Coaster reviews

Launch Too short

Montezooma's Revenge packs a lot of fun into a very, very short layout. The spikes deliver fun airtime. The loop is powerful. The launch is powerful. Everything about this ride is really well done. There just isn't very much to it. It's just launch, back, and done. Montezooma doesn't try to be a big coaster, but it is very good for what it is.

Theming Hangtime Rattle Dead spots

Mystery Mine is an amazing ride and a terrible coaster. It is extraordinarily well themed most of the way through the ride. The theming complements the roller coaster sections extremely well. Unfortunately, the roller coaster sections are not generally very good. The first half feels pointless, as you just slowly maneuver in circles on the side of a hill. The second half is really short, but do be ready for some extreme hangtime on the final inversion. It may not be a great roller coaster, but it has a spectacular finale, and amazing theming that makes it a must-do at Dollywood.

Fun Rattle Discomfort

Racer 75 is a fun ride, not a good ride. It's got a rattle to it, enough to be uncomfortable, but not enough to make it not fun. There isn't amazing airtime, but there isn't no airtime either. This is a classic wooden coaster with enough pure fun factor to stand the test of time, even if it's a little on the mediocre side.

Fun Rattle Discomfort

Racer 75 is a fun ride, not a good ride. It's got a rattle to it, enough to be uncomfortable, but not enough to make it not fun. There isn't amazing airtime, but there isn't no airtime either. This is a classic wooden coaster with enough pure fun factor to stand the test of time, even if it's a little on the mediocre side.

Theming Duration Airtimes

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a family coaster. However, it is a ridiculously well-themed family coaster. The redone finale is quite impressive, and the ride is quite entertaining. I highly recommend a night ride.

Inversions Rattle Disappointing! Dead spots

Firebird is very mediocre in just about everything. Its first loop is spectacular, but after that, it's a long, boring ride through some fairly rough elements. The corkscrew is abysmal. This ride is big, and has some fun moments, but for a coaster of this magnitude, it's kinda boring.

Theming Launch Discomfort

Revenge of the Mummy is a very well done ride. The coaster part itself is a low-end launched coaster. It's perfectly smooth. It's not amazingly forceful in there, but it's all right. Revenge of the Mummy does feature an extremely abrupt stop, which is incredibly unpleasant, followed by a sensation against your feet that is similarly unpleasant. However, the launch is fantastic. The theming, particularly early on, is great. Revenge of the Mummy is all right.

Theming Discomfort

Orlando's Space Mountain is the star of the Magic Kingdom park. The coaster itself is mediocre, but the theming is impressively done. There are times where the theming is unconvincing, particularly on the final brake run. The trains are not comfortable. However, the darkness makes the ride feel extraordinarily fast, and it's a great ride as a whole.

Theming Discomfort

Orlando's Space Mountain is the star of the Magic Kingdom park. The coaster itself is mediocre, but the theming is impressively done. There are times where the theming is unconvincing, particularly on the final brake run. The trains are not comfortable. However, the darkness makes the ride feel extraordinarily fast, and it's a great ride as a whole.

Theming Rattle Discomfort

Matterhorn Bobsleds is a fun ride, but not a particularly good roller coaster. Disneyland has never been able to make the trains comfortable. The ride is really old, and that can be apparent in the roughness of the track. However, the dueling aspect is really fun, and it blends thrill and theming pretty well. It's a very good ride, and an okay coaster.

Theming Rattle Discomfort

Matterhorn Bobsleds is a fun ride, but not a particularly good roller coaster. Disneyland has never been able to make the trains comfortable. The ride is really old, and that can be apparent in the roughness of the track. However, the dueling aspect is really fun, and it blends thrill and theming pretty well. It's a very good ride, and an okay coaster.

Pace Fun Smoothness Too short

InvadR is a high-intensity family coaster, or a low-intensity thrill coaster. Busch Gardens clearly intended for it to be the former. It doesn't have a lot of airtime, but it doesn't have a lot of height. There are some great laterals, and it feels fast. InvadR is mostly just fun.

Theming Launch Fun

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster is probably Disney World's best coaster independently of theming. However, the theming is a little subpar by Disney standards. The coaster itself doesn't do much to distinguish itself from any other launched looping coaster, but the theming makes it a memorable experience.

First Drop Theming Duration Rattle

Verbolten is a pretty good ride. Verbolten is definitely on the smaller end, so don't expect a world breaker. However, it is incredibly intense. The helix in the show building is incredibly forceful. There are plenty of surprises throughout this ride. The three versions of the ride are all well done. Unfortunately, the theming has been slowly diminishing. It's not gone, but it's not what it used to be. Verbolten also does suffer from a slight rattle, particularly where it's running over Big Bad Wolf's old footers.

Airtimes First Drop Rattle Disappointing! Dead spots

Superman was disappointing. It's very imposing, lending itself to being the star of the park. Unfortunately, the straight sections don't do much to make the ride fun. The helices are pretty rattly. The restraints are kinda uncomfortable. It really is a bland roller coaster.

