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New attractions at Paultons Park

I do actually think the contrary about Eurofighters reputation being better nowadays, TNT Shellraiser seems to get a lot of comments about unbearable potholes, and other newer ones seem better but seem to not be aging all that gracefully..

Laps bars are the only way to save a ride like Saw, which is admittedly the only Eurofighter I have ridden, which as great as the forces are, is horrificly rough and not even that old (2009). Saw has been brutal for a while now, will this eurofighter be a brutal headbanging machine in a decade after opening?

I also dislike the choice of ride- Eurofighters aren't unique or special in the UK. Speed (RIP), Rage, and Saw all exist and this might potentially for like "just another Eurofighter"

I personally think a modern large family coaster would of been a better fit, or a unique thrill coaster that still is accessible to younger people. With my opinion of Saw, I personally see me preferring Storm Chaser eventually once the ride ages. Sorry cynical take, theming probably will be great
 
Long time member, first time poster. I'm honestly a bit dismayed that Paultons are going with a Eurofighter.

When people were talking about a Hot Racer a few weeks ago, I could not think of a better choice. Literally, it was PERFECT. It was marketable (launched, unique to the UK) but also accessable (not overly tall/intimidating, nice and smooth). It could even have had a shout at being one of the upper tier coasters in the UK, even if it was 'just' a clone of Mahuka to keep costs down.

But for me a Eurofighter is almost the absolute opposite of all of this. They look intimidating with the vertical lift/drop (even the OTSRs add to the sense of intimidation, compared to the cute little trains on a Hot Rail), are really clunky and uncomfortable with the boxy cars and awful transitions.

To be honest, I can't really think of a worse first looping coaster than a Eurofighter. It's the kind of coaster I think a lot of people would ride and just decide big coasters aren't for them. I know when I visit parks with my family or non-enthusiast friends that rides like Saw are always either one-and-dones, or that people want to skip altogether.

I also don't feel it's particularly marketable or unique. Paultons obviously see the value in a 'UK's first' claim, so it's a shame we're getting the UK's fourth.

I feel really bad writing this post, but my heart sank when they announced it. I know it sounds like hyperbole, but Paultons have made so many good decisions, but I just can't get behind a Eurofighter, not as an enthusiast and not as someone with friends and family who are choosy about what coasters they ride. A Hot Racer would have been perfect, and I think even if we forget the idea of an inversion, even something like Mecalodon could have been a more thrilling but good value option for the park.

Ultimately, it fails the 'would I take my mum on it' test, something even Hyperia or Velocicoaster have passed, and certainly a Hot Racer would.

But the whole land looks beautiful and really nicely put together, and I wish Paultons well.
 
Tonkso said:
Remember the target market though, it isn't us. And as much as it irritates us, the general public have a perception around lapbars vs OSTRs. Paulton's will have done their homework on this.
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That was basically the entire point of my post though, all the non-enthusiasts I know don't like Eurofighters. Saw is often the coaster everybody I know skips or has no desire to reride when I visit with normal people.
 
The answer should never be a Eurofighter.

I honestly can't think of another currently manufactured ride type that would be a worse option, maybe a Zamperla Thunderbolt but it's been 6 years now.

I get their reasoning, but there are so many good options nowadays that could have incorporated the next step up in thrills for Paultons that this seems like a poor choice for me.
 
There’s definitely a public perception around lap bars versus OTSRs, but not to a significant enough degree to justify putting OTSRs on this ride.

It's short-term thinking from Paultons. In the long run, prioritising guest comfort would have paid off.

Honestly, I’m really disappointed in their decision. I hope Paultons reconsiders and reverses it.
 
It looks like the best ride to compare this to is the most recent Euro-Fighter, Vindfald.


Which doesn't fill me with an awful lot of faith. It really bumps around the track, the fact the camera is mounted here shows how shakey it is. Did all the manufacturers just give up on trying to improve smoothness lately?
 
^ I did post an offride shot of Vindfald a few pages ago and it looks even worse off than on ride.

MackMan said:
I do actually think the contrary about Eurofighters reputation being better nowadays, TNT Shellraiser seems to get a lot of comments about unbearable potholes, and other newer ones seem better but seem to not be aging all that gracefully..
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I will grant Gerstlauer that I'm p sure a huge problem with TMNT Shellraiser is all the supports being mounted on the same foundation instead of individual footers, which is also causing Sandy's to be rough as well. No excuse for Vindfald tho.
 
In my opinion, people tend to underestimate what children will ride. For every (very noticable) child crying at the entrance, there are a dozen kids running up to measure their height and dragging their parents through the queue.

Tantrum at SFDL is the closest equivalent Eurofighter I've ridden with lapbars and it's plently popular with kids. If anything, entombing a child in an OTSR that completely blocks their vision makes a ride seem like something to be endured rather than enjoyed.
 
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It's a pretty decent layout. Packs in some nice elements.. but sadly they are wasted on the OTSR's. One would hope that they are switched out with lap bars in a couple of seasons.
 
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Now that the ride type has been released I wish Paultons would do a survey with their guests both to educate and to find out if they would prefer a lap bar or OTSR. They might have done it before but as a generic question. We now know the exact amount of inversions as well as the lift hill, and they could state the positives and negatives of both and see what the general public think.
Swapping from OTSR to lap bars on a eurofighter will not be easy or cheap I should imagine
 
I think you guys are right to focus your worries on the choice of restraint more than anything else.

'OTSR Eurofighter' and 'Lap Bar Eurofighter' are two very, very, very different prospects, particularly here in the UK, where no lap bar Eurofighters (or infinities) have ever been built.

HOWEVER, if you're UK based, ask some of your none enthusiast friends whether they think OTSRs or Lap Bars are safest on a coaster that goes upside down. If my own circles are anything to go by, there is definitely a lot of truth to the public perception thing. But I think it's a self fulfilling prophecy. The public only think like that because, up until last year, they've only ever known "less extreme coasters have lap bars, upside downies have over the shoulder restraints." It's up to parks to be brave and start challenging this, like Thorpe did last year.

I don't really know where I'm going with this, other than to say, if there's any slim hope that they could change their minds on the restraint type, as brave as the decision would be (because I do think there's truth to their reasoning) I hope they do reconsider lap restraints. It would make for a much more unique (to the UK) ride experience.
 
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