Wild Thing
Specific Type: Loop & Corkscrew
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When Wild Waves opened as Enchanted Village, it would be twenty years before it would call home to a roller coaster. For the 1997 season, the park added Kiddie Coaster, a Zamperla powered coaster. But that same season, they would also add another. Two years earlier in Rhode Island, Rocky Point Amusement Park was shutting its doors after years of financial struggle. They auctioned off their rides to other parks, one of which was a 1984 Arrow Dynamics looping coaster. Wild Waves eagerly purchased the attraction, and it soon found its way heading across the country to Washington state. The all white track was given a brand new color scheme, and the coaster was rechristened as Wild Thing. It made its official debut on June 24th, 1997 and threw riders through a loop once again. Wild Thing proved to be a remarkable addition to the park, and paved the way for more coaster installations to come.
Wild Thing enjoys a central location in Celebration Square right next to the park's lake. Prior to 2010, the coaster shared a green and light blue color scheme with Kiddie Coaster. The latter was redone in all fuchsia; Wild Thing retained its blue supports, while its track was repainted a striking yellow. Coincidentally, it now shares a paint scheme with Klondike Gold Rusher, the park's Zamperla zig zag coaster. Capacity is provided by a single seven car train. Each car has four rows, and each row holds two riders. The train is adorned in red with white stripes, and its restraints are clad in black. The ride itself features a length of nearly two thousand feet and packs in three inversions. The supports on its inversions stand in contrast to earlier versions of Arrow's "loop & corkscrew" design, such as Steamin' Demon, on which the inversions are supported by arch scaffolding. Nonetheless, the inversions themselves are the same, with the train barreling through a loop followed by two spiraling corkscrews. Soon to be riders will be sent through those same inversions as they secure their restraints. Upon dispatching from the station, the train rounds a ninety degree right turn that leads to the lift hill. The famous Arrow chain lift noise begins as riders are lifted up to about ninety feet. After cresting the top, the train dips down slightly and whisks through another ninety degree right turn. Riders catch a glimpse of I-5 Dive Skycoaster next door before plunging down the first drop. Before long riders find themselves hurtling through a loop. Suddenly rising into another turn, the train banks almost completely sideways as the track leads into the next two inversions. Riders then twist through the double corkscrew before the rise up into a final right turn. The turn leads into the final brake run, concluding the one minute and thirty five second experience. The park's installation of Wild Thing not only provided an exciting looping coaster, but also helped lead the way towards such additional coasters as Timberhawk and Klondike Gold Rusher. Indeed, a thrilling experience awaits riders who dare to take on Wild Thing. |
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