Tarantula

anyone know anything about how this coaster operates?
http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery2924.htm?Picture=1

That seems like a computer image... Its will be a Maurer-Sohne Spinning Coaster 3000 (others that are already built: Spinball Whizzer at AT, Dragons Fury at Chessington and the unique Winjas).

yeah, that does SEEM to be computer animated with an amazing realistic quality to it, lol, whats with the tunnel..thing?

If I am correct, the tunnel thing represents how far the car can come out from the track to plan for clearance issues.

Yeah, pixar sure got a run for their money..

Hum , I think it would be fun to have a tunnel like that over a wild mouse coasters. I kinda wished it were the final design.

I think that is just a general rendering of the layout. I remember seeing some of their work look like that at IAAPA this previous year.

The "tunnel" is a virtual visualisation of the clearance of the cars. It incorporates passengers heads and possible stretched out arms in a 360° graph.

http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery2410.htm?Picture=21

do the riders control the spin on this type of ride?

Nope.

Is it programmed? or random?

The spinnyness depends on how fat you are. ;-)