Achterbahn Rezensionen

First Drop Meisterwerk Layout

Fury is truly a masterpiece of a roller coaster. It's an icon for Carowinds, both as a part of its coaster lineup and as a visual spectacle. With it being at my home park, I was lucky enough to ride this coaster over 50 times this year, and I now think I truly understand what makes it so elite. This is the conceptually perfect giga coaster layout in my opinion; it opens with a stellar first drop followed by low-to-the-ground turns that let you feel the insane speed at which you're traveling, all culminating in a flurry of strong airtime hills. Add onto this an incredibly unique location over and under the park's entrance, a one-of-a-kind turnaround with the treble clef, and the most stunning and gorgeous color scheme of any coaster in the world, you are left with a gem of a ride. I love every giga, but this one right here is what all of the others aspire to be. 10/10 - this review is dedicated to the phone I dropped off of Fury in 2016

Airtimes First Drop Layout

Orion is probably the most over-hated coaster I've ever ridden. Whenever anyone talks about this ride they always complain that it "could have been Fury". As someone who has ridden Fury over 50 times this year, I think I can safely say that this coaster is a worthy follow-up and an incredible giga. Though it lacks Fury's low-to-the-ground turns which are the one of the main highlights of that ride, Orion genuinely provides better airtime and forces than Fury ever could. The speed hill, camelback, and twisted hill at the end give a much more well-rounded profile of airtime compared to Fury, and the helix is obviously much more forceful. For this reason I actually prefer Orion in the back, though a front row ride on any giga is a must-do experience. The layout doesn't feel short to me, and I actually prefer the first drop to Fury's by a very slight margin. Despite all of these points, Fury does still feel like a more complete experience, so I rank it just a little higher, but all of these comparisons are to say that Orion, no matter what others might complain about, is an incredible giga. 10/10 - why is every op on this ride an enthusiast; they all complimented my Wildcat's Revenge hoodie

First Drop Tempo Intensität

If Fury is the perfect giga coaster, I305 is the absolutely insane and deranged sibling that tries to kill you and is somehow better for it. If you trade a varied and majestic layout for insane intensity and laterals so strong they give you airtime you get this monster. Some may say that the over-the-shoulder restraints hurt this ride's quality, but I firmly believe lap bars on this thing would result in countless spinal injuries. Riding this thing in the front is one of the most unique and thrilling coaster experiences there is as long as you're properly hydrated. There is no other coaster like this one on the planet and there never will be. 10/10 - this ride is good but I don't know if it was worth never getting another Cedar Fair Intamin

First Drop Tempo Meisterwerk

Iron Gwazi is the most relentless and best paced coaster I've ever ridden. The ride kicks off with the best first drop I've experienced which, in the back row, provides an absurd yank over the crest, crazy sustained ejector, and several insane headchoppers. The pull-out is also the most forceful element of any RMC I've been on due to how tight the profiling is. The rest of the layout is a flurry of ejector moments, wild inversions, and even more terrifying headchoppers experienced at a breakneck pace. This ride has no dead spots, no weak elements, no filler track, and almost no room for improvement. Though the ride hardly feels short, a thousand or so more feet of track featuring some more airtime and another inversion might make this the best coaster on the planet, but even without that it is still an absolutely incredible ride. 10/10 - shoutout to the 48.1 inch tall girl sitting in front of me who was marathoning all afternoon

Inversionen Abschuss Intensität

Incredible Hulk is the best B&M looper I've ever experienced, and frankly it's not even close. The launch is such a unique and fun way to start off a ride of this type, and it leads to perhaps the whippiest inversion of all time with that zero-g roll, which is especially pronounced on the right side of the train. The rest of the layout is a barrage of super forceful yet smooth and comfortable inversions that leave me laughing every time. It even sneaks in a little pop of floater in the transition from the first corkscrew to the second loop. And the soundtrack. Oh my god the soundtrack. I am a firm believer that every coaster on the planet can be improved with onboard audio, and this one is the perfect example of that philosophy. My first ride on my latest trip was on a train where the audio was down, and while it was still a fantastic coaster, each and every subsequent ride felt magical in comparison. I was genuinely jamming along to the vivacious score through each and every loop and turn, turning this ride from great to truly, fantastically special. Of every coaster I've ridden, this is the one that has improved the most for me on a re-ride. My first experience was early in my enthusiasm about coasters, and I wasn't quite ready for the intensity this ride delivers. Now that I'm accustomed to those forces and feelings, I can confidently say that this is a one-of-a-kind, phenomenal ride. 10/10 - the score is the best Fall Out Boy song and I will die on that hill

