How I invented the prone coaster in 1996

In the spring of 1996 a local radio station had a contest. The premise was come up with the coolest new ride for Cedar Point and win two free tickets to the park.

On the day of the contest I woke up bright and early and was the first caller. I described my ride on the air. Briefly it was taking a B&M standup and while going up the lift hill tilting the seats forward so that you were lieing face down above the track. I then went on to describe the layout of the rest of the coaster, which seemed to be rather similar to Raptor with a bit of Kumba mixed in.

Anyway, I was 13 at the time and I won the contest. I'm sure that had I kept on thinking about it instead of giving up after I won the tickets the next idea would have been taking an Inverted and making it a flyer... but I didn't, so they still get the props for that.

By the way, that's my favorite coaster story! :)

-----------------
Welcome "aboard" Wicked Twister. Please keep your hands and arms inside the midway at all times.

Haha, i think it would be scary ridding looking at the track. it would also kill the view. You wouldnt be able to see ANYTHING.

You'd be able to see the track.

-----------------
Hi! I'm an Irish signature virus! Please put me in your signature to help me spread! :) Thanks!

I'd try it.
-------------
-Matt in Iowa
Just 15 miles from 2 CCI's.
193 coasters ridden -- #1 Shivering Timbers

I imagine something along the line of current Vekoma flyers except during nonflying sections you'd be looking at the track instead of the sky.

It'd make for a totally different experience!

-----------------
www.coasterimage.com

dont wanna burst ya bubble but maybe you should check out

How John Wardley inventer the prone coaster in 1990

hmmmmm that was 12 yrs ago when john first had his ideas for that ride, then when nemesis came, he took it a steo further with walter and claude, then they got oblivion to make time for the next beemer beast AIR, the prone coaster

-----------------
X-Flight gives you wwwwwwwwwwwwwiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggggggsssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sorry, but he actually thought of it after nemesis, so that was 8 years ago. air was supposed to be SW4 and so open in 1998, but due to the amount of technical stuff that had to be done to allow air to work, it was put back 4 years, and oblivion was made SW4 as it was a simple ride to work out.

Would have been cool if you really did, but you didn't.

-----------------
Can we change the name of Top Gun to your mom so no one wants to ride your mom?

I was riding Batwin and was wondering what the ride would be like if it malfunctioned and the seats didn't recline. You would be riding upsidedown in a sitting position for most of the ride and riding backwards when you were right-side-up. sounds like fun to me (and more than a little dangerous [ed markey would have some thing to say about that]).

-----------------
If everything had a point, there would be nothing left to sit on.

I don't think it'll go without the seats being reclined will it?

-----------------
Can we change the name of Top Gun to your mom so no one wants to ride your mom?

That would be so cool!

-----------------
-Sean Newman
84 coasters in Track Record!! Hypersonic XLC # 100 in July. Waiting for the 305 foot drop tower in 2003. Thank you PKD.

M.D I had the same idea! I call it "The nose dive coaster" when your in the flying possition your back is to the ground and your looking at the track wicked stuff! And if the seats didn't recline on the Dutchman's, you would probibly die by all the bloood rushing to your head on the drop, or hitting the ground or a support.

-------------
See THE ULTIMATE in Orlando TR'S! Right now in the TR fourm!

i know for a fact that they tested air at alton towers with the cars in the loading position, and they got round the track fine. im not sure if the same can be said for flying dutchmans though!

Fler said:

dont wanna burst ya bubble but maybe you should check out

How John Wardley inventer the prone coaster in 1990

But was that idea made public at the time? No.

I'm not saying I'm the father of the flying coaster, but do you see any lay flat on your face while looking at the track coasters? Nope. Sorry. :)

Fler said:

dont wanna burst ya bubble but maybe you should check out

How John Wardley inventer the prone coaster in 1990

But was that idea made public at the time? No.

I'm not saying I'm the father of the flying coaster, but do you see any lay flat on your face while looking at the track coasters? Nope. Sorry.

*** This post was edited by Michael Darling on 7/4/2002. ***