Pros/Cons: Flyers, Floorless

Never been on either style. To me, floorless doesn't seem like it would be too exciting, especially after riding on a number of inverteds. Nevertheless, many people seem to be giving them higher praise than the seemingly more revolutionary flyers.

Thoughts?

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SFGAm: 1)DV 2)V2 3)AE Blue 4)Viper 5)Bull

I think that floorless coasters a neat, but they cant hold up to most inverteds. Now a flyer I have yet to ride.

that's because people praise anything from B&M, while they think anything from Vekoma is crap. Batwing is much bettter than SKC. I've been on 1 flyer and 1 floorless, and I'd rather ride more flyers than another floorless.

My opinion on floorless coasters...yes they are cool, but once you get past the first row, the view isn't much different than a B&M Hyper (Raging Bull).

That being said, if the two choices for a new ride at SFGAm were either a B&M floorless or a B&M flying machine, I'd choose the flyer, hands down.

True, with the B&M floorless, they have inversions and such, but I think the GP would see it as being too similar to RB which is on the other side of the park.

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Le roi est mort. Vive le roi.
Thanks Great America!

After riding my first floorless last week (Batman Knight Flight), I can say for sure that they are NOT overrated at all. These things are fun (even if you're not taking the front row).

Now when it comes to intensity, Knight Flight is packed with TONS of it. I wasn't sure if it was the wind my face intensity or from the Gs themselves, but that ride was WILD. And if there's ANYONE who can tell me it gets better than Knight Flight, then I'm down on catching a plane to the next toprail floorless coaster ;)

But Knight Flight isn't my top B&M coaster, it's still a great ride though!

Kraxle....ever had a ride on batwing or X-flight?? i was just reminded(by the ride itself), of how many G's batwing pulls. the only B&M that i have been on that REALLY pulls alot of positives is incredible hulk.

EDIT: I forgot Raptor @ CP...now theres a good one too ;-)

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#1-MF #2-S:RoS #3-WT

*** This post was edited by coasterdude04 on 8/10/2002. ***

Floorless is great , but to me the effect is diminished unless u are in the front seat and can see the track rushing underneath your feet, otherwise it just feels like another sit down B&M looper. Great ride, but give me a flyer anyday, and i might get plenty of eye rolls for saying this, but i prefer Batwing and XFlight over Superman:Ultimate Flight. Gotta give it to Vekoma, the restraints were comfortable as easy chairs, and their flyers pack alot of positive and negative G punches that to me SUF seemed to lack.

From my experiences I enjoy Floorless much more. I've ridden Medusa(west) and B:KF. The only flyer I've ridden is Stealth. While I think Stealth is an decent coaster, I thoroughly enjoyed both floorless models I've ridden. To me Stealth didn't have much of re-rideable factor. After I've had ridden it a few times I just went back to Top Gun(which is a sweet inverted) :).

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Steel: 1)MF, 2)Goliath, 3)Magnum
Wood: 1)Villain, 2)Beast, 3)Roar(SFMW)

I would rather have a floorless over an inverted or a vekoma FD. Inverteds are fun, but they don't have that "wow" factor (IMHO). FD's are just rough and uninspiring....again IMHO. I now await my crucifixion :)

kRaXLeRidAh,

I ridden B:KF and Medusa(west). While I think B:KF is a very good ride, Medusa blows it away. My favorite B&M of all time, as well as my favorite looper.

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Steel: 1)MF, 2)Goliath, 3)Magnum
Wood: 1)Villain, 2)Beast, 3)Roar(SFMW)

Floorlesses: Medusa East, Kraken, B:KF....B:KF, with its compact layout and twisting track, has the positive G's I crave....although I never have figured what is supposed to make them better than a standard sit-down....Kraken and Medusa were fun and all, but too "spread out" in layout for me.....

I've ridden all the US flyers, and while S:UF has clearly the best element, I'd take any of the VFDs.....better overall layout IMO....

Floorless coasters are so fun because your feet are so close to the ground.

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Superman Ultimate Flight smoked Vekoma’s X-Flight. I liked the seat better and it just gave a better ride overall. I still though X-Flight was great when I rode it, but S:UF is the better flyer.

Having rode Batman Knight Flight and Kraken, I can say they are quite enjoyable and I would not have any complaint if a park got a Flyer or Floorless.

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“If you give a enthusiast a footer.......He’ll want a coaster!!!"

To me if the floorless aspect doesn't work for you, it's still a sit down B&M looper. So, if the ride is weak, it has very little to do with the fact that it's floorless. Batman:Knight Flight is one of my favorite B&Ms for this very reason. Take away the floorless gimmick, and you've still got a great sit down ride.

I'm not a big fan of flyers, B&M OR Vekoma. The "hang" aspect doesn't do much for me and feel unnatural. I do hope we see more though, with various layouts. I'd love to be converted at some point.

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"Escuse me, can you tell me where the heck the Mystery Lodge is"?

Medusa West is way better than X-Flight. It has airtime, possitives and flies the whole time. I don't know what the big deal with the front row is, I perfer the intense last row over the boring front any day.

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www.EverythingRollerCoaster.com

If floorless coasters aren't any worse than their sit-down counterparks, I don't see why anyone can have a problem with them. They provide the same ride, but with that little extra something.

In IOA's case, I can completely understand Hulk being a sit-down coaster... Don't want anything to fall into those tires!

As for the argument of the floorless vs. the flyer, it all depends on the ride. I mean, the most intense flying coaster is better than the least intense floorless model, and the same goes for the opposite situation.

If I had a choice between, say, Medusa (SFMW) or S:UF for SFGAm, I might just have to say Medusa based on ride length and the amount of fun it is, whereas S:UF is very short, and certainly is not going to be the best flying coaster in about 3 years. If they give us an improved version (hopefully) we'll see.

I've ridden all the American floorless coasters except Kraken. I vastly preferrd them over X-Flight/Batwing/Stealth. Then I took a few spins on S:UF. To me, it's right up there with the best of the best floorless coasters, and head and shoulders above the Vekoma and Zamperla flyers.

(I'll still take a good woodie or hyper over anything looping anyday!)

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- Peabody

Goku2216 brings up a good point about the flying coasters....just as with the hypers, I prefer one company's tracks and another's trains....with the flyers, it's clearly the Beemers for me in terms of trains/seats....loading and unloading is way easier, the view less restricted, and the seats more comfy.....however, as noted, the layout of S:UF leaves something to be desired once you get past the pretzel loop.....I was hoping for *something* in terms of the tunnel....not necessarily expecting Nessie's tunnel, but something more....

Gotta agree with Peabody...as long as it's even a decent woodie or the hyper has the "blessed" I-trains....I just don't get a *hyper* feeling over those Beemer trains....they all feel like FAMILY rides to me....

For reference, I've been on all six US B&M Floorless, both B&M Flyers and all three Vekoma flyer versions.

IMO, the duration, height, speed, and variety of elements on the floorless coasters far surpasses any of the the flyer models, B&M or otherwise. For example, I would rather have SKC, Kraken, Medusa West, Batman Knight Flight, and Medusa East all over SUF, Air, or the three Dutchman.

I'm a sucker for long, enjoyable rides, what can I say. I really, really dig SUF and Air, but for my money, a large (non BDK) B&M floorless would be the best.

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It tastes like burning.

SFNE Dude said:

Floorless coasters are so fun because your feet are so close to the ground.

You mean so close to the...track?