Just a FYI - they're actually using a Linear Induction Motor (LIM), not LSM. The new one in China is the first "Next Generation" Impulse which actually does use LSM's (and Intamin's new lap-bar inverted trains).
Wicked Twister is now the second ever Intamin Impulse Coaster to close permanently, as it has ceased operation in September 2021. Plus a new Impulse Coaster has been built earlier that year, called “Legendary Twin Dragon”, located at a park in Chongqing, China (I forget the name of the park). I believe it uses LSMs compared to the other Impulse coasters, most of which use LIMs.
Great topic! I've only ridden Wicked Twister myself also, and wasn't expecting much when I made my first CP trip this past opening weekend. I was absolutely blown away by how fun this coaster is! The launch is great, and the reverse twists from the back seat are unexpected and awesome. I also really love the front seat since you get an extra high elevation spike from the front. My only regret is only getting one ride on this last weekend, and only 4 on my May trip. I am really hoping they keep this ride for many years despite its declining popularity. I am hoping to get on The Flash at SFDK next month for my first visit there as well, but I hear it's down a lot. I don't think this coaster design gets the love that it deserves. Small footprint, exciting and fun launch leading to great forward and reverse vertical elements. I normally don't like shuttle types but for Intamin impulses I make an exception.
Steel Venom at Valleyfair is the only impulse to still have the holding brake on the back vertical spike. That's the best element of this coaster. The video you show doesn't show it with the holding brake. Most of the 2018 season the brake was out of service until they were able to get parts to repair it so it just ran without.
@@coasterdaddy7123 Now I'm really hoping that Cedar Fair makes good on using the approved permits to build a new flood berm on the west/back end of the park! That would allow for expanded water park operations, new waterpark entrance and new general park expansions. Their Army Corp of Engineers permit is good till the end of 2020 and the Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act permit is good until May of 2023 but it was slightly amended in May 2018.
I’m a sucker for an Impulse coaster... They aren’t the most intense or whatever but they are just FUN. I laugh my ass off through the entire ride. If Wicked Twister leaves Cedar Point and Possessed leaves Dorney Park as rumored, the closest Impulse to me will be V2 at SFGrAm, which would be a short 12 hour drive away.
The vertical velocity in sfga is still popular here but it breaks down a lot lately. And I remember way back, the rear spike has a brake system that stops and holds the train up there vertically for a few seconds before going back down to the station, but they haven't used that in years now.
The impulses actualy use LIMs (Linear Induction Motors), and not the LSMs that a lot of modern launch coasters have today :) The linear induction motor uses electromagnets that propel the ride by reacting to metal fins, like the Premier Rides spaghetti bowls and Volcano at Kings Dominion, and the LSMs have stators on the track, where magnets under the trains react with the stators to launch them, take Copperhead Strike at Carowinds for example. LIMs were really only used on straight piece of track in the late 90s and early 2000s, before LSM launches were really a thing.
It seems the impulse has evolved. Intamin seems to have ditched the inverted trains and twisted spikes for the Surfrider model. They've also completed the circuit with a roll over and tacked on a double Immelmann to create a ride called Sandy's Blasting Bronco set to open later this month at Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park in New Jersey. (They will also have an aforementioned Surfrider there). Lastly, Intamin has utilized a single spike and multi-directional launch in conjunction with a switch track for rides like Soaring with Dragons. Dueling Dragons (which features an inverted train dueling a sit down train), and Pantheon. Now thet just need to name this model type!
Yes it seems the impulse did lay the groundwork for a lot of these later Intamin launch coasters. I have seen the concept of the Nickelodeon ride. I don't think Intamin is too concerned anymore with model classification though.
@@coasterdaddy7123 ...and I guess you could say the Arrow and Schwarzkopf shuttle loops led the way for the impulse. I checked Intamin's website and they seem to group coasters by their basic style. All full circuit launch coasters are in the category "LSM/ Hydraulic Launch Coaster". I feel compelled to point out that Red Force is in this category along with Dragster and K Ka amd not in the "Mega / Giga Coaster" category. Impulses and Surf Riders are in their own individual categories, though. As for Sandy's Blasting Bronco, It's not yet listed. Maybe when it opens!
