Steel Taipan Construction - Dreamworld Mack launched roller coaster

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

6 minutes ago, Dom said:

Whilst some enthusiasts may look at this and think it's not great compared to DC Rivals which is perfectly reasonable, I actually think it has potential to out-perform that coaster with the general public.

Agree. I believe DCR had a little help with it's enthusiast bias with some minor adjustments to increase that all-too-delicious airtime... however there's the big 'general public' drawcard that Taipan has over Rivals - and that is INVERSIONS.

Taipan racks up FOUR inversions according to it's stats. Track length is similar with rivals only another 200m longer - but due to the swing launch and transfer track motions, it will feel (and probably be) a longer ride time experience. The speed difference is negligible - about 10km/h which is nothing unless you're behind someone doing 105 on the pac MWY in the fast lane (and then it feels really sloooow). 

The height here is a big standout (clearly not a hypercoaster) but considering Superman continues to hold it's own in a park side-by-side with Rivals, I don't think a 40m launched coaster is that much worse off compared to Rivals.

 

We can only judge on the stats as the ride experience cannot be compared yet so anyone calling Taipan for being a failure at this point has problems with prematurity.

As for cost - it depends on what else was included in the construction cost quoted. It could be increased costs due to COVID delays. It could factor in costs associated with rerouting the train, removing the TOT track, the demolition costs and\or earthworks associated with TRRR, BB Studios, Train Shed, or any other peripheral works that are easier to write off under a bigger project cost centre. Until you know you're comparing apples with apples, construction costs are  to be heavily salted.

16 minutes ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

Track length is similar with rivals only another 200m longer - but due to the swing launch and transfer track motions, it will feel (and probably be) a longer ride time experience.

Curiosity got the better of me so I measured it. Just the FLAT section of the initial launch measures in at 96m not including either inclined end. Given the triple launch and swing, that 96m is tripled (plus the spike and first hill sections) so you're easily on-par with Rivals for track length TRAVELLED.

 

[New display name]

1 hour ago, Will S said:

ST as is blue fire are more a family thrill ride but if dreamworld are trying to attract people to the park I would have thought they would go with something a bit more unique and exciting. 

It's a world class rated staple coaster.  Something DW needed 20-30 years ago.

[Gazza]

I've never understood this idea where people call coasters with inversions a "Family Thrill Ride"

Family thrill means Jet Rescue or Scooby or Storm.

Something a bit more spicy than a regular family coaster like Roadrunner or Madagascar.

The height limits, speed, g forces on this makes Steel Taipan a thrill ride.

Edited September 9, 2021 by Gazza

[Will S]

I'm really enjoying this analytical discussion my post has started. They are all valid points. No way am I dismissing ST as a failure. I completely agree that it is targeted towards a much larger audience than DCR was. Bluefire has had enormous success in Europa Park and with the added addition of triple launch and spinning car ST is still going to be impressive. I had not considered all the cost associated with landscaping, covid delays etc. Its easy to forget about those when you see a cost against a coaster. I think they've done a much better job of theming the area than movie world did with DCR. Theyve paid alot more attention to detail. I think dreamworld will be an exciting place again come a few more years.

[Gazza]

Also for what its worth, I don't care it only has a couple of airtime points, because right now, Australia needed a decent multi looper, and I can get airtime on Superman and DCR.

Just waiting for that barrel roll at the end 👁👄👁

Edited September 9, 2021 by Gazza

[Tim Dasco]

Has it ever even been publicly stated the total price for Rivals? I remember hearing the costs blew out to just around $35 million. Making it more expensive anyway? 
on the other side of things, rivals was custom and had elements such as the non inverting loop which were new for Mack and the engineer works for Rivals might have been higher than Blue fire considering it’s a clone (yes it has changes and need engineering work but the R&D costs would be lower) 

[New display name]

14 minutes ago, Gazza said:

Australia needed a decent multi looper

All we need now is a good ghost train.🤭👍

[Jobe]

1 minute ago, New display name said:

All we need now is a good ghost train.🤭👍

Or a cow that looks like one. Or is that a frog? 😆 Then we will be getting somewhere!!! 🙂

[New display name]

@JobeThe kids didn't put the frog away after playing with it and I ran over Jeremiah(frog) with my car.  It saddens me so much; I never want to talk about it again.

[Will S]

51 minutes ago, Gazza said:

Also for what its worth, I don't care it only has a couple of airtime points, because right now, Australia needed a decent multi looper, and I can get airtime on Superman and DCR.

Just waiting for that barrel roll at the end 👁👄👁

Very true. Australia certainly did need a multi inversion coaster. That barrel roll will be the best inversion for sure. 

[Tinter]

7 hours ago, red dragin said:

So, how'd that pull through test go then. 

It went great, as you can see in the video, they pulled it through at about 80km/h 

[Naazon]

1 hour ago, Tim Dasco said:

Has it ever even been publicly stated the total price for Rivals? I remember hearing the costs blew out to just around $35 million. Making it more expensive anyway? 

I thought Rivals was initially "Leased" then the park paid for it fully a year or 2 later and the pay out figure was in a Financial release? if so that figure would purely be the coaster and not ground works

[Whombex]

All but confirmed now that there's no path from ST to GD.

Very unlikely a path would go through here, as it'd be built by now, and people coming from GD would be arriving at the exit pathing for ST.

Additionally, the landscaping along the bank on the eastern side of the area, near the old train tracks, isn't showing signs of a new bridge being built to link up with spaghetti junction.

The 2nd option was linking the 2 red arrows, a gap in the landscaping can be seen at the right arrow. The only gap (left circle) isn't as high as the one as you enter the ride (right circle). The option of a path running along the wall behind SV is unlikely, as it's back-of-house. Plus:

The fence looks like it might be up and blocking this off anyway.

So, unless Blue Lagoon's area is part of an expansion, it's likely that ST will be a spur in DW's pathing. Which doesn't bother me that much.

Edited September 9, 2021 by Whombex

[themagician]

Just drove past and all the coaster track  and station lights were on. Looked pretty good 

[StingRay]

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CTmJdY-HTTR/?utm_medium=copy_link

Nice footage from the park. 

[New display name]

I don't know if this will work for everyone but it's onride footage.     https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/gold-coast/northern/dreamworlds-steel-taipan-rollercoaster-taken-for-first-test-run/news-story/d7330138bfdecd440002769f3e2684fb?amp&__twitter_impression=true

[themagician]

@New display name hopefully this works

[jack.c]

Why is it so hard for us to get a decent POV in Australia 😰 

[Im Hungry]

At this point, I prefer Rivals shakey pov

[MrLukeCarroll]

Someone left Hypersmooth or something on in the GoPro and it was not a fan of some of those transitions...

[Retardent]

Woooooowwwwww.

that’s a garbage POV. Can they just DM @Slick?

[Im Hungry]

Hope they re-film that... Even the general public will think it's bad.

[Slick]

2 minutes ago, Im Hungry said:

Hope they re-film that... Even the general public will think it's bad.

It’s a great ride, why release a POV that makes the coaster look worse than Rivals?

I’d be down there tomorrow to film a POV if they wanted the help. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[Baconjack]

I'm sure that some random with a gopro mounted onto a chest rig would create a better POV than what you see here

[Will S]

Pov almost looks like its a drone flying its so bad and jerky.