Cannibal (roller coaster) explained

Cannibal
Imagedimensions:225px
Location:Lagoon
Locationarticle:Lagoon (amusement park)
Section:North Midway
Status:Operating
Year:2015
Cost:$22 million
Coordinates:40.9874°N -111.8955°W
Type:Steel
Manufacturer:Lagoon Corporation
Manufacturerarticle:Lagoon (amusement park)
Designer:Dal Freeman
Height Ft:208
Length Ft:2735
Angle:116
Speed Mph:70
Duration:2:30
Inversions:4
Gforce:4.2
Restriction In:48
Trains:7[1]
Carspertrain:1
Rowspercar:3
Ridersperrow:4
Rcdb Number:11579

Cannibal is a steel roller coaster located at Lagoon Amusement Park in Farmington, Utah. It opened with the tallest beyond-vertical drop in the world on July 2, 2015, and its drop angle of 116 degrees was the steepest in the United States for a brief time. A large portion of the $22-million ride was built and designed in-house, a rare move for an amusement park. Since its debut, Cannibal has also consistently ranked in the top 50 among steel roller coasters worldwide in the annual Golden Ticket Awards publication from Amusement Today.

History

Nearly 75% of Cannibal was designed, engineered, and manufactured in-house by Lagoon with the help of multiple firms located in Utah. The lead designer was Lagoon's Dal Freeman. In an era when most amusement parks outsource the work to a select few established roller coaster manufacturers, the decision to build in-house is rare in the industry. The roller coaster features a 208adj=midNaNadj=mid enclosed elevator lift, a beyond-vertical drop of 116 degrees, a themed underground tunnel, and a 360-degree helix situated above a man-made waterfall.[2] It also features four inversions that include a 140adj=midNaNadj=mid Immelman loop, a dive loop, and a unique inversion the park calls the "Lagoon roll", which consists of a counter-clockwise heartline roll immediately followed by a clockwise heartline roll. The trains, which use only lap bar restraints, travel up to and pull as much as 4.2 G's.

The ride had been in the planning stages for more than five years and required more than two years to construct.[3] Prior to its planned opening in the spring of 2015, Lagoon announced that the roller coaster's debut would be postponed for additional testing and inspections. The ride officially opened on July 2, 2015.[4] [5] At the time of opening, Cannibal set a world record for the tallest beyond-vertical drop among roller coasters,[6] [7] and became the steepest in the United States.[8] Its drop angle record in the US was surpassed by TMNT Shellraiser, which opened at Nickelodeon Universe in 2019.

Ride experience

The roller coaster features a 208feet elevator lift, enclosed in a huge tower structure; a 116° beyond vertical drop; inversions, including an Immelman-like loop, as well as an inversion unique to the park consisting of two consecutive heartline rolls in opposite directions; a water feature; and a tunnel 20feet underground. It is the tallest roller coaster in the state and the longest ride in the park.[3] The ride cars accommodate 12 passengers (3 rows of 4), and the duration of the ride lasts approximately two and a half minutes.

Reception

The ride appeared in Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards for the first time in 2016, ranking 42nd among steel roller coasters.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cannibal – Lagoon. Ultimate Rollercoaster. 24 Apr 2016.
  2. News: Utah's Cannibal coaster promises to 'eat' the competition. MacDonald. Brady. Los Angeles Times. Davan Maharaj. Los Angeles. 1 Apr 2015. 4 Apr 2015.
  3. News: Lagoon's new roller coaster is out for blood, Cannibal coming soon. Edwards. Ashton. fox13now.com. Tribune Broadcasting. Salt Lake City. 4 Sep 2014. 5 Sep 2014.
  4. Web site: Lagoon's Cannibal coaster finally opens . Hansen . Cassidy . . . Salt Lake City . July 2, 2015 . July 21, 2015.
  5. News: $22M, 'beyond vertical' Cannibal coaster finally opens at Utah's Lagoon amusement park.. Wharton. Tom. The Salt Lake Tribune. Paul Huntsman. Salt Lake City. 8 Jul 2015. 21 Jul 2015.
  6. Web site: Landers . Justin S. . We visited Utah’s Lagoon Amusement Park – Here’s what we experienced . Attractions Magazine . June 30, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210630072439/https://attractionsmagazine.com/we-visited-utah-lagoon-park-heres-what-we-experienced/ . June 30, 2021 . live.
  7. Web site: Marden . Duane . World Record Holders - Angle . RCDB.com . July 31, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210611133335/https://rcdb.com/rhr.htm?m=5 . June 11, 2021 . live.
  8. News: Levine . Arthur . 12 most thrilling roller coasters in the USA . July 31, 2021 . . September 7, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210731220736/https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/experience/america/theme-parks/2017/09/07/12-most-thrilling-roller-coasters-usa/638289001/ . July 31, 2021 . live.