Reviews • Eric Esty

I love the first drop, non inverting loop, overbanked turn, and airtime moments. The music is also awesome. The pacing sucks. The ride is extremely un...

I love the first drop, non inverting loop, overbanked turn, and airtime moments. The music is also awesome. The pacing sucks. The ride is extremely uncomfortable for me even in the smooth front row now. It rattles during the final helix. More importantly, the seats squeeze my belly and try to crush my balls, and I have to lock my legs stand up coaster style to protect them. New least favorite coaster until it closes soon. Time has been unkind to this unique onride music maurer. "Rip" to the X-car, I will not miss you.

Pyrock was a long invert, with two whippy flat spins and two forceful immelmanns. The dueling was amazing, the layout snappy, and the theming excellen...

Pyrock was a long invert, with two whippy flat spins and two forceful immelmanns. The dueling was amazing, the layout snappy, and the theming excellent. I'll truly miss this awesome Invert, as Dueling Dragons was the best coaster on Universal property.

Hurler is an unremarkable coaster. Regardless it fills a valuable niche in the Carowinds lineup. It's smooth, boring, inoffensive. Probably really goo...

Hurler is an unremarkable coaster. Regardless it fills a valuable niche in the Carowinds lineup. It's smooth, boring, inoffensive. Probably really good first wooden coaster for a kid. I find the minimal theming almost charming.

Banshee is my least favorite invert. It has no whip in its inversions, and the moments of intensity are ruined by stange jackhammering that I've never...

Banshee is my least favorite invert. It has no whip in its inversions, and the moments of intensity are ruined by stange jackhammering that I've never experienced on any other invert. The beautiful paint, theming, and layout make this such a shame.

El Toro, while the airtime is extremely powerful, is badly paced, has an annoying rattle, and probably the worst wooden coaster restraints I've ever r...

El Toro, while the airtime is extremely powerful, is badly paced, has an annoying rattle, and probably the worst wooden coaster restraints I've ever ridden in, that makes the airtime painful. After the explosive start with the first drop, two sustained ejector hills, and cool turnaround, the ride dies. The rest of the ride is hills without airtime and rattly banked turns, save for the Rolling Thunder hill. Probably the most overrated coaster I've ever ridden. I understand the appeal for sure, but this coaster isn't for me.

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, a...

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.

This stand-up coaster meant layout works beautifully for a floorless coaster. The first drop, three loop varieties, twisted airtime hill, and twisty s...

This stand-up coaster meant layout works beautifully for a floorless coaster. The first drop, three loop varieties, twisted airtime hill, and twisty second half are so unique from any other floorless, and more physically intense than any other either. The downsides are that it's short with less inversions, and headbanging kicks in after the inclined loop. I was able to move my head forward to avoid it, but others may not. But since I was able to negate the roughness, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Great first drop, smooth fast inversions, great pacing. But the inversions have very little force to them. No airtime, hangtime, or significant positi...

Great first drop, smooth fast inversions, great pacing. But the inversions have very little force to them. No airtime, hangtime, or significant positive g forces. And almost no theming. Still a fun smooth comfortable ride.

Wow, this ride is beyond cute. Tiny old wooden coaster with buzz bars and little bunny hops, going through the trees right next to the waterpark. It j...

Wow, this ride is beyond cute. Tiny old wooden coaster with buzz bars and little bunny hops, going through the trees right next to the waterpark. It just sings to my woodie loving heart.

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 Poi...

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.

Impulse I find very underrated. Aside from the vibration in the final helix, the ride is smooth. The first drop is awesome, the inversions are great w...

Impulse I find very underrated. Aside from the vibration in the final helix, the ride is smooth. The first drop is awesome, the inversions are great with some hangtime, and the layout is well paced. Plus the lap bar is as comfy as a B&M clamshell.

While this ride is much smoother and better themed than Big Thunder Mountain, it's also smaller, shorter, and less intense. And the wait is always lon...

While this ride is much smoother and better themed than Big Thunder Mountain, it's also smaller, shorter, and less intense. And the wait is always long for this one.. I can only enjoy it if I have a fastpass or if the line is somehow less than 45 minutes. Because other than that, it's simply not worth it. Still, the turns are fun and smooth, the theming is impeccable, and the indoor dark ride section is the highlight. But the coaster itself is wholly unmemorable without many set-pieces besides a nice looking bridge.

