Fury 325

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Fury 325
Fury 325 logo.png
Carowinds-Fury325Entry.JPG
Fury 325's entrance plaza
Carowinds
LocationCarowinds
Coordinates35°06′20″N 80°56′33″W / 35.10548°N 80.94246°W / 35.10548; -80.94246Coordinates: 35°06′20″N 80°56′33″W / 35.10548°N 80.94246°W / 35.10548; -80.94246
StatusOperating
Soft opening dateMarch 25, 2015 (2015-03-25)
Opening dateMarch 28, 2015 (2015-03-28)
Cost$30,000,000
General statistics
TypeSteel
ManufacturerBolliger & Mabillard
ModelHyper Coaster
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height325 ft (99 m)
Drop320 ft (98 m)
Length6,602 ft (2,012 m)
Speed95 mph (153 km/h)
Inversions0
Max vertical angle81°
Capacity1470 riders per hour
Height restriction54 in (137 cm)
Trains3 trains with 8 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train.
Fury 325 at RCDB
Pictures of Fury 325 at RCDB

Fury 325 is a steel roller coaster located at Carowinds amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, Fury 325 opened to the public on March 28, 2015. It features a 6,602-foot-long (2,012 m) track that reaches a maximum height of 325 feet (99 m), making it the fifth-tallest roller coaster in the world and the tallest overall among roller coasters that use a traditional chain lift hill. Riders experience speeds of up to 95 miles per hour (153 km/h), winding through high-speed curves and passing over and under the park's main entrance. Fury 325 has also been voted the world's best steel coaster in Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards for four consecutive years beginning in 2016, ending Millennium Force's six-year streak.

History[]

Sections of track waiting to be installed in 2014

In September 2012, the Charlotte City Council discussed plans for a proposed roller coaster in one of its meetings and it was revealed the ride would cost approximately $30 million.[1] In a closed-session meeting, it was mentioned that the roller coaster would stand 70 feet (21 m) higher than the park's Intimidator roller coaster which stands at 232 feet (71 m), meaning the new coaster would be 302 feet (92 m) high.[2] On October 18, January 23, 2014, and June 9, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, the owners of Carowinds,[3] filed trademark applications for the names Centurion, Fury, and Fury 325.[4][5][6] In February, the Centurion trademark was suspended after another trademark application using the same name was found by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.[4][7] In July, the blueprints for Fury 325 were leaked showing the exact layout of the roller coaster.[8] At the beginning of August, the park sent a beekeeper to deliver a partially burnt bug net with a card saying, "you're gonna need a much bigger net to capture the thrills of the 2015 Carowinds season", to several media outlets in the Charlotte area.[9] On August 12, a microsite on Carowinds' website was found advertising a new ride called Centurion.[10] A similar hoax was conducted by Kings Island leading up to the announcement of Banshee in 2013.[11]

Carowinds officially announced Fury 325 on August 22, 2014, at an event held at the park's Harmony Hall Marketplace.[12]

The first piece of track was installed on September 29, 2014. Within the week, the structure for the storage track was erected.[13] By October 22, the majority of the brake run was complete; two days later the final pieces for the section were put into place.[14][15] By October 26, the base of the lift hill was installed.[16] On December 4, the lift hill and first drop were completed.[17] On January 30, 2015, the final piece of Fury 325's track was put in place. Fury 325 completed its first test run on March 4, 2015.[18] On March 25, 2015, Carowinds held the coaster's media day.[19]

Ride experience[]

Once the train is loaded and secured, it dispatches from the station and immediately passes over the transfer track. Afterwards, the train climbs the 325-foot (99 m) chain lift hill. Once at the top, the train drops toward the ground at an 81-degree angle reaching a maximum speed of approximately 95 miles per hour (153 km/h). Following the drop, the train enters a 190-foot (58 m) high barrel turn. It then travels through a high speed s-curve, making its way to the park's north entrance. Passing over the entrance, the train makes a banked turn to the left leading into a 157-foot (48 m) high horseshoe. At the top of the horseshoe, the train hits a 91-degree angle before dropping toward the ground and under the entrance pathway. It then enters a second banked turn to the left, reaching a height of 101 feet (31 m). Following a straight section of track, the train goes over a 111-foot (34 m) camelback hill and makes a near-180-degree turn. It then enters a second camelback hill, followed by a left turn into a third camelback hill that ends with the final brake run. The train makes a 180-degree turn as it returns to the station. According to Carowinds, the total ride time is three minutes and 25 seconds.[16][20][21][22][23]