First Drop Tempo Ejectors

I went into this ride with tempered expectations, given that many call it one of the weaker RMC hybrids. While yes, it is the weakest of the ones I've done, it is still a phenomenal ride that I was lucky to have ridden 5 times back-to-back. As with any RMC the ejectors are insane, but the inversions on this one surprised me with how much I enjoyed them. It's not quite as good as the first drop on Twisted Timbers, but the barrel roll drop was one of my favorite moments, and the wave turn immediately following is of course awesome. Additionally, the first drop is one of the best of any RMC I've ridden. It feels like a scaled down version of Iron Gwazi's with its wild feeling of being yanked and several headchoppers near the pull out. While it is on the short side, it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. It keeps great pacing and speed throughout, so I was satisfied with the ride. Maybe that was because it was a walk-on all day, though, so I knew I could get right back in line. 9.5/10 - R.I.P. the hat of the guy in front of us

Airtimes First Drop Standort

Mako is an elite B&M hyper coaster that perfects what all of the others are going for at every step of the ride. Every hill, especially the massive 5-second one, deliver stellar floater airtime which can border on ejector. The first drop has a surprising amount of yank compared to other hypers, which is surprising given this one's shorter trains. That location over the lake is beautiful, and the winding finale, though not the most forceful, is truly a great spectacle that most other hypers lack. All of these expert decisions on B&M and SeaWorld's part combine to create what I believe to be the best B&M hyper in the country. 9/10 - the queue is really pretty, but why is it such a long walk for a ride that barely gets a wait? My legs hurt

Airtimes Abschuss Spaß Unangenehm

I am generally a fan of stand-ups, so it's no surprise I enjoyed Pipeline a lot. It's incredible that it took this long for someone to realize that standing airtime is way more fun than standing positives. I really leaned into the airtime and held my feet up during it, which created a super unique feeling. The issue comes with the recovery afterwards. Thankfully, it didn't hurt me that much, but I can absolutely see how having your crotch slammed back into the bike seat would hurt like hell. Additionally, it seems to have already developed a pretty bad rattle, though like most B&Ms it doesn't really detract from the experience; it's just a bit annoying. That said, this is still an awesome and unique coaster that is absolutely worth a ride. 8.5/10 - instead of clapping when the train returns, some of the ops throw up a "hang loose" hand gesture to keep with the theming and I think that's really neat

Airtimes Abschuss Kapazität Enttäuschend!

I was a bit let down by Ice Breaker, though it was still quite a fun ride. The swing launch was solid and the top hat was really nice, but the airtime overall was quite overhyped in my opinion. It was good, but not the insanity a lot seem to say it is. The capacity was also quite dreadful, though to be fair it was on one-train ops when I went. Granted, so were most other coasters in the park, but they had a much higher throughput and shorter waits. 6.5/10 - this would have been dreadful with comfort collars

Standort Abschuss Spaß

Though I love crazy forceful coasters, I am still a huge fan of ones that just bring you on a really fun journey; Cheetah Hunt is practically this perfected. Ripping through Busch Gardens' savanna right over the animal exhibits always puts a huge smile on my face. This ride is far from forceless, though. Those three launches pack a surprising punch, there are several moments of solid airtime, and the roll gives some really nice hangtime. Though it would of course benefit from lap bars, I'm short enough that the restraints didn't bother me at all, and I was actually able to ignore the shoulder straps for the most part. Don't go into Cheetah Hunt expecting mind-blowing elements; expect a one-of-a-kind adventure through one of the most gorgeous parks in the world. 9/10 - what is with that random support inside the gift shop

Inversionen Standort Intensität Thematisierung

Kumba is an intensity monster that takes a lot out of you to ride it, but it's definitely worth it. All of the inversions pop so well and deliver face-melting positives, especially the snappy zero-g roll. This ride's location in the back of the park allows it to feel like a secluded journey, but it still has some neat interaction with walkways. It's a bit of a nitpick, but I think this ride could have some better theming, especially considering its competition in Montu at the same park. 8.5/10 - I came the closest I ever have to a fight at a theme park while in queue for this ride

Komfort Intensität Layout

It seems that with many B&M loopers you trade a comfortable ride experience for unbridled intensity. Kraken is kind enough to let you have both. The inversions on this ride deliver some spectacular positives without the discomfort I've found on similar coasters. I'm a sucker for rides that dive into trenches like this one does, so that makes me like it even more. I went into my visit to SeaWorld expecting this to be a ride I wouldn't care for, but it actually turned out to be one of the better ones in the park. 8/10 - shoutout to the guy who sat next to me on this coaster; he was one of the only enthusiasts I actually held a fun conversation with on my Florida trip

