General Carowinds discussion
#53075
No, MF has not had the problems I-305 had/has, but you are only as good as your most recent product. 14 years is a long time at a company. It is possible few of the management team, and engineers at Intamin today were there for MF. Granted CF could be responsible for some of the design problems with 305, ultimately it is up to Intamin and it's staff and engineers to give expert guidance to a potential buyer. You can't risk your reputation in the name of a money grab. I'm sure anyone thinking about building a Giga, is looking at I-305 as the best example of Intamin's workmanship.

If I were president of Intamin here is what I would do. Instead of having potential customers examining 305, I would attempt to take that coaster out of play. The way to do that would be to build another of the same height or taller and hope it will be problem free. You may have to give the skeptical customer a discount, and/or an assurance of workmanship, in order to get the business.
The best way for Intamin to do this would be to go back to CF and build the company a 'correction' at a discounted price. If I were CF, would I take that chance, even for a discount? Perhaps, but I would have to be sure I would not end up with another problem ride.

B&M strikes me as a company that is not willing to risk it's reputation. Some argue they did not go 300 ft. because a customer did not want to pay for it. I don't believe that. I feel they did not do it until recently because they were not ready to do it. Folk also complain about their rides not being forceful. Again, I don't believe they are tying to appeal to the extreme ride junkies.
#53076
B&M was asked to build MF 14 years ago. They didn't decline, they were just too expensive. Their rides, pound for pound, typically are.

Just an FYI, Intimidator at Carowinds cost $23million, with inflation, Ride of Steel, which is comparable in size to Intimidator cost half that at $12mill to build (which would still be just under $17mill in 2013 dollars). So maybe it is a cost thing.

They finally have a winning restraint design. They're building like 10 new rides in China. They have a 4 across train.

And just a comment on the design of I305 vs MF and people still working for Intamin, etc., MF was designed by Stengel and built by Intamin. I305 was designed by a Russian firm and built by Intmain. If Intamin is working with Stengel again and are offering CF a decent price, the company is going to go with what works and what's cheapest. If you have the same designer and builder working on a new project that you did on MF, as opposed to who did design work for I305 (which, again, I partially blame CF), then there isn't much to worry about.
#53077
I'm not on the inside of any of those companies, nor was I a part of any contract negotiations, so I can't say what is what? My views are only broad speculations. But apparently you have inside information, that is more than web rumor, so I trust you know what you are talking about.
#53078
Well, like I said, I don't know what's coming to Carowinds. Just going off of what we've heard, which appears to be strong rumor, as well as what I've since heard that Six Flags Great Adventure is supposed to be getting, I don't think anyone can rule out Intamin at this point, whereas everything first pointed to B&M.
#53079
Here is a question. If this coaster is going to be a 2015 coaster, does that mean 2013 will be the final year of the skycoaster in it's current location, or will it be open next year with construction starting after? I'm just wondering because I'm going to scarowinds next weekend and I would like to do it one last time just in case it is removed for good.
#53080
I feel like I'm the one person who wants the manufacturer to be B&M. :cry: I'm sure the ride experience will differ from Intimidator. I've only ridden 1 of the 3 gigas (Millenium Force) but from the videos I've seen, I think I would like Leviathan above all. If the Ride is from intamin, I really hope it's more like Millenium Force. I305 is probably the shortest of the 3 in time. So my vote is for B&M as the manufacturer.
#53083
tarheel1231 wrote:I feel like I'm the one person who wants the manufacturer to be B&M. :cry: I'm sure the ride experience will differ from Intimidator. I've only ridden 1 of the 3 gigas (Millenium Force) but from the videos I've seen, I think I would like Leviathan above all. If the Ride is from intamin, I really hope it's more like Millenium Force. I305 is probably the shortest of the 3 in time. So my vote is for B&M as the manufacturer.


I honestly cant tell what it will be, the only reason i want a B&M is because of I305s problems, i dont want a ride thats down all the time. Personally i like the feel of 305 and Millennium Force better than Leviathan. Time will tell i guess.
#53090
Jwrickner wrote:Here is a question. If this coaster is going to be a 2015 coaster, does that mean 2013 will be the final year of the skycoaster in it's current location, or will it be open next year with construction starting after? I'm just wondering because I'm going to scarowinds next weekend and I would like to do it one last time just in case it is removed for good.



My guess is, if it closes it will be toward the end of the year next year or whenever they start construction. I can see them advertising it as the final season or having some kind of "discount" but I dont know. I am trying to find that out... I would assume though it will be open next year, just a guess.
#53096
All the greenhouses are behind cyclone and a lot of other things... I dont see any place in county fair either, just no space at this time. I think it will be removed, and not moved. I dont know I just dont see any place to re-locate it, unless they bring it back in a few years after some expansion has been done, maybe it will be like frenzoid and go away for a few years and come back...
#53100
RiDeWaRrIoR wrote:All the greenhouses are behind cyclone and a lot of other things... I dont see any place in county fair either, just no space at this time. I think it will be removed, and not moved. I dont know I just dont see any place to re-locate it, unless they bring it back in a few years after some expansion has been done, maybe it will be like frenzoid and go away for a few years and come back...


I give up. I just looked on google earth, and I couldn't find anywhere else to put it for now. Unless it is in front of Intimidator, but I don't think it would fit and our restaurant is going there. I agree maybe it will be put into storage and reused once the park expands into the new land.


Ok back on subject, Given what we have learned since the what's new for 2014 forum. Can anybody put 2 and 2 together and make some since out of these dots and flags from the old forum? Maybe looking at them again will give us a clue.
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