Wooden Warrior Explained

Wooden Warrior
Location:Quassy Amusement Park
Type:Wood
Status:Open
Opened:April 23, 2011
Manufacturer:The Gravity Group
Lift:Chain Lift Hill
Height Ft:35
Drop Ft:45
Length Ft:1200
Speed Mph:35
Inversions:0
Angle:48.5
Carspertrain:6
Rowspercar:1
Ridersperrow:2
Restriction In:40
Rcdb Number:4495

Wooden Warrior is a wooden roller coaster located at Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury, Connecticut, United States. The coaster was designed and built by American wooden coaster designer The Gravity Group. Wooden Warrior features a 45feet drop, with a maximum speed of 35mph and a total track length of 1239feet. The coaster features Gravitykraft's Timberliner trains, and was the first wooden coaster in the United States to use such trains. Despite the coaster's small size, it has been well received by enthusiasts for its air time and thrilling experience.

History

Announcement

On January 8, 2009, Quassy Amusement Park announced the proposal of a wooden roller coaster built by The Gravity Group, after considering proposals from various manfucaturers. It was announced that the proposal would be submitted at the February meeting of the Town of Middlebury Planning & Zoning Commission.[1] The ride was announced to be replacing Mad Mouse,[2] the park's wild mouse roller coaster built by the Allan Herschell Company.[3] The proposal was met with concern by residents at the meeting, with concerns centering around noise pollution due to the new ride and depreciation of property value. A nearby homeowner filed an appeal for the park to add more buffering to the park's proposals, but the appeal was eventually dismissed.[4] In May 2009, the park announced that the ride would be constructed alongside a 35-foot drop tower built by the SBF Visa Group and "Bullet Bowl", a water slide built by ProSlide Technology.[5] The park also announced that the first rides on the roller coaster would be auctioned off for charity and that the name of the ride would be decided by students of local schools.[5]

Construction and opening

Construction on the ride began in August 2010, and continued through the Winter.[6] In September 2010, it was announced that the ride would be named Wooden Warrior. The name was nominated by elementary school students from Middlebury and Bethel, Connecticut, and selected by the park in order to reflect the Native American history of Lake Quassapaug.[7] Wooden Warrior opened on April 23, 2011, the park's opening day for the 2011 season. The ride opened despite heavy rain, with the first riders being the winners of the charity auction.[8]

Ride experience and characteristics

The ride's station is located on top of the park's former entrance, near the Big Flush water slide. After leaving the station, the ride climbs a 35feet tall lift hill. The ride then turns around and drops 45feet through the 48.5-degree first drop, reaching a top speed of 35mph. It then goes through a small airtime hill before crossing over the park's narrow gauge Chance Rides railroad. The ride then goes through a turnaround through an artificial tunnel. The ride then crosses back over the railroad through a double up before going through a few final airtime hills and into the final break run. According to the manufacturer, there are nine moments of air time over the course of the ride.

The ride runs one train, with twelve riders arranged in six rows of two across.[9] The train is a Timberliner manufactured by Gravitykraft, and the ride was the first in the United States to use the Timberliner.[10] The Timberliner train features hydraulic restraints,[11] accommodating more guests and allowing it to have a 40inches height limit.[12] The ride has 1239feet of wooden track. In total, the ride was constructed with around 140,000 board feet of pressure treated Southern pine,[13] alongside more than 200,000 nails, and more than 35,000 nuts and bolts.

Reception

The ride received praise from enthusiasts for its air time and thrilling ride experience.[14] [15] According to Jim Winslett of ElloCoaster, the ride features "crazy airtime all over the layout" and "speed that shouldn't even be possible".[16] Robb Alvey of Theme Park Review praised the ride's exciting experience, noting that the ride "packs a punch" and described it as "one wild ride", despite its small size.[17] He also described Wooden Warrior as "the best small coaster in the world", and ranked it as his 15th favorite wooden roller coaster, out of over 200. In the Golden Ticket Awards, Wooden Warrior placed third among the best new roller coasters of 2011.[18]

