Dive Coaster

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Dive Coaster
Griffon First Drop.jpg
Griffon, Busch Gardens Williamsburg
StatusIn Production
First manufactured1998
No. of installations14
Manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard
Vehicle typeFloorless or normal seats located above the track
Rows2/3
Riders per row6/7/8/10
Restraint StyleOver-the-shoulder/Vest restraint
Dive Coaster at RCDB

The Dive Coaster is a steel roller coaster model developed and engineered by Bolliger & Mabillard. The design features one or more near-vertical drops that are approximately 90 degrees, which provide a moment of free-falling for passengers. The experience is enhanced by unique trains that seat up to ten riders per row, spanning only two or three rows total. Unlike traditional train design, this distinguishing aspect gives all passengers virtually the same experience throughout the course of the ride. Another defining characteristic of Dive Coasters is the holding brake at the top of the lift hill that holds the train momentarily right as it enters the first drop, suspending some passengers with a view looking straight down and releasing suddenly moments later.

Contents

Development of the Dive Coaster began between 1994 and 1995 with Oblivion at Alton Towers opening on March 14, 1998, making it the world's first Dive Coaster. The trains for this type of coaster are relatively short consisting of two to three cars. B&M also uses floorless trains on this model to enhance the experience. As of May 10, 2024, seventeen Dive Coasters have been built, with the newest being Iron Menace at Dorney Park which features a drop of 152 feet or 46 meters. Featuring a height of 68 m (223 ft), a length of 1,105 m (3,625 ft), and a maximum speed of 130 km/h (81 mph), Yukon Striker, as of 2019, was the world's tallest, longest, and fastest Dive Coaster.

Baron 1898, a themed dive coaster at Efteling in The Netherlands Baron 1889.jpg
Baron 1898, a themed dive coaster at Efteling in The Netherlands

History

According to Walter Bolliger, development of the Dive Coaster began between 1994 and 1995. [1] On March 14, 1998, the world's first Dive Coaster, Oblivion , opened at Alton Towers. Though Oblivion is classified as a Dive Coaster, it does not have a true vertical drop as the drop angle is 87-degrees. [2] Two years later, the second Dive Coaster built, Diving Machine G5, opened at Janfusun Fancyworld and also does not have a vertical drop. [3] In 2005, SheiKra opened at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and was the first Dive Coaster to feature a 90-degree drop and a splashdown element. [4] [5] In 2007, Busch Gardens Williamsburg announced that Griffon would be the first ever Dive Coaster to feature floorless trains [6] and SheiKra would have its trains replaced with floorless ones. [7] [8] In 2011, the first 'mini' Dive Coaster opened at Heide Park Resort, named Krake. Unlike other Dive Coasters, Krake has smaller trains consisting of three rows of six riders. [9] In 2019, Yukon Striker at Canada's Wonderland was the first Dive Coaster to feature a vertical loop, allowing it to have the most inversions on a Dive Coaster with four in total. [10] On July 30 2022, Dr. Diabolical’s Cliffhanger at Six Flags Fiesta Texas is the first B&M Dive Coaster to feature a beyond vertical (95°) drop and 7-across seating.

Design

An example of a floorless Dive Coaster train on SheiKra SheiKra (Busch Gardens Africa) 04.jpg
An example of a floorless Dive Coaster train on SheiKra

The design of a Dive Coaster can vary slightly from one to another. Depending on the amusement park's request, one row on the train can seat anywhere from 6 to 10 riders. Stadium seating is also used to give every rider a clear view. Next, compared to standard Bolliger & Mabillard 4 abreast cars, because of the extra weight of each train on a Dive Coaster, the size of the track must be larger than other B&M models (such as the Hyper Coaster) to support the weight. [11] At the top of the primary vertical drop, a braking system holds the train for 3 to 5 seconds, giving riders a view of the drop ahead before being released into the drop. [12] [13]

In the station, Dive Coasters that use non-floorless trains simply use a standard station. With Dive Coasters that use floorless trains, in order to allow riders to load and unload the train, a movable floor is necessary. Because the front row has nothing in front of it to stop riders from walking over the edge of the station, a gate is placed in front of the train to prevent this from happening. Once all the over-the-shoulder restraints are locked, the gate opens and the floor separates into several pieces and moves underneath the station. [12] When the next train enters the station, the gate is closed and the floors are brought back up where the next riders board. [12]

Installations

Bolliger & Mabillard has built sixteen Dive Coasters as of 2023.

