Eric Esty - Reviews

Space Mountain is a very special ride to me, and I also think it's an exceptional roller coaster, seemingly by accident. Four of the three drops have sharp, Magnum-esque ejector airtime, and the large...

Space Mountain is a very special ride to me, and I also think it's an exceptional roller coaster, seemingly by accident. Four of the three drops have sharp, Magnum-esque ejector airtime, and the largest drop has great floater air. There are also two sharp ejectors into midcourse brakes, which don't brake much at all. The ride feels very fast, with twinkling stars and supports whizzing by, Starry-O-Phonic sound effects making it feel faster, the projections on the dome, the awesome soundtrack, and the blasting A/C really create an awesome atmosphere for this coaster. The ride is also very nostalgic to me, and the queue's soundtrack takes my coaster loving heart on a journey. I also love the minimalist lap bars that you can leave a lot of room with, and the single row seating arrangement. I love everything about it and it's one of my favorite coasters in Florida.

Verbolten is probably my favorite themed coaster in the world, which is saying a lot. With rides like Hagrid's, Everest, and Mummy, it has fierce competition. The indoor section is intense, the indoor...

Verbolten is probably my favorite themed coaster in the world, which is saying a lot. With rides like Hagrid's, Everest, and Mummy, it has fierce competition. The indoor section is intense, the indoor drop is forceful, the launches are smooth and exciting, and the final section mirroring Big Bad Wolf is an awesome finale. It all comes together in a perfect package, as my favorite coaster at this park.

Magnum notwithstanding, Loch Ness Monster is one of my favorite Arrow coasters. It's scenic, smooth, and cinematic. Great swooping drops over the water, two excellent loops, and a long tunnel helix wi...

Magnum notwithstanding, Loch Ness Monster is one of my favorite Arrow coasters. It's scenic, smooth, and cinematic. Great swooping drops over the water, two excellent loops, and a long tunnel helix with special effects makes for a wholly enjoyable classic ride.

Invadr is personally one of my favorite GCIs, at least for now. It's smooth, well paced, and fun. The airtime hills do actually give decent floater. The first drop is great, and there's an excellent t...

Invadr is personally one of my favorite GCIs, at least for now. It's smooth, well paced, and fun. The airtime hills do actually give decent floater. The first drop is great, and there's an excellent tunnel. Plus, it's a terrain coaster that interacts with their log flume Le Scoot. And it has a great final helix with decent laterals. And for me, a good helix elevates any coaster from good to great. Plus, the theming is well done. This is an excellent addition at BGW that makes the collection even more well rounded.

Griffon is a very fun coaster, but on the lower spectrum for dive coasters for me. Sure, the extra inversion is nice, but that's the only thing it has over SheiKra. The area isn't nearly as well lands...

Griffon is a very fun coaster, but on the lower spectrum for dive coasters for me. Sure, the extra inversion is nice, but that's the only thing it has over SheiKra. The area isn't nearly as well landscaped, there are no tunnels, and no moments of significant positive Gs. The back row doesn't give significant floater air on the inversions, either. These are things the ride lacks that SheiKra does not. Plus, while it's a nitpick, the water splash hitting another piece of track annoys me and is way less picturesque than its older cousin. Still, the drops give great airtime in the back and the ride is scenic and fun.

Apollo's Chariot is one of my favorite B&M hypers. I'm usually a front row guy for hypers, but for this one I absolutely prefer the back. The biggest airtime moments aren't camelbacks, but rather very...

Apollo's Chariot is one of my favorite B&M hypers. I'm usually a front row guy for hypers, but for this one I absolutely prefer the back. The biggest airtime moments aren't camelbacks, but rather very sharp drops and dips along the terrain, so I recommend back for maximum ejector whip. This coaster has it all; good pacing, strong airtime, a good helix, a moment of sideways airtime, and awesome terrain interaction. Definitely a highlight in Virginia for me.

Alpengeist starts out very strong. A huge first drop more akin to a giant helix, forceful immelmann and vertical loops, and the most aggressive cobra roll I've ever experienced. But once you hit the m...

Alpengeist starts out very strong. A huge first drop more akin to a giant helix, forceful immelmann and vertical loops, and the most aggressive cobra roll I've ever experienced. But once you hit the midcourse, the pacing takes a nosedive. The zero-g roll and flat spin, which are both meant to be whippy, have no whip, and the final helix isn't very forceful. I think this could be an excellently paced invert if they let off on the trims a little and gave the last half some real oomph. But for now, it's on the lower end of my personal invert spectrum.