Awards

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Quassy announces proposal for new wooden roller coaster . Amusement Today . https://web.archive.org/web/20090201032035/http://amusementtoday.com/ . 7 December 2023 . 2009-02-01.
  2. Web site: Gattani . Anju . At Middlebury Public Hearing Plans for New Rides at Quassy Draw Concerns About Noise . VoicesNews . 18 February 2009 . Prime Publishers . 7 December 2023 . 7 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231207181122/https://www.primepublishers.com/voicesnews/news/top_stories/at-middlebury-public-hearing-plans-for-new-rides-at-quassy-draw-concerns-about-noise/article_29224153-d290-52c7-b330-b4a442333d7f.html . live .
  3. Mad Mouse . Quassy Amusement Park. 378 . 6 December 2023 . https://rcdb.com/378.htm.
  4. News: Wooden Roller Coaster Back On Track At Quassy Amusement Park . 28 December 2023 . Hartfourd Courrait . February 18, 2010 . 28 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231228193247/https://www.courant.com/2010/02/18/wooden-roller-coaster-back-on-track-at-quassy-amusement-park/ . live .
  5. Web site: Quassy Plans Its First All-Wooden Roller Coaster . VoicesNews . 3 June 2009 . Prime Publishers . 7 December 2023 . 7 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231207180752/https://www.primepublishers.com/voicesnews/news/community_news/quassy-plans-its-first-all-wooden-roller-coaster/article_705817cc-b96c-50f9-98aa-0d5993047d56.html . live .
  6. Web site: Gustafson . Ron . Year Of The 'Wooden Warrior' As Quassy Preps For 103rd Season . YourStory . https://web.archive.org/web/20120708042617/http://www.your-story.org/year-of-the-wooden-warrior-as-quassy-preps-for-103rd-season-236868/ . 10 December 2023 . 2012-07-08.
  7. News: Kids Pick A Name For Quassy Roller Coaster . 25 January 2024 . The Hartford Courant . 29 September 2010 . 25 January 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240125223044/https://www.courant.com/2010/09/29/kids-pick-a-name-for-quassy-roller-coaster/ . live .
  8. Web site: Quassy coaster debuts despite rain . Republican American Archives . 24 April 2011 . Republican American . 10 December 2023.
  9. Wooden Warrior . Quassy Amusement Park. 4495 . 26 December 2023 . https://rcdb.com/4495.htm.
  10. Web site: The Gravity Group Portfolio: Wooden Warrior . The Gravity Group . 13 December 2023 . 13 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231213030120/https://thegravitygroup.com/portfolio/wooden-warrior/ . live .
  11. Web site: Meet the Timberliner . The Gravity Group . 27 December 2023 . 27 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231227030536/https://thegravitygroup.com/wp-content/uploads/Timberliner-Brochure.pdf . live .
  12. Web site: Amusement Park Rides at Quassy . Quassy Amusement Park . 27 December 2023 . 27 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231227030537/https://www.quassy.com/things-to-do/amusement-park-rides . live .
  13. News: O'Rourke . Thew . Wooden Warrior New wooden rollercoaster opening in Connecticut . 28 December 2023 . The Hour . April 23, 2011 . 28 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231228193248/https://www.thehour.com/norwalk/article/Wooden-Warrior-New-wooden-rollercoaster-opening-8164872.php . live .
  14. News: Quassy's 'Wooden Warrior' Roller Coaster Rides High In National Awards . 28 December 2023 . Hartford Courant . September 22, 2011 . 28 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231228192037/https://www.courant.com/2011/09/22/quassys-wooden-warrior-roller-coaster-rides-high-in-national-awards/ . live .
  15. Web site: Cura . Jaimie . Wooden Warrior Generates Global Interest . Patch . 21 September 2011 . Patch Media . 28 December 2023 . 28 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231228192037/https://patch.com/connecticut/woodbury-middlebury/wooden-warrior-generates-global-interest . live .
  16. Web site: Winslett . Jim . coasters make life better . ElloCoaster . 27 December 2023 . 27 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231227035319/https://www.ellocoaster.com/wooden-warrior . live .
  17. Web site: 'Wooden Warrior' Gets High Marks In Poll Of Experts . Quassy Amusement Park . 27 December 2023 . 27 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231227035319/https://www.quassy.com/application/files/7915/5491/1366/Quassy_press_release_Warrior_1.pdf . live .
  18. . Amusement Today September 2011 . Amusement Today . Arlington, Texas . September 2011 . 4 . 21 January 2024 . 4 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210804152200/https://amusementtoday.com/GTA/GTA2011.pdf . live .

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