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Phantasialand: General Discussion

Vekoma have new website which has revealed some concept art for the new generation flying coaster model.
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Just like the train used on the F.L.Y. test prototype it has 10 rows of 2 seats and utilises a new open style of restraints.

Website description:
On this really unique ride, riders are comfortably and safely harnessed in a prone position. Riders start in a sit-down position and are transported sideways to a dark ride section. They are immersed in a story to save the world using their flying super powers. Prepared to get launched, the track and seats are turns 90 degrees creating a smooth transformation from dark ride to flying coaster from where the flight begins and riders experience inversions, air time moments, near miss moments and a lot more. With their arms stretched out, face down and parallel to the track, this is as close as it gets to flying like superman!

The combination of the different positions of riders, creating a free view dark ride section in combination with a thrill, makes this ride type a one of a kind in the roller coaster industry.

Vekoma have also released a look at their new Suspended Thrill Coaster model (successor to the SLC).
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Thunderbird is a new, exciting and extremely smooth Suspended Thrill Coaster. This new suspended family coaster based design with no less than 2 inversions, 5 airtime hills and 6 exciting twists and turns makes it possible to offer inversions for young and old from 1.20 m tall and up. Combinations of high speed turns and low force inversions prepare the small riders for the real work. This ride will thrill the seasoned rollercoaster enthusiast, but is equally fun and accessible to the youngest among thrill seekers.

New generation Motorbike and Mine Train coasters will also be announced soon.
https://www.vekoma.com/flying-coasters
 
Vekoma have come on leaps and bounds and their newer coasters are absolute testaments of this. Hopefully there's no shortage of parks willing to get stuck in and invest in these new products. Despite the number of new coasters in the States I'll be experiencing next year, FLY is certainly one of the most anticipated!
 
Although I look forward to the ride, I am not sure what this product can achieve that B&M have already demonstrated.

I fear Vekoma are a little late to the party.
 
AstroDan said:
I am not sure what this product can achieve that B&M have already demonstrated.
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- Well Launches first and foremost.

- Faster dispatches as riders aren't hoisted into position in the station but turn while moving during the ride.

- Dark Ride sections.

- Open/exposed seating and restraints for more comfort and to give a greater sensation of freedom while flying.

- And in theory I could see the maintenance requirements being slightly less and a reduction in downtime by getting rid of the hoisting system in favour of the rotation mechanism (similar to that of a controlled spinner eg. EuroMir). Of course though its reliability remains to be seen.

- More flexible. Narrower track and trains means it can fit in smaller footprints.

Honestly I think it outdoes B&M's model in every regard, and Vekoma could be onto real a winner here. Allegedly they've already sold another one to a park in China and I can easily see more parks going for the model.
 
I suspect cost might also be a benefiting factor to Vekoma; I can see it being slightly cheaper than B&M's.
 
Phantasialand have been trying to trademark the name 'F.L.Y.' it looks like the trademark application is set to be refued due to opposition from 2 other companies claiming that it would lead to confusion.

Got to admit, I can't help but find this rather amusing. Phantasialand themselves are quite arsey when it comes to pety legal issues with fans so this is almost a bit of karma getting them back.
 
Yeah, but how much for luggage these days? This is Cryin'Air we are talkng about here...
 
DiogoJ42 said:
Yeah, but how much for luggage these days? This is Cryin'Air we are talkng about here...
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£0 for a decent sized rucksack:cool:


There's a possibility your flight could be cancelled at the last minute though tbf.

Ive never had a bad experience with Ryanair. Just cheap as chips fares to euroboozing city breaks and theme parks.
 
Since the beginning of November, it's their 2nd change this year I think.

If it wasn't for the fact that I'll probably be getting an EPAP and would prefer to use the free day once Fly opens, I'd be very tempted to pop over before winter season ends.
 
I was thinking the same, bar the EPAP, but given Phantasialand's record, I'm not sure Fly is going to be opening until late summer at the earliest. Can always head back next winter!
 
Rob said:
Phantasialand have been trying to trademark the name 'F.L.Y.' it looks like the trademark application is set to be refued due to opposition from 2 other companies claiming that it would lead to confusion.
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We now have confirmation that the application was rejected, and the park has now withdrawn it.
The EUIPO's statement:
"The brand F.L.Y. can not be protected because it has "insufficient distinctiveness" according to UMV Article 7 1 b).

In essence: rejected because, according to the Authority's interpretation, it is basically trying to enter a word mark in the general English word for flying.

Excerpt from the reason:
Quote
The mark applied for consists of the English expression "F.L.Y.". The fact that there is a dot between the letters is not enough to make the character distinctive. Typographical symbols such as dot, comma, semicolon, quotation marks or exclamation marks are not perceived by the public as a mark of origin. Consumers perceive it as a sign that should attract their attention, but not as a sign that points to the company's origin. This separate spelling of the letters "F.L.Y." also does not change the descriptive character of the sign, since it does not change the meaning of the word; Nor does it require any mental effort on the part of the consumer to establish an immediate and immediate connection with the term to which they refer.

The term "fly" means: "transport in an aircraft; Move or be hurried quickly through the air; move through the air using wings ". (Information from the Oxford Online Dictionary, retrieved on 15/11/2018 at https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/fly).
(...)
Since the sign has a clear descriptive meaning, it is devoid of any distinctive character and therefore can not be registered under Article 7 (1) (b) CTMR, since it is unable to fulfil the essential function of a trade mark: To distinguish a company's services from those of its competitors."

So yeah bit short-sighted of the park to choose such a name I feel; but hopefully now the new name for the coaster will be more unique and interesting. Intrigued to find out what they will name it.
But until then:
Untitled_Flying_Coaster.jpg


Also in this IAAPA interview released today with Vekoma they are asked about their 2019 projects; she mentions a project in Europe that is going to open "...that the whole world knows about... (but) we are not ready to talk about it".
I take it that they are referring to Phantasialand's flying coaster - the only other Vekoma opening in Europe next year is a Jr Coaster in a mall in Ukraine and I don't believe the world has been talking about that...

From 0:44 onwards you can hear them talk about the development of the new generation flying coaster model.
To paraphrase:
This is actually the third generation of our flying coaster.
The third evolution is part of our whole new line of coasters coming out (family coasters, sit down coasters, flying, Suspended Thrill coaster).
Completely reinvented the way we bring people from the upright sit down position into the flying position and in doing that we don't just make the whole loading and unloading process more efficient but we also allow for it become much more than just a flying coaster; it can be combined with dark ride or show parts when it that sitting position. You can build your storyline and then flip into flying mode and set off like Superman.
So that's the big part of this whole redesign. But there are also other details like the whole ergonomics of the seats have been newly developed, same goes for the locking mechanism. Comfort and safety are always the biggest aspects of doing that but also the technical side the chassis development and everything. So its a completely new generation vehicle from top to bottom.
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CSLKenny said:
So yeah bit short-sighted of the park to choose such a name I feel; but hopefully now the new name for the coaster will be more unique and interesting. Intrigued to find out what they will name it.
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I guess that they could still use the name F.L.Y. without a trademark, but then people would be able to freely use the name and logo etc. I'm not sure the name F.L.Y. was ever really going to fit in with the theme of the area mind.
 
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