Silver Dollar City has released a new promo video for its new 2018 ride, Time Traveler. The video includes looks at the record-setting Mack spinning coaster testing on track.
With a 100-foot, 90 degree drop, two launches and three inversions (vertical loop, dive loop, zero-G roll), Time Traveler will be the world's fastest, tallest, and steepest spinning coaster.
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I don't know. The attraction fits with what Silver Dollar City is known for - unique thrill rides that are well themed (compared to the Six Flags and Cedar Fairs of the world that is). Having ridden Cobra's Curse at Busch Gardens Tampa, probably the closest comp to this coaster, I don't think it will be that nausea-inducing. Watching Cobra's Curse from the ground, it looks like riders are getting spun like clothes in a washing machine, but experiencing it on the ride, the spinning is relatively smooth and steady (not like most spinning wild mouse coasters like Primeval Whirl). I'm not sure if the cars are heavily counter-balanced or if they have really tight bearings on the spinning axle, but the spinning on Cobra's Curse, while noticeably random, is not intense or uncomfortable.
I'm sure if the spinning makes the ride unappealing, Mack probably has a way to limit it through trimming or could possibly lock down the cars altogether (many spinning wild mouse coaster have a locking pin that prevents the car from spinning through the first half of the course, and then the pin is released to allow the spinning to occur through the second half).
We anticipate that we are going to have a debate soon on whether this is actually a spinning coaster or not, since the spinning is controlled by the ride system rather than happening randomly under the influence of riders' weight distribution. Not having ridden it yet (obviously), the system reminds me a bit of the rotating seats on X2 in that the seat movement will happen on designated spots along the track.
I don't think the spin is necessarily controlled by the ride per se. My understanding is that the magnetic fins will initiate spins and slow spins in specific areas (similar to S&S Free-Spin coasters). From what I can tell, every ride will still be unique, typically based on load distribution in the car, and that the magnets are there to keep the spinning from getting out of control and to make sure each car has a minimum amount of spinning. The cars are still fully free spinning though, not controlled by an internal motor or on a specific ride program.
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I've been around this business for 20+ years and don't think i've ever seen such a bone headed waste of $26 million. Any park making that huge of an investment on a ride that appeals to so few people, with such little re-ride factor, is mind boggling to me.
Without the spinning it might be a decent ride but now they are going to be stuck with a $26 million puke machine.