How should the height record have been broken?

[Casio]

So reaction to the Florida Polercoaster has been mixed. Some can't see the point of achieving such a great height and then only getting to the speed of a ride a third of the height. Some see it as an insane, wacky innovation; a step in the right direction for roller coaster design. I'm in the middle-of-the-road boat; at first I thought it looked awful, but now I've come to quite like the idea. I'd prefer the record to be broken in this way than not at all, and it isn't like this is superseding all other designs, they can still be built too!

It seemed to me like most people were expecting it to be broken with a Leviathan style B&M, but realistically the only parks who would have the cash for a 500ft+ B&M or Intamin are Disney and Universal, and obviously they won't be doing that any time soon. Would anyone have been impressed if it were just a bigger Kingda Ka? I imagine there would have been a lot of complaining for that too (Although that is what we do best :lol: )

I guess in an ideal world I would've liked a Steel Dragon-style mammoth 500 footer, from Intamin or B&M. But I think I prefer the Polercoaster to just another Kingda Ka.

So, how would you like it to have been broken?

 

[DelPiero]

A bigger, better Storm Runner, or like you say, Steel Dragon on roids would have been my choices. There's so many options once you get up to that height rather than a KK/TTD clone.
I feel they chose the very boring option, it's a shame.

 

[gavin]

Has it actually been confirmed that the actual coaster part is 500 feet, or is that inclusive of the whole tower?

 

[Casio]

No I don't think it's been specified yet

 

[Intricks]

They hope it breaks the current record of 465ft.

So they cant build the observation deck/restaurant any taller than 50ft to break the record and set it at 470 feet.

 

[AirtimeFreak]

I'm sure most would have rather seen a 500 ft lift hill with a huge drop, loads of airtime hills and overbank's. It's been done before though (just not that high) and will be done again in the future.

Personally i think if the record is going to be broken it should be with a Coaster on its own. Not attached to any other structure / ride and something that completes a full circuit while you are on board. I cant imagine that you'll be in the car while it ascends the tower (start or end of ride?). More get on at the top, ride to the bottom and get off, then the car will travel up to the peak again?

 

[Intricks]

Nope, you are in a car the entire time. If you just want the observation tower, then you take an elevator to the top.

 

[CPSFMMCW]

I would've loved to see a massive expedition geforce.

 

[rollermonkey]

500 foot tall Big Apple.

Stacks upon stacks of figure-eights.


Seriously, I think I always suspected that if the 500 foot mark was broken, it would either be a plused up Kingda Ka or attached to some other tall structure, but more like the never-built "fishhook" coaster once planned for the Stratosphere.

This is probably better than either of those concepts, though... Frankly, it will all come down to if it's fun or not.

 

[Bottom_Feeder_13]

I like the fact this is going to be a huge ass el loco but considering the $100 million price tag I think all subsequent record breakers will be at something other than a park.

 

[insanecoastervids]

A very massive Hyper style roller coaster with more airtime that any ride will ever have.

 

[Gazza]

I don't really see why such a ride couldn't necessarily be good though.....Granted it will need trims along the way, but if it's generally a downhill run, where you are constantly gaining speed, with turns as tight as permissible you'd get a great out of control feeling.

 

[_koppen]

I actually really like the way the record is being taken. The ride looks really interesting, andI'm much more happy with this rather than another lame ride from B&M. Hopefully this will be lap bars only.

Sure I would have preferred a bigger version of Kingda Ka to be built and take the record, but considering how much problems they had the get the train to clear the top hat on that one, I don't think anyone will buy another one of those in the near future.

 

[Edward M]

The most reasonable and least expensive way.

People are going to say 500+ foot B&M/Intamin airtime machine that is over 10 minutes and the best ride that has ever been made, EVER! This won't happen. I might like it to, but it won't.

