Where's the WOOD?
After researching Ultimate Rollercoaster, I found an interesting trend for 2002.... 22 Steel coasters and ONE wood coaster. B&M, of course is currently constructing 6 of the 'steelies', but where's the Wood Kings? CCI, GCI? I'm a little confused, distraught and hurt (awwww......sniff, sniff). In the past 5 years, have you, as a coaster enthusiast seen a demise in wood coaster construction as this season?
The problem with the ONE wood coaster, is that it's actually NOT a coaster, but a dark ride at Indiana Beach (can't wait to ride it, to tell you the truth...)
I'm experienced enough to know the why's for the increase in Steel coaster production, but can some of the BUZZ give me their opinions over the fall of the great wood coaster. I enjoy a good steel coaster, especially when it runs its course with its hair on fire, but where's the classics? Where's the tradition?
Thanks for your input.
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There's nothing like a woodie...
Two reasons I can think of:
1) Every park has a woodie (just about). Woodies are all the same as far as the GP is concerned. The differences in steelies are apparent even to the GP. Variety is good.
2) GP likes steel coasters better. Wood coasters are "rickety" and are "about to fall apart" and are "dangerous." Steel coasters have "lots of loops" and are "more awesome." There you go.
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He let the contents of the bottle do the thinking; can't shake the devil's hand and say you're only kidding.
*** This post was edited by Den on 3/19/2002. ***
I prefer wood over steel anyday. They are different every time you ride them. They also shake and rattle giving you an almost unsecure feeling. It is a shame that fewer and fewer wooden coasters are being built every year. With CCI using the steel frames and wood tracks (ex: Villain at SFWoA) I'm surprised we haven't seen more built.
*** This post was edited by LTLWcbYbe on 3/19/2002. ***
Actually Den, I think you're interpertation of the GP is off, but maybe it isn't.
I think the reasons you haven't seen a whole lot of new wooden coasters this year is because of the lack of small parks adding coasters this year. When the independents get on a roll and start building coasters again, I think you'll see the number of wooden coasters increase.
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Excalibur Crew for 2002!
*Steel coasters breed all sorts of gimmicks that get a lot of attention.
*Steel coasters look "Extreme," "Modern," "Exciting." Wood coasters seem old (even when new), outdated, and bland. (not that I agree).
This doesn't explain why there should be "on years" and "off years" for wood coasters but it makes me wonder how wood coasters get built at all!
If I were in charge of the world, there would only be wood coasters :)
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everything's better with a banjo
RCDB shows three wooden coasters for 2002: Cliff's, IB, and Warner Bros in Germany. There was going to be a fourth but it looks like Bell's is on hold again. Also GCI is doing rehab work on at least one coaster, Yankee Canonball [probably installing/renovating a computerized braking system so enable two-train op, something that hasn't happened since the accident last year].
What you must remember is that if there is a lack of new wood coasters in 2002 its of no fault of the CCI, GCI, and others. They're only going to build what the parks ask for, and lets face it wood is more costly to upkeep. With the economy the way it is its my guess that parks are looking for coasters that are less costly to maintain in the long run, and that means a preference for steel.
Also, check out the trend of the last three years. 2000 had the most new coasters in decades. Parks, especially Six Flags, have been building at a frenzied rate. Who would have thought we'd see parks getting 2, 3, and 4 new coasetrs in a single year? Since 2000 the numbers have been dwindling quite dramatically. For all intents the second Golden Age is over.
Finally, with all due respect, IB's CCI is a coaster/dark ride hybrid, but IMHO most definitely a coaster at its heart. Its not called The Lost Dark Ride of Superstition Mountain, thankfully, or I'd have to change my sig to LoDaRiSuMo! LOL!
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2002 - the year of IB's LoCoSuMo!!
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If the shoe fits, find another one.
I love wooden coasters, but I can also face reality. the reason wooden coasters aren't favored is because they don't offer the different possitions or the other pluses of steel coasters. there are stand-up, inverteds, gigas, etc. wooden coasters can't offer the positions and their supports would take up a lot of space for hyper/gigas compared to steel ones. then add in maitenence.
I think that Den is wrong in both opinions. there have got to be several parks out there without wooden coasters. as for the GP, I think that they like what they like. there are several different types of GP. my cousin has a very weird like for coasters: he doesn't like air time espically on the first drop so he he only rides coasters with banked first drops.
