Impulses...the next Vekoma Boomerang?

It seems that these coaster are popping up everywhere(4 I think, and 3 in the lats 2 yrs). Do you think this could be the next Boomerang? When I say the next Boomerang I mean, do you think like every park in the universe will start getting one and then they will get old?

I feel they're old already! Then again never been on one. It's just that if 'every' park gets one, that's copping it out - it cheapens them, like SLCs as well. I know they're cheap and all that, a custom-made coaster is a better investment IMO.

I don't think clones are necessarily a bad thing. Six Flags dropped Batman:The Ride everywhere. Is that a BAD thing? No, because it's a good coaster.

Sure, in my opinion dropping Boomerangs and SLC's everywhere IS a bad thing, but not because they're all the same coaster. It's a bad thing because they're all the same BAD coaster.

Impulses are very thrilling, if low-capacity, rides. They take up a very small space, and a LOT of parks can fit one in somewhere. Most of the general public doesn't travel park to park and will never know that the awesome new ride their home park just put in exists elsewhere. And for the enthusiast crowd that travels, finding another Impulse to ride is going to put a lot of smiles on faces anyway...


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--Greg

http://www.pobox.com/~gregleg/
*** This post was edited by GregLeg on 6/7/2001. ***

I agree with Gregleg. The impulse is a good coaster, so if every park had one, it would be like every park that has a good standard flat ride (wave swinger, enterprise, etc). These are wonderful rides, and just because they are just about everywhere does not take away from them at all...

IMO, The Vekomas on the other hand are rough riding, with inversions that don't feel right and they don't have the best track record when it comes to malfunctioning (at least the boomerang). It's a shame so many parks installed these rides to inexpensively increase their coaster count, a good flat ride would be a better use of the space.

Actually, all of the impulses have been built this year. S:UE last year, and 3 Virtual Velocitys this year.

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The Pens will win the Stanley Cup in 2002!

Actually the first Impulse was in Japan, by the title of Linear Gale. Then came Superman: Ultimate Escape, and this year 2 Verticle Velocity's will be built in Six Flags Great America and Six Flags Marine World.

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A New World. A New Technology. One Last Hope for Salvation. Neon Genesis Evangelion

beltzies64:
Linear Gale: 199?
S:UE: 2000
V2 (2): 2001

So only two were built this year, and there are not 3 V2s.

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Next up: Stupid human tricks! Followed by: Stupid pet tricks!
Why can that never happen?

Funny, the first thing I said after riding S:UE was, "Wow, I hope these become the next Boomerang."

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

More coaster's in your home park the better, spreads crowd lines out. I love this ride.

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Army rangers lead the way

I would definitely not mind these becoming the next boomerangs... They are incredible!

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.:| Brandon Rodriguez |:.
http://www.coasters2k.com

Sounds like they're awesome, gotta ride one a.s.a.p. I wonder if my home park will get one? ;)

How about Impulses with two spiral spikes? Would they be more exciting that way? Don't forget Linear Gale has two straight spikes as seen in these photos! www.coaster-network.com/bm/intamin/linear.htm

What about throwing in a loop or two to spice up things?

*** This post was edited by Taipan on 6/7/2001. ***

I would love one to go in right next to Joker's Jinx at SFA. There's plenty of room.

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Taipan said:


How about Impulses with two spiral spikes? Would they be more exciting that way?

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I'm not sure they would. Part of why I like them so much is that moment of hesitation on the straight spike, just hanging there at a standstill, facing the ground. It's the contrast between that and the spiral spike that help make the ride so exciting.

Actually after riding this ride, i think it might be a little more thrilling if it was STRAIGHT up on both ends. The spiral effect is ok, but the most thrilling part of going up the first spike is being launched into the sky and seeing the end of the track. With the spiral, this effect can only be acheived in the front.

Also, something about going up the twist makes you feel more surrounded by track than the vertical end. Its a great ride however.

I have always wondered what it would be like if two were parallel, and spiraled in the opposite directions.

I've always hated the fact that only half the train gets the spiral affect. They should have put the spiral closer to the ground, and then straight track after that, so the whole train goes through the spiral. Of course I haven't been on one, so I can't say it's a bad thing for sure, it just looks like they should have done it that way. I will know after riding V2 this summer!

I think the should put a inline twist before the each tower, that would be awesome.

One way they could improve the Impulse coaster is to have Invertigo-style trains where you face each other. That would make it a notch more intense.

X Factor

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SFWoA: An Unofficial Guide
http://sfohio.tripod.com

The good thing about it though, is that the front half offers a completely different ride than the back half of the train.

The front half gives you the feeling of flying off the end, and the twists give you the spinning feeling,

Where the back, you dont get as much spinning, but you DO get INTENSE positive Gs, and a huge free falling sensation, plus you get to go really high up the tower, higher up in the air, and REALLY have a chance to look around. you could look around in the front, but not as much because of the spirals.

Personally, I like the back better, but that's just my preference, most of my friends like the front. I will say though, that coming that close to the top being in the front was freaky as hell. I was actually scared for once.

I'm all for this becoming the next boomerang, because it's a great ride, but I'd also like to see what else this thing could do. I think there's a lot of potential. Maybe a giga version of it? *** This post was edited by Clarkbar on 6/7/2001. ***

Whoa! a giga version? Thats crazy. If it where a giga it could have two twists on the front tower and one on the back tower with brakes after it.
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