@@timk987 yes. I will also add that not all impulses are listed on their site. No Screaming Condor, Vertical Velocity, Linear Gale, or the new one in China.
@@coasterdaddy7123 True. I wonder if it has to do with the clone-ability of the model. As for the new one in China, I noticed that nothing unopened is on the website, also who knows how often they update. BTW, nice video, love the series.
@@timk987 Thank you! 🙂 I will have more episodes in the near future! As far as the unopened rides I get why they aren't listed lol Something to note is after making this video I looked up the park in China and saw construction pictures of this impulse and at least the straight section on that impulse will be using the newer style of Intamin track.
The Impulse at SFDK is pretty cool. The lower degree of the inversion spike goes right over the entrance and has a major stall. It's unreliable as all hell but it is an Intimin.
I think they've largely been replaced in purpose by the Skyrocket II model from Premier Rides (Tigris, Tempesto, Electric Eel) in recent years. They're also fairly tall and many European parks have height restrictions that would prevent them from being built on that continent. I'm surprised there weren't a few more constructed in the recent Chinese amusement park boom, but otherwise it makes sense.
You bring up good points! And I was actually thinking the same thing about the China parks while making this video. We've seen one being constructed in China so I'm surprised more haven't been done.
I did knowingly leave out Volcano. It is not listed on RCDB as an impulse and it wasn't listed as such on the Intamin site either, but I am aware that it used the same system.
About 2 years ago, me and my dad where one of the last rides of the night on wicked twister. Almost the entire train was empty, and we had back seat. We rode it 5 times in a row. It was AWESOME
It's not a common model for Intamin, but they built 2 permanent chain-lift inverted coaster models both named Tornado. One is in Finland and the other is in Spain. They were also behind the design and engineering of Euro-Star (the traveling inverted coaster), but that was manufactured by Giovanola (who also subcontracted with B&M).
@@RadioMuse1 All of those coasters I find to be so fascinating. Never really talked about but just odd for their very own reasons. And Eurostar looks amazing!!!
I think its definitely gimmicky, a small footprint thrill ride that parks can just toss anywhere. I really like WT but was surprised to see it open last time I was there, and with zero wait
Yeah they almost function more as a thrilling flat. Wicked Twister amazes me how it almost never has a wait. The day that I uploaded this video I was there and it was EXTREMELY busy that day, Wicked Twister barely had a line, while most of the biggest coasters had at least a two hour wait, 3 for Steel Vengeance, and even the fast pass lines were up to an hour and a half!
It does get long waits sometimes on very busy days, but that is less to do with popularity and more to do with the capacity, since the ride can only run one train. Also, maybe it was a bit more popular in 2013, but that was already 7 years ago. Since I go very frequently, I can say with confidence that Wicked Twister is not very popular.
@@coasterdaddy7123 don't worry, I wasn't denying it's lack of popularity now. Just remeniscing on the day I went. I was pretty surprised it had the wait it had back then myself. I wish I lived closer to CP so I could visit more often!
Thank you for this great vid and analysis ! I have said it before but can’t these coasters like wicked twisted be extended and enhanced with a few loops . I will hate to see this novel concept be scrapped ! That’s my take on these coasters . The impulse launch into the vertical spike then can continue into a ride that that is like the X coaster ?
That certainly won't be done with existing models, but I know what you mean. Actually though, the now defunct Volcano the Blast Coaster at Kings Dominion was actually sort of a full circuit version of the impulse 🙂
Coaster Daddy thank you for that reply . I’m trying to find a coaster vid that I watched just last month . I can’t find it again ! It’s a coaster In the USA operating at present much describes what I will like wicked twister to become !!!
In all honesty, I have been thinking that I would love to see Michigan's Adventure get Wicked Twister! I really think it would be phenomenal for that park.
@@coasterdaddy7123 I agree ! I imagine low maintenance? The park can use a new thrill ride for sure! As it's my home park I'm always hoping for something new!
