Sound off: Are Dive Coasters Mid or Misunderstood?

I'm in the misunderstood camp. Dives are loved by the GP because they provide intense thrills that are accessible. They're not violent ejector machines but they still are are in the "high thrill" category. They dominate the skyline and add visual appeal to any park as well. Parks should have a diverse lineups that offer a wide range of experiences. Not every single coaster should be a record-breaking airtime machine that only appeals to enthusiasts. And I believe that a *true* enthusiast should recognize and appreciate this; how capable these amazing machines that we claim to love are at providing so many different kinds of experiences and sensations. That, to me anyways, is the spirit of being an enthusiast. Loving coasters and what they do regardless of their size, speed, elements, etc.

I’m a coaster nerd and still think they’re highly underrated by enthusiasts

You explained this very well, a lot of people do not understand that dive coasters are more about anticipation more than anything

I love dive coasters, and I will always defend them. I prefer hangtime to ejector airtime, and this model works perfectly for that, on both the drops and the inversions.

If my home park was rumored to get a headliner and then they announced a dive coaster I would be disappointed. But I always try to ride them at parks that have one and find them highly enjoyable. Reliable, fun, high throughput. Great ride model.

I love dive machines, Sheikra is one of my favorite coasters in the world, it's just fun

I wouldn’t say it’s Mid. It’s more of a Mid Course Break Fun

They are capacity machines. So whether they’re mid or not is irrelevant. They are here to stay, so we gotta appreciate what they are and what they do.

yukon striker is a really good dive coaster, probably the best one. Dive coasters have potential

Im going to Alton towers with a group of friends from work and Oblivion is the most talked about ride, still has the fear factor with general public.

i've only been on griffon before, but i think dive coasters are great. those three seconds of hang time imo is what makes it work. it makes for a fun photo op with a large group of friends, also. in BGW, in particular, the coaster is placed in a great spot so that it really stands out and is menacing. it's strategically placed next to a lot of sitting/eating areas, so that your less excited friends and family can sit back and still get excitement out of watching the ride

Hey! Just got here from the youtube recommended page. Your channel definitely deserves a sub, I really like this analytic and informational content! I'm glad I made it here!

I absolutely adore oblivion. It is such an incredible feeling and so terrifying. My 2nd favourite at towers

just rode griffon yesterday and it was very fun, not in my top 3 but it was gracefull and just fun, and the pause and drop were phenomenal. All my friends who were scared went and they loved it

Thank you for making a whole video about dive coasters they are amazing

This video earned you a sub! Fantastic job and I can’t wait to watch the rest of your portfolio!

That Oblivion ad is unmatched!

The Loop on Yukon Striker is a tribute to the roller coaster it replaced called Skyrider

I went on Yukon Striker yesterday for the first time and that had me floating like in my dreams

Yes you are right there is something special when you watch them. I love riding them but also just standing in the park and watching the dive coaster pass me by is beautiful and the feeling is undescribable

It’s a unique experience to be positioned tightly together with a bunch of other riders in a square formation like a container of spam, and being able to fall vertically into a water feature or tunnel and do a few smooth inversions that are designed to have a bit of hang time.

Shiekra is sentimental, and my favorite to ride first when i go to BGT. Really shocks the system into being into coaster mode

Wow, this was a great video! I am part of the misunderstood camp. I feel like every type of coaster has their place.

My brother liked Dr Diabolical's Cliffhanger.

I personally love dive coasters for the drop, yes I know that they are “1 trick ponies” but those are some of the best drops ever, both the dives I’ve been on (Griffon and ValRavn) place inside my top 20

Misunderstood, admittedly the only one I’ve been on is Oblivion. Yes it’s a one trick pony, but that one trick delivers some spectacular airtime.

Hope that B&M Dive Giga will come Also Zero-G rolls on dives are so good, the one on baron is so whippy on a edge seat

