SM Closing for a Year?

[Captain Chaos]

The worst beating I took on a coaster was The Viper as Six Flags Great Adventure. SM is a little rough, but, I never came out with a headache or feelings of whiplash... With this refurb, I do hope they make it a bit smoother...

 

[voodoo321]

I have got to 2nd this one... I couldn’t see straight for an hour after riding SOB. Ride is a killer on your health. :ROFLOL:

Totally agree. They took the loop out and got new trains this year, yet it is as brutal as ever. I may have sustained some brain damage after my LAST ride on it.:veryconfu

 

[Nicole220]

I've never experienced anything as rough as Ghostrider, the wooden rollercoaster at Knotts Berry Farm. That thing hurt like heck!!

 

[Patsc85]

The worst beating I took on a coaster was The Viper as Six Flags Great Adventure. SM is a little rough, but, I never came out with a headache or feelings of whiplash... With this refurb, I do hope they make it a bit smoother...

I had the unfortunate pleasure of riding The Viper. It no joke, gave me back pain the next day. I was 19 at the time of riding...so it wasn't due to age...just a bad rollercoaster. Thank goodness they took it down!

 

[cmatt]

It is really dumb to use abbreviations such as "SM". There is nothing in this post to indicate if you wanted to refer to splash mountain or space mountain. Please be more precise in the future.

yes dad....

anyway - it is about time that they do something to it - however unless its official -i would take anything from 3rd hand knowledge websites such as screamscape - looks like if its true - it will coincide with my next trip to orlando

 

[Brian Noble]

They took the loop out and got new trains this year, yet it is as brutal as ever.

That's a shame. I only rode it pre-neutering. Once. For the credit. And promised myself never again. I was thinking about trying it again with the new layout, but perhaps I'll skip the "pleasure".

I had the unfortunate pleasure of riding The Viper.

I haven't been to Great Adventure yet. But, the Viper at SF Great *America* is just fantasic.

I've never experienced anything as rough as Ghostrider

If you catch it soon after its annual refurb, it's often pretty good. But, it's still a shadow of its former self and much more painful than it was even just a few years ago. I suspect they're going to need to bring in the Canadians soon to give it at least a partial retracking. Which is a shame, considering the ride isn't that old.

 

[Biff215]

I had the unfortunate pleasure of riding The Viper. It no joke, gave me back pain the next day. I was 19 at the time of riding...so it wasn't due to age...just a bad rollercoaster. Thank goodness they took it down!

Yeah, I'm with you guys on Viper at Great Adventure. The ride was barely two minutes long, but it was the most painful two minutes it could possibly be. It's a shame too, because I always thought the thing had a great first drop.

Scream Machine and Batman and Robin are a close second and third for most painful for me, so Space doesn't seem all that bad compared to those. I'm still all for a full refurb though!

 

[bigtotoro]

I'm a big fan of Batman:The Escape at the now defunct Six Flags Astroworld. It was a standing ride with a seat hump that you straddled. Here's the fun part: I'm 6"6 and it was designed for someone no taller than 6"4. Know what that means? CROTCH BASHING FEVER! But it was a really sweet ride so I just tried to thrust out a little so as to not get hammered.

 

[darthjohnny]

No. It isn't. Mulholland Madness is a wild mouse. Space mountain is not. It's curves are banked (although not nearly as much as would be the case on a modern coaster) removing it from the "mouse" category.

A lot of the roughness could be in the wheel assembly. I know of a couple spots where you can feel the train rattling up off the track due to all wheels not being in constant contact. New trains would help...at least a little.

Space Mountain is on a track with a small gauge with quick turns and sudden drops.

It is a wild mouse coaster.

 

[the-reason14]

I'm a big fan of Batman:The Escape at the now defunct Six Flags Astroworld. It was a standing ride with a seat hump that you straddled. Here's the fun part: I'm 6"6 and it was designed for someone no taller than 6"4. Know what that means? CROTCH BASHING FEVER! But it was a really sweet ride so I just tried to thrust out a little so as to not get hammered.

OMG, i remember that ride. I rode it a few times when I was younger and then once when I was 14 or so years old, and never again. That thing beat the mess outta me.
That and serial thriller hurt real bad.

 

[unkadug]

Space Mountain is on a track with a small gauge with quick turns and sudden drops.

