"Mumbo Jumbo" - S&S El Loco for Flamingo Land

[Ian]

I emailed CF's contact at the park and he said this:

Great isn't it? I think if you exclude screamin squirrels from being coasters which in my eyes they're not really this will make us the steepest drop in the world! Not bad for a family run business in Yorkshire.

Quite!

 

[furie]

Ithink the Screaming Squirrels ARE coasters, it's just that they don't have a 'drop', just inversions. This is definitely a drop though.

Anyway, yes, spot on otherwise. I hate the fact that I have to give Flamingoland credit as I wanted to be proved right about it being poo, but they keep on proving me wrong. It's still mediocre ride wise, but it's become one of the most fun places to visit in the UK (ride quality does not always equate to a good day in my book).

 

[marc]

Your right there Furie, for me theme parks are about having fun and its not all about the rides all the time.

We all (maybe not Ian) had a great day at the live, we were all laughing and smiling all day just totally relaxed.

Thats what it is about.

Some other parks I go to I think oh great look at that queue, oh that rides broken down yet again.

 

[trav]

Have you been on one yet?

He hasn't, but he's a Thorpe fanboy, so he's obviously going to bum whatever Thorpe are getting.

SnS have produced some quality rides I would say they are bigger than the company that makes the Eurofighter.

They have created fantastic flat rides, but they are lacking in the coaster department. The only two S&S coasters I've heard good reviews about are Powder Keg and Falcon.

But, he said a smooth, comfortable, good ride. Whilst the Eurofighter isn't especially rough, it certainly isn't smooth or comfortable. The good ride bit is arguable, they look like they should be good rides, but for me, Speed dropped off after the drop and Airtime hill.

 

[ciallkennett]

Yay! An excuse to go up to Yorkshire next year

125 degrees = insane!

*Holding on for more info to be released before commenting futher*

 

[Nic]

I think this is a bloody excellent move on FL's part. Yes, it's only a cheap filler coaster, but as Furie said... they so easily could've chosen something much more dull and commonplace (spinning wild mouse etc), or another flat ride. As a cheap, tiny, last minute addition, this is a fantastic choice, and suits the park perfectly. They're quickly becomming a 'quirky' park where you can go for something different, and this goes along with that. No, they've not got any world beaters... or even any coasters that are really up there in the country... but the whole is better than the sum of its parts imo.
I'm so glad this will give me an excuse to make the hiddeous journey all the way back up there again next year!

 

[Patrick]

Really looking forward to riding this next year, I think the El Locos look awesome and I think this is going to be a great addition to Flamingo Land.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

Well done to FL for wheeling out another (what looks like a) great coaster, once they get that woodie 2010/2011, they'll be right up there!

Yeah, given the things that are often said about Velocity and Kumali, I think they’ve got a bit longer to go even after a wooden coaster…

It's the Thorpe-of-the-North. The speed of it's advances is astounding.

I really don't like that "Thorpe of the North" comparison because it isn't Flamingoland has a zoo and a lot of family freidnly rides - in a way it's more of a "Chessie of the North".

Also, the atmosphere at FL is a lot different to Thorpe.

The only way I can really agree with that comparision is the fact that both parks advanced themselves quite quickly.

The speed of the advancements was the only comparison I made... And I implied that ride quality is possibly another.

Whoever it was at the bottom of Page 4 that said they dont have great coasters, you need your mind testing.

Kumali is one of the best SLC's out there for me, and I've probably rode about atleast 10 of them, It's widely acclaimed, to a certain extent, even TPR loved it, and they never stop riding coasters, ever.

Velocity isn't the bets coaster in the world by a long way - but it was the right decision for Flamingoland in terms of their audience. What alot of people on here seem to forget, is that 90% of a parks amount of visistors are GP, not fanboys, therfor when they see a unique coaster like Velocity, or this new S&S El Loco, they'll run towards it, and be talking about it for along time to come.

Especially for Flamingoland, who aren't as rich as Thorpe/Alton etc, Vekoma and S&S rides are great additions for them. and their target audience and price budget.

Saying that Kumali is one of the best SLC's out there is pretty nulled by the fact that... There are what... 5 different layouts or something?
Being "one of the best" of 5 isn't much of an achievement. I enjoy Kumali. I think it's pretty good. Until the headache comes. For what it is, it's probably in the realm of being very good. But it's not as good as Nemesis Inferno, for example, which is considered to be one of the worst in it's class. So where does that leave Kumali...?

I never denied that any of Flamingoland's recent installments aren't great based on their audience. From what I understand though, there wasn't any choice involved in getting Velocity other than deciding whether it being cheap made it a good deal.

I think there are other cheap companies that produce much better rides than S&S's compact bullsh!t. Flamingoland are taking on board some serious risks surrounding reliability with S&S. You could argue that the sheer uniqueness of this ride makes up for it, but I can tell I'm not going to enjoy it... just by looking at Steel Hawg.

