• Ben Hopson

    Location Intensity Layout Rattle Too short

    This ride is one of the most talked about in the UK, and for good reason! It's very intense and the pacing is incredible, not to mention the location and surrounding scenery which really adds to the ride. Although I wouldn't call it rough, I've had some rides on it recently that did knock my head around. Also, despite having a great layout, the ride is really quite short. UPDATE POST REBORN: Ride thoughts remain mostly unchanged, but the new theming REALLY elevates it higher than I ever could've expected. Big eye <3

  • Ben Hopson

    Airtimes Fun Smoothness

    On the front row, I saw Jesus on those first few hills

  • Ben Hopson

    Airtimes Smoothness Hangtime Launch Dead spots Intensity

    Used to love it but idk man, just a bit dull innit. Good fun moments in a creative layout, but absolutely not the unmatched UK #1 I used to tout it as

  • Ben Hopson

    Theming Fun Masterpiece

    Every time I ride this thing I love it more and more. The first time I experienced it the ride sat in my top 15. Then top 10. Then top 5. And now it's my #3! An absolute masterclass in everything ride-related, I can't get over how amazing both this ride and area are!

  • Ben Hopson

    Theming Launch Fun Rattle Inversions

    Weird. Not bad, it's good fun, but weird.

  • Ben Hopson

    Theming Fun Duration Headbanging

    Objectively weirdly paced, rough, and worse-for-wear, but I am absolutely infatuated with this thing. We are very lucky to have this still in the UK <3

  • Ben Hopson

    Pace Masterpiece Ejectors

    wow

  • Ben Hopson

    Fun Intensity Smoothness Too short

    Really enjoyed this one. Despite it's size it's a very solid coaster! Decent launch, quite intense, good pops of airtime and some snappy transitions. It's a bit short but for the space used, it's very good fun.

  • Ben Hopson

    Nice surprise! Intensity Smoothness Capacity

    Actually quite intense for a family coaster, especially on the back! Very snappy and those helixes have some good force to them, really took me by surprise on my first ride. Also I love the location along the water and it has some decent theming

  • Ben Hopson

    Comfort Fun Duration Intensity

    Underrated in my opinion. Very smooth, long and a lot of fun. It's not too intense but it's quite snappy when warmed up and there's a few great spots of both positive and negative g forces. The trim does take away from the top hat but the rest of the ride doesn't get affected, so I don't really mind it. Overall it's great fun and a solid 3rd at the park!

  • Ben Hopson

    Theming Pace Fun Lap Bar

    It's a good fun GCI! Don't get me wrong it's no Wodan or Troy, but for its size it's really good. This year it's back to running smooth again which is a bonus, yet it still has enough of a small rattle to feel exciting. The layout itself has nice pops of airtime and surprisingly strong laterals, as well as a great sense of speed. The theming is also fantastic! However, as much as I like millennium flyers, the lap bar can really come down on you throughout the ride, which (on this ride more than any other I've ridden) REALLY ruins the airtime. I'd recommend holding onto the lap bar to stop this from happening, if you do this I guarantee you'll enjoy the ride significantly more. Overall a great family/thrill coaster and in my opinion one of the country's best!

  • Ben Hopson

    Pace Fun Smoothness Capacity

    Despite being the same layout as several other vekoma family coasters I've been on, this one actually seemed to retain its speed much better! Led to some intense turns with decent laterals and even a small pop of floater!

  • Ben Hopson

    Comfort Fun Smoothness Dead spots Intensity

    Very fun ride and quite underated in my opinion, it's not very intense but it's not supposed to be. It's good as a first 'big' coaster and even for more experienced riders it still provides a fun, smooth, comfortable ride as expected from a B&M flyer. Sit in the back for a bit of an extra 'whip' through some elements!

  • Ben Hopson

    Surprisingly shaky but still good for kids

  • Ben Hopson

    It's a caterpillar. Quite well themed but still a caterpillar nonetheless

  • Ben Hopson

    Theming Inversions Pace Rattle

    My favourite wing coaster, mainly for its pacing and visual appearance. It didn't really seem to let up until the very end of the layout, and it's accentuated by a really good location and visuals (and soundtrack!). There's definitely some shuffling as it traverses some elements, but the vests eliminate any headbanging.

