Great Adventure's Stuntman Freefall bites the dust!

Well, SFoT already has a 3 tower S&S...

And oG has Acrophobia (when it's open).

SFMM and GAdv. don't have other drop towers.

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Acoustic Viscosity said:
Knoebels should buy one of these. It would fit in perfectly there. I love these things. Wish Adventureland had one.

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I was hoping someone else would bring that up, I always wanted Knoebels to get a nice S&S tower/complex, but I do like these alot and it would fit at knoebels more.

It would be sweet to see one to to MIA they dont have a drop tower, Or any thing of thrill.

Http://www.freewebs.com/coasterkid85

Keep your head high and the coasters higher. *** Edited 12/8/2006 10:31:45 PM UTC by Coasterkid85***

If Cedar Fair already tore down Mr. Hydes Nasty Fall at Geauga Lake and also have Demon Drop for sale at Cedar poitn, i doubt they would want to move Demon Drop to Michigan's Adventure or buy one from Six Flags.

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ApolloAndy said:
Well, SFoT already has a 3 tower S&S...

And oG has Acrophobia (when it's open).

SFMM and GAdv. don't have other drop towers.

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Well that's what happens when they install coaster after coaster after coaster.

The capacity on the 1st gens must be horrible what with only 4 passengers per car,as well as the longer cycle when compared to the 2nd & 3rd gen giant drop models PKD's blows them all out of the water with a 56 passenger per cycle capacity though.

Like Tina, I think these towers provide the most "scare" of any of the drop towers. S&S towers are completely forceless and boring, Intamin 2nd and 3rds are great, but almost too smooth. These things are rickety, usually (ahem SFMM) placed so that you get a good sense of how high you really are, and the drop is so sudden it really yanks your guts! I loved these rides and I'm sad to see them go. I doubt any smaller park would want to risk the obviously high maintenance costs.

I'm guessing it's a maintenance and insurance issue at this point. Too bad I really like these rides too.

While regular operation panel ops on this ride aren't very complicated, learning the details of the ride to get certifification was very difficult. It was about 10 years ago but I remember there's something like 10 - 20 blocks on this.

Also operating this in manual mode is really tricky to with all the transder tracks and ramps and stuff. This was much more complicated than any coaster I'd ever worked on.

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kRaXLeRidAh said:
Yes, their Freefall is up for sale too. And since all four units are, it seems like it was more of a corporate decision rather than each individual park.

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I'm guessing they didn't get any takers.

Just recently we were told the one at SFOT is staying put--at least for the time being.

Even if they don't get sold, I wouldn't be TOO surprised if any left standing were *idle* next year...for all the reasons stated above, and more... ;)

I won't cry any tears, but I feel a little bad for those of you who DID manage to enjoy them....maybe I just never learned HOW to ride them? ;)

^You didn't. ;) Kidding. :-* It's just your fear of heights talkin' :)

Brett said it best. The first Intamin gen drops are very "rickety" and give you a feeling of "yanking your guts." You can't get that feeling anywhere else!

The second generation drops are getting nosier and more rickety but WOW! The Pitfall, Hellevator, and the one at Great America STILL rocks my world. Hell yeah!

The third generation Intamin drops are the best (minus Acrophobia..painful tailbone issues) and provide the best dropgasms. ;)

I DO love the S&S drops but they are more "floaty" and less "intense" than the Intamin's.

-Tina

*** Edited 12/8/2006 2:04:08 AM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***

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BATWING FAN SFA said:

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ApolloAndy said:

Well that's what happens when they install coaster after coaster after coaster.

The capacity on the 1st gens must be horrible what with only 4 passengers per car,as well as the longer cycle when compared to the 2nd & 3rd gen giant drop models PKD's blows them all out of the water with a 56 passenger per cycle capacity though.

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Actually, I think the capacity would be about equal, and the first-generation might even win. The first generation towers had a constant flow of cars cycling all the time. It took no time at all for the car to get out of the way of the next one due to the reverse dropping mechanism.