@@dustinhinkle6109 well, compared to other Intamin launch coasters like Top Thrill Dragster and Maverick it seems to be pretty low maintenance. I'm sure a lot of that has to do with there only being one train and not as many sensors and moving parts and stuff that need to work together. So yeah. I think it would be doable for Michigan's Adventure definitely!
I will also imagine this coaster design has a rather low turn over time of riders/hour . If there was a closed loop extension of this into an inverted coaster with 3 trains , that be my dream .. engineering can make rides evolve . Let’s see if this can happen or if Intamin is listening ! 😀
Like I said I was going off of what I know and the only impulse I've been on at this point is Wicked Twister. At CP, an impulse is really just a filler coaster.
@@coasterdaddy7123 obviously it wouldnt fit the area where wicked twister is now, but it would be nice if they extended room for a T-rex along the shore
I would be TOTALLY OKAY with WT getting relocated to Knotts. KBF needs small layout coasters due to its tight space constraints and being one of my top 20 coasters, I would love to have it 20 minutes from my home!
America is slacking when it comes to roller coasters they will come up with a concept and put it in eight Six Flags parts and expect us to be super excited to go there... China has completely taken over they come up with new ideas with no restrictions
@@coasterdaddy7123 actually it's not they are the laughing stock of the Coastal Community people are not traveling 4 d spin... people are a lot more smarter with internet and can clearly ride povs of all the new coasters out there but if you're going to put the same one at each Park and just put it at a different name I doubt your season pass sales will go up the only reason why people are still going is because it's so cheap to go to Six Flags just like going to the fair... we used to have coaster Wars but I guess we have bowed out while China and Japan Take the Lead and let's not forget Europe
@@williampippin8414 not really, RMC alone is a huge step up to the US coaster scene. And as far as I know, no other park in the world can match cedar point and magic mountain's coaster lineup right now.
@@mikep1569 yea but thats only two parks compared to sixflags chain...vs other parks across the ocean esp china and japan alone..rmc is over there as well not just the u.s..even intamin is more innovative over there
Just a FYI - they're actually using a Linear Induction Motor (LIM), not LSM. The new one in China is the first "Next Generation" Impulse which actually does use LSM's (and Intamin's new lap-bar inverted trains).
Wicked Twister is now the second ever Intamin Impulse Coaster to close permanently, as it has ceased operation in September 2021.
Plus a new Impulse Coaster has been built earlier that year, called “Legendary Twin Dragon”, located at a park in Chongqing, China (I forget the name of the park). I believe it uses LSMs compared to the other Impulse coasters, most of which use LIMs.
What happened to Arrow Loopers? I've been waiting 20 years!
😅😂
X2 is what happened.
Arrow went bankrupt during the construction of a few of their newer models like X2
@@prestonwerner5696 I think that was the joke... Lol
Great topic! I've only ridden Wicked Twister myself also, and wasn't expecting much when I made my first CP trip this past opening weekend. I was absolutely blown away by how fun this coaster is! The launch is great, and the reverse twists from the back seat are unexpected and awesome. I also really love the front seat since you get an extra high elevation spike from the front. My only regret is only getting one ride on this last weekend, and only 4 on my May trip. I am really hoping they keep this ride for many years despite its declining popularity. I am hoping to get on The Flash at SFDK next month for my first visit there as well, but I hear it's down a lot. I don't think this coaster design gets the love that it deserves. Small footprint, exciting and fun launch leading to great forward and reverse vertical elements. I normally don't like shuttle types but for Intamin impulses I make an exception.
It really is a very fun ride! I would miss it a little bit if it were to go.
Rip
Steel Venom at Valleyfair is the only impulse to still have the holding brake on the back vertical spike. That's the best element of this coaster. The video you show doesn't show it with the holding brake. Most of the 2018 season the brake was out of service until they were able to get parts to repair it so it just ran without.
Thank you! I knew there was one that still had a holding brake but I couldn't remember if it was Dorney or Valley Fair!
