Defunct Roller Coaster Drachen Fire
- Thread starter Zachary
- Start date
I concur, it was the roughest coaster I have ever ridden. The only way to protect your head and neck was to forcefully pin your head against the back and the side of the head rest. After it's first season, there was never a line, the ride was a walk-on, no matter how busy the park was.
you know...people always knock this ride for being so rough, but has anyone riden Mean Streak lately? Holy ow. That ride hurt me WAY more than DF
So anyone remember what was back there before they built Drachen Fire? I imagine it was just wooded through there. Also looking at the space. Drachen Fire would be considered a parking lot coaster; am I right?
My first roller coaster. My mom made me get on it because she had forked out money for us kids to all go to BG even though she was broke at the time, and she'd be damned if we were going to just not ride anything. So, I went on it, and discovered that roller coasters were fun.
My glasses fell off of my face during that ride, and I caught them in the air.
My glasses fell off of my face during that ride, and I caught them in the air.
I think DF and Griffon are both parking lot coasters. They follow no major landscape changes such as steep hills, ravines, etc. yes the ground may not be entirely flat but it was flat enough to be a parking lot.
^ Griffon's first drop goes in to a mini-ravine, and the second one goes down the hill towards the Rhine.
Alpenghöst said:
I am talking about huge ravines, hills, and such. Those are mini features that could be adjusted to fit a parking lot.
To me a parking lot coaster is one that is designed so that it can be relocated/cloned easily and often. Not every ride location is conducive to a lot of interesting terrain elements. A key feature of the parking lot coaster is supports that all go to the same "0" and are at obvious regular intervals (for easy placement and reuse). Go to a Six Flags, you'll notice that every footer is the same height regardless of the terrain. The same goes for Glissade and Die Wildkatze. Also, a condensed foot print that sort of can work anywhere is another qualification.
Being short does not make you a parking lot coaster. Being a cheaper coaster is not parking lot. I think sometimes Griffon and DF get a sort of bad rep because they aren't up to the par set by LN, BBW, Alpie, and AC. In any other park they are just fine (well maybe not DF, but I'd ride DF 1000 times in a row before a single ride on say Shockwave or any other TOGO), unfortunately at BGW they are *relatively* bad.
Being short does not make you a parking lot coaster. Being a cheaper coaster is not parking lot. I think sometimes Griffon and DF get a sort of bad rep because they aren't up to the par set by LN, BBW, Alpie, and AC. In any other park they are just fine (well maybe not DF, but I'd ride DF 1000 times in a row before a single ride on say Shockwave or any other TOGO), unfortunately at BGW they are *relatively* bad.
Well I could be mistaken, but I think SCREAM! at Magic Mountain was a completely custom design and it is built on a parking lot. When I refereed to a parking lot coaster, I was pointing out it is in a relatively flat area and does not venture very far outside of it's "zone."
Lets take an aerial look at it and discuss:
Photo Credit: NewsPlusNotes
Lets take an aerial look at it and discuss:
Photo Credit: NewsPlusNotes
Yeah, I see parking lot coaster as the coaster is not specifically designed to any specific piece of land and can be moved elsewhere with relatively flat land.
Well it is 100% subjective. Say you have a flat piece of land, does that mean the only thing you can build is a parking lot coaster? Can a parking lot coaster still be fun? I don't think parking lot necessarily means terrible. I've had fun at Six Flags America before.
By the way, awesome picture Shane
By the way, awesome picture Shane
How about this: every coaster BGW has had (DF and Glissade excluded) used the terrain. Apollo's, Alpen, LNM, and Griffon all use the terrain to their advantage. DF was on a flat piece of land yet we don't call IT a parking lot coaster? Hmmm....I think nostalgia is, again, clouding our judgement 
There is nothing wrong with parking lot coasters, its just terrain coasters are more unique and have an overall better appeal. I think Griffon and DF are parking lot coasters because the land they sit on is relatively flat and provides no major terrain features. Griffon does use the ravine, but I don't consider that one tiny bit a major terrain feature. I am talking about how LNM is. That involves very nice an amazing terrain features. Going up and down the hills.
I think the park is just more known for terrain coasters, and that is why they have a higher appeal than other coasters. However, I see Griffon as short and the only impressive part is the first drop, so I see all the others as much better anyways.
I think the park is just more known for terrain coasters, and that is why they have a higher appeal than other coasters. However, I see Griffon as short and the only impressive part is the first drop, so I see all the others as much better anyways.
I don't have any problem with Parking Lot coasters, unless they are actually built on a parking lot. I think Carter is right, DF is a parking lot coaster no mater how you slice it.
I only rode it once in my life, my parents snuck me past the height people in the mid 90s and rode it with my eyes closed. I don't remember any of the actual ride itself. My parents used to be coaster junkies Guess that's where it came from.
I only rode it once in my life, my parents snuck me past the height people in the mid 90s and rode it with my eyes closed. I don't remember any of the actual ride itself. My parents used to be coaster junkies
Guess that's where it came from.