It is a wild mouse coaster.

from http://www.ibiblio.org/darlene/coaster/FAQ/FAQ.defs.html

Wild Mouse
A small steel coaster featuring small cars (big enough for two adults); sharp, unbanked turns; quick, steep drops (heavy on the airtime); and, in general, a very rough and wild ride.​

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Mouse_roller_coaster
(I can't believe I'm using wiki as a source!:hammer

A Wild Mouse roller coaster (or Wildemous, Mad Mouse or Rat Run) is a type of roller coaster characterized by small cars, which seat four people or fewer and ride on top of the track, taking tight, flat turns at modest speeds, yet producing high lateral G-forces. The track work is characterized by many turns and bunny hops, the latter producing abrupt negative vertical G forces. When approaching a turn from a straight section the intended impression is that one will simply continue straight, and thus plunge off of the device, this since there are no transition sections as are in a conventional high speed coaster track and the turn itself is obscured upon close approach. Almost all Wild Mice feature "switchback" sections, consisting of several of these unbanked turns, separated by straight sections Usually, the turns on the switchback section are 180°, but some coasters feature 90° turns as well, and more rarely steep runs with loops​

So, I guess you could say - it is similar to a wild mouse type ride.

 

[mousermerf]

Ok, we're ignoring what is by far the most important aspect of a closure of SM...

What happens to our beloved TTA?

 

[unkadug]

Ok, we're ignoring what is by far the most important aspect of a closure of SM...

What happens to our beloved TTA?

We get to see more construction.....:sohappy:

For us "Behind the scenes" types, it's manna

 

[Brian Noble]

And here is the definition of Wild Mouse from my favorite definitive coaster site: www.rcdb.com

Wild Mouse - rides using single-car trains on a track with very tight turns. The cars' wheels are positioned closer to the rear of the car than a traditional coaster. The front of the car travels past the turn before changing directions, giving the sensation that the car will fall off the track

unkadug: or the backside of a construction wall. Much less interesting, but still all good.

 

[the-reason14]

Ok, we're ignoring what is by far the most important aspect of a closure of SM...

What happens to our beloved TTA?

You know what, Ive never really thought about that. I would think they wouldnt close it just because of SM being closed, but they are really tight and particular about seeing whats going on and stuff. For example, how they hid IASW from the pinocchio restuarant viewing. I would think they would try and cover it up. But if Sm and tta both go down, I know I probably wouldnt be going in tomorrowland at all when and if I even go during such a time.

 

[ryguy]

I agree that a launch would ruin space mountain. It has thrilled people for 30 years without a launch, why add one now?? :shrug:

 

[michael92]

well, to "plus" it, as walt would say
well, for me, the "tube" at the beginning is a "launch", but it wouls be cooler to have an actual launch, after all, its a roller coaster, and they should make it unique
and, do they need to remove the whole structure to place the tracks? isnt there another way?

 

[the-reason14]

well, to "plus" it, as walt would say
well, for me, the "tube" at the beginning is a "launch", but it wouls be cooler to have an actual launch, after all, its a roller coaster, and they should make it unique
and, do they need to remove the whole structure to place the tracks? isnt there another way?

True, they can plus it. But IMO there are other ways to plus it than alter the ride completely. Look at how they plussed HM, POTC, and IASW. They didnt drastically change them, they just added and enhanced a few things. I think the same should be done with SM, which is imo a classic magic kingdom(and WDW) attraction, on par with all the other classics. They could plus it by simply adding new effects here and there and maybe smoothening the track alittle so it would be the same experience but a better one. I still think if they want a more thrilling coaster then they should build it elsewhere and leave SM alone. Esp. if they are thinking about making it a short ride with audio just like rockin roller coaster.

 

[jt04]

I agree that a launch would ruin space mountain. It has thrilled people for 30 years without a launch, why add one now?? :shrug:

When I think of space launches I think of G-forces. An accelerated launch makes sense to me. Plus if they do go with a single track they will need a launched coaster for capacity reasons. I am sure a single track layout would not be a RnRC or DLP clone. Because of the amount of area in the building a truly unique non-inversion, family friendly configuration is possible. I think it might end up being a launched coaster (not as extreme as RnRC) without being a very fast coaster and instead rely on special effects and "set pieces" along a lengthy track. That would be a unique experience.

As for TTA. The last time I rode it it was apparent it needs some work. There are some less than magical sights along the track (rooftops etc). What better time than when SM is down too. I would love to see them replace the "chassis" of the vehicles with several new designs and plus the experience with more sets, lighting etc. Just a thought.

 

[Charlie Brown]

I didn't read much of this...but...this may be a stupid question...are we talking about Space Mountain or Splash Mountain...:veryconfu