Are Standup Coasters Dead?

[SonofBaconator]

We haven't seen a new standup built since the late 90s and Cedar Fair has either converted or gotten rid of all but one standup coaster. Is it safe to say that standups are becoming extinct throughout the industry as a whole, or will they improve and make a comeback? 

[flightoffear1996]

I dont see any new ones being built anytime soon but I don't wont the older ones torn down.  Mantis really strained my cafes alot during my first ride.  

[rhyano]

leave all the way here...

[Honorarius]

It's case dependent... Some are better than others, and I wouldn't want to tear out the ones I liked just to get rid of the ones I didn't care for...

[jzarley]

I realize it's hard to believe, but I actually preferred the Togo stand-ups to the B&M ones...I always found the B&M stand-ups to be kind of headbangers. It would be interesting to see one with the new "vest" style of B&M OTSRs to see if that would make a difference.

I was kind of surprised to see that the B&M catalogs at IAAPA listed the stand-up as one of their available models for installation...granted, it was toward the back of the book 

[VortexBFForever]

51 minutes ago, jzarley said:

I realize it's hard to believe, but I actually preferred the Togo stand-ups to the B&M ones...

I second that. I thought Mantis was just okay, but I absolutely LOVED Shockwave!! I'm still sad that it closed two years ago...

I'm personally indifferent to standup coasters in general. I enjoy them, but I do see how park-goers don't show as much interest in them anymore.

-BFF, who will forever be grateful for enjoying three rides on Shockwave during her currently only trip to Kings Dominion on April 10, 2012...

[VekomaRulz]

I wouldn't care if anymore aren't built but I want the current versions to stay (or at least at parks like Magic Mountain and Great Adventure that already have a floorless coaster) since they are a unique way to ride a coaster. 

[malem]

Georgia Scorcher and Green Lantern (Chang) are excellent, as was the first half of Mantis. High drops and oversized loops are fun in the standing position. On the other hand, Apocalypse: The Last Stand is one of the worst head bangers I've ridden.

In my opinion, the biggest downfall of B&M standups is that they require some technique to ride comfortably. Hitting your head on the restraint and/or having a high seat staple isn't fun at all.

I preferred the TOGO stand-ups as well. The restraints were more comfortable, if slightly awkward to get in and out of.

[westcoaster]

Long live my many memories of Cedar Points, Kings Islands, and Ky Kingdoms.

Loved them...

 

[Honorarius]

I found TOGO standup restraints to be more comfortable than B&M... While Mantis had a better layout than Skyrider, the difference in restraints made Skyrider much more enjoyable...

The lone Intamin standup I've ridden, Cobra, was just booooring... The restraints weren't bad, but the layout didn't really put them to the test either...

[Stitch]

2 hours ago, Honorarius said:

I found TOGO standup restraints to be more comfortable than B&M...

I agree with this statement. I rode King Cobra and Chang and would take King Cobra over Chang any day. Chang had a cool layout but the pain I endured from the restraint system made me not want to bother riding it. King Cobra on the other hand I would ride multiple times in a row and love every lap.

[FoF96"]

I rode Chang when I was really young (born 96” rode from the time I was 54” until removed) but I don’t remember headbanging being a problem.  What I do remember is the backs of my legs would always hurt after the second loop of the ride and from that point on my legs were begging to get off. 

[Rustbucket]

My favorite of all stand up is Riddler's Revenge.  Worst probably was Iron Wolf.  I do miss Shockwave which was my first stand up.  RIP Togo.

 

Whenever I ride stand up coasters, I squad down so much to "preserve" my knees and crotch.   

[matthew0813]

We haven't seen a new standup built since the late 90s and Cedar Fair has either converted or gotten rid of all but one standup coaster. Is it safe to say that standups are becoming extinct throughout the industry as a whole, or will they improve and make a comeback? 

Personally, I have never really enjoyed standup coasters, but I think that there is a possibility they will come back. Just watch, I b&m were to announce a new model of standup coaster, Cedar Fair will flock all over it.


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[SonofBaconator]

On 12/3/2017 at 9:01 PM, matthew0813 said:

Personally, I have never really enjoyed standup coasters, but I think that there is a possibility they will come back. Just watch, I b&m were to announce a new model of standup coaster, Cedar Fair will flock all over it.

I wouldn't doubt it

But define new model: New trains or new coaster design?

[matthew0813]

I wouldn't doubt it
But define new model: New trains or new coaster design?

Just new trains. The restraints are horribly uncomfortable for me whenever I ride one. Probably just me but I would love to have a new standup coaster that incorporates the vest restraints somehow. (like their flying coasters.)


