It's 2010; which will be most succesful in the next decade?

[Gavin]

You get the same drop as on a dive machine but with a more exciting lift hill AND you don't need the massive track of the original DMs meaning you can afford to build a full circuit coaster after the drop. If they do build that model I think it will be a huge hit!

The drop on a tilt coaster is very, very different to a dive machine. The maximum angle may be the same, but the sensation when riding is totally different. Also, there must be a reason why more parks haven't built one. Cost? Maintenance? Who really knows? There must be something holding parks back though, as they surely realise the marketing potential in the design.

 

[andrus]

The drop on a tilt coaster is very, very different to a dive machine. The maximum angle may be the same, but the sensation when riding is totally different. Also, there must be a reason why more parks haven't built one. Cost? Maintenance? Who really knows? There must be something holding parks back though, as they surely realise the marketing potential in the design.

Why is the drop different? I haven't ridden one yet but according to physics I assume it would be the same thing? (except some more wheels means marginally higher friction and the fact that it aint floorless, but it could be if redesigned).

I guess that something has to do with reliability. No park want's to be first hence it might not work properly.. That's the same thing that goes for fourth dimension coasters right? Everybody sees their potential but still nobody is willing to buy them. But I hope that change cuz both coaster types seems awesome to me! :--D

 

[Ben]

Well, one starts off already vertical whilst one crests into it. There's a MASSIVE difference.

 

[andrus]

^Well ok, that's what I call a small difference but if that's what you refer to, I get it

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

Gonna say Intamin and B&M will continue to be the leaders in the coaster world, along with some of the major wooden coaster companies like GCI which seem to be expanding more.

I can't see any of the crappier companies coming out with amazing coasters in the next decade though.

 

[Mountain Madman]

How the do we know who will be the most successful?

Roll the clock back 10 years.

Did you expect the Intamin Accelerator coaster? GCI's creative layouts? The downfall of Arrow? B&M's new Flying design? On board speaker systems? etc.

All of these predictions are shots in the dark. No one has enough insight to accurately project the next 10 years in the amusement park industry. There is a very unpredictable market trend, with attractions and coasters spanning the entire playing field.

Intamin and B&M MAY have positioned themselves as long term players, but we will see if they are able to span the test of time and changing market settings.

It doesn't matter who is building the coasters or what is being built, just as long as they still give good thrills to those that ride them!

Quoted for Truth!

 

[Pierre]

Yeah but its an opinion... if we could all predict the future life would be boring! Just a bit of fun speculation

I personally think B&M price themselves out from the little parks... Only major parks with chains behind them can really afford the purchase and maintenance of them.

I just think they make themselves too much of an exclusive company and don't reach out to all markets.

Who knows what will happen but if Vekoma keep going the way they have been they'll be pretty successful... they've managed to pull something out the bag for every market in the past decade.

 

[Screaming Coasters]

I predict that in the next 10 years, new B&M's are gonna be forceless pieces of crap.... Oh wait, they already are.

 

[marc]

Seeing that I read this topic totally wrong.

I think Gerstlauer will do well over the next few years. Maybe not so much in the UK now due to the problems with Thorpe but in Europe and maybe the USA.

They have built themselves up slowly and now have quite a few designs, I dont think it will be long until we see and Invert from them maybe a larger coaster that is affordable.

My veiw on them has changed since the Euro live.

 

[bezzzzzer]

I voted S&S, but thinking about it I'm not really sure.

I know they've had problems, but they're working towards the worlds fastest roller coaster (which I remember is something S&S have always aimed for since the arrival of the Air Thrust Coaster, so we're talking a while). They have projects coming up in China as well. However, the main reason I think they will have a boost this decade is because of their Arrow purchase. I feel that they were almost dipping their toe in the water over the past few years. I think they will release maybe a couple other different coaster types, and we will most certainly see an increase of S&S coasters. I think they will be a much stronger coaster company this time in ten years.

I think I've persuaded myself and I'll stick with S&S, because I was toying with Vekoma because they have some new stuff, but they are already really popular. I can see them transforming into a more up-market coaster company, but they can't really grow because they're already massive.

As for what will be the next 'craze', as usual, I have no idea. Who does? B&M have a new thing coming and I'm sure many other companies do but I'm afraid my mind must lack the creativity needed because I have no idea what it'll be.

 

[Gavin]

Why is the drop different? I haven't ridden one yet but according to physics I assume it would be the same thing? (except some more wheels means marginally higher friction and the fact that it aint floorless, but it could be if redesigned).

I don't know about the physics of the thing, but the overall drop experience is very different. On a dive machine, only the front of the train is really hanging over the edge, and not hanging vertically either. On a tilt coaster, the whole train hangs vertically, and for a much longer time, too. The difference between front and back is also immense. In the front, you're looking at the end of the track, psychologically similar to looking down into Oblivion's hole, while being swung down and under into position. At the back, you're swinging up and over, which feels completely different and also gives a much higher drop. I'm not saying it's any better than a dive machine, just very different.

I guess that something has to do with reliability. No park want's to be first hence it might not work properly.

No park would be first. There's been one running in Taiwan for around 8 years.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1O-I5jYdVk[/youtube]

Is it reliable? Absolutely no idea unfortunately. There's no information at all to go on.

That's the same thing that goes for fourth dimension coasters right? Everybody sees their potential but still nobody is willing to buy them.

I think it's safe to say, even though I don't know the figures myself, that a 4D coaster would be way, way more expensive than a tilt coaster. It's really only the tilt section that is any different from a regular Vekoma looper. Otherwise, the track and trains are the same. 4D track and trains are vastly different from anything else, and must be among the most expensive to manufacture surely?

 

[Martyn B]

I don't know about the physics of the thing, but the overall drop experience is very different.

Yeah I can see how it would be differen't. No doubt I'll get murdered for this, but Boomerang drops can be pretty exhilirating, especially if you're in a day dream or not concentrating. So I'd imagine its similar to that, on a much more extreme level.