The Laser

You may think I am crazy, but the Laser is my favorite coaster at Dorney Park. You may ask "why?!" Well, Hercules is an out-and-out horrible wooden coaster, the park has neutered the once-great Thunderhawk with excessive brakes and the removal of a few bunny hops, the Wild Mouse is an average mouse and Steel Force is fun, but none compare to the intensity of The Laser. The coaster, installed in 1986, was known as the Colossus and used to have a silver/gray and red paint scheme which was recently altered.

The amusement park game was changing in the mid-80's. Larger parks were buying lots of Arrow "loop and screw" coasters and they were seen as cutting edge rides that brought in the customers and thrills. Some parks like Dorney could not afford the large-scale thrill machines popping up at many of the neighboring parks like Six Flags Great Adventure. Dorney's owners decided to buy a used Anton Schwarzkopf coaster that he called in his catalogue a "Double-Looping: Compact-Ride mobile and stationery type." It was a portable model, but the thrill factor was just what Dorney needed.

After many seasons the Laser is still thrilling riders at Dorney park so let's take a ride. Riders board in one of twenty-eight seats (currently they are not allowed to choose theirs), lower the lap bars, the lift engages and riders are off. The lift is a rather slow but it allows riders to realize that ninety-three feet is quite a long way down. The hill quickly turns and drops into two back-to-back clothoid loops at 52 m.p.h. Both loops are more intense than many found on similar coasters by other manufacturers so the shape is in between a teardrop shape and a true circle. After the loops the trains hit a tight turn into a rising helix that goes through the second loop. After flying down out of the helix the coaster flies across a straightaway into a tight, g-inducing downward spiral and into a the brakes. Although the ride is similar to the Colossal Fire Dragon at Lagoon Park there is a slight difference. The Laser is a standard model of the coaster while the C.F.D. has an additional curve entering the brake run.


Here the train begins its trip down the twisting first drop.	The Laser fits a lot into a very small footprint. Note the tight turn after the second loop and the way one helix passes through that loop.	Schwarzkopf has done some amazing things with track, as this photo shows. The trains take the riders on an extreme trip for such a short ride. You can also see the large boxes at the bottom of the supports. These are filled with water, a feature the coaster has because it was designed as a portable roller coaster.	Riders breath a sigh of relief as the train hits the brake run. Another train sits waiting, unused. Anton Schwarzkopf is one of the few designers not to put brake fins on the bottom of his coaster trains. Instead, they are on the sides (note the boxes on either side of the occupied train). He said he did this because it provided twice the grabbing surface to help slow the train in the safest manner possible.