I don't 'get' TTD or Kingda Ka

I'm new round these parts, so I'm sorry if this topic has been beaten to death already.

First of all, I've never actually been on Kingda Ka, but I've been on Top Thrill Dragster. While I love the launch, and the trip down the 400+ft hill, it just seems silly that a ride with that much hype is pretty much over before it begins. I believe this is why you guys call them one trick ponies.

Is there a reason why these Intamin 'Giga Costers' don't have any more to the course? With the amount of inertia built up from that drop, a pretty good course could be built with several 200-300ft hills, and whatever else. A nice 1.5-2 minute course would be awesome.

Do the builders/designers assume that the great launch by itself is enough to draw the crowds that they don't need to have anything else to the ride?

Only reason why there aren't more to the layouts is price. Plain and simple. Intamin (As well as any other designer) will build pretty much anything the client asks for. So it has nothing to do with the manufacturer not wanting to build anything, it's all up to what the client requests.

Price tag for TTD is 25mil and KK coming in at 25mil and some change. Pretty hefty price tags as-is and to add 3 or 4 more inversions and some airtime hills will easily add another 8-10 mil to the price tag.

I don't think this topic has been beaten to death, but it definitely has some bruises and broken bones.

Is there a reason why these Intamin 'Giga Costers' don't have any more to the course?

It's a simple answer really, the cost. When top thrill dragster cost $25 million alone, imagine double or tripling the length of its layout. Plus the added wear and year on trains, it gets costly.

It's also an issue of space. The faster you're going, the larger the elements have to be. One more airtime hill on Kingda Ka would practically be the size of Nitro's lift hill. Unless you trim the crap out of it, and then what would the point be?

I agree, these coasters are fun and all but not worth waiting more than maybe half an hour for. I'd rather ride Baman three more times than wait in line for KK.

I understand the price thing and all but it is such a waste to not use all that speed coming off the top hat. To bad the parks won't spend the money in the future to lengthen the track instead of adding another coaster.

^That's right, I mean, riding Kingda Ka in the front was a great experience and some of the most intense 20 seconds I've experienced on a coaster. But having to wait so long for such a short ride just seems a bit ridiculous. We had flash pass when we went there this summer and that's why I bothered to ride it 6 times.

That's why I prefer Xcelerator at Knott's and Storm Runner at Hershey--they're more than just "launch," "high hat," and "brake."

I think it also has to do with upkeep. It's difficult enough as it is to supply the maintenance costs for both of these coasters as they are. Imagine how much more it would probably be if there were a few elements too.

Some people only need 20 seconds.

I need a minute at least

As exciting as TTD and Ka are, I treat them more like drop towers... they're a big shot of adrenaline but not much more.

Anyone remember this thing?

First of all, I've never actually been on Kingda Ka, but I've been on Top Thrill Dragster. While I love the launch, and the trip down the 400+ft hill, it just seems silly that a ride with that much hype is pretty much over before it begins. I believe this is why you guys call them one trick ponies.

 

Is there a reason why these Intamin 'Giga Costers' don't have any more to the course? With the amount of inertia built up from that drop, a pretty good course could be built with several 200-300ft hills, and whatever else. A nice 1.5-2 minute course would be awesome.

 

Do the builders/designers assume that the great launch by itself is enough to draw the crowds that they don't need to have anything else to the ride?

Cedar Point wanted the tallest/fastest coaster in the world. That's what they wanted and with the price associated to it, that's all that was designed and delivered. While I actually agree I would have loved to have seen a much longer track section on TTD you can't ignore the fact that over ten years later that ride still gets some of the longest lines in the park and it's is probably in the top three most popular rides at Cedar Point.

I guess if you want a longer track length at still a pretty high speed, there is Millennium Force, and if you want fun "tricks" there is Maverick, and if you want your knees crushed to death with uncomfortable airtime and awkward transitions there is Magnum!

--Robb "I'm not the biggest TTD fan but I'd much rather ride it than Magnum any day!" Alvey

That's why I prefer Xcelerator at Knott's and Storm Runner at Hershey--they're more than just "launch," "high hat," and "brake."

