Longest gap between coasters

[Ian]

Looking at the Canobie Lake Park's page on RCDB, I was quite surprised to see that they haven't had a new coaster for 20 years.

http://www.rcdb.com/4602.htm

Can anybody think of a longer gap between new coasters at a park?

 

[Hixee]

I can't find any exact number, but Lakemont Park must be up there.

Leap the Dips - 1902
Twister - 1927 (defunct)
Toboggan - 1971
Skyliner - 1987

Little Leaper - Unknown
Mad Mouse - Unknown

Doesn't seem unbelievable that they didn't have a new coaster in more than 20-30 years around the 30s, 40s, 50s... Shame I can't (easily) find out any info about the other two.

 

[madhjsp]

I can't find any exact number, but Lakemont Park must be up there.

Leap the Dips - 1902
Twister - 1927 (defunct)
Toboggan - 1971
Skyliner - 1987

Little Leaper - Unknown
Mad Mouse - Unknown

Doesn't seem unbelievable that they didn't have a new coaster in more than 20-30 years around the 30s, 40s, 50s... Shame I can't (easily) find out any info about the other two.

Mad Mouse previously operated at White Swan Park in Pennsylvania from 1965-1989, so it would have to have been installed at Lakemont in 1990 at the earliest.

Little Leaper is more of a mystery. The first Hirschell Little Dipper models were built around 1950, but they didn't have banked turns and had older-style cars. Little Leaper's cars and banked turns are more in line with Mild Thing at Valleyfair!, which opened in 1976. Assuming it was built around that time and after Toboggan, then the longest gap between new coasters at Lakemont could have been 44 years between Twister in 1927 and Toboggan 1971.

As for other parks that had 20+ year gaps between coasters, Knoebels had only one coaster between 1955-1977, a gap of 22 years. Cedar Point once had a coaster gap of 33 years between 1929-1952, and Dorney Park experienced a gap of 29 years between Thunderhawk in 1923 and a Schiff kiddie coaster in 1952. These are just three parks that I knew of and searched, on the suspicion that they might have had long coaster droughts. I'm sure there are some obscure parks out there that have gone even longer without a new one.

 

[Hixee]

^Thanks for the extra information. I didn't think to look if they'd been relocated. Good work!

So yeah, about 40 years at Lakemont then...

 

[Snoo]

Waldameer went 49 years between additions.. Comet in 1951 to Ravine Flyer 3 in 2000.

 

[Hyde]

What about Idora Park in Youngstown, Ohio?

http://www.rcdb.com/4692.htm

The last roller coaster they opened was in 1930, with the park closing in 1984. That leaves a 54 year gap.

Psh Marcus, you say you're from Northern Ohio!? :razz:

 

[Snoo]

Well I was thinking parks still operating.. cuz you know.. Idora burned down in 1984? Speaking of that.. drove by there the other day.. looks desolate.


PS: I'm from NorthEAST Ohio son.. don't get that confused.

 

[Hyde]

^ North, Northeast, everyone is still Buckeye fans and ends their sentences in prepositions. :wink:

e.g. Where are my shoes at?

Anyways, for the defunct category at least, that is a whole lotta years.

Searching around more, even Cedar Point saw a 23 year gap between 1929 and 1952. Between World Wars and the Great Depression, new construction simply was difficult and often times not feasible. This is a theme that I imagine plays through many of the parks that were around for the early 20th century.

 

[Antinos]

The golden age was during the 20s when the economy was booming. Just before the Depression, there were over 1,500 roller coasters(all wooden) in the United States alone. That's pretty impressive considering that there are around 2,500 worldwide today. It wasn't until after the second world war when rides really picked up again, but only for a short time. The late 50's/60's were absolutely terrible times for roller coaster construction. I remember reading about only three or so roller coasters being built in about a decade. Then, a new boom picked up when King's Island built Racer in 1972, which was basically the forerunner of the coaster wars.

