KK vs TTD ( I know...)

Hello everyone!

I know this has been posted over and over again, but I am trying to write an essay about this and need some REAL GOOD information from all of you.

If you have been on BOTH of these rides, please let me know which one you think is better and why. I don't care which one you pick, just that you give accurate information.

Thanks to everyone who helps me!

An essay for what class? Internet coaster nerds 101?

My guess is it's for some type of writing class. Probably a paper based on academic argumentation (in this case coaster A vs coaster B).

To me, the launch feels slightly more intense on Kingda Ka. However, I really couldn't tell any difference in the two rides when going through the top hat. If it is faster and taller, you certainly can't tell.

Dragster has a really complicated safety system, so much that it leads to a lot of downtime. The blocking was improved on Kingda Ka, and is much simpler. Even operating the ride is a breeze in New Jersey- trains are not waiting needlessly like on Dragster. In addition, it appears that Kingda Ka is more flexible when it comes to running two, three, and four trains. On Dragster, running with 6 trains is no longer possible, and running with an even amount of trains means even more waiting for the pairs of trains to move in tandem (called Multi-move).

The controls were also simplified on Kingda Ka. Operators on one side of the station can send their two trains when the other two trains have cleared the top hat. The operators in each station advance the train- there is no "main" control panel that operators use like on Dragster. Instead, there is simply an operator monitoring the launch area, and launching trains as they move out of the station. On Dragster, the main controls operator cannot advance the trains (in auto mode) without having the other operators push their "ready" and "clear" buttons. In some ways, it's good to have more staff monitoring the platform ala Dragster, but on the other hand, Kingda Ka can operate fully with less staff than Dragster.

Capacity: You might think that Dragster's five trains means a higher capacity, but in my experience, running four trains out of two stations is faster than five trains out of what effectively become four stations. Simply put, four train operation on Kingda Ka means the trains come back to the same place they started. Cedar Point's five train operation means trains have to go through the course twice to end up back at the same loading area. Kindga Ka just makes more sense, requires less staff, and has more trains moving than Dragster - which results in a higher capacity (Of course, Six Flags does a lot that hurts that capacity, like FastLane and notoriously slow operators).

Structurally, Kingda Ka was an improvement, but only because the ride has more supports on the vertical turns. It’s not like Dragster is falling apart or anything, but I’m sure the extra supports can’t hurt.

Cedar Point does have the advantage when it comes to actual ride maintenance. Dragster does appear to be open more than it’s cousin in New Jersey.

Again, Kingda Ka was an improvement in the sense that the restraints are more accommodating, and one might argue, safer. Dragster’s seat belt nightmares mean many average folks find themselves unable to ride. In theory, there is nothing that makes lap bars more unsafe than harnesses, but Intamin screwed up by trusting the operator’s judgment on “how closed is closed.” If the seatbelt doesn’t connect from the harness to the car, the harness is open too much, and you can’t ride, simple as that.

Well anyway, those are some of my observations about some technical aspects of the ride. I’ll try and answer more questions if you have them.

I prefer Dragster. The launch is smoother and "feels" more intense to me. Ka seems shaky in places and seems to "shift gears" where Dragster is just BAM....full speed in less than 2 seconds.

I prefer the lapbars. There is more freedom.

The only advantage Ka has over Dragster is that heavenly hill at the end. :-P

Overall, though, I love my Dragster the best. :)

-Tina

I honestly didn't get anything out of the "airtime hill" and therefore prefer Dragster because I remember it being much smoother and slightly more intense.

Last time I rode TTD was May 2006, then KK was on July 2006...

From my experiences on both, they are pretty close on my list, but Kingda Ka beat TTD IMO. Here are my reasons:

Kingda Ka have more intense launch than TTD, sure you can feel the "shift gears", but I CAN tell that it's faster than TTD. Also, while traveling upward, I could feel longer climbing toward the top hat than TTD does.

Then that airtime hill... I got a good amount of airtime. Don't ask me why some people didnt get any airtime. But I sure can feel it by slamming my shoulders to OTSR.

Only thing in my mind that TTD could beat KK on is its theming.