NameParkCountryOpenedStatus
Oblivion Alton Towers Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom March 14, 1998Operating [2]
Diving Machine G5 Janfusun Fancyworld Flag of the Republic of China.svg Taiwan March 29, 2000Operating [3]
SheiKra Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Flag of the United States.svg United States May 21, 2005Operating [4]
Griffon Busch Gardens Williamsburg Flag of the United States.svg United States May 18, 2007Operating [14]
Dive Coaster Chimelong Paradise Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China January 21, 2008Operating [15]
Diving Coaster Happy Valley Shanghai Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China August 16, 2009Operating [16]
Krake Heide Park Flag of Germany.svg Germany April 16, 2011Operating [9]
Oblivion: The Black Hole Gardaland Flag of Italy.svg Italy March 28, 2015Operating [17]
Baron 1898 Efteling Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands June 30, 2015Operating [18]
Valravn Cedar Point Flag of the United States.svg United States May 7, 2016Operating [19]
Flying Apsaras in Western Region Happy Valley Chengdu Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China February 10, 2018Operating [20]
Draken Gyeongju World Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea May 1, 2018Operating [21]
Valkyria Liseberg Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden August 10, 2018Operating [22]
Yukon Striker Canada's Wonderland Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada May 3, 2019Operating [23]
Emperor SeaWorld San Diego Flag of the United States.svg United States March 12, 2022Operating [24]
Dr. Diabolical’s Cliffhanger Six Flags Fiesta Texas Flag of the United States.svg United States July 30, 2022Operating [25]
Iron Menace Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom Flag of the United States.svg United States May 10, 2024Operating [26]
Wrath of Rakshasa Six Flags Great America Flag of the United States.svg United States 2025Under Construction [27]

Similar coasters

HangTime, a Gerstlauer roller coaster located at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, has been marketed as "the first dive coaster on the West Coast". [28]

In 2018, Golden Horse, a Chinese amusement ride manufacturer infamous for creating knock-off coasters and rides, installed a Dive Coaster at Great Xingdong Tourist World. The trains contain four cars, each seating 6 riders per row, compared to B&M dive coasters, which have two or three cars per train. [29]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolliger & Mabillard</span> Swiss roller coaster manufacturer

Bolliger & Mabillard, officially Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers, Inc. and often abbreviated B&M, is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by engineers Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, both of whom had worked for Giovanola.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Floorless Coaster</span> Type of roller coaster

A Floorless Coaster, commonly known as a Floorless Roller Coaster, is a type of steel roller coaster manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard where riders sit with no floor underneath them, allowing their feet to swing freely just above the track. Development of the Floorless Coaster model began between 1995 and 1996 with Medusa at Six Flags Great Adventure opening on April 2, 1999, making it the world's first Floorless Roller Coaster. Floorless Roller Coasters also tend to have 3 to 7 inversions incorporated in the layout of the coaster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hypercoaster</span> Height class for roller coasters

A hypercoaster is a roller coaster with a height or drop measuring at least 200 feet (61 m). The term was first coined by Arrow Dynamics and Cedar Point in 1989 with the opening of the world's first hypercoaster, Magnum XL-200, which features a height of 205 feet. The next hypercoaster, Pepsi Max Big One, opened five years later at Blackpool Pleasure Beach featuring a height of 213 feet (65 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rougarou (roller coaster)</span> Steel roller coaster at Cedar Point

Rougarou, formerly known as Mantis, is a floorless roller coaster located at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. Designed and built by Bolliger & Mabillard, the roller coaster originally opened in 1996 as a stand-up roller coaster called Mantis, which at the time was the tallest, fastest, and longest of its kind in the world. Cedar Point had planned to name the ride Banshee, but due to negative publicity following the announcement, the name was later changed to Mantis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Riddler's Revenge</span> Stand-up roller coaster

The Riddler's Revenge is a steel stand-up roller coaster located at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride opened as the park's eleventh roller coaster on April 4, 1998, setting multiple world records among stand-up coasters. Originally located in the Movie District section of the park, which later became Metropolis in 2017, The Riddler's Revenge was also the park's single biggest investment at a cost of $14 million. It features a height of 156 feet (48 m), a maximum speed of 65 mph (105 km/h), six inversions, and a track length of 4,370 feet (1,330 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kumba (roller coaster)</span> Ride at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Kumba is a steel roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride opened in 1993. It stands 143 feet (44 m) tall and has a top speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). Kumba features a total of seven inversions across the 3-minute ride. It is Busch Gardens's oldest roller coaster that is still operating.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superman: Krypton Coaster</span> Roller coaster in Texas, U.S.

