Xcelerator Popularity

I suspect Hulk is popular because of the inversions. The launch is nothing to get excited about after you've done it once.

Sprig - while you may be right, I can tell you from experience - i.e. overhearing people comment on the ride, including those in my own family - people seem to be put off by the lack of support on the tophat and, to a lesser extent, the vertical climb and fall and fast launch.

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Mamoosh said:
My take: it's the appearance that the Top Hat lacks sufficient supports and is unsafe.

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Not to mention, I've heard more than one person decide not to ride when they saw the tophat sway after a train goes over. That freaks most of my friends out as well, they do NOT like seeing the ride they're about to go on swaying back and forth.

I still think that the demographics are the problem.

Think of this- during Halloween Haunt, an event which attracts an overwhelming proportion of teenage and young adult guests, Xcelerator can have a two hour line.

Part of this is that the park is far more crowded on those nights. But I think a big part of the long queue time is that the park has the right type of guests for this ride.

I'm not sure that I really agree with what Sprig is saying. Although lots of people are scared to try it, those that do seem to like it quite a bit, and with no line, even the average guest will take a couple of consecutive laps on it.

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Mamoosh said:
...people seem to be put off by the lack of support on the tophat and, to a lesser extent, the vertical climb and fall and fast launch.

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Hello Mamoosh,

Great reply.

I've read comments on coaster boards about the physical appearance of the design being a reason not to ride. I'm not overly convinced though. I never personaly observed the "construction quality" to be an issue not to ride.
(Patrons get to see the actual riders complete the circuit many times without a problem.)

In what way is the actual vertical climb a concern of riders you know? I have never heard this being an issue.
(Seems that SC riders liked STE at SFMM)

The "fast" launch is a funny comment. Yes, Xclerator's launch sets you back in the seat a bit, but other rides generate more G's in other elements.
(In my opinion, the height of the tophat, and overall speed at the end of the launch, have more to do with hesitation to ride.)

In no way am I trying to be disagreeable. My comments are based on my individual experiences which may differ for any number of reasons.

I'll ride Xclerator a few times any time I'm at KBF, but I'll take Monte over it any day. If I really want to scare myself, I'll hitch a few rides on the lawn chair they call Supreme Scream.

Intersetingly, Supreme Scream gets a really odd response from the GP after their initial ride; maybe similar to Xcelerator?

Enjoying the polite comparisons so far,

Sprig

Sprig: all of the things you say are true, but it's perception, not reality, that drives people to ride or skip.

As for the verticle bits: my wife is fine with inversions, but really doesn't like drops. The shallower the drop, the happier she is. She is completely unwilling to even consider Dragster, Power Tower, Demon Drop, and Wicked Twister, all because they are primarily 90' elements.

"I've read comments on coaster boards about the physical appearance of the design being a reason not to ride. I'm not overly convinced though. I never personaly observed the
"construction quality" to be an issue not to ride. (Patrons get to see the actual riders complete the circuit many times without a problem.)"

Fear is irrational. People can see planes land successfully at an airport all day and still be afraid to fly. There are some people who look at Xcelerator's top hat, the lack of supports, and the swaying, and even thoough it is totally safe say, "No way!"

"In what way is the actual vertical climb a concern of riders you know? I have never heard this being an issue. (Seems that SC riders liked STE at SFMM)"

I've seen people refuse to ride because, "It goes straight down!" The comparison to STE isn't as valid...while you are climbing and falling vertically it's never done face-first. But I've also seen people refuse to ride STE because of the rise and drop.

"The "fast" launch is a funny comment. Yes, Xclerator's launch sets you back in the seat a bit, but other rides generate more G's in other elements. (In my opinion, the height of the tophat, and overall speed at the end of the launch, have more to do with hesitation to ride.)"

It's one thing to generate intense Gs in a loop or helix...its expected. A launch, especially one that quick and fast, is intimidating to many people.

"In no way am I trying to be disagreeable. My comments are based on my individual experiences which may differ for any number of reasons."

I know that, and my comments above are of the same ilk. No offense meant.

"Intersetingly, Supreme Scream gets a really odd response from the GP after their initial ride; maybe similar to Xcelerator?"

I've encountered people - especially young kids - in line for Xcelerator and Supreme Scream who were aprehensive. This includes members of my own family. You're right, once ridden they realize it wasn't as scary and much more fun than they'd assumed and usually end up riding again.

"Enjoying the polite comparisons so far."

Likewise...thank god this isn't RRC ;)

mOOSH

Going back the comment about the ride swaying. After going to KBF and VF and CP, and many other parks with Intamin installed rides (ie impulses, launched) refuse to go on the ride beause it sways. It is very apparent that the spikes on the Impulses, WT, and Xcel sway when the train goes on it, but the thing I don't understand about the GP is that the ride has circuited thousands of times, there is no reason why they should be scared if the ride sways. We also have to remember that if the ride didn't sway (for example if the Sears Tower didn't sway) it would most likely break. (correct me if I'm wrong)

Unlike airplanes where the "ride" is up to a person that they don't know (and possible terrorist threats), a ride is a set machine that is set to safely circuit continuosly.

The answer to you question is easy: fear is irrational.

If it were rational, it would be called "risk analysis," not "fear".

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Sprig said:

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Mamoosh said:
...people seem to be put off by the lack of support on the tophat and, to a lesser extent, the vertical climb and fall and fast launch.

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In what way is the actual vertical climb a concern of riders you know? I have never heard this being an issue.
(Seems that SC riders liked STE at SFMM)

The "fast" launch is a funny comment. Yes, Xclerator's launch sets you back in the seat a bit, but other rides generate more G's in other elements.
(In my opinion, the height of the tophat, and overall speed at the end of the launch, have more to do with hesitation to ride.)

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I have more than a handful of friends that refuse to ride Superman The Escape just because it goes "straight up", even though I explain that they do not actual drop back down face-first.

As for your comment about the launch - again, 0-82mph in 2.3 seconds is an extremely fast acceleration. And if you were to place Xcelerator on a ranking list of the most G-forces produced from a launched rollercoaster, it would come in at #3, ahead of Top Thrill Dragster and just behind Hypersonic XLC with 2.3 G's at takeoff.

And yet Wildcat does 4 G's... demonstrating that the numbers don't always say much about the actual experience. Besides, what person stands on the midway and says, "Well this ride does 2.3 G's and therefore I won't ride it?"

Exactly, Jeff. It's all about looking at what the ride does and perceiving how it will make you feel, regardless if that perception equals the ride experience.

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Jeff said:
And yet Wildcat does 4 G's... demonstrating that the numbers don't always say much about the actual experience. Besides, what person stands on the midway and says, "Well this ride does 2.3 G's and therefore I won't ride it?"

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Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know Wildcat had a launch. [/sarcasm] My point of bringing up those numbers was that Sprig said other rides have more G's in other "elements." I don't see how that comparison is fair. I'd like for someone to point out a launch that pulls 4.5 G's or more. As for people standing on the midway spectating, the effect of those 2.3 G's placed on riders can be clearly be seen on their faces as the train rockets by. That's a deciding factor right there.

Yes. We are going to put you on a ride where every time the train gets back people die. We hope that you injure yourself and die on this ride. Please enjoy the ride.

Yes, I can't understand the human psychie (sorry about sp), and moosh your explanation is good, and that should end it.

As someone who has not been on Xcelerator, but has been on TTD, I think just by looking at it I would prefer Xcelerator. It has more substance than speed and height. Sometimes intensity and mind blowing speed aren't all that count.