Coaster reviews

Layout Rattle Discomfort

I'm a GCI fanboy, and I look forward to their rides. Well, Roar lands solidly at the bottom of my GCI list. Good grief, this thing rattles from start to finish. The layout has potential, but the constant shaking ruins what could be a fun coaster.

First Drop Pace Intensity

"Gentlemen! Start your ENGINES!!" My favorite coaster start -- I get an adrenaline rush every time. This was my #1 for years until RMCs crashed the party. As for the grey-out on the first turn, do the "fighter pilot clench." Clench major muscles - glutes, thighs, abs, biceps. It works - my grey-outs were either non-existent or mild. Anyway, I love the speed and intensity, especially on the snap turns. The best experience is after dark in front. The first drop feels twice as big, and the whole ride feels faster. I just wish they could get rid of the trim on the last airtime hill.

First Drop Fun Too short Capacity

My favorite first drop on a mouse. After that, it's a typical mousy layout.

Airtimes First Drop Discomfort

Better than I expected. Like most Morgans, Wild Thing gives you a "clunk" after every airtime moment, but it was less clunky than Steel Force, Mamba and Steel Eel. Overall, a pretty fun time.

Pace Layout Rattle Discomfort

Five years ago, I left disappointed because it was a great layout but with a really rough ride. GCI makes my favorite traditional woodies, so I was anxious to try Thunderhead again this year, especially after its retracking. I was so frustrated to discover it was closed both days I was at Dollywood. Maybe next year.

Nice surprise! Fun Layout Too short

Easily the best mouse I've ridden. It's very smooth. Nice layout with a mix of flat and banked curves. The spinning was mild, and I thought it worked really well. This is the first mouse where I wanted to get back on for a second go-around! (A long line deterred me.) The ride ops are efficient, and they keep the line moving as best they can with only four people to a car.

Fun Rattle

I rode this in 1979 when it was brand new and was one of the biggest and fastest coasters in the world. I bragged to all of my childhood friends about "surviving" it. It still holds up well four decades later. (Am I really that old?) Yeah, it's gotten a bit more shaky, but I still enjoy this classic.

Fun Layout Rattle

This was my first "big" coaster when I rode it as a kid. It scared me to death. After all these years, it still holds up pretty well. The helix at the end has gotten pretty rough, though.

Layout Rattle Tear it down!

The first half is pretty good and fairly smooth. But then... whoo boy. My main memory of this coaster will always be my view from the rear seat during the really rough second half, watching the people in front of me being tossed around like rag dolls, up and down, side to side. (I was holding on for dear life to the lap bar.) The helix at the end was torture. I thought maybe it would be better in a different seat, but there was no way I was getting back on for round 2.

Pace Intensity Ejectors Discomfort Lap Bar

The lap bar isn't overly painful like several years ago, but it's still too tight. It takes away from the enjoyment because you're thinking, "How much will this next element make the lap bar dig into my thighs?" I really like the pace and intensity, but Skyrush would be SO much better with decent restraints.

Airtimes Intensity Ejectors

Five stars in the middle and back. My favorite rides were near the back, and they were perfectly smooth with incredible airtimes and ejectors. What a crazy layout! My two rides near the front were surprisingly rough on a couple of the transitions, especially right at the end. My elbow and hip slammed hard against the side of the car. Top 10 coaster for me... just not in the front!

First Drop Smoothness Too short Disappointing! Layout

The first drop is awesome and is in my top 10 drops. But after that it just doesn't have the creative combination of elements found on other RMCs. It's also over too quickly. After each ride, I thought, "That's it??" So, out of 19 RMCs I've ridden, this comes in at #19. It's still fun and it's my favorite coaster at SFGAm, but it's a ride that always leaves me wanting more.

Airtimes Fun Rattle

For some reason, this side had a bit of rattle while the right side was really smooth. The airtimes on this are fun.

Airtimes Pace Layout

Last time I rode this was 5 years ago, and I'd forgotten just how insane it is. The airtime is incredible, and your behind is off the seat for most of the ride. It's amazing how many thrills RMC can pack into a small coaster footprint. In the front cars, airtimes near the end can be a little jarring. However, middle and back seats were smooth throughout.