Superman: Krypton Coaster is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Fiesta Texas amusement park in San Antonio. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the Floorless Coaster model opened to the public in 2000 as one of the first of its kind in the world. The well-received ride held the title for the world's tallest vertical loop from its opening until 2013. Superman: Krypton Coaster stands 168 feet (51 m) tall and reaches a maximum speed of 70 mph (110 km/h).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montu (roller coaster)</span> Ride at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Montu is an inverted roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida. Designed by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, it is the park's second roller coaster designed by that company following the success of Kumba, which opened 3 years prior. When the ride opened on May 16, 1996, it was the world's tallest and fastest inverted roller coaster, a title it has since conceded to Alpengeist at sister park Busch Gardens Williamsburg. The ride stands 150 feet (46 m) tall and reaches speeds of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medusa (Six Flags Great Adventure)</span> Steel floorless roller coaster

Medusa, formerly known as Bizarro, is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride debuted as the world's first floorless roller coaster on April 2, 1999. It was repainted and rethemed to Bizarro in 2009. In 2022, it was repainted and renamed back to Medusa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oblivion (roller coaster)</span> Steel dive roller coaster

Oblivion is a steel roller coaster located at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, England. The prototype Dive Coaster model from Bolliger & Mabillard opened to the public on 14 March 1998 and was marketed as the "world's first vertical drop roller coaster". With a maximum speed of 68 mph (109.4 km/h), it is the fourth fastest roller coaster in the UK, behind The Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, and Stealth and Hyperia at Thorpe Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scream (roller coaster)</span> Steel roller coaster

Scream is a steel roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the Floorless Coaster model was the park's sixteenth roller coaster and is located in the Screampunk District area of the park. The 150-foot-tall (46 m) ride consists of a series of roller coaster elements including seven inversions ranging from a zero-g roll to interlocking corkscrews. The ride is a mirror image of Medusa at Six Flags Great Adventure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Griffon (roller coaster)</span> Steel roller coaster in Virginia

Griffon is a steel roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Williamsburg amusement park in James City County, Virginia, United States. Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), the Dive Coaster model opened to the public on May 18, 2007. It climbs to a height of 205 feet (62 m) and reaches a maximum speed of 71 mph (114 km/h). It features two Immelmann loops, a splashdown, two vertical drops, and was the first B&M Dive Coaster to use floorless trains. Griffon was well-received by media and enthusiasts, and it placed third in 2007 in the category of Best New Ride polled by Amusement Today for their annual Golden Ticket Awards. Since its debut, it has also consistently ranked in the top 50 among steel roller coasters worldwide in the same annual publication, peaking at #19 in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medusa (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom)</span> Floorless roller coaster

Medusa is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California. Built by Bolliger & Mabillard, Medusa opened in 2000 as the first floorless roller coaster on the West Coast. The roller coaster features seven inversions, a 150-foot (46 m)-tall lift hill with a 150-foot (46 m) drop, and the first Sea serpent roll element ever built on a B&M roller coaster. The ride is the longest coaster in Northern California at 3,937 feet (1,200 m) long and is notable as having one of the largest vertical loops in the world at 128 feet (39 m). It also shares the height record in Northern California with another two rides in the same park, The Flash: Vertical Velocity, and Superman: Ultimate Flight at 150 feet (46 m) high.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dive Coaster (Chimelong Paradise)</span> Amusement ride in Guangzhou, China

Dive Coaster is a Floorless Dive roller coaster operating at Chimelong Paradise in China. It is built by Swiss coaster manufacturers Bolliger & Mabillard. A photo update on the park's website shows the coaster's first and second drop along with the water splash, the coaster's final brake run and a row of a train in the station with 10 seats in the row, as well as two pictures of SheiKra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wing Coaster</span> Type of roller coaster

Wing Coaster is engineering firm Bolliger & Mabillard’s designation for its winged roller coaster designs. Winged roller coasters are a type of steel roller coaster where pairs of riders sit on either side of a roller coaster track in which nothing is above or below the riders. B&M began development on the first Wing Coaster between 2007 and 2008 leading to the opening of Raptor at Gardaland on 1 April 2011. There were sixteen B&M-designed Wing Coasters either under construction or operating worldwide as of December 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SheiKra</span> Ride at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

