Thunder Striker • Carowinds

My second most ridden coaster after Mako at Sea World. Always a short line and always fun with loads of airtime and a great first drop! Only issue is that everything after the midcourse is extremely s...

My second most ridden coaster after Mako at Sea World. Always a short line and always fun with loads of airtime and a great first drop! Only issue is that everything after the midcourse is extremely slow and boring.

I'm not a fan of the new name, because now I can't call it Intrimidator. This ride suffers from B&M Hyper syndrome, because it has the same repetitive layout as Behemoth and Goliath. (La Ronde) This r...

I'm not a fan of the new name, because now I can't call it Intrimidator. This ride suffers from B&M Hyper syndrome, because it has the same repetitive layout as Behemoth and Goliath. (La Ronde) This ride's layout is really just airtime hill after airtime hill, and it's pretty repetitive. Other hypers like Diamondback and Shambhala don't have this issue, because they actually have layouts that aren't just back to back airtime hills. At least the ride gives good floater airtime, but the trims still kind of kill some of the airtime. I also have no idea why so many people rank this at #2 or even #1 in the park. I thought it was a good supporting coaster, but I also thought it was the worst out of the big 4 at the park. (Fury 325, Copperhead Strike, Afterburn, Thunder Striker) Overall: 8/10 - This ride has a repetitive layout, but the airtime is still really good.

By far the worst hyper in the States for me. I always call this thing Intrimidator since my ride was taken at like 20 MPH due to all of the trims killing it. Still gets 3 stars because there is no "ba...

By far the worst hyper in the States for me. I always call this thing Intrimidator since my ride was taken at like 20 MPH due to all of the trims killing it. Still gets 3 stars because there is no "bad" hypercoaster but holy man this thing has like barely any airtime at all when the trims are on.

I miss the Intrimidator theming. The queue was pretty boring, though thankfully the line was moving fast due to the reason I bumped this up to 4.5 stars: The Ops were dedicated. They were rolling trai...

I miss the Intrimidator theming. The queue was pretty boring, though thankfully the line was moving fast due to the reason I bumped this up to 4.5 stars: The Ops were dedicated. They were rolling trains, probably 40 seconds parked MAXIMUM. They were absolutely amazing, I have only ever seen this efficient of a crew on SteVe. Shoutout to whoever was on that shift (my ride was at about 22:00 October 5). Not my favorite hyper, but still a good ride.

Thunder Striker is really an underappreciated coaster. It has great floater airtime throughout the pre-MCBR section. Like most B&M hypers, the airtime comes on in a bit more of an eject-y manner in ...

Thunder Striker is really an underappreciated coaster. It has great floater airtime throughout the pre-MCBR section. Like most B&M hypers, the airtime comes on in a bit more of an eject-y manner in the front of the train, while not hitting quite as hard but lasting longer in the back. The back is definitely the best place to experience the first drop though, as with just about every other coaster. It is still quite smooth. I could hear the trim brakes during the first half hitting, but they didn't seem to slow the train down much. The MCBR can be unpredictable sometimes though. I've had rides where it hardly hit at all (even on hot days) and other rides where it slowed the train down quite a bit. If the MCBR doesn't hit hard, the section after it is also fun, but it can be a bit of a dead spot if the train is running too slowly. If this wasn't in the same park with Fury 325, it would get a lot more love.

Let's start with the fact it's B&M. That kinda sends a message of: Gentle Giant. This one isn't so bad as the other ones I've ridden, as it has a longer, more diverse layout. The trims are frustrating...

Let's start with the fact it's B&M. That kinda sends a message of: Gentle Giant. This one isn't so bad as the other ones I've ridden, as it has a longer, more diverse layout. The trims are frustrating, sure, but it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. The airtime was still okay, and the drop is good. The only reason I have this at 4.5 is because when you ride front row on the wing seats, it is so much more enjoyable, and the wind whipping in your face is awesome.

This ride is underrated maybe due to the fact that it has to compete Fury 325 in the same park. This ride focuses only on floater airtime with lots of airtime hills. I also do not think that it has ma...

