Coaster reviews

Location Fun Layout

Words can't describe how unique this coaster is. It's got odd moments of airtime, great laterals, interacts with the whole park, and has a great final helix. This is the crown jewel of SF America.

Airtimes First Drop Inversions Rattle Theming

Worst part of this ride is the timberliners. Though they are comfy, the lap bar is bulky and the seats aren't cushioned, so it's less accommodating. While that's water under the bridge, the biggest problem is that these trains track terribly. The new wooden track should feel glossy, like it would with PTCs or Millennium Flyers, but instead they rattle through the whole course with a loud steel clammering sound. The only other problem with the ride is the lack of landscaping, as the coaster is basically over a concrete pad with no trees in or around the layout, which doesn't help as the structure looks very industrial with its steel frame. With all of that out of the way, those things are easy to ignore, as any woodie is smoothest in the front. The first drop is forceful, the inversion is excellent, and the airtime is strong throughout the layout, especially with a full train. Plus, the pacing is fantastic, with only the two overbanks not being too forceful, but still fun elements. I think Gravity Group's coasters have way better airtime than GCI, but are much more lacking in laterals and the creativity of the turns and layouts. While I do think Mine Blower is more thrilling than White Lightning, I prefer the latter because of the better lighting package, the location whizzing by the other rides in the park and the road, and the smoother, more comfortable experience that makes it much more rerideable.

First Drop Location Intensity Rattle Harness

While it is rough and with crappy trains, Boss is a kickass coaster. With four enormous drops, super powerful laterals, and some surprise airtime, it's extremely thrilling. It's enormous, and has an awesome location by the forest, with terrain interaction, by itself. If it was completely retracked with any kind of new trains by PTC, GCI, or GG, it would no doubt be the best coaster in the park. But for now, it's an above average woodie.

Airtimes Location Pace

Screamin' Eagle is one my favorite classic woodies for sure. It has good pacing, airtime, laterals, and a great location. As the ride goes on, the pace quickens, the airtime and laterals strengthen, and the trees get closer and closer as you go deeper into the forest. A coaster that gets more and more exciting as it goes on is definitely one of the best kinds of coasters. An absolute classic that I wish was more appreciated.

Theming Location Launch

This is way better than the SFOT version. Out by itself surrounded by the Rapids, with a themed queue and blue track, this is the best steel coaster at SF St. Louis. Backwards launch, intense top hat, and a stupid fun ride experience that I hope sticks around.

Inversions Pace Intensity

This is the most interesting version of Batman. The mirrored layout flips the traditional Batman experience on its head, and the black color scheme is sleek and unique. I love it.

Airtimes Pace Layout

American Thunder is my favorite coaster at this park. Pops of airtime dot around a twisty GCI layout, and the night ride is excellent. The coolest ride operator I can remember gave us the last rides of the night on this one, and I couldn't have been happier.

Pace Layout Duration Rattle

Roar is absolute insanity. It's fast, it's rough, it's twisty, it has tunnels, and it never lets up. My night ride was pitch black and in the middle of a full train, and I knew nothing of the layout, which only made my ride that much more jarring and white knuckle. Never RMC this, give it some GCI retracking and treat it well.

Theming Inversions Pace Harness

These are absolutely the tightest vests I've yet ridden on a B&M, and they ruin what would otherwise be one of the best Wing coasters in the world. Aside from that, the onride theming is top notch, the inversions have excellent hangtime, and the pacing is consistent without any dead spots. It just needs Yukon Striker's vests instead.

Location Fun Smoothness

Schwarzkopf does it again with another custom layout masterpiece, this time as a timeless Jet Star family coaster. The tree covered location is beautiful, making for one of my favorite steel coaster night rides. The amber colored lighting and the glimmer of the classic station makes this feel like a nostalgic, rose tinted ride made with love and care. The forces are noticable, the ride is smooth, and the atmosphere is giggly and fun.

