New Feature .:. Hard Rock Park, Unplugged

[Thrill Reconnoiter]

http://www.rollercoasterpro.com/updates/hardrock/189.jpg



http://www.rollercoasterpro.com/updates/hardrock/192.jpg


(Myrtle Beach, SC) – Tanned skin in bikinis, grumbling Harley’s, sandy shorelines, and now… rock and roll?

That’s exactly what Jon Binkowski had in mind at the conception of Hard Rock Park in 2001. The 55-acre theme park is built on the tract of land that was previously occupied by the Waccamaw Factory Shoppes outlet.


Continue Reading Full Story: http://www.rollercoasterpro.com/articles/hardrockpark/

[Jake]

Fantastic job, Ryan! Both the pictures and the captions were absolutely outstanding.

However, judging by looks alone, this looks like a nicely themed Six Flags park to me.

[JD71]

I want to go to this park more than Cedar Point... Road trip anyone? :p

Awesome update.

[Tom]

Amazing, looks incredible! Zepplin at night just gave me goose bumps.

[rollercoasterfreak91]

This park looks so awesome...I can't wait to see Max RPM get off the ground. Led Zepplin looks incredible in the sunset...I'll just add this to my list of parks I need to visit someday...hmm, looks like I'll need another page. :)

[Thrill Reconnoiter]

I've added a few new panoramas from the park: http://www.rollercoasterpro.com/gallery/pans/


However, judging by looks alone, this looks like a nicely themed Six Flags park to me.
While there may not be the large e-ticket rides like you see in Orlando/Anaheim, it's the subtle details that really make you appreciate how balanced they were on their budget. If you think about it, the pak was built on a budget of two Jurassic River Adventures and a Spider Man. Every restaurant is decorated at/beyond a Universal level, there are more little discoveries hidden around the park, they have excess first-aid/security staff that patrol the park, dedicated employees in kids areas, and just about every queue has AIR CONDITIONING.

Their objective was to start small and build quality, then grow from there. Most of the creative team is from *that* park, and the resume of management is quite impressive. They know what they're after and are pretty down-to-earth on being realistic. When I asked Goodwin about water attractions, he smirked, laughed, and asked if I would like him to to put a swan boat ride in the lagoon. Of course they have a couple thrill rides for the older crowd, but the park wanted to target families. One thing I forgot to mention that Goodwin was able to clarify, the park was built both on investors and loans.


I'll post up my review of Led Zeppelin - The Ride in a few. Quite an interesting story about the attraction.

[Renegade]

Great photos! I like the park, but I agree that it kind of is Six Flags-quality theming. They could have done a little bit more trying to hide the backsides and stuff guests shouldn't see like Universal and Disney do, but Led Zeppelin makes up for everything! :thumbup2:

[Mike T]

Sometimes you have to think of whats more important when you're working on 400 million dollars. Are you going to hide the things that only the small majority will care about or are you going to use that money to make one of the attractions just a little bit better?

[JD71]

One question. Is there a Hard Rock Cafe at the park? :p

[crZythrill3r]

Jealous Jealous Jealous!

I can't wait till I get back!
[Yes, I'm going back again this year]

As I only saw the front section of the park when I went, I can't wait to see the whole thing.

[Michael]

Fantastic Update! :001_cool:

I was really impressed with the magnitude of this park. It really is stunning how much can get done so quickly. Led Zepplin is simply badass. Great photography, I was looking through that section of the update for quite some time :tongue:

And I have a new favorite coaster photo now


http://www.rollercoasterpro.com/updates/hardrock/77.jpg

[Tom]

This is better than Six Flags theming, its amazing. The park looks absolutely AMAZING. I hope to get there next summer.

[Jake]

^ I said nice Six Flags theming, as in it's just a step above Six Flags theming. But I wouldn't give it more credit then that. The park is new, so we'll have to wait a few years before they get everything right I figure.

[Tom]

Honestly, if this is where they start, they are way ahead of where most parks start. I think they after they get where they want theming wise and everything over the next 3-5 years, HRP2 will show up somewhere. More westward in either the city that never sleeps or LA basin.

[Dan]

There's no room in New York City for a whole park, lol.

Hopefully it'll come to us here in Los Angeles!

[Tom]

^I was implying Las Vegas as I thought that was one of its names.

[Thrill Reconnoiter]

One question. Is there a Hard Rock Cafe at the park? :p

He went on to say there are no plans to move the existing Myrtle Beach Hard Rock Café, which “is a successful landmark” as he calls it.
Which makes sense... they're both similar and name-branding are the only thing they'd achieve. But that was just planned for now, in time, who knows what could be brought?


