Jump to content

flying eagles back?


KOBasinger
 Share

Recommended Posts

Yep. Me.

There are some here who love them and find them snappable. Based on my experiences with that ride--which, granted, have only consisted of two rides in the same Halloweekends night--I tend to wonder if the meaning of "snapping" has changed.

Are the new Larson ones like Cedar Point's Lake Erie Eagles fun? Sure. Do they deliver the same ride experience as Knoebels' or Carowinds' sets? In my experience, not at all. I'm overjoyed that Kings Island is getting the set that they are. If Lake Erie Eagles are a good precedent and if you approach our Woodstock Gliders without the expectation that they'll be just like our old Flying Eagles, you'll have a great time.

  • Like 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've heard before in enthusiast circles that the Larson sets come with two speed settings, one of which is faster than the other. I don't know how true that is, but it's worth mentioning.

15493940600_68efd7c96a_o.jpg

^The control panel for the Larson scooters at Hartland. It's obscured by a pen, but you'll see that there is definitely a speed setting, and it's set to low. Cedar Point's Eagles didn't seem much, if any faster than the set at Kentucky Kingdom to me, so I'd surmise that CP's set is kept on low, too.

Worth noting also is the (optional) foot pedal control, which ends the ride if released at any point. If you get a good snap and startle the operator, sometimes this happens inadvertently...

The foot pedal is optional, so that might not be the method used to control the cycle time at Kings Island. The speed is a setting. I'd bet that you won't find KI using the high speed setting, but they could, and they might. We won't know for sure until we get a chance to ride them.

I've ridden KI's old Eagles (at their new home) as well as several sets of Larsons (Darien Lake, Kentucky Kingdom, Cedar Point, Camden Park) and several non-Larsons (Holiday World, Stricker's Grove, Columbus Zoo*). Excluding the old KI set, the Larsons are FAR superior to the others. To the average rider who doesn't know or care about snapping, the Larsons are probably every bit as good as Carowinds' Flyers (our old Eagles).

*The Columbus Zoo ones MIGHT actually be Larsons, I'm not sure and I can't find that information online. But if they are, they're a poor example because they are definitely not as good as the others.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Worth noting also is the (optional) foot pedal control, which ends the ride if released at any point. If you get a good snap and startle the operator, sometimes this happens inadvertently...

The foot pedal is optional, so that might not be the method used to control the cycle time at Kings Island. The speed is a setting. I'd bet that you won't find KI using the high speed setting, but they could, and they might. We won't know for sure until we get a chance to ride them.

Many of the Planet Snoopy rides (especially the single operator ones, like Joe Cool Dodgem School and Peanuts' Off-Road Rally) already have buttons that the operator(s) must hold for the entirety of the ride. If they release it early, the ride comes to an early stop. I could therefore definitely see Kings Island opting for the foot pedal.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good to know. My fiance worked briefly at the Columbus Zoo as a ride op on weekends while she was in law school up there. She only worked the Carousel and train that were in the zoo, and not any of the rides that were out by the water park.

I still need to ride the coaster there!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

I've heard before in enthusiast circles that the Larson sets come with two speed settings, one of which is faster than the other. I don't know how true that is, but it's worth mentioning.

15493940600_68efd7c96a_o.jpg

^The control panel for the Larson scooters at Hartland. It's obscured by a pen, but you'll see that there is definitely a speed setting, and it's set to low. Cedar Point's Eagles didn't seem much, if any faster than the set at Kentucky Kingdom to me, so I'd surmise that CP's set is kept on low, too.

Worth noting also is the (optional) foot pedal control, which ends the ride if released at any point. If you get a good snap and startle the operator, sometimes this happens inadvertently...

The foot pedal is optional, so that might not be the method used to control the cycle time at Kings Island. The speed is a setting. I'd bet that you won't find KI using the high speed setting, but they could, and they might. We won't know for sure until we get a chance to ride them.

I've ridden KI's old Eagles (at their new home) as well as several sets of Larsons (Darien Lake, Kentucky Kingdom, Cedar Point, Camden Park) and several non-Larsons (Holiday World, Stricker's Grove, Columbus Zoo*). Excluding the old KI set, the Larsons are FAR superior to the others. To the average rider who doesn't know or care about snapping, the Larsons are probably every bit as good as Carowinds' Flyers (our old Eagles).

*The Columbus Zoo ones MIGHT actually be Larsons, I'm not sure and I can't find that information online. But if they are, they're a poor example because they are definitely not as good as the others.

I sincerely doubt the operator(s) will be allowed to select speeds.

Looks like it's as simple as turning a knob. I'm not even a trained operator, but could figure that one out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Police officers are typically provided service weapons. They have the ability to kill someone with the simple pull of a trigger.

Are they allowed to shoot someone? Only in very specific cases where it is justified.

What's my point of this dramatic example? Having the ability to do something and having authorization to do something are entirely different.

Another example: employees at a software company are given computers with network access (naturally). They have the ability to hack into systems they have not been granted access. Are they allowed to? Nope, it's hacking. They'll likely lose their job.

The cop would likely go to jail..

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks like it's as simple as turning a knob. I'm not even a trained operator, but could figure that one out.

There's no guarantee that Woodstock Gliders will even have that same panel. The speed setting switch may be absent from whatever Kings Island's version is.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...