This ride is underrated maybe due to the fact that it has to compete Fury 325 in the same park. This ride focuses only on floater airtime with lots of airtime hills. I also do not think that it has many dead spots, maybe the helix near the end. The coaster needs to be warmed up in order to appreciate it. Front row and back row are the favorite seats.

This is an underrated coaster. It has a great first drop, very good airtime and the first turn really shows you the height where you're at. It might be a bit slower than the absolute masterpiece Fury ...

This is an underrated coaster. It has a great first drop, very good airtime and the first turn really shows you the height where you're at. It might be a bit slower than the absolute masterpiece Fury 325 but it works out in favor of the airtime (especially in the front row). All in all, a very good rollercoaster and a must-ride alongside Fury 325.

Un parcours simple mais efficace. La first drop est bien mais rien d exceptionnelle. Ca monte ca descend et on a beaucoup d air time chose pour laquelle a été construit ce coaster. On lui reprochera l...

Un parcours simple mais efficace. La first drop est bien mais rien d exceptionnelle. Ca monte ca descend et on a beaucoup d air time chose pour laquelle a été construit ce coaster. On lui reprochera les freins qui empêchent de plus gros airtime avant chaque bosse et son parcours basique. Manque un peu de figure mais ride très agréable .

I had a couple of very solid rides in the mid-back and third row. The first drop was pretty decent in the mid-back but definitely doesn't compare to Fury 325. I had a much better ride in the third r...

I had a couple of very solid rides in the mid-back and third row. The first drop was pretty decent in the mid-back but definitely doesn't compare to Fury 325. I had a much better ride in the third row because it sacrificed that first drop intensity but really gave awesome airtime every time we reached the top of each hill. I think I would have maximized my ride by riding in the very front row but I've heard the very back row is a great ride as well. The lap bar was comfortable and still gave enough room to feel airtime. The day I rode this was super windy in that coaster's area so we didn't experience much trim but we also didn't get as much speed throughout the entire run as I would imagine it could reach. It barely made the score it made for me and almost lost another 0.5 stars but it's still a B&M hyper and those always seem to give consistently good rides. 4/5 stars

This one is better then most people give it credit for. It doesn't seem to trim any harder than most of the other hypers I have done. The whole ride is full of floater airtime and I found this to be o...

This one is better then most people give it credit for. It doesn't seem to trim any harder than most of the other hypers I have done. The whole ride is full of floater airtime and I found this to be one of the most re-rideable coasters I've done.

This is a very solid hyper coaster with lots of air time. Always a fun ride, comfortable trains and smooth. Ops are quick and keeps the lines low. I was at the park on Memorial Day weekend and waited ...

This is a very solid hyper coaster with lots of air time. Always a fun ride, comfortable trains and smooth. Ops are quick and keeps the lines low. I was at the park on Memorial Day weekend and waited less than 15 minutes to ride this.

Intimidator (now Thunder Striker) is a favorite of mine. It does not feel agressive at all - the intensity comes from the height/speed (so if you like to be really thrown around and disoriented it may...

Intimidator (now Thunder Striker) is a favorite of mine. It does not feel agressive at all - the intensity comes from the height/speed (so if you like to be really thrown around and disoriented it may not be your favorite hypercoaster out there). Awesome in terms of floaters, main strength is the floating/airtime aspect. Supremely comfortable experience, I always find myself just smiling at the end.

Wow! This is easily the best B&M Hyper Coaster that I've ridden. Most sustained airtime on any B&M Hyper that I've ridden and a nice blend of positives in the valleys. That drop is also amazing. I cou...

Wow! This is easily the best B&M Hyper Coaster that I've ridden. Most sustained airtime on any B&M Hyper that I've ridden and a nice blend of positives in the valleys. That drop is also amazing. I could marathon this all day!

Intimidator is a lovely B&M hyper and good solid fun. It doesn’t have any standout moments or elements. My favorite B&M hyper is Goliath in Atlanta because of its amazing floater airtime which this ri...

Intimidator is a lovely B&M hyper and good solid fun. It doesn’t have any standout moments or elements. My favorite B&M hyper is Goliath in Atlanta because of its amazing floater airtime which this ride doesn’t come close to, and it’s amazing layout and views. I’d probably rank this alongside Nitro and Apollo as good solid hypers.

