Der Roto Baron

[Zachary]

A thread for Der Roto Baron as requested by Unagi.

 

[Unagi]

Here's a pic of me riding Der Roto Baron in its original location with some of Glissade in the background.  This was so long ago and I have no recollection of riding this! LOL

 

[CastleOSullivan]

That was always may favorite kiddie ride. I loved the feeling of freedom and control. Does anyone know if the "accelerator stick" in the planes actually do anything? I don't even know if they still have those.

 

[Applesauce]

I could have sworn the stick was used to make the plane go up or down? Unless it was done by a button, but I'm pretty sure that's what the stick was for.

It always sucked though if you got stuck with a kid in the other spot on the plane who didn't want to go up, because the moment you started moving up, they would make the plane go down.

 

[Smatt]

Yeah the stick controls the up and down movement, pulling back makes it goes up, push forward let's the plane down.

 

[Mushroom]

Here's a super obscure trivia fact I just learned: apparently the word "roto" doesn't exist in German. The German word for "red" is "roter," not "roto." So BGW just made that word up!

 

[GrandpaD]

As @Joe mentioned in the Wilde Maus thread this attraction had two names.
On a 1983 park map it was Der Red Baron. The next map/brochure I was able to find was 1987 when it was Der Roto Baron. So within that timeframe the name change occurred. I'm guessing a copyright issue with the name.

Side note- most park ops people still call it Red Baron.

 

[CastleOSullivan]

This was my favorite ride when I was a kid. I sometimes wish there was an adult version of this ride. They could call it “Die Verrückte Baron” (The Crazy Baron). The rider could set the intensity of the launch, and when they pull down on the lever, it would launch them at least 30 feet in the air.

Does anyone know if anything like this already exists?

 

[Mushroom]

This was my favorite ride when I was a kid. I sometimes wish there was an adult version of this ride. They could call it “Die Verrückte Baron” (The Crazy Baron). The rider could set the intensity of the launch, and when they pull down on the lever, it would launch them at least 30 feet in the air.

Does anyone know if anything like this already exists?

Maybe something a bit like Apollo at Dorney Park but on a larger scale? Riders individually control when their car launches up.

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[GrandpaD]

Here ya go...(and my ol' body ain't goin' near these..?)

 

[Mwe BGW]

Roto Baron was once Roter Baron and was by Glissade Photos from BGWmemories

 

[Jonesta6]

I thought the Glissade stood roughly near where the bumper cars and the station of VB currently stand, so it could be in roughly the same location?

 

[AlpenChariot]

Glissade was behind the Oktoberfest games, somewhat on the footprint of DarKastle.

 

[Mushroom]

Roto Baron was once Roter Baron and was by Glissade

Great find. I think this officially puts to bed the debate about Roto Baron being renamed, and technically makes Roto Baron the only ride in the park (excluding Catapult and the different variations of its name) to have been renamed.

 

[ludmarco]

Great find. I think this officially puts to bed the debate about Roto Baron being renamed, and technically makes Roto Baron the only ride in the park (excluding Catapult and the different variations of its name) to have been renamed.

What’s up with the different variations of Le Catapult?

 

[Mushroom]

What’s up with the different variations of Le Catapult?

I'd argue that "The Catapult," "Der Katapult," and "Le Catapult" are all different versions of the same name, so Catapult doesn't count as a ride that's been renamed.

 

[Zimmy]

Scramblers are nomadic by nature. I have come to learn that they prefer to be inside...