Why change the steel phantom?
I guess nobody was riding it anymore.
Oh, also Manhatten Express is over 200 feet and has inversions.
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"Put out an APB for a male suspect, driving a... car of some sort; heading in the direction of, uh, you know, that place that sells chili. Suspect is hatless. Repeat, hatless."- P.C. Wiggum
Oh, also Manhatten Express is over 200 feet and has inversions.
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"Put out an APB for a male suspect, driving a... car of some sort; heading in the direction of, uh, you know, that place that sells chili. Suspect is hatless. Repeat, hatless."- P.C. Wiggum
It just didn't have the riders anymore. If it's not drawing people to the park, why spend the time and money operating it?
There's great debate about whether it was rough or not. Personally, I don't think it was that awful, but regardless, just looking at the 2-3 train wait for it was evidence that something was wrong.
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Matt Lynch
Co-Webmaster, Kennywood Boulevard
http://kennywood.coasterbuzz.com
There's great debate about whether it was rough or not. Personally, I don't think it was that awful, but regardless, just looking at the 2-3 train wait for it was evidence that something was wrong.
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Matt Lynch
Co-Webmaster, Kennywood Boulevard
http://kennywood.coasterbuzz.com
On crowded Saturdays, when the woodies ran maximum trains, and had 30-45 minute waits, Phantom ran one train, and never had more than a 10 minute wait.
The ride had a bad rep. Although I enjoyed it, I learned how to ride it. My first rides were terrible. Coaster enthusiasts would try it again, and learn to ride, but the GP rode once, hated it, and never returned.
Plus, the ride had some stress fractures in 1998, I believe, which made the ride DDM more than it was up that season, which helped its already not so good rep.
But, no fractures were occuring on the two big drops. It was all down in the valley. Plus, coaster enthusiasts and the GP love the first two drops. So, thats why they are keeping the first two drops, and re-working the 'bad' part of the ride. *** This post was edited by Mongoose on 2/11/2001. ***
The ride had a bad rep. Although I enjoyed it, I learned how to ride it. My first rides were terrible. Coaster enthusiasts would try it again, and learn to ride, but the GP rode once, hated it, and never returned.
Plus, the ride had some stress fractures in 1998, I believe, which made the ride DDM more than it was up that season, which helped its already not so good rep.
But, no fractures were occuring on the two big drops. It was all down in the valley. Plus, coaster enthusiasts and the GP love the first two drops. So, thats why they are keeping the first two drops, and re-working the 'bad' part of the ride. *** This post was edited by Mongoose on 2/11/2001. ***
Supposedly the number of people riding the phantom drops dramatically over the fast couple of years. And this certainly seemed to be the case - there was almost never a long wait. 10-15 minutes tops. People were willling overlook the bad aspects of this coaster when it first came out because it was new and novel but after awhile the roughness of the ride won. There were a few terrible moments in this ride. Bottom of the second drop causes a bad head snap, the trims going into the loop, and the transitions into and out of the corkscrew were nasty as well. I am looking forward to the Revenge - it looks to be a great ride.
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All time Top 5: (1) Milleniun Force (2) Alpengeist (3) Hulk (4) Ice Dragon (5) Raptor
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All time Top 5: (1) Milleniun Force (2) Alpengeist (3) Hulk (4) Ice Dragon (5) Raptor
Jeff said:
"Arrow restraints + loose track gauge + short transitions = serious head trauma.
I rode the Steel Phantom seven days before closing and loved it. There was roughness, but I don't think it was really severe, and I definitely wouldn't call it head trauma. As for the lines, they were as long as any of the other coasters in the park. I think Phantom's Revenge will improve upon the ride because the loops did nothing for me, but they could have left the coaster and I would have been happy.
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E.J.
Webmaster: Theme Park New England
http://tpne.8m.com *** This post was edited by themeparkne on 2/11/2001. ***
The key is that you have to learn how to ride it. My way of doing was pull the restraint very close to my body, and force my head as hard as I could on the head rest. The loops aren't bad, it's the valley that can really get you.
And getting back to the topic, Kennywood would have kept the Steel Phantom, but the only problem was that they had no room to put a new coaster in. So they decided to keep the best of the Phantom and make a totally new ride.
And getting back to the topic, Kennywood would have kept the Steel Phantom, but the only problem was that they had no room to put a new coaster in. So they decided to keep the best of the Phantom and make a totally new ride.
tails said:
"The loops aren't bad, it's the valley that can really get you."
To each his own, I suppose, but the entrances to the vertical loop and the corkscrew were what gave me problems. Personally, I think the bottom of that valley was killer!
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Matt Lynch
Co-Webmaster, Kennywood Boulevard
http://kennywood.coasterbuzz.com
It's called low ridership. While Kennywood's 3 woodies are still packing them in after 70+ years of operation, the 10 year old SP wasn't doing the job. It was time for KW to invest in a new coaster and while they do have space, they opted to change SP. The GP wasn't willing to get creamed time and time again on SP, so they did the best thing they could. I personally can't wait to ride PR and I think that the GP will find it much re-rideable and enjoyable also. It's business and you have to please the masses, not the individuals.
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Thank you for riding America's Roller Coast
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Thank you for riding America's Roller Coast
Arrow transitions do have their problems, but what makes them painfull is the restraints. The reason I think most guys don't have a big problem is either A)They are tall enough so their ears are above the restraints and don't bash into them, or B) They have enough strength and foresight to keep their head centered. Most girls are shorter, and thier ears line up perfectly that hard rubber they use. My wife will ride almost anything, but not Arrow loopers with the exception of Canyon Blaster at Circus Circus and Double Loop at SFO (there may be others we haven't found, but then again, Arrow loopers are not something we actively seek out).
Anyway, Steel Phantom may have been the most painful of all of them. And if that doesn't cause low ridership, I don't know what will.
Anyway, Steel Phantom may have been the most painful of all of them. And if that doesn't cause low ridership, I don't know what will.
Mongoose said:
Although I enjoyed it, I learned how to ride it.
Which may be part of the problem. Coasters you have to learn how to ride are not a Good Thing, to quote Martha Stewart. I'm sure the Boss at SFStL is a fine ride once you learn how to ride it, but I rode it once and never will again. And I'm willing to drive 6 hours to St Louis just to ride roller coasters. Members of the general public lacking such enthusiasm no doubt rode the Phantom once and that was enough for many.
I'll agree, it was a fabulous ride until you got past the magnificent drop through the Thunderbolt...
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LIfe is something that happens when you can't get to sleep.
--Fran Lebowitz
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