LONG ISLAND, NY – Farmingdale’s Adventureland is set to encounter Turbulence; however, unlike on an airplane, this is the kind of Turbulence that people will definitely want to experience first-hand.
Turbulence is an exciting and new roller coaster attraction set to debut at Adventureland on Memorial Day Weekend 2015, at which time the thrill-seeking public will get a truly one-of-a-kind experience, according to the Farmingdale-based amusement park’s manager, Steven Gentile.
“Turbulence replaces our previous coaster, The Hurricane, which had been in the park for 22 years,” he said. “We felt it was time for Adventureland and Long Island to have something special, and I think that we delivered with Turbulence.”
Turbulence, an exciting new roller coaster attraction set to debut at Adventureland on Memorial Day Weekend 2015. Photo credit, Christopher Boyle, LongIslandExchange.com
(L to R): Steven and Paul Gentile, Adventureland Park Managers at Adventureland’s special press preview of Turbulence on May 18, 2015; Photo credit, Christopher Boyle, LongIslandExchange.com
The main idea behind Turbulence, Gentile said, was to create a new ride for Adventureland that was more accessible to families and yet retained a sense of unbridled excitement for those seeking an adrenaline rush; once you have laid eyes upon Turbulence’s 1,210 feet of yellow and green track, with its impressive array of three banking turns and one immelman turn, its easy to see that they have succeeded in achieving that goal.
However, Gentile explained what it is that makes Turbulence, which reaches 55 feet tall at its highest point and has a top speed of 45 miles per hour, truly unique among its amusement park ride brethren.
“The idea behind Turbulence is that you’re getting a different ride experience every time,” he said. “Each car is spinning independently of each other, and how they spin is different each time depending on who is sitting in the car and how much they weigh. There are three cars per train, and there are two trains, each weighing five tons apiece.”
Turbulence replaces the previous coaster, The Hurricane, which had been in the park for 22 years. There are three cars per train, and there are two trains, each weighing five tons apiece. Photo credit, Christopher Boyle, LongIslandExchange.com
Each car of Turbulence spins independently of each other with how they spin different each time depending on the weight of each passenger. Photo credit, Christopher Boyle, LongIslandExchange.com
Gentile and his crew conducted a great deal of research when initially looking to replace the park’s long-standing Hurricane ride, and to that end they found themselves traveling a great deal; first to California, where they tested out a coaster similar in concept to Turbulence, and then all the way to Germany, where famed roller coaster manufacturer Mack Rides constructed Adventureland’s newest addition, shipped it over to Farmingdale in pieces, and finally oversaw it’s assembly.
A brutal winter delayed construction the Turbulence project, pushing back the original opening date by six weeks, but in the end, after all the time and effort and expense, Gentile said that the end result was more than worth it.
Famed roller coaster manufacturer Mack Rides constructed Adventureland’s newest addition Turbulence in Germany where it was then shipped over to Farmingdale in pieces. Photo credit, Christopher Boyle, LongIslandExchange.com
Famed roller coaster manufacturer Mack Rides constructed Adventureland’s newest addition Turbulence in Germany where it was then shipped over to Farmingdale in pieces. Photo credit, Christopher Boyle, LongIslandExchange.com
“Turbulence has been a two-and-a-half year project, and the cost was close to $5 million, which usually not normal for a park of our size to make such an investment,” he said. “However, we planned properly with ride companies, planned financially properly, and we are very excited that we were able to do this for ourselves and for Long Island.”
The very first members of the public who will get to experience Turbulence when the ride officially opens for business on Friday, May 22, at 2 p.m. will be winners from the First Ride for a Cause contest and an auction hosted by Cox Media and Adventureland’s Helping Hands Foundation, with the proceeds benefiting the Long Island Chapter of the juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Nassau Suffolk Services for Autism.
A brutal winter delayed construction the Turbulence project, pushing back the original opening date by six weeks. Turbulence officially opens for business on Friday, May 22, at 2 p.m. Photo credit, Christopher Boyle, LongIslandExchange.com
Adventureland is located at 2245 Broadhollow Road in Farmingdale, NY. Photo credit, Christopher Boyle, LongIslandExchange.com
While members of the press were not allowed to ride the new roller coaster at Adventureland’s special press preview of on May 18, Turbulence was initially run with empty cars to give attendees an idea of the excitement and fun the public has in store for them come Memorial Day Weekend; however, a few lucky employees of the park were allowed to give the coaster the proverbial whirl, and the reviews were indeed glowing.
“I’ve never been on something like that before, honestly,” said Chris Mule of Levittown. “It was really cool and fun, and really smooth…when you were spinning, it was just a great experience.”
Matt Liguori of Babylon said that he’s a connoisseur of coasters, and that Turbulence easily ranks up there with the very best of them.
“It was really awesome compared to some of the other rides I’ve been on,” he said. “The whole factor that it spins all of the time…it offers a completely different experience every time. If you look at it, it doesn’t seem all that fast, but when you’re on it, it’s just a completely different feel. It’s amazing.”
Adventureland is located at 2245 Broadhollow Road in Farmingdale, NY. Visit their website at www.adventureland.us.
