Dive Coaster

This article is about the roller coaster model. For the Dive Coaster at Chimelong Paradise, see Dive Coaster (Chimelong Paradise). For the Dive Coaster at Happy Valley Shanghai, see Diving Coaster.

Dive Coaster
Griffon, Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Status	In production
First manufactured	1998
No. of installations	14
Manufacturer	Bolliger & Mabillard
Vehicle type	Floorless or normal seats located above the track
Rows	2/3
Riders per row	6/7/8/10
Restraint Style	Over-the-shoulder/Vest restraint
Dive Coaster at RCDB

The Dive Coaster is a steel roller coaster model developed and engineered by Bolliger & Mabillard. The design features one or more near-vertical drops that are approximately 90 degrees, which provide a moment of free-falling for passengers. The experience is enhanced by unique trains that seat up to ten riders per row, spanning only two or three rows total. Unlike traditional train design, this distinguishing aspect gives all passengers virtually the same experience throughout the course of the ride. Another defining characteristic of Dive Coasters is the holding brake at the top of the lift hill that holds the train momentarily right as it enters the first drop, suspending some passengers with a view looking straight down and releasing suddenly moments later.

Development of the Dive Coaster began between 1994 and 1995 with Oblivion at Alton Towers opening on March 14, 1998, making it the world's first Dive Coaster. The trains for this type of coaster are relatively short consisting of two to three cars. B&M also uses floorless trains on this model to enhance the experience. As of May 10, 2024, seventeen Dive Coasters have been built, with the newest being Iron Menace at Dorney Park which features a drop of 152 feet or 46 meters. Featuring a height of 68 m (223 ft), a length of 1,105 m (3,625 ft), and a maximum speed of 130 km/h (81 mph), Yukon Striker, as of 2019, was the world's tallest, longest, and fastest Dive Coaster.

Baron 1898, a themed dive coaster at Efteling in The Netherlands

History

According to Walter Bolliger, development of the Dive Coaster began between 1994 and 1995. On March 14, 1998, the world's first Dive Coaster, Oblivion, opened at Alton Towers. Though Oblivion is classified as a Dive Coaster, it does not have a true vertical drop as the drop angle is 87-degrees. Two years later, the second Dive Coaster built, Diving Machine G5, opened at Janfusun Fancyworld and also does not have a vertical drop. In 2005, SheiKra opened at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and was the first Dive Coaster to feature a 90-degree drop and a splashdown element. In 2007, Busch Gardens Williamsburg announced that Griffon would be the first ever Dive Coaster to feature floorless trains and SheiKra would have its trains replaced with floorless ones. In 2011, the first 'mini' Dive Coaster opened at Heide Park Resort, named Krake. Unlike other Dive Coasters, Krake has smaller trains consisting of three rows of six riders. In 2019, Yukon Striker at Canada's Wonderland was the first Dive Coaster to feature a vertical loop, allowing it to have the most inversions on a Dive Coaster with four in total. On July 30 2022, Dr. Diabolical’s Cliffhanger at Six Flags Fiesta Texas is the first B&M Dive Coaster to feature a beyond vertical (95°) drop and 7-across seating.

Design

An example of a floorless Dive Coaster train on SheiKra

The design of a Dive Coaster can vary slightly from one to another. Depending on the amusement park's request, one row on the train can seat anywhere from 6 to 10 riders. Stadium seating is also used to give every rider a clear view. Next, compared to standard Bolliger & Mabillard 4 abreast cars, because of the extra weight of each train on a Dive Coaster, the size of the track must be larger than other B&M models (such as the Hyper Coaster) to support the weight. At the top of the primary vertical drop, a braking system holds the train for 3 to 5 seconds, giving riders a view of the drop ahead before being released into the drop.

In the station, Dive Coasters that use non-floorless trains simply use a standard station. With Dive Coasters that use floorless trains, in order to allow riders to load and unload the train, a movable floor is necessary. Because the front row has nothing in front of it to stop riders from walking over the edge of the station, a gate is placed in front of the train to prevent this from happening. Once all the over-the-shoulder restraints are locked, the gate opens and the floor separates into several pieces and moves underneath the station. When the next train enters the station, the gate is closed and the floors are brought back up where the next riders board.

Installations

Bolliger & Mabillard has built sixteen Dive Coasters as of 2023.

Name	Park	Country	Opened	Status
Oblivion	Alton Towers	United Kingdom	March 14, 1998	Operating
Diving Machine G5	Janfusun Fancyworld	Taiwan	March 29, 2000	Operating
SheiKra	Busch Gardens Tampa Bay	United States	May 21, 2005	Operating
Griffon	Busch Gardens Williamsburg	United States	May 18, 2007	Operating
Dive Coaster	Chimelong Paradise	China	January 21, 2008	Operating
Diving Coaster	Happy Valley Shanghai	China	August 16, 2009	Operating
Krake	Heide Park	Germany	April 16, 2011	Operating
Oblivion: The Black Hole	Gardaland	Italy	March 28, 2015	Operating
Baron 1898	Efteling	Netherlands	June 30, 2015	Operating
Valravn	Cedar Point	United States	May 7, 2016	Operating
Flying Apsaras in Western Region	Happy Valley Chengdu	China	February 10, 2018	Operating
Draken	Gyeongju World	South Korea	May 1, 2018	Operating
Valkyria	Liseberg	Sweden	August 10, 2018	Operating
Yukon Striker	Canada's Wonderland	Canada	May 3, 2019	Operating
Emperor	SeaWorld San Diego	United States	March 12, 2022	Operating
Dr. Diabolical’s Cliffhanger	Six Flags Fiesta Texas	United States	July 30, 2022	Operating
Iron Menace	Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom	United States	May 10, 2024	Operating
Wrath of Rakshasa	Six Flags Great America	United States	2025	Under Construction

Similar coasters

HangTime, a Gerstlauer roller coaster located at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, has been marketed as "the first dive coaster on the West Coast".

In 2018, Golden Horse, a Chinese amusement ride manufacturer infamous for creating knock-off coasters and rides, installed a Dive Coaster at Great Xingdong Tourist World. The trains contain four cars, each seating 6 riders per row, compared to B&M dive coasters, which have two or three cars per train.

See also

• Floorless Coaster, a type of roller coaster also designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, that features floorless trains.

External links

• Official website