By Thomas Grover
FARMINGTON - Spinning in its web but never eating, Lagoon''s newest ride doesn''t scare away many teenagers.
'The Spider' is a roller coaster with a twist. The four-person cars, with two people facing forward and two facing backward, spin horizontally during a one-minute ride that reaches speeds of 38 mph. The cars are capable of spinning 20 times per minute.
'It''s a fairly unique ride to have a spinning coaster,' said Sheldon Killpack, director of marketing at Lagoon. 'Because of the fact that the spin is controlled by weight and gravity, each time you ride it you can really get a different experience. You never know whether you''re coming or going.'
The ride is the latest in a line of new features Lagoon has introduced in recent years. By regularly offering new attractions, the park attempts to keep families - Lagoon''s core customers - motivated to visit the park, Killpack said.
'We classify ourselves as a family amusement park,' he said. 'It really fits within what we are trying to accomplish as far as being a family ride. That''s real important to us that it be a family experience.'
Lagoon is open to school groups during the week and to the public on weekends. The park will open on a daily basis the weekend after Memorial Day. The base price of $30.95 includes 'The Spider.'
The ride reaches heights of 53 feet, has a minimum slope of 50 degrees and a maximum bank of 82 degrees. About 900 passengers an hour can ride 'The Spider.'
Lagoon began negotiating with German-based Maurer Sohne two years ago to bring the ride to the park. Lagoon requested numerous modifications be made to make the ride safer and more accessible for all types of visitors.
'We''ll go in to the manufacturer and we''ll actually request changes on what they currently have,' Killpack said.
For 'The Spider,' Lagoon required Maurer Sohne to install fully automated restraints instead of manual seat belts.
'One of the things that we try and do is ... take the controls actually out of the hands of the individuals,' Killpack said. Each restraint has a triple check feature that ensures safety.
In addition to the safety restraints, Lagoon''s safety department begins checking the roller coasters at 5:30 a.m. to verify the rides are safe to operate. A worker crawls along the entire track making sure the structure is functioning properly. Lagoon employees conduct two other checks during the day on the roller coasters.
Lagoon looks for rides through the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. The association holds an annual show where vendors from around the world showcase their newest attractions. When Lagoon officials look for new rides, they consider three requirements: the ride must be safe; the ride must carry large numbers of passengers; the ride must be family-friendly.
Lagoon is in its 117th year of operation. Simon Bamberger, a former governor of Utah, opened the park in 1886 to promote the use of the nearby railway. The original park was called Lake Park and was located next to the Great Salt Lake, two miles west of the current site in Farmington. Ten years later, the park moved to its present location because the lake receded. The park was named after a pond that is located at the site. Approximately 1.1 million people visit the park each year.