First DropIntensityLayoutHeadbangingHarnessTear it down!
This ride traumatized me to the point that I almost decided to never ride a rollercoaster again. I had no idea what a Vekoma SLC is and I had no idea ...
This ride traumatized me to the point that I almost decided to never ride a rollercoaster again. I had no idea what a Vekoma SLC is and I had no idea how much in fear I would be. It is a super intense ride indeed. It is absolutely scary. The drop is huge and looks so much scarier than the drop of Oblivion. Hanging below the rails is frightening, you feel super helpless and the lift hill is super slow and long. I honestly don't know if it is the fear factor that I never rode it again but the restraints were absolutely uncomfortable too. I hated that so much. During the first half of the ride it was so scary and intense I thought that my head would fall off it was being pulled forwards with such powerful force. And then the second half was complete desorientation and constant headbanging from side to side. It was absolutely traumatizing I never wanted to ride a rollercoaster again (luckily, I did). Years after that I realized that this is one of the roughest models of the roughest model of rollercoasters. I had no idea about that, I just found it way too intense. I hated the harness sooo much. I was in so much pain because of it. And the deaths on the rollercoaster too - there are people who have literally died of heart attack in it and it feels super scary and discouraging to see the Blue Tornado area with the constant warnings on posters and in audio to not ride if you have heart problems. It is absolutely terrifying. This coaster traumatized me so much that I don't think I will ever go on an inverted coaster again. I've heard that B&M inverts are so good but I have no idea and when I think of an inverted coaster I only relate it to the Blue Tornado experience and feel that it would be traumatizing too or at least with no pleasure and extremely unpleasant. I just don't think I could like an inverted coaster, it feels horrible and scary to be below the track. Now I realize that I've ridden one of the most painful Vekoma SLC's and I read a lot about them. And I admit that I actually feel a little bit curious to try another one but one of the tamer ones. The layout is really good too and there is one thing that you can't deny and it's probably the reason why the parks don't tear those rides down - it's because it's absolutely beautiful on photos and videos. When you enter the park and watch the opening ceremony you can see the Blue Tornado in the distance through the trees. And it's so beautiful they put it everywhere. The area is beautiful, the theming is beautiful and the idea for the fast food restaurant is great as well as the marketing that you could feel as if you are on such a plane. I like to look at it. Vekoma SLC's are beautiful and it's sometimes my guilty pleasure to read about them to the point that one day I might want to ride one of the better ones and actually enjoy the layout but for now I am not so sure because my experience with the Blue Tornado was absolutely traumatizing, desorienting and painful. Even without the pain such a rollercoaster is really really scary. So I understand why people go there. Of course they won't tear down one of the most picturesque areas of the park. The way it moves and the blue water around it. They didn't go wrong with the theming. My future plans: Maybe ride it again one day, try Oziris at Parc Astérix and I am extremely curious about Diabolik at Movie Land even though I think this is a ride so terrifying that I couldn't even imagine surviving. I have no idea how I would survive Diabolik and I can't even believe that there are people out there who have had the chance of trying it and having a real memory of this extremely weird and unique rollercoaster. Sequoia Adventure and Diabolik... We have such rare models around the Lake Garda.
I am glad there is a rollercoaster in Bulgaria and it's run well. The location is great in the beautiful nature. It is fun and I love it so much in th...
I am glad there is a rollercoaster in Bulgaria and it's run well. The location is great in the beautiful nature. It is fun and I love it so much in the amazing Bulgarian mountain. I can't really judge this much. It's a very small rollercoaster it's not made to be compared to the rollercoaster giants in the actual theme parks. I would just say that there is one big con. There are brakes but if there is a person in front of you you have to pull them and there usually is someone. But once you pull the brakes there is no way of gaining speed again so if there is someone in front of you and you brake, the rest of the ride will be quite slow and you would really wish for it to be quicker and more exciting. But anyway the nature is beautiful and the layout is long and perfect. You should definitely try it but don't expect a rollercoaster in the actual sense. It's more of a family ride which is cool and unique around the nature. I am still very very happy and grateful to have it around.
Okay so before going to PortAventura I used to think that Oblivion at Gardaland is the best rollercoaster ever (it is still one of my top ones) but I ...