One way or another the height barrier will be broken so why not with a unique layout. They could have used an Intamin accelerator, but what park has that money or even would be interested. They are unreliable and have a bad reputation when it comes to maintenance. Disney and Universal don't want a ride like this. I don't see Hunger Games: The Ride (a 500 foot Intamin Accelerator) at Universal Studios. This topic shouldn't be about your dream roller coaster. It is a discussion on the decision of the roller coaster model, Polercoaster. For me, Polercoaster is a creative way to break the barrier and a good idea to introduce to cities or parks that want a big roller coaster, but don't have the room or money. I don't see the height barrier as some sacred ground that can only be broken if perfectly done. I think we should also wait until someone has ridden this before anyone puts judgement on the ride itself. I mean we haven't seen a POV. It could be a very good roller coaster. We'll have to wait and see whether it will be a good ride. For the idea though, I don't mind. To me, I think it's a good way break the height record.

 

[Youngster Joey]

The most reasonable and least expensive way.

People are going to say 500+ foot B&M/Intamin airtime machine that is over 10 minutes and the best ride that has ever been made, EVER! This won't happen. I might like it to, but it won't.

One way or another the height barrier will be broken so why not with a unique layout. They could have used an Intamin accelerator, but what park has that money or even would be interested. They are unreliable and have a bad reputation when it comes to maintenance. Disney and Universal don't want a ride like this. I don't see Hunger Games: The Ride (a 500 foot Intamin Accelerator) at Universal Studios. This topic shouldn't be about your dream roller coaster. It is a discussion on the decision of the roller coaster model, Polercoaster. For me, Polercoaster is a creative way to break the barrier and a good idea to introduce to cities or parks that want a big roller coaster, but don't have the room or money. I don't see the height barrier as some sacred ground that can only be broken if perfectly done. I think we should also wait until someone has ridden this before anyone puts judgement on the ride itself. I mean we haven't seen a POV. It could be a very good roller coaster. We'll have to wait and see whether it will be a good ride. For the idea though, I don't mind. To me, I think it's a good way break the height record.

+1

Couldn't agree more. Especially about the wait until someone's ridden it. I remember people on here bitching about how awful Leviathan would be then it opened and is now widely considered a great ride. Just hold your horses folks.

Also a KK height breaker with a lift hill is just not realistic due to space and cost restraints.

 

[andrus]

I think the polercoaster concept is a really cool one, and I'm glad to see it come to fruition so soon!

But if I could choose, I would have love to see a dive machine break the height record! It wouldn't be too expensive if done the right way: keep it a simple truss structure (much like KK) and use an elevator lift, and since most of the drop is straight, it'll use the same truss structure for supporting. Imagine hanging face down waiting to get dropped 500 feet above the ground!! :--D

 

[AirtimeFreak]

^^^ Not sure if a DM would be the right idea. The track sections are HUUUUGE and not as cheap as you may think. Plus surely it would be more sensible to put in a drop tower, especially the new one Intamin are working on:

http://www.coasterforce.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=34044

With the seats rocked back to 90degrees it is as close to a DM you will get with a tiny footprint.

I still maintain that i believe it should be broken with a "standard" type coaster with a "standard" layout, but like people have said the initial cost could be far too much to see a decent ROI.

 

[Taxi]

I think the polercoaster concept is a really cool one, and I'm glad to see it come to fruition so soon!

But if I could choose, I would have love to see a dive machine break the height record! It wouldn't be too expensive if done the right way: keep it a simple truss structure (much like KK) and use an elevator lift, and since most of the drop is straight, it'll use the same truss structure for supporting. Imagine hanging face down waiting to get dropped 500 feet above the ground!! :--D

I've also been thinking of something like this for quite some time now. However, to be realistic, it would have to be built in a park with some good terrain, with huge drop-offs. I could see a 200' tall lift with a 500' drop off the side of a cliff, a quick High speed curve, and back up the hill/cliff. The coaster could then go into a MCBR and continue on in a compact dive coaster footprint. The biggest issue with this would be cost and construction. Plus the drop spine would need to be much thicker to support something this massive. Similar to Leviathan's drop spine.

I could see something like this (simple prototype).