Avatar and Spongebob coasters testing from MOA.

Why is it the Rock Bottom Plunge and not the Bikini Bottom Plunge?

Regular SpongeBob watchers would know--for that matter, even occasional ones who'd seen the right episode would know, too. Believe it or not, the vertical drop is actually part of the theming.

Coaster Dorks? SpongeBob Dorks. Spongebob Dorks? Coaster Dorks.

-'Playa

Or those who have been on the SpongeBob rides at Great Adventure, Kings Island, etc. That film features the dive into Rock Bottom on it.

I've seen a lot of SpongeBob, but I missed that one.

I loved Spongebob when it came out, and Rock Bottom is one of the first episodes.
I didn't really think of it as a cartoon for kids, much rather for childish adults (like myself).
Somehow as soon as the massive Spongebob merchandise wave started to sweep the planet and Spongebob became something of a new Mickey Mouse, I stopped liking it -
It has to be admitted that some of the merchandise and themeing-efforts are pretty intelligent and stay more true to the spirit of the original series than I expected - but of course much of the the subtle acidity and subversiveness of the original humor mostly got lost along the way - to make it more compatible with the minds of the yet innocent.
I agree, a bubble machine on that ride would be a good addition - but a Spongebob ride basically needs something ridiculously grotesque... like a "ride through the spongebob" a giant swiss-cheese that the coaster travels through. In case of the Rock Bottom theme (or other submarine crevasses such as abound in the cartoons), maybe having the coaster travel through the intestines of a giant undersea monster fish would have been appropriate.
To stay more close to the series, something needs to be done about "Mrs Puffs driving school" also.

BUMMMMMP. Looks like the last of the retaining walls around SpongeBob and the 'center of the universe' (Avatar, Splat-o-Sphere) were removed after hours last night.

-'Playa

Something doesn't seem right about the way that loop wobbles. I know a little movement is normal but it's odd how it keeps wobbling long after the car has passed through it. I would think that'd lead to premature metal fatigue, but I'm no engineer.

The rides look great. I can't believe that small little indoor park is going to have four major coasters. How cool is that?

You think that's bad, check out the Rattler http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZirI5uhqdo now thats some nasty wobble!

^LOL, during the event last year we were all fairly amazed at how much Rattler flexes - the run from the tunnel back towards the queue really did shock me (0:40-0:45 in the footage referenced). I'm more than accustomed to the "if it don't bend it might break" philosophy....but that's clearly outside the realm of *normal flex*. And for the record, I enjoyed the Impulses prior to the "buttressing". ;)

I don't even know if I buy into that "if it don't bend, it might break" mentality. For the past 15 years automakers have been engaged in a never-ending quest to make cars and truck platforms more stiff and rigid. How often do you see a new car boasting something like "40% more torsional rigidity"? Since I don't see many new cars driving down the road and breaking apart, I'm going to assume that not all structures need to flex to stay together. But getting back to coaster, whatever the Rattler is doing in that video can't be right!

Cars have the whole shocks-and-struts thing doing the bending for them. To say nothing of those soft, pliable tires.

Or the crush zones that bend in an accident and high-velocity 'launched pillows' so YOU don't break.

Stop on just the right spot on a highway bridge and you'll feel it wobble. You probably won't feel it sway quite as much, but it does that too.

So overall, I do buy it. But that's still a lotta wobble. And I've seen loops wobble before. It's not as if VF's Space Shot doesn't queue right next to Minnesota's only other vertical loop...

-'Playa
(edit: slight change in prepositions)

*** Edited 3/13/2008 1:48:47 PM UTC by CoastaPlaya***

That's true, there are parts of a car designed to absorb impact so the chassis/structure doesn't have to, but I think there's still something to be said for rigidity. I know bridge decks are usually installed on firm rubber blocks (I don't know the technical terminology) but I don't think the bridge decks themselves are designed to flex.

I suppose anything made of pretty much any kind of material is going to flex to a degree when certain forces are thrust upon it, but I can't see something like the Rattler or the mall's Eurofighter loop having been designed to move like that.

The Rattler? HELL NO. SpongeBob? Nagging doubts, nagging doubts.

But I know this for DAMN sure...if I coughed up $250 for an annual pass and it went down 2-3 months? I would NOT be happy.

-CO

What went down for 2-3 months?

Nothing has. Yet...

I'm saying how PO'ed I'd be if Spongebob did in the future. Especially if I was a passholder. Like Kar-Uh.

Then again, it's an indoor coaster. Why fabricate more steel supports if you can steady it with high-tension cables from the ceiling?

-'Playa

Ah okay, I get what you're saying, and I agree.

Again, not being an engineer probably disqualifies me from being able to make this kind of statement, but I wouldn't be too keen on using another structure to supplement the one for the coaster's loop. Having to use the mall's roof to stabilze a loop that should have been engineered to stand on its own seems so juevenile... seems so "Williams Grove".

Perhaps. But it WOULD keep folks who spent three times as much as they would on a VF pass from diving over the customer service desk.

Besides, you're talking about a park that decorated half the 'old' rides with gigantic cardboard cut-out characters. I don't see how a few judiciously placed cables would hurt.

Of course you COULD ask why we're debating a solution to a problem that may not actually exist. But what's the fun of that?

-'Playa
(edit: fixed photo link)

*** Edited 3/13/2008 3:22:35 PM UTC by CoastaPlaya***

It all depends on the tolerance of the structure and how it is fashioned together. The trains doubtfully weigh enough to do any real damage to the track that may cause it to bend or break. But I'm not against a few more lateral supports.

---

CoastaPlaya said:
Especially if I was a passholder. Like Kar-Uh.

---

Suuuure, point out that I'm the idiot who bought one! Haha :).

Even though coughing up the $270ish dollars for the annual pass was extremely painful, I'm happy with the fact that it's over with and I now get to go whenever I want. ESPECIALLY in the offseason. The way I see it, I could be addicted to worse things that people waste money on. I hope I don't regret that decision.

ANYWAY...

Any 'buzzers going on Saturday? I hope to meet up with a few coaster people at 1pm at the top of the steps near Guest Relations on the upper deck. Come if you dare! *** Edited 3/14/2008 2:47:12 AM UTC by ST chick***

$270 bucks for an annual pass?

WTF? That is pretty damn steep for that park. I know it's year round but heck, I bought my annual pass at BGA for $105 which includes parking and it's good for a full year.