Xtreme Skyflyer

Last updated
Xtreme Skyflyer
Xtreme SkyFlyer at Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada - 20110717.jpg
The "arch" in 2011 at Canada's Wonderland
Canada's Wonderland
AreaGrande World Exposition of 1890
StatusRemoved
Opening date1996
Closing date2023
California's Great America
Area Celebration Plaza
StatusOperating
Opening date1997
Carowinds
Area Thunder Road
StatusOperating
Opening dateJune 30, 1995 [1]
Kings Dominion
Area Candy Apple Grove
StatusOperating
Opening dateMarch 30, 1996 [2]
Kings Island
Area Action Zone
StatusOperating
Opening date1995
Ride statistics
Manufacturer Skycoaster
ModelDual Swing
Height45.6 m (150 ft)
Drop45.6 m (150 ft)
Participants per group1 - 3
DurationVaries (Anywhere around 3-5 minutes)
Height restriction42 in (107 cm)
CapacityTotal capacity varies
Single rider line availability icon.svg Single rider line available

Xtreme Skyflyer (known as RipCord at Carowinds [3] ) is a Skycoaster at several Six Flags parks. The Carowinds and Kings Island models opened in 1995, while the Canada's Wonderland and Kings Dominion models opened in 1996 followed by California's Great America which opened their model in 1997. [4] [5] In order to ride the attraction, guests must pay an extra fee. As of 2020, this attraction changed from its 48" height restriction to 42" across all parks.

Contents

On February 8 2024 it was announced that Xtreme Skyflyer would permanently shut down at Canada's Wonderland for future park expansion. [6]

Structure

Xtreme Skyflyer is mainly made up of 5 parts. The first part is the "arch". This is where the cables holding the riders are attached to. The second parts are the two towers which hold the lift cables. When riders are ready to release the cable, they are at the top of either tower. The third part is the scissor lift which brings up and down riders from the cables. The fourth parts are the cables that hold the riders during the entire cycle. The final part is the lift cable which brings riders to the top of the ride giving riders the maximum experience. [7]

Ride experience

Video of ride experience at California's Great America

Riders first step onto a scissor lift, where they are raised into the loading position. Operators then hook the riders onto a cable that brings the riders to the top of the tower and a cable that holds the riders during the free-fall. Once the riders are securely attached to the cable and the operators say it is safe to operate, the scissor lift is brought down and the riders are pulled to the top of the tower. Once the riders are hoisted up to the top of the ride to a height of 153 feet, they must wait until the operator at the bottom says to "pull the cord". The operator will usually say "tower one / two: 3, 2, 1, fly." At this point, the rider at the far right (unless there is a single rider) must pull the cord releasing them from the lift cable. During the first drop, riders experience about 3 to 4 seconds of free-falling. After about 10 swings, an operator will lift a hydraulic cable with a loop at the top which then a rider will have to grab and hold on to. After grabbing the cable, the riders will come to a stop just above the scissor lift. The next riders will step onto the lift where the previous riders will be unloaded and they will be attached to the lift cable where the cycle begins again. One cycle can last anywhere between 3 and 5 minutes. [8] [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paramount Parks</span> Former amusement park owner and operator

Paramount Parks was a subsidiary of National Amusements-owned Viacom, headquartered at its Paramount's Carowinds amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina. At the time of its acquisition, the company owned and operated five amusement park/water parks, which annually attracted 13 million patrons. Viacom assumed control of the company as part of its acquisition of Paramount Pictures in 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada's Wonderland</span> Amusement park in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada

Canada's Wonderland, formerly known as Paramount Canada's Wonderland, is a 134-hectare (330-acre) amusement park located in Vaughan, Ontario, a municipality within the Greater Toronto Area. Opened in 1981 by the Taft Broadcasting Company and the Great-West Life Assurance Company, it was the first major theme park in Canada and remains the country's largest. Cedar Fair purchased the park from Paramount Parks in 2006, and they have owned and operated the park since then. In 2019, it was the most-visited seasonal amusement park in North America with an estimated 3.9 million guests. The park still retains this record, with an estimated 3.8 million guests in 2022 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kings Dominion</span> Amusement park in Virginia

