Wooden Hypercoasters

[Xpress]

The most significant reason you don't see it is - I believe - because there's not really a niche for them. It's the same reason why you don't see wooden launched coasters.

I can imagine the same things were being said about steel coasters, or coasters being built over 200', or even a loop on a wooden coaster, many moons ago...

All it takes is someone who is willing to buy into the idea of it, and then things go from there...

I can foresee a launched wooden coaster being more feasible than a 200'+ wooden coaster, mainly because of the smaller size, and lower cost. There isn't much of a need to make a launched ride climb higher than tree level, if that's what is called for...

 

[Xpress]

Not in this case. The only wooden coaster that's been built to "hyper" requirements has been Son of Beast. The rest aren't even close, except for Colossos, which is nearly 200' tall, but only has around a 160' drop.

Actually I was talking more about the launched wooden coaster concept here.

A wooden hyper, however...no. There have been PLENTY of opportunities for parks to build them since Son of Beast, and they simply choose not to do it. It's just not necessary.

Agree. I'd also imagine that the high maintenance cost of a wooden ride of such height/size/length may be a bit of a turnoff, although it seems to me that Intamin has done quite nicely with mega wooden coasters...

It's all speculation at this point. Who knows? Maybe we'll see wooden coasters hit 300 feet by the end of the decade (however unlikely) :shock:

 

[SaiyanHajime]

And in regards to the massive blueprint, yes I realize this is true, but you have to admit it would look kool...

Except rides are built for functionality. "Looking cool" is not a way to justify millions of dollars of an investment.

I'd say it is. In fact, I know it is. But, you're right in this context. The subject of this topic is too far.

It's about weighing up the worth isn't it. If you look at rides that are clearly statement pieces, they tend to have one very specific showy element. A huge woodie like this couldn't really do what say, i305 does (Well, even I305 can't do it, let's be honest) as it would need to keep up it's scale for longer than a steel coaster. Well, I assume so anyway? Maybe I'm really wrong.

 

[Xpress]

As for 300 foot wooden coasters...there's really no point.

Pointless as it may be, we still don't know.... Like I said, all speculation....

IMO there's no point to Dive Coasters. You take a 90* drop (give or take a few degrees), ride through a gentle sweeping layout, and you're pretty much done.

 

[reddude333]

^ In reference to this comment, all of our answers are speculative...none of us can really know what the future of coaster development but I can probably agree that by the time 300ft wood coasters become even remotely possible they would be so obsolete that there would be absolutely no point...

 

[reddude333]

Bingo.

Haha! Glad we can agree on something...interestingly enough it seems it is sort of one of those agree to disagree things...besides that we totally agree about wood gigacoasters, lol...

 

[theRock-steel]

Part of the challange with seeing another wooden hyper is that it would probably never be built in a Cedar Fair park. Mean Streak is hated, SOB is hated, and Carowinds has been doing a ton of work on Thunder Road. Outside of GCI, I don't think that you could sell the idea of a new wooden to any of their parks. Kings Island took a real hit to their reputation with what they already tried. If the whole industry noticed that, maybe no one wants to take a shot.
I think that they will wait and take a look and see what happens with the new Texas Giant. Only a few would still call this a wooden, and I am not one of them. However, how that ride will be excepted may have an impact on what builders or parks want to try in the near future.
I think that if we see a new wooden hyper, it is more than likely to be one of these:
A terrian one where the land provides the 200 ft. lift or drop
An Intamin pre-fab
A Gravity Group with steel structure and new high-tech trains
A totally re-done existing ride with wooden structure but steel track

 

[Ben]

If one gets built, and that's perfectly possible if a park WANTS one, I'd bet my right nut it'll get built in China.

 

[Snoo]

^Exactly. Almost every other place in the world, the demand for something like that just isn't their with the sheer volume of coasters that already exist. China just received their FIRST woodie.. it is like the promised land with wide open roads and a billion people to thrill.. China is going to go crazy with new rides.

 

[reddude333]

If one gets built, and that's perfectly possible if a park WANTS one, I'd bet my right nut it'll get built in China.

That's quite a big wager...I think someone will decide to build one but I wouldn't probably guess in China...I'd guess either USA or Japan...

As for Texas Giant, I am very excited to see what happens there...and I wouldn't call it wooden either (I've heard the term hybrid coaster so that's probably what I would call it). Sadly, Cedar Fair has had some issues with large wooden coasters. Maybe Six Flags will pick it up? I would prefer a Cedar Fair park considers it since MM is claiming the coaster title, CP could maybe one-up them...despite the horrors of Mean Streak :-/

 

[reddude333]

^Exactly. Almost every other place in the world, the demand for something like that just isn't their with the sheer volume of coasters that already exist. China just received their FIRST woodie.. it is like the promised land with wide open roads and a billion people to thrill.. China is going to go crazy with new rides.

This is an interesting bit of insight. I will have to check out their coaster market because I honestly don't consider China one of the main coaster countries...perhaps a rising star?

 

[Snoo]

You sure about that? China has a dozen or so parks where a big woodie could fit it quite well where the USA? Most major parks already have a hyper/woodie population.. and the smaller parks won't invest in something that major when you could invest in something much smaller with the same thrill and half the price.. Ravine Flyer II for example.

 

[reddude333]

^First of all, read my second post...and second of all, I'm not totally sure about which park it would fit into (maybe Orlando Thrill Park, lol, just kidding). But honestly I would like for CP to get rid of Mean Streak and replace it...with anything!!!

 

[Ben]

Yeah, Japan has stopped building in case people didn't notice.

 

[reddude333]

Honestly I don't follow the foreign (I'm from the USA) coaster industry well enough...part of why I joined this site

 

[Snoo]

^First of all, read my second post...and second of all, I'm not totally sure about which park it would fit into (maybe Orlando Thrill Park, lol, just kidding). But honestly I would like for CP to get rid of Mean Streak and replace it...with anything!!!

First of all.. don't give me lip.. second of all.. no.

 

[reddude333]

^First of all, read my second post...and second of all, I'm not totally sure about which park it would fit into (maybe Orlando Thrill Park, lol, just kidding). But honestly I would like for CP to get rid of Mean Streak and replace it...with anything!!!

First of all.. don't give me lip.. second of all.. no.

Sorry, I was just trying to help you because I didn't think you had seen my second post. My mistake...

 

[Snoo]

Twas sarcasm love.

 

[reddude333]

ah, frickin' text not being able to display sarcasm well!!! Anyway, you must agree that taking out Mean Streak wouldn't be a bad idea...and of course replacing it...

 

[Snoo]

Well.. if they replace it to it's original glory.. I'd have no problem keeping it. Right now? Burn it down.