Rushing, catapulting, and zooming, but no longer intimidated

Catching up on coaster news

Some seasonal parks are opening for spring break (yay!), and the rest will be revving up their rides, firing up their Fryolators, and welcoming guests before we know it. As we get ready to roll in 2024, let’s check in on some recent announcements about coaster developments.

From crush to a rush

(Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company)

Since its debut in 2012 at Hersheypark in Pennsylvania, park fans have adored pretty much everything about Skyrush–its 200-foot soaring height, its zippy 75-mph speed, its 85-degree angle first drop, its silky smoothness, its glorious airtime, its wing-style seating–with one notable and vociferous exception: its restraints. The chorus of complaints soon reduced the otherwise beloved ride to the one-word epithet, “ThighCrush.” This season, the park is addressing the brouhaha by replacing the coaster’s seats and switching out the restraints.

The park is describing the modifications as “upgrading the Skyrush roller coaster flight experience to first class” and says that they will provide “added comfort.” (Translation: Your thighs will thank Hersheypark.) In addition to the seat and restraint changes, the ride’s station will get a design makeover with a new color scheme, lighting, and soundtrack.

B&M’s wing coasters, such as Wild Eagle at Dollywood, place two seats in each row on either side (or the “wings”) of the track. The Intamin-built Skyrush, however, includes two seats above the track with one seat astride each side of the track.

In addition to Skyrush, Hersehypark is making changes to its iconic Comet this season. Opened in 1946, the classic woodie will get new trains from the ride’s original manufacturer, Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters. The park says that both of the modified coasters will be operating on opening day, March 29.

Catapult Falls finally launches

It’s not exactly a roller coaster, but SeaWorld San Antonio describes its new water ride as a “first-of-its-kind flume coaster.” Magnetic launch motors accelerate Catapult Falls’ eight-passenger boats to over 20 mph (that’s the coaster part) which then wind their way through a flume, up a 55-foot-tall vertical lift, and down a 53-degree drop for a 37 mph splashdown. The ride was supposed to open last year but was delayed. Catapult Falls opened earlier this month as part of the park’s spring break event. Check out the zippy launch, the vertical lift, and the splashdown in this POV video from the park.

Intimidated? Nah

It would seem that the agreement Cedar Fair had with the estate of the race car superstar, Dale “The Intimidator” Earnhardt, must have ended, because the park chain’s two NASCAR-themed coasters, Intimidator at Carowinds in North Carolina and Intimidator 305 at Kings Dominion in Virginia, no longer bear the late driver’s nom-de-track. The rides will remain intact, but the Carowinds hypercoaster will now be known as Thunder Striker, while the Kings Dominion Giga-coaster will be called Project 305. They are both great coasters. But the new names? Not quite up to speed.

Turns out Montezooma will get revenge after all

It’s not going to open this season, but after the coaster community had all but given up on ever being able to ride the reimagined MonteZOOMa at Knott’s Berry Farm in California, the park recently confirmed that work is “re-zooming” on the ride. The coaster was announced in 2022 and was supposed to open for the 2023 season. There was construction activity on the midway, but it then halted for reasons not explained. Knott’s says the ride will now open in 2025.

The first coaster to feature a flywheel launch, the new version of the ride is supposed to incorporate a new launch system that will randomly send the train either forwards or backwards. MonteZOOMa will also have new trains, a new station, and story elements.

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Have you been on Skyrush? Did your thighs survive the ordeal? Are you looking forward to the ride’s new restraints? Had you given up on Monty?