Kings Dominion is an amusement park in the eastern United States, located in Doswell, Virginia, twenty miles (30 km) north of Richmond and 75 miles (120 km) south of Washington, D.C. Owned and operated by Six Flags, the 280-acre (1.1 km2) park opened to the public on May 3, 1975, and features more than 60 rides, shows and attractions including 13 roller coasters and a 20-acre (8.1 ha) water park. Its name is derived from the name of its sister park, Kings Island near Cincinnati, and the nickname for the state of Virginia, "Old Dominion."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Launched roller coaster</span> Modern form of roller coaster

The launched roller coaster is a modern form of roller coaster. A launched coaster initiates a ride with high amounts of acceleration via one or a series of linear induction motors (LIM), linear synchronous motors (LSM), catapults, tires, chains, or other mechanisms employing hydraulic or pneumatic power, along a launch track. This mode of acceleration powers many of the fastest roller coasters in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skycoaster</span> Amusement park ride

Skycoaster is the name of a free-fall and flight-simulating amusement park attraction produced and managed by Skycoaster Company, LLC.. On the Skycoaster, riders in groups of 1 to 3 are harnessed in specialized Flight Suits, and are winched to the top of a launch tower; the riders then pull a ripcord to engage their “flight”, upon which they swing several times from a cable tether, back and forth, until finally brought to a rest. The attraction is often compared to a combination of skydiving, bungee jumping, and hang gliding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hurler (roller coaster)</span> Wooden coasters at Cedar Fair parks

Hurler is a wooden roller coaster located at Carowinds amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina. A second identical installation of the ride was also built at Kings Dominion, and both locations opened to the public in 1994. The Hurler at Kings Dominion was closed following the 2015 season and was renovated by Rocky Mountain Construction, re-emerging as a hybrid coaster in 2018 named Twisted Timbers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Action Theater</span> Motion simulator ride

The Action Theater is a motion simulator ride that debuted in 1993. It is currently only operating at California's Great America. Located formerly at Canada's Wonderland, Carowinds, Kings Dominion and Kings Island. The attraction was previously known as "Paramount Action F/X Theater" before being renamed following the purchase of the Paramount Parks chain by Cedar Fair in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drop Tower (Six Flags)</span> Drop towers at Six Flags parks

Drop Tower, formerly known as Drop Zone: Stunt Tower, is the name of five drop tower amusement rides located at Six Flags amusement parks in the United States and Canada. Each installation varies in size and capacity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Behemoth (roller coaster)</span> Roller coaster at Canadas Wonderland

Behemoth is a steel roller coaster located at Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario. Designed and developed by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), Behemoth opened to the public in May 2008 as the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Canada, a claim it held until 2012 when Leviathan opened at the same park. Behemoth is similar to Diamondback, Intimidator (Carowinds), Goliath and Nitro.

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

Diamondback is a steel roller coaster located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, United States. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), the ride opened in 2009 as the first hypercoaster to feature a splashdown effect and the first B&M roller coaster at Kings Island. It is located in Rivertown just behind International Street and the Eiffel Tower. Diamondback was the biggest investment in Kings Island’s history at the time, costing $22 million to build, but that figure was surpassed in 2014 by Banshee. The coaster features a 230-foot (70 m) lift hill with a 215-foot (66 m) drop and a maximum speed of 80 mph (130 km/h). It is similar to Behemoth at Canada's Wonderland in statistics, layout, and seating.

Afterburn (roller coaster) Inverted roller coaster at Carowinds

Afterburn is an inverted roller coaster located at Carowinds amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina. After more than two years of planning and construction, the roller coaster opened on March 20, 1999. The ride previously operated as Top Gun: The Jet Coaster, before it was renamed following Cedar Fair's purchase of Paramount Parks in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Project 305</span> Steel roller coaster at Kings Dominion

Project 305 is a steel roller coaster located at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia, United States. Manufactured by Intamin, the ride opened to the public as Intimidator 305 on April 2, 2010. Themed to racing, the coaster was originally named after the late NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, who was commonly known as "The Intimidator". It is located in the Jungle X-Pedition section of the park near Anaconda on the former site of the Safari Monorail ride. Standing at 305 feet (93 m) tall and reaching speeds up to 90 mph (145 km/h), it is the second giga coaster to be built in North America, following Millennium Force at Cedar Point. The $25-million investment was the most expensive of any ride in park history and the 14th coaster to debut at the park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WindSeeker</span> Swing ride at several Six Flags parks

