Coaster reviews

Pace Layout Ejectors

Thunderhead is an incredibly underrated coaster, and it stands today as my favorite woodie. This ride has some crazy strong and sustained ejector airtime, especially up front, and some vicious laterals all taken at a crazy fast and maintained pace. It can genuinely feel like you are flying through the air if you lean into the airtime moments. Because Dollywood seems to take such good care of this ride it is surprisingly smooth, which makes those crazy forces enjoyable. I understand why some may prefer Mystic Timbers, but in my opinion the sheer power of the airtime on Thunderhead makes it just a hair better. 9.5/10 - my friend's glasses fell off their face on this ride and I somehow succeeded on the quick-time event to catch them

First Drop Masterpiece Layout

Fury is truly a masterpiece of a roller coaster. It's an icon for Carowinds, both as a part of its coaster lineup and as a visual spectacle. With it being at my home park, I was lucky enough to ride this coaster over 50 times this year, and I now think I truly understand what makes it so elite. This is the conceptually perfect giga coaster layout in my opinion; it opens with a stellar first drop followed by low-to-the-ground turns that let you feel the insane speed at which you're traveling, all culminating in a flurry of strong airtime hills. Add onto this an incredibly unique location over and under the park's entrance, a one-of-a-kind turnaround with the treble clef, and the most stunning and gorgeous color scheme of any coaster in the world, you are left with a gem of a ride. I love every giga, but this one right here is what all of the others aspire to be. 10/10 - this review is dedicated to the phone I dropped off of Fury in 2016

Airtimes First Drop Layout

Orion is probably the most over-hated coaster I've ever ridden. Whenever anyone talks about this ride they always complain that it "could have been Fury". As someone who has ridden Fury over 50 times this year, I think I can safely say that this coaster is a worthy follow-up and an incredible giga. Though it lacks Fury's low-to-the-ground turns which are the one of the main highlights of that ride, Orion genuinely provides better airtime and forces than Fury ever could. The speed hill, camelback, and twisted hill at the end give a much more well-rounded profile of airtime compared to Fury, and the helix is obviously much more forceful. For this reason I actually prefer Orion in the back, though a front row ride on any giga is a must-do experience. The layout doesn't feel short to me, and I actually prefer the first drop to Fury's by a very slight margin. Despite all of these points, Fury does still feel like a more complete experience, so I rank it just a little higher, but all of these comparisons are to say that Orion, no matter what others might complain about, is an incredible giga. 10/10 - why is every op on this ride an enthusiast; they all complimented my Wildcat's Revenge hoodie

Location Masterpiece Ejectors Reliability

After marathoning Lightning Rod on its last day of operation last season, I realized just how special this ride truly is. The launch up the hill is such a novel way to start the ride, and one of the most pure fun elements on a coaster; I'll miss it dearly. I am a sucker for a coaster tucked away in the woods, and this ride has one of the best locations of any I've ridden. It goes without saying, but the airtime is marvelous. The wave turns and quad-down are obviously fantastic, but the off-axis hill might actually be my favorite moment. But what I really think makes this a top 5 ride for me is the sheer sense of speed you come barreling into the brake run with. Rushing down the quad-down into that final speed hill is genuinely some of the most fun I've ever had on a ride, and I truly hope that Lightning Rod can keep that charm once it reopens. 10/10 - "I know you're a thoosie, but you need to pull down your lap bar" -actual quote from a ride operator to the people sitting behind me

First Drop Pace Intensity

If Fury is the perfect giga coaster, I305 is the absolutely insane and deranged sibling that tries to kill you and is somehow better for it. If you trade a varied and majestic layout for insane intensity and laterals so strong they give you airtime you get this monster. Some may say that the over-the-shoulder restraints hurt this ride's quality, but I firmly believe lap bars on this thing would result in countless spinal injuries. Riding this thing in the front is one of the most unique and thrilling coaster experiences there is as long as you're properly hydrated. There is no other coaster like this one on the planet and there never will be. 10/10 - this ride is good but I don't know if it was worth never getting another Cedar Fair Intamin

