B&M coasters getting boring.

I in no way am intending to bash B&M coasters. I love them, and a few are in my favorite top ten coasters i've ever been on. However, lately, i've been finding myself getting bored with the very predictable, similar layout to most of their coasters. When i'm in line for a B&M i almost feel a lack of excitement, that i sometimes still get when i'm on line for old Arrows, Veks, or Intamins. I guess my point is, lately, the B&M's havent been providing me with the same sort of excitement other coasters have been, anyone feel the same?

Nope.

Double nope.

I "only" rode one one new B&M this summer. Hydra was/is like no other B&M out there. It may not be the biggest and baddest, but it is a awesome ride in its own right.

I suggest that if you are getting bored, lay down some cash for a road trip to check out what else is out there.

B&M is, still, to me what a modern (emphasis on modern) coaster should be. Smooth, forceful, and dynamic.

The high capacity that the 4 across seating lends itself to doesn't hurt, either.

Well I respect your opinion, but what B&M's aren't doing it, if some are in your top ten, why are some lacking excitement?

I have ridden B&M's and I honestly love them more then any other manufactorer out there. Besides woodies. (Chuck turned me into a woodie snob! :-D)

A lot of B&M's even the older one's are very forceful still today. As for some B&M's that are newer, I have heard differing opinions on Hydra, Silver Bullet, Scream, and SheiKra. All are different in their own ways. Some love them, some say they are OK. It's only a matter of opinion. But if you aren't getting that feeling from a B&M, then don't ride it, simple as that. Just my opinion.

Katie

Another nope here.

Not till you fly to L.A. and go ride Silver Bullet. That helix will make you think twice about intensity ;).

I've been to several parks this summer, six flags great adv, cedar point, hershey (rode hydra, meh), dorney, six flags great america, and i havent been too thrilled with the b&m's. all i was asking is that if anyone else was feeling the same way. i've "layed down" enough cash this summer. more than i really should have.

I guess if I wanted to, I could complain about your grammar. Even when some thing(s) are perfect, people will still find reason to whine.

Fate is the path of least resistance.

I sort of think that it more has to do with what the parks ask for. I am sure some of the novelty has worn off of the inverted coaster, standup coaster, and flying coaster, since they and others have built more of these types. But an interesting layout with new elements and theming, more has to do with the park asking for it and paying the extra cost associated with it.

Take Patriot which is new for 2006 at Worlds of Fun, for example. Its layout is very similar to Talon at Dorney Park. However both are Cedar Fair parks and am sure they asked for a similar version at Worlds of Fun, since Talon was very successful at their other park.

However another less talked about inverted coaster, that seems to have a unique layout and theming, is Black Mamba at Phantasialand. This ride will appear to travel in and around a castle, and would think it would have a custom layout. The link is below in case you are interested.

http://www.rcdb.com/id3117.htm

I think Georgia's B&M hyper also looks very good, and its downward spiral is something I have not seen on a B&M ride, especially not a hyper. It is going to be interesting to see if Magic Mountain's B&M flying coaster has a custom layout, or the same as the other Superman rides.

I also don't think it is a trend one way or another. B&M has built several custom layout rides before the last 5 years, like Nemisis, Raging Bull, and Dueling Dragons. However during that time, they built several Batman the ride clones, and other rides with similar layouts.

The last few years is no different. Some custom layout rides are Nemisis Inferno, Sheikra, and Air. Just as well they have built many Batman, Raptor clones, and now are reusing a very similar Talon inspired layout for Patriot.

The one unfortunate thing is that Europe seems to be getting more of the custom designs that also have cool theming in recent years. It just seems that park chains in North America, choose for more established designs when choosing B&M. Six Flags and Cedar Fair come to mind, as they really don't go for the completely custom themed layout, like the European theme parks, or even the Florida Theme parks.

So instead of going on Nemisis Inferno, Black Mamba, or Air, people in the states have to settle for Patriot, Batman the Ride, and Superman Ultimate Flight. Not that those rides in the states are bad, or even worse, they are just very similar to the other B&M rides that people have been on.

