New ride for PortAventura in 2011?
- Thread starter oriolat2
- Start date
It's a really odd attitude we're seeing in Europe at the moment.
The big parks (mostly) seem to be going for cheap thrills. The Eurofighters (as has been said before) are a very cheap, reliable (unless at Thorpe), small footprint, exciting and easy to theme thrill ride.
They invert and have the over 90 degree drop, which keeps the punters happy.
It's just not (I don't think) a good solution in reality for the larger parks. They're essentially the Arrow/Vekoma corkscrews for the noughties. There are better rides out there, but "these will do".
It's a piss poor attitude for a major park to have "this will do". Port Aventura is a world class park, so why install a ride that is available at barely country class parks? You may save a few quid now and see some immediate returns, but in ten years time the ride will be very rough and just wont appeal as much as your "proper" coasters.
The big parks (mostly) seem to be going for cheap thrills. The Eurofighters (as has been said before) are a very cheap, reliable (unless at Thorpe), small footprint, exciting and easy to theme thrill ride.
They invert and have the over 90 degree drop, which keeps the punters happy.
It's just not (I don't think) a good solution in reality for the larger parks. They're essentially the Arrow/Vekoma corkscrews for the noughties. There are better rides out there, but "these will do".
It's a piss poor attitude for a major park to have "this will do". Port Aventura is a world class park, so why install a ride that is available at barely country class parks? You may save a few quid now and see some immediate returns, but in ten years time the ride will be very rough and just wont appeal as much as your "proper" coasters.
Ormerod
Hyper Poster
I agree furie. Port Aventura should have massive pride, and it is one of the most beautiful landscapes you will ever see at a theme park. I mean it comes to the point when you don't think it should be classed as a theme park, utterly beautiful.
And next thing we ''hear'' they are getting a 'SAW innit'. Nice one.
And next thing we ''hear'' they are getting a 'SAW innit'. Nice one.
Screaming Coasters
Strata Poster
See, I don't really think parks are building these just because they are cheaper. Right now, they are the 'in thing' so everybody wants a piece of it and if a local park can build one for a good price, great! A roller coaster is a roller coaster, no matter who builds it.
nealbie
CF Legend
From what I hear from members who have visited over the past year or so, it's not a patch on what it used to be. With them running a skeleton effort at times.
Is PA going to get better? With a Eurofighter, if they theme it well, ie- not Saw, then they will do for about a week, until it flatspots the bottom of the drop! :lol:
Is PA going to get better? With a Eurofighter, if they theme it well, ie- not Saw, then they will do for about a week, until it flatspots the bottom of the drop! :lol:
So how does that make your park stand out from everyone else?
Duelling wooden coaster - check
Massive mine train - check
Eight Loop best of its kind multi-looper - check
World's first wingwalker launch coaster - check
Same ride everyone else in the world has that charge much less entry and the ride makes a much bigger impact - erm, check?
When you enter into "World Class" status, you need to go that extra few yards and push the boat out, not copy the smaller parks and hope their success rubs off on you. I could just justify one at Thorpe, but PA? It's better than that!
Duelling wooden coaster - check
Massive mine train - check
Eight Loop best of its kind multi-looper - check
World's first wingwalker launch coaster - check
Same ride everyone else in the world has that charge much less entry and the ride makes a much bigger impact - erm, check?
When you enter into "World Class" status, you need to go that extra few yards and push the boat out, not copy the smaller parks and hope their success rubs off on you. I could just justify one at Thorpe, but PA? It's better than that!
nealbie
CF Legend
I can see why they'd get one from a business standpoint. But only really as a go-between for the period between Baco and the next properly big/world class as furie put it, coaster. Not as the "next big thing!"
Lift Hill: The Ride will probably remain a bigger draw to the park for me than a Eurofighter :lol:
Lift Hill: The Ride will probably remain a bigger draw to the park for me than a Eurofighter :lol:
I dont agree Erol.