Unbeknownst to me, this coaster has a nasty trim brake around the double down, and that was a big disappointment for me, as the airtime for this ride had been hyped up ridiculously. Still, this is an ...

Unbeknownst to me, this coaster has a nasty trim brake around the double down, and that was a big disappointment for me, as the airtime for this ride had been hyped up ridiculously. Still, this is an excellent coaster. Minimalist restraints, awesome terrain layout, and a unique experience overall. Awesome second drop, huge sweeping turns, and then intense nonstop ejector airtime until you hit the final brakes. Excellent ride.

What a beast of a coaster. Huge positives in the first half, with very smooth inversions, and a terrifyingly odd first drop that nobody will predict the sensation of until they ride. Second half has w...

What a beast of a coaster. Huge positives in the first half, with very smooth inversions, and a terrifyingly odd first drop that nobody will predict the sensation of until they ride. Second half has whippy inversions and excellent airtime moments. The lap bar won't come down during your ride, so you can flair your arms up freely and let this steel monster take you for a ride. The layout is smooth, unique, and wholly entertaining.

This coaster was a huge surprise for me. It has great lap bars, and is very comfortable. The launch is forceful, and the top hat airtime is hilarious. The rest of the ride provides fun inversions, jar...

This coaster was a huge surprise for me. It has great lap bars, and is very comfortable. The launch is forceful, and the top hat airtime is hilarious. The rest of the ride provides fun inversions, jarring airtime, and weird twists and turns that are just a joy to navigate.

Jack Rabbit is as charming as it gets. A loud tunnel, terrain layout, minimal seating arrangement.. a true classic. Then you sit in the back car and hit the double down and giggle like an idiot the re...

Jack Rabbit is as charming as it gets. A loud tunnel, terrain layout, minimal seating arrangement.. a true classic. Then you sit in the back car and hit the double down and giggle like an idiot the rest of the day.

This coaster, while fun, is a resounding "meh" to me. It doesn't take advantage of being a giga at all. In the few moments where it has considerable speed, it simply meanders in the most inoffensive t...

This coaster, while fun, is a resounding "meh" to me. It doesn't take advantage of being a giga at all. In the few moments where it has considerable speed, it simply meanders in the most inoffensive transition or hill it could have. It ends too soon, and the airtime is there, but not particularly abundant. There aren't any moments of big positive forces. And while a rattle won't ruin a ride, it's definitely a little annoying when you hope B&Ms this new would feel smooth as glass.

Ravine Flyer II is my favorite modern wooden coaster. It has everything I could ever want, and more. Everything about this ride is simply spectacular. First drop into a tunnel, the huge turnaround and...

Ravine Flyer II is my favorite modern wooden coaster. It has everything I could ever want, and more. Everything about this ride is simply spectacular. First drop into a tunnel, the huge turnaround and subsequent drop, the jarring laterals, the awesome airtime moments over the bridge, the airtime at the bottom of the ravine, the swinging turns and hills at the top, the diving overbank, the huge trees and perfect location and terrain, the wonderful PTC trains, and even the park that it's in. This coaster has a special place in my heart that is only beaten by a front row night ride on a certain creature in Ohio.

While I don't love vests, these are a huge improvement over the ones on Valravn, Banshee, and the wings. They're not constricting, and give a lot of leeway for the body to move. Because of this, I was...

While I don't love vests, these are a huge improvement over the ones on Valravn, Banshee, and the wings. They're not constricting, and give a lot of leeway for the body to move. Because of this, I was able to get my elusive back row first drop airtime on this ride that I've enjoyed on Griffon and SheiKra. The drop into the tunnel through Vortex's helix is awesome, and the location of this ride is amazing for spectating. It leaves a huge impression and makes you want to ride. The inversions are excellent, and in a very unique sequence. The last third leaves a lot to be desired, but it's still fun with a good helix and mild floater airtime. This is my second favorite dive behind SheiKra, and if it weren't for the latter's beautiful landscaping this would likely be my favorite.

On a woodie with three seater PTC trains, I can guarantee a smooth ride by sitting in the middle of the cars. And lo and behold, I had a very fun ride on Minebuster. It's not a particularly exciting r...

