that day so I am presuming it will be really busy. We are now going to go on the 23rd instead.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Gazza - yes to the toboggans - head for them immediately. The queue for the chair lift is compounded by the fact that you get people who just go for the ride up the hill, those who want to stop off up the top and look around, as well as those who want to ride the toboggan, so it is quite large by mid-morning and doesn't let up most of the day. Each track has a green-light signal system to tell you when it is safe to go. In my experience (if you're used to riding Wiegand bobsleds), wait until at least the third green light if you can. I've done a film shoot down the fast and slow tracks, drivingbraking with my foot while using both hands on camera gear - and i've made it down both tracks full throttle without stopping or slowing until the final brake run - i just rest my shin across the brake lever... any less than three green lights and you're going to catch up to someone really quickly.

[jjuttp]

Just to add to Alex, if you wait 2 lights then go full ball on the "experienced" lane, provided that the person infant isn't aware to wait a few lights, you will catch up to them in the latter half of the ride. Where the tunnel starts or so. If you go for the "general" lane, it's almost certain that you will catch them at the "switchbacks" part of the ride at the end. Also when in the general lane, ensure to keep up speed a all times, as the last half of the ride, has "dry" bits where it's hard to keep speed, and people normally stop.

[rappa]

Yeah problem with the toboggans is every idiot goes in the experienced track but then rides at a beginner pace. It's simple, if you plan to brake AT ALL you have no place on the experienced track. If you're lucky you can get one good ride in a whole day. Be prepared for idiots behind you to keep yelling at you for waiting for multiple greens.

[Gazza]

My hope is that. -It's a weekday, so everyone will be at school. -Everyone will go ride the water slides first up in preference. -I can get a sled with nice and rounded friction blocks. Don't really care if anyone behind me yells at me (Unless it's a staff member)...I'll just tell them that they can leave one green light behind me and they'll have no hope of catching up. Just to be clear, the one at Jamberoo is the uncrashable type isn't it? Even if you don't brake you still don't really risk flipping right?

Edited February 9, 2013 by Gazza

[Monkeypie]

We went 3 years ago on a week day in February. It was a quite cool day and there would have been no more than 15 or 20 people there.

[GoGoBoy]

Just to be clear, the one at Jamberoo is the uncrashable type isn't it? Even if you don't brake you still don't really risk flipping right?

That's a good question. Because I remember hearing about someone that died on one of these things in Shoal Bay or somewhere. It was many years ago but it was a big deal. I'd be sitting on the brakes for sure 'cause I have it in my mind that these things can kill you

[Gazza]

There are two varieties...Ones which have a couple of plastic blocks for the back wheels, and ones which just have 4 wheels. The ones with plastic blocks means the sled can slide sideways on the turns a bit, making them less likely to crash, but the trade off is that the run needs to be steeper to overcome the increased friction.

[rappa]

Jambaroo's have wheels and skids. It definately would be possible to flip it if you were a tard but Ive done the run many many times with no braking at all.

[Jobe]

That's a good question. Because I remember hearing about someone that died on one of these things in Shoal Bay or somewhere. It was many years ago but it was a big deal. I'd be sitting on the brakes for sure 'cause I have it in my mind that these things can kill you

It definitely was not the toboggan run at Nelson Bay. I too have heard that story but cannot say exactly where it really occured. I do remember a friend telling me it was at Jamboroo. Mayhap it is a urban myth like razor blades in water slides?

[Gazza]

It definately would be possible to flip it if you were a tard

Am I allowed to try

[GoGoBoy]

It definitely was not the toboggan run at Nelson Bay. I too have heard that story but cannot say exactly where it really occured. I do remember a friend telling me it was at Jamboroo. Mayhap it is a urban myth like razor blades in water slides?

No I specifically remember it being in the news. Wasn't a myth

Jambaroo's have wheels and skids. It definately would be possible to flip it if you were a tard but Ive done the run many many times with no braking at all.

I don't get it. What can you do to make it flip apart from not braking?

[rappa]

Well if you didn't brake at all and failed to shift your weight properly into the bends you could definately flip it. But who would do that?

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Even if you don't brake you still don't really risk flipping right?