Staggered seating on B&M hypers cause the first drops to be incredible in the back. Clamshells are also great. Floater airtime on the other hills, which aren't ruined by the trims. It might be because...

Staggered seating on B&M hypers cause the first drops to be incredible in the back. Clamshells are also great. Floater airtime on the other hills, which aren't ruined by the trims. It might be because Fury 325 was closed during my visit, but it doesn't make sense why people don't appreciate this as much as it deserves.

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 ...

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

I loved this ride. It was everything I was hoping Goliath SFOG would be, just a 3-hour longer drive to get on it. It is big and fast! I rode it twice - once towards the front, once in the back and the...

I loved this ride. It was everything I was hoping Goliath SFOG would be, just a 3-hour longer drive to get on it. It is big and fast! I rode it twice - once towards the front, once in the back and there was a notable benefit to sitting in the back - as one might expect with a train this long with hills and speeds this high. Fantastic first drop, great whip from the back seat through the many floaters throughout the ride. A single dead spot that is so far into the ride, I considered everything at that point gravy. Good theming, great length and a really nice layout with views of the park and the surrounding Carolinas. I suspect Intimidator is underestimated and/or under-appreciated because it falls in the shadow of a bigger coaster at the same park (Fury) and a bigger coaster with the same name (Intimidator 305). But it's a top 10 for me and kept my day at Carowinds lively with Fury out of action.

Perso j’apprécie toujours les hyper B&M. la first drop fait toujours son effet, le reste est fluide. On est un cran en dessous du shambala ou candymonium mais tout de même très plaisant à rider quand ...

Perso j’apprécie toujours les hyper B&M. la first drop fait toujours son effet, le reste est fluide. On est un cran en dessous du shambala ou candymonium mais tout de même très plaisant à rider quand on aime ce genre de coaster. Mérite d’être mieux classé selon moi…

Maybe it's because I waited 90 minutes with Fury being right next door, but I was pretty disappointed by this ride. I haven't had a ton of experience on B&M hypers, but I was expecting a bit better th...

Maybe it's because I waited 90 minutes with Fury being right next door, but I was pretty disappointed by this ride. I haven't had a ton of experience on B&M hypers, but I was expecting a bit better than this. I didn't get as much airtime as I expected. I need to reride soon, but as of now it's easily my least favorite of the four major coasters in the park.

Another solid B and M Hyper. Really enjoyed the freedom provided by the staggered seating. Visuals were awesome up front and the trims didn’t hit as hard as they did in the back. Still very good susta...

Another solid B and M Hyper. Really enjoyed the freedom provided by the staggered seating. Visuals were awesome up front and the trims didn’t hit as hard as they did in the back. Still very good sustained floater airtime that I love. Praise Dale and raise hell.

So Intimidator is kind of a mixed bag. Overall, it’s a B&M giga. It’s like pizza, even when it’s not great it’s still good. The first drop is as intense as any big coaster over 200ft and the airtime h...

So Intimidator is kind of a mixed bag. Overall, it’s a B&M giga. It’s like pizza, even when it’s not great it’s still good. The first drop is as intense as any big coaster over 200ft and the airtime hills are loads of fun. My biggest complaint is trim and the second half of the course. You get so much speed trimmed off both on the airtime hills and after them, and it leads to the second half being pretty lack luster. The closest thing I have to compare it to is Goliath down at SFOG, and that coaster is solid all the way throughout. Overall, a good coaster for sure, but it could definitely be better.

Very good, but not great. It's smooth, and the ride is enjoyable. The brakes ruin the pacing. I first rode this in 2011 when there was just the clamshell lap restraint and no seat belts. I must s...

Very good, but not great. It's smooth, and the ride is enjoyable. The brakes ruin the pacing. I first rode this in 2011 when there was just the clamshell lap restraint and no seat belts. I must say, it sure added a bit of fear to the ride when the clamshell was the only thing holding you in during airtimes. I'd always be thinking, "I sure hope this thing stays locked in place!" I'm glad they added the seat belts in 2014 as a secondary safety measure.