So if they are boring because you have been there and done that, the only advice really is to travel to parks that have those unique layouts and experiences. Sheikra is the most recent one added in the states, that offers such experience. Islands of Adventures B&M's also offer one of kind experiences.

Beast Fan said:
I think Georgia's B&M hyper also looks very good, and its downward spiral is something I have not seen on a B&M ride

How about Raptor's helix?

[edit: Damn you PopForums and your silly quote parsing...]

*** Edited 9/8/2005 9:29:34 PM UTC by Michael Darling***

Only B&M that disappointed me was Silver Bullet. Rode Raptor at CP just this weekend and loved it. Only thing I didn't like was the jarring entry into the station. BTW, ride it at night if you can. *** Edited 9/8/2005 11:21:01 PM UTC by SnakeEyes***

XxStraylightXx said:I guess my point is, lately, the B&M's havent been providing me with the same sort of excitement other coasters have been, anyone feel the same?

My best suggestion is to take a year off or not have an active year at all and then go back to your normal the next. I've found it to work quite nicely and when I go back to them, they are just as great as I remember them.

"Sometimes I just kill myself!" - The Joker

Guess I'll buck the trend and say "yep". A recent example would be WoF's new Patriot inverted. Simply uninspiring to say the least.

Yes, I love B&M as much as the OP. I guess my problem is that I have ridden way too many of them and they all seem too predictable to me now.

I would love to see some new elements surface from these geniuses. An example is Apollo's turnaround. The back, right seat gives one of the best moments I can recall on a B&M when pitching upward before dipping into the turn. Need more designs similar to that, that really make you go WOW! They have been lacking that lately IMO. The only thing different on the majority of B&M's now is the train type (inverted, floorless, etc).

I second your nope.

Keep on making them smaller butt kickers like Batman and Wildfire and i'll keep coming back.

Damn Cornfields

I'd suggest people hold off on calling Patriot boring until it actually opens and you can ride it. Novel concept I know but it seems reasonable, eh?

I agree with a lot of what has been said previously, EXCEPT for the new HYDRA @ Dorney. The novelty of the jojo roll out of the gate was pretty cool but I thought overall it was sort of a . . .yawn. I think a lot of people at the CoasterBuzz event felt the same as I did. It was one of those rare instances where you could have heard a pin drop at ERT because the ride just seemed to not generate the slightest level of excitement in anybody.

I think it really needed some height on it but with the restrictions that they are operating under there, I know it isn't possible.

But, still, I love B&M's. The evolution of the hobby would not be where it is today with the dynamic, versatile, cutting-edge and G-force laden B&M's.

Barry J.

TeknoScorpion said:
Not till you fly to L.A. and go ride Silver Bullet. That helix will make you think twice about intensity ;).

Sorry Clint, but I have to not agree with you there. Knott's is now my home park, and that last helix doesn't pull more than 3 Gs (according to the stats from the park.) Goliath is 4.5 sustained, 3.5 with the midtrim, to give fair comparison. Boomerange at Knott's pulls 5.2 going through the loop backward.

I love B&Ms too. They're popular, reliable, they age pretty well ('cept the earlier standups, and floorless to a lesser degree), and they're fun rides. They bring in LOADS of guests and money.

ALL that being said, yeah, they ARE kinda well, listless...predictable...overengineered. Of course, that's what I get for living in the B&M showroom... ;)

Always love getting on a ride that's "different". Fire Dragon, Silver Bullet, rides with interesting layouts...

TeknoScorpion said:
Not till you fly to L.A. and go ride Silver Bullet. That helix will make you think twice about intensity .

Here here. And people think Raptor's helix is intense. It's a bit weird how Silver Bullet is considerably lukwarm throughout most of the ride sans a few spots, and then out of nowhere finishes off with a helix that could grey-out even the most seasoned coaster rider.