Characteristics[]

Track[]

The steel track of Fury 325 is 6,602 feet (2,012 m) long and the lift is 325 feet (99 m) high. Due to the ride's height and proximity to Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the park had to receive approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to build the attraction.[24] The track is mostly teal with a lime-green bottom, while the supports are white.[16][25] A total of 3,400 U.S. gallons (13,000 l; 2,800 imp gal) of paint was used and the total weight of the track is approximately 2,700 metric tons (3,000 short tons). The roller coaster uses approximately 8.4 acres (3.4 ha; 0.0131 sq mi) of land.[25][26]

Trains[]

Fury 325 operates with three open-air, steel and fiberglass trains, each containing eight cars.[16][25] Each car seats four riders in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train.[16] Every seat has its own lap bar restraint and seat belt.[25] This configuration of trains gives the roller coaster a theoretical capacity of 1,470 riders per hour.[16][26]

Theme[]

The roller coaster is themed after a hornet: riders chase their target at high speeds, similar to a hornet. The inspiration came from the American Revolution when Charlotte was "a hornet's nest of rebellion".[12][22] Despite the teal color of the track matching the teal of the Charlotte Hornets logo, Carowinds did not say if the NBA team had any influence on the final color scheme of the ride. The team's original name had been restored from "Charlotte Bobcats" for the 2014–15 NBA season.[12][27]

Records[]

Fury 325 set new records and came close to breaking others when it opened in 2015. It became the world's tallest giga coaster – a roller coaster that exceeds 300 feet (91 m) in height[28] – surpassing Steel Dragon 2000 by 6.7 feet (2.0 m).[22][29][30] Its maximum speed of 95 mph (153 km/h) ties it with Steel Dragon 2000 for being the fastest among roller coasters with a traditional lift hill.[31] As of 2019, Fury 325 is the seventh fastest, fifth tallest, and fourth longest roller coaster in the world.[29][31][32] In North American rankings, the roller coaster is the tallest, fastest, and longest among non-launched, steel roller coasters.[33][34][35]

Fury 325 is also the tallest to be built by Bolliger & Mabillard, following on the heels of the company's first giga coaster, Leviathan at Canada's Wonderland, which opened in 2012. Leviathan reaches a maximum height of 306 feet (93 m).[22][36][37]

Reception[]

Initial reception following the announcement of the ride was positive. Chip Sieczko, a representative from American Coaster Enthusiasts, said, "This is not a Carolina story, this is not a national story. This is an international deal. It's going to be insane."[38] Arthur Levine from About.com stated that the roller coaster will make an impression at the front of the park.[39]

Awards[]

Fury 325 claimed the Best New Ride of 2015 from the 2015 Golden Ticket Awards (GTA), ranking fourth overall among steel coasters.[40] It was voted the best overall steel roller coaster in the same awards publication the following year, and has retained the top position ever since.[41]

Golden Ticket Awards: Top steel Roller Coasters
Year 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Ranking 4[42] 1[43] 1[44] 1[45] 1[46]

References[]