On a woodie with three seater PTC trains, I can guarantee a smooth ride by sitting in the middle of the cars. And lo and behold, I had a very fun ride on Minebuster. It's not a particularly exciting ride, but that's the joy of it. It's a scenic woodie ride across the park, and it reminded me of Legend a little diving in and out of the waterpark. Plus, the helix at the end was excellent! Great laterals all the way through, with a good tunnel as well.

Behemoth is my favorite coaster at Wonderland! A front row ride on this coaster is blissful. Smooth, perfect floater airtime in the entire first half. A forceful downwards spiraling helix after the mi...

Behemoth is my favorite coaster at Wonderland! A front row ride on this coaster is blissful. Smooth, perfect floater airtime in the entire first half. A forceful downwards spiraling helix after the midcourse, and a last third of the ride that doesn't leave you disappointed. Plus the waterside location is gorgeous, as is the coaster itself. This is absolutely one of my favorite hypers in the world.

SheiKra, even after riding the likes of Griffon, Valravn, and Yukon Striker, is still my favorite dive coaster. It's the most dominant in the skyline, has the most deliberate and purposeful layout, an...

SheiKra, even after riding the likes of Griffon, Valravn, and Yukon Striker, is still my favorite dive coaster. It's the most dominant in the skyline, has the most deliberate and purposeful layout, and has the best theming and landscaping. The two drops have excellent airtime, the inversion is forceful at the start and has floater air in the exit, and there are several moments of strong positive forces. The water splash is the most beautiful I can think of, as is the stunning red and blue color scheme. It even has the best capacity, with a double loading station. Everything about this ride is perfect, and the only thing holding it back is the short duration. As the coaster that eliminated all my fears of coasters once and for all, I love SheiKra.

Millennium Force is perfect. I wouldn't change a thing about it. Floater airtime, positive forces, huge speed and scale, and smooth and comfy trains. But most importantly, the feeling of excitement in...

Millennium Force is perfect. I wouldn't change a thing about it. Floater airtime, positive forces, huge speed and scale, and smooth and comfy trains. But most importantly, the feeling of excitement in the air from all riders supercharges this ride with a level of joy no other coaster can give me. Some coasters drain you with unrelenting intensity, but Millennium Force gives you life. It's like a homecooked meal, a big bowl of pho, or a childhood memory. It's warm, comforting, and perfect in its imperfection.

Some say that your first RMCs will be your favorites. In my case it's absolutely true. New Texas Giant was my first ever RMC, and as I await the opening of Iron Gwazi, it's currently my second favorit...

Some say that your first RMCs will be your favorites. In my case it's absolutely true. New Texas Giant was my first ever RMC, and as I await the opening of Iron Gwazi, it's currently my second favorite. There's so much to love with this ride. An awesome first drop, unbeatable enormous overbanks, and lots of airtime, especially in the second half. The pacing isn't balls to the wall, but not boring either, and for my taste that's perfect. But what really gives this ride its charm is that it feels more Texas than any other coaster in the state. It's big, with wooden structure and weathered steel track, and it's built over a creek. The foliage is low to the ground, but overgrown, crawling up the structure. There's a flaming oil derrick, rustic tunnels with red white and blue flashing lights, and the trains are hot rods. Most importantly, like everything else in Texas, it's BIG.

Fury 325 is my favorite steel coaster! The variety of forces is astounding. Floater airtime, pure speed, sideways airtime, and a touch of intensity. It's consistently paced, and every turn has a purpo...

Fury 325 is my favorite steel coaster! The variety of forces is astounding. Floater airtime, pure speed, sideways airtime, and a touch of intensity. It's consistently paced, and every turn has a purpose. The treble clef or hive dive is a highlight, as are the low to the ground turns, and the floater hills at the end. It's got the usual incredibly comfy clamshells, it's stupidly smooth, it's beautiful, and iconic, with a cool hornet theme fitting to the region. Only complaint is that the helix slows you down a little, but it doesn't take away from the rest of the ride and is taken at a decent speed. I love Fury, with my keychain and my mug, and my coaster loving heart.

Forceful launches, a smooth ride, and a great inversion with hangtime. Good airtime in the front, and a forceful drop in the back. There are also good moments of positive Gs, particularly at the botto...