Okay so before going to PortAventura I used to think that Oblivion at Gardaland is the best rollercoaster ever (it is still one of my top ones) but I couldn't understand why people online were saying that there are so many rollercoasters that are much more intense. Well, trust me. Now I know exactly how... Let's start off with the station. I like how you can put your stuff there. Then you sit in the train. The seats are in rows and they are 2x2 - together or separated. So you can sit directly next to your friend if you want to. The seats and the restraints are extremely comfortable. And this specific teal color is just so so so unique and just looks so good. I love the color of the ride. Now the lift hill, I admit that I was terrified. So long, so high and so scary. And when I think about the huge drop... No... I had to close my eyes and not open them until the climbing is over. And here comes the first drop. I understood right away why Oblivion is not so intense in the eyes of other rollercoaster enthusiast and the difference in the intensity was horrendous. The drop is just sooo huge. You scream in fear you shout then you calm down and you are STILL FALLING DOWN. It feels endless. Then you have another drop right away which seems just as high or even more than the first one and then a series of many many other drops which are super fun and cool. By the end the first drop ends you no longer have fear and you feel just so relaxed and cool and amazing. You would want to lift your arms up and have so much fun... It's long, it's cool, it's comfortable, it's intense. I completely understand and agree with the top ranking of Shambhala on all websites. Now i know what truly is an intense coaster. I had no idea before that honestly and the difference is huge. We ran through the whole park to hopefully have one more ride during the day before the park closes. We were praying to be able to experience it once again... This ride gives me such a good feeling I just love it so much but the ascension is absolutely petrifying every single time. But don't be afraid, do it! After the first drop you will feel amazing. Oblivion also has an amazing feeling but it's shorter while here after the initial drop, the fun is just about to begin. It's long going up but you will be fine. Smooth, cool and amazing! This rollercoaster definitely deserves the fame and the love.
I have heard by someone I know what more than 20 years ago "there was no queue for this ride because everyone was sick and throwing up after it". I've...
I have heard by someone I know what more than 20 years ago "there was no queue for this ride because everyone was sick and throwing up after it". I've also read that it's very rough so I wanted to do it by the end of the day so that it doesn't ruin my time at the park. However, after Shambhala, me and my friend decided to go there and ride it. Well, it was an interesting ride. First of all, it is in no way as rough as I expected. There was headbanging for sure and it was painful, I had slight pain in my right year and neck but nothing too serious. It wasn't very violent headbanging but still annoying and consistent all the time. The ride itself was interesting because if you no longer have fear of rollercoasters it's like a show. It has many different types of inversions and it's very cool to sit, relax, watch them and then go through them and feel the hanging and the feeling of every single element. I didn't feel that much during the ride, it was mostly calming and interesting to sit, relax and enjoy the look of the different inversions and to hear the panic in people while going through the loops. It was very interesting and educational to see all the different inversions this ride features. I also like how it combines with the track of Shambhala, it's beautiful. And the ride is also pleasant to look at from a distance. Keep in mind that my friend got nauseous and definitely needed a short break after this one, but nothing that 20-30 minutes of rest couldn't fix. So the ride is not that violent but not too intense either. It has an amazing variety of inversions and it's interesting and relaxing if you are not afraid to go upside down.
I've read about this coaster and the speed and how good it is FOR YEARS. And when I actually decided to ride it some people were leaving the queue and...
I've read about this coaster and the speed and how good it is FOR YEARS. And when I actually decided to ride it some people were leaving the queue and it turns out that it was stopped due to mechanical problems. I've read that there have been a lot of issues with this ride thoughout the years. So it's not really reliable. It's not comfortable too. In any way. I thought that I wouldn't survive the disappointment and asking myself what if, if I actually didn't ride it and have the possibility to experience it for myself. So the moment they fixed it and it was running again I went to try it and I rode it on the back row even. It was super fast, absolutely but it was not comfortable. I don't remember if there was headbanging so it might've been mild or something. It is fast and exciting but it's a weird ride overall. I am glad I saw what it was like and I am grateful that I didn't leave the park without trying a coaster I've been reading about for years. It's weird, not comfortable, the seats and the restraints are not the friendliest. The track looks weird. But I liked the ride. However, it is not one of my top rollercoasters in any way.
I never managed to try the ride during my first two visits in Gardaland. I tried it last year. Don't trust the bad rating, the ride is actually fun an...
