Vekoma Illusion
| Revolution / Mount Mara | |
|---|---|
Evolution.JPG) |
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| Previously known as Revolution, Evolution, (R)evolution, Illusion, Chaos | |
| Bobbejaanland | |
| Coordinates | 51°11′57″N 4°54′32″E / 51.1993°N 4.9090°ECoordinates: 51°11′57″N 4°54′32″E / 51.1993°N 4.9090°E |
| Status | Operating |
| Soft opening date | May 1, 1989 |
| Opening date | June 15, 1989 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Indoor |
| Manufacturer | Vekoma |
| Model | Illusion |
| Height | 28 m (92 ft) |
| Length | 765 m (2,510 ft) |
| Speed | 50 km/h (31 mph) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 140 seconds |
| Capacity | 1200 riders per hour |
| Height restriction | 140 cm (4 ft 7 in) |
| Trains | Single train with 30 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in a single row for a total of 60 riders per train. |
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Revolution / Mount Mara at RCDB Pictures of Revolution / Mount Mara at RCDB |
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The Illusion is a fully enclosed tubular steel roller coaster, manufactured by Vekoma. It runs on Vekoma's narrow MK-700 track system. Two were built, both in 1989, Chaos in Opryland USA (Tennessee), and Revolution / Mount Mara in Bobbejaanland (Belgium). Only the one in Belgium is still active.
The Illusion runs a single long train, with up to 40 cars stretching up to 180' long. Each narrow car carries two people sitting inline, bobsled style. The whole track is built inside a dark room, except the base station where people have to take place in the train. The dark room has two major parts: an inner room and an outer room. The train first enters the inner room where the track is a straight up-going helix. Once the train is at top, the track enters the outer room and changes into a bumped down-going helix. In the final part, the track goes back into the inner room where the train is at its top speed of 30 mph. Finally, the track ends at the base station.
In the original ride, the inner room contained two parabolic projection screens: one on the ceiling and one on the floor. The original movie showed a dome with a swinging pendulum, a mysterious clock, a moondial, an eye in the sky, a digital clock, worm holes and explosions. The movies were synchronized in such way that when an event occurred in the upper movie, the outcome was visible in the lower movie. E.g. at a certain point, a pendulum falls from the dome on the top screen and shatters the clock on the bottom screen. The outer room contained 35 mm projections of respectively fire, shattering glass, time portals and gear wheels.
In Bobbejaanland, Illusion opened in 1989 under the name "Revolution" and has 30 cars per train. In 2008, it was renamed to (R)evolution as the front building of the attraction was redecorated with a jungle theme to fit with the neighbouring jungle themed area "Banana Bos". The film and music were changed a few months later. In 2014, the name was once again changed to Revolution and the jungle theming in the station and queue was removed. The original lower film with the shattering clock and the moondial had already returned in August 2011.
Many of the effects have broken over the years and were either replaced by light effects or simply shut down. In 1999, the upper film with the dome and the pendulum was swapped with the lower film as the bottom screen was removed. Furthermore, a metal floor was placed along with blue light strips and a replica of a volcanic crater.
As of 30 April 2016 the "Revolution" steel roller coaster ride by Vekoma in Bobbejaanland will be expanded with Virtual Reality. In the afternoon passengers wear optional Samsung Gear VR glassess. The ride is of course on the same coaster but due to the virtual reality, the passengers experience an escape ride from a bursting vulcano. Due to physical limitations, children can't wear the VR glasses and experience the Revolution-ride. Due to technical limitations only 1 passenger per car can wear the glasses and will experience the virtual ride.
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Wikipedia