Dive Coaster

The Dive Coaster (also known as "Vertical Drop Coaster"), first built in 1997. It is a steel roller coaster type made by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). The first drop coaster was made in 1998 at Alton Towers and is known as Oblivion, the latest Dive Coaster (at the time of writing this) is Emperor at SeaWorld San Diego in 2020.

 Development 
Development on the coaster began in 1994/95. When theme park designer John Wardley designs the idea of a Dive Coaster as to be a successor to his 1994 coaster Nemesis. He realised that the coaster was too ambitious for its time. So Wardley waited until the 1997/98 to test out his new machine. The first design of the ride was Oblivion at Alton Towers, opened in 14 March 1998.

The coaster was only two years old when the next order for a dive coaster was made in the form of Diving Machine G5 in Janfusun Fancyworld in Taiwan. Which was just a mirror image of Oblivion.

In 2005, saw the release of not only the third Dive Coaster to be built, but the first to be built in America, first to be built over 200 ft and the first ever custom-layout Dive Coaster. Sheikra was opened on May 21, 2005 at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.

In 2007, Busch Gardens Williamsburg announced Griffon on August 23, 2006. But officially opened on May 18, 2007. It was the first dive coaster to have floorless trains. Although, the same year. Busch Gardens reopened with floorless trains on June 16, 2007.

In 2011, Heide Park (a German theme park in Soltau, Germany) released Krake, a dive coaster opening on April 16, 2011. This was the first dive coaster to feature 6 seated trains, which coined the phrase "Mini-Dive Coaster"

In 2019, Yukon Striker was released on May 3, 2019. It was the first dive coaster to include a Vertical Loop. It opened at Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario.

 Installations 
Bolliger & Mabillard has built fourteen Dive Coasters with one to be opened in 2020. The roller coasters are listed in order of opening dates.

 Name  Park  Country  Opened  Status  Oblivion  Alton Towers   United Kingdom    Operating   Diving Machine G5  Janfusun Fancyworld    Taiwan    Operating   SheiKra  Busch Gardens Tampa Bay    United States    Operating   Griffon  Busch Gardens Williamsburg    United States    Operating   Dive Coaster  Chimelong Paradise    China    Operating  Diving Coaster  Happy Valley Shanghai   China    Operating   Krake  Heide Park   Germany    Operating   Oblivion: The Black Hole  Gardaland   Italy    Operating   Baron 1898  Efteling   Netherlands    Operating   Valravn  Cedar Point United States Operating  Draken  Gyeongju World   South Korea    Operating   Valkyria  Liseberg   Sweden    Operating   Western Regions Heaven  Happy Valley Chengdu   China    Operating   Yukon Striker  Canada's Wonderland   Canada    Operating EmperorSeaWorld San Diego   United States    Under Construction 

 Recurring elements 
 Holding Brake: The holding brake is a machine placed at the end of the first (or second) drop. First found on Oblivion at Alton Towers
 Illellmann Loop: A common first element after the first drop. First found on Sheikra on Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
 Mid-course Brake Run: Unknown when found on a course. Could happen after the first two inversions. First found on Sheikra on Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
 Splashdown: Found either after the first drop or after a second vertical drop. First found on Sheikra on Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
 Second Vertical Drop: Found after the mid-course brake run. A vertical drop without a holding brake. Sheikra on Busch Gardens Tampa Bay


 References 

 Other websites 



Category:Steel roller coasters