View source for Floorless Coaster

{{Short description|Type of roller coaster}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2012}}
{{Infobox attraction model
| name                 = Floorless Roller Coaster
| logo                 = <!--Use ONLY the filename, not a full [[Image:]] link-->
| logo_width           = <!--Default is 250px-->
| image                = Dominator (Kings Dominion) 13 Descente finale (crop).jpg
| imaged imensions     = 
| caption              = [[Dominator (roller coaster)|Dominator]] at [[Kings Dominion]]
| status               = in production
| first_produced       = 1999
| No. of installations = 14
| manufacturer         = Bolliger & Mabillard
| manufacturer2        = <!--Only to be used if there is more than one manufacturer.-->
| designer             = <!--Should be linked.-->
| height_ft            = <!--Must be expressed in feet and may contain only numeric characters.-->
| height_m             = <!--Must be expressed in metres and may contain only numeric characters.-->
| drop_ft              = <!--Must be expressed in feet and may contain only numeric characters.-->
| drop_m               = <!--Must be expressed in metres and may contain only numeric characters.-->
| length_ft            = <!--Must be expressed in feet and may contain only numeric characters.-->
| length_m             = <!--Must be expressed in metres and may contain only numeric characters.-->
| speed_mph            = <!--Must be expressed in miles per hour and may contain only numeric characters.-->
| speed_km/h           = <!--Must be expressed in kilometres per hour and may contain only numeric characters.-->
| gforce               = 
| capacity             = 
<!--Use only one of vehicles, rows, participants, or audience-->
| vehicle_type         = Floorless seats located above the track
| vehicles             = 6-8-car Floorless Coaster trains
| riders_per_vehicle   = <!--Only use if vehicles has been specified.-->
| rows                 = 
| riders_per_row       = 4
| participants_per_group= <!--Only use if neither rows or vehicles is applicable.-->
| audience_capacity    = <!--For shows-->
| duration             =
| restraint            = Over-the-shoulder harness
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| rcdb_number          = 6713
}}
A '''Floorless Coaster''' is a type of [[steel roller coaster]] manufactured by [[Bolliger & Mabillard]] where riders sit with no floor underneath them, allowing their feet to swing freely just above the track. Development of the Floorless Coaster model began between 1995 and 1996 with [[Medusa (Six Flags Great Adventure)|Medusa]] at [[Six Flags Great Adventure]], which opened on April 2, 1999, as world's first Floorless Coaster. Floorless Coasters typically feature between three and seven inversions in the layout of the coaster.

Since 2007, Bolliger & Mabillard have used floorless trains on their [[Dive Coaster]]s, such as [[Griffon (roller coaster)|Griffon]] and [[SheiKra]]. Though they contain floorless trains, the coasters are still not considered Floorless Coasters, as the company classifies them as another model. [[Maurer Söhne]] has designed their own version of the Floorless Coaster, a variant of their X-Car model called X-Car Floorless, but currently do not have any installations.

== History ==
[[Image:Medusa East.jpg|thumb|150px|left|[[Medusa (Six Flags Great Adventure)|Medusa]]'s [[Roller coaster elements#Cobra roll|cobra roll]] at [[Six Flags Great Adventure]]]]
According to Walter Bolliger, development of the Floorless Coaster began between 1995 and 1996.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBQ7tfjlMfE&feature=relmfu  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/aBQ7tfjlMfE| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=IAAPA 2011 Trade Show Part 4 Theme Park Review Fishpipe Water Ride B&M Zamperla |work=[[Theme Park Review]]|publisher=YouTube |date=November 16, 2012 |access-date=July 20, 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 1999, the world's first Floorless Coaster opened at [[Six Flags Great Adventure]] as [[Medusa (Six Flags Great Adventure)|Medusa]]. With the success of Medusa, [[SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment|SeaWorld]], [[Cedar Fair Entertainment Company|Cedar Fair]], [[Six Flags]], and independent parks, [[Janfusun Fancyworld]], [[Parque Warner Madrid]], [[Tivoli Gardens]], and [[Ocean Park Hong Kong]] have built other coasters of this model at their parks. B&M has built 13 Floorless Coasters from the ground up, with [[Dominator (roller coaster)|Dominator]] at [[Kings Dominion]] being the only one relocated to another park.<ref name=RCDBfcList>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Roller Coaster Search Results|location=Floorless Coaster|access-date=July 20, 2012|url=http://www.rcdb.com/r.htm?ot=2&ml=6713&page=1&order=10}}</ref> They have also converted three of their [[stand-up roller coaster]]s to Floorless Coasters: [[Rougarou (roller coaster)|Rougarou]] at [[Cedar Point]], [[Patriot (California's Great America)|Patriot]] at [[California's Great America]], and [[Firebird (roller coaster)|Firebird]] at [[Six Flags America]].

