Windseeker seats: neat-o

I don't think people are giving due respect to the turning speed as being critical to the "unnerving" feeling. The Zamperla product at Coney wasn't really that tall, and I felt more....secure...than I did on the Orlando Starflyer - but in no way was the Coney ride "tame". It turned pretty darn fast, and I found that to contribute greatly to the tummy-churning feeling.

"Terror" per se is something I don't think I'd get short of skydiving. Although, that first ride on a Skyscraper or SCAD or Skycoaster or Reverse-bungee is always pretty...thrilling. Of course, I may need to re-visit this thread after Kissimeee next month... ;)

Seat looks like great fun to me!

I love the Star Flyer. With the suspension behind the seat, this should be even better.

-Dave Althoff, Jr.

I love it. :) Some people complain because WS isn't a thrilling coaster, and others complain that it will be too thrilling.

I, for one, will also be terrified, but also can't wait to give it a go. What a rush this is going to be.

I didn't see anyone 'complaining' that it's too thrilling...

Definitely not complaining! I can't wait to ride one of them, but based on what I was like with Drop Zone, I will probably be pretty scared. That doesn't happen to me on pretty much any other type of ride.

These seats remind me of the open feeling of the S&S Insanity on top the Stratosphere, and that ride is quite unnerving!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbehfUGx6Rs

I think they look great! I can't wait to try them out .:)

-Tina

Ensign Smith said:
John Kasich being elected: 8.5

Hahaha. My thoughts exactly!

My scale for most things seems absurdly low. Skydiving was no more than a 5, parasailing may have been a 6 or 7 for the first couple of minutes, then quickly went to a 1. Coasters and Skycoasters have never bothered me. Skyscraper was maybe a 6 the first time, and that was mostly because we were still testing it (I was on the crew in 08) but is a 1 now. The only thing that ever really made me nervous (like a 9 or 10) would be the first time I rode Vertigo. The original seats on those things were nuts. I experienced the new carriage on the one at SFGAdv last summer and found it boring. I think the Windseeker seats look fun, but not scary.

rollergator said:
"Terror" per se is something I don't think I'd get short of skydiving. Although, that first ride on a Skyscraper or SCAD or Skycoaster or Reverse-bungee is always pretty...thrilling. Of course, I may need to re-visit this thread after Kissimeee next month... ;)

Have fun, that 300 foot Skycoaster is an absolute rush. Very different feeling from the other Skycoasters in that you get such a longer free-fall out of it.

The Skyscraper in Orlando, which was next to Wet and Wild, and now is gone, was the only one I've ever rode, but let me say this about it. It was the scariest and most thrilling thing I have ever rode in my life. I assume that it was no different than other Skyscrapers. Perhaps they ran it much faster or something? They claimed that it ran at 60 MPH.

That was thrilling because of the speed and forces. Windseeker will be thrilling to me because of the extreme height and open air seating. The action of the ride will probably not be so bad,

^Travis, are you referring to Katanga (the one nearest IoA/USF on I-Drive at the mini-golf)? That was my first skyscraper, and a blast...since then, I've been on a couple (VF!, Dells, e.g.) and they seem to have lost that extra edge for me.

Yes. Katunga was the name. I rode it more than a few times over a two year period. It was awesome. I never laughed so hard, because I was scared.

So you are saying that they just don't run them like that anymore, gator? That bites.

CP's Skyscraper runs a little slower than some others I've seen, but it's pretty darn good if you get the right operator. :)

Travis - I can't say if they're operated differently, never rode two different ones within a relevant time-frame to be able to compare. I will say that I believe that the novelty wore off pretty quickly (for me at least)...and that the result is a lack of "thrill" on subsequent rides. Still fun, WAY less scary...

If Windseekers run at a good rotation speed, I think a good many "hardcore enthusiasts" will find them plenty satisfying... :)

The spinning is my concern..... If it is too much I will have to opt out. Not a big fan of spinning like that. The Zephyr can do me in as well so have given up on that. Hoping it is mostly at top and limited at most on way up/down. Guess I will see in operation before deciding.

30 mph in a circle that tight should generate some pretty substantial forces. And with those seats, riders should feel pretty exposed. Can't wait!

Ensign Smith said:

So I'm going to guess that Windseeker will land around 4 to 6 on my personal scale. No biggie.

So what you're saying is you expect Windseeker to have a 0.47-0.71 Kasich scare factor.

Nice to know that skydiving would rate at 1.16 Kasichs.

CP Chris said:
CP's Skyscraper runs a little slower than some others I've seen, but it's pretty darn good if you get the right operator. :)

There's some truth to this. This guy right here sent me and my buddy on a wild and crazy ride a couple of summers ago. :)

Then we had another guy, Bob, I think his name was? His rides were insane, too.

robotfactory said:

So what you're saying is you expect Windseeker to have a 0.47-0.71 Kasich scare factor.

Nice to know that skydiving would rate at 1.16 Kasichs.

That earned a prolonged LOL. :)

They can make a fortune selling umbrellas and ponchos to the guests waiting in line. With how open the seats are there is very little to hold in any lost lunches from plummeting to the ground.

Raven-Phile said:

Then we had another guy, Bob, I think his name was? His rides were insane, too.

Yep, Bob is probably the only guy who's been as good or better at it than me. Luckily for everyone, he still works there.