@@coasterdaddy7123 Sure, great videos too! I can tell you do your research!
@@williammanthey6763 Thank you! I'm glad you like them. I do try to learn as much as I can about these models going in.
@@coasterdaddy7123 Now I'm really hoping that Cedar Fair makes good on using the approved permits to build a new flood berm on the west/back end of the park! That would allow for expanded water park operations, new waterpark entrance and new general park expansions. Their Army Corp of Engineers permit is good till the end of 2020 and the Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act permit is good until May of 2023 but it was slightly amended in May 2018.
@@williammanthey6763 oh ok. I didn't know about any of that. Sounds great!
I’m a sucker for an Impulse coaster... They aren’t the most intense or whatever but they are just FUN. I laugh my ass off through the entire ride. If Wicked Twister leaves Cedar Point and Possessed leaves Dorney Park as rumored, the closest Impulse to me will be V2 at SFGrAm, which would be a short 12 hour drive away.
very informative video, nice job
Thank you! I really enjoy making these videos ☺️
The vertical velocity in sfga is still popular here but it breaks down a lot lately. And I remember way back, the rear spike has a brake system that stops and holds the train up there vertically for a few seconds before going back down to the station, but they haven't used that in years now.
Yeah a couple had the holding brake but the only one that does still is Valleyfairs.
The impulses actualy use LIMs (Linear Induction Motors), and not the LSMs that a lot of modern launch coasters have today :) The linear induction motor uses electromagnets that propel the ride by reacting to metal fins, like the Premier Rides spaghetti bowls and Volcano at Kings Dominion, and the LSMs have stators on the track, where magnets under the trains react with the stators to launch them, take Copperhead Strike at Carowinds for example. LIMs were really only used on straight piece of track in the late 90s and early 2000s, before LSM launches were really a thing.
Yeah I misspoke on that. Thanks! Also, I have found out that Flash at Discovery Kingdom actually had new LSMs placed on it before the 2019 season!
It seems the impulse has evolved. Intamin seems to have ditched the inverted trains and twisted spikes for the Surfrider model. They've also completed the circuit with a roll over and tacked on a double Immelmann to create a ride called Sandy's Blasting Bronco set to open later this month at Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park in New Jersey. (They will also have an aforementioned Surfrider there). Lastly, Intamin has utilized a single spike and multi-directional launch in conjunction with a switch track for rides like Soaring with Dragons. Dueling Dragons (which features an inverted train dueling a sit down train), and Pantheon. Now thet just need to name this model type!
Yes it seems the impulse did lay the groundwork for a lot of these later Intamin launch coasters. I have seen the concept of the Nickelodeon ride. I don't think Intamin is too concerned anymore with model classification though.
@@coasterdaddy7123 ...and I guess you could say the Arrow and Schwarzkopf shuttle loops led the way for the impulse.
I checked Intamin's website and they seem to group coasters by their basic style. All full circuit launch coasters are in the category "LSM/ Hydraulic Launch Coaster". I feel compelled to point out that Red Force is in this category along with Dragster and K Ka amd not in the "Mega / Giga Coaster" category. Impulses and Surf Riders are in their own individual categories, though. As for Sandy's Blasting Bronco, It's not yet listed. Maybe when it opens!
@@timk987 yes. I will also add that not all impulses are listed on their site. No Screaming Condor, Vertical Velocity, Linear Gale, or the new one in China.
@@coasterdaddy7123 True. I wonder if it has to do with the clone-ability of the model. As for the new one in China, I noticed that nothing unopened is on the website, also who knows how often they update. BTW, nice video, love the series.
@@timk987 Thank you! 🙂 I will have more episodes in the near future! As far as the unopened rides I get why they aren't listed lol Something to note is after making this video I looked up the park in China and saw construction pictures of this impulse and at least the straight section on that impulse will be using the newer style of Intamin track.
The Impulse at SFDK is pretty cool. The lower degree of the inversion spike goes right over the entrance and has a major stall. It's unreliable as all hell but it is an Intimin.
