Top five new roller coasters for 2014

[Rumors Rocks]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/dispa...-gringotts-disney-world-kings-island/4499253/

Nothing gets the heart racing like a new roller coaster, and theme parks keep building them higher, faster and, well, just cooler than ever before. Here are five hot new coasters opening for the 2014 summer season.

Thunderbolt
Coney Island, New York

Thunderbolt will be the first new coaster in New York City in over 80 years. Zamperla, Inc.

Thunderbolt will sit near the historic B&B Carousell and Steeplechase Plaza on Coney Island. Zamperla, Inc.

The 125-foot-tall Thunderbolt roller coaster will reach speeds of 65 mph, and feature over 2,000 feet of track. Zamperla, Inc.

The first new roller coaster built in New York City in more than 80 years demands attention. Thunderbolt marks the triumphant return of the classic of the same name that stood on the site since 1925. This modern, re-imagined Thunderbolt will be an out-and-back steel coaster with a 125-foot-lift hill and inversions, and reach speeds up to 65 mph.



Goliath
Goliath, Six Flags Great America, Gurnee, Ill.

Goliath will be the world's fastest wooden coaster with the tallest and steepest drop. Six Flags Great America

Riders plunge 180 feet nearly straight down (85 degrees) at 72 mph. Six Flags Great America

In addition to setting three world records, Goliath will also feature two inversions. Six Flags Great America

Tallest! Steepest! Fastest! Chicagoland's Six Flags Great America is constructing a wooden coaster called Goliath with a near-vertical 85-degree, 180-foot drop (both records) and not one, but two inversions. This future lumberyard legend will reach speeds of 72 mph, and set three world records for wooden roller coasters.




Banshee
Kings Island, Mason, Ohio

Riders on Banshee will scream their way through 4,124 feet of track and seven inversions at speeds up to 68 mph. Kings Island

A loop interacting with the lift is one of the features on the new Banshee roller coaster under construction at Kings Island. Kings Island

The ride experience on Banshee begins with riders plummeting down a 150-foot curved drop. Kings Island

Kings Island's Banshee is billed as the first female-inspired theme park ride — whatever that means. Regardless, when Cedar Fair (parent company of Kings Island) announces a new coaster, ears perk up. The 15th Kings Island coaster will be the longest inverted coaster in the world, feature seven inversions, reach speeds of 68 mph on 4,124 feet of track, and have a fantastic color scheme to boot.




Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Magic Kingdom, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

A concept drawing for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opening at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. Walt Disney World Resort

A mock-up of a swinging mine car ride vehicle for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train on display at Disney's D23 Expo. Dave Parfitt

Construction of track for the 2014 opening of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, a family coaster attraction coming to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. Walt Disney World Resort

This new Disney attraction may not be particularly tall or fast, but the family-style coaster represents the culmination of the largest expansion in the history of Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will be the centerpiece of the "New Fantasyland" expansion, and take guests on a musical journey both inside and outside the gem-filled caverns via mine cars swinging back and forth throughout the ride.




Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
Universal Studios Florida, Orlando

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley and "London" will be located within Universal Studios Florida, and feature an innovative, indoor roller coaster housed inside Gringotts bank. Universal Orlando Resort

A dragon perched atop Diagon Alley's Gringotts Bank will blow fire down at guests walking past. Universal Orlando Resort

"Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts" is a multi-sensory, multi-dimensional attraction that takes riders on a journey through the perils of Gringotts vaults. Universal Orlando Resort


The most anticipated new roller coaster for 2014 will be in Universal Orlando's expansion of its popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The new Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Diagon Alley will be a London-themed Harry Potter land featuring a Gringotts Bank attraction with an indoor roller coaster based on the Harry Potter films. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts ride will take guests through the vaults of the famous Goblin bank.

 

[DanBoris]

From the things I have heard Gringotts is going to be more dark ride then coaster.

 

[rteetz]

From the things I have heard Gringotts is going to be more dark ride then coaster.

I agree it was said that it is supposed to be a family ride.

 

[wiigirl]

Good list.

 

[JillyBean1899]

From the things I have heard Gringotts is going to be more dark ride then coaster.

I'm imagining it as more along the lines of Dinosaur or a gentle version of Revenge of the Mummy, but not a full blown roller coaster.

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

~Hmmm... Universal's car design is somewhat similar to Disney's car design.

~Both coaster's look amazing but I think I am going to like the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train better. It's so cute & diamonds will be abound!

 

[JillyBean1899]

~Hmmm... Universal's car design is somewhat similar to Disney's car design.

Um, not really. Most coaster trains look similar in general, but the Gringott's one is wider across, like the Dinosaur / Mummy trains. Plus the Dwarves looks like an actual train, where the Gringott's one looks like just one car (again, like Dino/Mummy). If by design you mean the round thing on them, that's actually a safety shock absorbing bumper that you'll see on most steel tracked coaster cars.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

"Nothing gets the heart racing like a new roller coaster, and theme parks keep building them higher, faster and, well, just cooler than ever before."

*Singing* One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just doesn't belong. */Singing*

Not dissing anything, just surprised it made the list.

 

[TooExcitedCantSleep]

Cool list!

