Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park Discussion Thread

Yeah, if the operations are as bad as people say they are there would be lots of issues with stacking. But, there's at least fifty seconds between leaving the station and getting to the top of the lift, so they could possibly maybe theoretically if we're lucky pull it off.

If the operations were anything like the last time TPR was there, you'd be lucky if the ride op got off their cell phone and released the restraints by then.

(I'm only partially joking)

Blocking would be fine, the blocks would be:

1st - Station

2nd - Lift

3rd - Brake Run

Same way as many 2-train coasters operate.

Adding a 2nd train wouldn't be an issue, and if there's no transfer track, it'd be easy for Gravity Group to install one as they managed to do it for Raven and that was a CCI. It'd be just a matter of changing the computer system to add the program for running a 2 train system. Its too bad if operations are truly that bad, but then again, I've heard worse about other parks. If they have wait times that are 2x longer than most coasters that have a 2-train operation, something needs to happen.

Normally, I would agree that it's not terribly difficult (by coaster design/engineering standards, anyway) to convert a straight brake section to a transfer section.

However - Hades' station is extremely high up off of the ground, its brake run is even higher; and the brake run is in close proximity to exit pathways, Hades' own structure, and another coaster's structure (Zeus?). It just doesn't seem like it would be worth the cost, time, and effort.

EDIT: See what I mean? It's not impossible, but it doesn't seem like a good idea...

Has anyone actually experienced wait times that would warrant the addition of a transfer track and purchase of an extra train? I don't think I've ever waited more than 30 minutes for anything at Mt. O.

Has anyone actually experienced wait times that would warrant the addition of a transfer track and purchase of an extra train? I don't think I've ever waited more than 30 minutes for anything at Mt. O.

I waited 30 minutes for them to check my restraint.

Did always find Hades station area pretty odd. Starts really high and has the long intro section, but the brakes are even higher and there's that small drop from them into the station. Reminds me of RCT when I screwed up and made craziness to make it work haha

If the operations were anything like the last time TPR was there, you'd be lucky if the ride op got off their cell phone and released the restraints by then.

 

(I'm only partially joking)

You're actually understating it. You forgot they had to get off their cell phones, and finish getting a date with the other ride op, as well as comb their hair!

Yet another construction update, looks as though the overbanked turn supports are ready for track!

From Mt. Olympus Facebook.

New picture update

Looks like they are switching to steel cross braces for the inversion instead of wooden cross braces for extra strength. Notice how the cross braces seem to switch back to wood during the exit of the inversion. Yet they will keep all the layers of the track wood, not replace the last two layers like RMC. This is getting interesting because I was curious how GG was going to pull this off.

I think this could end up being the sleeper hit of this coming season because of the re-tracking alone- at least until the train has had enough time to start destroying it again. Adding an inversion on top of that was almost unnecessary, but it's the "it" thing to do.

Hades was notorious for having roll-back problems on that hill, so eliminating it will help prevent the issue.

The roll is much lower to the ground than the hill was.

I think this could end up being the sleeper hit of this coming season because of the re-tracking alone- at least until the train has had enough time to start destroying it again. Adding an inversion on top of that was almost unnecessary, but it's the "it" thing to do.

I agree, and I hope the Timberliners don't end up destroying the track as much as PTCs. Lets face it though, no matter what king of trains you have the parks needs to maintain the ride. If they don't then all of this is in vain. I'm particularly hoping the retrack the bottom of the first drop and the stentch in the tunnel as it was pretty rough. Even moreso, they need to re-track the whole turnaround area thats inside the park on the return run. That part of the ride is pure HELL.

P.S. more pictures from the Mount Olympus facebook

I understand that a majority of people on here really don't care for Mt. Olympus or Hades over the past few years (and I know that the park could be VASTLY improved), but I for one am excited to give Hades a spin this summer. It's still one of my all-time favorite rides and with the tweaking it's receiving now it might be even better. Worst case scenario is that the rest of the ride is still a bit of a spine-buster; hopefully the Timberliners and (maybe) some TLC towards the ending of the ride could boost the ride back up to its full potential, but who knows.

And, since I care about the great people on this site, I will gladly volunteer to test the ride for TPR and see if it checks out. Just curious, would anyone representing TPR make the trip up and cover the ride like with NTAG or X-Flight or any other new ride/revamp? I would love to be part of it.

