Coaster reviews

First Drop Too short

Another above-average kiddie coaster for a Busch Gardens park. I was impressed by the one in Tampa and again impressed by Williamsburg. It's still a kid's coaster when it's all said and done but the first drop is surprising compared to some of the older models at other parks. This is still way too short though. I think they should run a second cycle because it seems a bit too short and pointless to make kids get back in line for another run. 1.5/5 stars

Location

This is just your typical kiddie coaster. I rode it for a cheap credit but if I had kids I would love to put them on this ride. The entire area in Camp Snoopy has great rides for kids but some can be enjoyed by adults too. I can't give this a higher rating though since it provided no intensity for me. 1/5 stars

Theming Lap Bar Dead spots Layout

This is just your typical Arrow mine train ride. I really enjoyed how loose the lap bar is since the intensity of this one isn't too high. The theming on this ride including the station was fairly decent but didn't really reach the levels of some other parks that truly get you immersed in a Western theme. There are two lifts throughout the ride and also includes a very boring intro where you snake to the first lift so I didn't really care for the layout. I'm putting this one as a low-end mine train compared to others I've ridden but I would also be happy to bring a future kid on this one as an introduction to roller coasters. 2/5 stars

First Drop Too short

Started off the day with the kiddie coaster at BGT and this one surprised me a bit. The first drop had more airtime in the back row compared to any other kiddie coaster I've been on. Is it intense? Not really, but if you are a kid and this is your first ride on a coaster then it's a great starting point to give you a little pop of intensity while you get used to speedier rides. I felt it was a bit short though. Most of these kiddie coasters do at least 2 or 3 laps because of how short they are but this is one of the first ones I've ridden that only completed one circuit. 1.5/5 stars

Airtimes Ejectors Rattle Discomfort Tear it down!

This was one of the most painful rollercoasters I have ever been on. I got off with actual neck pain. No matter what I did during the ride (keep my head back, anticipate the bottoms of the hills, etc.) nothing could help. The airtime on this is great and the ejector moments are fantastic but the trade-off is not worth it. It either needs an RMC treatment, retrack, or just completely tear this thing out and build a new coaster to take its place. I highly recommend avoiding this one and I've even ridden the top painful contenders like Hurler at Carowinds or even the Boss at the same park. Both are reasonable compared to this monstrosity. 1.5/5 stars

Comfort Fun

This is an above-average mouse-type coaster. The restraints were very comfortable compared to other mouse rides I've been on. It also has a very fun course and the height at the top of the lift gave a great view as you take quick, sharp turns. I also enjoyed the drop on this one since it was put in the middle of the run. I'm still not a huge fan of these types of rides but this one was definitely more enjoyable and the mouse courses have grown on me recently. 2/5 stars

Theming Capacity

This one is just your typical Mouse style coaster but with incredible theming. I have yet to give a Mouse coaster more than 2.5 stars because I'm not a big fan of laterals or the jerky feel of each type of 180-degree turn. The theming more than makes up for this one though. From the queue line showing Batman-style videos, maps of Gotham City, cameras putting clown masks on your face on the screen, etc. to the entire ride experience with graffiti, horn sounds, lights, and the final Batmobile car honk and headlight flash for that final scare, this one went above and beyond to make it an enjoyable experience. I just wish this one had more random drops than quick turns because those elements are the best part of the actual feeling you get from the ride. 2.5/5 stars

Airtimes Capacity

Nice wild mouse ride. The top of the run is your typical quick turns and the height on the entire track is quite high compared to the others I've ridden. I enjoyed the decent drop on it too. Near the end, you get a double hill and I got a surprising amount of airtime when you hit the second hill. It really felt like the entire car came off the track. I'm usually not a fan of mouse rides but this one was pretty fun. 2/5 stars

Location Pace Fun Capacity

I thought this ride was just okay but not worth the hour-long wait on President's Day. I've never ridden a suspended train before so it was fun to swing back and forth as you take quick turns. The location of the ride against the hillside was very nice and it had great pacing too except for the final lift hill into the station. The capacity was absolutely awful for this one. They only used one train but the park was packed that day so this led to the hour-long delay in getting onto the ride. A solid family ride I would probably ride again but only if it had a 5-minute wait or less. 2.5/5 stars