First Drop Pace Masterpiece

Iron Gwazi is the most relentless and best paced coaster I've ever ridden. The ride kicks off with the best first drop I've experienced which, in the back row, provides an absurd yank over the crest, crazy sustained ejector, and several insane headchoppers. The pull-out is also the most forceful element of any RMC I've been on due to how tight the profiling is. The rest of the layout is a flurry of ejector moments, wild inversions, and even more terrifying headchoppers experienced at a breakneck pace. This ride has no dead spots, no weak elements, no filler track, and almost no room for improvement. Though the ride hardly feels short, a thousand or so more feet of track featuring some more airtime and another inversion might make this the best coaster on the planet, but even without that it is still an absolutely incredible ride. 10/10 - shoutout to the 48.1 inch tall girl sitting in front of me who was marathoning all afternoon

Theming Masterpiece Ejectors

This is the ride that made me a coaster enthusiast. I've always had a love for theme parks, but this coaster right here is what pushed me over the edge. It's hard to even know what to say to capture the experience, but I'll try my best. There is not a single other coaster in the world that blends thrills and theming as masterfully as VelociCoaster without sacrificing the integrity of either; the queue showcases amazing set pieces and storytelling so that the ride doesn't have to kill its pacing with show scenes, and the layout is one of the most intense and wild ever manufactured, yet it still manages to sprinkle in some awesome theming throughout. This ride has world-class airtime, featuring both intense ejector pops, like in the raptor paddock, and absolutely insane sustained moments, like on the top hat. The launches are simultaneously incredible pieces of theming and insanely intense and fun, especially the second one. This ride also packs in four astounding inversions, ending off with perhaps the greatest one ever designed: the mosasaur roll. VelociCoaster is truly the most "complete package" roller coaster there is. There are surprises in store for you from the first time you see the top hat across the lagoon to the moment you step off of the train; no other coaster out there provides such an experience. After riding so many other coasters I started to lose sight of just how good this ride is, but every time I go to Universal it shoots back up to number one easily. There really is nothing else like VelociCoaster out there, and I have a hard time believing anything will ever top it as my favorite. 10/10 - this is the better roller coaster in Orlando that stars Chris Pratt

Inversions Launch Intensity

Incredible Hulk is the best B&M looper I've ever experienced, and frankly it's not even close. The launch is such a unique and fun way to start off a ride of this type, and it leads to perhaps the whippiest inversion of all time with that zero-g roll, which is especially pronounced on the right side of the train. The rest of the layout is a barrage of super forceful yet smooth and comfortable inversions that leave me laughing every time. It even sneaks in a little pop of floater in the transition from the first corkscrew to the second loop. And the soundtrack. Oh my god the soundtrack. I am a firm believer that every coaster on the planet can be improved with onboard audio, and this one is the perfect example of that philosophy. My first ride on my latest trip was on a train where the audio was down, and while it was still a fantastic coaster, each and every subsequent ride felt magical in comparison. I was genuinely jamming along to the vivacious score through each and every loop and turn, turning this ride from great to truly, fantastically special. Of every coaster I've ridden, this is the one that has improved the most for me on a re-ride. My first experience was early in my enthusiasm about coasters, and I wasn't quite ready for the intensity this ride delivers. Now that I'm accustomed to those forces and feelings, I can confidently say that this is a one-of-a-kind, phenomenal ride. 10/10 - the score is the best Fall Out Boy song and I will die on that hill

Pace Masterpiece Ejectors

After maintenance delays cancelling our initial plans to ride this for hours into the night we were lucky to just barely squeeze in three rides before our drive home the next day. And let me tell you those three rides might have been the best rides I've ever had on a roller coaster. This ride runs incomprehensibly fast. On the day I went it was 90 degrees out and hauling so quickly that the ops were only loading 40% of the train at a time. Every element on its own is incredible, but when they are taken back-to-back with zero time to rest it becomes an out-of-body, and for that matter, out-of-seat experience. The stall is the best I've experienced, and the arcade roll is one of my favorite inversions ever due to its insane whip. The finale, though perhaps a bit excessive with the airtime, is still wildly fun as long as you brace by pushing your shins into the guards. I was incredibly lucky to get down to Atlanta again only a few months after those first rides, and it remained an absolutely phenomenal experience. 10/10 - "Do you want airtime?" -an actual quote from a real ride operator before not adjusting the lap bar at all

