Insanity ride opens atop Stratosphere

I saw this on my local news. I don't think I would ride that one. Too high for me!

All I have to say is this....SWEET :)

Den, they also quoted him at the end of the article, but they're idiots so they didn't use quotation marks...

Is that mag (rag) he wrote for actually still in existence? I thought I heard it was no more.

Worse than that, he actually had some stories in the last Rollercoaster Magazine for ACE. I don't want a dime of my dues for any club going his way, other than to make him go away.

I know my CoasterBuzz dues are safe from that, right Jeff?

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I don't want a dime of my dues for any club going his way, other than to make him go away.

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In Pauls defense He is a park historian, and has been the historian for ACE, he may step on toes, he may ruffle feathers, but he gets the camera on him alot more than any one of us, and to the general publics eyes, he doesn't do us a bit of harm, in fact he's probably better than alot of us would be on camera.

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he had to resort to someone in Vegas that doesn't know any better.

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Stratosphere knows Paul well, he's been to several of their media shoots.

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most everyone in the mainstream amusement industry considers him an attention whoring fraud

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It doesn't matter "who says it" it's "what they say" that gets the publics attention, very few of the mainstream people in the industry think Paul is a fraud. Media whore probably! Fraud, no.

I find that the industry simply puts up with him in general cause they're almost guaranteed to get a VERY memorable sound byte out of him.

Its funny, it would appear that the number one reason that people attack paul is out of pure unadulterated Jealousy. People never attack his photography, he's quite good at taking pictures! They attack him usually right after a media appearance.

My comments have nothing to do with Paul Ruben, but in looking at that ride, it would be like being lassoed out from atop the Sears Tower in Chicago. Talk about Crazy, Deranged, and definitely INSANITY!!!

What's the plug-in required? When I hit the video, it looks like it trys to load Windows Media, and then it disappears.

When you say that you write for a publication that doesn't exist, I'd say that makes you a fraud. I've been to more than one media event where the PR people were scratching their heads trying to figure out who let the guy in.

And what exactly does anyone have to be jealous about?

Damn, that video was almost enough to make me hop onto a plane tomorrow to give it a spin.......Insanity that is. Not Paul.

Brad G,

You don't have to worry about any of your dues going to Paul. Unless something has changed in the last few years, writers for RC don't get paid.

Jeff,

Actually, I have seen a few issues of the magazine he writes for sitting in the marketing offices at CP. I personally don't know of anyone that reads it, but I have seen them there. As far as parks wondering how he gets into media events, I have witnessed this as well. One park even went as far as having a couple of people watch him so he wouldn't talk to any of the press.

As far as suggesting other rides to put up on top of the tower, I still think a set of flyers would be pretty insane, as well as a skycoaster. Then again, this new ride kind of covers both of those thrills at once.

I really need to get back out there soon.

-Sean

all im saying is rediculous, no restraints like that make me feel comfortable

put a skycoaster up there!? what!? are they gonna put the other tower to lift you up on the bellagio or something?

-- alan "now THAT'S insanity ;)" jacyszyn

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I have seen a few issues of the magazine he writes for sitting in the marketing offices at CP. I personally don't know of anyone that reads it, but I have seen them there. As far as parks wondering how he gets into media events, I have witnessed this as well. One park even went as far as having a couple of people watch him so he wouldn't talk to any of the press.

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Thanks Sean! I know Cedar fair has "lost that lovin feelin" about Paul. It appears he now arrives as the guest of a camera crew from somewhere.

In the publics eye he's never made us look bad, he always makes us appear as we are a bit ecentric, somewhat goofy, and funloving.

Privately, he may be on the wane as a featured guest at some media events, but ya gotta remember, cameras tend to focus on familiar faces, and he has one of those:) at least up to now.... He'll be replaced, and we'll find a new face to be jealous of, I know I get the "I coulda done that better" feeling now and again when I see someone else spewing accolades about new rides, but I try to just go with the flow, and assist parks wherever they want me to help. usually thats behind the scenes LOL!

The "Today" show is showing some great aerial footage of Insanity this Saturday morning. They are also interviewing the rides designer.

I watched the special on the "Today" show and it seems alot of people are looking at it negatively; saying its too "insane" (including people on this board). It really makes me mad that people are looking down at something so positive. A host on the "Today" show nearly made the ride designer swallow himself by indirectly bashing his ride as "unsafe". This is Las Vegas!.... Not Disney World people. I'm really getting tired of soccer moms putting labels on rides. I've been on the stratosphere numerous times and the safety at the top is excellent and it shows with their perfect safety record. You could not pay me not the ride that thing. I love it and I think it should be look upon as a revolutionary step in the amusement industry. And for the people that reject to this; go enjoy yourself at Disney World or on the 15 foot kiddie coaster at your homepark. Grow up and ride it! Evan out.
*** This post was edited by CoasterFreak55 3/12/2005 10:48:09 AM ***

Wow I didnt know that in America we have choices if we dont like a ride or do like a ride. I'll be on it in a month looking real forward to it, my wife won't get on it she thinks its too insane.

Here is a few new pics of the ride during the day.

http://www.ruggedelegantliving.com/a/003507.html

Here is the live webcam of the ride

http://www.stratospherehotel.com/webcam2.php
*** This post was edited by supermandl 3/12/2005 2:39:36 PM ***

Mac users: Copy this monster URL and paste it into the "Open URL" box in WiMP. It will actually play, or at least it should.

Idiot site designers. There is no Windows Media Player plug-in for OS-X; Microsoft never bothered to write one. Fortunately, Safari is smart enough to offer to pass the URL to Windows Media Player if the page is constructed as a page with a plug-in. But these guys have to get fancy with their obfuscated JavaScript that never embeds the plug-in, and therefore doesn't give Safari a chance to pass the URL.

WiMP is evil, I tell you!

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Yes it is ride man.

Anyway, just watching the ride made me sick and scared! *eek!*

As for Paul, I hate him, he makes no sense most of the time, and he says everything is the best. Is he a fraud, I don't think so, but he is a big looser.

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As for Paul, I hate him, he makes no sense most of the time, and he says everything is the best. Is he a fraud, I don't think so, but he is a big looser.

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It's comical and yet sad that people can actually hate someone they don't even know. If he's a loser, why is he at their media day, and you're on coasterbuzz? lol

Raptor Pilot kind of hit on it for me, but if you get me on that thing the only advice I have is..."Look out below!!" I'll just stick to coasters, and thrill rides that don't stand 900+ feet tall thank you very much!

Way scary! I'm glad it opened right before I'm heading that way. I'm packing some bananas just in case I have the guts to get on that thing.*** This post was edited by Coaster ChickN 3/13/2005 6:08:25 PM ***