New Cannibal Coaster Takes Over Lagoon in 2015

Lagoon, located just above Salt Lake City in Utah, has announced its unique new-for-2015 roller coaster, and its name is Cannibal.  The custom designed coaster will feature state of the art components like a vertical elevator style lift hill, and a beyond vertical first drop.

© Lagoon

Cannibal is being created locally, with 75% of the ride suppliers located in the state of Utah.  Lagoon has done this with their BomBora family coaster as well, relying on in-house design teams and key outside contractors to create the ride.  For instance, Cannibal's track will be Fabricated by Intermountain Lift, producers of steel for many rides in the past.  In the end Cannibal will be a $22 million investment, and construction of the ride will span a full two years.

Lagoon released some images of Cannibal's design, though not all has been revealed yet.  The images look at half the ride from three different angles.  In the photo above the ride's elevator lift will take place in the tall building - 208 feet tall to be exact - and then the ride starts with a 116 degree first drop - well more than vertical!

© Lagoon

The first drop plunges trains into a tunnel, and then directly into what is believed to be a large "inverted loop" that is not seen in these renders.  The trains, which seat twelve riders each, will reach speeds of 70 miles per hour during the ride.

This view is 180 degrees from the first one.  The station is the large red building at the base of the lift tower.  You can also see a tall inversion, what looks like a dive loop, that will take place over the roof of the loading area.  The park's press materials state that the tallest inversion on Cannibal will be 140 feet above the ground - I would wager that is the inversion after the first drop that is not seen here.

© Lagoon

These images appear to show another inversion as well, the third on the ride, which is a heartline roll.  Also note that in these design drawings the track is yellow, but in reality it is red with tan supports.

Cannibal's total track length is 2,735 feet, a decent length when considering that the lift is vertical.  The 2.5 minute ride will provide 4.2 Gs to riders with an expected (not yet final) ride height requirement in the neighborhood of 46 to 48 inches.

Lagoon promises to reveal one "exclusive thrill element" of the ride at a later date, leaving a bit of mystery for fans.  As for the ride's name, according to Julie Freed, spokesperson for Lagoon, “We have named it Cannibal, because in our collective mind it will eat other roller coasters in their tracks!”

Promising that Cannibal will be unlike any other coaster experience in North America, especially due to so much in-house design, I'd say that Lagoon has a ride to be watched on their hands!

Cannibal will be Lagoon's 10th roller coaster when it opens next year.  Can't wait to see more construction photos of the ride going up!