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What are your thoughts on swing launches on roller coasters?

What are your thoughts on swing launches?

  • Total voters
    42
Matt N

Matt N

CF Legend
Hi guys. Launches on roller coasters have been around for years now. However, the advent of LSM technology has made the swing launch become a popular element. Intamin impulse coasters probably invented this element, but rides like the Sky Rocket IIs popularised the swing launch during the 2010s, and in recent years, they have been integrated into full circuit coasters a fair amount. Rides like Ice Breaker, Star Trek Operation Enterprise and Capitol Bullet Train managed to integrate them by using turntables and switch tracks, but I’d argue that the most ambitious integration of swing launches arrived on some of the recent Intamin coasters like Toutatis and Pantheon, with the high speed switch track technology making the integration almost seamless.

With the way things are going, it doesn’t seem as though the swing launch is going anywhere anytime soon. With this in mind, I’d be keen to know; what are your thoughts on swing launches on roller coasters? Do you like them, and think that they add a fun new element to rides? Or do you think that they’re little more than a pointless gimmick?

Personally, I haven’t experienced a swing launch first hand, but I’m in two minds about what I might think to them based on POVs. On the one hand, some of them do look quite fun and novel, particularly the airtime-filled ones like Ice Breaker, Toutatis and Pantheon. On the other hand, I can imagine that traversing the same track over and over might lack something compared to a traditional launch, and it could feel a tad repetitive.

I’ll be experiencing 2 (possibly 3 if you count Hagrid’s) swing launches next month, though, so I’ll report back after I’ve been to Florida!

But what do you think to swing launches on roller coasters?
P.S. Sorry, I accidentally posted this thread long before I’d finished typing… the post is finished now!
 
I have only experienced two swing launch coasters being Toutatis and Pulsar. Both of which look like better iterations as they both have airtime, with Toutatis' being particularly strong. I think swing launches are great for now, but I wouldn't want to see it become a pattern on every launch coaster.
 
Having ridden quite a few swing launch coasters now from Intamin, Mack, Gerstlauer and Premier; i'm a big fan. Whilst none provide that exhilarating kick you might get from a static hydraulic launch like on Stealth, I'd rather have a swing launch than some of the weaker static launches you get on other coasters.

I'm also a big fan of this trend of having airtime hills on swing launches; it's like 2/3 airtime hills for the price of 1!
 
Depends. I mean there's swing launch coasters, and then there's coasters with swing launches, right?
'Swing launch coasters' I would define as things like Intamin Twisted Impulse coasters or Pemier Sky Rockets. They're fine. Not keen on Sky Rockets myself, but as a concept, where the swing launch itself is the focal point of the ride, yeah it's fine, it sorta works.
Pulsar too - great ride, although it's not really a coaster is it? It's basically a giant splash boat... with a swing launch. That's it's thing, that's what it is. So it's fine.

I suspect however that the opening post is aimed more towards this current trend of plonking a swing launch in the middle of a full circuit roller coaster - what I would class as a 'coaster with a swing launch' - and that is something I'm not completely sold on yet. Feels gimmicky and unnecessary to me. I think I'd prefer a simple multi-launcher like Taron where the launch is powerful enough to get you over the next element first time round, rather than fannying around with all this high-speed switch track malarkey.
Plus, aesthetically speaking, I don't like the look of reverse spikes. Any piece of track that just ends in mid air looks unfinished to me.

Having said all that, the only 'coaster with a swing launch' that I've been on is Star Trek OE at Movie Park Germany, which is a pretty lame ride and has weak-ass launches anyway so perhaps not the best example to judge them by.
Distinct possibility I'll change my mind if I get to ride Pantheon or Toutatis.
 
What we lose in big, powerful launches, we gain a lot more coaster elements that can go taller/faster thanks to the space efficiency of swing launches. I think it's a fair trade and a natural evolution from the multi-launch layout designs that we already saw taking hold towards the end of the 2000s/throughout the 2010s.

Thumbs up overall, and a lot of fun customization that we've already seen for adding airtime hills in the middle of the launch, having a simple spike/vs. quasi-inversion stall, etc.
 
I wasn't sold until Toutatis, it hits the spot just right in both complementing the layout and introducing otherwise impossible and incredible elements that add to the experience.

The selling points from a manufacturer and park perspective are understandable, but they otherwise never served me that well as a ride experience.

Rides that are just swing launch I don't tend to be bothered about because they're so limited.

Rides that include a swing launch always felt adversly affected by the pacing - either the swing itself doesn't match the dynamics of the rest of the ride, or it created a feeling of too much build up and not enough 'meat' afterwards.


Matt N said:
I’d argue that the most ambitious integration of swing launches arrived on some of the recent Intamin coasters like Toutatis and Pantheon
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I always considered Soaring with Dragon to be the trailblazer in this case.
 
I love them when integrated into a longer layout. It's just the right amount of backwards travel before it becomes boring or nauseating! I especially love them when they get the pop of airtime in them just right, ala Pantheon.

The Sky Rocket 2s don't do it for me, there's not enough excitement in a swing launch for it to be the rides selling point. But it's a great supporting feature
 
they’re ok, but not a real benefit to a ride. I also wasn’t the biggest fan of the swing launch on Pantheon as the acceleration isn’t constant throughout the launch section making it quite uncomfortable for me.
 
Luca B said:
they’re ok, but not a real benefit to a ride. I also wasn’t the biggest fan of the swing launch on Pantheon as the acceleration isn’t constant throughout the launch section making it quite uncomfortable for me.
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It was a little unexpected that they split the launch, it's almost a 7 launch coaster not 4. Out of interest, uncomfortable in what way?
 
Compact rides like Ice Breaker or the Sky Rocket ll greatly benefit by having 2 more launches than normal. Things like Intamin LSM's like Panteon don't seem all that appealing to me.
 
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