Viper is one of my favorite Arrows. Though a bit rough, it has a long layout, a good location, and fun inversions, and a helix at the end. I remember ...

Viper is one of my favorite Arrows. Though a bit rough, it has a long layout, a good location, and fun inversions, and a helix at the end. I remember being pleasantly surprised.

This coaster is incredibly unique and a must ride for anyone who is interested in coasters. Smooth, with great swinging turns and a legendary backstor...

This coaster is incredibly unique and a must ride for anyone who is interested in coasters. Smooth, with great swinging turns and a legendary backstory.

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...

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.

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'...

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.

Kraken is my favorite Floorless coaster, though it competes closely with Superman Krypton at SFFT. It has an exceptional first drop, forceful inversio...

Kraken is my favorite Floorless coaster, though it competes closely with Superman Krypton at SFFT. It has an exceptional first drop, forceful inversions, and has great pacing from beginning to end, and I love the divising into trenches in the second half. I particularly love the zero-g roll. Unfortunately it has a typical B&M looper layout, so in that regard it's really nothing special. But the huge size, the exceptional forcefulness of the otherwise typical sequence of elements, and the cool theming make this a great Floorless coaster.

Hulk is a well themed, exciting launched B&M looper. The theming is fantastic in the launch tunnel, the ride is smooth, and the inversions are all for...

Hulk is a well themed, exciting launched B&M looper. The theming is fantastic in the launch tunnel, the ride is smooth, and the inversions are all forceful and exciting. However, the pacing is off. After the first four inversions, there is a very weak helix around the launch tunnel, which slows the pacing. The ride essentially dies after the midcourse, the final corkscrew and helix are slow and weak. Otherwise, the first six inversions are very forceful and creatively placed.

Revolution holds up extremely well. Smooth, well paced, with a great terrain layout through the trees. The loop is fittingly dramatic, the positives o...

Revolution holds up extremely well. Smooth, well paced, with a great terrain layout through the trees. The loop is fittingly dramatic, the positives on the turns are forceful, and the final helix is great.

It's not the most forceful hyper in terms of airtime. The airtime is pretty solid throughout, but nothing mind blowing. What is mind blowing is the he...

It's not the most forceful hyper in terms of airtime. The airtime is pretty solid throughout, but nothing mind blowing. What is mind blowing is the helix, which is absolutely enormous and gives a huge combination of positive and lateral forces. For that helix alone makes this ride kick ass.

Fahrenheit is an odd coaster, but a fun one and a Hersheypark signature! The first drop and Norwegian loop are awesome, with airtime and positive forc...

Fahrenheit is an odd coaster, but a fun one and a Hersheypark signature! The first drop and Norwegian loop are awesome, with airtime and positive forces in action. Unfortunately it rattles through the cobra roll, but is smooth for the rest of the ride. The two corkscrews are fun, and the airtime hill at the end is a fun surprise! A fun coaster that fits the park well.

I think all this ride needs to be a world class coaster is new trains. If Steel Dragon 2000 can have clamshells, Steel Eel should too. The trains on t...

I think all this ride needs to be a world class coaster is new trains. If Steel Dragon 2000 can have clamshells, Steel Eel should too. The trains on this ride aren't great. They feel plastic and cheap, and there's a terribly placed knob between the legs. But for the coaster, it's phenomenal. Excellent airtime and laterals, good pacing, and a wonderful location.

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 s...

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.

Tantrum is my favorite Gerstlauer coaster I've yet ridden. Though I've ridden few, I favor this over Dare Devil Dive. It is better paced without any b...

Tantrum is my favorite Gerstlauer coaster I've yet ridden. Though I've ridden few, I favor this over Dare Devil Dive. It is better paced without any boring moments, and is in a more fitting park for its capacity. An excellent first drop starts off a wonderfully twisty layout that I honestly barely remember. It's so twisted and tangled up in on itself that the experience is constant and so much fun. The restraints are comfy, and the ride is butter smooth. Though it is short, it's also sweet and an excellent addition to the park that I hope stays around under the Six Flags banner.

Viper is one of my favorite Arrow coasters. It's relatively smooth, well paced, and the plot of land it sits on is pretty. The inversions are great, t...

Viper is one of my favorite Arrow coasters. It's relatively smooth, well paced, and the plot of land it sits on is pretty. The inversions are great, the final helix is excellent, and the coaster feels like a classic. I do hope this ride sticks around.