Airtimes Spaß Intensität Rütteln

I think this is a ride where you have to look past some of the discomfort and appreciate the forces. Yes, it has a nasty rattle, especially in the back, but since there isn't really anything to headbang against it can absolutely be tolerated. In my opinion, this coaster actually has both the single strongest moment of airtime and moment of positives in the entire resort. If you are sitting in the front row those hops into the brake runs absolutely send you, even if they aren't sustained for long at all. Additionally, the helix near the far side of the layout almost made me blackout on my rides. I get that it can be uncomfortable, but I can set that aside for a ride with such powerful elements that lets me blast "Free Bird" the whole time. 8/10 - this is the only ride that can say its brake runs are its best elements

Inversionen Standort Unangenehm

I really wanted to like Manta more, but I think B&M flyers just aren't for me. I was hoping my experience on Superman was isolated to a bad day, but I'm now 2 for 2 on these rides making me feel nauseous and discombobulated. I don't get that feeling at all on the flying dutchman I've done, so it's likely related to the pull-up flying position as opposed to the lean-back. That said, I absolutely love this ride's location over the midways and scenery throughout the layout, and the pretzel loop is of course incredible, but I just can't bring myself to rate it higher due to its lack of reridability. 7.5/10 - the aquarium in the queue is awesome, but why is it so damn dark in there?

Thematisierung Standort Spaß Dead spots

This is a really solid family coaster with some great elements and theming. The elevator lift is both a spectacle to watch and a great way to tie into the rides story, and the theming throughout the queue and ride are superb. I think the forwards section of the ride is quite good and surprisingly intense, but the backwards section is pretty lame and the spinning one is hit or miss. I'd say this ride is definitely worth doing at least once, though I don't think I'll rush to reride. 6/10 - apparently the track is supposed to simulate riding along the cobra's tail??? That's awesome actually

Airtimes Inversionen Hangtime Rütteln

Just a great time from start to finish. The jojo roll is such a fun way to start off the ride and serves as a preview for the great hangtime that you're about to experience. And that's what this ride is: hangtime. From that roll to the first loop to the cutback there are so many great moments where you're dangling from the seat. Though it's true that the launches aren't great, I do think they're hated a bit too much. The first one is actually quite solid, but the second is understandably clowned on. This thing can also have a nasty rattle; it isn't that uncomfortable but it can be annoying. 8.5/10 - it may be great but it'll never replace the Thunder Road-shaped hole in my heart

Spaß Dauer

Just a good, classic, racing woodie. The lap bars on PTC trains mean there's often a lot of room for airtime, though to be honest there isn't a ton here to speak of; Kings Island's racer is a lot stronger when it comes to airtime. I'm not a huge fan of the laterals on the turnaround, but they aren't uncomfortable. 6/10 - this was the first "big kid" coaster I ever did so thanks Dad

Airtimes Tempo Sanftheit

It is genuinely baffling both how well this ride keeps its speed and how smooth it's managed to stay. This coaster has the best pacing of any woodie I've ridden and some great airtimes to compliment. The shed is also a very cute little way to end the ride—bopping your head along to "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" with a friend is just silly fun. This might be a controversial opinion, but I think Thunderhead at Dollywood actually has much stronger ejectors, so that ride remains my favorite GCI. 9.5/10 - why did the ride op on Racer tell me not to go in the shed did he know where he was

Airtimes Standort Enttäuschend!

I'm quite sad to say that Diamondback just didn't live up to the hype for me. It was a solid hyper, don't get me wrong, but it didn't feel like anything that special. I rode in row 12, so I'd love to someday get a back row ride and give it another shot, but from my one experience I didn't think it was anything special. Of course it had really good floater and the splashdown was fun, but I think I just missed the *something* everyone seems to think this coaster has. 7.5/10 - I feel bad for the people that work the midway games right under the helix

Airtimes Spaß Dead spots

I'm a sucker for racing and dueling coasters, so I was so happy to get a race. I felt my childhood nostalgia for Thunder Road at Carowinds rush back, and I had a big smile on my face the whole time. Compared to Racer 75 at Kings Dominion this one actually has some solid airtime. I also don't have a rattle to complain about since I didn't ride in a wheel seat. 7/10 - how did blue beat us we went down the drop so much earlier

Komfort Spaß Zu kurz Enttäuschend!

