Kingda Ka debuts to press as world's tallest and fastest

Haha...I love the first line in the report:

"A roller coaster unlike anything anyone has ever seen..."

Well, if you're from around here, then it probably IS unlike anything anyone has ever seen. Although if that were said on a national broadcast, that'd be a little suspect.This made front page news in my local paper too.

The link is really long, so just go to http://www.northjersey.com and the article is right there on the main page. I find it interesting that they make two specific points: 1) that many internet rumors (including the "dummies lost their heads and arms and legs" one) are patently untrue, and 2) that they put such significant emphasis on rollbacks, and how they're a "normal occurrence."

EDIT: A link to the article; can't seem to make it work in html, so if a mod could fix it, that'd be much appreciated.
link

*** This post was edited by Nitro Dave 5/20/2005 7:49:35 PM ****** This post was edited by Jeff 5/22/2005 1:43:06 AM ***

Sadly, thats me with my cheeks flapping. I figured I'd admit it before someone makes fun of me LOL

They also have serveral LARGE signs warning that rollbacks are a completely normal occurance. I was on the one and only rollback yesterday in the front car, second row and its a very cool feeling!

edit - I should have noted that I'm talking about the northjersey.com article ;)*** This post was edited by RTneedsTLC 5/20/2005 12:20:48 PM ***

Well I thought the comment at the end:

'Engineers at Great Adventure say it's possible to build a faster, taller coaster. But, observes Axelrod, given the expense and the practical limits of today's technology, Kingda Ka is likely to be the heavyweight champ of coaster for quite some time.'

Is kind of funny. How long ago was Top Thrill Dragster built.....and they said the exact same thing....

That is pixie on the front page!! WOOT

GO CARA!!!

So how are the OTSRs?

^ I even have an older Sandor-Interview on tape, where he states that TTD is not a ride (for Intamin) to earn money with as he thinks that no one else will buy another one. I guess they would have never thought that the rocket coaster would become one of their best sellers and that they would even upstage TTD after such a short time.

The question is, what other park would invest 25-35 mil to put another one of these in? Could Dragster be modified to be taller?

As for the OTSR, I like the lapbars better. But, you really hardly notice them. I noticed the huge thick bar over my waist more than the shoulder bar. In fact, I don't think I even touched the shoulder bar except for rides in the very back and even then contact was minimal. They do not effect arm movement at all which is a good thing.

http://www.ejonline.net/kkmediaday/KKCBS3Aweb.wmv

I have a question., who is the grey hair guy that was interviewed? Is that they guy that everyone hates in ACE? (I forget his name) that says every coaster is his favorit? If so I have a stroy about this guy.. he talked to me while I was getting food!

WOOT that is me on the left in the front.. this is the frist ride!! (on the cbs page)*** This post was edited by Earnhardt2 5/20/2005 1:28:33 PM ***

The OTSR don't bother you untill the day after... my sholders are sore.. I talked to pixie, and my guest today and they said the same thing!

I was also on the one and only rollback yesterday. It was funny, the launch prior we thought we weren't going to make it over, but barely did. Then the next launch, rollback. We were in the middle of the train. Stalled for a second or so before falling back. We only had 7 people in our train, so the ride ops quickly realized they needed more weight.

As for the OTSR, you really dont notice them. My shoulders never hit the OTSR. But you do definitely feel the lapbar.

I rode it twice yesterday once in the front row and once in the back. I liked the back so much more and I don't know why. Overall it was a good fun ride. That lauch is amazing my face was flapping in the wind. I don't like the restraint system but they did not hurt me. They are hard core strick about lose items if you don't have a zipper pocket they make you get a locker. I watched a gentleman with a fanny pack argue with them. So if your gonna wear a fanny pack pull your shirt over it. Kingda Ka q hold 4 hours worth of people and is so much nicer than TTD.

this is an incredible ride. WOW 128 mph.!!!!the theming looks really nice , centers around a whole new themed area.WOW. It seems that the taste for taller, faster, is still out there. good for SIx flags. Lets hope that this will shoot there attendance out of the ball park. Its a huge park so the coaster looks like it fits in well.

also the new report was really good.

I missed that rollback by two trains :( . I was just surprised at how much the rollback screwed up the system. It took at least 15 minutes to relaunch the train, after rolling it all the way back into the station and resetting it.

I didn't mind the the OTSRs at all. They really only cause a little minor bruising on the upper arm when putting your hands up.*** This post was edited by geneticfreak 5/20/2005 5:17:41 PM ***

I have heard rumors, AND I REPEAT, THEY ARE JUST RUMORS, (although from a fairly reliable source) that they will not/are not launching any trains if you are not holding the black handles on the lap bar.

How/why this is necessary is beyond me since anyone who wants to hold their hands up is going to once the ride launches. Seems to me that if this RUMOR is true, it will just add more delays to launch time/capacity along with the anticipated delays of people who ignore the "loose items" rules.

geneticfreak......my experience with TTD is that it took much longer than than 15 minutes to reset everything after rollbacks. If 15 mins is the norm for Kingda Ka, we should be happy.

The reset didn't take too long. It was the breakdown that killed lots of time.

I SUPPOSED TO BE ON THAT TRAIN!!...the rollback one. They asked to let some media people in the front seat before me. SSOOOO pissed.

Yes that me on the front page. I am in the 2nd row, black shirt. I look like crap, but u can't really look great at 128mph. Fine w/ me. I may be doing a TR shortly.

I got bruises from the OTSRs, one on each arm. lol But idn if its because i bruise easily or because I rode 7 times. hehe.

~Cara

Quote from PIXIE "look like crap, but u can't really look great at 128mph. Fine w/ me. I may be doing a TR shortly.

I got bruises from the OTSRs, one on each arm. lol But idn if its because i bruise easily or because I rode 7 times. hehe."

First of all you always look like crap! lol

I hate you for getting that extra ride... but that is waht happens when you get interviewed like 20+ times :(

QUOTE

"I have heard rumors, AND I REPEAT, THEY ARE JUST RUMORS, (although from a fairly reliable source) that they will not/are not launching any trains if you are not holding the black handles on the lap bar."

well we kept our hands down untill we started moving! never once did they hold a launch during media day.

-Jeremy Delong*** This post was edited by Earnhardt2 5/20/2005 6:05:43 PM ***