I think a coaster with multiple of those dives would be great

Oblivion at Alton towers wasn't my first thrill ride, nor my first coaster but it sure gave me a feeling that no other coaster has given me since. That forceful momentum and beautifully smooth transition into a bank really does it for me, the fact that its so short means I can just bath in the feeling of that heavy drop feeling. No worries of other elements after to distract or take away from what seems so simple, but yet so effective. I came to the conclusion of what exactly is a "dive coaster" and when does it become something else. Winged coasters are winged and the experience is being off to the side of the track, wild mouse are universally twisty and windy, and Dive coasters DIVE, adding additional elements is like adding fluff, jamming it into some where it doesnt fit. Sheikra Is cool for having 2 drops, but going into a hangtime loop really destroys that DIVE feeling, turning it into any other feeling you could get on any other ride, at that point its just a fat coaster, its like drops on hypercoasters, are they now dive coasters if their drop exceed 80 degrees? I think thats silly to conclude. Therefore Oblivion will always (to me) be the best, original and first DIVE coaster (Despite not being exactly 90, as if that matters) and I think Americas over the top adding of height does nothing but exclude rides for thrill seekers that just would rather not be 200miles into the sky on an empty metal track. Also dive coasters looping, or inverting just looks odd. Its like watching a fat man do a flip. (I would like to point out though that I dislike hangtime heavily, and any amount of hangtime makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable, Dive coasters are one of those coasters that are perfect without inversions and feels bastardised when designing literally all of them with large loops and/or hangtime elements)

I love ValRavn it's actually one of my favorite rollercoasters. Currently it's in my top 10 historically. Keep in mind I've only visited Kentucky Kingdom, Kings Island, Holiday World, and Cedar Point amongst Amusement Parks.

I think something that most enthusiasts don't consider is that roller coasters aren't built for us. They're meant to appeal to the average person, and a roller coaster that suspends you over a giant vertical drop draws a lot of attention, which is the reason why parks build roller coasters in the first place

Oblivion is my second favourite coaster in the park. The drop is like nothing else including other dives. Sheikra is in my top 5

I definitely put dive coasters in the MID category, especially the mini-dive coasters like Emperor. When the biggest selling point is the freefall and hanging sensation, that means they need to have height. Dive coasters less than 200 ft don't really provide much of it and the overall layout is much shorter also. I have yet to go on Yukon Striker, but I feel a dive coaster would only be exciting at 250 ft+. They also say that you hang at 90 degrees, but even in the front row you really aren't. I would say the best free-fall sensation for a roller coaster would probably have to be on the Vekoma Tilt coasters. The slow crawl out to the end of the track and the tilt down has to be more intimidating as it even looks that way in the POVs.

One of my best coaster rides was a Sheikra downpour ride

CP is the home park, I hate valraven and i absolutely love shiekra. I don’t know how or why B&M thought it was a good idea to change what they were doing. Even with griffon, the layout is just cool to watch. With valraven I just get so bored.

Only been on one (griffon) but that first drop is so much fun

I LOVED going to Busch Gardens on a slow day and just lapping sheikra! Love the free fall and the smoothness of it all. Don't get me wrong I also love the fun whippy ejector rides like Iron Gwazi and Steel vengence, but sometimes I just like to close my eyes have my hands out and pretend I'm flying. Don't understand the hate Dives have gotten

I've only been on Valravn and Griffon, but I love them both. I actually preferred Valravn to Steel Vengeance when I went to Cedar Point because Steel Vengeance was way too intense for me.

I think the taller the better Val at cp has a awesome view and the first drop is great

All coaster types have their strengths and specializations. I just wish dive coasters would lean into their primary selling point more. Oblivion was cool because it went underground, and while that's a maintenance nightmare, they could at least have a taller drop in general

I love how the main attraction of candas wonderland is the leviathan, but people don’t talk about the nightmare-ish record-breaking dive coaster out of hell (Yukon striker) in my opinion, YS is way scarier. 4 inversions, a dive, and don’t forget the two drops and sideways corkscrew

So was Sheikra the very first coaster with a true vertical drop? Or was there another one before this?

They’re fine with me. A ride like Yukon or Sheikra should be considered a top 3 ride at most parks, except maybe if ur park is huge and has some world class stuff. Having said that, it really is the drop thats what you go for. The only parts I really enjoy on Yukon are the drop and the zero g roll. Sheikra is arguably more enjoyable

I love Sheikra

I LOVE dive coasters!

Gonna try Griffon at BGW as my first coaster... Seriously, I've never been on one. I'm missing out.

Just love Sheikra!

The holding brake was added at a cost of £10000 on Oblivion.during the design stage

For me it depends on which Dive Coaster I'm on. I've been to BG Williamsburg several times and I can't get enough of Griffon. It's one of my absolute favorites at the park, and In fact I like it better than Pantheon it's just so much fun. But Valravn at Cedar Point for some reason does absolutely NOTHING for me. I enjoy Sheikra as well and I TRIED to ride Doctor Diabolical at Six Flags Fiesta Texas recently but it was closed all day. Overall, I enjoy dive coasters I think.

