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Raptor, Swarm, Wild Eagle or X-Flight?

Most appealing layout?

  • X-Flight

    Votes: 7 25.9%

  • Wild Eagle

    Votes: 10 37.0%

  • Swarm

    Votes: 9 33.3%

  • Raptor

    Votes: 1 3.7%
  • Total voters
    27
C

coasterdude_1

Mega Poster
Now that the layouts of all four are known (and one is already in operation), I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts on the varied layouts of B&M's latest offerings. I've included Raptor here for the simple fact that it is pretty different to the three 2012 offerings with its more compact layout with tighter elements.

So, which (via concept art and the looks of the layout etc ONLY, no sweeping predictions on how others are going to ride compared with Raptor, please) would people most like to ride/do you find most appealing?

-Raptor, with it's compact layout, with tight elements wrapped around the concrete and metal 'facility'
-Swarm, with it's 'head first' drop, inclined loop and rather linear layout with a prime location next to Thorpe's lakes
-Wild Eagle, with it's more 'traditional'-style B&M layout with large inversions that rushes over terrain and through the trees, but a ridiculously long (wasted?) brake run
-X-Flight, also with a 'head first' drop, opting for another inversion but without Swarm's inclined loop, and with a more spread out layout



Personally, I feel that Swarm and X-Flight are going to offer very similar rides- they have a similar element structure (perhaps X-flight has an extra turn, but there's actually very little in it) and both seem to have a few gimmicky near-miss thematic objects. Wild Eagle looks pretty awesome, however possibly a little short in comparison, although integrated into the terrain as it promises to be, could be a hit- pity the first brake run couldnt have been an inline... Finally Raptor- the original- definitely more of a family layout, due to the shorter height, but a clever and well planned layout all the same.

A tough decision...
 
Swarm and X-Flight are the same. Not saying they don't both look great, but they're the same as far as I'm concerned. Only thing that will make one better than the other is the theming. I'm hopeful Thorpe can pull this off!

Raptor looks great, but it's definitely the baby of the range now. ;)

Wild Eagle does look pretty awesome. It's big and different. Gets my vote.
 
Raptor, although it's the smallest of the four, is actually a great and really thrilling ride experience and although the drop isn't that big, still packs quite a punch. It's really well done as well, with near miss points everywhere-which Wild Eagle doesn't have and X-flight has barely any...

Although Wild Eagle is higher, the drop is only 135ft high (which compared to it's actual height is nothing) and the layout seems quite short to me.

X-flight looks almost as good as Swarm but the theming doesn't look that good.

For me-it's 'the' Swarm. It looks like a greatly themed ride with plently of near-miss points and a large layout!
 
Good to see Swarm is winning. For me, it doesn't matter how good, big or different the layouts are. If they have crap theming, then that ruins it...
 
The keyhole thing on X-Flight is amazing. All wingriders should have one. Apart from that though, it's nothing special.

My heart says Swarm (self-confessed Thorpe fanboy here) but my head says Wild Eagle.
 
I think the whole appeal of the Wingrider is the near miss elements that the seats allow.
I guess that these elements come down to theming and track layout and thus the Swarm wins my vote.

However i must say that the sheer height of Dollywood's ride will allow for pretty much all of the drops and elements to be large - perhaps nearly equalling the 'head first' element of 'The Swarm' and X-Flight'.

And that Keyhole part for X-Flight looks AWESOME!
It's a tough one...
 
It will be Bizzaro style theming for the key hole, in other words, it will look like ****. I have no faith in Six Flags to theme anything decently.

Wild Eagle for me, as much as I was not impressed initially, it has grown on me. If it had a drop like Swarm or X-Flight, it would be even more epic, but Thorpe fanboys would still call Swarm better. Realistically though, one will vote for which one is most plausible for them to ride.
 
Raptor is starting to look a little tame, although it does seem to work really well with it's theming, I haven't had a chance to ride it so I can't comment on the ride experience.

I'm a bit dissapointed in the layout of Wild Eagle, it has such great setting and I don't think the layout they have gone with is the best for the landscape or ride type, although obv I haven't seen it in action yet.

X-Flight does seem to have the most impressive layout, but i'm not too confident in SFGA for the landscaping, I think they'll just try to create the near miss points with cheap looking theming and not bother to work with the landscape like Gardaland have.

I'm voting for The Swarm at this stage, even though I think it's a crap name. I think it has the coolest layout, I really like how the twist through the inclined loop works, and if they do have one of the turns on the ride set just above a lake that'll be cool too. I'm don't think it will interact as well as Raptor does with the land since it doesn't have any tunnels, but i'm hoping Thorpe Park will do a better job than SFGA.
 
Wild Eagle: It's huge and it's in dollywood. What else could anyone ever want? Huge elements, and the stretched out flatspin looks immense and crazy. The only thing it seems to be missing is near miss elements, but I'm holding out hope that the coaster will be very close to some trees, which will fill the void.

The Swarm has some good looking theming, but that's it really. The layout looks decently tame in my opinion. No Immelman!? yeah.......no immelman...

I picked the coaster endorsed by dolly :D
 
X-flight actually has my favourite layout but Im expecting the theming to be crap. The Swarm is gonna be amazing if they can pull off the theming, I love the sexy trains and the first drop the "Thorpe Park Inversion" :L. Wild Eagle's layout hasnt actually impressed me that much but maybe thats because I cant see the theming..... Dollywood will do an amazing job anyway. Raptor is the first and unique in a way with its head chopper effects but as said by another Cfer its the baby of the group. Im not sure............ :/
 
"Thorpe Park Inversion"? I thought it was a Flying Snake Dive?

Also, even if it was unique to Thorpe, couldn't they come up with a better name? What about "Thorpe Dive" or "Swarm Roll"? or literally anything else?
(apart from THORPE PARK inversion, that is. I'm glad they skipped the all caps this time)
 
^I think a Flying Snake Dive is more like a dive off to the left/right, instead of straight underneath. Plus it has another barrel roll before.

This might be handy: http://www.coasterforce.com/coasters/inversions

This looks awfully like a twisting dive like on Manhattan Express. Don't think there are any other coasters that start with this inversion, but it's certainly not new and not unique.
 
X-Flight. Just because it's coming to my home park, so it's the only one I'll be able to ride for sure.
 
I dont think any of the layouts are particularly 'long'. They could all use a little bit of extra length. While they are all going to be awesome and great, I think Wild Eagle will be the best. I just get the feeling that it will be much better than it looks.
 
X Flight HOME PARK PRIDE. I love how Thorpe Park president or whatever said we stole their idea. Who had the first inverted coaster??
 
I would hope that the swarm is the best, but it is the same as x-flight, but the theming could be better and i love post apocalyptic themes :D i only hope this because thorpe park is pretty close, and there needs to be a new coaster type in england, the down side is that it is very short :/
 
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