First Drop Pace Ejectors

I went into this ride with tempered expectations, given that many call it one of the weaker RMC hybrids. While yes, it is the weakest of the ones I've done, it is still a phenomenal ride that I was lucky to have ridden 5 times back-to-back. As with any RMC the ejectors are insane, but the inversions on this one surprised me with how much I enjoyed them. It's not quite as good as the first drop on Twisted Timbers, but the barrel roll drop was one of my favorite moments, and the wave turn immediately following is of course awesome. Additionally, the first drop is one of the best of any RMC I've ridden. It feels like a scaled down version of Iron Gwazi's with its wild feeling of being yanked and several headchoppers near the pull out. While it is on the short side, it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. It keeps great pacing and speed throughout, so I was satisfied with the ride. Maybe that was because it was a walk-on all day, though, so I knew I could get right back in line. 9.5/10 - R.I.P. the hat of the guy in front of us

Airtimes First Drop Location

Mako is an elite B&M hyper coaster that perfects what all of the others are going for at every step of the ride. Every hill, especially the massive 5-second one, deliver stellar floater airtime which can border on ejector. The first drop has a surprising amount of yank compared to other hypers, which is surprising given this one's shorter trains. That location over the lake is beautiful, and the winding finale, though not the most forceful, is truly a great spectacle that most other hypers lack. All of these expert decisions on B&M and SeaWorld's part combine to create what I believe to be the best B&M hyper in the country. 9/10 - the queue is really pretty, but why is it such a long walk for a ride that barely gets a wait? My legs hurt

Theming Inversions Intensity

I'm happy to say that Montu lived up to the hype as the best invert in the states. The beautiful combination of positive forces and subtle yet gorgeous theming make this ride special. I don't think it's miles better than a ride like Afterburn, but I do believe it makes a lot of smaller changes that result in an overall better experience. Despite the first half of the layout being rather similar to Afterburn, it feels like it rips through it a lot faster, and the second half also really shines with the Egyptian trenches and extra inversion. I didn't experience any discomfort or headbanging--not even a rattle--which made this insanely forceful experience still comfortable. 9/10 - keep an eye out for people on the coaster tour standing under the block brake, they let them get surprisingly close to the ride

Airtimes Launch Fun Discomfort

I am generally a fan of stand-ups, so it's no surprise I enjoyed Pipeline a lot. It's incredible that it took this long for someone to realize that standing airtime is way more fun than standing positives. I really leaned into the airtime and held my feet up during it, which created a super unique feeling. The issue comes with the recovery afterwards. Thankfully, it didn't hurt me that much, but I can absolutely see how having your crotch slammed back into the bike seat would hurt like hell. Additionally, it seems to have already developed a pretty bad rattle, though like most B&Ms it doesn't really detract from the experience; it's just a bit annoying. That said, this is still an awesome and unique coaster that is absolutely worth a ride. 8.5/10 - instead of clapping when the train returns, some of the ops throw up a "hang loose" hand gesture to keep with the theming and I think that's really neat

Airtimes Launch Capacity Disappointing!

I was a bit let down by Ice Breaker, though it was still quite a fun ride. The swing launch was solid and the top hat was really nice, but the airtime overall was quite overhyped in my opinion. It was good, but not the insanity a lot seem to say it is. The capacity was also quite dreadful, though to be fair it was on one-train ops when I went. Granted, so were most other coasters in the park, but they had a much higher throughput and shorter waits. 6.5/10 - this would have been dreadful with comfort collars

Location Launch Fun

Though I love crazy forceful coasters, I am still a huge fan of ones that just bring you on a really fun journey; Cheetah Hunt is practically this perfected. Ripping through Busch Gardens' savanna right over the animal exhibits always puts a huge smile on my face. This ride is far from forceless, though. Those three launches pack a surprising punch, there are several moments of solid airtime, and the roll gives some really nice hangtime. Though it would of course benefit from lap bars, I'm short enough that the restraints didn't bother me at all, and I was actually able to ignore the shoulder straps for the most part. Don't go into Cheetah Hunt expecting mind-blowing elements; expect a one-of-a-kind adventure through one of the most gorgeous parks in the world. 9/10 - what is with that random support inside the gift shop

