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Catapult at SFNE to be removed for SkyScreamer

ECG

East Coast(er) General
Staff member
Administrator
Six Flags New England recently confirmed on Twitter that Catapult, their S&S Power Sky Swat ride, will be removed to make room for their new Funtime Star Flyer ride. Although SkyScreamer isn't scheduled to open before 2014, Catapult will not open this season & has been removed from the park's website attractions page: http://www.sixflags.com/newEngland/rides/AllRides.aspx
Until a new home is found for Catapult, which is unlikely due to the reliability issues inherent to the ride, Thorpe Park's Slammer will be the only Sky Swat in existence.
Catapult was the first-ever installation of a Sky Swat when it opened as "SWAT!" at Six Flags AstroWorld in Houston, Texas in 2003. After Six Flags AstroWorld closed in 2005, the ride was moved to Six Flags New England and opened later that year. Slammer at Thorpe Park also opened in 2005 (26 March).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15Vs5gPI5u0[/youtube]
 

AJ

Giga Poster
Maybe when they sell it they cN sell that disgRACEful ride attendant with it!
 

CanobieFan

Strata Poster
I find it amusing they went from removing the Sky Coaster to now Catapult (Remember when SFI said ALL park up charge rides would be removed? HA, and now they went back to adding more.... SFFT, LaRonde, SFMM....)

Anyways, this isn't a shock. Back in 06 the park planned to remove the ride, going as far to even tell everyone at the ACE event Superhero. (The year the park removed 6 rides....) and for what its worth.... I kinda liked the ride for what it was. I'd ride it 5 or 6 times a visit knowing each ride could be my last. I guess last summer *was* my last.
 

rollermonkey

Strata Poster
Like Canobie said, it was ok for what it was. I rode both of them, no complaints other than the unnecessarily long loading sequence.
 

Mr Nash

Hyper Poster
Now I'm probably in a minority here,but I absolutely love Slammer,infact I'd say it's one of my favourites at Thorpe.

Looking at that video,there doesn't seem to be much difference between the two,but it would be interesting to hear from people who have ridden both,how they compare.

I really love the concept of the ride,I know they suffer from constent problems,but find it a real shame more weren't ever built.I'd be gutted if Thorpe lost theirs.
 

andrus

Giga Poster
Mr Nash said:
Now I'm probably in a minority here,but I absolutely love Slammer,infact I'd say it's one of my favourites at Thorpe.

Looking at that video,there doesn't seem to be much difference between the two,but it would be interesting to hear from people who have ridden both,how they compare.
Slammer is great, love it! Probably my second favourite at Thorpe behind Stealth. I was looking forward to Catapult since I thought they where the same, but oh was I mistaken! The restraints on Catapult are awful. I don't know whether the actual shaping differs but they close unnecessarily tight and it hurts like hell! Which the one at Thorpe doesn't, Slammer is very comfortable imo and a fun experience!
 

Mr Nash

Hyper Poster
andrus said:
Slammer is great, love it! Probably my second favourite at Thorpe behind Stealth. I was looking forward to Catapult since I thought they where the same, but oh was I mistaken! The restraints on Catapult are awful. I don't know whether the actual shaping differs but they close unnecessarily tight and it hurts like hell! Which the one at Thorpe doesn't, Slammer is very comfortable imo and a fun experience!

Before I rode Slammer,all I heard was how awful the shoulder restraints were.Yet I have never experienced that on any of my rides.Infact I love how loose thay are,and how you get that out of seat feeling,it kind of adds to the ride experience.
 
HAHA, AJ I was about to say I hope LINDSAY gets FIRED :D

Awful ride, horrible attendants, more of a torture device than a flat to be fair. Not even fun. Demolish them all.
 

ciallkennett

Strata Poster
andrus said:
Mr Nash said:
Now I'm probably in a minority here,but I absolutely love Slammer,infact I'd say it's one of my favourites at Thorpe.

Looking at that video,there doesn't seem to be much difference between the two,but it would be interesting to hear from people who have ridden both,how they compare.
Slammer is great, love it! Probably my second favourite at Thorpe behind Stealth. I was looking forward to Catapult since I thought they where the same, but oh was I mistaken! The restraints on Catapult are awful. I don't know whether the actual shaping differs but they close unnecessarily tight and it hurts like hell! Which the one at Thorpe doesn't, Slammer is very comfortable imo and a fun experience!

This to a tee. If the restraints weren't so awful on this monster, it would have been fine. But they're absolutely vile. Slammer is my favourite flat ride at Thorpe minus Det.
 

Jake

Strata Poster
The problem with the restraints is that they keep coming down (unlike on Slammer where they lock into position before the ride starts and don't budge) throughout the ride. Kind of like the X Cars, but rather than squashing your whole stomach they dig right into your hip bones. Nasty.
 

Naemuti

Mega Poster
Good riddance. Catapult was fun and very intense in a good way, but like everyone else said, the restraints were nasty. They dug into your hips and tried to compress your spine. The shoulder restraints actually made me feel a bit claustrophobic, as I could not move whatsoever inside them unless I kind of pushed my shoulders up to keep the restraints artificially high up.
 

Jer

Strata Poster
I did not ride it last year, and I cant say i'm disappointed it's being removed. It looked awful, and according to everyone who ride it, it was awful. Nothing of value was lost.
 

gavin

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Social Media Team
I can't even remember if I rode this or not. Meh.
 

furie

SBOPD
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
You really had as much bad luck as you could last year :lol:

I found it fine. Well, as fine as Slammer is which I find... erm... Fine :lol:

If it has the same level of reliability as Slammer, then they do need to get rid of it - maintenance must already be pushed to their limits with the new GIB.
 
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