McSalsa Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 It is a honor only the most historically signifigant coasters earn- the ACE coaster landmark. Beast & Racer have already earned this honor. Now, what I ask is this: what other coasters here will earn this honor? My guesses as to which ones are most likely: Vortex For It: It was the first coaster in the world with 6 inversions, and remains popular today. Against It: It is enjoyed, but is far from the most loved coaster in the park... Flight of Fear For It: First LIM launched coaster in the world. Against It: There is another Flight of Fear that opened alongside it at KD. Flight Deck For It: It's one of the last of its kind. Against It: They seem to be tearing these down now. It needs to survive. Son of Beast For It: World's First Wooden Hypercoaster, and it did try to do a loop, but failed. Against It: Freakishly rough and being a wooden hypercoaster won't mean a thing if that doesn't catch on. Diamondback For It: Amazing ride. Is bringing a lot of lost KI lovers back. Has some unique elements new to hypercoasters. Against It: Not much at all. Runaway Reptar For It: It was the world's first suspended coaster for kids. Against It: I don't know if ACE names a bunch of kiddie coasters... Adventure Express For It: One of the best mine train rides in the world. Against It: Same as Reptar- do Mine Rines earn ACE status? I think so, but still... All right, those are my "best picks". Now, If I had my way, I would dub all of them ACE landmarks right now. But that's just me. Enjoy yet another fun(or lame, your choice) poll! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 Under Fairly Odd Coaster, you have in parentheses (will regain status). Fairly Odd Coaster is not now, nor has it ever been, an ACE Coaster Landmark. You are thinking of ACE Coaster Classic, a wholly different beast. Landmark status is for coasters of great historical significance, those that changed parks and industry in profound ways. ACE Coaster Classic status, on the other hand, was originally intended to honor those coasters that are still operated in the way that their designers originally intended, from methods of rider restraint to not assigning seats. Many coasters that once had that status no longer do, such as Blue Streak at Cedar Point. The requirements to be an ACE Coaster Classic are quite strict: ...To be eligible for ACE Coaster Classic status, the coaster must meet the following criteria: The coaster must use traditional lap bars that allow riders to experience so-called airtime, or negative G's (that sensation of floating above the seat!!). Individual, ratcheting lap bars do not meet this requirement. ACE Coaster Classics allow riders to slide from side-to-side. A coaster with any restraint or device that restricts this freedom is not eligible for ACE Coaster Classic status. ACE Coaster Classics allow riders to view the upcoming drops and thrills. Coasters with headrests on every seat, or the majority of seats, restrict this view and are not eligible for ACE Coaster Classic status. On ACE Coaster Classics, riders are free to choose where they sit. Some parks' operating procedures assign seating; these coasters are not eligible for ACE Coaster Classic status.... http://www.aceonline.org/CoasterAwards/?type=1 As you can see, no one could claim that Racer or Beast now qualify for ACE Coaster Classic status. (Both are landmarks). In point of fact, neither ever was an ACE Coaster Classic. Camden Park's wooden coasters are both ACE coaster classics. No one could seriously argue that either qualifies as an ACE Landmark coaster. They do not. ACE Coaster Classic status has been the topic of a great deal of debate, both within ACE and in the industry. Quite frankly, there are those who say it is not possible or realistic for a major park to operate a coaster in such a way so as to qualify for that status, given the safety advances made in the industry in the past several decades. Not incorporating those advances may well be irresponsible at best. To put it mildly. It was the coasters losing ACE Coaster Classic status, like Blue Streak, that made ACE realize it had best come up with some other way of recognizing historically significant roller coasters that are no longer operated as they were originally. You can learn a great deal about these awards from ACE itself: http://www.aceonline.org/CoasterAwards/?type=3 http://www.aceonline.org/CoasterAwards/?type=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violakat03 Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 Most coasters at KI really weren't landmark in any way. Being the last of it's kind or being a 'good' coaster, or having some minor advancement (like a splashdown on a hyper) does not make it a landmark. Look at why Racer and Beast have the award. Racer started the second golden age of roller coasters and breathed new life into the amusement industry as a whole. The Beast sparked off the records craze of the 80's and 90's with it's extraordinary length, as well as it's drop and speed records. Other landmark coasters include Leap the Dips (not just for being the oldest operating coaster, but for the amount of work that was put into restoring and reopening it), Magnum XL-200 (first hyper), Revolution (first inverting modern coaster), and Matterhorn Bobsleds (first tubular steel tracked coaster). There has to be a significant contribution to coaster history to be named a coaster landmark. The two I'd argue for would be Son of Beast and Flight of Fear. Son of Beast was revolutionary. It was and still is the only wooden hypercoaster. It is the only 180+ ft woodie that was tracked the traditional way instead of pre-fabricated. It was the first modern wood