I think they've largely been replaced in purpose by the Skyrocket II model from Premier Rides (Tigris, Tempesto, Electric Eel) in recent years.
They're also fairly tall and many European parks have height restrictions that would prevent them from being built on that continent.
I'm surprised there weren't a few more constructed in the recent Chinese amusement park boom, but otherwise it makes sense.
You bring up good points! And I was actually thinking the same thing about the China parks while making this video. We've seen one being constructed in China so I'm surprised more haven't been done.
No mention of Volcano? I know it’s not a shuttle but it used the same technology and was basically the same idea but full circuit
I did knowingly leave out Volcano. It is not listed on RCDB as an impulse and it wasn't listed as such on the Intamin site either, but I am aware that it used the same system.
I would not be upset if WT at CP was scrapped. The restraints push down during the ride enough to make a man go sterile.
I've honestly never had much of an issue with them personally.
It is worth mentioning though that I've heard others complain about them too though.
Coaster Daddy neither have I.
About 2 years ago, me and my dad where one of the last rides of the night on wicked twister. Almost the entire train was empty, and we had back seat. We rode it 5 times in a row. It was AWESOME
Niiiice!!! 😎
It’s actually (most of them) propelled by a LIM launch, not an LSM.
Whatever happened to morgan hyper coasters, not sure the last time one of them were built
Thanks for the suggestion! It's been a looong time!!!
Morgan went defunct in 2001
Rip wicked you will be missed 😭
Nice 👍
If Cedar Point relocates Wicked Twister that means there are two impulses in northern cilifornia
This got replaced by the 4d freespins in terms?
What do you mean exactly?
Does Intamin make non-launching inverting coasters?
Yes. Look at the 8 and 10 inversion models they've cloned at several parks. And Hyperion has one inversion as well, the dive drop.
It's not a common model for Intamin, but they built 2 permanent chain-lift inverted coaster models both named Tornado. One is in Finland and the other is in Spain.
They were also behind the design and engineering of Euro-Star (the traveling inverted coaster), but that was manufactured by Giovanola (who also subcontracted with B&M).
@@RadioMuse1 All of those coasters I find to be so fascinating. Never really talked about but just odd for their very own reasons. And Eurostar looks amazing!!!
I think its definitely gimmicky, a small footprint thrill ride that parks can just toss anywhere. I really like WT but was surprised to see it open last time I was there, and with zero wait
Yeah they almost function more as a thrilling flat. Wicked Twister amazes me how it almost never has a wait. The day that I uploaded this video I was there and it was EXTREMELY busy that day, Wicked Twister barely had a line, while most of the biggest coasters had at least a two hour wait, 3 for Steel Vengeance, and even the fast pass lines were up to an hour and a half!
When you think about it the pendulum rides like delirium offer a similar experience to the impulse coaster as the movements are essentially the same.
Yeah I see what you're saying. Impulses do seem to function as a type of large flat ride.
Wicked Twister had a superrrr long wait when I visited CP in 2013.
It does get long waits sometimes on very busy days, but that is less to do with popularity and more to do with the capacity, since the ride can only run one train. Also, maybe it was a bit more popular in 2013, but that was already 7 years ago. Since I go very frequently, I can say with confidence that Wicked Twister is not very popular.
@@coasterdaddy7123 don't worry, I wasn't denying it's lack of popularity now. Just remeniscing on the day I went. I was pretty surprised it had the wait it had back then myself. I wish I lived closer to CP so I could visit more often!
Thank you for this great vid and analysis ! I have said it before but can’t these coasters like wicked twisted be extended and enhanced with a few loops . I will hate to see this novel concept be scrapped ! That’s my take on these coasters . The impulse launch into the vertical spike then can continue into a ride that that is like the X coaster ?
That certainly won't be done with existing models, but I know what you mean. Actually though, the now defunct Volcano the Blast Coaster at Kings Dominion was actually sort of a full circuit version of the impulse 🙂
Coaster Daddy thank you for that reply . I’m trying to find a coaster vid that I watched just last month . I can’t find it again ! It’s a coaster In the USA operating at present much describes what I will like wicked twister to become !!!