I think that most parks out there need one or two more woodies max to even out their steel collection. woodies offer their own type of ride, but their types of rides are much more limited compared to steel coasters so you need fewer of them
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-Bob
Knott's Berry Farm Cuba ~South Park
"Your proctologist called, he found your head!" ~Jerry "The King" Lawler
That's right, a CCI is going up in New Mexico. I forgot, thanks for that info!! So, it's now 22-2, with an asterisk over the 2.
Ask and you shall receive: 8 replies in a half hour!!
GREAT POINTS, everyone....Now, going into cost.....any financial wizards out there know how much it costs to maintain the Mean Streak per day, or per season?? That would be a huge reason, if it's "that" costly. And what is costly for a major amusement park?
Thanks for the replies!
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There's nothing like a woodie...
I always love hearing others in line stating how "old and rickety" Ghostrider is. It's the newest coaster in the park. (until Xcelerator opens that is!) It may be an incorrect and uninformed opinion, but it is the popular one.
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Nothing... NOTHING... can prepare you for... the Fourth Dimension!
Woody said:
but where's the Wood Kings?
What ever do you mean? Long Dong Sean has been here all the time :)
Anyway, you tell me what park can really benefit from a new woodie. Aside from just personal preference, tell me why say, CP should get a new woodie over a steel looper, or why ValleyFair should get a woodie over an invert or why Magic Mountain should get a woodie over like a dozen flat ride.
As stated above, most of the parks have woodies enough. Unless your park has good terrain to work with, after having a twister and an out and back, there's not much more to do with wood. HersheyPark lucked out with the dual Lightning Racer. If they had only erected one side, I bet people would have said "Aw..that's just like Wildcat!"
lata,
jeremy
--who really *hates* the exta white space the "rich post" box creates
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-Bob
Knott's Berry Farm Cuba ~South Park
"Your proctologist called, he found your head!" ~Jerry "The King" Lawler
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I've traded in my 2000 Giovanola for a 2002 Arrow X4D :)
My other car is now an Arrow X4D!
Woody said:
The problem with the ONE wood coaster, is that it's actually NOT a coaster, but a dark ride at Indiana Beach (can't wait to ride it, to tell you the truth...)
Well actually it is a coaster. It just happens to be mostly indoors, but some of it is outside. Also unlike the dark rides it is not powered by electricity.
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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!
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I've traded in my 2000 Giovanola for a 2002 Arrow X4D :)
My other car is now an Arrow X4D!
See Coasterjedi that's what I meant when I thought the GP didn't really figure that all wooden coasters are the same. I mean, I know during my pre-GP days whenever I went to Adventureland with friends or on trips with a large group of people everyone knew that Outlaw was a lot different the the Tornado, and they also knew that Outlaw was new and pretty smooth.
That's what I was basing my experience of what the GP thinks of wooden coasters. I was also justifying why Holiday World built another "Old Rickity Coaster just like Raven." Sometimes the GP is smarter when it comes to coasters then in some other areas I guess
Of course the GP also thinks Valleyfair has two wooden coasters (High Roller & Excalibur), but I digress...
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Excalibur Crew for 2002!
http://www.coasterbuzz.com/forums/thread.asp?ForumID=11&TopicID=16248
I had this same question a while back...look here for responses.
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Doesn't it seem as though morons always have the caps lock on?
I just love the old, THE GP LOVES STEEL BETTER line.
Every park I've been too, The woodies were the most poplular ride in the park with the exception of maybe BGT.
I also look at how woodies tend to remain poplular years after they are built while other Steel coasters lines get shorter and shorter,
There are trends and the latest one was of the B&M mega looper and hypers followed by a woodie boon with 6 CCI's in 2000 and two GCI's.
The woodie builders are small coaster companies in most cases, (One or two per season in most cases) It also requires more customization in most cases vs. steel layouts but definetly a more affordable option.
I do think some parks are not getting the best bang for the buck by building a $20 million dollar ride that increases attendance by only 3% when other parks are building 2-7 million dollar woodies and almost doubling attendance.
Chuck, who is now saying like others, Wheres the Wood? :) Oh well, at least Screechin Eagle is re-opening :) http://www.americanaamusementpark.com/status.htm
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Charles Nungester
167 coasters and hopes to be over 200 by the end of 2002 :)
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