Kentucky Kingdom announced plans today for Storm Chaser, the park’s fifth roller coaster. The park has enlisted Rocky Mountain Construction to use portions of the former Twisted Twins coaster to build the new coaster.
“Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) is on the leading edge of coaster design and engineering, admired by both coaster enthusiasts and industry professionals,” said John Mulcahy, the park’s Director of Marketing and Communication.
See the new coaster’s layout and special elements in the diagram below:
The coaster will utilize RMC’s “iBox” track system, replacing the wooden track with steel beams:
“What makes Storm Chaser so special is that it will have RMC’s unique and patented iBox track, which will rest on wood, creating the “feel” of a wooden coaster, but will be supported by a steel superstructure.”
“This yields a ride that’s smooth as glass, yet also very fast and intense. The iBox track also allows for the addition of exciting elements not normally associated with traditional wooden coasters.”
The original Twisted Twins opened in 1998. It was the only dueling coaster made by the now-defunct Custom Coasters International group. Each side stood 80 feet tall and featured 3,000 feet of track.
Watch an animated video of Storm Chaser in action below:
Storm Chaser is a new category of “RMC makeovers,” as it will be built onto a steel structure rather than a traditional wooden support structure. It’s also the first non-Six Flags park to receive RMC’s iBox treatment.
Storm Chaser will stand 100 feet tall (20 feet taller than Twisted Twins) and will be the first of its kind in America to include a barrel roll drop – at a 78-degree angle of descent.
“But that’s just the beginning,” Mulchay said. “That first roll is followed by a stall dive, a tip-out corner, airtime hills, a twisted airtime drop, and even a corkscrew, features that simply can’t be offered on traditional wooden coasters.”
“Storm Chaser would normally cost as much as $15 million all-in but we’re saving money by using some of the existing superstructure from Twisted Twins,” said Kentucky Kingdom president and CEO Ed Hart. “However, because of the new configuration, taller lift hill, and many other innovative features, we are essentially redesigning and building a new coaster.”
Fred Grubb, co-founder and “chief innovator” of RMC, said that Storm Chaser will be “one of the most exciting coasters” the company has ever built.
Construction and demolition work has already begun on the former Twisted Twins structure. Storm Chaser is expected to open in the spring of 2016.
Storm Chaser will join the park’s other four coasters: the Thunder Run wooden coaster, T3, the park’s newly reopened Vekoma suspended looping coaster, the Lightning Run steel coaster and the family-friendly Roller Skater.
For more information, visit Kentucky Kingdom’s website.
What do you think of Storm Chaser? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Looks good, still puzzled by the fact that they’re just keeping a single track, while Twisted Twins was a very mediocre looking dueler, it did have two dueling elements. But overall this is an excellent addition to Kentucky Kingdom.
Yeah, I was trying to figure out the locations where it would have dueled and it looks like bottom of first drop, then somewhere in the middle of the course and that’s it. I don’t think the dueling aspect will be missed. -Nick
I don’t know how I feel about this coaster. I was expecting a dueling or one extra long coaster, so I feel a little underwhelmed. But I can see this coaster doing great in this park and I bet it will be a great ride, so on that part I am very excited. What do you guys this the chances that this coaster will be expanded in the near future? I’m thinking for example: adding a second dueling track or doubling the track length for one extra long ride.
What do you guys think?!?!
Storm Chaser replaces Twisted Twins… upping Kentucky Kingdom’s coaster count to 5 in 2016. KK already has Thunder Run, Roller Skater, Lightning Run, and T3. 2016 looks like it ought to be another good year for theme park coasters.
It looks like a winner. I’ll have to make it to the Ville next season.
@Jeremy Although it would be cool to make it longer or duel, the chances of that actually happening are 0%.
Thanks Nick. I was at the park yesterday and it looks like they have taken down or they are repurposing the track and using both sides. I think this is going to be a very fun coaster. And I agree I think this is the whole “cake”
… And note we wait until September 3rd to hear the formal announcement of what’s going to replace Roar. Even though we know what it is.
… And now we wait until September 3rd to hear the formal announcement of what’s going to replace Roar. Even though we know what it is. Sorry. Autocorrect sucks.
I love this coaster. I haven’t ridden one in almost 7 years and Storm Chaser really rekindled my love for coasters. Way to go KK