Basically, the parks with the biggest gap will be old parks where the gap is sometime during the 30's, 40's, 50's, or 60's.

 

[Inverse]

Ian's first post mentioned a gap that's still growing (although it's soon to end), I find that idea more interesting than huge gaps early in the century.

Any other parks currently operating that haven't built a new coaster for ages?

 

[Ian]

Any other parks currently operating that haven't built a new coaster for ages?

Hmm, I've gone through a few UK parks on RCDB, here's a few who have not had a new coaster in this millennium!

Pleasure Island - 1996, Crazy Loop (now defunct).
Joyland Norfolk - 1998, Spook Express

Clarence Pier could have held the the UK record, 31 years since Skyways, but they opened Speedy Gonzales this year. (Although RCDB is missing data on some parks like Great Yarmouth PB.)

Hmm, Mack's Amusements in Cleethorpes last coaster, Little Dipper, opened in "1975 or earlier", 36 years.

Without spending a day going through RCDB, I'm pretty sure the record is held by a seaside or small holiday style park. Pleasure Island is probably the "biggest" park that hasn't had a new coaster in years.

 

[T0M]

Hmm, Mack's Amusements in Cleethorpes last coaster, Little Dipper, opened in "1975 or earlier", 36 years.

Ha ha, I believe that is just that coaster, a ferris wheel and a helter skelter on the beach. Has anyone been to it just for the credit? I'm sure I'll have the credit from about 20 years ago.

 

[Ben]

(Although RCDB is missing data on some parks like Great Yarmouth PB.)/quote]

They'd have opened their Apple in like, 1998, cause it's Alton's. But, from 1932 for Roller Coaster, til their next in 1972 was a pretty big gap for the UK.

Ha ha, I believe that is just that coaster, a ferris wheel and a helter skelter on the beach. Has anyone been to it just for the credit? I'm sure I'll have the credit from about 20 years ago.

Yeah, it was my 200th. It is just that on a beach. Can't see them EVER getting anything else, haha.

 

[Ian]

Now I think of it, I do recall seeing it when I walked up and down the seafront last year. And yes, I refused the cred!

If I had known then what I know now, I would have ridden it for historical and research reasons.

 

[ECG]

OK - here it is. Bay Beach Amusement Park in Green Bay, Wisconsin went 75 years between coasters.
Jack Rabbit opened in 1901 & closed in 1928. The Greyhound opened the following year & closed in 1936. No new coaster was built until Zippin Pippin opened earlier this year. The park has been operating since 1892 & I think that's a record that will stand for a long time. :wink:

 

[marc]

I was just looking stuff up and what shocked me was Thorpe Park.

There was a 13 year gap between Space Station Zero and X/NwO

 

[Waffleman]

Pretty sure Pleasure Island in cleethorpes hasn't had a new coaster since it opened in 1993, so that's 18 years.

 

[alexr]

PB Had some quite big gaps...
Grand National-1935
Wild Mouse-1958
Steeplechase-1977
Irn-Bru Revolution-1979
Avalanche-1988
Pepsi Max Big One-1994
Infusion-2007

 

[bezzzzzer]

Hmm, Mack's Amusements in Cleethorpes last coaster, Little Dipper, opened in "1975 or earlier", 36 years.

Ha ha, I believe that is just that coaster, a ferris wheel and a helter skelter on the beach. Has anyone been to it just for the credit? I'm sure I'll have the credit from about 20 years ago.

I've got it, and actually enjoyed it quite a bit! Nice cheeky litttle beast. That Ferris Wheel goes suprisingly fast too, but it is all a bit crap.

Pretty sure Pleasure Island in cleethorpes hasn't had a new coaster since it opened in 1993, so that's 18 years.

Read the thread Jay! It's a bit concerning that, as far as we can gather, Pleasure Island is the park to go the longest without getting a coaster in the country thus far.

 

[haeline]

I haven't been here but I think I will still enjoy their ride even if there are lots of new coasters to ride in to.