 

[roomraider]

nice addition to the park.
Ive only been once and had a great laugh.

 

[tks]

Thorpe haven't lost their record. They can still advertise as the UK's steepest freefall drop.

The El Loco models like the Screaming things all have brakes going over their drops. If they didn't you'd have a terrible headache. And no eyes.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

Thorpe haven't lost their record. They can still advertise as the UK's steepest freefall drop.

The El Loco models like the Screaming things all have brakes going over their drops. If they didn't you'd have a terrible headache. And no eyes.

Lets be honest, it would take more than brakes to prevent a headache on this thing. Like, it would have to just not exist.

 

[Anonymous]

Flamingo Land Should Get A Rocket Coaster by IAG or something like Fahrenheit That would boost it so much. S&S Only make good flat rides i think.

 

[Uncle Arly]

Flamingo Land Should Get A Rocket Coaster by IAG or something like Fahrenheit That would boost it so much. S&S Only make good flat rides i think.

Yes, because Flamingo land could afford that.

 

[Anonymous]

Flamingo Land Should Get A Rocket Coaster by IAG or something like Fahrenheit That would boost it so much. S&S Only make good flat rides i think.

Yes, because Flamingo land could afford that.

Fair enough. Lol.

 

[Scott88]

You could argue that the sheer uniqueness of this ride makes up for it, but I can tell I'm not going to enjoy it... just by looking at Steel Hawg.

Totally agree Joey.

For me, it just looks like a ride I am going to hate, like G-Force.

 

[Hyde]

I believe the chief concern with the El Loco model was comfort, not technology.

El Loco's uniqueness is in its layout style and not new technology.

Technology wise, it using nothing more than a lift hill, trim brake, 2 MCBR, and a final brake run.

As UC said, Steel Hawg has received good review so far, so I'd be looking forward to Flamingo Land's new addition.

 

[Lofty]

I think the bad rap S&S gets are the fact that it often tries to do too much with new technology or technique, and the result is a prototype-style ride that has typical downtime issues. Unfortunately for S&S, these are typically their most high-profile installations.

Yes I know what you mean UC, there's only one bit in that I didnt understand, if its new technology, and prototype etc. Surely all companies have brought these out,or we wouldnt be seeing most of the coasters we have these days, is it just S&S that make them less reliable, or are they just more then the rest?

 

[Rob]

A Eurofighter is not a top quality ride in my view, they are good for small parks that can not afford a B&M for example, or a park that needs an average coaster with a small foot print eg Southend. They are not smooth and they do not give a comfortable ride. Have you been on one yet?

SnS have produced some quality rides I would say they are bigger than the company that makes the Eurofighter.

Firstly, yourself and trav have taken this the wrong way. I was simply saying a eurofighter would be better than one of these, as I said, anything would be. I'm judging on Screamin' Squirrels and looks only and I'm not saying that reflects upon the physical ride.

Secondly, from what I have heard from certain staff who know what they're on about, a Eurofighter is not for someone who can't afford a B&M, they are more of a rival to a B&M.

And finally, Gerstlauer, in my eyes are at least on a par with S&S because they are effectively the re-incarnation of Schwarzkopf. They use the same factory, some of the same staff, similar track type and probably the same equiptment. To me, that makes them of similar scale to S&S.

 

[marc]

They are certainly not a rival for B&M ask anyone what they would rather ride.

To me a Eurofighter is a cheap DM, a DM of this scale would cost about 10 million this probably cost half that.

Anyway we are spamming this topic.

Everyone has their own views, until we ride it we wont know what either is really like.

Gerstlauer are run by some of the people who worked at Schwarzkopf I looked this up as well the other month. I just hope they get back to making coasters that made them well known.

As I said I can ride one 5 minutes walk from me, the coaster at Thorpe offers nothing new, the one at Flamingo Land does thats what I am saying.

 

[Tomatron]

The Eurofighter appeals to a different demographic than a B&M - it's a bit more family-friendly, I believe, and you can do more with it in terms of theming - see Mystery Mine.

While I do believe cost has a definite effect on the choice between say, a B&M and a Eurofighter, I wouldn't go so far as to say it's the prevailing factor. I think other issues - space, construction time, theming potential, and target demographic - are all equally as, if not more, important.

Which is quite intersting as to why Thorpe have chosen a Eurofighter in this instance, because the ride's lower height restrictions open up a new demographic for them, yet the theme of the ride suggests that they feel comfortable enough aiming it at the clientele which have served them seemingly well in the last few years.

Add that into that into the park's ceiling and the planning restrictions in force, and as you say it all begins to add up. But the budget aspect which would filter down to all other considerations would be the biggest bullet point for the people responsible.