WindSeeker is a 301-foot-tall (92 m) swing ride at several Six Flags parks. The rides are Wind Seeker models manufactured by Mondial. They opened for the 2011 season at Canada's Wonderland in Ontario, Cedar Point and Kings Island in Ohio, and Knott's Berry Farm in California. Carowinds in North Carolina and Kings Dominion in Virginia opened their WindSeekers in 2012. The first four each cost US$5 million, while the remaining two each cost $6.5 million. Cedar Fair relocated the Knott's Berry Farm WindSeeker to Worlds of Fun in 2014, where it reopened as SteelHawk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sledge Hammer (ride)</span> Ride at Wonderland, Vaughan, Canada

Sledge Hammer is a ride at Canada's Wonderland. The Huss ride was opened to the public on May 4, 2003, and continues to operate today. Sledge Hammer is also the world's first and only 'giant jumping machine'. The ride has had serious mechanical issues, causing repeated closures.

Wilderness Run is a steel roller coaster at Carowinds, near Charlotte, North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orbiter (Canada's Wonderland)</span>

Orbiter was a HUSS SkyLab at Canada's Wonderland in Ontario, Canada. The ride opened in 1981 for the park's first operating season. The ride closed in 2006 and was partially dismantled but was re-built and re-opened later that season following the sale of Paramount's amusement park chain to Cedar Fair. The ride last operated during the 2018 season and has been completely dismantled and removed as of February 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dinosaurs Alive! (attraction)</span> Defunct animatronic dinosaur attraction

Dinosaurs Alive! was an animatronic dinosaur themed area which formerly operated at several amusement parks, but has since been closed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timberwolf Falls</span> Water ride in Canada

Timberwolf Falls is a Shoot the chute water ride that opened in 1989 at Canada's Wonderland. The ride contains a basic oval shape and features one drop creating a wave soaking all riders. The ride also features a Splash Zone which allows spectators to get soaked by the wave from a bridge located above the main drop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boo Blasters on Boo Hill</span> Cedar Fair dark ride

Boo Blasters on Boo Hill is an interactive family dark ride designed and manufactured by Sally Corporation. The ride opened in 2010 at four Six Flags amusement parks — Canada's Wonderland, Carowinds, Kings Dominion, and Kings Island. The ride was a slight alteration and replacement of Scooby-Doo! and the Haunted Castle after Cedar Fair chose to remove all Hanna-Barbera branding from each of their parks by 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SlingShot (Six Flags)</span> Reverse bungee ride

SlingShot is a reverse bungee ride manufactured by Funtime and featured at several Six Flags amusement parks, including Cedar Point, Carowinds, and Canada's Wonderland. The first installation opened at Kings Island in 2002, but the park retired the ride in 2022. An additional fee is required to ride, which is separate from park admission.

References

  1. Lowery, Jackie (July 1, 1995). "Free fallin': Carowinds unveils newest thrill ride" . Retrieved January 10, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  2. "KINGS DOMINION SOARS WITH NEW SKYFLYER RIDE".
  3. Herlad, Rock Hill (March 29, 2014). "2014 Carowinds season opens today". The State. Archived from the original on April 6, 2014. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  4. "Carowinds Xtreme Skyflyer". Carowinds. Archived from the original on November 7, 2011. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
  5. "Kings Island Xtreme Skyflyer". Kings Island. Archived from the original on September 1, 2011. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
  6. https://www.canadaswonderland.com/rides-experiences/xtreme-skyflyer
  7. "Canada's Wonderland Xtreme Skyflyer Photo". JunSuk (Panoramio). Retrieved October 24, 2011.
  8. "Canada's Wonderland Xtreme Skyflyer POV". adpxbluff (Youtube). June 8, 2009. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
  9. "Canada's Wonderland Xtreme Skyflyer POV 2". kemchho2003 (YouTube). August 8, 2009. Retrieved October 24, 2011.