Theming Launch Fun Too short

I actually had a really good time on this short ride. The launch was a bit surprising and quicker than I anticipated. The top speed doesn't reach 40 mph so it's definitely nothing crazy but it still gave me a little thrill. The theming for this entire park is fantastic but this ride did an especially good job with the Western theme since you ride a "pony" car. I also thought the end where you make a sharp turn through the wood structure was fun and exciting as well. I usually don't compare reviews with others but I don't think the harness for this one was ever uncomfortable. It forces you to lean forward (I get it) but I was comfortable riding this one at least 4 times and had a good amount of fun (seems like small kids were more uncomfortable with the harness than adults). I wouldn't wait more than 10-15 minutes for a ride since it's so short but if there isn't a line, feel free to check it out! 2.5/5 stars

Airtimes First Drop Lap Bar Discomfort

It's a solid wooden roller coaster but does show its age a bit. Our first ride was in the very back row and I felt like the first drop was actually fantastic. The lap bar feels so loose so this was a very rare moment in my riding history but I physically felt my bottom lift out of the seat during that drop and slightly slam down at the bottom. I could actually see someone getting hurt by how much movement you can feel during airtimes but I'm all for the free feeling. The hills throughout the rest of the course gave small pops of airtime but I feel wooden roller coasters need more height beyond a first drop so you can experience more drops to get a better score. The laterals were a bit rough for me like any aging wooden coaster. My second ride was way rougher in the second to last row (maybe a wheel seat). I gave this score based on the best ride of the day so the first one was very decent. 2/5 stars

Location Disappointing! Dead spots

I didn't care much for this one and thought it was going to be a bit more intense than I expected. The first loop was pretty cool but then after that, the entire pacing is very weird and off. It had a couple of dead spots and didn't seem to pick up much speed. But if you put my expectations aside, it's a fantastic starter for kids who want to get past the normal kiddie coasters. It would introduce an actual inversion to them and show a bit more speed to get them closer to the more thrilling rides. 2.5/5 stars

Lap Bar Fun Capacity

Another fun Schwarzkopf! The lap bar and space per car give you a ton of room and feels pretty comfortable. I enjoyed the first drop and the quick hairpin turns this layout provides. It's not a good enough drop to label it as a "pro" but it's still quite good for the height they were working with. Again, like most rides at this park, the capacity is abysmal. Only two people for the entire train and they were only running one train per run. The wait wasn't bad when I got this credit pretty early into the day, but the line got a bit longer. 2.5/5 stars

Capacity Location Dead spots

It's not a bad alternative to Cornball Express! It's older and rougher than this park's better woodie, but I still really enjoyed it. The first drop is solid and overall is a great ride. I agree with people before me that there are some dead spots and pacing issues. The big takeaways are great capacity and I never had to wait for a ride on this one. The location bumps it up in rating because it follows the lake quite nicely and has a long layout. 3/5 stars

Location Duration

Solid wooden roller coaster and a great one to keep around for the lineup. It had some decent drops in the back row and it was surprisingly not too rough for its age. I was very happy with the long duration the ride gave and it's also located right at the heart of the park which is great. Nothing too negative about it. It might not be the most thrilling coaster but it does the job of a mid-tier woody at this great park. 3/5 stars

Intensity Headbanging Harness Disappointing!

Definitely my biggest disappointment of the day at this park. Yes, my rating is still very decent but I expected this to be at least a full star higher than what I'm giving it or at least a half star. The prior review kind of nailed what I experienced as well. It gets big marks for being intense. It's crazy how Schwarzkopf can have not overwhelming height or speed but the loops and tight banked turns really get me close to graying out. But the pain this induced was just not worth getting in line again. I regret not asking the ride operator to push my shoulder restraint down one more click to reduce headbanging hopefully. The lateral jank turns were too much on my head and neck even if I kept my head back as far as possible. I wanted to give this another shot with either another row selection or tighter restraints but the line was just not worth taking the risk when there are much better coasters at this park. 3/5 stars

Capacity Duration

Great woodie! Unfortunately the park did not expect enough guests to run both trains so I only got a ride on Thunder. The first drop was pretty good and had a nice turn giving some great lateral effects. The duration on this one seemed pretty long and it was a decent enough layout. I wouldn't put this one up near the top of my favorite wooden roller coasters because it wasn't very intense and also wasn't the smoothest. I would still ride it again and I expect it would be a lot more fun if it had the racing aspect. 3/5 stars