Airtimes Comfort Pace Theming

Does Viper have topper track? Because it's one of the smoothest woodies I've ever ridden. The airtime is excellent, the laterals are great, the pace is consistent, and the PTCs are comfy. Unfortunately, there's no theming, and the ride has no scenery, and the generic layout does it a disservice too. And my biggest problem that it doesn't feel even a little rattly like a real woodie, which makes it much less exciting.

Intensity Too short

Less intense than the version at SFOG, and no terrain interaction or tunnels. Very skippable, as the line is out in the uncovered sun and doesn't move very fast.

Inversions Pace Intensity

This is the best version of Batman and one of the best Inverts I've yet ridden. Fast paced and intense as always, but this version goes above and beyond. The queue theming is the best of the bunch. And most importantly, instead of being at the edge of the park near a parking lot, it's in the center of the park, flying over water and near other attractions. As such, you can see Batman from all angles. This is my favorite coaster at SF Great America, and the best invert at any SF park.

First Drop Inversions Fun Harness

Though I despised this coaster on its announcement and opening, I've learned to appreciate it for what it is now. Valravn became yet another Cedar Point icon, and after you walk past the graceful Gatekeeper and the roaring Raptor, you come upon the intimidating bronze Valravn. It's stunning, beautiful, magnificent even, and is beautifully landscaped. As for the ride, the vests do really suck, but for my body type, they're easy to look past. The first and second drops give great back row airtime, the inversions are all smooth with wonderful hangtime, and there are a couple moments of floater air in the second half. For this smaller footprint, Valravn is the perfect fit for the ever flexing Cedar Point, and perfects the B&M monster bird trio of the twinkling, nostalgic CP midway.

Inversions Pace Intensity

Raptor is the most aggressive invert I've ridden, and it's given me one of my most memorable coaster rides of my life: A trimless front row night ride. It was fast, furious, and relentlessly powerful, with the loop, zero-g, cobra roll, two flat spins, final helix, and the infamous Raptor snap into the brake run trying to kick my ass, and it is so much fun, especially with the new green paint and the gorgeous lighting giving you some visibility in the dark, and the twinkling midway evoking nostalgic images of America's Roller Coast during your ride.

Lap Bar Location Ejectors Discomfort

Though it is janky in some parts of the first half, no coaster makes me giggle quite like Magnum. A beautiful beachside location is a great backdrop for floater airtime and loud tunnels before the famous final act. The triangle airtime is so sharp that it's painful, but the simple lap bars soften the blow. Magnum is such a fun coaster, seemingly on accident, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Location Fun Duration Headbanging

Though the OSTRs give this one a little bit of classic Arrow headbanging, this ride is still great fun. A swingy ride through the woods with an excellent second half and a long duration to make up for any long waits.

Airtimes Fun Smoothness Discomfort

Gemini is a very fun racing coaster with wacky airtime and an unpredictable outcome. There is some Arrow jank and discomfort on the uncushioned seats, but Gemini makes up for it in laughs. And since both sides have the same queue, you can have other members of your party on the other train and add stakes to the race.

Location

Though this is the lousiest Mine Train I've yet ridden, this ride is still fun, in a nice location, and I think it should stick around.

Location Intensity Smoothness Too short

With Manta not having a major refurbishment since its opening for more than 10 years now, Superman Ultimate Flight is now my favorite flying coaster. It's prettier, with a nicer paint job. It's better paced, with no mid-course brake run. And it's in a better location, being a full on terrain flying coaster. And with it being smaller, you swoosh into the worlds first pretzel loop even faster. The two overbanked turns give great unexplainable forces, and the inline twist is a great finale, and the ground hugging moments are superb. Though it lacks the queue, water splash, and two extra inversions of Manta, it's still an excellent flying coaster in its own right.

Location

One of the best kiddie coasters in the world because it's a terrain coaster that interacts with the bridge and the arcade building. Very creative layout.

