Six Flags' new dive coaster is so big that they needed to reveal it twice - in locations 1,000 miles away from each other.
Announced in September, Tormenta Rampaging Run at Six Flags Over Texas will be the first giga dive coaster from Bolliger & Mabillard. Standing 309 feet tall, Tormenta also will break records for B&M's dive coaster family with 4,199 feet of track and a top speed of 87 mph. The coaster also will feature the highest 95-degree beyond vertical drop at 179 feet and the world's highest Immelmann inversion at 218 feet, according to Six Flags.
"Tormenta Rampaging Run represents a new era of innovation and storytelling for our park," Six Flags Over Texas Vice President and Park Manager Mark Boyer said. "The reveal of this train gives our guests a first look at the craftsmanship and immersive experience that will define a trip to Six Flags Over Texas when the ride opens next year."
Six Flags hosted dual reveals for the new coaster's trains - both at the park's Arlington, Texas home and on the show floor of the IAAPA Expo in Orlando. Only single rows were shown in each location, but the actual trains will seat eight riders in each of three rows, for 24 riders per train.
Here's the concept POV for the coaster, which is set to open next year in the park's reimagined Spanish village, Rancha do la Tormenta.
I just don't see the need for a company $5 billion in debt to spend millions chasing records (word is that SF is in early planning for a giga for SFGAm for 2027 in addition to the other large coaster projects hinted for SFGAdv and SFMM). In a world where the now-combined chain already holds virtually every record in the book, it just doesn't make a lot of financial sense to keep going bigger and faster. I would have much rather seen a medium-sized dive coaster at SFoT that uses all the money being spent to break records on theming and additional elements like tunnels, splashdown, soundtrack, or other features. This coaster is just the epitome of Six Flags and the prime reason why they continue to loose money and customer loyalty. The company talks about focusing more on the customer experience and improving their image, but they just go about doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results - INSANITY!
VCFan, not just you, i was completely underwhelmed as well. it certainly didn't deserve the dramatic reveal.
I am working on a story right now (tease!) about an industry development that might lead to an unexpected infusion of cash to Six Flags. Stay tuned.
Have to agree with Russell, some of the best new coasters (Velocicoaster, Hagrid’s, Guardians) are great because of the additional theming, not the specs. Incredicoaster is an excellent example what plussing can add to a ride experience. Building a biggest and fastest coaster, which will be topped in 2 years, will never have the enduring appeal of a Crush Coaster or Space Mountain.
My thinking is the record chasing reflects the same strategy that led to deeply discounted annual pass sales. A well themed and landscaped coaster will have more staying power, but one that is the tallest or fastest will have an immediate short term impact on attendance and the company’s bottom line.
I suspect this one would have turned out very differently if A. It was originally designed for Over Texas rather than being redirected from another park, and B. There wasn't another dive coaster four hours away. Regardless, when it comes to marketing a big new thrill ride, superlatives are going to get more people through the gate than scenery, especially when there isn't a recognizable IP attached to the attraction. Still, that's definitely one of the blandest B&M trains I've seen in a while, which makes it kind of surprising they opted to make a big deal out of the reveal (though I guess B&M really doesn't have much else going on next year).
I know that breaking records does drive attendance some, but I can't imagine it's that much. I feel like a well-themed dive coaster (Cliffhanger ) gets the same amount of media coverage as a record breaking dive (Rakshasa). Whatever the difference is, it cannot be that significant.
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Is it just me, or is the train design incredibly basic?