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[SonofBaconator]

I personally prefer smaller designs. I've heard that Georgia Scorcher is the most comfortable B&M stand up. Maybe because its not as fast or as forceful

 

[jcgoble3]

I'm honestly not sure whether I prefer(red) Georgia Scorcher or Mantis (the only two stand-ups I've ridden). Both were/are pretty good rides.

[purdude86]

I’ve only ridden King Cobra and Mantis for stand ups. Loved King Cobra (aside from the time I got stuck on the lift hill riding it), but Mantis I couldn’t wait to get off. The first portion of it was great but the forces from the second half were not comfortable for my legs. 

[Arrow]

I have a personal grudge against Standup coasters because of Green Lantern replacing the Great American Scream Machine. Shouldve never of done that! NEVER I TELL YOU!

 

Most of the standup coasters Ive ridden have either been average or absolutely horrible. Vortex at Carowinds is probably one of my least favorite coasters. The headbanging is off the charts, and the corkscrew turns your brain and legs into mush.

Riddler at Magic Mountain is probably the best Ive been on. However, I still found it to be an average experience.

Personally, Id be fine if Standup coasters die out.

[bengals fan]

I have only risen King Cobra and Mantis same as purdude86 found King Cobra a fun ride but Mantis is not missed.

[KIBeast]

I rode each type. My first was King Kobra at KI. When it was a new concept, it was really cool at the time. Pretty good ride. Then I got a chance to ride Mantis and was pleased with how much more they did with the design. I always felt it was a smoother ride than KK. I really don't forsee any new ones being built as it was a fad and has now faded. 

[SonofBaconator]

A lot of Cincinnati locals really miss riding King Cobra

[CoasterOhio]

Never know? Maybe one of the next major investments could be Kings Island returning a King Cobra like layout to the park, in place of a B&M Stand-up that has been revolutionized with more recent technology.

With that, would come Vortex at Carowinds getting the new trains for their stand up, and making the ride more enjoyable. My only experience on a Stand-up was Vortex as I never got to any other ride before they were converted or removed. I know I've seen King Cobra before, but It's not stuck in memory so I can't remember seeing it. (Very young when I came to KI for the first time, always afraid to ride anything until 2010.)

[Honorarius]

I'd be slightly more supportive if tearing them out meant they'd get replaced with something good... But watching Cedar Fair make the decision to rip one out just to have it's location sit empty for 4 years (and counting), really grinds my gears... Especially when it was the 4th best coaster in the park...

Seeing Cobra SBNO doesn't hurt as much because it's only slightly less capacity than when it was running...

[SonofBaconator]

24 minutes ago, Honorarius said:

I'd be slightly more supportive if tearing them out meant they'd get replaced with something good... But watching Cedar Fair make the decision to rip one out just to have it's location sit empty for 4 years (and counting), really grinds my gears...

[Creed Bratton]

Looking at the original question at hand in the thread title.....no standup coasters are not dead....as they were never truly living creatures......

[SonofBaconator]

Back to the topic- I think stand ups need three major things done order for them to make a comeback

1. Comfier Trains- this is a no brainer but having comfy trains would be a step in the right direction- especially for the male gender.
2. Less Intensity/Better Layouts- I feel like the type of elements a stand-up coaster has either increases or decreases the potential for pain. I feel like the more intense the elements, the worse the pain. Stand-ups are a gimmick so a ride doesn't need a ton of crazy elements- standing up is somewhat an element all in itself.
3. Better ques- No one likes to stand in line so its very rewarding when you get to sit down on a roller coaster. I think there should be some type of seating in the ques for guests (I wonder how that would work)

[King Ding Dong]

Some WALL-E style loungers on conveyor belts would be perfect for a que.

In fact I think the La-z-boy coaster concept is something that needs to be fleshed out.  We don’t go to movies anymore with old crappy hard seats.  No. We expect comfort.  The same should apply to coasters.   They already have the stadium style seating thing down with Dback, now we just need to insist on cushy leather seating and restraints. And they need to be adjustable to fit our preferred style of riding.  

[bjcolglazier]

My recollection of riding King Cobra---which I really enjoyed---was feeling very exposed. Especially up front but elsewhere, too. It was a whole-body experience. It didn't have to be 300 foot tall---a little under 100 feet was enough to make it completely different from any other ride I've ever been on.  I miss it. Acknowledging this was about 30 years ago, and it didn't have a quick-cycle, but Cobra always had the longest wait in the park when I reminisce about it. Beast was there, and so was Vortex. Lots and lots of people stood in line what seemed like forever to ride King Cobra though. Even after it had been around awhile. It provided something very unique, and I think that alone means we will see stand-up coasters again in the future. People will come.