Intamin

[JoshC.]

What do you mean we don't have an Intamin thread?! Oh well, here goes...

 

Intamin last year announced several new ride types to their offering. They've now uploaded some videos...

 

Ultra Splash:

A take on Mack's PowerSplash (aka Pulsar) model

 

Giga Splash

A take on Mack's SuperSplash model (see SuperSplash at Plopsaland)

 

Vertical LSM coaster:

A take on Premier's Sky Rocket II model

 

Hot Racer:

A take on RMC's single rail (Raptor) concept. Unlike RMC Raptors, a specific focus on launches (something RMC have said they wish to avoid with the Raptors altogether) and duelling.

 

Nothing particularly new or groundbreaking, but some interesting ideas. The Ultra Splash model seems weird since it lacks the capability of a turntable like the Mack equivalent, meaning throughput could suffer, despite their claims. 

 

I'm particularly fond of the Giga Splash though. Looks lush

[JoshuaA]

Are Intamin the new Golden Horse LOL?

I'm sure parks will trust them over Mack to build their water rides, it isn't like any of their large scale water rides have failed hard in the past..

 

[JoshuaA]

Double post, but I wanted to rant about these models as I really dislike the showing from Intamin.

I'm gonna give opinions on each model:

 

UltraSplash: If Mack sue, I would not blame them. This is basically just a Powersplash with track that is basically a knock off RMC's single rail track. This model is by far the worst and I hope it flops. If Intamin get a sale for this one, I hope Mack take them to court and then some.

 

Giga Splash: Okay unlike the others its somewhat original. Though Intamin have one of the WORST track records with waters rides like this.

Shoot The Rapids, Perlious Plunge, Pilgrims Plunge (no incidents, but unreliable), Drenched, why should people build a Giga Splash over the more reliable Mack Supersplash? So yeah, a fair model, but I don't see parks being keen to buy (especially Cedar Fair and Six Flags parks).  I think its the best of the bunch though, and it actually brings something to the industry.

 

Vertical LSM Coaster; Nothing too offensive, I do not think they can beat Premier though. Sky Rocket II's have such a good price point and I'm unsure if Intamin can match it. Even if they can, would they be as reliable? I do not think they will be. 

 

Hot Racer: RMC do not do launches yet. Though I see them in the very near future, and this model looks cool, though I do think it will cost more than the RMC equivalent, which will mean it will not be as desirable. Remember RMC do a LOT of things without any sub contractors. Intamin even contracted RMC to build some of their previous rides (El Toro, T Express). Also RMC have a lot more experience with the single-rail track.

 

I really hope Intamin go back to being innovative one day, most of these are following trends instead of starting them. Which is what made Intamin so good imo. 

 

 

[JoshC.]

18 minutes ago, JoshuaA said:

UltraSplash: If Mack sue, I would not blame them. This is basically just a Powersplash with track that is basically a knock off RMC's single rail track. This model is by far the worst and I hope it flops. If Intamin get a sale for this one, I hope Mack take them to court and then some.

Hopefully Intamin sue Mack over them 'stealing' the Mega Lite layout then...

(See this (also Piraten at Djurs) vs this) 

 

Whilst we're at it, I hope Vekoma sue B&M for copying the layout of the Junior Inverts which B&M built in China.

18 minutes ago, JoshuaA said:

Hot Racer: RMC do not do launches yet. Though I see them in the very near future, and this model looks cool, though I do think it will cost more than the RMC equivalent, which will mean it will not be as desirable. Remember RMC do a LOT of things without any sub contractors. Intamin even contracted RMC to build some of their previous rides (El Toro, T Express). Also RMC have a lot more experience with the single-rail track.

I can't find a link, so feel free to not believe me or just take my word for it, but I've heard that RMC aren't planning on really doing launch coasters. They're happy with what they have, and the issues with Lightning Rod have kept them grounded.

 

You say that Intamin have contracted RMC in the past, and mention rides which were built 10-15 years ago, in a market that Intamin don't deal with any more (wooden coasters). Things have changed a lot since then.

 

RMC don't have much more experience with single rail track either, really. They only have built two (which have opened) - that's nothing. It's easy enough for Intamin to 'catch up' with having that experience if you will, and we don't know what's been going on behind the scenes (which could lead them to installing more confidence in buyers over RMC).

 

18 minutes ago, JoshuaA said:

I really hope Intamin go back to being innovative one day, most of these are following trends instead of starting them. Which is what made Intamin so good imo. 

Intamin's innovation has always been hit and miss though. For every success they've had, I'm sure we could name a failure too. Of course, that's not a reason to stop innovating, but there's a level of wearing rose-tinted specs there I think..

 

Intamin's more recent work has seemingly been perfecting what they already have too, along with the minor innovation of a swing launch in middle of a layout (see: Pantheon at Busch Gardens, the Velocicoaster at Universal, Parc Asterix's 2023 coaster) and the anticipation stall top hat (which I question, but that's another story). If we look at some of their rides since 2018, we have:

Hyperion

Hagrid's (a ride with 7 launch moments...)