Though it's very smooth for an Arrow, I felt like this ride didn't do much. Obviously the track has to be banked so the ride doesn't tear itself apart, but to be honest the fact that the cars swing independently is really only noticeable on the brake run. This coaster is also over way too fast. 6/10 - this review is dedicated to the crying kid whose dad was trying to force him to ride; I'm sorry little man

Airtimes Spaß Dead spots

Actually a really fun ride with some phenomenal floater. It's basically just a lot of airtime hills, albeit very good airtime hills, especially if you're in the back. I probably got lucky because the last time I went the trims were barely hitting at all. The section after the midcourse is definitely the low point, though not quite as bad as a lot of people make it out to be. Intimidator has gotten a lot more scrutiny since it's been in Fury's shadow, but as a standalone coaster this is a really good hyper. 8/10 - why do they take the photo after the midcourse I don't understand the logic there

Thematisierung Inversionen Unangenehm Dead spots Layout

The last 15 seconds of this ride are fantastic: an awesome fire effect followed by a great drop and a very unique set of inversions. Everything else that comes before it is awful. The profiling is janky, the transitions are uncomfortable, and all the while it manages to have dead spots that somehow hurt your head. I had much more fun looking at this ride from the outside than riding it. 4/10 - the vulture animatronic is the highlight

Spaß Intensität Unangenehm

When I rode this for the first time 8 years ago I called it the worst roller coaster ever. I expected to have a similar opinion after riding it again, but surprisingly I actually quite enjoyed it! I'll admit that I'm weird and sometimes enjoy riding defensively, so that plays a part here, but once you learn how to properly position the stand-up restraints you will experience no crotch pain and minimal headbanging. To have the best ride on Vortex, though, you absolutely have to ride in the front right position. Any farther back and you will headbang, and any further left and the corkscrew will be painful. Thankfully this ride barely gets a line so you should be able to no problem. 7/10 - as a ride op I was assigned to this coaster but it was closed all summer so not only did I never touch it but it was also my last Carowinds credit

Inversionen Intensität

Though it can't compare to many of the custom layouts, this is still a great invert. The tight elements pack some crazy forces with some awesome whip. Though it's the most intense overall, I still think Goliath's double helix is the standout moment of G-Force in this entire park. I think my favorite inverts strike a balance between the tight elements of a ride like this and the large, drawn-out ones of a ride like Alpengeist. 8/10 - someone free Batman why is he stuck in the freezer

Nette Überraschung! Spaß Intensität

I did not anticipate enjoying this ride; stand-ups are almost universally hated and my last ride on one (8 years ago) left me in near tears at the pain. However, Georgia Scorcher was really fun! I actually quite enjoyed the novelty of standing up on a roller coaster, and while I'm sure airtime is a more fun force to experience whilst doing so, the high positives were still exciting. I knew to slightly squat for the height lock so I experienced no crotch pain and surprisingly no headbanging; it was quite comfortable. 7.5/10 - now that I actually have a positive interpretation of stand-ups I am absolutely not looking forward to Vortex

Inversionen Standort Intensität Dead spots

I was quite surprised by the intensity this ride packs into its loops and valleys. Yes, the loops and valleys are the only good parts of the ride, but they genuinely are quite fun. There is a lot of pointless meandering throughout the whole layout, but the wooded surroundings make it a little more enjoyable. 6/10 - why does the brake run squeal

Dauer Unangenehm Layout

I thought I had experienced the jank of Arrow transitions before, but nothing compared to this ride. This ride is like if they took Anaconda's pointless meandering double turn around and extended it to an entire layout. Then they added 3 chain lifts. It's pretty impressive to be crowned my least favorite Arrow, but for the time being this coaster holds that title. 2/10 - holy crap this line moves so slow with one train ops

Airtimes Spaß Unangenehm Layout

The first turn and drops are surprisingly smooth, but don't be fooled because this ride has some hilariously poorly profiled turns. Most of the fun of this coaster comes from how unsafe it feels. It is absolutely the jankiest piece of junk I've ever ridden. 4/10 - if you sit in the front row your restraints pop up before the train stops moving

Enttäuschend! Layout

Compared to the only other Miler kiddie I've ridden in Wilderness Run at Carowinds, this was surprisingly disappointing. There's actually some forces on that one, even if very minimal, and the ending bunny hops give a tiny bit of airtime. This ride just does nothing. I can't really fault it though, I'm not the target audience. 2/10 - the operator said it was better than ArieForce so who am I to disagree