Former Non-Flatriders: What ride, or rides changed the way you thought about flats?

Since the topic is flats, has anyone heard anything about where Knoebel's is locating their new rides? I e-mailed the park around 5-6 weeks ago, and their reply told me they hadn't decided on the location for Fandango yet. The park map hasn't been updated yet-- online at least-- it still shows Whirlwind.

Just wondering if anyone had heard anything lately about it.

I'll ask for help from our expert panel on this one...

What's keeping a company from bringing back some of those really fun old-fashioned flat rides like the Lindy Loop, or some of the others that have been mentioned in this thread?

Is it a question of construction cost?
maintenance cost?
safety and/or liability issues?
patent or intellectual property issues?
comparatively low capacity?

Or is it that the industry is geared too much towards making the newest- biggest- fastest- tallest- longest- most superlative coasters, so that flats just don't get that much attention? You would think in our society where every decade and every trend is relived again-- and actually eagerly embraced, there would be some room for this to happen in the amusement industry.

Part of it is marketablility. Part of it is the dumbing down of park visitors. While a few newer flatrides are thrilling, Most aren't extreme. Take Bumper cars. Man, you used to be able to knock people into next week. And still can at Knoebels :)

Whips aren't whipping, Except at Camden

Yo-Yo's aren't Yoing except at IB

Himilayas are laymas except for some carny ops.

And Flyers, They get taken away :( *** Edited 3/31/2005 5:21:07 AM UTC by Charles Nungester***

Yes, but the Flyers are now 1/2 the distance that they used to be, so some of us benefit ;)

Personally, I've always liked flats, but I got to the point of not being able to ride. Then I discovered a natural cure for motion sickness.

I really didn't trust it at first, as I don't always like to do 'herbal' remedies, since they're not FDA approved, but Ginger Capsules really do work amazingly! It stops the body's vomit reflex naturally. Motion sickness is the body's confusing the disorentation with being poisoned. If you don't understand, I'll try to explain:

Certain poisons cause your body to feel disorented(much like alcohol, its the same thing), and so your body causes you to vomit up the contents of your stomach to get rid of the poison. When you are on a ride, your body often feels the same thing (part of the reason you ride in the first place), so the body gets confused and causes you to become nauseated so that you can get ride of the precieved 'poison' that isn't even there.

Ginger stops all of this. Ginger helped me to ride Delirium and Tomb Raider and all the coasters (except Taxi Jam) at PKI and then the coasters the next day at SFKK this summer. It also helped at CP and Geauga Lake. Ditto Dollywood.

I took Ginger at USH during Solace Week, but I kept forgetting to take it when we went to Disneyland/DCA, Vegas area, Knott's, and SFMM. Thankfully, I didn't need it.

So that is why I ride Flats now. I love Delirium, Top Spins (which I could never stomach before), and KMG Afterburners. I won't stop packing the Ginger, either. I also think that the way you eat (eating enough, eating the right stuff) at parks helps as well.

I'm so happy, I'm willing to try a Zipper again next time I get the chance, after getting very ill the last time I rode it. Only ever been sick enough to throwup on 4 rides in my life (well, I didn't vomit on the Zipper, but I was close): either a monster/octopus/whatever at Camden Park when very young(I actually waited till getting on the Scrambler before I hurled), a Zipper, Vortex @ PCar, and a Tempest at a fair once.

Thank God for Ginger.

Two pages worth of convo and no one has mentioned the Bayern Kurve? Y'all are slippin!

Anyway, I'm not a big flat guy. I detest Top Spins (As Intiman Fan can attest), Roto-shakes, octopi, monsters, lobsters, and *extreme* flats like Skyscraper and Turboforce. And I'd likely let you shoot me before I board another "teacup" type ride (those things are the spawn of the devil :))

On the other hand, I do like scramblers, breakdances, tilt-a-whirls, swinging ships, rotors, looping starships (except the initial restraint locking), frisbee, jump, and haunted swings.

As for drop towers, I am deathly afraid of them (that whole 'sustained heights' thing) but will ride them occassionally. Note, space-shots are the preferred version (no sustatained heights).

lata, jeremy

ROFL, I thought I was the only one who *detests* teacups yet LOVES a good Scrambler...

As for heights, well...after spending almost 5 hours on top of Strat trying, in vain, to get a ride on Insanity, you'd think I'd have been *cured* of my fear. One ride on X-Scream proved otherwise.

Scariest.Flat.Evah! But then At Knotts it looked like a kiddie ride....hmmmmm....;)

Heheheh. If only I had a recorder at that moment, especially when we were in the front row.

:-D

-Tina

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macho nachos said:
I love drop towers, especially The Drop Zone(either one)

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Either one? There's only five of them.

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TeknoScorpion said:

Thank God for Ginger.

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And here I thought most people preferred Mary Ann.

Actually... as long as I can remember, the old timers always said to drink some ginger ale when you had nausea or an upset stomach. Guess they were onto something.

My personal favorite is a ride called Booster.

It swings around from a point in the center and the cars also spin around (head over heel).

The best part about this version is that it speeds up halfway through and takes your breath away!

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Charles Nungester said:
One flat I'll probably never get to ride again and loved is the Mondial Shake. It tours the US at Fairs.

This thing is a Tilt a whirl, Zipper, Scramber and rock-o-plane all in one.

Chuck, who knows adam sandy knows who owns it but I'd like to find where it's gonna be. I caught it at the Ohio State Fair in 2002

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Isn't the owner Wood Entertainment? And last year, that ride was present at the San Diego County Fair.

Tina, I'd rather have a vid of us the first time. I know it was scarier for me & Billy Bob from the front, but I believe that there were blushing sailors when we rode it the first time and gator opened his mouth from the back seat...

The funniest thing was when we were in line for the front ride (Jamaal and me), and that Asian couple got behind us to try and get in the front (and on by themselves). We got out of line, went inside and waited for you 2 to get off, the Asian couple had to ride the back seat, and we got on the front. Priceless.

Now if only I can ride Insanity before I die...

Found this link to the Mondial Shake:

http://members.aol.com/surfdancec/magnum.htm

The link says it was at Meadowlands Fair in NJ in 2001 and owned by Wood Entertainment.

That link is outdated now because that isn't the only operating Shake in the US. I rode the one at SFNO (Catwoman's Whip), and it definitely is the sickest spinny I've done (even with the cars pinned to stop full 360 flips). Meowwwwww!

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Intamin Fan said:

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macho nachos said:
I love drop towers, especially The Drop Zone(either one)

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Either one? There's only five of them.

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I've been on four of them. I meant the sit down versions and the stand up. Acrophobia scared me but I loved it.