Dueling Dragons (the crazy launched invert / sit down duelling coasters in China which sync perfectly)

Taiga

Objetif Mars (a new take on their spinning coaster, with launches and other surprises)

 

Along with the highly anticipated trio I mentioned early, plus others (Walibi Belgium's one for example).

 

If they're churning out quality rides like that and choosing to diversify their catalogue, I don't really have a problem with that.

 

 

As for the cost of their rides, Intamin are obviously a premium manufacturer. But I think smaller parks with smaller budgets do turn to them, as they know there's quality there too. Parks in Asia have turned to them for family coasters. Parks like Futuroscope and Vulcania in France have gone to them for family-thrill rides. Plenty of Chinese parks, from the ones with tons of money to the smaller ones with less money we rarely hear about, go to them for a variety of rides. Intamin have a reputation which they've built up (largely good!), which helps them a lot really.

[JoshuaA]

22 hours ago, JoshC. said:

Hopefully Intamin sue Mack over them 'stealing' the Mega Lite layout then...

(See this (also Piraten at Djurs) vs this) 

 

Whilst we're at it, I hope Vekoma sue B&M for copying the layout of the Junior Inverts which B&M built in China.

Good point, though Piraten and Junior Inverts are not innovative ideas. Mack truly innovated with their Powersplash. The technology involved in splash element of the ride is really unique and innovative. Sure you can copy layouts, look at Anaconda at Golden Reef City, but taking such a unique idea and adding nothing new is such a insult. Even worse it doesn't even have a turntable, it offers less than the Powersplash. Intamin just saw Pulsar and copy and pasted it. Even the trains are somewhat similar. To make matters worse the track isn't even Intamin's, its more of a imitation of RMC'S.

 

22 hours ago, JoshC. said:

I can't find a link, so feel free to not believe me or just take my word for it, but I've heard that RMC aren't planning on really doing launch coasters. They're happy with what they have, and the issues with Lightning Rod have kept them grounded.

 

You say that Intamin have contracted RMC in the past, and mention rides which were built 10-15 years ago, in a market that Intamin don't deal with any more (wooden coasters). Things have changed a lot since then.

 

 

Lightning Rod was a mistake, though RMC are still very new in the game. And in the next few years, these raptors are popping up like flies. I'm sure a launch would be tried on one or two. 

 

22 hours ago, JoshC. said:

RMC don't have much more experience with single rail track either, really. They only have built two (which have opened) - that's nothing. It's easy enough for Intamin to 'catch up' with having that experience if you will, and we don't know what's been going on behind the scenes (which could lead them to installing more confidence in buyers over RMC).

They have more than you think. Remember RMC have/had three upcoming raptors next year. Jersey Devil, the clone in the middle of nowhere, and Kentucky Kingdom's confirmed raptor. They also have the two Skyline Skywarps behind their belt, which again is single rail RMC track. Also one of the models on displays in the Hot Racers video was obviously meant for West Coast Racers. This means Intamin was in competition against premier, and lost. My point is that Intamin contract a lot of other companies to build their rides. RMC do a lot of the heavy lifting themselves, hence the price being pretty cheap. RMC at one point in time did the heavy lifting for Intamin. 

 

Also who is buying these raptors? Mostly Six Flags, and smaller independent parks. I doubt Intamin could be as cheap as RMC, like under 10 million. Remember they are premium, but the raptors are low throughput rides for parks that want a CHEAP coaster.

 

22 hours ago, JoshC. said:

As for the cost of their rides, Intamin are obviously a premium manufacturer. But I think smaller parks with smaller budgets do turn to them, as they know there's quality there too. Parks in Asia have turned to them for family coasters. Parks like Futuroscope and Vulcania in France have gone to them for family-thrill rides. Plenty of Chinese parks, from the ones with tons of money to the smaller ones with less money we rarely hear about, go to them for a variety of rides. Intamin have a reputation which they've built up (largely good!), which helps them a lot really.

I disagree. Intamin really have a mixed reputation IMO. For example I see Cedar Fair not buying any intamin products for a LONG LONG time. Because of the countless problems. Dragster's downtime, Maverick's false promised throughput, Shoot the Rapids's incident, Perlious Plunge's death, Windseeker's problems, I305 being too intense for the GP and still not very popular to this day, Xcelerator's incident, Dragster's incident, Dragster's throughput being less than promised, Millie's throughput being less than promised. ECT.

 

Six Flags don't really seem interested either, well, because premier and RMC do it cheaper. WCR probably came to cost, premier probably was the cheaper option. Six Flags also have their own issues with Intamin. All three of the intamin mega coasters named superman has claimed a life. So yeah, Intamin's reputation isn't really that positive as you suggest. Merlin don't really seem that keen as well (Thirteen being the last main ride to my knowledge) most of their major coasters recently have been B&M. Sure they were involved in DBGT, but that is more of a negative than a positive. With that, that is 3 major park chains not wanting to work with you.

 

They are getting better with some of their models, I do not deny that. But when you're infamous for building rides that aren't reliable and building clones of rides that are built by one of the most reliable companies, I do think they will fall flat on their face. When I think Intamin coasters, I think downtime at the cost of innovation.

Seaworld I guess are still building them, but then again what ISN'T seaworld building atm lol?