Forceful launches, a smooth ride, and a great inversion with hangtime. Good airtime in the front, and a forceful drop in the back. There are also good moments of positive Gs, particularly at the bottom of the first drop. The twists on the rise and drop are very fast. The non inverting loop is great, and is on a much better ride than the other coaster with this element in Florida. It's a blast, and excellently paced, though short. The trains are incredibly awkward to get into, but once you're in its quite comfy. The comfort collars don't get in the way of your airtime or hangtime. Tigris has wonderful landscaping and some good theming. There's an awesome station soundtrack as the coaster is running, complete with roaring sound effects. The queue has rockwork, foliage, and tiger facts around it. No cattle pens to be seen. The front entrance sign is gorgeous, and the name fits right in with the likes of SheiKra and Kumba. The ride is also gorgeous, a stunning orange track with contrasting black supports. Tigris isn't perfect, but it's an excellent addition to Busch Gardens Tampa, and unlike Tempesto it fits in perfectly as a supplementary attraction. It's beautiful in the skyline, and has a great name, theming, and ride experience.

I don't think this ride is perfect. It feels way too long to me, and in terms of forces, there's not much besides repetitive, relentless airtime. However, it achieves this in a variety of different wa...

I don't think this ride is perfect. It feels way too long to me, and in terms of forces, there's not much besides repetitive, relentless airtime. However, it achieves this in a variety of different ways, at least in the first half. Step up and step down airtime hills, rising and falling inversions, and two giant parabolic sustained airtime moments (one being outerbanked) definitely make the first half the highlight to me. However, the second half feels very repetitive and unimaginative. If all you want is raw airtime then this is your dream coaster. But for me, I'll stick to terrain monsters like Iron Rattler. Nonetheless, Steve is still and excellent coaster and is stupidly fun from start to finish in a way that will make you cackle and clap your hands.

The ride is perfectly paced and super intense. The barrel roll drop, the first sustained ejector hill, the hard banked first overbank, and the twin twisted airtime hills give an explosive start to the...

The ride is perfectly paced and super intense. The barrel roll drop, the first sustained ejector hill, the hard banked first overbank, and the twin twisted airtime hills give an explosive start to the ride. The ride tones down a little bit with the second overbank, smaller airtime hill, and zero-g roll. But the finale ends it with a bang: The trick-track double up followed immediately by a double down. This is the most intense sequence of airtime I've ever experienced. Storm Chaser's only downfall is the lack of theming, scenery, or foliage. The ride is very boring to look at. The RMC trains aren't the best, without anything to hang on to, and can get uncomfortable with rerides. Otherwise, a perfect coaster with excellent pacing, forces, and an insane finale.

Roadrunner Express is one of the best Arrow Mine Train coasters. With its terrain interaction and smooth, fast paced layout, it stands out as an example of what Arrow could have been if it didn't go u...

Roadrunner Express is one of the best Arrow Mine Train coasters. With its terrain interaction and smooth, fast paced layout, it stands out as an example of what Arrow could have been if it didn't go under.

Iron Rattler is a masterpiece. If any coaster needed the RMC treatment, it was this one. An amazing concept executed very poorly by a bad manufacturer. RMC swooped in and turned this coaster into the ...

Iron Rattler is a masterpiece. If any coaster needed the RMC treatment, it was this one. An amazing concept executed very poorly by a bad manufacturer. RMC swooped in and turned this coaster into the masterpiece it was meant to me. The trains are the most open of any RMC, with great lap bars and open trains, allowing you to wave your hands however you please. It has the best first drop I've ever experienced on a coaster, twisting left and right down the quarry wall into the gulch, steep all the way down. There are four ejector hills, and a huge last drop off of the quarry wall into a tunnel, giving sustained ejector airtime all the way down. There are also four overbanked turns, all twisty and sharp, one if which drops down the wall of a curved overbanked drop. The barrel roll is perfect with its whip and its hangtime, and it's at the heart of the coaster, pulling the ride together to perfection. The coaster is unfortunately a bit shorter than I'd like, but it is oh so sweet and perfect otherwise.

Poltergeist is a fast paced, forceful, whippy launched coaster from beginning to end. The first three inversions in quick succession give huge positive Gs right out of the fast launch. The rest of the...

Poltergeist is a fast paced, forceful, whippy launched coaster from beginning to end. The first three inversions in quick succession give huge positive Gs right out of the fast launch. The rest of the ride is a spaghetti bowl of fast transitions and turns as you accelerate faster and faster as you go farther down the bowl, ending in a corkscrew finale. Unfortunately it's all over concrete without scenery, but at least the queue is themed!