Spiderman's Competition

[Lynx04]

If you check out Busch Gardens Williamsburgs website they have a video of the press coverage of the new attraction they are building in at BGW. The attraction copy of Spiderman and will be interesting to see how another park tells a story with this tech. Any ways my question is, did UC conceive this Spiderman or was it made by and outside company. If UC did the conceived the tech, why doesn't the tech have a patent? The car almost looks identical to Spiderman's car except individual lapbars and doors instead of the side lifting up.

 

[DigitalDisney]

I suspect it was done by an outside company. Almost everything is nowadays. Heck, even Disney didn't exclusively come up with the Matterhorn ride (it was produced with the now extinct Arrow Development company)

Granted, companies like Disney and Universal are much more capable of developing their own ride systems (Omnimover, Test Track, EMV, etc), there are still plenty of times when they work with other companies on attractions.

 

[Legacy]

It's an outside technology. Universal Creative focuses more on story and look rather than technology. That's okay though. Have anybody here riden Corkscrew Hill? Busch Gardens doesn't do stories.

 

[Lynx04]

It's an outside technology. Universal Creative focuses more on story and look rather than technology. That's okay though. Have anybody here riden Corkscrew Hill? Busch Gardens doesn't do stories.

Well, I guess I'll find out this summer how the story is with the new attraction. Just because the ride uses the same tech as Spidy got my attention and get me to make the treck down there to see it. They also got some great coasters in Alpengiest and AC. Too bad they got rid of Drachen Fire.

 

[Legacy]

Well, I guess I'll find out this summer how the story is with the new attraction. Just because the ride uses the same tech as Spidy got my attention and get me to make the treck down there to see it. They also got some great coasters in Alpengiest and AC. Too bad they got rid of Drachen Fire.

I might try and get down there as well. At least riding a new version of the tech will be worth the trip.

 

[ISTCrew20]

Never before has a combination of innovative technology, state-of-the-art motion-based engineering, and visual projection come together to deliver an incredible theme park ride.

Hello...That is Spiderman to a t. This one even contains a hair raising drop. Hmmmm....

 

[MrNonacho]

Have anybody here riden Corkscrew Hill?

Yes, but I had forgotten about it.

 

[BriarDavid]

The sad part about this is that they are giving Spidey almost no credit. They make it sound like the ride is the first of it's kind, when there is a ride at IOA that is the same and has been around for what, 5 years.

 

[wdwmagic]

If you check out Busch Gardens Williamsburgs website they have a video of the press coverage of the new attraction they are building in at BGW. The attraction copy of Spiderman and will be interesting to see how another park tells a story with this tech. Any ways my question is, did UC conceive this Spiderman or was it made by and outside company. .

Spiderman was created by Landmark Entertainment. They did a lot of Universal's stuff, including T2, JP.

 

[Lynx04]

Spiderman was created by Landmark Entertainment. They did a lot of Universal's stuff, including T2, JP.

Interesting fact, didn't know that. Thanks. I wonder if Universal had exclusive rights for a few years which is why no one else built one.

Busch wouldn't mention Spidy because it would be promoting USF.

Here is an interesting fact about Drachon Fire. Did you know that Drachon Fire at Busch Gardens was originally designed by B&M. I am not sure how it ended up becoming an Arrow track type, but if you look at the layout you can easly see the B&M layout.

 

[Coasterbp]

Here is an interesting fact about Drachon Fire. Did you know that Drachon Fire at Busch Gardens was originally designed by B&M. I am not sure how it ended up becoming an Arrow track type, but if you look at the layout you can easly see the B&M layout.

No it wasn't. This is a popular misconception among the coaster community. Someone actually wrote a letter to B&M about this and they wrote back saying that they were not involved in anyway with Drachen Fire.

 

[ISTCrew20]

No it wasn't. This is a popular misconception among the coaster community. Someone actually wrote a letter to B&M about this and they wrote back saying that they were not involved in anyway with Drachen Fire.

I used to have this coaster special that was on tape, and they mentioned that Drachon Fire was designed by B&M. Maybe that is how the misunderstanding started.

 

[Lynx04]

No it wasn't. This is a popular misconception among the coaster community. Someone actually wrote a letter to B&M about this and they wrote back saying that they were not involved in anyway with Drachen Fire.

Maybe B&M is denying involvement or the person who responded maybe didn't know. Also, if B&M wasn't involved maybe it was Werner Stangel, he was responsible for many, if not most of B&M coaster designs. If you follow the track layout it sounds very similar. The small dip then corkscrew then drop (obviously arrows dive loop), then a bunny hill (zero g roll), Cobra Roll and then mid-course breaks.

Sounds familar?

 

[CTXRover]

I laughed out loud when I read the press release say that this is a "first of its kind". Its as plain as day where this ride got its inspiration from. They didn't have to acknowledge Spiderman if they didn't want to, but at least don't lie. Even if it said it was a first of its kind FOR Busch Gardens would have been acceptable.

My guess is that Universal had the rights for the ride vehicle/ride idea for so many years where Landmark Entertainment (something I just learned here) was not allowed to release to anyone else. Probably that window of time came up and DarKastle was born. Similar to Disney and ETC's agreement over Mission:Space and the restriction of selling similar centrifuge technology for entertainment purposes for a certain number of years.

 

[DarkMeasures]

Granted, companies like Disney and Universal are much more capable of developing their own ride systems (Omnimover, Test Track, EMV, etc), there are still plenty of times when they work with other companies on attractions.

Actually, the Omnimover is Arrow's. The concept was done by Walt but he commissioned Arrow to develop the technology. I guess Disney held exclusive use of the omnimover however.

 

[KumbaRider]

It will be a cool ride, but it cannot beat Spiderman

 

[Lynx04]

Had a little free time tonight so I did a little searching on the Drachan Fire. I found this on CoasterForce.com, under B&M.


B&M were then approached by Anheuser Busch Leisure. Busch wanted to know if B&M could design a looping coaster for a park called 'The Old Country' in Williamsburg, Virginia. B&M and Werner Stengel did come up with a design, but later pulled out due to the need for investment on another project. The Williamsburg coaster was taken over by Arrow Development, and became Drachen Fire. Arrow was unable to fabricate many of the elements Stengel and B&M designed, including a loop around the lift hill which turned into a loop in the drop, and a camelback twist that Arrow replaced with a camelback hill. The ride did feature B&M's signiture interlocking corkscrews, and their cobra roll.


It is pretty interesting how we give credit to B&M for so many great coasters that Stangel's company actually designed. DD and Hulk were products of Stangel's design, along with over 400 other coaster designs.