== Design ==
[[Image:Hydra the Revenge (Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom) 02.JPG|thumb|[[Hydra the Revenge]]'s first drop at [[Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom]]]]

The design of a Floorless Coaster has one main difference from traditional steel roller coasters around the world: there is no floor under the seats.<ref name="Scream leaves you dangling">{{cite news|last=Niles|first=Robert|title=Scream leaves you dangling|url=https://www.latimes.com/la-wk-niles14nov14-story.html|access-date=July 21, 2012|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=November 14, 2002}}</ref> While a [[Train (roller coaster)|train]] is parked in the [[Station (roller coaster)|station]], a floor is used only for loading and unloading purposes. 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 floor separates into several pieces and retracts underneath the station. The gate then opens, allowing the train to move forward. When the train returns to the station, the floor is brought back up and the gate is closed for the next group of riders to load and unload.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0vA0rxIuOs  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/h0vA0rxIuOs| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=Dominator at Kings Dominion |publisher=woodencoasterfan (YouTube) |date=September 4, 2012 |access-date=July 20, 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Aside from the station, Floorless Coasters have similar layouts to B&M's sit-down coasters.<ref name=RCDBfcList /><ref name=RCDBscList>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Roller Coaster Search Results|location=Sitting Coaster|access-date=July 20, 2012|url=http://rcdb.com/r.htm?ot=2&mo=8315}}</ref>

== Installations ==
[[Image:Kraken (SeaWorld Orlando) 01.jpg|250px|thumb|One of [[Kraken (roller coaster)|Kraken]]'s trains going through a [[Roller coaster elements#Corkscrew|corkscrew]] at [[SeaWorld Orlando]] in [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]], [[Florida]].]]
Bolliger & Mabillard has built thirteen Floorless Coasters from the ground up, with three additional that were converted from [[stand-up roller coasters]]. The roller coasters are listed '''in order of opening dates'''.

{| class= "wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name !! Park !! Country !! Inversions !! Opened !! Status !! 
|-
| [[Medusa (Six Flags Great Adventure)|Medusa]]<br /><small>Formerly Bizarro</small> || [[Six Flags Great Adventure]] || {{flagu|United States}} || 7 || 2 April 1999 || {{yes|Operating}} ||<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Medusa|location=Six Flags Great Adventure|rcdb_number=502|access-date=July 20, 2012}}</ref>
|-
| [[Superman: Krypton Coaster]] || [[Six Flags Fiesta Texas]] || {{flagu|United States}} || 6 || 11 March 2000 || {{yes|Operating}} ||<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Superman: Krypton Coaster|location=Six Flags Fiesta Texas|rcdb_number=605|access-date=July 20, 2012}}</ref>
|-
| [[Medusa (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom)|Medusa]] || [[Six Flags Discovery Kingdom]] || {{flagu|United States}} || 7 || 18 March 2000 || {{yes|Operating}} ||<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Medusa|location=Six Flags Discovery Kingdom|rcdb_number=617|access-date=July 20, 2012}}</ref>
|-
| [[Kraken (roller coaster)|Kraken]] || [[SeaWorld Orlando]] || {{flagu|United States}} || 7 || 1 June 2000 || {{yes|Operating}} ||<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Kraken|location=Sea World Orlando|rcdb_number=581|access-date=July 20, 2012}}</ref>
|-
| [[Insane Speed]] || [[Janfusun Fancyworld]] || {{flagu|Taiwan}} || 4 || 2001 || {{yes|Operating}} ||<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Insane Speed|location=Janfusun Fancyworld|rcdb_number=1500|access-date=July 20, 2012}}</ref>
|-
| [[Superman: La Atracción de Acero]] || [[Parque Warner Madrid]] || {{flagu|Spain}} || 7 || 6 April 2002 || {{yes|Operating}} ||<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Superman: La Atracción de Acero|location=Parque Warner Madrid|rcdb_number=1366|access-date=July 20, 2012}}</ref>
|-
| [[Batman: The Dark Knight (roller coaster)|Batman: The Dark Knight]] || [[Six Flags New England]] || {{flagu|United States}} || 5 || 20 April 2002 || {{yes|Operating}} ||<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Batman – The Dark Knight|location=Six Flags New England|rcdb_number=1549|access-date=July 20, 2012}}</ref>
|- 
| [[Scream (roller coaster)|Scream]] || [[Six Flags Magic Mountain]] || {{flagu|United States}} || 7 || 12 April 2003 || {{yes|Operating}}  ||<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Scream!|location=Six Flags Magic Mountain|rcdb_number=2169|access-date=July 20, 2012}}</ref>
|-
| [[Dæmonen]] || [[Tivoli Gardens]] || {{flagu|Denmark}} ||| 3 || 16 April 2004 || {{yes|Operating}} ||<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Dæmonen|location=Tivoli Gardens|rcdb_number=2504|access-date=July 20, 2012}}</ref>
|-
| [[Hydra the Revenge]] || [[Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom]] || {{flagu|United States}} || 7 || 7 May 2005 || {{yes|Operating}} ||<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Hydra the Revenge|location=Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom|rcdb_number=2528|access-date=July 20, 2012}}</ref>
|-
| [[Dominator (roller coaster)|Dominator]]<br /><small>Formerly Batman: Knight Flight</small> || [[Kings Dominion]]<br /><small>[[Geauga Lake (amusement park)|Geauga Lake]]</small> || {{flagu|United States}} || 5 || 24 May 2008<br /><small>5 May 2000</small> || {{yes|Operating<br /><small>Closed 16 September 2007</small> }}||<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Dominator|location=Kings Dominion|rcdb_number=4079|access-date=July 20, 2012}}</ref>
|-
| [[Hair Raiser]] || [[Ocean Park Hong Kong]] || {{flagu|Hong Kong}} || 4 || 8 December 2011 || {{yes|Operating}} ||<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Hair Raiser|location=Ocean Park Hong Kong|rcdb_number=9647|access-date=July 20, 2012}}</ref>
|-
| [[Nitro (Adlabs Imagica)|Nitro]] || [[Adlabs Imagica]] || {{flagu|India}} || 5 || October 2013 || {{yes|Operating}} ||<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Nitro|location=Adlabs Imagica|rcdb_number=6817|access-date=April 9, 2013}}</ref>
|-
| [[Rougarou (roller coaster)|Rougarou]]{{efn|name=fn1}} || [[Cedar Point]] || {{flagu|United States}} || 4 || 9 May 2015 || {{yes|Operating}} ||<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Rougarou|location=Cedar Point|rcdb_number=7|access-date=October 7, 2014}}</ref>
|-
| [[Patriot (California's Great America)|Patriot]]{{efn|name=fn1}} || [[California's Great America]] || {{flagu|United States}} || 2 || 25 March 2017 || {{yes|Operating}} ||<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Patriot|location=California's Great America|rcdb_number=2|access-date=October 26, 2016}}</ref>
|-
| [[Firebird (roller coaster)|Firebird]]{{efn|name=fn1}} || [[Six Flags America]] || {{flagu|United States}} || 2 || 17 May 2019 || {{no|Closed}} ||<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Firebird|location=Six Flags America|rcdb_number=10136|access-date=July 3, 2012}}</ref>
|}

