Dominator (roller coaster)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dominator
Geauga Lake's Dominator
Location	Geauga Lake
Type	Steel - Floorless
Status	Operating
Opened	May 5th, 2000
Manufacturer	Bolliger & Mabillard
Designer	Werner Stengel
Height	157 feet (47.9 m)
Drop	148 feet (45.1 m)
Length	4,210 feet (1,283.2 m)
Max speed	65 mile per hour (104.6 km/h)
Inversions	5
Max Vertical Angle	57 degrees
Max G force	3.8
Dominator at RCDB
Pictures of Dominator at RCDB

Dominator is a steel floorless roller coaster designed by Bolliger & Mabillard. The ride opened on May 5th, 2000 and still holds the record for the longest floorless roller coaster and biggest loop found on a roller coaster (at 135 ft.). It was previously known as Batman Knight Flight during Six Flags' ownership of the park. However, when Cedar Fair bought the park, Cedar Fair did not own the rights to D.C. Comics characters, which is why it is now known as Dominator. The ride is unique for its custom layout and interacting with the lake many times throughout the ride.

The ride was a part of the Six Flags conversion that occurred between 1999 and 2000, transforming the park from Geauga Lake to Six Flags Ohio. This coaster was one of the four coasters built during the conversion (the other three being Steel Venom (then Superman: Ultimate Escape), The Villain, and Beaver Land Mine Ride (then Roadrunner Express)). During Six Flags' ownership, the ride was the star attraction of the Gotham City themed area and featured various Batman theming.

[edit] Layout

Dominator starts off with a short, twisted U-turn toward the 157 foot tall lift hill. Once the train apexes the top of the lift, riders are then speeding and swooshing down a 148 foot drop eventually speeding into the tallest vertical loop, standing at 135 feet. Following the vertical loop, riders are then swooshing by the waiting area and eventually rise up into a turnaround. The turnaround swooshes around the ride's own station. After the turn, riders then head up the Cobra Roll, which contains 2 of the ride's 5 inversions, of the ride. Following the Cobra Roll, the train heads for the mid course brake run. Slowing the train down, riders then head through the second half of the ride. After the brakes, riders twist through the interlocking corkscrew elements, the last two inversions of the ride. Following the corkscrews, the train encounters the final brake run and comes to a stop.

[edit] Trivia

Dominator shares the name of Dorney Park's S&S Tower ride of the same name. Dorney Park is also owned by Cedar Fair, the owners of Geauga Lake.
In the song called Chap Stick, Chapped Lips, and Things Like Chemistry by Canton, Ohio's christian pop-punk band Relient K, the line "and I lost my phone to the lake beneath the batman ride" refers to Dominator^{[citation needed]}
When Cedar Fair took over the park, the maintenance staff melted the iconic Batman symbol that was moulded into every seat beyond recognition.
Dominator features the world's tallest loop on a roller coaster, topping out at 135 feet tall.