a Fireball rendering

Often a ride ends up different than the rendering.  Why would they be different?  The answer is somewhat simple: the renderings are typically produced at the end of the conceptual design stage.  However, the reasons are more nebulous.  The rendering is often created after a couple of design iterations when we feel the design portrays what the ride will look and feel like.  At this stage we know there are many more tweaks required to meet all of our objectives, but the ride is good enough to show off to the customer.  Changes happen for the following reasons: dynamic, structural or foundation optimization, additional constraints from the park or site, and plenty more I can’t think of right now.

Gravity Group ad from 2006 showcasing the Voyage

One design change that received some press was the alteration on The Voyage at the location of the first and second 90 degree banked turns.  Originally we showed one 90 degree turn followed by a sharp right turn climbing into a taller hill which then dove left into the tunnel before climb into the safety block.  As we were brainstorming about this area, we started discussing adjusting the plan to incorporate back to back 90 degree turns allowing 2 quick hops into the tunnel.

Both designs had their pros and cons, and so we asked the fifth designer (and owner) of the Voyage, Will Koch, which option he would like.  After some discussions about the one-of-a-kind nature of the back to back 90 degree banked turns, that option was chosen.  Good thing, because we wouldn’t have been able to make this ad.

One reader asked about what has changed on Happy Valley’s Fireball.  After reviewing the rendering, quite a bit has indeed changed.  As he noticed the drop of the first turnaround no longer is a double down drop but now goes down all the way to the ground.  Making this change allowed us to optimize this area dynamically and structurally.  Another modification occurred on the home stretch from the bridge over the path to the brake run.  as you can see in the following photos, the hills and curves have been tweaked for a variety of reasons.  The ride now drops off the crossover and enters a curving hill followed by a little bunny hop and then a climb into the final turn. Take a look at these photos from Paul Voyer of MVR.

looking from crossover hill towards brake run

view of ending from last turn

notice the ending of the rendering's left edge