Coaster reviews • Captain Coaster

Giant Dipper - Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Erik C. 3 years ago

Nice surprise! Fun

Giant Dipper may seem like a boring old woodie, but if you ride it at the right time you'll realize its full potential. I got one ride (a night ride) during my visit here, and I can assure you that nighttime is the prime time to experience this coaster. Being there on a Summer evening, it was busy and the full crowd set the mood of having fun. You start off the ride by dropping straight into a tunnel, and being nighttime, it was pitch black. The tunnel was definitely the best surprise, as the tunnel is much longer than you expect, going through several turns in darkness which makes it seem twice as fast as it actually is. When you're finally outside again, you reach the bottom of the lift. The layout after the drop is very typical for a coaster of its era, and the hills/drops provide only minor airtime, but the unobtrusive lap bars still make the ride fairly exciting. The ride is also somewhat short, but I was not left unsatisfied. Definitely come here for an evening visit if you have the chance!

GateKeeper - Cedar Point

Erik C. 3 years ago

Location Comfort Fun

I rode this once back in 2014, and I remember having a positive experience on my ride. This was my first wing coaster, so it was exciting getting to ride in that laid back position while going through the big inversions. I don't remember anything about the specific elements, but I also don't remember noticing the dead spots towards the end, though that could be because I used to not pay attention to those things. I may be overrating it with 4.5 stars, but i'll have to go back to experience it again. As of now, this was an awesome unique coaster for me.

Millennium Force - Cedar Point

Erik C. 3 years ago

Airtimes Fun Intensity

I had an absolute blast on my rides on this coaster. Walking away from my 2014 trip to CP, this was my #1 coaster there. When I became a full on enthusiast, I saw the hate that this ride gets, and it shocked me. The complaints about no intensity, no airtime, or a noticeable rattle are completely unfounded based off what I experienced when I rode this. I love the aesthetic of the station and the hype that it builds. The two big airtime hills provided and were very fun. I did not see anything noticeably wrong with this ride back when I rode it. Watch Park Bros review on Youtube, because he explains the sentiment that I also feel towards this ride. However, I do see myself lowering this ride in my rankings when I get to ride it again, just because my priorities for a coaster have changed. That being said, those who give this ride less than 4/5 stars are simply being dishonest.