BGT, 6/12

Getting there on a Saturday at 11 in June didn't exact me, having been to the park a million times.

It was me, my two co-workers and one of her daughters. Unfortuantely the 12 year old took immediate charge and steered us toward's Rhino Ralley. Oy gavault. A 60 min. wait for an attraction I had no desire to even think about. But whatever.

The wait was actually 25 minutes, and bareable. My short review on Rhino Ralley:

Better than expecting with some decently surprising elements. And more pops of airtime than MF (don't worry, you're still #1). The one thought I had about the ride was that a great amount of responsibility is placed on the drivers. Very tight roads and many narrow passes with lots of opportunities to screw something up. I wouldn't want that job!!

Here's the coaster review:

Scorpion: 15 min. Best 23 year old steel coaster IMO.

Kumba: 5 min. Two laps, 2nd row, and 2nd to last. As good as ever. In my top 10.

Python: 30 mins. Dear god, kill me.

Montu: 30 mins. Front row 3 times. Clearly cemented as my #3 coaster (behing MF and TTD).

I'm home watching Jackie Brown now. I feel gross. No sunlight, but the humidity has the ability to kill. Don't move to Florida.

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I am Jack's Coaster said:
Getting there on a Saturday at 11 in June didn't exact me, having been to the park a million times.

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exact = exactly excite

If I had to choose a backyard coaster, it would definately be Scorpion. That little devil packs a HUGE punch of MF proportions.

You guys are really lucky that you get a dive machine next year. Can't wait to check out the park after that is built.

Oh, the 2 newer things I forgot to mention.

Site for dive machine - I didn't check out. Its still early.

Cheetah Chase - Wasn't running when we passed by it, but opened later. Didn't get a ride yet.

BTW, does a dive machine necessarily have an underground portion?

... i didn't check *it* out...

Oh, I also forgot that I was dragged onto Gwazi. Just the Lion side open. On a Saturday ... in June... that's not a good sign.

I did, however, enjoy it much more than expected. What could the reason for this possibly be?? I mean, if its cost-cutting, what a place for it...cheapos.

I am Jack's Coaster: No, a dive machine doesn't necessarily need an underground portion. A coaster diving into an enclosed tunnel is just more exciting to ride and watch than a coaster negotiating a drop that occurs completely out in the open. Alton Tower's main motivation for using the excavation would have been that zoning restrictions prevent them from building above tree top level and an 80 foot vertical drop coaster just wouldn't have cut it! :-)

Don't be surprised if BGT utlise a tunnel as well though, as it works well. However, it does make the ride considerably more expensive. It'll be very interesting to see if/how BGT implement the proposed "splash feature"

Best,

B *** Edited 6/14/2004 6:44:58 PM UTC by BeyondOblivion***

There's one slight problem with the tunnel - Florida doesn't sit on dirt and rock, it sits on sand. That's going to be some expensive theming if that's the case with the new ride. Still, a dive machine is not incentive to head back to Tampa anytime soon (Kumba is)

OK Brett, you're the Civ E. Explain why it would be harder with sandy soil as opposed to rock...

Their other B&M's have tunnels and underground areas, even if that meant building up the land around the ride.

Hi all,

Of course, it doesn't have to go into an underground tunnel; the ride could dive into a building or other structure above the surface- that would be interesting. I'd just like to know how they are going to pull off the water splash feature.

Best, B

Cause the tunnel doesn't have as much support underneath it. Especially if a significant amount of water seeps in around that tunnel (entirely possible despite best efforts if it incorporates a splashdown) then it can become a sinkhole/quicksand. If the thing sat on rock, that tunnel isn't going anywhere, but on sand, it's anybody's guess, and if the tunnel moves, all sorts of problems from cracking concrete leading to pieces falling on guests, to the tunnel sagging enough that there isn't clearance for the train could result. And if the tunnel sinks, that's gonna be one long period of downtime (make TTD look like a day at the picnic)

It's not that it can't be done (geez, the entire resort of Disney is practically built up off the ground) it just takes a LOT of structural work under the ground to get a decent support system (i.e. - $$$)

Yea, Kumba and Montu have tunnel-type features, but when I hear "tunnel" and "dive machine" I'm thinking Oblivion which goes what, 20-25 feet underground? Montu and Kumba are built up, perhaps that's what they're planning to do with this one, but if it's going to be anything remarkable (and by that I mean bigger than Oblivion) that's going to be one hell of a big mound (see previous comment on $$$) *** Edited 6/15/2004 12:41:26 PM UTC by Impulse-ive***

Oblivion is 80ft above ground and the tunnel is 100ft deep!

Ok, point proven ;) 100' high dirt mound? Seems kind of a waste to spend all that money on the theme when they could have just gotten a different kind of coaster (if the tunnel is legit)

Why do you think a dive machine was chosen, over a Speedcoaster? Florida is without a 200+ coaster, right? Was it because of the small space BGT has available?