coaster to attempt an inversion. I honestly believe that the original success of Son of Beast (because it is a very well known coaster and was insanely popular in it's first 5 years) is what led to coasters such as The Voyage, El Toro and T Express, and helped re-spark an interest in wood coasters. Look at what else was being built around that time - Millennium Force, Goliath, Kraken and Medusa opened the same year. Previous to Son of Beast, there weren't really that many 'great' wood coasters being built, a total of maybe 5 or 6 really good ones in the 90s. Since SOB, we've gotten Voyage, El Toro, Prowler, Kentucky Rumbler, Boardwalk Bullet ... the list goes on! Flight of Fear was the first LIM lanched coaster. It remains a point of success in coaster technology advancements, 13 years after being built. It opened the way for other LIM and LSM launched coasters like Superman: The Escape, Revenge of the Mummy, Volcano and California Screamin'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fear the Four Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 The two I'd argue for would be Son of Beast and Flight of Fear. Flight of Fear was the first LIM lanched coaster. It remains a point of success in coaster technology advancements, 13 years after being built. It opened the way for other LIM and LSM launched coasters like Superman: The Escape, Revenge of the Mummy, Volcano and California Screamin'. I agree with you. Flight of Fear should get a ACE landmark status it is the first of It's kind and over a decade later LIM is still being used for launched coasters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldiesmann Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Vortex, because it set the record for most inversions at the time it was built. On a semi-related note, someone needs to tell ACE that the ride time on The Beast is not 3:45 as the coaster's ACE Coaster Landmark sign states... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiruler102 Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 it also isnt 4:50 seconds. my dad clocked it in at 5:30 but thats because the lift hill was operating on its slower speed than the normal speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DropZone99 Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 If any KI Coaster Dissevers it, Son of Beast does. The reason? Look at what Kat Wrote about Son of Beast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTD-120-420 Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 I went with Adventure Express. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coney Islander Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 The two I'd argue for would be Son of Beast and Flight of Fear. Flight of Fear was the first LIM lanched coaster. It remains a point of success in coaster technology advancements, 13 years after being built. It opened the way for other LIM and LSM launched coasters like Superman: The Escape, Revenge of the Mummy, Volcano and California Screamin'. I agree with you. Flight of Fear should get a ACE landmark status it is the first of It's kind and over a decade later LIM is still being used for launched coasters. I agree that Flight of Fear should receive the ACE landmark status, but I really think whichever FOF lasts longest, Kings Dominion's or Kings Island's will get the award. Plus, aren't all Ace landmarks at least 30 years old? Son of Beast, if it survives at least 15 more years... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLorean Rider Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Why is The Racer not on your list? It seems to me that it has a better chance than any other coaster at KI to obatain some sort of award pertaining to historical significance. (aside from The Beast) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KI Kevin Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 ^Racer and Beast are already Landmarks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLorean Rider Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Why is The Racer not on your list? It seems to me that it has a better chance than any other coaster at KI to obatain some sort of award pertaining to historical significance. (aside from The Beast) ^Racer and Beast are already Landmarks. I stand corrected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Kid Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I thought Son of Beast was alreday a ACE Landmark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Highly doubt any of them will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedarPointer Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Is having the most ODA inspections in the state deserving of Landmark status? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasper Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 In my opinion I really do not think that any coaster at KI will gain ACE Landmark status. If the rules Terpy posted are in fact set in stone and there are no exceptions then no coaster at KI can gain the status. If I had to pick one that I think would gain the status, Fairly Odd Coaster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedarPointer Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 That's Coaster Classic status, not landmark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Indeed, as I said before: "Landmark status is for coasters of great historical significance, those that changed parks and industry in profound ways." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast1979 Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 If anything......Son of Beast. Even that I doubt it. Granted, it did break tons of records and stuff, but look how it's turned out. Closed more then opened in it's life, 6 ODA inspections in 9 years, and known as one of the roughest rides in history, do you really think that's deserving of an ACE landmark? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corn4ahead Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 I think the defunct rides should get a mention, The Bat is a perfect example and SoB may soon be another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dvo Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 I voted for none of them. I think the closest thing they have to a "landmark" is the Eiffel Tower, or the Grand Carousel. Diamondback is a good ride, but there are several similar rides around the country/world. If they name that a landmark, they'd be hard-pressed not to name all of the others landmarks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coaster_junky Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 i agree with kat, both Son of Beast and Flight of Fear deserve to be ace coaster landmark. and if Kings Island would remove the seat belts on Son of Beast it would qualify for coaster classic, wouldn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 No, it would not: ..To be eligible for ACE Coaster Classic status, the coaster must meet the following criteria: * The coaster must use traditional lap bars that allow riders to experience so-called airtime, or negative G's (that sensation of floating above the seat!!). Individual, ratcheting lap bars do not meet this requirement. * ACE Coaster Classics allow riders to slide from side-to-side. A coaster with any restraint or device that restricts this freedom is not eligible for ACE Coaster Classic status. * ACE Coaster Classics allow riders to view the upcoming drops and thrills. Coasters with headrests on every seat, or the majority of seats, restrict this view and are not eligible for ACE Coaster Classic status. * On ACE Coaster Classics, riders are free to choose where they sit. Some parks' operating procedures assign seating; these coasters are not eligible for ACE Coaster Classic status.... (see my earlier post 2 in this very thread for a link to the source) Neither of the first two requirements would be met.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedarPointer Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Can you imagine SoB operating like that? OUCH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Kid Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 * On ACE Coaster Classics, riders are free to choose where they sit. Some parks' operating procedures assign seating; these coasters are not eligible for ACE Coaster Classic status.... How does that have anyting todo with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coney Islander Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 * On ACE Coaster Classics, riders are free to choose where they sit. Some parks' operating procedures assign seating; these coasters are not eligible for ACE Coaster Classic status.... How does that have anyting todo with it? Assigning seats sorta takes away some of the freedom of riding a roller coaster, which I think is a main part of being a Coaster Classic. Also, have you ever heard of a ride before 1985 that assigned seating? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DropZone99 Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 * On ACE Coaster Classics, riders are free to choose where they sit. Some parks' operating procedures assign seating; these coasters are not eligible for ACE Coaster Classic status.... How does that have anyting todo with it? Assigning seats sorta takes away some of the freedom of riding a roller coaster, which I think is a main part of being a Coaster Classic. Also, have you ever heard of a ride before 1985 that assigned seating? Well, Laser kinda, it opened at Dorney in 86' and Play Center in 82 or earlier and it has assigned seating do to it's compact layout it can't have a station with gates like most coasters. Instead you would just walk up near the station and the first 2 people in line get front row, and it continues until the train is full than repeats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KI Kevin Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 I'd say Flight of Fear. It was the first LIM coaster, and there are many more today. My next choice would be Son of Beast. Just read Kat's post. By the way, Landmarks don't need to be 30 years old. Magnum is only 20 (as if we don't see that enough...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
najellin Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 I highly doubt any ride at Kings Island will get the award except for maybe Flight of Fear and Vortex. Flight of Fear b/c it was innovative when it opened (and opened up the door to LIM's, LSM's, etc.); Vortex b/c if I'm correct, was the first mega-looper (that kept going with Great American Scream Machine and Viper at Great Adv. and Magic Mountain). Is it just me or does the first part of Vortex ride like it's wanting to be Magnum XL? Here's rides outside of KI that might get the honor of ACE Landmark. Screamin' Eagle at Six Flags St. Louis, Space Mountain at Disney, Batman and Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America, Superman at SF New England, Top Thrill Dragster and Millennium Force at Cedar Point, Shockwave and Texas Giant at SF Over Texas, as well as X2 and Colossus at SF Magic Mountain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
najellin Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 I think Superman Ultimate Flight at Over Georgia deserves Landmark status as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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