Coaster reviews

Inversions Launch Dead spots Lap Bar

Except for theming, I think Joker's Jinx is slightly better than the Flight of Fear clones. I like seeing the twisted layout with all the headchoppers, and the restraints seemed more comfortable (but still pretty bad- as usual for Premier). Otherwise the launch felt the same, and the train still goes pretty slow through the middle of the layout. Shoutout to the operators for having fun surprising riders with the launch timing.

First Drop Ejectors Duration Rattle Lap Bar

This ride has several elite ejector moments, including the first drop. The helices are also fairly intense. Unfortunately it has a pretty significant rattle, and the lap bars are super uncomfortable. I still think it's the best coaster at the park.

Nice surprise! Fun Discomfort

I'm not sure what they did to this ride, but it spins more than any other spinning coaster that I've been on. It's actually almost too much spinning for me. It's kind of uncomfortable and the theming is almost nonexistent, but for what it is, this is a great ride.

Airtimes Hangtime Duration Capacity

Hangtime isn't my favorite force on a rollercoaster, but I'm growing to like it more, and Copperhead Strike does it so well that I really enjoyed it. And although this is definitely a hangtime-focused ride, there are great ejector moments and some decent positives. It was also very smooth and a lot longer than I expected. Unfortunately, it had the second-longest line of the day for me, which must be due to the small trains. This didn't matter too much, though, with Carowinds' fast operations. The theming is nice but I didn't really follow the narrative. The launches are just OK; they're not meant to be the focus of the ride. Overall, this is a really well-rounded ride with fun elements.

Inversions Pace Intensity

Afterburn is the most intense invert that I've been on, and I loved it. It's relentless from the surprisingly steep first drop to the whippy final corkscrew. The batwing fully delivered; I grayed out, but not for so long that it was concerning, which I had been worried about. The pacing is amplified by the dense foliage you fly through and the lack of a midcourse. I still prefer Alpengeist for its scale, whippiness, and presentation, but Afterburn is a close second.

Airtimes First Drop Pace

Fury 325 is a great coaster, but I don't think it's the masterpiece that most people say it is. I really only have positive things to say about it: the first drop is outstanding, the speed is showcased well, and there are a couple of really strong airtime moments. It also has a gorgeous presentation with its color scheme and interaction with the park entrance, and like all rides at Carowinds, the operations are very efficient. But I didn't come off it with the same feeling of awe that I had after some other elite rides. In compared to the other gigacoasters I've ridden, I would rank it above I305 but bellow Millennium Force. I'm not even sure about ranking it number one in its park; Afterburn makes a strong case. To contextualize this review, I got one ride in the back row in the morning, so maybe it was running slow. Anyway, it's an amazing coaster and I can understand why to many people have it near the top of their rankings, but for me, it just lacks that special quality to make it elite. Also, what's with the seat belts?

Theming Launch Capacity Discomfort

The theming in the queue is great, but on the ride itself it's a little disappointing. The launches and turns have good force to them. This was my first straddle coaster and I found the seating position kind of awkward, but maybe my posture was wrong. The line moved very slowly with only ten people to a train. It's not a bad ride but I'll probably skip it on most of my visits to BGW.