I can understand parks like Adventure Island and Oakwood getting them.
But a park like Thorpe and PA could afford a dive machine that is 100 times better. But they cost more but at least they have a high through put.
I bet if you put Shiekra and Saw next to each other and asked people what they prefer they would all say Shiekra. In fact most people I know who are what we call GP dont like Saw and prefer the other coasters at Thorpe.
So it does come down to costs and running costs. They are the in thing as they are cheap. In the USA they are gettying big Hyper coasters us in Europe are getting crappy Eurofighters.
As I said before PA have 4 big coasters (2 of which are the same coaster and people dont like it) they need another big coaster something to put them on the map again. This will not do that I dont think.
For people that like them great, but I am sure 99% of people would rather it be an Invert or big coaster something you have to travel to Germany or Holland for.
I can understand parks like Adventure Island and Oakwood getting them.
But a park like Thorpe and PA could afford a dive machine that is 100 times better. But they cost more but at least they have a high through put.
I bet if you put Shiekra and Saw next to each other and asked people what they prefer they would all say Shiekra. In fact most people I know who are what we call GP dont like Saw and prefer the other coasters at Thorpe.
So it does come down to costs and running costs. They are the in thing as they are cheap. In the USA they are gettying big Hyper coasters us in Europe are getting crappy Eurofighters.
As I said before PA have 4 big coasters (2 of which are the same coaster and people dont like it) they need another big coaster something to put them on the map again. This will not do that I dont think.
For people that like them great, but I am sure 99% of people would rather it be an Invert or big coaster something you have to travel to Germany or Holland for.
Screaming Coasters said:
Erol, no.
A computer is also a computer, no matter who makes it - yet you'll always tell a person to buy a Mac. Same concept.
The old idea of "you get what you pay for" REALLY does apply. Saw is a POOR quality coaster. And that shows. How often does it actually WORK? Did they have to trim it after one day? Does it still go down every day, like clockwork, for maintenance? (that one is actually a question...) Thorpe can just about get away with that because they have a "unique" client base - ie., idiot chavs who don't notice. BUT, PA is a different park - it's quality, and all the rides are high quality, made by the best people for them - ie., Intamin for a launch, B&M for a looper, Vekoma for a Kiddie, etc. IF PA really HAD to have a 97 degree coaster, they SHOULD be going to Intamin for it, and then they would get the MUCH higher quality version. Hershey and CP did NOT go for a Eurofighter FOR. A. REASON. I do still 110% think Thorpe should have gone to Intamin as well, but, they pissed their budget away on a tacky movie theme, so, that was out the window.
PA is a quality, World Class resort, with hotels coming out their ears, a tacky seaside ride is not what they should be buying. It's only a heartbeat away from them building a Spinning Wild Mouse!
They would be better off saving the cash and waiting for a few more years until they can afford something major. A Eurofighter at PA I doubt would even make a difference to crowd numbers so it doesn't make business sense, thats unless they go for a movie franchise like Thorpe did with Saw.
Most people I know who have gone to PA over the past years only knew of Dragon Khan and didn't even know about Baco so I guess a Eurofighter wouldn't even register with them.
Like Marc said they are great for small parks like Adventure Island, Oakwood, Duinrell, etc but a cheap option for major parks.
Most people I know who have gone to PA over the past years only knew of Dragon Khan and didn't even know about Baco so I guess a Eurofighter wouldn't even register with them.
Like Marc said they are great for small parks like Adventure Island, Oakwood, Duinrell, etc but a cheap option for major parks.
Screaming Coasters
Strata Poster
marc said:
Which it originally was, yes.
I knew this 2 years before anybody else did, and I was still 100% correct about a Eurofighter coming to a South London Park, though I don't understand what you're getting at?
+1 on me being reliable
I really can't see the problem with a Eurofighter. They can do 1000pph an hour, which is pretty decent and deliver intense rides. Just look at Mystery Mine, I wouldn't mind that at all.