New Amusement Park Rides Delayed Significantly This Summer
Remember when new rides and attractions opened with the start of the season at your local amusement or theme park? That’s certainly not the case this year.
A record number of attractions are still fighting to open up for the season, this as many parks pass the halfway point of their operational calendar.
And it’s not just one factor that’s throwing things off – it would appear the entire industry ran into a figurative “buzz saw” when it came to opening attractions on time this year. Here’s a list of attractions off the top of my head that have found themselves “behind the 8-ball” just this year:
Falcon’s Fury
Zumanjaro Drop of Doom
Diagon Alley
Verruckt
Break Point Plunge
Goliath
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
New England SkyScreamer
Now, I say “behind the 8-ball” for this reason: parks advertise their newest product to get people excited to come back next year. But if you (or your group) came early in the season, you more than likely missed out on the new attraction completely (at least, this year).
Even professional park travelers like myself plan for and anticipate delays for new rides – but even we’ve been taken aback at rides opening beyond the Fourth of July – especially in seasonal parks closed in the winter.
So what’s behind all these rides having what I consider to be major delays in opening? Are they too extreme or complex? Or is it sometime much simpler? Let’s take a closer look:
Weather:
Photo courtesy of Kings Island Facebook page.
This was the worst winter on record east of the Rocky Mountains. In many cases – construction couldn’t even start until the snow was moved and the ground thawed. Sadly, that didn’t happen until April in some places. (It was still icy in the Great Lakes in JUNE).
Fabrication:
There are only so many pieces that can be built by these companies, some of which employ less than 50 employees. If a company waited to buy a product until late in the season, they’ll be at the end of the line, so to speak to receive their new products.
Bureaucracy:
“Red tape” has done more to kill off parks than it has to make them safer!
If you’ve ever played the game “RollerCoaster Tycoon” you know it’s quite easy to build new attractions. But if the game were to be truly accurate, players would have to spend more time in the local permits office than managing their park. The litany of paperwork and regulations ended up killing a famous water park here in California.
While most point to the Golden State as the epicenter of red tape (See Gold Striker’s struggles to finally open) the East Coast is now getting into the act.
After a brutal winter prevented construction for most of the off-season at Six Flags Great Adventure, Zumanjaro – a world record free fall in New Jersey, was finally ready to open for season pass previews after months of delays…
…only to be told by the State that their ride inspector would not be able to get out to the park to officially sign off on its operating permit. Whoops.
Design Flaws / Challenges:
Verruckt required a complete re-design after tests showed it wasn’t performing as predicted.
Whether it’s too complex in terms of computer and electrical systems – or just a bad design to begin with – sometimes rides don’t transfer perfectly from the computer and drafting board to the real world. All parks (except the old Action Park) have guests’ safety as their number one priority – and if it means opening a ride late to ensure it does not hurt, maim or kill people – it’s a delay that’s always worth taking.
So will all of the rides and attractions open by the end of THIS season? Only time (and a host of other factors) will tell. One can only hope that parks can get “back on schedule” next year and start debuting rides when the season begins (or shortly thereafter).
What do you think? Are there any other factors I might have missed? LEave me a comment either below or on my social media channels – I’d love to hear what you think!
The Top Five Most Insane Carnival Rides
They’ll spin until you puke – flash lights and blast music. It’s the carnival thrill ride – and they’ve become quite the art form in an dof themselves. But which one’s are the most intense…the most INSANE? Read on, thrill seekers!
You’ll notice some of these rides reside beyond the United States – since most rides here are in “automatic mode” they can’t change their length or intensity, unlike their European (awesome) counterparts.
5. Funtime “Giant Star Flyer”
What looks like an innocuous swing ride takes on a whole new meaning when you’re 400 feet in the air. Because the wind patters are so much different at that height, expect to be twisted (and terrified!).
4. “Hard Rock”
Pretty rare in the U.S., this ride has a great start and finish, with the floor literally right in your face as the ride starts up and then again when it slows down – NOT for the faint of heart!
3. KMG “Tango”
You’ll find a few of these on the U.S. fair and carnival circuit – be sure to wear an athletic supporter if your model doesn’t come with the foot holds!
2. Chance Rides “Zipper”
It’s a ride so steeped in lore – it has a SOUND all it’s own. The constant banging of metal on mesh – the screams of the uninitiated – it makes for a pretty terrifying experience.
The ride has been around since the 1960’s (when it used to be TWICE as fast as it runs today) – and outside of the Ferris Wheel, can you name another specific model of ride that’s kept that sort of tenure? I didn’t think so…
Bonus fun fact: It’s one of the only rides in the U.S. that runs exclusively on manual mode, so if you happen to get an experienced operator – have that dramamine ready.
1. Flying Circus
There are no words – just watch the video!
What do you think – which rides did we miss? Leave us a comment with your most intense flat ride!
Happy Friday the 13th!
Got a case of trixadexaphobia? (Fear of the number 13?)
Better take a pass on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, found at several Disney parks. Just a perfect theme for a free fall ride.
Tower of Terror at the Disneyland Resort
Fun fact: For many years during it’s development, the ride was going to utilize the original Intamin “first generation” free fall technology:
Photo from TowerofTerror.org
You can see how the “L” shape of the freefall would fit perfectly in the design of the original concept art.
I hear the wait time is low today, too…
…only 13 minutes according to MouseWait!
Featured Post on BorrowLenses Blog
Hey everybody!
I was just featured on the BorrowLenses.com blog, giving away some of my Top Ten Amusement Park Photo Tips. (Hint – use a nice camera and have tons of patience!)
You can find the link to the blog post by clicking here:
Or using this hyperlink:
http://www.borrowlenses.com/blog/2013/04/top-ten-tips-for-amazing-amusement-park-photography/
Why Buy New – When You Can Buy USED?
Fans of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk should recognize this coaster “under construction.”
Yep, it’s the former Hurricane, with a new coat of paint and in a MUCH LESS salty environment (Not to mention drier, too!)
When old roller coaster or thrill ride eventually gets retired (Woodies are the lone exception – as they’re constantly being replaced) many of them are actually sold to smaller, “mom and pop” parks where they’re appreciated for many years after their first installation.
There’s even websites, such as this one, which could be considered the “Craiglist” of the Coaster – where all sorts of new and used rides are bought, sold and traded between parks.
So unless your favorite ride was completely torn down…
…there’s a good possibility that it was just “re-located.”
Now, the thrill of the chase is on!
Great American Thrills® 