California Screamin', Loopless!

[bkroz]

Son of Beast was the world's longest looping coaster.

When its loop was removed, California Screamin' at Disney('s) California Adventure won the title.

And now?

Of course, this one's temporary while the loop is re-tracked as part of California Adventure's on-going refurbishment (and knowing Disney, it's also so that the ride can be re-tracked like the real wooden coasters it emulates - now that's dedication to themeing! )

Via Westcoaster.

[CedarPointer]

This is almost as bad as when they removed Horizons!

Okay, not really.

[Vortex]

This is the second time the loop on California Screamin' has been removed.

[CedarPointer]

I feel like I have to ask, is this really necessary?

[The Interpreter]

It's Disney. There's almost always a very good reason. Usually.

[bkroz]

This topic, or the loop removal?

The topic is for fun, so I thought so.

But concerning the loop removal, it's a good question. California Screamin' is an Intamin product, too, and has always run fairly smooth and (except for that bag-under-the-wheel-incident recently) without too many problems. Screamscape reported on it and theorized that AMEC may be coming in (who apparently did the rebuilding of Disneyland's Space Mountain) instead of Intamin. Why that would be necessary, I don't know, but like Terpy said I can't imagine it's just out of boredom.

EDIT: One has to wonder, if California Screamin' has had three loops in ten years, maybe it's time for Vortex to get a new set...?

[The Interpreter]

That coaster had to be ridden to be believed. It had incredibly intense airtime. To put it mildly.

[PREMiERdrum]

This topic, or the loop removal?

The topic is for fun, so I thought so.

But concerning the loop removal, it's a good question. California Screamin' is an Intamin product, too, and has always run fairly smooth and (except for that bag-under-the-wheel-incident recently) without too many problems. Screamscape reported on it and theorized that AMEC may be coming in (who apparently did the rebuilding of Disneyland's Space Mountain) instead of Intamin. Why that would be necessary, I don't know, but like Terpy said I can't imagine it's just out of boredom.

EDIT: One has to wonder, if California Screamin' has had three loops in ten years, maybe it's time for Vortex to get a new set...?

The collaboration between Intamin and WDI on California Screamin' soured quite quickly. WDI is famous for making just enough modifications to attractions (after construction is completed, but before they open) so that WDI, not Intamin (or Vekoma or Mack), are legally considered to be the manufacturer, thus being the ones who set the operating standards for the ride. I don't know how strained the relationship is now, but it wasn't good at all for a while. Unless something's changed, Intamin didn't even claim CS on their website.

[bkroz]

Interesting. I didn't know that! Thanks!

[The Interpreter]

See also the Matterhorn Bobsleds. Though Arrow Dynamics' involvement is well known, it is often credited to WDI.

[bkroz]

I suppose that answers my long-standing question of why Disney seems to have such a preference for Vekoma. I guess Vekoma has learned to roll over and do whatever Disney wants after all these Space Mountains and Big Thunder Mountains and Rockin' Roller Coasters and Raging Spirits and Indiana Jones Temples and Barnstormers...

[PREMiERdrum]

I suppose that answers my long-standing question of why Disney seems to have such a preference for Vekoma. I guess Vekoma has learned to roll over and do whatever Disney wants after all these Space Mountains and Big Thunder Mountains and Rockin' Roller Coasters and Raging Spirits and Indiana Jones Temples and Barnstormers...

And Everest

Perhaps WDI should have allowed Vekoma to engineer the Yeti, too. It might still work!

[TombRaiderFTW]

I also wonder why they feel the need to replace the loop so often. I might suspect fatigue, but I'd imagine it's not going to set in as quickly as it would have to on CS for that to be true, unless either the loop is made of exceptionally weak steel or if the forces are exceptionally strong... And given my experiences on Intamin loopers (read: Maverick, Fahrenheit, and Storm Runner), the forces aren't exceptionally strong. Especially when compared to Sooperdooperlooper, and that's allegedly one of the weaker Schwarzkopfs!

Then again, according to Westcoaster, Disney does their darndest to keep California Screamin' running quietly (including having special supports on the loop), so maybe it's related to that.

[bkroz]

And with a train launching every 36 seconds, that's quite a bit of wear and tear!

[The Interpreter]

Quiet is a legal requirement in that neighborhood. The drop ride even had ugly, nasty scream "shields.". You screamed, you deafened yourself.

[bkroz]

Quiet is a legal requirement in that neighborhood. The drop ride even had ugly, nasty scream "shields.". You screamed, you deafened yourself.

And if the person before you spit...? Well, enjoy your ride!

And now they get their quiet, and a gigantic, rustic mountain range in the shape of classic Cadillac tail fins to go with it. Are they having fun yet?

Should've taken the 300 foot golden sphere, huh?

[TombRaiderFTW]

^^^Touche, except I don't think CS is the only Intamin with the capability of a train running every 30 or so seconds. And surely, if there is one, wouldn't we have heard of track replacements on it if it were absolutely necessary? And even if there isn't, wouldn't older loopers show similar wear? They may not have the frequency, but they've been doing it longer, which counts just as much.