Collin on Coasters: Announcements

Well I realize it has been exactly three weeks since I last wrote in this blog. I'm sure you have been devastated by the lack of new material. I have been thinking over these last few weeks what my next blog post would be. I always like to try and make things as interesting as possible when posting to this blog. I know that a lot of people probably find roller coaster topics to be boring so I do my best to try and give a fun read. It brings me joy when the friends that I know mention my coaster blog and talk about it with me. I take a little bit of pride in this blog and I am always thinking of ways that I can improve my writing and my material so thank-you for reading.

Today I decided that I would like to discuss some recent announcements in the amusement industry, namely new roller coasters that are to be built for the 2015 season. I know, this is awesome news isn't it? I mean how can you NOT get excited about a new multi-million dollar park investment coming to a park near you (possibly near you) in the next year?! (dual punctuation!!). If you are friends with me on Facebook you have probably noticed all of the shares I have done with some of these announcements. I just can't help it! I love seeing new roller coasters being built.

These types of announcements happen every year around the same time usually in August. Six Flags corporation announced all their new attractions (including roller coasters) just yesterday.

Announcements have really evolved in the last few years. It used to be strictly media driven but now parks like to include the general public into their announcements. They also like to mess with coaster enthusiasts online with clues and online websites of speculation. Holiday World was the best and created a new website dedicated to their new 2015 ride with a 66 day campaign before the ride was announced. It was quite fun to read enthusiasts interpretations of what the new ride could be and I'm sure the people in the know at Holiday World were enjoying themselves. Here is the website if you want to see what I'm talking about (http://www.holidayworld.com/66days/). Holiday World announced their new 2015 attraction back on July 24th at the end of the parks operating day followed by a nice fireworks show. I know this because they were also streaming the announcement event and Ashley, Bri and I watched it online. That was fun.

Without further adieu I am going to "announce" to you some of the new roller coasters to be built next year throughout the USA.

Carowinds - Fury 325 - This is probably the coaster I am most excited for next year. It will be the tallest roller coaster in the world with a traditional lift hill at 325 feet and 81 degree drop! It will reach speeds of 95 mph and speed along 6,602 feet of track. That makes it the longest steel roller coaster in the USA and 5th longest in the world. It is going to have a horseshoe turn banked 91 degree sideways 157 foot weightless drop element (pictured left hand side of image below) that looks amazing. The ride will then drop you under a new entrance walkway as well as a closing helix and two air time hills. The price tag for this attraction is over 30 million dollars. I really really really hope to visit this park next year. I will do my best to get there if possible to ride this.

Photo Credit: rcdb.com and Carowinds

Holiday World - Thunderbird - This is going to be a launched wing-rider coaster (first of its type) with four loops. It will be Holiday World's first steel coaster in the parks history (est. 1946) so it's a pretty big deal for the park. It will also be their first upside down ride in the park. I am almost 100% sure I will attend their enthusiast event next year to ride this. It looks like a great ride and being that it is at Holiday World you can't go wrong. I know they will pull out all of the stops on themeing and presentation.

Photo Credit: rcdb.com and Holiday World

Six Flags Magic Mountain - Twisted Colossus - Now this new coaster looks freaking insane! It will be a newly revamped steel hybrid coaster made by RMC (Rocky Mountain Construction). What is a steel hybrid coaster you ask? They are constructed to essentially resurrect old rough wooden coasters. RMC comes in and puts a steel track on top of the wooden structure as well as changes the layout a bit to make things more thrilling, smooth, and fun. They are also able to throw in some crazy inversions while you only have a lapbar restraint (WIN). This coaster will be a dual racing coaster and it really does look phenomenal. Stats: 18 air time hills (WIN), 5000 feet of track, and two inversions. If only I could get out to California to ride it!

Photo Credit: rcdb.com and Six Flags Magic Mountain

Six Flags New England - Wicked Cyclone - This will be another RMC hybrid coaster. It really looks incredible. It will feature three inversions, 3300 feet of track, and many airtime hills. It will be the first coaster of its kind to have 200 degree stall and two zero G rolls (weightlessness and WIN). If only I could head up to Massachusetts to ride this thing! I have yet to ride an RMC coaster and that makes me sad all day. From all of the enthusiast circles they are balls to the wall insane rides. Hopefully in the near future I will be able to ride one.

Photo Credit: rcdb.com and Six Flags New England

Six Flags Over Georgia - The Joker: Chaos Coaster - Ok, so I have just given you four incredible announcements and now it is time for the let down. I am a little shocked and mildly offended by this next announcement. This "coaster" is literally going to be a single loop power driven ride. You probably know what I am talking about. It is just like the looper you see at your local county fair. This ride only costs $700K which is a great price for a "roller coaster" in today's market. Six Flags will probably see a profit from this addition but I find it very lame and honestly don't really consider it a roller coaster even though Six Flags is marketing it as such. I would classify it as more of a thrilling flat ride. It is honestly not even a "coaster" I care to ride.

Photo Credit: Six Flags Over Georgia website

Six Flags Fiesta Texas - Batman: The Ride - This is going to be a 4th dimension coaster which means the seats are off of the side of the track and rotate as the ride moves. Yeah pretty nuts if you ask me as well as very disorienting. Unfortunately I have yet to ride one of these types of coasters. I don't suspect I would care that much for them honestly but they do appear to be very thrilling.

Photo Credit: rcdb.com and Six Flags Fiesta Texas

Hersheypark - Laff Trakk - This is going to be an indoor spinning mouse coaster on a steel track. It is going to be neat in the fact that it's themed to a glowing fun house of sorts while you are riding the coaster. Everything will be glow in the dark and at the end of the ride there will be a mirror element as you spin so you can look at yourself as you ride. It looks like a fun addition to an already incredible park.

Photo Credit: rcdb.com and Hersheypark

Knoebels - Impulse - This coaster will have a 90 degree lift hill and straight down drop with four inversions. It looks like a quick little ride which will close with a 540 degree helix. This looks like it will be an awesome addition to an already fun and unique park.

Photo Credit: wfmz.com

Cedar Point - Their announcement will be 9/2 (not sure if coaster yet). There are rumors in online forums that Mantis their stand-up steel coaster will get floorless trains which would make the ride much better/comfortable. There are also rumors about Mean Streak the parks huge wooden coaster getting the RMC (see above description) makeover. I will have to see it to believe it though.

I know I have probably left out a few parks here and there but I feel I have given you some of the best new coasters to be built for the 2015 season here. I will say that the announcement of getting new roller coasters is great and all but I always feel the want to ride every one of them and know I won't be able to (haha). I can't help it. It is the enthusiast in me. Honestly I will be happy if I can ride just two of them next year in Thunderbird and Fury 325 since they are fairly close to me. Only time will tell. In the meantime enjoy these final pictures of these new roller coasters to debut next year and get ready for 2015 because it's going to be a great coaster year!