I'll try to give my review of Led Zeppelin - The Ride: Obviously the first thing you notice about the attraction is that it's footprint is pushed to the direct side of the park... so they could keep available room elsewhere. Part of layout goes over water, which isn't entirely noticeable on the ride, but makes a good backdrop when guests pier across the lagoon.

Inside there are five different pre-show rooms. A five and a half minute song in a 90 second attraction was the resulting pre-show, since Led Zeppelin requested the whole song be played. The entire pre-show is about five minutes, with a one minute intro that fades into the first four, or so, minutes of the actual song. The other 90 seconds, or thereabouts, of the song continue onward once the train starts the lift. The pre-show rooms load 'staggered', so when an empty train clears the unload station into the loading dock, there's a pre-show room finishing up. The attraction can actually run three trains on busy days, unlike the newer B&M's that like to refrain. There is an in-line load/unload station inside the blimp.

I tried out different seats in the front, back, and middle, with the back being the winner. Seat "H4" (back row, far right) also seemed to be the most liked with the ride crew, aswell... so I'll judge my review from that seat.

So the actual ride? The first drop is actually really surprising. Out of all the other straight-drop B&M's I've ridden, this is one of the best in the last row. Most like to linger around at the apex of the hill, even in the last row, but if you're lucky enough to sit in the back (middle and front won't do it), it pulls guests over the drop, resulting in a good pop of floater in the drop.

The two vertical loops are not aggressively intense, but they felt 'solid'. The cobra roll was pretty similar in forces. Nothing aggressive, but kind of 'solid'. If you sit in the front row, you'll get some 'hanging' on the half loop out. I'll point it out now that while it may not be the most intense ride, the pacing before the block/MCBR is just fast...which doesn't seem like it'd make sense, but that's B&M perfecting the coaster.

The spiraling camelback (zero-g roll) is actually quite surprising. Anyone can just look at the element and see it's now more a smooth and rounded element, compared to pre-dated elements with a solid "^" point. This will sound a bit ludicrous, but while the element doesn't whip you like other spiraling camelbacks, I really enjoy it. It gives riders a nice floater sensation of just hanging in air and twisting - almost like it goes back to the roots of what the element should be, a "zero-g" roll. The trim brake... I got a heavy train where it came on hard, an empty train where it didn't even come on, and another somewhere in between where it mildly came on. It's very sensitive, but it's just keeping the pacing consistent. Don't go expecting it to be night and day whether the trim is on or off, just expect consistency. That's what it's there for.

I noticed it runs all polyurethane road wheels, so I was lucky enough to run into one of the mechanics, whom I spoke with about the ride. Although they experimented with different combo's and nylon wheels, the train was coming off the block too fast with nylon wheels. If you ride it now, the MCBR has got quite a grab with the poly wheels. I'm sure with another combo it'd really jab the brakes hard. So if you can believe it, the ride does run extremely fast.

The second half of the ride was solid. The flat spin (corkscrew) was smooth, no head banging like some of the other B&M's. It felt like the layout went more into element-into element-into element, rather than just trying to navigate terrain and "find" the next element.

Overall it's a really solid ride and quite good. Getting pumped up to some Led Zeppelin as you wait to ride, then rocking out on your ride, what more could one ask for?

[Tom]

Sounds like a good solid coaster. I mean, getting to listen the 'The Led' on a coaster? Umm yeah, that is pretty much amazing in itself.

[The Storm Runner]

Awesome update, Ryan! The park looks stunning, and the theming is really good as well. Honestly, I never heard of the dark ride, Moody Blues Nights in White Satin The Trip. It looks interesting. Led seems like a fun, solid ride. Thanks for the really splendid pics and reviews! :smile:

[Thrill Reconnoiter]

If you visit the park map, www.hardrockpark.com (http://www.hardrockpark.com), and scroll into the British Invasion section and then Moody Blues Nights in White Satin The Trip (it's in the building), you can click it and bring up a more info page that displays a slight video clip of the attraction (I believe it's CG).

[rollercoasterfreek]

I like the pictures of the Led Zeppelin ride. I almost thought it was a clone of Medusa at SFDK (until the Camelback ends). The "British Invasion" part of the park made me laugh. The theming looked cool. Nice update!

[Curly]

This is my type of park. Great update.

[coastermatt]

Quick question, I watched a POV of Life in the Fast Lane, and I noticed a wild-mouse just sitting in the back of the empty, wet parking lot. Is the park next to a fairground or something?

[Thrill Reconnoiter]

I can't speak assuringly on account of ignorance, but the area you speak of is where we were told the new child's area would be coming.