California Screamin'

Infobox Disney ride
name= California Screamin'

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caption=The California Screamin' roller coaster
park= Disney's California Adventure
land= Paradise Pier
designer= Walt Disney Imagineering
manufacturer= Intamin AG
type= Steel roller coaster
theme= Boardwalk Wooden roller coaster, Surfing
control_system= Dual Processor Allen-Bradley PLC
propulsion= linear induction motors
soft_opened= December 15, 2000
opened= February 8, 2001
host=
music= Original music by Gary Hoey (Official Album 2001)
Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Around the World" (Rockin' version only)
vehicle_type= Roller Coaster cars
vehicle_names=
guests_per_vehicle= 5 - 24 person trains (Red, Yellow, Orange, Blue, and Purple)/2 - 23 Person trains (Both Green)
cars_per_vehicle= 6
guests_per_car= 2
duration= 2:36
length= 6072
attraction_height= 120
track_height= 120
drop_height= 108
speed= 55
height_requirement= 48
site_area= Boardwalk
lift_count= 1
audio-animatronics=
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sponsor= none
fastpass=yes
single_rider=yes
accessible=
transfer_accessible=yes
assistive_listening=
cc=

California Screamin' is a steel roller coaster at Disney's California Adventure theme park.

History

The white-by-day/glowing blue-by-night boardwalk-themed coaster was designed by Walt Disney Imagineering, and was built by Intamin AG. California Screamin' is the 6th longest roller coaster in the world (2nd longest steel coaster in the United States), at 6,072 feet (1,850 m) long. It is also the longest ride to go up-side down. Its highest point is convert|120|ft|m tall (36.5 m) followed by a 108-foot (33 m) drop. The design is such that it resembles a wooden coaster, despite clearly being a steel coaster.

This coaster is more uncommon than most, as it uses LIMs, or linear induction motors, to launch the train up the first hill, replacing the traditional lift hill chain. The seaside launch ramp also sports a wave-machine that allows waves to crash alongside the rock base of the ramp as well as crashing up onto the trains before launch. This coaster is one of Disney's fastest attractions, accelerating guests from zero to 55 miles per hour (88.5 km/h) in four seconds at the launch, and like Space Mountain and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster the roller coaster is set to music. California Screamin' is the only inverting ride in the Disneyland Resort. This attraction offers both FASTPASS and Single Rider entrances.

On December 11, 2007, California Screamin' was closed and its loop was temporarily removed due to construction below for Toy Story Midway Mania!.

Rockin' California Screamin'

On January 3, 2007, the standard audio track for California Screamin' was temporarily replaced with a remixed version of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Around the World," and the attraction was renamed "Rockin' California Screamin"'. This was promoted alongside Rockin' Space Mountain, a similar change made to Space Mountain in Disneyland. These changes were part of the "Rockin' Both Parks" campaign.

Incident

On July 29, 2005, the brakes failed, causing two trains to collide. The accident occurred at 6:40 p.m., with both involved trains (purple and red) completely full with 48 total passengers. When for an unknown reason the coaster engaged a cascade stop, train red stopped properly in its next brake zone, just beyond the final left turn before returning to the loading platform. Unfortunately, train purple did not, and smacked train red. Fortunately speeds in this portion of the ride are low and no fatalities or serious injuries resulted. The purple train received major damage, resulting in it being taken away from the attraction for over a year.

Attraction facts

* Restraint System: Over-the-Shoulder Restraints (OTSRs)
* Vehicles: 5 - 24 person trains (Red, Yellow, Orange, Blue, and Purple)/2 - 23 Person trains (Both Green)
* Max trains on track: (2001) 6/(2002-Present) 5
* Length: convert|6072|ft|m (1,850 m)
* LIM Launch length: 215 feet (65.5 m)
* Largest hill/drop: 120 feet/108 feet (36.5 m/33 m)
* Inversions: 1 (Train loops around giant silhouette head of Mickey Mouse)
* Brake Zones: 12
* Top speed: convert|55|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on (88.5 km/h)
* Ride duration: 2:36
* Max acceleration: 0 - 55 mph (88.5 km/h) in 4.5 seconds

Ride Layout and Experience

The ride begins with the switch/merge track and a slightly banked turn to the left. Here, a wave machine sprays the riders slightly with water from the artificial waterfront. The train stops suddenly, and after a period of time, a voice shouts, "Launch in five, four, three, two, ONE!" and the train launches up a hill where brakes slow the train and then drop down under the track for a headchopper and curve to the right into a brake zone. This is followed by a right turn and then a drop and a banked turn to the left before riders enter an upslope brake zone and are carried up the rest of the hill with the help of LIMs. This is the ride's highest point, at 120 feet. The ride drops steeply and curves to the right, followed by an incline to the right and a U-turn into a brake zone. Riders then drop slightly and maneuver through the loop, followed by a rise, some brakes, and another drop. Riders make a wide U-turn to the right, then climb a hill towards the right and enter a brake zone. The riders will then navigate a couple of airtime "bunny" hops and drop to the right, then enter a helix to the left. Riders will make one final curving rise to the left, then enter the brakes. The riders will then turn to the left, pass through another brake run, then enter one of the two stations.

In 2008, the launch system was changed to make ride vehicles pass through the launch track more quickly, also adding to the thrill.

California Screamin' uses side-mounted friction brakes on all its brake runs rather than mounting the brakes on the track. In addition to this, stray LIM boosters are placed in the station, and near most brake zones; these include the first hill, the LIM lift hill, before the loop, after the loop, before the bunny hops, and before the switch track back to the stations.

Additional facts

* California Screamin' contains over 36 miles (58 km) of electrical wire, and 167 miles (268 km) of individual conductors.
* It took 5.8 million pounds (2.6 million kg) of steel to build California Screamin'.
* There are 11.5 million pounds (5.2 million kg) of concrete in the foundations and the "deepest" foundation is a deep pile of 48 feet (14 m).
* Because Disney's California Adventure is located within a residential zone and must adhere to certain noise restriction guidelines, special "scream" tubes were designed for California Screamin' to muffle the Guests' screams during those thrill portions of the ride that are sure to elicit such a reaction.

External links

* [http://www.rcdb.com/id731.htm RollerCoaster Database] Images and stats
* [http://www.incrediblecoasters.com/CaliforniaScreaminPhotos.html] Images
* [http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/yellowpages/coasters/cascream_dca.shtml California Screamin'] Details about the roller coaster on Ultimate Rollercoaster.com.
* [http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/parks/attractions/detail?name=CaliforniaScreaminAttractionPage Official Disneyland Resort Link]