I never managed to try the ride during my first two visits in Gardaland. I tried it last year. Don't trust the bad rating, the ride is actually fun and it doesn't really hurt a lot. It is moderately intense because of the spinning, it is an interesting one. Of course it is nothing special after all. The capacity is bad indeed. You might wait for it much more time than for Oblivion for example. It's still fun to try. There is just one problematic element by the end of the ride you get a slight hit by the restraint in the stomach or something. You feel it but not very strong. It's there but it's not painful at all. At least for me. But nothing too special about the ride. Try it just for the ride or the experiment.
I really like Mammut. I ride it each time I visit Gardaland. The location next to Oblivion is really good. It is also a fun ride. There is a little bi...
I really like Mammut. I ride it each time I visit Gardaland. The location next to Oblivion is really good. It is also a fun ride. There is a little bit of rattle but it's there to make it feel more intense. It is a thrilling ride indeed and it's actually a long one, there are three parts and I like that at all. The drops are exciting and I love the good feeling I have of this ride. I lift my arms up and I can feel as if I am flying. It is super relaxing and fun. I love that. Especially by the end as it intensifies and you go around the circle down and down and you feel the centrifugal force. Mammut is an excellent ride. I would give it more than 80% on this website for sure. In my opinion - don't miss it! And it's still thrilling, on the same level as Shaman. It's rattly in a good way and you definitely feel the drops and the ride is really good and intense. I love Mammut. I also like the soundtrack - Red Snow. Yes, Mammut is cool and exciting. Definitely go. And it's a long ride with a lot of elements.
The ride is good. Especially during a sunny day in Gardaland it feels great to have a little splash. The theming is very good. I actually love the nam...
The ride is good. Especially during a sunny day in Gardaland it feels great to have a little splash. The theming is very good. I actually love the name of the ride - both the Italian and the English one are something memorable and somewhat exciting and a little spooky. Now about the ride I loved how when you climb on the first lift hill you see the second taller drop on the other side. It looks intimidating so that gives you a thrill. For me water rides and drop towers are usually more terrifying than rollercoasters. Water rides because of the splash of water on top of you. I loved the scenery and the soundtrack but it really has some dead spots. For a lot of time nothing is happening just how the other commentor said. You have one drop then a slow long peaceful ride and then the second drop is coming. The station is good, the name of the ride is really good for the park. And it's beautiful of course. Actually I wouldn't even say that the middle part is boring. You are just on a boat and moving slowly around the decors. I have no problem with that. Dead spots but it's not a bad ride at all. But for me even if it sounds strange the name of the ride is the biggest aspect of it. "Fuga de Atlantide" - if you are not an Italian speaker. The name "Fuga"... I don't know I can't even explain it. There is something about it that gives the special iconic feeling of Gardaland but also something dark distanced and scary. Back then after my first visit in 2018 I remember how I was thinking about the rides and reading about ones from the past or ones that are still there but I couldn't ride. And "Fuga de Atlantide" was a name that stood out to me and gave me this feeling of something extremely specific for Gardaland in the exact same style and at the same time something iconic and eerie. Now it could just be me but the name has a super powerful vibe and energy for me. And when I looked at Gardaland on a maps app and I looked at it and I read "Escape from Atlantis"... I don't know there is something about the name that is super powerful and gives me the old Gardaland vibe.
Wow! I did not expect that. I've hear bad things about it but no. This ride is so fun and one of my favorite ones in Portaventura. I didn't ride all o...
Wow! I did not expect that. I've hear bad things about it but no. This ride is so fun and one of my favorite ones in Portaventura. I didn't ride all of the rides there but this one and Shambhala were the most enjoyable. I remembered one side was better but I mistakenly thought it was the blue one. Nope, it was the red but anyway. I rode blue and I was amazed by the feeling of speed you get. It feels extremely quick and dynamic and I loved that, I loved the action of this rollercoaster. It is so fun and it could feel intense even after riding Shambhala. Soo good. I loved the wooden coaster. If I had time I would definitely repeat. The racing aspect was fun. There is rattle of course but nothing too harsh even though my friend thought it was worse. But I loved how dynamic it was. I definitely did not expect that at all. I had low expectations and I didn't think it would do something for me but I definitely felt it. It is not high but it's not a tame rollercoaster it is an extreme one. Well not the most extreme but it got me a strong feeling. Don't underestimate it, you might actually be surprised! Don't miss the ride! It is worth it during a Portaventura trip.
Raptor is a great rollercoaster. The theming is really good such as the path in the jungle to reach it. It looks very beautiful on the otside and I lo...