Inversions Location Intensity Theming

Kumba is an intensity monster that takes a lot out of you to ride it, but it's definitely worth it. All of the inversions pop so well and deliver face-melting positives, especially the snappy zero-g roll. This ride's location in the back of the park allows it to feel like a secluded journey, but it still has some neat interaction with walkways. It's a bit of a nitpick, but I think this ride could have some better theming, especially considering its competition in Montu at the same park. 8.5/10 - I came the closest I ever have to a fight at a theme park while in queue for this ride

Comfort Intensity Layout

It seems that with many B&M loopers you trade a comfortable ride experience for unbridled intensity. Kraken is kind enough to let you have both. The inversions on this ride deliver some spectacular positives without the discomfort I've found on similar coasters. I'm a sucker for rides that dive into trenches like this one does, so that makes me like it even more. I went into my visit to SeaWorld expecting this to be a ride I wouldn't care for, but it actually turned out to be one of the better ones in the park. 8/10 - shoutout to the guy who sat next to me on this coaster; he was one of the only enthusiasts I actually held a fun conversation with on my Florida trip

Airtimes Fun Intensity Rattle

I think this is a ride where you have to look past some of the discomfort and appreciate the forces. Yes, it has a nasty rattle, especially in the back, but since there isn't really anything to headbang against it can absolutely be tolerated. In my opinion, this coaster actually has both the single strongest moment of airtime and moment of positives in the entire resort. If you are sitting in the front row those hops into the brake runs absolutely send you, even if they aren't sustained for long at all. Additionally, the helix near the far side of the layout almost made me blackout on my rides. I get that it can be uncomfortable, but I can set that aside for a ride with such powerful elements that lets me blast "Free Bird" the whole time. 8/10 - this is the only ride that can say its brake runs are its best elements

Inversions Location Discomfort

I really wanted to like Manta more, but I think B&M flyers just aren't for me. I was hoping my experience on Superman was isolated to a bad day, but I'm now 2 for 2 on these rides making me feel nauseous and discombobulated. I don't get that feeling at all on the flying dutchman I've done, so it's likely related to the pull-up flying position as opposed to the lean-back. That said, I absolutely love this ride's location over the midways and scenery throughout the layout, and the pretzel loop is of course incredible, but I just can't bring myself to rate it higher due to its lack of reridability. 7.5/10 - the aquarium in the queue is awesome, but why is it so damn dark in there?

Theming Location Fun Dead spots

This is a really solid family coaster with some great elements and theming. The elevator lift is both a spectacle to watch and a great way to tie into the rides story, and the theming throughout the queue and ride are superb. I think the forwards section of the ride is quite good and surprisingly intense, but the backwards section is pretty lame and the spinning one is hit or miss. I'd say this ride is definitely worth doing at least once, though I don't think I'll rush to reride. 6/10 - apparently the track is supposed to simulate riding along the cobra's tail??? That's awesome actually

Airtimes Inversions Hangtime Rattle

Just a great time from start to finish. The jojo roll is such a fun way to start off the ride and serves as a preview for the great hangtime that you're about to experience. And that's what this ride is: hangtime. From that roll to the first loop to the cutback there are so many great moments where you're dangling from the seat. Though it's true that the launches aren't great, I do think they're hated a bit too much. The first one is actually quite solid, but the second is understandably clowned on. This thing can also have a nasty rattle; it isn't that uncomfortable but it can be annoying. 8.5/10 - it may be great but it'll never replace the Thunder Road-shaped hole in my heart

Fun Duration

Just a good, classic, racing woodie. The lap bars on PTC trains mean there's often a lot of room for airtime, though to be honest there isn't a ton here to speak of; Kings Island's racer is a lot stronger when it comes to airtime. I'm not a huge fan of the laterals on the turnaround, but they aren't uncomfortable. 6/10 - this was the first "big kid" coaster I ever did so thanks Dad

