SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge

SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge
SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge
Nickelodeon Universe
Coordinates	44°51′19″N 93°14′33″W / 44.8553°N 93.2425°W / 44.8553; -93.2425Coordinates: 44°51′19″N 93°14′33″W / 44.8553°N 93.2425°W / 44.8553; -93.2425
Status	Operating
Opening date	March 15, 2008
Cost	$2,500,000
General statistics
Type	Steel – Euro-Fighter – Indoor
Manufacturer	Gerstlauer
Designer	Werner Stengel
Model	Euro-Fighter (Custom)
Track layout	Compact
Lift/launch system	vertical Chain lift
Height	74.5 ft (22.7 m)
Length	1,371.4 ft (418.0 m)
Speed	43.5 mph (70.0 km/h)
Inversions	3
Duration	2:00
Max vertical angle	97°
Capacity	750 riders per hour
G-force	4.4
Height restriction	48 in (122 cm)
Trains	a single car. Riders are arranged 4 across in 2 rows for a total of 8 riders per train.
SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge at RCDB Pictures of SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge at RCDB

SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge is a Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter roller coaster located at Nickelodeon Universe in the Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota. Standing 74.5 feet tall, it is the tallest roller coaster in the park. It also features a beyond vertical (97 degrees) drop. It is the first roller coaster themed to SpongeBob SquarePants, and opened with the Nickelodeon Universe grand opening on March 15, 2008. The ride features a vertical loop, a cutback, and heartline roll. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group, who handles all of Gerstlauer's operations in the Western Hemisphere.^[1][2]

Development

The ride is based on the SpongeBob episode "Rock Bottom" (from Season 1) and features a prominently placed statue of SpongeBob and Patrick riding an orange bus down a 90 degree angle while holding a glove over his head. The coaster sits on the former site of the Mystery Mine attraction which housed the SpongeBob SquarePants 4-D ride.

References