The phrasing of the question MIGHT get your thread locked.....just so ya know... ;)

Having ridden both TTD and KK in just the past few months...I like StormRunner! :)

Seriously, though, the launch is considerably smoother on TTD, and I'd be tempted to say that the extra 8mph leaves you less time "hung at the top" for your viewing pleasure....*would* be tempted...'cept I saw a rollback on Ka from the Toro line...overall, the additional "roughness" on Ka's launch is kinda like the vibrations on the floorless models, enough to NOTICE, not enough to deduct significant points from the tally. Given the slight extra speed, and the nebulous idea in my mind that KK had *another gear*, I give the nod on launch to Ka.

Airtime hill...SHOULD give the nod to Ka....but I didn't FEEL it. Not a bit of it....maybe my airtime sensor was on the fritz? If so, why did it get fixed by the time I hit Toro ? No points for that "hill" in my book.

Height/view? Once you pass 400', I'd call that a draw. Sure, Ka is taller, but *relatively*, the difference between the two is negligible when comared to the third-tallest coaster going...;)

Restraints? No-brainer, TTD, hands down.

Ordinarily, I don't take operations into account when comparing RIDES....and I'll stick to my philosophy on that...but you KNOW what I'm thinking...'nuff said.

I guess I'd call the whole showdown a draw...if both were sitting next to each other on a midway, and had equal lines/wait times, I'd probably take Ka. But only by a whisker... :)

*** Edited 10/16/2006 1:52:20 PM UTC by rollergator***

I could never understand why people come on this site to ask questions about an essay or a report for school, secondly why would anyone write a report or essay about coasters in the first place.

Never the less, I agree with Coasterfreak when they said about the "switching gears" on Kingda Ka, you definately notice that feeling. But I also have to agree with rollergator about Stormrunner too. :)

But what about Xcellerator?

^ My highschool would make educational trips to PCW to study the forces of gravity, physics, and structural design. What if he was asked to come up with a project dedicated towards physics and it could be anything. I think a roller coaster would be an excellent choice. Discovery channel is interested in amusement parks and coasters, that must mean something don't you think?

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Ride On!

Stormrunner
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Xcelerator
Dragster
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Kingda Ka
Tiger Terror @ Wild Adventures ;)

I couldn't even enjoy Ka. Way too shakey and rattly, especially during the launch, a really poor view outside the front seat, a very lacking camelback at the end, and the shift-launch was annoying as well. It'd more closely relate the ride to the late Viper from the same park even if it is designed like TTD. Dragster does everything right compared to KK. I prefer Great Adventure as a park (if you were as lucky as I've been with this park, you'd understand), but the ride itself is number two. And I don't mean second place. ;)

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CoasterDiscern said:
Makes fun of his essey when Peabody is a coaster nerd himself. I just think your comment was not called for.

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CoasterDiscern said:
Appropriate comment Peabody.

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Dude....do you have multiple personality disorder? How can you once say how appropriate my joke was and then later say it wasn't called for?

Nonetheless, consider these 4 things: #1, I'm a coaster nerd. #2, You're a coaster nerd. #3, Everyone on this site is a coaster nerd. #4, it was a joke

+Danny...did you FORGET about Hypersonique....or just didn't care for it....maybe you didn't RIDE it? Or perhaps it didn't make the list since it's not Intamin?

For sheer FORCE of launch, I think it's still the best LAUNCH I've ridden...granted, the rest of the ride is....well, not there...(kinda like the others EXCEPT StormRunner, LOL).... :)

Dude...you don't get it....re read what you said in your first post, and perhaps look up "appropriate" in the dictionary. If you were trying to tell me it wasn't called for that's the wrong word :)

Either way, everyone else seemed to get it was a stupid little joke, and I'm sure the original poster realized that as well. And besides....just chill out. *** Edited 10/16/2006 8:06:18 PM UTC by Peabody***

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Fun said:

Dragster has a really complicated safety system, so much that it leads to a lot of downtime. The blocking was improved on Kingda Ka, and is much simpler. Even operating the ride is a breeze in New Jersey- trains are not waiting needlessly like on Dragster. In addition, it appears that Kingda Ka is more flexible when it comes to running two, three, and four trains. On Dragster, running with 6 trains is no longer possible, and running with an even amount of trains means even more waiting for the pairs of trains to move in tandem (called Multi-move).

