Disney needs a new roller coaster company?

[Bork]

There was a small note on Screamscape mentioning that roller coaster manufacturer Vekoma is filing for bankruptcy. Aparently, Six Flags is suing them and they lost their funding.

Vekoma has built many of the recent roller coasters for Disney including RnR, the kiddie coasters at MK, DL, Paris, and Tokyo, DL's Space Mountain, and most of the coasters at DL Paris.

It will be interesting to see what this means for future roller coaster projects at Disney. DCA, Paris Studios, and Tokyo DL all were supposed to get RnR clones. And what about Beastly Kingdom?

Disney may have to rekindle their old relationship with Arrow. Intamin built CA Screamin and Paris' Indy coaster, but they don't build that many coasters, mainly other types of rides. And I can't really picture a B&M coaster at Disney (like Hulk or Kraken).

It should be interesting.

 

[HBK]

but wasn't it a bankruptcy filing similar to a chapter 11 (debt re-organization) vs a Chapter 7 (Liquidation)?

I also believe reading that the article that the debt that Vekoma has is relativly minor....I wouldn't jump the gun just yet.

 

[larworth]

Vekoma tried to move up the coaster food chain and SF bought a number of their new designs for this season. Few of these projects have opened on time or have operated as well as expected. Hence, SF has withheld payment and the cash shortfall has forced Vekoma into a Chapter 11 type filing. They are laying off a good chunk of their workforce and will reorganize into two separate divisions. I don't think they will disapear.

I guess all companies get used to dealing with particular vendors and develop a certain comfort factor. Disney should look to whomever they think has the right product to fit their particular attraction need. Vekoma was skilled at building basic coasters at an affordable price. They were a logical choice for anyone not looking to push the thrill ride envelope.

B&M machines are so popular that I can't imagine why they wouldn't want to take a serious look at their technology. I assume B&M would be interested. Although, I'm not sure anyone has used B&M in a dark ride format yet?

There is a picture in the early BK concept art of an exposed coaster. It has the appearance of a wooden coaster. But isn't Screamin designed to look like a woodie, even though it is steel. Maybe, Screamin was originally going to be in BK, and they borrowed the design for the Pier?

If they are planning an exposed coaster for BK how could they not consider a Beemer?
Now, whether they should go this route is another debate.

 

[Bork]

The exposed coaster in concept art was supposed to be for Dinoland. It was supposed to be a real wooden coaster. It got the ax, (Too big and too noisy?), instead we're getting a family wild mouse coaster.

BK was supposed to have a dragon themed coaster entirely inside a castle. This ended up becoming Duelling Dragons at IOA. Some kind of major coaster seems likely, but would Disney go for a B&M? I love Beemers but I can't see them at Disney unless they decide to target the teen and thrill crowd more.

Vekoma is in a big mess. Six Flags ordered 4 coasters of a new design (Deja Vu) and most likely, none will open this year (I've been waiting all year for the one in Illinois to open). This was a stupid move on someone's part. Instead of 1 failure, they have 4 at once. That's why a new coaster design is usually tested in one place 1 year and then cloned in the following years.

Yes Vekoma will survive, but on a much smaller scale. They won't be able to handle as many customers at once.

 

[YoHo]

Hey Bork, Didn't SF Great America open two new coasters this year? Its funny, because one of them is the kind where you start in the middle and then go to a point end the move backwards through the coaster to another stop, then move forward again. What's funny is that Great America had this exact ride when it was the Lowly Marriot's Great America some 20 years ago.

 

[Bob O]

Only one of the two coasters has opened at Six Flags Great America. Vekoma has struggled because their DeJuVue coasters that were supposed to open in the beginning of summer have justed started to operate(only one is up now at magic Mountain). And their flying coasters have opened late with numerous breakdowns and very small capacity. Disney should work with the best coaster company in the world B & M as evidenced by the numbers of their coasters ranked as top in the world in a recent amusement today poll. Any B & M coaster that they would build would be better than any coaster at disney world right now and since they seat four across they have a greater ride capacity. Even though disney isnt a thrill park wouldnt it be nice to have one of their coasters mentioned as world class???