Lightning opens at Dinosaur Dream Factory
By News Release | July 23, 2024
Zamperla and Dinosaur Dream Factory are proud to announce the newest Lightning Coaster opening at Dinosaur DreamWorks. This is Zamperla’s third Lightning coaster and the first to use a vertical chain lift hill.
“As one of the 10 most anticipated roller coasters in the world in 2024, Lightning of Zamperla brings visitors a new thrilling experience that will be a highlight in Hubei province and even the whole world,” said Mr. Ruan from Dinosaur Dream Factory.
The guest experience starts with riders looking straight into the air as they climb the 39 meter (127 foot) vertical lift hill. As the din of the park grows quieter guests reach the apex. In a matter of seconds they go from looking skyward to accelerating towards the ground. After flying down the near-vertical drop they enter the signature vertical loop. They are turned upside down three more times before returning to the station.
“The thrills of this coaster cannot be beat,” said Antonio Zamperla, CEO of Zamperla Group. “What is extremely fun for our team is that this layout is similar to others we have manufactured with our previous Thunderbolt system. We promised our clients that we would provide coasters that were just as thrilling as our old experiences but have significantly improved track quality and more comfortable vehicles. We believe we have exceeded everyone’s expectations,” he exclaimed.
Like its launch coaster counterparts, the Lightning train used for this project features many features that save parks both time and money. “Our clients chose us in part because the Lightning train offers a long-term return on investment (ROI),” said Davide Donadello, Sales & Operation Manager for the China & Korea Region. “The combination of a coaster that offers marketable thrills and reduced maintenance cost is extremely popular,” he noted.
The roller coaster is Zamperla’s largest in the country, the third in the country with a vertical lift and represents over a dozen roller coasters operating in China. Zamperla is one of the only ride manufacturers to have a technical support office in China, which has led to over two decades of success in Asia’s largest market.
This Lightning coaster is the first to utilize Zamperla’s new patent pending BBZ track design. “This track design is not only beautiful, but also some of the best we have fabricated in our company’s history. This was fully manufactured at Zamperla’s roller coaster hall in Europe,” said Adam Sandy, the company’s Roller Coaster Sales and Marketing Director. “The new design requires less materials, which helps keep costs down, while also allowing us to manufacture to extremely tight tolerances,” he noted.
Ride Stats:
- Track Length: 689 meters (2260 feet)
- Maximum height: 39 meters (128 ft)
- Maximum speed: 92 km/h (57 mph)
- Number of Trains: 3
- Passengers per-Train: 8
- Height Restriction: 120 cm (48 in) minimum
- Hourly Capacity: 590 people per-hour