SheiKra is a steel Dive Coaster roller coaster at the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay amusement park in Tampa, Florida, United States. The roller coaster was proposed by Mark Rose, vice-president of design and engineering for the park, and designed by Bolliger & Mabillard. The ride was planned to be 160 feet (49 m) high, but the park's executives rejected this and the height was changed to 200 feet (61 m). SheiKra reaches a maximum speed of 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) and has a total track length of 3,188 feet (972 m). It first opened on May 21, 2005, and was converted to a floorless roller coaster on June 16, 2007, following the opening of its sister Dive Coaster Griffon at Busch Gardens Williamsburg that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krake</span> Steel roller coaster at Heide Park

Krake is a steel Dive Coaster roller coaster at Heide Park in Soltau, Lower Saxony, Germany manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard. It is the first roller coaster of its kind in Germany. At a cost of 12 million euros, the roller coaster features floorless trains, 476 m (1,562 ft) of track, and a maximum height of 41 m (135 ft). The attraction officially opened to the public on April 16, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hair Raiser</span> Floorless roller coaster in Hong Kong

Hair Raiser is a steel floorless roller coaster at Ocean Park Hong Kong in Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the coaster opened on December 8, 2011, and is the twelfth floorless coaster to be built. The large smiling face entrance is loosely based on Luna Park Sydney in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nitro (Imagicaa)</span> Floorless coaster at Imagicaa in India

Nitro is a steel Floorless Coaster at Imagicaa amusement park in Khopoli, Maharashtra, India. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the roller coaster reaches a maximum height of 132 feet (40 m) and a maximum speed of 65.2 miles per hour (104.9 km/h). The coaster also features five inversions. Nitro opened to the public in October 2013.

References

  1. ↑ "IAAPA 2011 Trade Show Part 4 Theme Park Review Fishpipe Water Ride B&M Zamperla". Theme Park Review . YouTube. November 16, 2012. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  2. 1 2 Marden, Duane. "Oblivion  (Alton Towers)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  3. 1 2 Marden, Duane. "Diving Machine G5 / 飛天潛艇 G5  (Janfusun Fancyworld)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  4. 1 2 Marden, Duane. "SheiKra  (Busch Gardens Tampa Bay)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  5. ↑ "Splashdown Bolliger & Mabillard" . Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Griffon at Busch Gardens Williamsburg Roller Coaster Review". About.com. Archived from the original on April 6, 2015. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
  7. ↑ "SheiKra to have new floorless trains installed". COASTER-net. February 2, 2007. Archived from the original on December 19, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Bolliger & Mabillard Dive Machine". Roller Coaster Database. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
  9. 1 2 Marden, Duane. "Krake  (Heide Park Resort)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  10. ↑ Levine, Arthur (August 15, 2018). "Canada's Wonderland: Record-breaking Yukon Striker coaster announced". USA Today. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Scott & Carol Present: Getting On Track With B&M". NewsPlusNotes. December 11, 2008. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  12. 1 2 3 "Griffon (HD)". SeanFlaharty. August 16, 2009. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Coaster opens May 25". Daily Press. March 21, 2007. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  14. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Griffon  (Busch Gardens Williamsburg)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  15. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Dive Coaster / 垂直过山车  (Chimelong Paradise)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  16. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Diving Coaster / 绝顶雄风  (Happy Valley Shanghai)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  17. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Oblivion: The Black Hole  (Gardaland)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  18. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Baron 1898  (Efteling)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  19. ↑ Ellen Creager (September 4, 2015). "Cedar Point's ride would be area's only dive coaster". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  20. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Flying Apsaras in Western Region / 西域飞天  (Happy Valley Chengdu)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  21. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Draken / 드라켄  (Gyeongju World)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  22. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Valkyria  (Liseberg)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  23. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Yukon Striker  (Canada's Wonderland)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  24. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Emperor  (SeaWorld San Diego)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  25. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Dr. Diabolical's Cliffhanger  (Six Flags Fiesta Texas)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  26. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Iron Menace  (Dorney Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  27. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Wrath of Rakshasa  (Six Flags Great America)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  28. ↑ "HangTime | First Dive Coaster On the West Coast | Knott's Berry Farm". www.knotts.com. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  29. ↑ "Vertical Roller Coaster - Great Xingdong Tourist World (Puding, Anshun, Guizhou, China)". rcdb.com. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
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