The controls were also simplified on Kingda Ka. Operators on one side of the station can send their two trains when the other two trains have cleared the top hat. The operators in each station advance the train- there is no "main" control panel that operators use like on Dragster. Instead, there is simply an operator monitoring the launch area, and launching trains as they move out of the station. On Dragster, the main controls operator cannot advance the trains (in auto mode) without having the other operators push their "ready" and "clear" buttons. In some ways, it's good to have more staff monitoring the platform ala Dragster, but on the other hand, Kingda Ka can operate fully with less staff than Dragster.

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Since Ka uses a dual load platform similar to Batwing/X-Flight you'd figure that they would've simply integrated the control panel....the two flyers use a single panel in which the op<or ops> simply hit a switch to control the functions for station's one or two as needed.

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rollergator said:
+Danny...did you FORGET about Hypersonique....or just didn't care for it....maybe you didn't RIDE it? Or perhaps it didn't make the list since it's not Intamin?

For sheer FORCE of launch, I think it's still the best LAUNCH I've ridden...granted, the rest of the ride is....well, not there...(kinda like the others EXCEPT StormRunner, LOL).... :)

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I haven't ridden it Billamy. :(

Gator: You're right.....Hypersonic and Dodonpa are the too most amazing launches out there. TTD and KK are mild by comparison.

But...the best launch in America isn't even on a coaster...it's on the drag racers at Old Town. We were clockied at hitting 119 in 1.83 seconds. Take that Intamin! :)

I have ridden Top Thrill Dragster, but I haven't ridden Kingda Ka, and am also interested in what people feel about which is better. When this question appears on internet messages boards, it seems to me most people have these opinions. The people who like Dragster feel it is better because it is a smoother ride, has lapbar restraints, and is themed better. The Kingda Ka supporters feel it has a more intense launch and the airtime hill make it superior, though many think it adds nothing to the ride. Most feel that the extra speed and heighth does nothing in making Kingda Ka better.

As for myself, I've only ridden Top Thrill Dragster, but I've seen many pictures and the onride video of Kingda Ka, and I'd have to give TTD the edge. I'd say there basically the same ride but I think the reason TTD is better is because of the lack of over the shoulder restraints and the theming and experiance. I like how TTD launch is right there out on the midway, with the christmas tree lights and the grandstands right next to it. Kingda Ka, it seems to me, launches far away from the crowds, and doesn't have as much theming as TTD. I guess I'll have to get to Great Adventure to try it and make a full judgement.

As for capacity, I thought TTD had KK beat by a lot? I've heard alot that KK only runs 2 trains whereas TTD runs 5, TTD trains carry 2 more riders, and Six Flags horrid ride operation doesn't help alot. I know I've read trip reports that say KK line can be as long as 3 hrs, TTD usually doesn't get over 1 and a half hrs. Also, I think TTD is more reliable, it hasn't been broken down very much this year.

I have ridden both coasters multiple times. When I think long and hard about it, I come up with TTD being my favorite, for many reasons.

A) I like the pre-ride and theming better. I actually get really pumped up before the launch on TTD. Ready to Go and all the theming does it for me. And also, you can't compare a loud (annoying) horn with tire squeals and such. ;)

B) The lapbars. I feel so free in them, and it made the ride so much more enjoyable for me.

C) Overall ride experience. TTD seems to have a stronger launch to me. I also like going over the top slowly, almost feeling like you're going to get a rollback. The extra hill on KK didn't do it for me.

Those are some of my feelings on the two. I hope they help. :)

Reason for an coaster related essay? Easy. Its something I can write about for a while. I hate writing about topics I don't like. 10 pages of coaster talk would be a lot easier than a political topic. Its an Argument and persuasion paper, and I know people will always have different views on these two rides. Makes for an easy paper.

I don't find any offense in your joke, I kind of saw it coming.

Thanks everyone for helping out! *** Edited 10/17/2006 1:13:51 AM UTC by slakerX***