Inversions Pace Ejectors Too short

Twisted Cyclone may be a short ride, but it's better than being too long with bad pacing, and it's also way better than an un-maintained and un-themed Cyclone recreation. The first drop is like mini-Iron Rattler, the reverse cobra roll is smooth and creative, the wave turn is the best part of the ride, the zero-g roll is the best inversion on the coaster, and all of the ejector airtime and overbanks are as amazing as ever for a great RMC. My favorite part of this one is the color scheme, which is one of the prettiest roller coasters I've ever seen. Paired with the repainted Scorcher, this ride makes SFOG's promenade absolutely gorgeous.

Inversions Intensity Layout

Georgia Scorcher is my favorite stand-up coaster by far. It's not so long that it hurts your legs, and it's smooth. The two inversions are forceful, and the first drop is great. Where the ride really shines is the turns. The low to the ground turns in the vulnerable stand-up position is very thrilling, and the whole ride is well paced. Fantastic coaster.

Location Fun Discomfort Dead spots

Dahlonega is one of the more mediocre Mine Trains out there, but it's still decent fun with a great final act.

Inversions Pace Intensity Theming

This is one of the best versions of Batman. The colors aren't a gross yellow, and there are trees around the layout, plus the Gotham City section is probably my favorite of the bunch. Though the theming leaves a lot to be desired, especially after they stopped playing Danny Elfman's score in the station. With that being said, Batman is as intense as ever. Relentless, whippy, forceful, and dizzying. Best cloned coaster on the planet, and that includes Raptors.

Inversions Pace Harness Rattle

New trains and paint are very very pretty. They don't get rid of the awful tracking and rattling, but at least it's rideable now, and the inversions are fun with the compact layout over the water.

Airtimes Fun Smoothness Disappointing! Layout

They really need to race this coaster for it to be effective, and my ride did not have that. Though the trackwork made my ride smooth with good floater airtime, the standard out and back layout isn't exciting when the other track is lifeless and unmaintained.

Theming Inversions Ejectors Layout

Twisted Timbers is my least favorite of the RMC I-box coasters I've ridden, and yet it's still an outstanding coaster. My complaint is the coaster's design. Instead of using part of the layout like Twisted Cyclone, or increasing the height to make up for steel coasters not carrying momentum as well as wood coasters (Steel Vengeance), it does neither. It uses the whole layout, and is about the same height as Hurler. As such, the ride really runs out of steam about 2/3 of the way through. The forces stay quite good, but the train feels like it's struggling to get back to the station. In addition, this ride takes ages to load, and the ride ops do not hurry in the same way they did for SteVe. Lastly, though airtime alley is a great homage to Hurler, I ultimately find it uncreative for the kinds of layouts RMC has proven to be able to produce. I love the first drop and the first overbank. Other than that, this is standard RMC fare, and that is great fun. Sharp ejector airtime with smooth inversions and overbanks. Plus the theming is probably the best of any US RMC, especially paired with the similarly themed Apple Zapple.

Pace Intensity Smoothness

Whoever thought to combine Maverick and Millennium Force into one coaster was bonkers, and I don't know why they built it at Kings Dominion of all places, and yet here we are. Intimidator 305 is possibly the most intense roller coaster in the world. Huge positive Gs, enormous giga level speed, and relentless transitions all happen at the same time, and with the wind in your face in the front row, you'll be begging this ride for mercy. Thankfully, there are breaks of airtime between all of the intense moments, which is what makes this ride work, as it does have a little bit of remorse. The new soft collars are even better than the old ones, so my only complaint about this ride is now out the window. This coaster is absolutely ridiculous and will probably get torn down for a more tame B&M or Mack giga in the next 20 years, so let's enjoy it while it's still kicking our asses.

Inversions Pace Layout

This is a good ride for sure. Forceful, smooth, compact, well paced, huge, and fun. But I will say this is my least favorite floorless. I think that unless you have a standup coaster layout, a floorless coaster is nothing without a kickass zero-g roll. Dominator is simply a very odd ride. It was plopped down as a leftover of Geauga Lake's slaughter and subsequent gutting, so it sits awkwardly as an offshoot of International Street. Fun, but definitely contributes to King Dominion's feeling of being dystopian Kings Island.