''Note'': Although nearly all [[Dive Coaster]]s (such as [[SheiKra]], [[Griffon (roller coaster)|Griffon]], [[Valravn (roller coaster)|Valravn]] and [[Yukon Striker]]) feature floorless trains, they are ''not'' considered Floorless Coasters.<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=SheiKra|location=Busch Gardens Tampa Bay|rcdb_number=2662|access-date=July 21, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Griffon|location=Busch Gardens Williamsburg|rcdb_number=3631|access-date=July 21, 2012}}</ref>

== Similar rides ==
[[Maurer Söhne]], a German roller coaster and steel manufacturer, has developed their own version of the Floorless Coaster called the X-Car Floorless. The car is the same as the original [[Maurer AG#List of roller coasters|X-Car]] with the only difference being that there is no floor during the ride.<ref name=XCarFloorless>{{cite web |url=http://www.maurer-rides.com/x-coaster/floorless/ |title=X-Car Floorless |publisher=Maurer Söhne |access-date=March 1, 2012 |archive-date=July 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714050533/http://www.maurer-rides.com/x-coaster/floorless/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.maurer-rides.com/x-coaster/x-car/ |title=X-Car |publisher=Maurer Söhne |access-date=July 21, 2012 |archive-date=July 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712011115/http://www.maurer-rides.com/x-coaster/x-car/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> As of 2019, no X-Car Floorless roller coasters have been manufactured.<ref name=XCarFloorless />

== See also ==
* [[Dive Coaster]], a type of roller coaster also designed by [[Bolliger & Mabillard]], that feature floorless trains on some models.

== Notes ==
{{Notelist|refs=
{{efn|name=fn1|Converted from a stand-up roller coaster to a floorless coaster}}}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Floorless roller coasters}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060825055856/http://www.bolliger-mabillard.com/products/floorless_en.aspx Bolliger & Mabillard's Floorless Coaster]

{{Bolliger & Mabillard}}
{{Rollercoaster tracks}}

[[Category:Floorless Coaster roller coasters| ]]
[[Category:Roller coasters manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard]]