1983 Marriott's GREAT AMERICA commercial for THE EDGE

[steven]

Hi,

This is a 1983 commercial for the introduction of The Edge:
http://www.greatamericaparks.com/images ... p?pid=1754

Something important is missing from the commercial. Do you know what it is?

Steven

[MGA1]

If I remember correctly, there was a MGA logo on the back panel of the ride unit above the rider's heads. Is that it?

[steven]

Thanks, MGA1. I'm not sure about that logo, but the big thing missing from the commercial is the actual RIDE! They faked it out. It's funny, but many people view the commercial and take it for granted that they're seeing the real ride. But they are not. I guess that the commercial had to be produced before the ride was far enough along to get any genuine footage. Further, I guess that there wasn't any footage available from other installations of this same type of ride, or if there was, it wasn't acceptable for one reason or another. Were the two MGA "The Edge" rides the first two installed?

Steven

[GreatAmericaFan]

The Freefall ride that was at Magic Mountain, was installed in Summer 1982.

http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/th ... /freefall/

Maybe this was the first Freefall installed by Intamin?

~Nicholas

[steven]

Hi, Nicholas,
Thanks! If that date is correct, then it definitely beat the Marriott installations. URC is a good site, with good info. So I'm not doubting it much. It's just that sometimes incorrect dates get published by reliable sources -- sometimes because the proper source even has it wrong. I'm curious now as to which Intamin Freefall was the first.

Steven

[GreatAmericaFan]

Hi Steven,

This just in! According to a page on Coaster-net....

The first of these rides(Intamin Freefall's) made their debut in 1982 at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California and Arlington, Texas' Six Flags over Texas.

Source: http://www.coaster-net.com/ridegallery. ... lay&id=222

Mystery solved!

~Nicholas

[steven]

Thanks, Nicholas!

Steven