TOC2 Round 1: Floorless Coasters

[Chris]

Today's Round 1 match-up is a battle of the floorless coasters, as SeaWorld Orlando puts Kraken against some pretty heavy competion: Kings Dominion's Dominator and Six Flags Great Adventure's Bizarro!

Remember you are voting for your FAVORITE coaster of the three, and the top top scoring rides will advance to Round 2!



*This poll will remain open for three days, closing on Monday, December 14, 2009.

[sfogviper]

Definitely Dominator which I rode as BKF. I didn't expect to like it but I found the layout and pacing to be the most satisfying floorless I've ridden.

I begrudgingly admit that Medusa did seem to break in a bit more than other B&Ms typically might, and my last ride wasn't bad, I just find the layout pretty stale. Not nearly as drab and dull as Kraken, though.

Jeff

[Tomas]

My vote goes to Dominator. The first half seems to be an average coaster, but after the brake run the ride seems to get a lot of intensity and combines some great elements with good transitions.

[greenlantern6119]

My vote goes to Kraken. Kraken was one of the last rides that helped get me over my fear of riding coasters. I go to Seaworld specifically to ride the Kraken.

[CreditCrazy]

I voted for Kraken. I really like straight drops, and besides that, Kraken just looks very nice and smooth. I really like the look of the second half.

Dominator definitely looks the most forceful out of the three, which is good, but I've heard (and can see) a lot of headbanging on the ride.

Bizarro is a clone of Scream!, which I hate. I've heard Bizarro runs a lot better than Scream!, but I'm still not a fan of that layout.

[greenlantern6119]

Kraken is really smooth. For me, it always feels like the smoothest coaster in the whole area.

[Chris]

Definitely starting to look like people are voting for Kraken because they have not ridden Dominator or Bizarro.

I'm gonna put this out there - there's only a small handfull of floorless coasters LESS forceful than Kraken. Now, maybe that's your thing, and if it is, totally fine. But for me, I like to feel a ride if I waited in line to get on it!

Dominator is one of the most forceful coasters B&M has ever done. Like oldschool Montu forceful, even to this day. It's an amazing coaster, with a LOT of surprises in its very unpredictible layout. It has the world's largest vertical loop as well as being the longest floorless coaster in the world. It also has one of the best first drops B&M has ever done, right up there with Raging Bull and Wildfire in terms of ejector air.

Don't throw your vote away on Kraken just because it's the only one you've ridden. Now - if it's the one you want to vote for, by all means! It's your choice - but don't let the ONLY deciding factor be "I've ridden Kraken."

[shanetucker]

Response to all comments.........I by no means think Kraken is forceless. As a matter of fact, I rank it at the very top of the floorless coaster list just barely ahead of the Kypton Coaster in Texas. I like Krakens's first drop much better than Dominator's as well as its zero-G roll. The drop off the mid-course brakes also offers some great air and the two dives down into the tunnels close out a great ride. I enjoy Dominator but find Kraken just as, if not more, forceful. Of course, the big loop on Dominator did cause me to gray out a little..... As far as Bizarro is concerned, it was a huge disappointment. The audio is virtually useless thanks to the patented B and M roar. I could hear absolutely zero of it. The fire and fog effects were cool but still leave a lot to be desired when comparing it to the other floorless coasters in the US. Bizarro and Dominator score in the 8 range for me while Kraken gets a solid 9. I hate the fact that Orlando is so weak in wood coasters and hypers, but the numerous inverts and the top floorless in the country make up for it. Can't wait to ride it in January!!!!

[Chris]

Let me just preface by saying there is nothing wrong with you liking Kraken. It's a fun ride for what it is.

Response to all comments.........I by no means think Kraken is forceless. As a matter of fact, I rank it at the very top of the floorless coaster list just barely ahead of the Kypton Coaster in Texas.

Which others have you ridden?

I like Krakens's first drop much better than Dominator's as well as its zero-G roll.

I suppose one could argue that Kraken's zero-G roll is more forceful than Dominator's.

I enjoy Dominator but find Kraken just as, if not more, forceful. Of course, the big loop on Dominator did cause me to gray out a little.....

Does Kraken make you gray out a little? Prob not...

As far as Bizarro is concerned, it was a huge disappointment. The audio is virtually useless thanks to the patented B and M roar. I could hear absolutely zero of it. The fire and fog effects were cool but still leave a lot to be desired when comparing it to the other floorless coasters in the US.

I SO agree with your feelings on Bizarro. It's a shame that Medusa sacrificed two seats per train (in the best row of that ride, at that!) to end up being a less enjoyable experience after being "plussed." Medusa is a fun ride, but it was just as fun before the changeover, with half the wait times. (I realize suckering people in with the promise of "new" was the entire point, and I get that, though I don't agree with it.)

Bizarro and Dominator score in the 8 range for me while Kraken gets a solid 9. I hate the fact that Orlando is so weak in wood coasters and hypers, but the numerous inverts and the top floorless in the country make up for it. Can't wait to ride it in January!!!!

I wouldn't give Bizarro an 8, maybe a high 6 or low 7. Kraken would probably get a mid-4 or maybe barely a 5 from me. Dominator is easily a 10, as it's one of my favorite coasters, hands down of any genre.

The thing about Kraken is it's *so* forceless that even getting in the park free, I never go to ride it. The telling truth is that most of the times I've been in the park to ride Manta, I STILL don't ride Kraken because it's not worth walking that far to the back of the park to ride. It's an ok coaster. I don't hate it. I really don't hate it. I just don't care about it at all, and truly believe it wouldn't be remotely popular if it wasn't for it's LOCATION in Orlando.

Simple fact: Nobody cares about Medusa (west). Mesdusa is almost a clone of Kraken was some minor element changes. They ride almost exactly the same as well. If Medusa was in Orlando, it would probably be crazy popular too. This town makes people view things differently. Because of the whole "theme park capital" brand, everything instantly elevates in quality for out-of-towners when they come to visit.

[Jake]

I really, really enjoy Medusa (west) - one of my favorite coasters and certainly one of the better B&M's. The air time in the back is a lot of fun, and the elements flow very well. I also really enjoy the Sea-Serpent inversion, as it adds something a little bit different to the mix as opposed to just throwing in another Cobra Roll. I just think that the ride is in general a lot of fun. Not all that intense, but who says it has to be?