I-305 major change?

I just listened to the PR guy from KD on Coaster Crew's InTheLoop podcast.

He said;

They were "reprofiling the first turn"

That "ultimately the goal was to remove the trims off the first drop - that's what everyone wants"

Construction video update straight from the horse's mouth.

Wow, imagine that, actual facts and confirmation, based on reality and not speculation. And here I thought facts were quickly becoming a myth.

Facts are good, but speculation, at least if it is educated, is fun:) Besides, if this site dealt solely with facts it would be pretty boring.

I find it interesting that the speculation in this thread as to why the changes are happening, friction and guest comfort, are confirmed in the video.

Can anyone summarize? I don't get youtube.

Speculation is fine. But confirming something based on nothing is totally different.

I do at least look forward to the ride now. The big turnoff before the first drop trims was the hard restraint. Now that that's gone, I'm excited to finally get up there and ride it, hopefully on opening day.

Imagine that, an Intamin coaster that isn't well designed....

A low-to-the-ground turn after the first drop is not that interesting or exciting IMO and that seems to be where the problems are on this ride. I really wish they would have put in an overbanked turn after the first drop. After all, NASCAR features high banked turns lol.

ApolloAndy said:
Can anyone summarize? I don't get youtube.

The basics are that they're making the turn radius larger to deal with problems of friction and rider comfort, taking the trims off of the first drop, adding a Starlight Spectacular, and it's expected that 305's work will be done by opening day. They're pouring concrete now, and should have new track soon.

I am excited about this. If the change works out KD will be a stop on my yearly spring trip with the wife to Busch Gardens!

Intimidator 305 has shown to be a coaster designed with flaws. The ride is now being undertaken with new construction to re-profile the ride, its going to cost a large amount of money, and ultimately to satisfy its riders/guests.

However, I don't think its fair to bash and criticize the company in general for their array of coasters. This ride has obviously been poorly executed and has imperfections throughout its design, but I much rather praise the company in its attempt at pushing the envelope, using their own creativity, and most conspicuously build a ride with a new type of intensity.

I was in complete awe when I first saw the animated design of I305 last winter, something I'm seeing in reaction to the new wooden coaster being built named Texas Giant. Hopefully that ride will be suffice on its first building attempt when riders test it out. This type of thinking also makes me think of Voyage as-well seeing as it needed some work to. I still give Intamin the thumbs up.

I'm pretty sure the park and the paying customers that rode a neutered version give it a big thumbs down. I'm not sure how you can excuse a company for pushing the envelope when they overpromised and underdelivered.

With all due respect, CD, your post does kinda make it sound like this was their first flawed ride...

Don't get me wrong, I love/crave/desire the ride intensity that other companies don't seem to strive for...then again, the buyer does call the shots, so... But I cannot give Intamin a free pass when the design/support/restraint issues are identified repeatedly over the years and the "learning curve" seems as shallow as the kiddie pool.

edit: Andy got in between our posts - he can be like that. I heard he even once got between Clint and Clint's lunch... ;)

I know, I know, diguesting...but nonetheless, Andy's point is completely valid, and makes me wonder if Sandor could ever get a job at HW...

Andy was a little more 'green' than I was that day after that ;).

Tekwardo said:
Andy was a little more 'green' than I was that day after that ;).

I obviously don't know the story...but THAT's diguesting!

I don't generally give a pass to a company that builds rides for tens of millions of dollars and gets them wrong. A lot. They can't even get a basic flume right, as evidenced by Shoot The Rapids. I mean, isn't keeping a boat from sinking a problem that Arrow solved 30+ years ago?

Millennium Force, Maverick and the various impulse rides remain some of my favorites of all time, but I just don't understand how they can make such frequent, and costly, mistakes.

And I bet he didn't even see him coming. ;)

I agree, Intamin certainly has more than one flawed ride, no question. I felt like I needed to defend the company since they went out on such a limb with this one. I shouldn't try a sugar coat their mistakes too much though, must be all the damn christmas chocolates.

Yes, and it would be fair to say its inexcusable. These rides are not cheap by any means.

Mike Gallagher said:
I don't know the story...but THAT's diguesting!

LOL, theres an old TR around here about it. I had a lime green slushy on the day I met up with Andy at Carowinds. We were in the front row of Vortex and I spewed lime green slushy on the brake run. Everyone in the queue house saw it and started going "Ewwww..."

I only got a little bit on Andy ;).

And for the record, I haven't ridden Vortex since. I didn't like it before, I hate it now. That's been, what, 6 years ago?

Tekwardo said:

Mike Gallagher said:
I don't know the story...but THAT's diguesting!

LOL, theres an old TR around here about it. I had a lime green slushy on the day I met up with Andy at Carowinds. We were in the front row of Vortex and I spewed lime green slushy on the brake run. Everyone in the queue house saw it and started going "Ewwww..."

I only got a little bit on Andy ;).

And for the record, I haven't ridden Vortex since. I didn't like it before, I hate it now. That's been, what, 6 years ago?

Glad it wasn't a cherry slush. The ops and the crowd..to say nothing of Andy..woulda thought you were spewing up blood!

It was only a little bit. ;) And it makes a great story.

I also fail to see how this ride is "pushing the envelope" in a meaningful way. They aren't trying some new technology or even upgrading an old technology. They basically took things they've been doing for decades (i.e. the low first turn on the SFA and DL RoS's) and made it faster. Seems like they should have been able to anticipate the outcome pretty easily from the start.