How about LIM coasters, B&M sit-down Loopers,
The Impulse Coasters currently built have LIM launches, not LSM.
I would be okay if they moved wicked twister to Michigans Adventure. Well take anything lol. 😆
In all honesty, I have been thinking that I would love to see Michigan's Adventure get Wicked Twister! I really think it would be phenomenal for that park.
@@coasterdaddy7123 I agree ! I imagine low maintenance? The park can use a new thrill ride for sure! As it's my home park I'm always hoping for something new!
@@dustinhinkle6109 well, compared to other Intamin launch coasters like Top Thrill Dragster and Maverick it seems to be pretty low maintenance. I'm sure a lot of that has to do with there only being one train and not as many sensors and moving parts and stuff that need to work together. So yeah. I think it would be doable for Michigan's Adventure definitely!
Definitely! Michigan's Adventure is in dire need of a new coaster. Heck, have B&M do a remake of Flashback at Six Flags Magic Mountain
Steel Venom at Valleyfair has a hold brake on it and it’s amazing. In my opinion, Steel Venom is better than Wicked Twister.
I will also imagine this coaster design has a rather low turn over time of riders/hour . If there was a closed loop extension of this into an inverted coaster with 3 trains , that be my dream .. engineering can make rides evolve . Let’s see if this can happen or if Intamin is listening ! 😀
Nice
We have a Vertical Velocity at our park.
Great America
Steal Venom at Valleyfair is very popular btw so I don’t fully agree there.
Like I said I was going off of what I know and the only impulse I've been on at this point is Wicked Twister. At CP, an impulse is really just a filler coaster.
Probably they're all launched, and they use A TON OF POWER
Possessed at Dorney park is better, it fits bigger riders than Wicked Twister
Cedar point should relocate wicked twister to CGA and build a raptor in its place
Raptors are just way too low capacity for CP
@@coasterdaddy7123 If could be a t-rex then which can run multiple
@@coasterdaddy7123 obviously it wouldnt fit the area where wicked twister is now, but it would be nice if they extended room for a T-rex along the shore
@@NorCalCoasterMedia absolutely!
I would be TOTALLY OKAY with WT getting relocated to Knotts. KBF needs small layout coasters due to its tight space constraints and being one of my top 20 coasters, I would love to have it 20 minutes from my home!
I meannnn you can still buy them
You can technically still buy some of the other models I've discussed in this series as well, but it doesn't make them any more relevant though.
Yea
I want one like wicked twister
America is slacking when it comes to roller coasters they will come up with a concept and put it in eight Six Flags parts and expect us to be super excited to go there... China has completely taken over they come up with new ideas with no restrictions
Six flags is a huge offender in that for sure. It's part of their business model though which is working well for them it seems.
@@coasterdaddy7123 actually it's not they are the laughing stock of the Coastal Community people are not traveling 4 d spin... people are a lot more smarter with internet and can clearly ride povs of all the new coasters out there but if you're going to put the same one at each Park and just put it at a different name I doubt your season pass sales will go up the only reason why people are still going is because it's so cheap to go to Six Flags just like going to the fair... we used to have coaster Wars but I guess we have bowed out while China and Japan Take the Lead and let's not forget Europe
@@williampippin8414 not really, RMC alone is a huge step up to the US coaster scene. And as far as I know, no other park in the world can match cedar point and magic mountain's coaster lineup right now.
@@mikep1569 yea but thats only two parks compared to sixflags chain...vs other parks across the ocean esp china and japan alone..rmc is over there as well not just the u.s..even intamin is more innovative over there
I don't think these where that super popular. And Wicked Twister is unbearably rough that's why it's a walk on
I wouldn't call Wicked Twister rough by any means, though it does have an undeniable rattle these days.
LIM luanch you said LSM
Ah yes the dangelling coaster
This is my favorite coaster model. sorry lmao
Don't have to be sorry lol
Intamins new track just doesn’t sit right with me