Carowinds Announces Intimidator

^ No, I did that as well. Never been to either park; will be going to both next year.

Looks like I'll be making return trips to both Carowinds and Kings Dominion next year. (runs off to google maps now to start plotting a course)

^It's quite obvious that the combination KD and Cw trip (plus some BGE love) will be a VERY common endeavor for enthusiasts next year...where's my Travelocity package?!

Ensign Smith said:
The ride looks like a real blast.

I'm still kind of hung up on the idea of using the same name for two different coasters in adjacent states in the same year. It really does feel too 'Six Flag-ish' to me. After all, the English language does contain a few hundred words or so to pick from....

They did it in 94 as well when both Hurlers opened up at the same two parks.

I like B&M hypers and I am happy to get a newer style within 5 hours of home. I have not been able to get up to KI or Wonderland yet, so this will be my first "new style" B&M hyper, I love Apollo and Nitro, so it will be fun to compare.

But, I have to admit, I am MUCH more excited about 305 at KD, for one, its 25 mins from home. 8^) But more so, its only the 2nd giga (not counting that Morgan thing...) And Intamin has more forces on their rides. I personally love the trains and restraints, I also love the layout, lots of ground hugging action and direction changes. A 300 foot drop is a dream come true for me and my local area!

Either way, I think its a good theme for both parks, Richmond and NC are both HUGE Nascar cities, they got the hall of fame, and we were next in line to get it if they didn't, so it will be very well received here too.

I think you guys are overlooking the fact that this midwest has a pretty strong racing fan base.

Every heard of Indianpolis Motor Speedway?????

There's a drag strip 30 minutes away from Sandusky in Norwalk, there's a small track IN Sandusky.

Two hours away you have the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course AND they've raced Indy cars at the Lakefront Airport in Cleveland.

I think I'll try to hit both parks next summer, but Carowinds on priority. There's just something about theirs being B & M.

I've been planning a duel KD/CW trip ever since the rumors started. I have a cousin in Richmond who would let me stay at her really big house during my travels. I might through SFoG in as well, because I've not been there yet.

Finally! A coaster that actually belongs on the parking lot! :)

LOL @ Danny above. You're the first coaster enthusiast, or person in general, I've ever seen praise Intamin's head-restricting OTSR's over B&M's perfect clamshell lapbar. OTSR's on a giga is laughable, especially when their first strata had 2 vertical points with a lapbar!

While you make legit points about the height and speed, it's impossible that those OTSR's (whether they get the rumored straps or the probable bars) won't have a negative effect on the ride whereas the clamshells are perfect and open.

I was just sent a copy of the rides soundtrack.

This screams nascar for sure....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W2StUglLHw&feature=PlayList&p=BD5B25A7DF21E7CF&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=8

Danny Biggerstaff CoAsTeRDaN said:
But, I have to admit, I am MUCH more excited about 305 at KD...

Me too.

Danny Biggerstaff CoAsTeRDaN said:

But, I have to admit, I am MUCH more excited about 305 at KD

I'm a bit surprised that more folks don't feel this way. Besides CoasterDan and Gonch, I'm mostly reading praise for the B&M, and criticism for the Intamin.

Here's my take:

Carowinds Intimidator should be a fantastic ride, like Diamondback, Behemoth, etc. Not much "new" to offer the coaster enthusiasts, but another incarnation of an awesome design. I hope to ride it.

Dominion's Intimidator should be unlike almost any other coaster. Think of the rush of pure speed you get in the Beast Helix, or Volcano's launch into the turn, or any other good launch. I think I305 will have that feeling during the entire course. Another plus is the twisty layout. Its loaded with changes of direction and "fakeouts". I think this ride will be very, very disorienting (in a good way). The combo of height, speed, and rapid-fire moves is going to freak people out, again in a good way.

Summary: Both may be world class, A+ coasters. But there will be lots more profanity (the fun kind) uttered at KD than CW.

RollrCoastrCrazy said:
LOL @ Danny above. You're the first coaster enthusiast, or person in general, I've ever seen praise Intamin's head-restricting OTSR's over B&M's perfect clamshell lapbar. OTSR's on a giga is laughable, especially when their first strata had 2 vertical points with a lapbar!

While you make legit points about the height and speed, it's impossible that those OTSR's (whether they get the rumored straps or the probable bars) won't have a negative effect on the ride whereas the clamshells are perfect and open.

You have to remember opinions are formed on how a ride feels and how a rides restraint system fits a person. We are all different shape and builds. I fit the B&M harnesses just fine, but I find that they touch me a lot more than the Intamin harnesses found on their newer trains. I just about 6 feet tall, and I have (believe it or not) a 24 or 25 inch in seem to my pants, thats some short legs... I have a long torso. So my head and neck is little above shoulder restraints and I don't get the head banging a lot of you may get. In the new Intamin trains there is nothing on the bottom of the train, so you have all the leg room you could want. I find these trains to be some of the more comfy ones around, and I still feel safe in them. On B&M hyper coasters, the lapbar is really restrictive and you loose some air time, with old Intamin restraints like on M. Force and Superman, you were so crammed into them it took away from air time. I honestly believe you will experience MORE air in these trains while being properly restrained.

Now, I like B&M coasters, but, I will say they all feel the same... Intamin and others have a different feel to each coaster. I am sure I. 305 won't feel much like M. Force.

I also say the new style Intamin trains will accomodate more people and will make load times faster.

^ I'm willing to bet those increased load times don't make up for the decrease in capacity caused by Intamin's signature downtime. It's basically a "feature" of an Intamin.

While B&M's forces are without a doubt more controlled and more GP friendly, the uptime percentage alone makes me happy that my home park is receiving a reliable ride.

i305 will bring the thrills, when it's open.

I am looking forward to riding both. I305 Looks like a MF/Maverick combo. Good thing since I love Maverick and don't like MF.

I love B&M Hypers though. Apollo was my favorite until Goliath @ SFOG.
I have never ridden Nitro yet. Raging Bull & Silver Star were both boring rides. Was not impressed with Diamondback. Don't get me wrong. I think it is a good ride and something KI really needed. But the ride left me with wanting more. It is a back seat ride. Our first few rides were up front and found it boring. I think it is the layout. Not enough hills. I:CW looks better, though.

Sorry for such an aggressive thread bump. Anyway, I was at Carowinds last night, and the first two peaks are up... something about the sparse B&M support structure really diminishes the appearance of height... it doesn't look very "intimidating". It does, however, look awesome. The drop is just steep enough to be almost artistic in form without looking cartoonish, and the bank transition after the second peak looks amazing. The track actually remains parallel to the ground for the first 10 degrees or so of rollover, and then banks very sharply to the right. I'm really excited about this ride.

Steve Guilmette

Aggressive? Did you use a sledge hammer?

Naw. Like all newbies, he used a Mack truck a few tons of C4. :)

Steve, welcome to the Buzz family!

A bump after 7 weeks is nothing. We've had a few 5 year old topics get resurrected lately.

Didn't we haven one from '02 get dug up recently too?

Next thing you know, somebody will drag one up from '99 or 2000.