Raptor is a great rollercoaster. The theming is really good such as the path in the jungle to reach it. It looks very beautiful on the otside and I love how it does one of it's cult inversions over the station. It is something that makes it memorable. The station where the trains are loaded is also with very good theming. There is some music in the Raptor area that is not part of the soundtrack and I think that it is not on youtube, you can hear it in real life only. The coaster is an amazing demonstration of the B&M Wing Coaster model. I just love when it starts. Even though the restraints are indeed claustrophobic. Each time I go on the coaster I feel horrible in them. But they feel the worst while still in the station. During the ride I don't feel them at all and it feels super comfortable. I can let go and feel as if I am flying and the sky is hugging me. The feeling of hanging upside down when riding Raptor is just amazing. The only con is that filming on ride is not allowed in Gardaland which for me doesn't make sense at all and disappoints a lot. The station how I said looks extremely badass and cool and the sound of the air and the feeling you get when the ride starts and the train starts moving is one of the best feelings ever. The first drop is scary but after that it just all comes into place even if you are scared you will feel great. I had one ride on the right side though and on the outer seat and unfortunately it feel way too intense. So it can feel too intense depending on the seat you get. I mostly rode on the left side and I didn't have a problem with it. I love the station, I love the dark theming, the jungle, the music, the beauty of the ride, the sound and the feeling of hanging upside down like that. I would love to try other wing coasters too! But Raptor is a masterpiece. Oblivion and Raptor are so good for a marathon you could never get enough of those great rides. Gardaland is so good because of them!
Oblivion is an amazing ride! It is one of my favorite rollercoasters ever. I've been on it a total of 8 times. Once on my first visit in 2018, four ti...
Oblivion is an amazing ride! It is one of my favorite rollercoasters ever. I've been on it a total of 8 times. Once on my first visit in 2018, four times in 2023 and two times in 2024. It is the rollercoaster that started my love for amusement parks and it is a masterpiece! It also got my friends into rollercoasters too. Oblivion looks extremely high and scary in real life. Videos and photos fail to replicate it. The drop looks absolutely astonishing both upclose and from a distance. I still have the memory of looking at it in 2018 from the other side of the park, high up in the sky with the vertical drop which looked so unreal to me. It is one of my childhood memories. I remember people looking at it from a distance and saying: "impossible! I would NEVER ride that" with fear. It is a rollercoaster that can intimidate you without even riding it. From a distance and just with its height, the sound it makes when it passes you by. You have to see it in real life to know what I am talking about. I remember back then when you used to enter Oblivion through the training center with all the space effects and then reach the stairs and climb. My first time I thought I would not survive the scariness of this rollercoaster. I sound like a GP true but it is good to have ones like me too on this website. It was a great experience to enter the tunnels with the sounds and the lights and then reach the stairs and it is so beautiful and looks as if you are so high in the sky already. Then you reach the station and the "Point of no return" written on the wall. You hear the oblivion theme song and then you go and you enter the actual station. You sit on the seats you are completely frightened. Then they put the over the shoulder restraints and you hear this "air" sound as well as the music which is exciting but also stressful. Then the ground platform retracts and disappears. You hear in Italian "Tre, due, uno. Lancio" and the ride starts. I always LOVE the sound when the ride starts or even the sound the rollercoaster makes offride. It is extremely special and powerful. This "swoosh" of air. Then the ride starts. The ascending is very slow and it is either the scariest time of your life or it could be super relaxing. If it's your first time on Oblivion you will be completely terrified. But if you've done it a lot of times and you love the time, the slow going up will feel so good and relaxing. You will feel the seat leaning back and you will look at the sky and feel the sun on your face. As if you are lying on the beach and slowly going up. It is sooo good. Then you will have the amazing drop. It looks scary because as it's vertical you cannot really see the rails. You don't see the track it's like a cliff and you can't keep following it with your eyes. This is the scariest element. Then it inclines and stops for a few seconds and then you have the AMAZING drop. You feel so good. You drop underground and you don't see anything for a second and the moment you see again you are upside down in the inversion. At that point during two rides I blacked out a little. Then the rest of the ride feels good too but it's short. I love Oblivion. It has merchandise too and a great soundtrack, especially the main theme and "Be Dust". When you are there in real life there is some other music for a lot of rides which is exclusive to the area and is not part of the official soundtrack so I couldn't find it anywhere on youtube. It is also the same for the Raptor area. But yeah Oblivion is so good in terms of intensity, theming, excitement. It feels great, picturesque of course even though no photo could replicate it to show the feeling the height and how intimidating it really is. I hope to find more coasters to love as much as Oblivion. The feeling I get when I look at it in real life or when I'm sitting in the seats and the platform moves out and the ride starts with this sound you hear on rollercoasters... I even got to ride it in rain one time which was also an unique experience. I love Oblivion.
