California Screamin' is a steel roller coaster appearing as a wooden roller coaster at Disney's California Adventure Park. California Screamin is also the only Disney outdoor looping roller coaster in North America (Rock 'n' Roller Coaster inverts three times, but is enclosed).
History
The white-by-day/glowing blue-by-night boardwalk-themed coaster was designed by Walt Disney Imagineering, and was built by Intamin AG. California Screamin' is the 6th longest roller coaster in the world (2nd longest steel coaster in the United States), at 6,072 feet (1,850 m) long. It is also the longest ride with an inversion (since the loop has been removed from the 7000+' Son of Beast). Its highest point is 120 feet (37 m) tall (36.5 m) followed by a 108-foot (33 m) drop. The appearance is such that it resembles a wooden coaster, despite clearly being a steel coaster.
This coaster is more uncommon than most, as it uses Linear Induction Motors (LIMs), to launch the train up the first hill, replacing the traditional lift hill chain. The seaside launch ramp also sports a wave-machine that allows waves to crash alongside the rock base of the ramp as well as crashing up onto the trains before launch. This coaster is one of Disney's fastest attractions, accelerating guests from zero to 59 miles per hour (95 km/h) in four seconds at the launch, and like Space Mountain and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster the roller coaster is set to music. California Screamin' is the only inverting ride in the Disneyland Resort. This attraction offers both FASTPASS and Single Rider entrances. Disney has also announced that California Screamin' will continue to operate as part of the 1.1 billion dollar rennovation of the park.
On December 11, 2007, California Screamin' was closed and its bunny hills were temporarily removed due to construction below for Toy Story Midway Mania!.
On February 20, 2009, the ears from the large Mickey Mouse icon behind California Screamin's loop began to be removed, due to the ongoing renovation of the Sun Wheel into Mickey's Fun Wheel, which features a large image of Mickey Mouse's face in its center. On the night of March 12, 2009, a large sign reading "PARADISE PIER" was placed above the loop. On March 26, 2009, all of the golden plates from the Mickey head have been removed and work is progressing on the sunburst illustration that will be the new loop icon. As of April 11, 2009, the sunburst for the loop is done, although the new lighting is yet to be installed. As of May 11, 2009 all of the work is complete for the sun burst.
A detailed look at the roller coaster's loop with the former Mickey Mouse head.
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The California Screamin' roller coaster.
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Rockin' California Screamin'
On January 3, 2007, the standard audio track for California Screamin' was temporarily replaced with a remixed version of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Around the World," and the attraction was renamed Rockin' California Screamin'. This was promoted alongside Rockin' Space Mountain, a similar change made to Space Mountain in Disneyland. These changes were part of the "Rockin' Both Parks" campaign.
Incident
On July 29, 2005, 25 guests were injured when the Red train rear-ended the Purple train. Of the 48 guests aboard the two trains, 15 were taken to local hospitals for treatment of minor injuries. The accident occurred on the section of track about 30 feet (9.1 m) short of the loading station. A full ride stop was activated, Purple train stopped, the brake segment that was supposed to have stopped Red train failed, and Red train continued until it collided with the stopped Purple train.[1] An investigation showed that a faulty brake valve, installed a few days earlier by Disney (not by the ride manufacturer Intamin AG), was the cause.[2]
Attraction facts
- Restraint System: Over-the-Shoulder Restraints (OTSRs)
- Vehicles: 5 - 24 person trains (Red, Yellow, Orange, Blue, and Purple)/2 - 23 Person trains (Both Green)
- Max trains on track: (2001) 6/(2002-Present) 5
- Length: 6,072 feet (1,851 m) (1,850 m)
- Linear Induction Motors Launch length: 215 feet (65.5 m)
- Largest hill/drop: 120 feet/108 feet (36.5 m/33 m)
- Inversions: 1
- Brake Zones: 12
- Top speed: 55 mph (89 km/h) (94.7 km/h)
- Ride duration: 2:34
- Max acceleration: 0 - 55 mph (94.7 km/h) in 4 seconds
Ride layout and experience
The ride begins with the switch/merge track and a slightly banked turn to the left. Here, a wave machine sprays the riders slightly with water from the artificial waterfront. The train stops suddenly, and after a period of time, a voice shouts, "Launch in five, four, three, two, ONE!" and the train launches up a hill and then drops down under the track for a headchopper and curve to the right into a brake zone. This is followed by a right turn and then a drop and a banked turn to the left before riders enter an upslope brake zone and are carried up the rest of the hill with the help of LIM's. This is the ride's highest point, at 120 feet (37 m). The ride drops steeply and curves to the left, followed by an incline to the right and a U-turn. Riders then drop slightly and maneuver through the loop, followed by a rise, some brakes, and another drop. Riders make a wide U-turn to the right, then climb a hill towards the right and enter a brake zone. The riders will then navigate a couple of airtime "bunny" hops and rise to the right into a brake zone, then drop slightly to the left and pass through the camera section, maneuvering a helix, before dropping and curving to the left into the final brake run. The riders will then turn to the left, pass through another brake run, then enter one of the two stations.
California Screamin' uses side-mounted friction brakes on all its brake runs rather than mounting the brakes on the track. In addition to this, stray LIM boosters are placed in the station, and near most brake zones; these include the launch hill (Zone 2) , the lift hill (Zone 4), after the loop (Zone 5), before the bunny hops (Zone 6) , and before the switch track back to the stations (Zone 9).
In 2005 California Screamin received two sets of magnetic brakes to slow the train down before the loop and in brake zone 6. The result is a slower ride.
The 12 Brake Zones in the Attraction are as follows: Immediately after leaving the station, the train is in Zone 1, followed by zone 2.1, the location that the train stops at for launch. The Launch hill is Zone 2.2, followed immediately by Zone 3. Zone 4 is the Lift hill, ending at the top of the lift. Zone 5 includes the loop up until the entrance to the next blue tunnel. Zone 6 continues until right before the bunny hops, with Zone 7 ending just before the final spiral. Zone 8 is the initial slow down point, followed by Zone 9. The Main side of the station (or if you are entering the station on the train, the left side is Zone 10A, while the Spur side of the station is Zone 10B.
Additional facts
- California Screamin' contains over 36 miles (58 km) of electrical wire, and 167 miles (268 km) of individual conductors.
- It took 5.8 million pounds (2.6 million kg) of steel to build California Screamin'.
- There are 11.5 million pounds (5.2 million kg) of concrete in the foundations and the "deepest" foundation is a deep pile of 48 feet (14 m).
- Because Disney's California Adventure is located within a residential zone and must adhere to certain noise restriction guidelines, special "scream" tubes were designed for California Screamin' to prevent all the hollering from being blasted across Anaheim during those thrill portions of the ride that are sure to elicit such a reaction.
- The ride's name is an obvious nod to the song California Dreamin'
- At night, when a vehicle would travel around the loop in front of the former Mickey Mouse head, the lights would dim, lighting up as the vehicle went around the loop, and flashing when the loop was completed.
Notes
- ^ http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/sections/news/focus_in_depth/article_616976.php
- ^ http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20071129&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=111290002&SectionCat=&Template=printart
External links
Coordinates: 33°48′16″N 117°55′19″W / 33.804530°N 117.921950°W / 33.804530; -117.921950