Airtimes Pace Smoothness

It is genuinely baffling both how well this ride keeps its speed and how smooth it's managed to stay. This coaster has the best pacing of any woodie I've ridden and some great airtimes to compliment. The shed is also a very cute little way to end the ride—bopping your head along to "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" with a friend is just silly fun. This might be a controversial opinion, but I think Thunderhead at Dollywood actually has much stronger ejectors, so that ride remains my favorite GCI. 9.5/10 - why did the ride op on Racer tell me not to go in the shed did he know where he was

Location Fun Duration

I should preface this review by saying my one and only ride was at 12 am in row 17, so I think I've only experienced this coaster at it's best. My night ride on The Beast is one of my favorite coaster experiences ever. That journey in the woods is unlike anything else I've ridden, and the pitch blackness of that cold October night only enhanced the fun. That seemingly pitiful 18 degree drop turned out to be one of the coolest elements I've ever felt on a wooden coaster—It does truly feel more like a launch than a drop, and slamming into that enclosed helix is pure bliss. Sometimes what makes a good coaster can't be quantified in it's forces or airtime, and The Beast is a perfect example of that. 9.5/10 - this is my favorite backyard coaster

Inversions Hangtime Duration

Banshee is remarkably different from every other invert I've ridden, but I still love it as one of the best. I know many complain about the lack of whip, but I actually really enjoyed the change in the profiling. In the front row it feels like you are being held face-down to the ground at the end of nearly every inversion, and it's a super unique feeling. The in-line twist gives some funky but awesome hangtime, and the pretzel knot is very different inversion from anything else in the world. I honestly wish that this ride was just a smidge more intense, but if that's the price to pay for that stalling during the inversions than I am more than happy to pay it. 8.5/10 - my hair got caught in the vest restraint and it hurt a lot

Airtimes Location Disappointing!

I'm quite sad to say that Diamondback just didn't live up to the hype for me. It was a solid hyper, don't get me wrong, but it didn't feel like anything that special. I rode in row 12, so I'd love to someday get a back row ride and give it another shot, but from my one experience I didn't think it was anything special. Of course it had really good floater and the splashdown was fun, but I think I just missed the *something* everyone seems to think this coaster has. 7.5/10 - I feel bad for the people that work the midway games right under the helix

Airtimes Fun Dead spots

I'm a sucker for racing and dueling coasters, so I was so happy to get a race. I felt my childhood nostalgia for Thunder Road at Carowinds rush back, and I had a big smile on my face the whole time. Compared to Racer 75 at Kings Dominion this one actually has some solid airtime. I also don't have a rattle to complain about since I didn't ride in a wheel seat. 7/10 - how did blue beat us we went down the drop so much earlier

Comfort Fun Too short Disappointing!

Though it's very smooth for an Arrow, I felt like this ride didn't do much. Obviously the track has to be banked so the ride doesn't tear itself apart, but to be honest the fact that the cars swing independently is really only noticeable on the brake run. This coaster is also over way too fast. 6/10 - this review is dedicated to the crying kid whose dad was trying to force him to ride; I'm sorry little man

Airtimes Fun Dead spots

Actually a really fun ride with some phenomenal floater. It's basically just a lot of airtime hills, albeit very good airtime hills, especially if you're in the back. I probably got lucky because the last time I went the trims were barely hitting at all. The section after the midcourse is definitely the low point, though not quite as bad as a lot of people make it out to be. Intimidator has gotten a lot more scrutiny since it's been in Fury's shadow, but as a standalone coaster this is a really good hyper. 8/10 - why do they take the photo after the midcourse I don't understand the logic there

Theming Inversions Discomfort Dead spots Layout

The last 15 seconds of this ride are fantastic: an awesome fire effect followed by a great drop and a very unique set of inversions. Everything else that comes before it is awful. The profiling is janky, the transitions are uncomfortable, and all the while it manages to have dead spots that somehow hurt your head. I had much more fun looking at this ride from the outside than riding it. 4/10 - the vulture animatronic is the highlight