For a Laugh

[DejaVu The Ride]

I thought you guys needed something funny.

Straight from the Vekoma official site.
http://www.vekoma.com/rides_thrill_mega ... merang.htm

"It is a cost-effective investment because it combines three rides into one: a free-fall, a looping coaster and a forward-backward trip.
Despite its impressive height, and heavier gauge construction, the GIB is easy to install. An ingenious feature is the patented catcher system that picks the train up on the fly as it climbs up the second lift hill on the opposite tower.

Vekoma's Giant Inverted Boomerang is an excellent choice for die-hard roller coaster fans and will give a theme park exclusive major league status."

Yeah right. I can't believe they still have the ride on the website.

[NoUseForAName]

Why wouldn't they keep that coaster on there? It's a good coaster from a ride experience POV and I would hope if they ever built another one they would learn from their mistakes.

[twixmix0303]

Great America has the Giant Inverted Boomerang, right?

[DejaVu The Ride]

Yes they do.

Wasn't Vekoma kicked off the project, hence the reason for the joke?

And yes NoUseForAName, I love the ride too.

[The Beast]

No, this is funny: http://www.vekoma.com/rides_thrill_mega ... asters.htm
"A Reputation for Quality and Reliability"

[NoUseForAName]

lol, Thats definately true! . I find it odd that Vekoma doesn't offer a non-looping coaster.

[DejaVu The Ride]

"cost effective investment" " Easy to install"

Those are phrases that Vekoma uses to describe the GIB's. How ironic is that?

[NoUseForAName]

We offer maintenance check-up programs, spare parts, rehabs and customized service contracts, so that reliability and availability of Vekoma coasters and attractions are maintained to the highest level, thus providing our customers the best guarantee on their investments.

It's hillarious how many times they use the word reliable on that site. Im also sure that SFGAm has put full use to that spare parts/rehab contract.

[twixmix0303]

Check out the English on Six Flags Belgium's website:
http://www.sixflagseurope.com/sixflagsbelgium/home/index_en.cfm?lg=en. "As for fugitives in short trousers"? Kind of funny.

[w00dland]

That must be what they called kids in Belgium.

[Supreme_Overlord]

I find it odd that Vekoma doesn't offer a non-looping coaster.

That is not true, look here: http://www.vekoma.com/rides_fam_coaster ... asters.htm

Just to name a few off the top of my head, they are responsible to redoing Disney Land's Space Mountain, The Motorbike Coaster, that just opened over in Europe, and it is rumored that they are doing Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom. All of those are non-looping.

[FParker185]

All Vekoma Roller Skaters are non loopng (there are around 40-50 of those around), one right at SFGAm. And Vekoma is doing the Space Mountain Rebuild along with Expedetion Everest (those are both confirmed).

And as for Vekoma and Reliability, their newer prototypes have their issues, but issues come with such far out, untested ideas, for the most part their Roller Skaters, SLC's and Boomerangs have extremely high reliability. Think (for those who travel alot), when was the last time you saw an SLC or a Boomerang closed? Other than Heide Park in Germany, I cant think of one I've personally seen closed for a whole day.

Also for their newer issue plagued prototypes, you have to look at who bought most of them, and right there is alot of reasons these problems exist. Only thing that really outright failed that Vekoma did was the cars on X-Flight and Batwing, how they were supposed to lower on the lift and raise on the final brakes (to help prevent Positional Asphyxia in most people), but in the end Vekoma was willing to work on those problems, but SF said they are working good enough, and they just dumped the efforts to get that system working.