Theming Inversions Headbanging Discomfort

This one was very well-themed for one of the most popular clones in the country. I always enjoy the inversions of these types, especially the backward loop. The tunnel also had a nice touch where it would have a unique scent every time you rode (ours was grape but it was only during the backward ride. I will say this one had more discomfort and headbanging compared to SFSL which is really weird. They invested in new vest restraints but in my opinion, I think that made it worse. It also might be because this one seemed a bit faster and I think boomerangs do much better when the speed isn't turned too high. The music during the backward lift hill was also really cool and got you amped up. 3/5 stars

Fun Hangtime Too short Discomfort

I've never ridden a Vekoma Boomerang model before but I'm shocked how low this one is rated on the site. I had a ton of fun on this one. The backward lift chain is so slow and suspenseful increasing my heart rate before the drop. The drop was fantastic zooming through the station. The small cobra roll had slight discomfort but gave decent hangtime. My favorite part by far was doing the loop backward. I've never experienced a sensation like that before and it's way more intense than you would expect. Overall what a great ride but a little short. The lines were very short when I visited this park so this was an easy and quick thrill that I would recommend. 3/5 stars

Location Fun Duration Headbanging Harness

First Togo I've ever ridden and it was very fun. The first drop was pretty nice but the follow-up drop felt like the real deal and had nice negative g-forces. I'm also super impressed with the location around this one. It's incredible to get a rollercoaster ride with a nice view of other Vegas locations. The ride is also super long compared to other coasters I'm used to so that was another positive. It was still pretty rough though. Especially the twist into the dive loop since the angle is way too sharp. I wish this coaster had more room to smooth out the elements. It was still a very fun ride though but a bit steep to pay $25 for one ride. 3/5 stars

Fun Smoothness Reliability

This is a very fun flying coaster. The first drop is pretty solid and I might even prefer it to Tatsu. It seems a bit more sharp and less flat than Tatsu but that could just be a feeling. The pretzel loop is a bit on the smaller scale compared to the more known flyers but it still packs quite a bit of intensity. After those two elements back-to-back it really becomes more of a visual experience rather than a forceful one. The remaining layout is quite tame but it still gives a cool visual of flying through the trees near the front of the park. I have to knock it down because of reliability. I've been to this park 5 or 6 years in a row and this one has been broken down at some point or another when we were in the area and ready to ride. This could be just bad luck but I doubt it based on my consistent experience. Still a very fun ride and well worth it if the line isn't crazy long (tends to happen early since it's the first coaster at the entrance). 3.5/5 stars

First Drop Fun Layout Rattle

A very solid wing coaster and a great addition to the park. I've only ever ridden on the left side but I think the first drop is a bit underrated. The reason I pick left is because that first drop starts so slow but flips you up compared to the right side flipping you down and the first drop feels way more intense than you would think for a 120 ft. tall coaster. The rest of the ride is still really fun and I love the layout of this one. It's not as intense as a Batman ride but even small elements like the slow barrel roll near misses through tunnels and keyholes make me nervous every single time. The downside is there can be a bit of a rattle. I've ridden it plenty of times without noticing but my "review" ride definitely had some shaking and rattling, unfortunately. It did not make the ride horrible but I would have liked it to be a bit more smooth compared to rides past. 3.5/5 stars

Airtimes Lap Bar Pace

Second favorite at the park behind Steel Hawg! It might be a bit overrated to me from this website's score but it's still a solid wooden coaster. The first drop has great laterals to it. I also enjoyed fantastic airtime and the pacing is excellent. The lap bars are super loose which helps you enjoy the airtime even more. It's also much smoother than its other wooden coaster counterpart. It might be just a bit limited by its height and could have been a tad more intense but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. It broke down pretty soon after I rode it so I'm very fortunate to get this one in. 3.5/5 stars

Inversions Fun Capacity

Outside of the kiddie coasters at this park, this was the only other coaster I have never ridden, and had no idea what to expect. I was actually more impressed with this one than I anticipated. I usually get sick from too many inversions but this coaster was quite smooth. I understand every ride will be vastly different as my significant other rode it last year with 1 total flip. I'm pretty sure we hit at least 3 but possibly 4. The flips were a lot of fun and disorienting which led to me not knowing what to expect. For example, I thought I already experienced the first big drop since I had an intense flip beforehand but then the actual drop came out of nowhere and surprised me. I just wish this one had a bit higher capacity but the line that day was not bad at all. 3.5/5 stars

