Odyssey: 265 foot SLC for 2002

This isn't exactly new to the coaster world, but I have a feeling most of you haven't heard about this:

The following excerpt is quoted from the ECC's First Drop #52.

"Fantasy Island (Ingoldmells, England) signed the contract of their world record breaking Vekoma suspended looping coaster (SLC) on 9 August 2000. The ride will be constructed over the following two winters with the foundations beins constructed this winter and the ride structure and track going into place during 2001/2002. Slated fo a May 2002 opening the ride is currently called Odyssey."

"The 265 foot ride will feature a 200 foot vertical loop and a 4,200 foot course. With the two world records being the longest length and highest vertical loop for an SLC and European records for the steepest drop and height and UK record for the claimed cost of 18 millon pounds."

My, my!

I understand that it was printed in a magazine, but I still have a hard time believing this one. Why would vekoma make such a huge jump in their slc's? Is a 200ft loop even possible? Something just seems fishy about the whole thing. But hey, if it is made i would want to be the first one to ride it.

All I can say is ouch. The amount of headbanging on a standard SLC is painful enough, and these coasters are only about 115' tall. Imagine the headache that a SLC with a 265' foot drop would give.

(Bringing back old thread)

OK guys, I must have missed something....for a long time we were all talking about this 265 foot invert with the 200 foot loop. Now in recent threads, and other sites, everything says that the coaster is actuall 160 something feet tall with a 140 something (or whatever) loop.

So.....what happened? Why the big change? Was the park hoping no one would notice it was 100 feet shorter than they claimed, or what? I'm a little confused! Anyone know the real answer? I must have overlooked it or something.

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- Peabody

Jubilee Odyssey is only 2924 feet long. The so called near vertical 265 drop is actually a 60 degree first drop of only 141 feet. The ride height is 167 feet and the loop is 124 feet tall which pulls 4.8 G's.

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Lake Compounce-So Fresh and So Clean Clean

Boulder Dash-I'm just so happy to have you babe'

I got that. I was asking what happened?

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- Peabody

Peabody - after signing the contract park management actually rode an SLC and decided they better make the ride shorter to lessen the pain on their guests?

Guest a guess.

Moosh

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"Mmmmm....forbidden donut!" - Homer Simpson

Peabody said:

I got that. I was asking what happened?
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- Peabody

We like to call it miscalculating. Except this one was blown way out of proportion.

British parks are known for false advertising. They do things like advertise the height of a coaster measured from sea level rather than from ground level at the coaster.

By that method of measuring my Knex Screamin Demon is 300 feet tall. And just imagine how tall it would be if I lived in Denver or Salt Lake City.

The British park exaggeration thing is very true, especially with Fantasy Island, however only on one occasion did the sea level thing happen and its Blackpool saying the Big One is 235ft when its been accurately measured at 214ft, and as its right on the sea front everyone turned a blind eye!!

....and here I was *thinking* that all of the "false claims" were based on inaccurate conversions from metric units....;)

Oh , and Fantasy Island advertises that they have the tallest and largest looping in Europe which is also a lie.

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Lake Compounce-So Fresh and So Clean Clean

Yeah, but the same think happens in the USA (parks lying about height). See the stratosphere and SFMW.