  • Ben Hopson

    First Drop Theming Nice surprise! Too short

    One of my biggest surprises! Went in expecting the worst dive coaster, ended up being my personal favourite of the model! Yeah it's short but for me it's made up for by the theming and the fact that the elements it does have are all good fun. Not to mention it's an absolute spectacle from ground level.

  • Ben Hopson

    Launch Smoothness Too short Disappointing! Intensity

    I wasn't expecting anything amazing but...it's just worse Rita? Yeah Rita is rougher but it feels much more intense and punchy than this, which by comparison felt relatively forceless and bland. I think I caught it at a bad time though, it seemed to traverse the layout much slower than I've seen before, and the launch - while forceful - appeared to not reach it's intended speed.

  • Ben Hopson

    Nice surprise! Layout Duration Rattle Lap Bar

    Best bobsled. Long, well integrated into the terrain, overall great fun!

  • Ben Hopson

    Nice surprise! Location Intensity Headbanging Theming

    Surprisingly very enjoyable for its age and ride type! The location is great and the ride is very intense, especially in the double loops. Also, while it's jolty in places, miraculously the rest remains relatively smooth. Overall a good classic!

  • Ben Hopson

    Layout Rattle Headbanging Discomfort

    Not the worst slc I've done, still bad tho. Also the theming around the ride is so bad that it kinda makes it? Like yes queen give us nothing <3

  • Ben Hopson

    Better than the smaller sbf spinners with its slightly longer layout but still quite slow and uninteresting.

  • Ben Hopson

    Intensity Rattle Discomfort

    The vests make this one of the better SLC's I've done but that really isn't saying much. Despite the new trains the ride still shakes like crazy and makes it very difficult to enjoy what is actually a decent layout. Also, while the restraints eliminate headbanging, the pain is instead felt on your legs as the restraint tightens significantly throughout the ride.

  • Ben Hopson

    Airtimes Pace Fun

    First rides in 2018 were great, latest rides in 2022 were absolutely PHENOMENAL. Perfect smoothness, some of the best pacing in the world, great airtime pops, great laterals, just an overall phenomenal coaster!!

  • Ben Hopson

    Airtimes Fun Smoothness Dead spots

    Balder may just be the most 'fun' coaster I've ever ridden. The layout isn't exactly inspired - generally consisting of: hill, hill, turn, repeat. However, despite this, Balder delivers a fantastic ride with the most airtime I've ever experienced on any single coaster. Not only that, but it never feels repetitive even though the layout may objectively be repetitive. I couldn't stop laughing when I rode it and could not wait to ride it again once we hit the brakes. Absolutely love this thing!

  • Ben Hopson

    Airtimes Inversions Layout Launch

    When I first rode Helix, I'll admit I was disappointed. It was a really great ride but - I guess from all the hype - I was expecting more. However, the more I rode it the more I appreciated it, and eventually I had a night ride on it so good that I instantly proclaimed it as the best ride on a coaster I'd ever had. The launches may not be particularly forceful but the layout more than makes up for it. It's dynamic, forceful in parts, and the setting is absolutely fantastic. Especially at night, flying over that large airtime hill after the inverted top hat and looking over Gothenburg is absolute bliss. While I don't think the ride is perfect, it really is world class and by far the best Mack coaster I've ever ridden.

  • Ben Hopson

    Launch Fun Masterpiece

    This ride held my #1 spot for longer than any other coaster, and it's hard to explain why I love it so much. The theming is unmatched for a thrill coaster, and the ride is almost as fun to watch as ride. From the moment you first launch, the ride is just pure fun. It has its intense moments, particularly the second launch and overbank, but overall my favourite thing about the ride is that you can just put your arms up and have an absolute blast. My favourite seat was the front for the better views, sense of speed, and near misses. Can't wait to get back on this ride soon!

  • Ben Hopson

    Had to be done :)

  • Ben Hopson

    Theming Fun Smoothness Too short Capacity

    One of the better junior boomerang's I've done. Quite well themed and the layout has more force than the others

  • Ben Hopson

    Smoothness Too short Pointless

    A good little family coaster but feels unneeded when the park has so many others.