Kraken intensified? - CoasterBuzz

I was at Sea World Orlando recently and rode Kraken with my girlfriend. It seems to be running faster than usual with more intensity and force in the loops and transitions. It also seems to be running rather shaky. Could this be a result of lack of lubrication or old wheel assemblies? and has anybody else seen this recent change lately?

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I am one.
I am Turbo.

Hum, I rode Kraken "before" it was supposed to open, because unlike some other parks, Sea World actually cared enough to open it and have it ready before its scheduled opening day. My experience then was that it was a lot more intense in the afternoon. I loved the ride period, but in the afternoon, it seemed to be haulin' A in the cobra and barrel roll and towards the end of the ride. I can't say whether its more intense now than then. As for the shakiness, I don't know. That's funny because Scream has been getting the same complaints. Maybe its new wheels or something. Anyway, I think once Kraken warms it, it is more intense.

I'm beginning to wonder if the shaking is a floorless issue. I have felt the shake on B:KF, B:DK, and Medusa East. However I did not expieriance that on Medusa West. Hmmmm.....

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SFWoA Ride Op!
Boomtown 2003

Where do you go about feeling this shake on B:KF? I have noticed a distinctive whirring sound or click or something when it goes through the cobra roll. What is this noise?

It depends on the load of the train.. Empty will feel allot different than full.. and also tempatures can cause expansion resulting in a diversed ride.

Seeing as Kraken couldn't get any LESS intense, I wouldn't be all that surprised... ;)

Shaking is common among B&M sitdowns. I don't know why people make a big deal out of it. It doesn't make the ride any worse, in fact, it's hardly noticeable during the ride.
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Never Has Gravity Been So Uplifting.

I feel it usually a little in the cobra roll, but mostly in the corks. Like Bullguy stated, it doesn't ruin the ride, but it is weird on such a smooth ride to feel that vibration.

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SFWoA Ride Op!
Boomtown 2003

Kraken? Intense? :)

Actually, I thought it was. You can feel it especially well in the cobra roll and the turn around to the brakes.

Though, my other working theory is that I've become a whuss since Shockwave left.

Edited to say: Shaking is nothing new on B&Ms, every single one I've ridden has had that problem (or, more accurately, attribute.) I don't think it's a bad thing for the experience, but I'm beginning to wonder if the trains are becoming a bit stressed.

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"Well, I'm sure I'd feel much worse if I weren't under such heavy sedation." - David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
http://www.loopscrew.com
*** This post was edited by I-Nar 6/3/2003 6:35:45 PM ***

Hmmm, I've wondered several times if having the brakes grab the main beam of the train might somehow affect it. After all, that's a LOT of force.

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Scooby High Score: 1830 as of May 3!

If I recall correctly, the clicking on the BKF Cobra is a bad weld, or something similar - and apparently not B&M's fault. I invite correction if I'm wrong on this, thought.

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« adix@nedesigns.com »

Medusa West will make the click noises at different points of the ride on different days.

The Loop - rare but it happens

The Dive Loop- happens here more thanthe loop but less than the...

Heartline Camelback- almost everyday, although I have been on a couple of silent rides

The Sea Serpant- only heard it a couple of times here but it has happened.

So in Medusa's case, the heartline camelback makes the most "clicks" but the other elements will make a similar "clicks" as well. I doubt this is due to bad welds because it isn't felt at all.

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www.CaliforniaCoasterNews.com
www.SFMWZone.com

Yea apparently the company that put BKF together goofed on the cobra roll. I've heard that as well Adix.

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Jes
Jes's Roller Coasters DJ Jes
Six Flags Worlds Of Adventure Ride-Ops Crew 2002-2003(Find Me, Win a prize!)

Thanks guys, I've been wondering this since 2000 along with a group of my friends. I appreciate it!

Looking for some advise regarding Kraken, hope you guys can help.

I'll be visiting WDW for the first time in 20yrs next October. I'll be going with a non-coaster riding friend and happy that she even agreed to go to BGT and IOA. So I'll be skipping SWO to go to BGT. Will I really be missing out by skipping Kraken?

First off, I've been to SWC dozens of times, and next year we'll have our own version of Journey to Atlantis, so those attractions are not major incentives for me to visit SWO. Second, Medusa West is my hometown Beemer, which is "somewhat" similiar to Kraken. Then I'll be riding the Beemers at BGT and IOA. Given all that, does anyone feel that I'd be missing out by not going to SWO, and more important, missing out on Kraken? Is it really that good? Anyone ridden both Medusa West and Kraken, is Kraken really that much better? I can't justify blowing another $50 for one coaster, especially after riding Kumba and Hulk, but if it's really that intense, I just may have to! Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks.

