Should coasters be punished for being overhyped?

Actually when I was at BGT last Fall I asked a ride op if they would duel Gwazi and they said yes. Well, long story short, they didn't. I asked why they didn't and they said it would've taken too long of a wait to send the other train. The ironic thing is that it was the last train of the night as the park was closing!! I was kind of upset. So when I got down the exit I saw a ride supervisor and made a small complaint about it (what a hypocrite, eh?). She said that it was an upper management directive not to duel the trains because it decreases capacity. I said what's the point of advertising it as a dueling woodie and not duel it and she said that she totally agreed with me. IMO if they want to increase capacity, why don't they speed up the loading process?

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Is it the roar of Kumba or the kumba of Roar? Discuss!

From a conversation I had with the ops at BGT – they will TRY to duel Gwazi if (a) the park is very empty, (b) a group splits itself between the two trains, or (c) you ask very nicely. Well, when I was there in the middle of December the park was totally vacant so I asked nicely. They actually tried to duel them… however, it seems that there are two ops (one for each side) dispatching and no computer controlled lift hill (like Dueling Dragons). So unless the ops at dispatch send the trains at exactly the same time, the dueling effect is lost. (It may not work this way, I’ve only been there once… anyone more knowledgeable care to comment…)

But, back on topic… the "hype" told me Gwazi was a dueling coaster and I rode expecting a duel. When it didn’t duel, I was let down. Was this the ride’s fault??? It was still a good ride. I’d say it was the park’s fault for over-hyping it.

I rode Gwasi last March, first thing in the morning, and the trains were dueling... however they passed each other so fast, that the dueling effect was not all that impressive (probably more impressive if you are on the ground watching the ride rather than actually riding it.)  That being said, I still think it was a really good coaster.

For what it is worth... I would take a non dueling Gwasi over many other coasters anyday (including Kennywood's lauded woodies and IOA's dueling iguanas) 

'moosh, SFoG advertised Acrophobia as a "standing" Gyro Drop...it was just the first thing that came to mind when I thought of parks "overhyping" a ride.  I wasn't referring to anything specific YOU had said, more of a general comment regarding the SOMETIMES suspicious marketing "tactics" employed.  Don't get me wrong, I thought that Acro was a really good ride, I was only referring to what appears to me to be some serious marketing...a REAL standing Gyro-Drop sounds like a leg breaker to me...

Back to the second-best woodie in FL...Gwazi IS a really good GCI, although personally I think the RIDE aspect of ROAR (only been on SFA's) is more than a tad better.  I will LOVE to get ahold of LR to check out those Millennium Flyer trains...if they want Gwazi to duel, simply revert to the one-check procedure that EVERY other park uses on EVERY other wooden coaster I've ever been on...if not, just stop advertising the ride as dueling...

I went in July 2001 and Gwazi was dueling every time I rode it, both in the morning with non-existant lines and in the afternoon with lines down to the Tiger/Lion separate entrances, so I can't relate to what's going on there.

What I still can't believe is that Cedar Point advertised both Mantis and Mean Streak in the "Fearsome Five". Well, I guess people are afraid of MS's beating bore of a ride and Mantis's leg strain for many people. Plus, they have fearsome sounding names, so I guess they got me there. Very clever CP. ;) But I still think it would have been a better idea to put Power Tower and Demon Drop in the fearsome five instead. Many only I have those opinions on MS and Mantis though. :)

I'm usually not a harsh critic on anything and usually am pretty open just to ride any coasters and wait and form my own opinions once I ride. If I didn't, I don't suspect I would be interested in riding all the Python Pits or see the new Britney movie this weekend... I don't always seem to be in the popular opinion of things, but its how I feel and not how I'm taught to think.

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Danny, who's glad he visited a particular park before he found the internet and was taught to think it was the best and who loves Space Mountain

** no offense to those who think for themselves, and I'm not saying anyone here doesn't

R-gator - Ah...OK, I got it now.  Thanks for 'splaining ;-)

Rollergator --

I am confused about your Acro comment.  You are in the standing position, I'd say it's a stand up Gyro Drop.  The positions of the seats (stands?) aer very different than regular Giant Drop cars.  I think that is why they chose the term "standing" Gyro Drop.

Either way though, there *is* a stand-up Intamin Free Fall in Drayton Manor (Apocolypse, I believe), with a floor and all.  I've never heard of any complaints about leg pain.

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"Look for the big black sack of Mofuggin Nuts at your local grocery store". -- Radio ad in FL

I guess I consider Acro a "leaning forward" gyro-drop...the view of the onrushing ground is cool, and I DO like the ride.  It's just I don't think putting us in standard inverted-coaster type seats and tilting them 15 degrees counts as standing.  And I don't consider THAT big of a change from the "normal" Gyro-Drop seats...I'm sure many will disagree...
Now as for Apocalypse, I certainly can't speak for a ride I haven't been on, but it seems like jumping straight down from a high place and landing flat-footed sounds kinda hard on the knees...Of course, with proper SLOWING of the ride before hitting bottom, I'm sure it can be done comfortably...I'd LOVE to check it out...
The funniest part of this whole discussion is these things definitely do NOT count as coasters in my book, but what the hay....

*** This post was edited by rollergator on 2/14/2002. ***

nbvkb,,bvvbvcvbvbcvvbvcb

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1.Alpengeist
2.Incredible hulk
3.kraken
4.Duling dragons
5.Gwanzi

MrAlPenGeisT said:
nbvkb,,bvvbvcvbvbcvvbvcb

Ok... what was this for?

I agree with Spacecase, they should be spanked. 

When I read the title..I started laughing. 

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Rob

Ride Op-SFGAm
Certified on: Roaring Rapids, Loggers Run/Ice Mountain Splash, Batman The Ride, V2, and Deja Vu.

 Well it differs. I went on Magnum expecting to be blown away and come off loving it...I came off a little sore and thinking that it was one of the worst rides at Cedar Point.

 I also went on Phantom's Revenge expecting to be blown away...and I was. It's my number 1 coaster and I can't get enough of it. Actually all the rides at Kennywood blew me away.

I think they shouldn't be punished.  Hyping just gets the word around about coasters that people then in turn want to ride so it all works out for the best.  Bragging is bad, but hyping is good.  It puts more money into amusement parks.  Especially smaller parks coasters that people may not know about.  Oh, I almost forgot, ride the Cornball Express and Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain next year!
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You can hear the laughter, you can hear the mighty roar. From the brickyard down in Indy to the white Chicago shore. It's a rollin', twistin', turnin' and might we both suggest. You get you fanny ridin' on the Cornball Express!

The ones who should be punished are the ones writing gibberish on here.  Oy!
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Is it the roar of Kumba or the kumba of Roar? Discuss!

Well, I do think that getting on a coaster expecting to be completely blown away will leave you disappointed 99% of the time.  I went on Fire Dragon expecting a very sweet ride, but I was not impressed at all.  I went on Hulk thinking it would be alright and it impressed me.  One of the best parts about riding a coaster is not knowning what the ride will be like.  I think that the less you know about a ride is, in most cases, usually for the better.
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Rollercoaster -PA
http://gandc.20m.com/index.html

how exactly do u punish a coaster? please explain.

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rollergator said:
I guess I consider Acro a "leaning forward" gyro-drop...the view of the onrushing ground is cool, and I DO like the ride.  It's just I don't think putting us in standard inverted-coaster type seats and tilting them 15 degrees counts as standing.  And I don't consider THAT big of a change from the "normal" Gyro-Drop seats...[snip]

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Wowza, Wowza!  What inverted have you ridden that has a bicycle seat only?  You are 100% in a standing position on Acro, honestly...before the drop, then you're tilted 15º.  But standard seat?  I mean, okay, your opinion says you may think that, but it is a fact that it's not a standard seat. 
You're a guy, so I'm surprised you'd say that.  Most guys who ride it complain about how much it hurts "that area" when it's stopped.  That reason alone shows that the seats are typical, I'd think.
BTW, I am not upset or anything, just puzzled that as to how you came to the conclusion that the seats are "standard inverted seats" when they're not.  That's all!  :)

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"Look for the big black sack of Mofuggin Nuts at your local grocery store". -- Radio ad in FL