Theming Capacity Smoothness Dead spots

I prefer this Space Mountain to the one in Orlando. This one has a fantastic soundtrack by Michael Giacchino. The theming feels quite elaborate. The coaster itself isn't spectacular, but as a whole experience, it's pretty well done.

Fun Intensity Rattle

I liked Hurler far more than most seem to. Hurler was rattly, but not so rattly it was painful. I particularly enjoyed the sweeping turns Hurler did. It feels like it has a lot of speed going, and that makes it fun. It doesn't do anything particularly spectacularly, it's just fun.

Nice surprise! Comfort Rattle Capacity

Nighthawk was far better than I was expecting. Nighthawk isn't the best coaster ever, but it's a pretty solid depth coaster. I rode in the back row and felt a small rattle being absorbed by the seat pretty well. The seat was actually fairly comfortable. The vertical loop was outstanding. Nighthawk does suffer from long lines though, so be sure to hit it up early.

Nice surprise! Intensity

Sierra Sidewinder is a smaller coaster, and it's located in Camp Snoopy. These factors combined to give me pretty mild expectations for Sierra Sidewinder. These expectations were absolutely shattered by my first ride on it. Sierra Sidewinder packs a huge punch for a coaster of its size. It rides very low to the ground at times, creating the illusion that you'll have your face dragged along the ground. All the while, every turn feels way tighter than it needs to be. Sierra Sidewinder is outstanding for a family coaster, but it's not on par with some of the larger stuff at Knott's.

Pace Layout Rattle

Roar is really fun. It's very long, and it's got a lot of great headchopper moments. There are a lot of fun positive g's. Unfortunately, all these years of positive g's have lead to a pretty uncomfortable ride, as it feels like it's grinding against every moment with positives. Roar isn't the best woodie ever, but it's pretty good.

Theming Launch Rattle

Flight of Fear is an incredibly themed launch coaster. The theming in the spaghetti bowl is not fantastic, but the queue is well-themed. This theme isn't super cohesive, but it works. The ride itself is pretty fun, but it does have a noticeable rattle. The layout is pretty whippy. The ride is good, but not great.

Layout Rattle

Roar wasn't a perfect ride, but it was good. The layout was amazing, plenty of length and potentially great moments. It had a lot of positive G forces, but that led to a kinda rough ride. Roar wasn't rough enough not to be fun, but it wasn't outstanding.

Theming Dead spots

Expedition Everest would be an absolutely bizarre, but generally mediocre roller coaster without the theming. Everest isn't amazingly forceful throughout most of its layout. The helix is pretty good. What makes this coaster amazing is the theming. There's a fantastic story told through this coaster. All the dead spots are deliberate to maximize the theming. Everest is a masterpiece blend of theming and thrill.

Location Layout Duration Rattle Discomfort

Loch Ness Monster is an amazing Arrow. The loops are fantastic. The ride is beautiful. The helix is fun. However, there are a few moments where the ride shows its age. There's some rough transitions, particularly after the first hill and after the helix. The trains are uncomfortable for taller riders. However, the ride is extremely fun in spite of its flaws.

Pace Smoothness Too short

Tennessee Tornado is amazing while it lasts, but it's incredibly short. The inversions are a little wonky, but this isn't noticeable from on the ride. It produces great forces through each inversion. There's even some understated theming. Tennessee Tornado just suffers from being far too short. Right when it feels like it should get insane, it hits the final brake run. It's great, but not perfect.

Lap Bar Nice surprise! Launch

Joker's Jinx is great. It's the best coaster at the park. It's kinda loud, particularly during the launch, but the launch is great. The ride is smooth. It's a perfect amount of whippy. Joker's Jinx was much better than expected.

First Drop Smoothness Dead spots Layout

Dominator is a pretty good floorless coaster. Dominator starts off strong, and just diminishes in quality from there. The first drop is outstanding, and the first loop is amazing. By the time you get to the end, the speed is gone, and the ride feels like it should have been over a long time ago. Dominator is incredibly smooth, and it is fun the whole way through.

Inversions Location Smoothness Theming

Silver Bullet is not a spectacular invert, but it doesn't really do anything badly. It has one strong overbank that feels like an inversion, that moment is particularly powerful. The corkscrews at the end are amazing. After the cobra roll, Silver Bullet does pick up in intensity. Silver Bullet is great, but not elite.

Theming Fun Duration Dead spots

Incredicoaster, as with most Disney coasters, is not amazing. However, it is extremely fun. It is one of the longest coasters in the world. The loop is a bit rattly, but fun. The theming, while subpar by Disney standards, is still pretty good. The final helix is extremely fun. You do get a little airtime over the first major hill. Incredicoaster doesn't do anything spectacularly, but it does so much that it is still really fun.

Smoothness Layout Theming

Medusa is super fun. The inversions are great. The ride is smooth. Medusa packs a strong punch. Medusa is a bit on the ugly side, but it's a fun ride nonetheless.