Reviews • Eric Esty

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 floate...

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.

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 u...

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.

Carolina Goldrusher lacks the scenery of most mine trains, but it's still a fun ride. Well paced and fun, but wow these seats are uncomfortable and ti...

Carolina Goldrusher lacks the scenery of most mine trains, but it's still a fun ride. Well paced and fun, but wow these seats are uncomfortable and tiny!

I have a huge soft spot for Arrow loopers, and between all of the Cedar Fair parks, this Carowinds has the best one. It's smooth, pretty, well paced, ...

I have a huge soft spot for Arrow loopers, and between all of the Cedar Fair parks, this Carowinds has the best one. It's smooth, pretty, well paced, and fun. Good first drop, two great loops, and very smooth double corkscrew. But it's the other touches I love. The hill between the loops and corkscrews had a surprise pop of airtime. The corkscrews go over the midway Cedar Point style. The helix was in a sort of trench, and was an element I wasn't expecting. And I adore a good helix. Overall, I hope that this and Cedar Point are the Arrow loopers that stick around, as they're the only record breakers of the CF Arrow looper bunch, and they're the best ride experiences, and the best looking on the park's landscape.

The truth is that I did not really enjoy Skyrush. I had no idea how to ride it, so the lap bar crushed my legs. And I only got one ride. I really want...

The truth is that I did not really enjoy Skyrush. I had no idea how to ride it, so the lap bar crushed my legs. And I only got one ride. I really want to ride this again, because on paper this coaster should be one of the best designed and intense coasters in the world. Five moments of ridiculous ejector airtime, awesome positives, and several whippy moments, all in an awesome location right next to Comet. Though I did not personally enjoy the ride, I respect the ride's daringly intense design so much that I'm giving it a 9 anyways.

A Schwarzkopf custom looper once again stands the test of time and is immortal, to the surprise of no one. SooperDooperLooper is the least extreme of ...

A Schwarzkopf custom looper once again stands the test of time and is immortal, to the surprise of no one. SooperDooperLooper is the least extreme of Anton's bunch, but that simply makes it one of the best family coasters on the planet. It checks all the boxes: impossibly smooth, minimalist lap bars, tracks perfectly, has no rough spots or bad profiling, and is generally masterful engineering way ahead of the times, courtesy of the legendary Werner Stengel. Not to mention it's a wonderful little joyride. A curved lift hill into the trees, an excellent first drop, smooth and satisfying curves that conform to the terrain by the creek, a great final helix, a fun tunnel for shouting, and interaction with Coal Cracker and Great Bear. Oh, and the Sooper Dooper loop in question is as excellent as ever. Smooth, forceful, and satisfying. A perfect ride.

Trailblazer is a short mine train, but ultimately inoffensive and a fun little ride. I love how close it gets to Storm Runner and its queue, and the e...

Trailblazer is a short mine train, but ultimately inoffensive and a fun little ride. I love how close it gets to Storm Runner and its queue, and the end helix is very nice. No point in getting rid of it, it basically weaves around structures that were built around it, and it's a good family coaster.

Wildcat isn't perfect, but for a company's first ever coaster, it's a very impressive first bout. Twisty, exciting, and fast paced with traces of floa...

Wildcat isn't perfect, but for a company's first ever coaster, it's a very impressive first bout. Twisty, exciting, and fast paced with traces of floater air. Unfortunately it's a bit rough and there are moments of slow pacing. A good GCI for sure.

Even on a smooth non wheel seat, this coaster still manages to be a pile of rotting wood. Boring, devoid of force, a boring layout, and a structure th...

Even on a smooth non wheel seat, this coaster still manages to be a pile of rotting wood. Boring, devoid of force, a boring layout, and a structure that creaks as the train goes along at a trudgingly slow pace. The lakeside location is nice but that's about it. Replace it with a GCI, RMC it if it's possible for this pile of junk, whatever.

Headbanging and terrible profiling once again ruins the fantastic layout (in theory) of the SLC. The landscaping is gorgeous with this one, too bad th...

Headbanging and terrible profiling once again ruins the fantastic layout (in theory) of the SLC. The landscaping is gorgeous with this one, too bad the paint is chipping.

It's really sad that Arrow only made a handful of mice, because this is by far the best steel mouse I've ever ridden. The turns weren't too tight, the...

It's really sad that Arrow only made a handful of mice, because this is by far the best steel mouse I've ever ridden. The turns weren't too tight, the drops were sharp, the transitions weren't jarring, the pace was excellent, it had more drops and turns than most have, and the train was actually roomy and comfortable. But best of all, it's pretty, and it has character. Bright blue and yellow, a big multi color sign, and it actually has trees around and in the layout! I almost skipped it, but my little cousin wanted to ride it, and I got the credit with her. Biggest surprise of the park.

Probably the most boring corkscrew coaster I've yet ridden. It's still fun, but when Arrow's worst profiled inversion type is your one and only elemen...

Probably the most boring corkscrew coaster I've yet ridden. It's still fun, but when Arrow's worst profiled inversion type is your one and only element besides a drop and turn, no helix or loop or airtime, it leaves a lot to be desired. Still looks pretty though!

Smooth. Elegant. Classic. Shivering Timbers is simply a joyride for the floater airtime enthusiast. However, that's also the main con. The layout is p...

