SFoT - Mr. Freeze Testing with Lap Bars

Sean F. said:
While at IAAPA last week, it was told from a Premier Rep that all Six Flags Premier coastes are going to lap bars!

Hey Sean

Mike Parker said that Premier Rides didn't have anything to do with the lap bars and that it was a total Paramount project. Is that true?
He said they'd have to pay Paramount to get the lap bars I believe.

Soggy:
Totally agree with you about SFoT Freeze! That and Speed were the smoothest LIM coasters from Premier ever. I definitely will not complain about lap bars however, they did WONDERS on Robin!
Mmmm...heartline with lap bars...I bet the top hat is gonna be nuts!

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"That's BS you MF! They're WT!" -- CP's R&D team

*** This post was edited by Legendary on 11/22/2001. ***

Actually I talked to a ride op at SFGAdv and I know all of you are thinking not again not some ride op bs but he said Premier were responsible for the lap bars I believe him because he seemed to know what he was talking about.

Legendary,

While it is true that Paramount had some say in the design of the lap bars for the new Premire coasters, I think Premier takes most of the credit. From what I have been told, the Son of Beast lap bar system, as well as the Flight of Fear versions, were co-developed with Paramount. Now, I am not sure if they get any royalities for lab bars on non-Paramount coasters or not, but I do know they helped design that particular modification.

What if there testing the Robin trains in the tophat so they know if they will do well on Batman?

Why would they ship the Robin train 10 states away to see if it would work well on Batman when they could have just put the Robin train *on* Batman?
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"That's BS you MF! They're WT!" -- CP's R&D team

They are definatly trying to see if it would work well on the Mr Freeze model but I know as soon as the season ended at SFGAdv that the Robin train has already tested and worked fine on the Batman side.

Paramount may have had a say in what they wanted with the lap bars at FOF, but it was all premier that designed them. I spoke with the guy himself that was overseeing the lap bar modifications on robin, numerous times over the 3 weeks it took for robin to open to public, and he explained the whole project in great detail. Paramount has no say in any of the coasters that may be getting the lap bars that aren't in Paramount parks. And every train won't be exactly the same, they will all have slight differences here and there, such as the robin having the foot pedal in front row of each car...it was there when it first came in, but they had to raise it because the road wheels were scraping against them. But Mr freeze might be different, or even Batman of chiller...each individual premier launcher will be tested and have slight differences in the trains. Some tall people might fit on one, and not the other.

I think Sean heard the same thing I did from the same person. It does appear to be a Paramount phenomenon. In fact, the same person will tell you they license the Flying Dutchman as a semi-Paramount design. Good plan if you ask me, seeing as how they might as well get whatever they can out of the R&D dollars they spent.

I might add that apparently Premier was not the only vendor contacted about doing the lap bar retrofit.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

That is true Jeff but I assume that Paramount doesn't get any money for Chiller or any coaster from a SF park getting lap bars.

Why not? If they paid for the R&D and own the intellectual property (remember these lap bars are basically very close to those found in the SOB trains), then they certainly may have that arrangement.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

Jeff, you are correct about the Vekoma Flying Dutchman was a semi-Paramount design also. As a matter of fact, a 'little birdie' mentioned to me that both updated versions that appeard this year were originally going to be installed at Paramount Parks...........but Paramount decided not to go with them. It's pretty easy to guess which parks were going to originally get them. =:^)

We must know the same bird. ;)

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

Argh. I can't take this "insider" talk. I want to know all of the PR reps and park management! You guys are lucky! Don't forget that.
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Craig,

I originally heard about the Paramount "future Stealth installations" form not a park person. It was actually from a very credible Vekoma employee........while I was riding Stealth last year. However, I did talk to a park person about it also.

Jeff, that is where the 'birdie' comes into play. And yes, I am betting it is the same.

Sean (a worm for the bird?) F.

Will the lap bars be ready for next season? Remember they have 2 trains to do not 1 like both sides to the Chiller.

We all know Premier are getting the lap bar treatment, but what about other manufacturers like Arrow? I'd like to see their older megaloopers retrofitted as well. Do you think we'll see a trend?

If what I have heard is correct, at least one of the Mr. Freeze trains at SFoT will be ready and waiting for us in March. They may not open with two trains, but then again, they rarely do because the crouds are so light the first few weekends. The little chirping SFoT birdies say that Mr. Freeze's trains have mysteriously disappeared..is this a work of Premier..or..dun dun dun! BATMAN!?..okay..I'm done :) .