They are designed to have good drops and they have good drops so what is wrong. Similar with Intamin accelerators, they are designed to have powerful launches and they do. They mostly have short layouts but they are all about the launch

I love the vertical drops of the dive coasters. But I don't get any thrill from the stops before the drop. The second stop is almost pointless. I'll rather take the brake run off and just let it continue through without having the 2nd dive

I feel like The Barron is a perfect fit at Eftaling

Dives can be really great. I definitely prefer Griffon over Apollo’s Chariot. Not saying dives are usually better than hypers but just goes to show when done right dives can be top tier

Im so Biased as i lived off of Yukon striker so I was celebrating when you showed it

Whilst i enjoy dive coaster for their free-fall feeling i will admit I think dive coasters need a lot of theming to really seal the deal. The reason oblivion is so popular with the gp is also the build up of anticipation and genuine fear. Talking to non-enthusiasts in england, oblivion is the most terrifying ride they can imagine. And if you know the theming to oblivion you will know that plays a huge part in that

Just a thought but imagine if they had a backwards dive coaster. For me would make it a must ride coaster.

Sheikra and Griffon in the back row on either far end of the row, there's nothing else like those drops with the old restraints if you leave some room on purpose. Ejected from the seat and float 200 ft down. Noticed new dives vest restraints pin you down too much for that true "free fall" feeling.

Comparing the Yukon loop to Copperhead loop? Personally for me, I find the Yukon loop to be intense and you’re pinned to your seat, whereas the Copperhead loop you eject out and feel like you’re gonna fall out.

I think it depends. If a Dive Coaster Just have the dive and 2 or 3 other elements, they are very short. No problem, if you have no waiting time. But If you have ... On the other side: If it is a full fledged coaster with a great design, it is a great coaster none the less.

Imagine a 180° drop on one, or even 360°… No wait that would cause red outs. But it could be on a flying coaster.

Does "Diving Coaster Vanish" count as a dive coaster to you? Or only vertical drop coasters?

Amazing. I enjoy rhem, but would love better pacing seems like Dorney got it right

I think dive coasters are awesome. Even as someone who isnt scared of coasters it is just exciting to sit on the fron row and look down. This is especially cool on oblivion as you can look into the pit below but when goinng up the ligt hill and towards the drop it is alwayts nicve to take in the views of the park.

The scariest part about dive coasters is the ungodly noise on the way up 😂😂😂

I love yukon striker at my home park, and I loved sheikra when I went to busch gardens. They are overhated by enthusiasts imo

If Dive coasters are to be a thing then themeing is definitely part of that element of success!

team misunderstood by enthusiast , but there is a point to be made why some think they are mid, the big 200+ feet dives especially the early ones drop down 200+ feet ,into a immelman and turn into midcourse/second drop thats not that great followed by a couple turns and small hills , maybe an inversion , but the pacing is gone and so are the forces/hangtime. valravn was the first one to actually have a good post midcourse section but still not great , yukon striker is the first of the big dives that actually uses big elements after the first drop and immelman witch makes it one of the best. the problem with dive's with a midcourse is that it takes all the force, pacing and excitement away , yukon striker does that right , keeping the pacing and excitement in the first section , its still not perfect though , the midcourse and drop with a helix into the station could have been another element instead of a boring weak section. Yukon striker is how a 230+ feet dive coaster should be, however 25 mil in 2019 for dive coaster is a lot of money , i wouldnt be suprised if striker is the last of the 230+ feet dives. However enthusiast have been shitting on the "mini" dives for years now , while atleast in my opinion (apart from yukon striker) are far better overall , they have far better pacing , better elements and forces (except for the first drop ofc) and cost a lot less money for the parks. look at Valkyria or iron menace , 150ish feet drop no midcourse brake run and second drop, 3-4 inversions 2200-2500 feet of the track , packed with forces ,hang time and excitement. unless a park is going al out and spending 30+mil to build one like yukon striker (pls don't way better options at that kind of money) stop caring about how tall the first drop is gonna be ,150ft and a great layout with 3-4 inversions and no midcourse is way more fun then a coaster with a big drop and shitty second sector

0:16 RIP to the person that lost the hat :(....