  1. ^ Elkins, Ken (September 12, 2013). "Carowinds could get city, county incentives for planned $50M expansion". Charlotte Business Journal. Archived from the original on August 11, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  2. ^ Steve Harrison, Steve (September 18, 2013). "New Carowinds ride to be 70 feet taller than Intimidator". Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 22, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  3. ^ "Cedar Fair Properties". Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. Archived from the original on August 22, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b "Centurion". United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  5. ^ "Fury". United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  6. ^ "Fury 325". United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  7. ^ "U.S. Trademark Application NO. 86094874 - Centurion - 20884-600 Suspension Letter". United States Patent and Trademark Office. February 4, 2014. Archived from the original on August 22, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. ^ Hart, Lance. "Carowinds". Screamscape. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  9. ^ Don Worthington, Don (August 6, 2014). "Carowinds drops clues to tease 'major announcement'". Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 7, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  10. ^ "Centurion Homepage". Carowinds. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  11. ^ ""The Bat" Hoax Website". Kings Island. 2013. Archived from the original on August 22, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b c Janes, Théoden (August 21, 2014). "Carowinds to get one of the world's tallest, fastest coasters". Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 22, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  13. ^ "Fury 325 - Day 1 & 5 Photos". Facebook. Carowinds. October 3, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
  14. ^ "Fury 325 - Brake Run". Facebook. Carowinds. October 22, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
  15. ^ "Fury 325 - Brake Run Complete". Facebook. Carowinds. October 24, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Marden, Duane. "Fury 325  (Carowinds)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  17. ^ "Fury 325 topped off". Twitter. Carowinds. December 4, 2014. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
  18. ^ "Fury325 just made its first successful test run". Twitter. Carowinds. March 4, 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  19. ^ "Fury 325 Media Day Reports from Carowinds Park". Park Journey. Retrieved 2019-09-17.
  20. ^ "Fury 325: At a Glance". Carowinds. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  21. ^ "Fury Layout Zoom". Carowinds. August 21, 2014. Archived from the original on August 22, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  22. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Take a virtual ride on Fury 325, the new record-breaking roller coaster coming to Carowinds". WGHP. August 21, 2014. Archived from the original on August 22, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  23. ^ MacDonald, Brady (October 29, 2014). "Carowinds' Fury 325 joins an elite club of world's tallest coasters". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
  24. ^ Worf, Lisa (October 24, 2014). "How Many People Does It Take To Build A Roller Coaster?". WFAE 90.7. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
  25. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Carowinds Announce Massive New 'Giga Coaster' for 2015!". WCCB Charlotte. August 21, 2014. Archived from the original on August 22, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  26. ^ Jump up to: a b "Ride Stats". Carowinds. August 21, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  27. ^ "Charlotte Hornets Name Returns to Carolinas". National Basketball Association. May 20, 2014. Archived from the original on May 22, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  28. ^ "Fury 325: New roller coaster to be built at Carowinds". WXII 12. August 21, 2014. Archived from the original on August 22, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  29. ^ Jump up to: a b Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Records Holders By Height". Roller Coaster Database. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  30. ^ Marden, Duane. "Steel Dragon 2000  (Nagashima Spa Land)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  31. ^ Jump up to: a b Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Records Holders By Speed". Roller Coaster Database. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  32. ^ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Records Holders By Length". Roller Coaster Database. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  33. ^ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Records Holders By Height (North America)". Roller Coaster Database. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  34. ^ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Records Holders By Speed (North America)". Roller Coaster Database. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  35. ^ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Records Holders By Length (North America)". Roller Coaster Database. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  36. ^ Baldwin, Tim (2013). "B&M Strikes the 300 foot-Barrier with Leviathan". RollerCoaster! Magazine. Zanesville, Ohio: American Coaster Enthusiasts. 34 (2): 18–20. ISSN 0896-7261.
  37. ^ Er-Chua, Gloria (August 18, 2011). "Canada's Wonderland shows us next year's tallest, fastest ride". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on August 22, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  38. ^ Worthington, Don (August 22, 2014). "Carowinds to add Fury 325, world's tallest coaster'". The State. Archived from the original on August 22, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  39. ^ Levine, Arthur (August 22, 2014). "Carowinds to Unleash its Fury in 2015". About.com. Archived from the original on August 23, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  40. ^ "2015 Top 50 roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 19 (6.2). September 2015. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  41. ^ "Golden Ticket Issue 2019" (PDF). Amusement Today. 23 (6.2): 51. September 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2019. “We are incredibly excited that Fury 325 has won best steel coaster in the world for the fourth consecutive year!..."
  42. ^ "2015 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 19 (6.2): 49–50. September 2015. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  43. ^ "2016 top 50 steel roller coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  44. ^ "2017 Top 50 Steel Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  45. ^ "2018 Top 50 Steel Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2018. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  46. ^ "2019 Top Steel". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2017.

External links[]

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