Timberliners have a hinged suspension system for the seats so it should help smooth out any small bumps and vibrations. Also with having each wheel bogie being able to turn on their own, it should also help smooth the ride out around turns and banks. No more skidding or "PTC shuffle," should just glide around the track like a steel coaster would. There will still be a roughness factor to it due to steel wheels on steel track, but nothing like it would be on a PTC train.

These newer generation trains haven't been tested yet on a track that operated previously with PTCs as they didn't have enough time last off-season on Voyage to get them tested. So far it's only been running on newly built track that hasn't had a PTC come through and destroy it. To think though, if Timberliners can handle Hades' somewhat poorly maintained track, it can for sure run on Voyage's highly maintained track.

More pics from Mount Olympus facebook:

^I'm not gonna lie. That looks nuts. It should be a great addition when complete!

So far it looks good. Am I the only that thinks the airtime hill looks like it has been lowered quite a bit? I hope this calls for some good airtime like that hill had in its opening season. If it were up to me (and probably 99% of the people out there) I would retrack the entire ride just for safe measures. New trains can only do so much to a ride that hasn't been properly cared for since the start.

Regardless, Mt. Olympus is putting money into it, which shows that they care to an extent. (Either that, or they wanted a gimmicky way to get more people into the park).... Probably the latter.

So far it looks good. Am I the only that thinks the airtime hill looks like it has been lowered quite a bit? I hope this calls for some good airtime like that hill had in its opening season. If it were up to me (and probably 99% of the people out there) I would retrack the entire ride just for safe measures. New trains can only do so much to a ride that hasn't been properly cared for since the start.

 

Regardless, Mt. Olympus is putting money into it, which shows that they care to an extent. (Either that, or they wanted a gimmicky way to get more people into the park).... Probably the latter.

What airtime hill are you talking about? If you're talking about the turnaround hill where the corkscrew is now, then yeah, they had to lower it to make sure it made it through the element at the right speed. This should also help with the pacing for the final half, since it seemed like that hill on the turn around killed a lot of the ride's momentum due to it being so weirdly high. If you're talking about the one after the turn just before you go back into the tunnel, then yes, I think they're actually going to be making it the 110 degree overbank turn with the way the structure looks.

Because this was Gravity Group's first project since they formed the company after CCI closed, I can see a few flaws with the design and replacing probably the biggest with the corkscrew should help a lot out on the 2nd half.

Also reading back on the Facebook page on the original announcement, quite hilarious reading some of the GP comments on it.

So far it looks good. Am I the only that thinks the airtime hill looks like it has been lowered quite a bit? I hope this calls for some good airtime like that hill had in its opening season. If it were up to me (and probably 99% of the people out there) I would retrack the entire ride just for safe measures. New trains can only do so much to a ride that hasn't been properly cared for since the start.

 

Regardless, Mt. Olympus is putting money into it, which shows that they care to an extent. (Either that, or they wanted a gimmicky way to get more people into the park).... Probably the latter.

 

What airtime hill are you talking about? If you're talking about the turnaround hill where the corkscrew is now, then yeah, they had to lower it to make sure it made it through the element at the right speed. This should also help with the pacing for the final half, since it seemed like that hill on the turn around killed a lot of the ride's momentum due to it being so weirdly high. If you're talking about the one after the turn just before you go back into the tunnel, then yes, I think they're actually going to be making it the 110 degree overbank turn with the way the structure looks.

 

Because this was Gravity Group's first project since they formed the company after CCI closed, I can see a few flaws with the design and replacing probably the biggest with the corkscrew should help a lot out on the 2nd half.

 

Also reading back on the Facebook page on the original announcement, quite hilarious reading some of the GP comments on it.

Ahhh yes! I was talking about the second one. I really didn't notice that it was being made into an overbank turn.

SDR posted an interview with Mount Olympus park owner Nick Laskaris as well as some Hades 360 construction photos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m17hpLiQHd4

The main points are that the ride should open memorial day and that 90% of it is being retracked.

More pictures

Well that confirms the retracking. Hope Hades ends up smoother, loopier and more reliable.

90% of it is being retracked.

Do the lift hill and brake run make up 10% of the ride? I sure hope so!

It is sad that such a new coaster needs so much retracking.

I believe the only change is the barrel roll, and the rest of the layout is exactly the same? Just being re tracked?

Hope so, I hate not being able to ride an original and I won't be making it out here anytime in 2013

And yeah this isn't original anymore with the barrel roll but whatever.

I think it looks pretty sweet