They need to be one row and have multiple hangs and run more trains by being longer.

after watching several coaster channels review these dive coaster I feel like the general consensus is that the smaller dive machines are higher rated by the enthusiasts. they especially seem to think Emperor is superior. you are probably correct that dive coasters are misunderstood. perhaps because some of the channels put more value on air time rather than hang time? it comes down to what you like. some riders like airtime and laterals. some like hang time. when you get older you prefer a smoother ride rather than a bumpy one. some people can't take the high thrills and prefer a tamer coaster

I feel like most of them miss the point of the original which was to plummet into a pitch black hole, it adds way more intensity than just a dive.

That SheiKra ad looks like it was made with Windows Movie Maker

I wanna see the giga dive coaster come to Kings Island to take Vortex old spot

I think dive coasters are fun! Speaking from an enthusiast, I love the free fall sensation. It’s so fun. The inversions and meandering are, quite satisfying in my opinion. Not overly intense, just fast and fun! My first and only one I’ve done was SheiKra.

Honestly, they’re definitely not bad but not one of my favs. I don’t like them as much as other coasters because the dive is the only thrill. I prefer longer ride durations and more thrills.

There's nothing quite like Oblivion's drop, dropping vertically into that tunnel takes your breath away. Other dive coasters start to level out by the time it reaches it's head chopper moment at the bottom, but Oblivion is face first into the floor.

Personally, I dont really enjoy dive coasters because the main gimmick of the vertical drop and being held over it for a time dosent really scare me. Ive ridden valraven at cedar point and I remember being wholey disappointed (I was also stapled). Despite the height, the drop is still weak because of the lack of speed going into it.

I rode Valravn today, and it was only okay From a business perspective though, they work

Yukon Striker might be my current favourite at Wonderland.

I love sheirka too this day

They're great usually. One of the "worst" ones I've ridden is Valravn just cause it's still designed for float, but has vests. Looks like B&M wants vests so the newer ones seem to be a slight bit more forceful to compensate.. so if I get to ride a newer one, I'd expect them to be just as fun (but different) as Griffon and Sheikra. I'm not saying Valravn is a bad coaster. Don't misunderstand this. It's a good ride, but just the worst of the few I've done

6:40 aww... that guys hat...

Valerie Raven at da point rocks

Okay woah this video w headphones is like binaural audio

They not mid they just not airtime machines and thats all enthusiasts care about now

I really enjoy dive coasters, the only thing i dislike is the new vest restraints, Sheikra and Griffon are great, but valravn is just meh

It amazes me that Oblivion is still the only coaster in the world that enters a tunnel vertically, as that drop is the only dive machine that feels special. It's a massive shame that there isn't an underground speed hill and immelman emerging from the ground. Still, it's the most thrilling element on any coaster in the UK imo

Anybody else see the hat fly off at 6:45 😂

I never rode sheikra till it went floorless

0:17 someone lose their hat?

There mid. Ill do them. Can be fun. But very mid. Ive never came off one dizzy and with that feeling of extreme joy. I think dive coaster could be a good rip rod rocket replacement. Do a dive coaster with mutli dives and show rooms all over. The way the train is shaped would be perfect to make it a / dark ride. That would be epic.

06:45 - No loose articles for a reason! I live dive coasters though! You're too spoilt in the US! 😂

The wide train design is why it takes most inversions slowly People in the outer seats would have an awful experience if those twists happen with to much rotational Speed.

I'd personally say half-and-half. You're never going to have a dive coaster top the list of "best coasters" unless some sort of drastic new innovation happens with them. But, I mean, after the vertical drop you've basically got a B&M floorless with extra-wide trains, and those are always at least solid even if they're "nothing special" these days. Well, you do unless your local dive coaster is Oblivion or its clone, then it really is a one-trick pony.

Try cannibal it is crazy

Like the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Big One, which rides like a bone braking fast monorail and the public love, is similarsame with the novelty of a vertical drop, the core demand isnt roller coster connoisseur who spent half their childhood playing rct. Its the average cheap thrill seeker who are a lot easier to please, that is their market. You could have cut the video after the first minute, if there was no return, parks wouldn't invest millions building more of them.

I always thought they were neat, didnt know people didnt like them

0:20 ahem

I’m just gonna keep it a buck fifty on the Whitney. I think dive coasters are no good. Like I’m going for the thrill, and dive coasters just don’t accomplish that for me. Valravn? That ride is straight up boring. Dive coasters are very short and predictable. The only decent part of the ride is the first drop, and then after that it just follows up by hitting trim brakes and doing the same non intensive drop until it ends. The concept is there, but it just isn’t exhilarating at all. I wanna feel like the coaster is out of control and I’m in risk of danger. Dive coasters are very mellow and tame