Um, not really. Most coaster trains look similar in general, but the Gringott's one is wider across, like the Dinosaur / Mummy trains. Plus the Dwarves looks like an actual train, where the Gringott's one looks like just one car (again, like Dino/Mummy). If by design you mean the round thing on them, that's actually a safety shock absorbing bumper that you'll see on most steel tracked coaster cars.

Um, yes---both of them look like mine carts. Dang...I completely forgot that Gringotts bank has a gold mine, too! You have to use a minecart to access the vaults. We will have two mine cart rollercoasters opening soon---just miles from each other. What are the odds of that?

Oh... and all the coasters above look awesome and deserve to be on the list!

 

[beer dave]

Um, not really. Most coaster trains look similar in general, but the Gringott's one is wider across, like the Dinosaur / Mummy trains. Plus the Dwarves looks like an actual train, where the Gringott's one looks like just one car (again, like Dino/Mummy). If by design you mean the round thing on them, that's actually a safety shock absorbing bumper that you'll see on most steel tracked coaster cars.

Wow-- you can tell that from an artists rendering? You must have worked with the engineers on the design.

 

[TooExcitedCantSleep]

Wow-- you can tell that from an artists rendering? You must have worked with the engineers on the design.

ha! Good morning beerdave! This is right on.....I was thinking the exact same thing. You just said it better.

 

[Son of Gadsden]

"Nothing gets the heart racing like a new roller coaster, and theme parks keep building them higher, faster and, well, just cooler than ever before."

*Singing* One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just doesn't belong. */Singing*

Not dissing anything, just surprised it made the list.

Well, I would say thrill isn't everything. It's more like two of these things are not like the others, as Gringotts may actually be less "thrilling" than 7 Dwarves. I don't pay much attention to Universal, as I just don't care for it, but I hear lots of people saying Gringotts is actually more like a dark ride. So 2 out of 5 of these coasters are more like family rides than thrill rides. They're still rollercoasters, just a different category with different target customers.

I suppose an accurate comparison would be comparing them to cars. If we're making a list of "Top 5 cars of 2014", would it matter if something like a Camry was thrown in with a Mustang, a Camaro, and a Charger? They're all cars. Some may be more exciting than others, but they are still in the same category.

 

[JillyBean1899]

Wow-- you can tell that from an artists rendering? You must have worked with the engineers on the design.

Yes, I can tell that from the rendering (granted, it's just a guess, because it's a drawing not an actual picture), and no, I didn't work with the engineers on the design. I was, however, part of the opening team at IoA, and spent an entire day with the engineers and designers from Bolliger & Mabillard, pelting them with questions about design and operation. The shock absorbers are there just in case a lift hill releases and a train slides back into the one in the station, or the brakes fail at a brake run and two trains collide. They're similar to the bumpers in your street car.

 

[dalayney]

I'm 20 minutes from the new Goliath in 6flags gurnee....

Holy moses! A wooden roller coaster with inversions? That freaks me out. I'm not fond of wooden rollercoasters as they always seem to jerk you around too much. (I'm old. lol) Don't know if I'll be trying that.

 

[KYMickey]

Hopefully, Goliath won't have the same problems that the 1st wooden roller coaster with an inversion had. That was Son of Beast and it was torn down due to numerous problems and is being replaced with Banshee, also on this list.

 

[uccats97]

Hopefully, Goliath won't have the same problems that the 1st wooden roller coaster with an inversion had. That was Son of Beast and it was torn down due to numerous problems and is being replaced with Banshee, also on this list.

I was able to ride Son of Beast several times. It was rough. Glad to hear a different park is giving a wooden coaster with inversions another chance. Not sure how I feel about Banshee.

 

[Planogirl]

I would agree that two of those aren't likely to get the true coaster fans very excited. However they should appeal to anyone that enjoys rides in general.

 

[Rumors Rocks]

Wow-- you can tell that from an artists rendering? You must have worked with the engineers on the design.

Well, I would say thrill isn't everything. It's more like two of these things are not like the others, as Gringotts may actually be less "thrilling" than 7 Dwarves. I don't pay much attention to Universal, as I just don't care for it, but I hear lots of people saying Gringotts is actually more like a dark ride. So 2 out of 5 of these coasters are more like family rides than thrill rides. They're still rollercoasters, just a different category with different target customers.

I suppose an accurate comparison would be comparing them to cars. If we're making a list of "Top 5 cars of 2014", would it matter if something like a Camry was thrown in with a Mustang, a Camaro, and a Charger? They're all cars. Some may be more exciting than others, but they are still in the same category.

 

[alizakelly]

wow.......Cool list!

 

[Borishack]

One of the neat things about the new Thunderbolt at Coney Island is how Zamperla is paying homage to the 1925 original.

Below is a night time photo of the latter taken in August, 1977. I rode it around then, when it has a reputation as a frightening experience. not just because of the wonderful John Miller design, but also the fact the family owned ride at that time was deteriorating (the cars seats were literally covered in duct tape, the brakes coming into the station were really rough, etc.) People who were lucky enough to ride it will never forget the double dip after the fourth hill, or that abrupt, steep below grade drop near the end, which scared the living heck out first time riders at night (when they couldn't see it coming).

And here is signage planned for the new ride: