U.S. To get its first Maurer Söhne X-Car-Coaster

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Fun said:
The blood rushing to your head cannot be prevented by the restraint.

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BESIDES the blood rushing to your head, everything else is comfortable.

Wow, almost 10,000 people online. Thats hard to belive with so little amount of posting

*** Edited 9/21/2005 12:20:01 AM UTC by Colin Fisher***

wow that is ugly and wierd. build a rocket like the one in spain and you got me intrigued.

It's not ugly to me, It kinda acually looks like Art.

Well, I got a friend in France who made a few trips to Skyline Park, the german park with the X-car prototype. His opinion? He LOVES it! He even got an onride video on his website. The ride name's is "Sky Wheel". Skyline Park is definetely weird! They got a non upcharge Slingshot (like at PKI) and the park was pretty much the last stop for many fairground rides, like their Wildcat coaster.

http://www.trips-n-pics.com/pics/gallery.php?gallery=skylinepark

Magic Springs already got a wooden coaster and think about it, don't you think the GCII guys won't be busy with 2 projects for 2006? *** Edited 9/21/2005 4:44:25 AM UTC by Absimilliard***

Watching that video made my opinion completely switch from, it looks like crap, to holy S**t that looks awesome! It looks like it is a complete blast, and pretty long too.

Remember also that Skyline Park's Skywheel is a modular coaster. What's currently standing is only the first phase of construction. If and when the park wants to, "it can be extended in two further investment steps, thus keeping pace with the expected boost in visitor numbers and adding more kicks." (to quote rcdb). That essentially means that, should the park wish to excercise its option to construct these phases, the "finished" Skywheel layout could look a little something like this.

Since Magic Springs appears to be getting a layout completely identical to Skywheel, what's to say that it will be any less modular? Granted, I don't know the topography of the park, but since we know it is possible, the next time the park has another couple million dollars to blow you might just see the ride double or triple in length. Whether or not that would be the best use of Magic Springs' money... I'll let you decide.

- BB

According to a Maurer Söhne Press release in Germany, Magic Springs has about 400.000 visitors each year. Capacity should be no problem with the ride. The park has the options (and possibly the space) to build the extensions, but it´s not decided yet.

It is funny that they are marketing this as having the world's highest inversion at 150' while Volcano inverts at 155'.

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RavenTTD said:
It is funny that they are marketing this as having the world's highest inversion at 150' while Volcano inverts at 155'.

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I was thinking the exact same thing...

Maybe they count the mountain as a real land mass so its only a few feet out of the crater.

lol just kiddin.

Here's a better and less shaky promo video showing the ride in action from different perspectives:

http://www.maurer-soehne.de/en/Amusement/Xtended_Rides/Rollercoaster/Film/skywheel_en_dsl.wmv

I also didn't think much of this ride until seeing the video, actually looks quite good!

For a good laugh, check out the bizarre video from Japan on MS's website. Click on "Amusement Rides" then "Xtended Roller Coaster", then on "Jap.TV-Spot SkyWheel for dsl" :

http://www.maurer-soehne.de/en/

Have no idea what's it's about, something to do with a hand puppet, flute playing and dangling tampons?!?!?!

*** Edited 12/13/2005 9:04:38 PM UTC by jomo***

I would not make a long trip to visit this park...unless waterparks are your thing...just my opinion! If this ride is a slow loader...then I can only imagine the pain and suffering inflicted at the hands of their staff. Here is a TR from this summer!

http://www.coasterbuzz.com/forum.aspx?mode=thread&TopicID=42574

I understand Shone's emphasis on short trains (which for a large part is an integral part of their success). So my main question: is there some way they could increase capacity...? or make the trains longer but still maintain that highly articulate quality?

Speaking of the X-Car-Coaster, I heard there's a park in the Northeastern states looking to order one... if they haven't already.

What does train length have to do with articulation?

Honestly, at Magic Springs - and don't forget Crystal Falls ;), it seems the same as it is elsewhere.... the really long lines, they're over at the waterpark.

I'd be willing to bet this brings people IN the gate, it's an eye-catcher to say the least. And that's the point....ridership isn't as important as attendance... ;)

Still, quite a different *investment* altogether than the SLC, huh?

This is (still) Ed Hart's park, right? He certainly *made* KK, a real industry genius IMO...and I'd be thrilled to get a ride! :)

*** Edited 12/14/2005 3:27:09 AM UTC by rollergator***

One of the ugliest coasters in the world, these X-Cars. Great train idea, horrible coaster layouth I think.

Notice they are advertising it as "The only coaster in the world to flip you upside down 150 feet in the air"? Can you say lie!

http://www.magicsprings.com/

*** Edited 12/14/2005 5:47:47 AM UTC by Keith2005***

Does any coaster flip you over at exactly 150 feet at the start and the end of the flip? If not, that statement is not a lie. You have to love people getting all worked up over making a stat be deceptive but true.

V:TBC says it's 155' (at least per rcdb, LOL).
http://www.rcdb.com/id474.htm

I know that inversion up top is at whatever height the coaster is...unless they've modified the layout since my last visit... ;)

The X-Car system has got lots of potential, the two existing layouts are hopefully only the beginning. I found the following article, giving insights of the story behind the X-Car and impressive visuals of the two layouts in Europe, including the one which is actually built for Magic Springs: http://www.coastersandmore.de/rides/gforce/skywheel_eng.shtml *** Edited 12/14/2005 8:37:25 PM UTC by CAM***