In short, i've probably ridden Jamberoo's Toboggans as many as anyone else here. If it's been a while since i've done the tracks I will go down with a slight tap to the brakes where they 'suggest it' using little signs, basically to familiarise myself with the course and remember the tricks... However, you can go down flat stick without crashing it, provided you lean into each and every turn along the way - it's a matter of calculating the lean - if you lean too much you can roll it as well - and believe me in the middle of summer, on a hot day... sliding down a stainless steel track is not pleasant. My advice is just to 'feel it'. Ride it flat stick but be prepared to tap the brakes if you feel a little out of control. the littlest tap on the edge of control can bring you back in easily.

[Monkeypie]

Last time I went my toboggan wouldn't even go. I spent half the track pulling myself along on the sides of the track. It sucked!

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

^Usually means you didn't have the lever far enough forward. New brake blocks need to be lifted far further up to not affect the speed - which means pushed further forward on the stick.

[Monkeypie]

But I had it as far as it would go, so I think it was just buggered. Have never had that problem before.

[Reanimated35]

Having never been, if it's anything like the luge they have in NZ, both full forward and full back were brakes. You had to keep the handle in the sweet spot.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Nothing like it reanimated - its a single direction brake - all the way forward is 'all the way off' and all the way back (ie - leaning back and pulling the lever back as far as you could go) was full-braking.

[Reanimated35]

Fair enough. I think the NZ one was something like full forward was a park break and back was normal brake. And with this I back out of the thread before it gets off topic.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Lol - we're talking about an attraction that's existed for more than 25 years in a thread about new expansions... i don't think the onoff topic issues really play here. I know the one you mean - i haven't been to NZ, but they have another site on Sentosa Island which I have been to. Essentially the controls for the luge are directly attached to the front (steering) wheel, and pushing full forward disabled the front wheels somehow, whereas pulling back applied a friction of some sort to slow it down. The brakes at Jamberoo aren't attached to the wheels at all, but are a system of levers underneath the toboggan, with brake pads (similar material to a skateboard brake) that either raise up off the track, or press down onto it. Purely metal-on-plastic friction stops you in these things... and nothing more.

[Gazza]

I took a photo of the underside so you can all see how it works when I get back. Dont understand the need for brakes at all on either....Did both at full tilt and never felt remotely unstable. Park was quiet so got 100% good runs with no queue. Funnel Web is good and the spirals make you a bit dizzy.

[Robbo]

I guess the few Whoops! on here reflect the newishness of the ride. I took a group to Jamberoo yesterday and we had an awesome day. The big new rides ran non-stop all day. We had many back to back rides on the Funnel Web. They allowed our 6 year old on WITH PARENT alongside and she had a proper PFV as well. She loved/hated it. One ride we had someone popped out of the raft in the exact same spot as the previous photo, no damage done but felt awful at the time. It looks shocking on the video seeing people being washed down the tube without a raft, but everyone pops out at the bottom OK into the end pool and it's just great fun afterwards. Our young guy is now the hero of the group for riding down beside the raft. I wouldn't like to enter the funnel without a raft though, you hit the ripples pretty hard and feel them up your back as the raft squeezes flat under you. Get someone ( or 2 ) heavy on your raft, it makes for a much higher spin through the funnel. Being the backward facing rider on the raft is quite disconcerting first time down. Facing forward is much more fun, more like in a racing car or roller coaster. My boys and I ran all day from ride to ride with few queues. Staff were excellent and ran the rides prefectly; except for a little delay when a few spots of rain closed the bobsled and chairlift for 20 minutes, but we just went to the wet rides and came back later. Highly recommend a trip here in April, but not in school holidays. We lost count of how many rides we had, perhaps 10 on each of the Taipan, Surf Hill and Funel Web as well as going on all the smaller water slides and the old Rock on the way past. We are all shattered today and can hardly walk, when are they adding escalators!!!! A truly, truly awesome and memorable day that you can do to and from Sydney in one huge day. 90 minutes home to Blacktown on the freeway.

Dangerous?? I reckon!! I wonder if this was just operator error or system error?? If it was operator error then someone needs to be raked over the coals.... they were lucky no one was seriously hurt!! Looks like it was a near thing!!

They seem to have reduced the amount of water being added into the bottom of the funnel. These rafts were getting 4 or 5 rotations across the funnel, yesterday we were getting a mximum of three. Heavy ridders by the looks as well. No such issues all day yesterday, but they shuold have signs 'preparing; you for falling out of the raft. Edited April 8, 2013 by Robbo