One thing that will get me interested in a coaster is if it is situated in a compact space. I find it fascinating how a rollercoaster can often be squeezed into a small plot of land or worked into the surroundings of a park. I think no coaster better symbolizes this than Dæmonen at Tivoli Gardens in Denmark.
Photo Courtesy of Malte Hübner
Dæmonen opened in April of 2004 at the cost of $12 million and was one of the most costly investments in the park’s recent history. A Bolliger and Mabillard floorless coaster, Dæmonen surely added a new dimension to the skyline of the park, but the ride keeps low to the ground and blends nicely with its surrounding area.
As you can see, Dæmonen features a very compact layout that crosses over and under itself more than once. The ride is only 92 feet tall and features a 65 foot drop, which is nicely separated by a helix over the onlookers below. The ride features three back-to-back inversions: an inverted loop, an immelman, and a zero-g roll.
The coaster reaches a max speeed of 48 mph and the entire ride experience is over in less than a minute, but I’ve heard great things from those who have ridden this small Bolliger & Mabillard product. Hopefully other small parks will follow suit and build mini floorless coasters into their landscape.
I went on this in denmark on vacation-it was a great introduction to floorlessness for me!