Confusion Over Rugrats Runaway Reptar at Carowinds

After further thought, I decided I needed to make a topic about this. As you may know, Paramount's Carowinds is constructing Rugrats Runaway Reptar for 2003, and the ride is a clone of the Kings Island version. The question here is, why build a kids coaster that the kids can't ride?

The height requirement for Runaway Reptar will be 54 inches, or 48 inches with a chaperone. I noticed that at PKI it is 44 inches, period. Hurler and Thunder Road can be ridden by anyone 44 inches, and Carolina Cyclone can be ridden by anyone 48 inches. How do you explain to a child that they can go on 'that big upside down coaster,' but can't go on the coaster that is 'their size?'

Maybe this is an example of tight local restrictions, although it is on the South Carolina side of the park, but there might be a lot of crying kids next year...

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Jonathan Hawkins
Starcoasters.com
"The internet is a great way to get on the net." -Bob Dole

These types of coasters are called Junior coasters. They're the middle link between kiddie and the full blown top-notch giants.

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www.moviecoaster.com

Even if it is a Junior Coaster, a height limit of 54 inches is not very smart if you ask me.

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Cedar Point 2003, and it begins...

yeah, I agree with you cobra roller, I mean, usually by 54", if the kids are ever going to ride the big coasters, they will by then. I mean, I could understand having it at 44, but not 54.

*** This post was edited by Millenium Force Maniac on 9/3/2002. ***

I checked Carowind's website and there was no height requirement info listed for Reptar in the press release. Has 54" been confirmed? It is possible that it could drop before too long.

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http://www.eastcoaster.com

*** This post was edited by geneticfreak on 9/3/2002. ***

The height requirement was in the official press release. I checked with Scott (Anderson, VP of PR) thinking it was a mistake, and was no mistake.

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Jonathan Hawkins
Starcoasters.com
"The internet is a great way to get on the net." -Bob Dole

Another thing that I find interesting is that you only have to be 48 inches tall to ride Millennium Force, but you have to be 54 inches tall to ride Rugrats Runaway Reptar.

This is a little confusing, eh? I am sure there is some logic behind it, I just don't see any right now.

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Cedar Point 2003, and it begins...

MF was originally either 54 or 52 and it was dropped down to 48 for this year. Maybe that will happen here.

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http://www.eastcoaster.com

Actually MF was 48 inches last year too. Rides get adjusted from time to time. It happens all the time in Orlando (Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom aka Countdown to Extinction went from 46 to 40 -- and Popeye at IOA went from 48 to 42).

However, it's a bit of a shock to see clone go at a different height? I thought it was the manufacturer that suggested the guidelines (B&M's at 54") and the parks usually run with it -- and this is the same park family. If it is an exact duplicate I'd be shocked NOT to see it at 44" by opening day, unless the PKI version is being revised higher. Which would be a major mistake since 44" is already pushing it in the kiddie section of a park for characters that appeal to a much younger subset than even the 44 inchers.

Frankly, I wouldn't worry about the height restrictions right now. Things can change between now and opening day. I can see the height requirements changing.

When it comes to regulations, etc., South Carolina isn't as "uptight" as North Carolina. That's one reason Top Gun was built on the SC side (besides some nice tax incentives, etc.) Look at the "bump-up" a few years ago on Thunder Road, SC had signed off on the ride while NC wanted to do their own investigation. So, I don't think SC would be part of the "problem."

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Max Cannon
TomServoMC@aol.com or gwazi@carolina.rr.com

"A straight line may be the shortest distance between two points but it is by
no means the most interesting."-The Doctor

Cobra,

Height restrictions have to do with the type of restraint used. It can and will vary from ride to ride.

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Do the Moo Shoo!

MF was 54" the first year it opened and was lowered to 48" the second year. The interesting part about that height restriction was that Intamin said 48" for the ride (even the first year) but CP decided that they wanted it to be 54" until they knew for sure how it would run. Maybe they'll change the restrictions for Runaway once it is built and they see how it runs, etc.

agrres with geneticfreak....the height limit will likely drop.....not as low as the Kite Flyer, but lower...;)