Smooth. Elegant. Classic. Shivering Timbers is simply a joyride for the floater airtime enthusiast. However, that's also the main con. The layout is predictable, redundant, and uncreative. I do love the location though, away from the rest of the park, overgrown by weeds and on a dirt path. I didn't even notice we were near a parking lot, and it was cool for it to be the first thing you see coming into the park. I also love the signage with the flowers, which seemed the prettiest thing in the whole park. The fact that it was the only coaster running more than one train proves that CF knows this ride is a diamond in the rough. My favorite touch is the finale, a great helix with excellent laterals. I think laterals and helixes improve woodies tremendously, and without it I'd give Shivering Timbers a 7. But a good helix on an awesome CCI is just that good.

This ride is muuuch better than the other Fun Spot Hi-Miler. This one does not feature the wacky profiling present on the first two drops of Hurricane...

This ride is muuuch better than the other Fun Spot Hi-Miler. This one does not feature the wacky profiling present on the first two drops of Hurricane. It's smaller, so it's faster paced and more forceful. And instead of being placed over brick, it's placed over grass, which is a step up for location. Still, it's a little uncomfortable, and not too memorable.

Twisted Typhoon, while still a lousy ride, is my favorite SLC. The tracking, rattle, and restraints are awful. SLCs geniunely scare me. However, the c...

Twisted Typhoon, while still a lousy ride, is my favorite SLC. The tracking, rattle, and restraints are awful. SLCs geniunely scare me. However, the color scheme is drop dead gorgeous. And the location is absolutely beautiful, for a very biased reason. The ground is absolutely littered with pine needles, and the whole layout has a perimeter of pine trees. The station feels like a backwoods cabin. Most of my childhood summer camps were out in pine forests, so the image of pine needles all over the ground with the trees towering over is a very nostalgic one. Riding Twisted Typhoon feels like my weekend campsite has a bonus roller coaster that they bought off the shelf, and I'm riding it. I love it to bits.. but I also hate it because it's extremely rough and terrifying for my pockets.

Cheetah Hunt.. er, just Cheetah, is a mixed bag. On one hand, the gerstlauer trains have a very spacious lap bar, but track poorly and are not cushion...

Cheetah Hunt.. er, just Cheetah, is a mixed bag. On one hand, the gerstlauer trains have a very spacious lap bar, but track poorly and are not cushioned at all. And the track hasn't had a major refurbishment in years, so you'll only get a bearable ride in the front. On the other hand.. this ride is so much fun! Floater airtime, laterals, a location literally in the middle of the safari train area, and an excellent layout. My fanboy enthusiasm for CCI shines through with this one, and made the one time trip for credits to Wild Adv that much more worth it.

One of the less enjoyable mice I've ridden. This is one of my earliest coasters, but no amount of nostalgia can hide how this is mediocre even for a w...

One of the less enjoyable mice I've ridden. This is one of my earliest coasters, but no amount of nostalgia can hide how this is mediocre even for a wild mouse. It lacks an extra drop, the seats are very tiny, and there is no theming once you get on the ride, which is frankly very very ugly. The ride is too small to replace, and kids enjoy wild mice, so keep it in I think.

While this isn't the best mouse in the world, it's miles better than similar ones at Animal Kingdom or the State Fair. It's smooth and the restraints ...

While this isn't the best mouse in the world, it's miles better than similar ones at Animal Kingdom or the State Fair. It's smooth and the restraints are better, and the spinning is managable. The layout is ugly though, and could use some trees, grass, or pretty LED lights. I usually skip it on my FS Kissimmee runs, though. Credit is enough for me.

While many dread screens on Universal Attractions, there are three that I believe utilize them to their fullest. Transformers does the minimum to make...

While many dread screens on Universal Attractions, there are three that I believe utilize them to their fullest. Transformers does the minimum to make it effective, Spider-Man does the maximum, and Gringotts is somewhere in the middle. However, this ride has the benefit of having awesome coaster sections and speed, and as such doesn't break down nearly as often! There are so many excellent moments with Voldemort's giant fireball spell, the trolls launching you away, Mr. Weasley launching you away with a triumphant "Wingardium Leviosa!", Bellatrix making the track tilt down in a very rare coaster element, and the finale where the Norwegian Ridgeback launches you out of the Bank. Plus, the queue is one of the best in the world with a mini-ride midway through, and the onride soundtrack goes harder than the other Potter attractions. While my first rides left me disappointed, I now fully appreciate this attraction.

Screeeew this coaster! If Everest is the Magnum Opus of Imagineering, Primeval Whirl is one of their Opuscules, up there with Superstar Limo. Terribly...

Screeeew this coaster! If Everest is the Magnum Opus of Imagineering, Primeval Whirl is one of their Opuscules, up there with Superstar Limo. Terribly and disgustingly themed, rough, uncomfortable, bad capacity, smelly.. and did I mention this and the whole Dino-rama are an eyesore? Please replace this with absolutely anything. A new dark ride, a new coaster, a new area, anything to replace the entire crappy section of Dinoland.

Wait a minute, I love that idea! This ride, which I just call Aerosmith, is a huge guilty pleasure. The best launch in Florida (Yes, including Cheetah...

Wait a minute, I love that idea! This ride, which I just call Aerosmith, is a huge guilty pleasure. The best launch in Florida (Yes, including Cheetah Hunt, Hulk, AND Hagrid's!), an awesome first element, an excellent corkscrew, cheesy billboard theming, and awesome music. Complete with pointless meandering, bulky restraints, and poor track profiling! This ride is an absolute creative mess and I adore it for that.

This ride is literally empty. It's not particularly smooth or comfortable. There are no forces to speak of. The launches feel like nothing. The themin...

This ride is literally empty. It's not particularly smooth or comfortable. There are no forces to speak of. The launches feel like nothing. The theming is mediocre, especially for Disney standards. But then again, it's not a bad ride either. It's just a glorified kiddie coaster.

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 ...

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.

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. 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...

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.