Wicked Twister
Cedar Point
What makes the world's best roller coaster park even better?
A new Roller Coaster of course!
This season adrenaline junkies will have one more reason to visit Cedar Point as the park unveils its 15th roller coaster Wicked Twister. Yes, folks it's hard to imagine so many in one park.
Continuing the tradition, Cedar Point will once again break some records with this exciting new roller coaster. When it opens in May, Wicked Twister will be billed at the world's tallest and fastest "Double Twister" impulse roller coaster.
So what exactly is this "impulse" coaster?
Artist rendering shows the apperance and layout of the Wicked Twister roller coaster at Cedar Point.
The term "impulse" is used to describe the way this type of roller coaster works. Each time the vehicle passes through the station forwards or backwards. Special motors kick in giving the train an extra burst or "impulse" of power accelerating it faster and higher.
From its appearance this type of roller coaster is rather simple looking. Its got a simple U-shape layout and trains travel both forwards and backwards along the track. But appearance is not everything when it comes to roller coasters.
The first impulse roller coaster was built at nearby Six Flags Worlds of Adventure in 2000. Overshadowed by other record-breaking attractions that year, including Millennium Force at Cedar Point, not much was said about this new roller coaster.
But all that changed after thrill seekers got a chance to ride Superman Ultimate Escape. Overnight the impulse roller coaster became the sleeper hit of the year and shot to the top of many enthusiasts, roller coaster lists. In fact, Amusement Today, a monthly industry publication placed it in the top 25 coasters in its first year of operation.
Wicked Twister will carry on the fun of the impulse roller coaster, but with a new, adrenaline pumping "twist" hence the name. Until now impulse coasters were built with one twisting vertical spike and one straight vertical spike.
Cedar Point's new version of this coaster will continue the same U-shape layout, but will feature twisting vertical spikes on both ends, earning its the distinction of being the first "double twisting" impulse roller coaster in the world.
The ride will also be unique for it will be the first roller coaster at Cedar Point to not use a lift hill to gain its momentum. Instead state-of-the-art linear induction motors (LIM) will accelerate the ride out of the station and up the two 215-foot vertical spikes.
But LIMs come with some unique requirements and Cedar Point has to install a dedicated 34,000-volt power line that stretches four miles for one purpose: to power the coaster. With all this juice Wicked Twister's train will reach a speed of 72 mph in just 2.5 seconds. And that's wicked fast!
"We're using such a massive jolt of electricity to operate Wicked Twister that it would be enough to power 550 average-sized homes," said Monty Jasper, vice president of maintenance and construction at Cedar Point.
On board thrill seekers will be treated to powerful combination of five launches out of the station, three forwards and twice backwards, while reaching the apex of each vertical tower as it picks up speed from the LIM propulsion system. It will be the only roller coaster at the park to travel forwards and backwards.
Suspended from the steel track riders will be seated in a 32-passenger train, two abreast with nothing separating their seats and the ground beneath. There is certainly an added thrill of having your legs dangle free while traveling higher and faster with each launch.
With vertical twisting spikes on both ends, riders will be shot out of the station, twisting as the rise and fall in each direction. As the train slows on either spike riders will experience the wonderful sensation called "airtime" before speeding back down and into the station.
It should be noted that Wicked Twister is the third roller coaster at Cedar Point to exceed 200-feet, so it's certainly not for those afraid of heights.
But the impulse coaster is not all about the height and speed. It's instead more about the entire experience that makes it so great and if Wicked Twister is anything like the first few then Cedar Point fans are in for a real treat.
Wicked Twister opens for its first "wicked twist" on Cedar Point's Opening Day, Sunday, May 5.
Type of Ride:
Double Twisting Impulse
Height: 215 feet
Drop: 206 feet
Length: 2,700 feet
Angle: 90 degrees
Top Speed: 72 mph
Features:
2 - Twisting Vertical Spikes
Acceleration:
LIM Launch, 0 - 72 mph in 2.2 seconds
Number of Trains:
1 - 32 passenger
Investment:
$9 million
Opening Date:
May 5, 2002
Designer:
Intamin AG
Cedar Point
Sandusky, Ohio
Additional Information
Follow the construction of Wicked Twister on Cedar Point's web site at cedarpoint.com
| 2002 Preview | 2002 New Coasters & Attractions List |
Wicked Twister artwork courtesy of Cedar Point. All rights reserved.