Gardaland was my first amusement park where I could ride big rollercoasters and I rode all of them in September 2018. After Blue Tornado which complet...
Gardaland was my first amusement park where I could ride big rollercoasters and I rode all of them in September 2018. After Blue Tornado which completely traumatized me because of the roughness and pain I didn't want to ever ride a rollercoaster again and I was about to quit my "challenge" of riding all the rollercoasters in Gardaland. Shaman was my only one left after Blue Tornado but I didn't want to get on it. I still managed to to so and I am so glad for it. Because if I didn't ride it right away I would probably never fall in love with rollercoasters. It felt really calm and smooth, not as scary as the other big rides in the park. HOWEVER, the current Shaman after the retracking is not as smooth. There is a very problematic transition during the corkscrew and it really gives a neck jolt. I read about it and it's true. I definitely felt it, it wasn't to a point of injury or anything remarkably painful but it was not nice. One of my friends felt it stronger than me. The other parts of the rollercoaster are the same. It is not super scary in any way. Maybe a little too tame after the other rides. If it didn't have this technical problem it would be an amazing rollercoaster for beginners. Actually even with the jolt I think it is pretty good for someone to try something moderately scary. In my opinion, not as bad as in the reviews. Maybe I just got some luck I didn't feel the jolt so bad. Something which is also worth to mention is that the ride is still very beautiful and pleasant with the water and the inversions and the trains. It's super beautiful. It also has a brilliant soundtrack. The main song of Shaman is amazing, it progresses and changes a lot with every single part. It is definitely worth a listen. Shaman Mistic, Buffalo and the Bison and Eagle is Back are also very exciting! So the theming of the ride is actually really good. Also the station. Not that intense and somewhat still good for someone to overcome their fear. I hope they fix the inversion at some point but don't be too afraid and definitely give it a ride. It is completely alright for a ride or two, it's just probably not a ride for a marathon.
Gardaland was my first amusement park where I could ride big rollercoasters and I rode all of them in September 2018. The queue times were horrendous....
Gardaland was my first amusement park where I could ride big rollercoasters and I rode all of them in September 2018. The queue times were horrendous. Between 1-2 hours. After Blue Tornado which completely traumatized me because of the roughness and pain I didn't want to ever ride a rollercoaster again and I was about to quit my "challenge" of riding all the rollercoasters in Gardaland. Shaman was my only one left after Blue Tornado but I didn't want to get on it. Btw I had no idea which one was Shaman - I mistaked it for Sequoia adventure at first which was closed during the year of my visit.
When I saw Sequoia Adventure I was so shocked and scared. If I remember correctly even though it was not open there were still empty trains moving around. The sight of them going through the saxophone inversions looked shocking and extremely unsettling. I had never seen anything weirder than that. I was so glad Shaman was the green ride and I didn't have to go on Sequoia.
I managed to ride Shaman despite the bad experience with Blue Tornado and I am so glad for it. Because if I didn't ride it right away I would probably never fall in love with rollercoasters. I remember looking at Shaman and seeing the little children on it - it wouldn't be that scary. Well, after Blue Tornado Shaman was the rollercoaster that got me back on track and made me feel better. It felt really calm and smooth, not as scary as the other big rides in the park. I am glad I got on it because it was what allowed me to love rollercoasters again and not be traumatized by them forever.
It also has a brilliant soundtrack which I appreciate a lot. The main song of Shaman is amazing, it progresses and changes a lot with every single part. It is definitely worth a listen. Shaman Mistic, Buffalo and the Bison and Eagle is Back are also very exciting!
The theming is really good too. The waiting station. But it is not that intense at least in my opinion. So it was perfect for someone to overcome their fear. I think that I've read somewhere that Shaman is great for someone wanting to experience their first inversion. That is right. And the train makes it feel less intimidating. I am so sad that Shaman is now giving a painful jolt after the retracking.
