The Incredible Hulk Coaster
The Incredible Hulk | |
---|---|
File:Incrediblehulkcoaster.jpg | |
Islands of Adventure | |
Location | Islands of Adventure |
Park section | Marvel Super Hero Island |
Coordinates | 28°28′16″N 81°28′06″W / 28.47111°N 81.46833°W |
Status | Operating |
Opening date | May 28, 1999 |
General statistics | |
Type | Steel – Launched |
Manufacturer | Bolliger & Mabillard |
Designer | Werner Stengel |
Model | Sitting Coaster |
Lift/launch system | Drive tire launched lift hill |
Inversions | 7 |
Duration | 2:15 |
Capacity | 1920 riders per hour |
Acceleration | 0 − 40 mph in 2 seconds, producing 1.42 G's |
G-force | 4 |
Host | Dr. Bruce Banner |
The Incredible Hulk at RCDB |
The Incredible Hulk is a steel roller coaster located in Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida, USA. It is named for the popular comic book superhero character, the Hulk. Voted the #1 roller coaster by Discovery Channel viewers in 1999,[1] the roller coaster is unique because it features a launch lift hill as opposed to conventional chain lifts. This means the train accelerates to 40 mph (64 km/h) in a short time (approximately two seconds) before speeding through several inversions. When the Incredible Hulk opened, it featured the world's tallest cobra roll (110 feet (34 m)).
The Incredible Hulk is the only launched roller coaster produced by Bolliger & Mabillard. As a company, it is opposed to launched coasters because of perceived reliability problems,[citation needed] so it subcontracted the launch mechanism to another company.[citation needed]
The Incredible Hulk was featured at the beginning of the 1999 film House on Haunted Hill under the pseudonym "Terror Incognita".
Summary
Queue
Volunteers enter the lab of Bruce Banner with many televisions showing the story of the Hulk. Bruce is now trying to find a way to reverse the effects, which the guests are about to take part in. While walking through the lab they encounter items including the generator, the Gamma core and the towers of power. Volunteers are also able to watch the coaster through large holes in the walls as well as listen to the coaster as it does a number of passes.
Ride
The train enters the Gamma Tube, where the anxious voice of Bruce Banner issues from speakers in the walls: "Everything looks good...I think...I think this time it's...going to work!" As if on cue, an automated and ironically calming female voice announces that there has been a malfunction. Klaxons begin to sound inside the tube as Dr. Banner screams in terror: "No. No! No!!!" The last "No!" is synchronized with the launch mechanism, which propels the train to 40 mph (64 km/h) as it ascends to 110 feet (34 m). Upon exiting the Gamma Tube, the train immediately goes into a zero-g roll, down a 105-foot (32 m) drop, and into a cobra roll. Riders complete a vertical loop, then enter a tunnel full of mist. At this point of the ride, the train's speed has reached approximately 65 mph.[citation needed] The train encircles the gamma tube and is sent into the back area via corkscrew. A smaller vertical loop wraps around the brake run, which is flanked by two over-banked turns. The coaster is slowed down by the brake run before being sent down another hill to a corkscrew and turn-around. Riders then travel sideways through an on-ride camera zone and then to the ride's final brakes after a helix.
Recently, newly added lighting effects were added to the coasters launch tunnel. Now the tunnel fills with strobe lights and special lighting effects right before each train is launched. The newly added lighting effects, go with the story, and as rides hear " Warning" strobe lights and special effect lighting are triggered to flash to create more action in the rides launch section.
The Incredible Hulk Roller Coaster also has a very loud roar type sound as the train rolls down the track. This is a hallmark of B&M roller coasters, and is due to the unique box-shaped track tubes.
Incidents
On September 23, 2003, a 80-year-old woman from Jensen Beach, Florida suffered a heart attack while riding the Incredible Hulk coaster. She was taken to the hospital in critical condition, where she was later pronounced dead.[2]
See also
References
- ^ http://www.perfectfloridaguide.com/html/pfg__islands_adventure.html
- ^ "Coaster reopens two days after rider's heart attack". St. Petersburg Times. 2003-09-26. Retrieved 2006-12-20.
External links
- Operating roller coasters
- Roller coasters introduced in 1999
- Steel roller coasters
- Launched roller coasters
- Roller coasters manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard
- Universal Islands of Adventure
- Universal Destinations & Experiences attractions by name
- Roller coasters in Orlando, Florida
- Hulk
- 1999 establishments
- Roller coasters that opened in 1999
- Universal Studios roller coasters
- Amusement park accidents