Airtimes Comfort Smoothness

Very nice wooden coaster and probably my favorite wooden one at the park. While this one lacks the height and speed compared to the more elite wooden ones, this one still has great airtime and is very smooth. I really enjoyed the first drop since you get both a pop of airtime combined with the lateral effect of the turn into the bottom. This one also includes small pops of airtime from bunny hills that were quite thrilling. I really wish they could have combined the height and speed of Boss with the layout and smoothness of this one because then you would have one of the top woodies I've ever ridden. Still, make sure you check out this ride because it's quite fun. 3.5/5 stars

Airtimes First Drop Duration Discomfort Dead spots

I have completely changed my mind regarding this coaster. Originally I thought it was the perfect candidate for the RMC treatment like Twisted Colossus and although that would be an awesome change, I really enjoy the current format it is in. Sure it probably needs a re-track and especially some structural work done. They need to get to the point where they can run two trains at the same time because it's a letdown to only run the Red side. The first drop is fantastic and I bet it was groundbreaking during the 1981 release. I sat in the back and got a ton of ejector airtime. The weak dead spot would be the massive helix for me. Some people love laterals but I'm just never a fan. For it to turn for that long it became a bit boring. Once it finally leaves the helix you get some great pops of airtime. The ride is super long and I'm glad you get a lot of runtime. The other downside is a bit of discomfort for the car. I rode with a larger significant other and we felt a bit cramped in the seats compared to pretty much all other coasters in the park outside of the kiddie coasters. 3.5/5 stars

Airtimes Capacity Duration Dead spots

Fantastic wooden coaster and a great in-house built addition to the park. The initial lift hill starts very slow and even slows down more at the top of the hill creating suspense before the first drop. The first drop is decent but you get way more airtime on subsequent drops. It's still nice and bends a bit to the left creating both an airtime moment and lateral moment. I was also very impressed with the duration and it made this ride feel like you get plenty of forces until the finish. It does tend to have a bit slower turnarounds and less intense laterals since it can't seem to maintain speed like some more elite wooden rides I've ridden. Those smooth airtime hills get the pace going again and I"m glad the best forces aren't at the beginning but keep you constantly guessing when you'll have another decent drop. 3.5/5 stars

Comfort Fun Hangtime Reliability

This is my favorite one at the park. I'm a sucker for those S&S El Loco models and this one delivers. I never have an issue with the harness and feel like it's a pretty comfortable ride throughout the duration. The hangtime off a couple of inversions is so much fun. It does a great job of slowing down the ride at the perfect times so you can enjoy the hangtime. If this were sped up it would be way worse so the pacing is pretty much ideal. I've ridden this in the past but was afraid I wouldn't get to ride it this time because the reliability was awful that day. I was in line twice where I left the line the first time due to a breakdown and the second time I was asked for the line to completely leave because it would be down for a long time. The third time was a charm and I was fortunate to ride it. 3.5/5 stars

First Drop Inversions Hangtime

What a fun little S&S coaster. The lift hill is super quick and results in a fantastic 90-degree drop. I also enjoyed the outer bank turns throughout the ride making you feel like you'll fly off the course. The best parts are definitely the upside-down hangtime you get (especially that last roll). You really feel like you'll fall out of the ride by how slow the coaster takes these hangtime moments. The ride feels like it speeds up at just the right times and slows down for maximum hangtime. 3.5/5 stars

Airtimes Intensity Hangtime Launch

This coaster is a huge guilty pleasure of mine so I may overrate this compared to the general enthusiast. I can't get over the amount of intense force you get on both reverse launches into the rear spike (especially the further back you sit). The amount of airtime/hangtime is something I can never find on any other coaster I've ridden so far. The front spike which occurs 3 times is decent and fun but I don't really feel anything other than a cool little hangtime moment. The main drawback is the initial launch is so slow compared to most intense launches I've felt (Maxx Force launch is way better). Overall a very fun coaster and I'm glad they kept this Intamin Impulse Coaster since they are quickly phasing these out at other parks. 4/5 stars