Constrast that with Drop Zone at PKD where you've got to 1) seat fifty-six people, 2) check them all for any potential foreign objects [open your hands] 3) Wait for all four ops to get in place and check with each other, 4) Wait for the lift to descend and clamp onto the ring, 5) the time it takes for the ring to ascend the tower, 6) the seven-second delay at the top, 7) the drop and 8) the time it takes for fifty-six people to leave the ride, which as you know, is not instantaneous.

Some people do not handle the drop very well, and therefore take longer to exit the ride (my favorite moment is when I saw a girl punch her boyfriend in the shoulder).

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I'll add my Knoebels plug in here, in fact I was one of a few who suggested it last year when Cedar Fair started looking to move their original drop towers. With all the time and interest focused on the flying turns project (and rightfully so), I think a great ride like, this at around $100k - plus setup/moving costs, would be a pretty inexpensive way to add a new and fun ride for pretty low price. Maybe find a way to shoe-horn it in the Twister area, a second ride in that area would be great.

At 37, I remember just how insane this ride was at Great Adventure when it first opened. I think I waited over two hours for the 20 second ride 24 years ago. It was a rush then, and the last time I rode one a couple of years ago, it was just as fun. I hope these end up at a Knoebels or a place like that to let them remain a historical mark on an inovative ride.

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rollergator said:
Even if they don't get sold, I wouldn't be TOO surprised if any left standing were *idle* next year...for all the reasons stated above, and more...

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I don't see any of the four units being sold soon and agree with you when you say some of them don't operate next season. That's leaving out the Great Adventure unit though, as it's already dismantled.

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Den said:

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kRaXLeRidAh said:Yes, their Freefall is up for sale too. And since all four units are, it seems like it was more of a corporate decision rather than each individual park.

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If you're going to be all Grammar Nazi, then the correct word actually would be "its," since SFMM is singular.

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I was poking fun at his use of "there" when it should have been "their." Obviously, you didn't pick that up. Nothing more disgraceful than a post-adolescent that still can't differentiate between there, their, and they're. I'm sure you're not one of them. :)

*** Edited 12/9/2006 5:19:14 AM UTC by kRaXLeRidAh***

I got my first and last ride on an Intamin first generation freefall at SFGAM. 3 rides before the accident that led to it's removal. I've witnessed and even been involved in other accidents on rides but the Intamin FG freefall is the one ride I could never get on again. Even with all my knowledge of breaking systems and technological advances, freefall rides are not on my "must ride" lists to date. I have been on some but, I'll never get the memory of that accident out of my head. *** Edited 12/9/2006 6:06:45 AM UTC by RollerCoastin!!!!***

I've heard brief mentioning of this accident, but what exactly happened?

Due to a missalignment of the car and the absence of anti-rollbacks, the car plunged back down the lift shaft. 4 people were severely injured including multiple franctures, extreme whiplash and for some even shrapnel wounds.

After making changes they re-opened it but the damage had been done to it's reputation. It moved on and eventually ended it's life at Gauga Lake in 2005. *** Edited 12/9/2006 6:20:57 AM UTC by RollerCoastin!!!!***

^Wow. I didn't realize Mr Hyde's had a reputation. No wonder they closed it.

My first trip to Cedar Point was in 1990 and I remember seeing Demon Drop "wedged" near the top, not long after I rode it. It was interesting.

I am not sure what happened but it seemed like it started to drop and then just get stuck, slightly sideways. I don't think there was anyone hurt but I will NEVER forget that image. ;)

-Tina

Speaking of accident's I went on Chaos 2 hours before it broke at MIA. A nut snaped and the whole wheel rolled down the mid way, i'll never ride chaos again.

Keep your head high and your coaster's higher

Heres a pic of the dismantling:

http://www.lakecompounce.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=16932#16932 *** Edited 12/10/2006 6:16:13 PM UTC by Ajrides***

Yeah the three(CP,SFOG,SFOT) I rode were ok. The only bad parts are when your about to drop. The thing likes drops or something and it hurts a little. The things don't look high but when your on them it seems they are very high.

I think the one at MM looks really good sitting there in the middle of RR. I know when I was there this summer it said please excuse our mess. I dont think they will sell.

The only way like people said early that it would be good going to knoebles. I think it would be good at a place like that.