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"Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it"

After riding Florida's other Beemers, my opinion is that you won't be missing out... The ride was good, but it felt like it lacked intensity, somthing it's teal cousin down in Tampa has plenty of. Kraken's zero-g roll is fun, but aside from that, I think it lacks intensity. Now don't get me wrong, any Beemer is a good Beemer, but Kraken isn't much compared to Busch's or IOA's collection.

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Never Has Gravity Been So Uplifting.

In my personal opinion, Kraken is one of the best coasters I've ridden, let alone ridden in Florida. It was definitely my fave coaster when I made the Florida swing: WDW, BGT,SWO, and both Universal parks.

As for it not being intense, I can only say that I found it to be more fun and exciting than the others, intense or not. Having not rode Medusa West, I can't compare it to that, but it's much better in my opinion than Medusa East.

You may want to check into getting a special pass that I got when I went down there. I forget what it was called, but for one price, you get unlimited access for 10 days to both Universal parks, BGT, SWO, and the big water park there in Orlando. (it also included a chartered bus to BGT from Orlando) That was the only reason I ended up going to SWO in the first place. Beacause of Kraken, I'm sure glad I did!

I recommend trying to get that special pass, I'm sorry I forgot what it was called, but if they still have it, that's your best deal. I hope this helps! :)

Take care and God bless!

Actually, for the same price as a one day admission, you can get a bronze passport pass to Sea World. Our group bought single day admission for around 51.00 a pop, and upon closer inspection, we realized that Bronze Passports cost exactly the same. So single day admission costs the same as a season pass. Go figure...

*Edit* I checked the Sea World website, and couldn't find anything on Bronze passports, so I don't know if the park is offering them anymore.

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Never Has Gravity Been So Uplifting.

*** This post was edited by BullGuy 6/18/2003 11:12:28 AM ***

GoliathKills said:
Medusa West will make the click noises at different points of the ride on different days.
The Loop - rare but it happens
The Dive Loop- happens here more thanthe loop but less than the...
Heartline Camelback- almost everyday, although I have been on a couple of silent rides
The Sea Serpant- only heard it a couple of times here but it has happened.
So in Medusa's case, the heartline camelback makes the most "clicks" but the other elements will make a similar "clicks" as well. I doubt this is due to bad welds because it isn't felt at all.
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www.CaliforniaCoasterNews.com
www.SFMWZone.com

I'm suprised most people don't know what these "clicks" are. It turns out that the actual movement of the spring-loaded anti-rollback dogs are responsible.

While I've only been on Medusa east, Medusa west, S:KC, B:DK, and Kraken, I've heard the clicking on all of these rides. You may not always hear it, because the dogs are usually only on three or four of the cars. If the train is spinning through an inversion, the negative or lateral G's will result in the dogs to bounce up and then "click" back down.

I first found out about this when I was at the Nitro grand opening, and Steve Urbonowitz (sp) was explaining what the creaking sounds were when we hit moments of airtime. This is because Nitro's anti-rollback dogs are not spring loaded, but are simply left to "dangle". I thought this sounded unsafe, but the depth of the grooves is more than nough to stop a train on the lift.

Other coasters I've noticed this on: Kumba, Incredible Hulk, Apollo's chariot.

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How much more floorless can they get?

GoliathKills said:
Medusa West will make the click noises at different points of the ride on different days.
The Loop - rare but it happens
The Dive Loop- happens here more thanthe loop but less than the...
Heartline Camelback- almost everyday, although I have been on a couple of silent rides
The Sea Serpant- only heard it a couple of times here but it has happened.
So in Medusa's case, the heartline camelback makes the most "clicks" but the other elements will make a similar "clicks" as well. I doubt this is due to bad welds because it isn't felt at all.
------------------
www.CaliforniaCoasterNews.com
www.SFMWZone.com

I'm suprised most people don't know what these "clicks" are. It turns out that the actual movement of the spring-loaded anti-rollback dogs are responsible.

While I've only been on Medusa east, Medusa west, S:KC, B:DK, and Kraken, I've heard the clicking on all of these rides. You may not always hear it, because the dogs are usually only on three or four of the cars. If the train is spinning through an inversion, the negative or lateral G's will result in the dogs to bounce up and then "click" back down.

I first found out about this when I was at the Nitro grand opening, and Steve Urbonowitz (sp) was explaining what the creaking sounds were when we hit moments of airtime. This is because Nitro's anti-rollback dogs are not spring loaded, but are simply left to "dangle". I thought this sounded unsafe, but the depth of the grooves is more than enough to stop a train on the lift.

Other coasters I've noticed this on: Kumba, Incredible Hulk, Apollo's chariot.

However, there could be sudden creaks or groans that are a result of stress to the wheel assemblies or structure.

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How much more floorless can they get?
*** This post was edited by GreatAdventureAddict 6/18/2003 11:28:46 AM ***