First Drop Inversions Fun Capacity

One of the better eurofighter-style coasters I've ridden. The first drop is good, and there are some decent forces on the inversions and curves. Big negative - Knoebels was packed, and they were only running one train on every coaster in the park. Glad I got on this early before the line got really long.

Airtimes Fun Hangtime Disappointing! Dead spots

Start with a bang, end with a thud. Intamin created a great part 1, but part 2 feels like an afterthought. The first segment is really fun with the swing launch, backward airtime and the spike. But from the tophat to finish, it feels slow and lacks intensity. I was actually bored. As a result, this ride feels somewhat overrated because of the weak ending.

Airtimes Fun Intensity

I'm a big fan of GCIs, but this one didn't deliver the intensity I was expecting. I still enjoyed the ride, but my favorite GCIs (Mystic T, Renegade, Prowler, Ghost R) have set my expectations a little higher, I guess.

Location Duration Rattle Discomfort

I loved this when I first rode it in 1990. Unfortunately, it's gotten to be very painful. We rode every coaster in the park yesterday, and this is the only one that we gave a thumbs down. The constant rattling made us anxious for it to be done. I got a nice bruise on my thigh from being smacked against the lap bar numerous times. The only time the ride didn't shake was on the lift hills.

Nice surprise! Comfort Fun

I was surprised by how much fun this ride was. This is by far my favorite suspended coaster. Who would have expected such good pacing and smoothness from an old Arrow? The twists and turns had some good intensity and made this a nice surprise.

Airtimes Fun Smoothness

What an underrated woodie! This is a really fun, old-style wooden coaster that focuses on smooth and gentle airtimes. It's just such a pleasurable ride. I hadn't ridden this in years, and I was really surprised by how much more I liked it this time around.

Pace Headbanging

Like most floorless models, the headbanging is frequent. If they insist on using OTSRs, why not use shoulder straps instead of those bulky and annoying head-slappers?

Hangtime Headbanging

This was one of the weaker impulse coasters I've ridden. For some reason, the launches felt rather tame, and there was headbanging every time the train came down from the spikes.

Smoothness Layout Ejectors

Testament to the fact that bigger is not always better in the coaster world. I've ridden this dozens of times over the years, and the first drop somehow surprises me each time. I love the twists and turns, the launch is really fun, and that final airtime hill is one of my favorite airtimes.

Layout Duration Rattle

The layout has a lot of fun elements, but a persistent rattle kept me from enjoying many of them. It's a solid ride overall, but it could be so much better if it didn't shake so much.

First Drop Rattle Headbanging Discomfort

There was no line, so at least I didn't have to wait long to get headbanged. At least the drops are fun.

Launch Fun Capacity Intensity

Launch was surprisingly punchy. The rest of the ride was pretty tame, but I still had fun. Nice family coaster.

First Drop Pace Fun Rattle

Five years ago, I rode this 20 times in one afternoon. It was smooth and intense and fun. Now, there is a noticeable rattle in the middle and back. The first couple of cars have no rattle and still provide the smooth rides I remember. Fury remains in my top 15, but I was disappointed that a rattle has developed, something I did not notice at all five years ago.

First Drop Rattle Disappointing! Discomfort

It's pretty much the same layout as Mamba -- big first drop, airtime hills, helix turnaround, trim brake, bunny hills. Mamba does it better. SF started shaking after the first drop. The airtimes are followed by the standard Morgan "clunk" as the train reacquaints itself with the track, and then your butt slams down on the seat. Not a comfortable ride overall, particularly the bunny hills at the end.

Layout Hangtime Headbanging

It's really more EARbanging than headbanging. I'm waiting for a floorless coaster that does not have an OTSR that smacks my ears. On that topic, is an OTSR really needed? This is a nice layout, but it's hard to enjoy the ride when you're constantly thinking, "How do I position my head to keep my ears from getting slapped?"

Airtimes Fun Smoothness

Lots of floater. Smooth as glass. It's not overly thrilling, but it's not boring either. It's an enjoyable experience that leaves you with a smile. It was my last ride today, and it was a perfect ending to a day at Hershey.