Chaos, British Fairs
As an intelligent and discerning
reader, I assume you’re perfectly familiar with chaos theory, but for
the benefit of those who didn’t pay attention at school, chaos theory
simply states that, if the universe is infinite, and time is eternal,
then there must be an infinite number of ways that ride manufacturers
can make new variations on the old Huss Frisbee. KMG certainly
subscribes to this philosophy, and having come up with the Afterburner,
a floorless Frisbee using suspended seating, the Dutch firm
now seems
intent on making Afterburners of every different conceivable size.
The most famous Afterburner in
the UK is Thorpe Park’s Vortex, a 32-seat park model of the ride.
Thorpe was not the first to bring an Afterburner to the UK however, as
that honour went to Midland showman Willie Wilson, who first presented
the mighty Chaos to the fairgoers of this green and pleasant land in
1999. However, comparing Vortex and Chaos is rather pointless, as for
all their basic similarities, the two are totally different rides, for
spectators and riders alike.
When you first come across Chaos,
the first thing that grabs you is that this is one of the most lavishly
presented rides in the UK, and possibly in all of Europe. Travelling
rides are not exactly noted for subtlety, but even amid the hysteria of
a major fair, Chaos has a remarkable presence and stature. With it’s
gleaming white structure, and majestically dynamic swing that lifts the
gondola well beyond vertical and up into the heavens, Chaos commands
authority, and leaves you in no doubt that it means business. Better
still, with an astonishing array of multicoloured lighting effects,
strobes, and dry ice, the atmosphere around the ride is more like what
you’d expect from the Ministry of Sound than an amusement ride. Make
no mistake, whatever the competition, Chaos is more than capable of
punching its weight.
Having bought a ticket, you are
quickly ushered into the batching area, right in the heart of the
action. As your lungs fill with a dense cloud of dry ice and your eyes
adjust to the
bombardment of lights, you are enlisted into a group of
24, and ushered to the gondola. Indeed, if the fair is busy,
you may
find that the ride has yet to completely stop, and that the previous
riders are still stuck in their seats, waiting for the restraints to
rise. It goes without saying that you are expected to get seated ASAP,
and that faffing around will be met with a zero-tolerance manner. For a
ride called Chaos, the loading seems remarkably well drilled and
organised, and the gondola will be stationary for next to no time.
The warning horn sounds, and
immediately the restraints close themselves, ready for the off. Anyone
more used to Vortex will no doubt think they’ll have time for a
breather as the floor lowers, but this too is instant, with the floor
collapsing into a neat “V” shape, often with staff still standing on
it as it goes. With a few choice words from the operator over the PA, a
blast of dry ice, and a few deafening jingles, the ride powers into
life, gaining height remarkably quickly.
As the swings get more and more
powerful, the gondola begins to spin. To return to Vortex for a moment,
the biggest single criticism levelled at Thorpe’s ride is that the
gondola always turns 180º in precisely the time it takes to do a full
swing, meaning that the same seats are always at the “top” of each
swing, and making it dull for those always stuck at the bottom. Well, if
that’s what aggrieves you, then you will be delighted to hear that
Chaos does not share this problem. In fact, at full speed, the gondola
manages to do almost a full 180º during the momentary pause at the top
of each swing. This is impressive, to say the least, and means that the
spinning alone creates a quite a considerable amount of G-force, which
of course can be good news or bad, depending on your tastes.
Reaching full swing, the ride
reveals a unique sensation. With G-force still pushing you into the
seat, the swings go well beyond the vertical, and riders get the odd
sensation of being whirled around high above the crowd, with gravity
doing all it can to pull you up from the seat. This odd moment of
serenity is in sharp contrast with the powerful blast past the platform,
where strobe lights and speakers do all they can to send your senses
into meltdown. The fact that there is so little of the ride’s
structure to block your view means much of your vision is taken up by an
amazing blur of dazzling colour. Whatever else you may say about it,
Chaos is one ride that does not do things by halves.
As the ride surges on
mercilessly, the operators maintain the party atmosphere with the usual
fairground tricks of urging you to scream, wave your arms and legs, and
play endless jingles (a favourite being a blast of Queen’s “We Will
Rock You”, which makes you regret not having a floor to stamp your
feet upon). This is where the Afterburner excels over the myriad of
other Frisbee clones. With all riders visible to each other, it
generates a truly fantastic atmosphere among riders, and has few rivals
in terms of generating a perfect blend of outright thrills and communal
spirit. The fact that a ride on Chaos can last for quite a while means
that there is a sense of “all being in it together”, as we’re
asked to put our arms in the air if we want some more, and 48 hands duly
reach out and grab a slice of sky.
Eventually, the ride comes to an
end, and with little more than a sad sounding “oh no” jingle, it’s
time to vacate your seat for another gang of pumped up punters. Staff
again leave you in little doubt that you are to leave the area
post-haste, and before you know it, you’re on the exit ramp while the
high-flying frenzy resumes behind you.
Let’s not mince words here,
Chaos is fantastic. Not only has KMG came up with the goods in creating
the Afterburner in the first place, but the Wilson family have made it
easily the finest example of its type you could ever hope to see. It
looks gorgeous, sounds incredible, and offers a wild and truly thrilling
ride. It certainly ranks alongside such heavyweights as Top Buzz and
Move It 32 in terms of being one of the best rides touring the UK at the
moment, and is arguably the finest ride on the road in terms of
presentation.
There are, however, one or two
minor negative points. As with many KMG rides, the restraints are far
from ideal. KMG seems to work on the odd assumption that all human
bodies are both slim and perfectly rectangular, which means that their
restraints can be hard work on the shoulders, while larger riders will
struggle to fit into them at all. Given that Chaos is a far more intense
ride than any other member of the Frisbee fraternity, the restraints are
quite restrictive, and the lack of comfort may make it more likely that
usual that riders may feel queasy during the ride.
It is amazing to look at the
variation between the many different rides that have been spawned by the
Frisbee. Chaos, Vortex, and Drayton Manor’s Maelstrom all use the same
basic principle, and are all excellent rides, yet ride very differently
indeed. Which you’ll prefer is obviously down to personal preference,
and if you favour relatively calm rides, Chaos is probably the one to
avoid. If, however, you have a masochistic streak, and you are looking
for a ride that grabs you by the throat and indulges in unabashed
adrenaline-pumping mania, then Chaos is the undisputed king of the
swingers.
JP 6 February 2004
Good points:
▪
Fabulous presentation
▪
Fast and intense ride
▪ Expertly and efficiently operated
Bad points:
▪ Poor restraints
▪ May be too much for many riders
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