Totally agree with Xcelerator and Storm Runner being better coasters, even though they don't have the speed or height. But I do love TTD. For me, the one trick is worth it!

That's why I prefer Xcelerator at Knott's and Storm Runner at Hershey--they're more than just "launch," "high hat," and "brake."

Ditto.

I like Kingda Ka but it's not even close to being my favorite steel coaster in the park. I will usually only wait 15 to 20 minutes at the most for it and on the days when the park isn't crowded and it's a walk on or 5 - 10 minute wait, I try to get multiple laps in on those days. I remember opening year it was common to hear that the wait was 3+ hours and I don't think I would have been willing to wait that long.

I very music enjoy Kingda Ka, but I feel we are forgetting to include the whole experience. Yes, the speed is short, but when you put in place the long wait... the anticipation... the fear of the road ahead... and then the release of the breaks to let you move at an incredible speed... that adds soooo much to the ride!

sometimes a great ride, can be more than the thrills while moving, but the build up to it!

I find the launch on both TTD and Ka to be one of the best moments of any ride I have been on. Dragster is one of my favorite thrill-rides, anywhere. Note, thrill-ride. While it is a coaster, I don't exactly judge it as such. More of a ride experience than anything, as the coaster itself lacks a bit of substance.

Either way, I love it...

I like both of them, but I'm certainly not going to put either anywhere near the top of my list. I didn't use to like TTD at all, but it eventually grew on me.

Anyone remember this thing?

 

Wow, I've never seen that one! That would be 50 million dollars easy to build that today. I can't see any park going for that.

They drag GP to the park and GP think they are GREAT. So I think that's the point of them.

If you don't get TTD or Kingda Ka, Superman: Escape from Krypton must be genuinely baffling.

Here's the point to all of them: High acceleration. High velocity. High altitude. They are the double espresso of coasters. Sure there are larger, more elaborate, more layered kinds of coasters, but these are not that. They are simple and effective. They're not for everyone, as many people prefer a more elaborate coffee compared with the double espresso, but both have their own merits. I don't think all coasters have to be the big, elaborate style just to be worthy of existence. There's something to be said for the simple, quick, effective version.

For example, with Xcelerator, the launch & top hat are really the thrill with the curvy bits being some extra fun. I'd still ride it just as much if the same launch and same top hat ended with in the brake run and no curves. The curvy bits are fun, but it'd still be a really fun ride without them.

For example, with Xcelerator, the launch & top hat are really the thrill with the curvy bits being some extra fun. I'd still ride it just as much if the same launch and same top hat ended with in the brake run and no curves. The curvy bits are fun, but it'd still be a really fun ride without them.

This is exactly how I feel. Sure, Xclerator's overbanks make it look like there's more going on there...but the ride is essentially over after the top hat. No one gets off that coaster and says, "That was so much fun! I loved the turns."

Now if the world's largest loop had followed...that may have been a different story.

Anyone remember this thing?

 

Was that, at one point, actually being considered for TTD?

Personally, I prefer Top Thrill Dragster to Xcelerator and Xcelerator to Kingda Ka, but I think all three of them are excellent. The ride model is called an Accelerator Coaster, so the whole point of the ride is the launch and top hat, and what comes after is just a bonus. Yes, Xcelerator has more elements, but to me they've always felt like filler to extend the ride and I probably would enjoy it almost as much if it was just launch, top hat, brakes. The main reason I don't like Kingda Ka as much is due to the restraints and shakiness, as it felt the most complete to me without resorting to filler (yes, the bonus hill makes a difference in my opinion).

Strata Coasters certainly aren't for everyone, and I'd never invest more than 60 minutes in line for one (maybe 90 if I've done everything else and haven't ridden it that trip), but I personally think they're great rides. Both of them are my second favorite steel coaster in their respective parks. As for why there isn't more to them, it's mainly because they don't need more to thrill the masses and the rides are already costing $25+ million, a huge price tag for the park. Something like that "concept image" of Top Thrill Dragster would probably have been $35-40 million, more than almost any seasonal park can afford to spend on a single attraction.