Coaster reviews

Smoothness Discomfort Lap Bar

I have long been a wild mouse hater, but I was hopeful that this modern rendition would get me to like the concept. That wasn't really the case, unfortunately. Though the spinning definitely eases up on the painful laterals which I despise, I found the ride to be almost as uncomfortable due to the lap bar. For whatever reason the placement of the restraint made it so that I was being braced by my stomach, rather than my lap. I'm not particularly short; I'm about 5' 9"; but it still felt like the restraint was not designed for someone of my height. It's not a bad ride, but due to that discomfort it's not one that I'm in any hurry to reride. 4/10 - I hope you like the sound of annoying bells dinging in your ear because you're gonna get a lot of that while waiting

Pace Masterpiece Ejectors

After maintenance delays canceling 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

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 its 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 its forces or airtime, and The Beast is a perfect example of that. 9.5/10 - this is my favorite backyard coaster

Masterpiece Ejectors Duration

Ever since I took my first step into being a coaster enthusiast, Steel Vengeance was my number one bucket list coaster. The amount of praise this ride received was unbelievable, and I knew I had to get to Cedar Point as soon as possible to experience it. After getting several rides on it, it has managed to secure itself as the best roller coaster I've ever ridden, but probably not for the reason it is for most. To start with the obvious, this ride is *the* airtime machine; featuring the most of any coaster in the world, Steel Vengeance is going to be a ride you love if you enjoy being out of your seat. Every element on this ride lands nearly flawlessly. From the first drop to the final brakes, every hill, twist, and inversion accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do (which is usually airtime, to be fair). However, each moment feels distinct enough from the previous that the ride isn't just the same type of airtime over and over again. The incredible sustained moments on the top hat and outerbank, the small pops on the finale, and the lateral airtime on the wave turns all stand out from each other to create a distinct, memorable ride experience. All of this is of course phenomenal, but it doesn't really set Steel Vengeance apart from the other RMCs out there (except, of course, its sheer quantity of these elements and seemingly infinite duration). It's the much more unique and even quirky attributes of this ride that make it stand head and shoulders above the rest. Firstly, the inversions are fantastic. Despite three of them being zero-g rolls, they all have their own personality, especially when compared to ones found on other rides. Whether they are seemingly never-ending like the first one or nestled away in a sea of supports like the final two, they are all incredible. The twisted snake dive is a bizarre mix of hangtime, airtime, laterals, and headchoppers, all of which combine to make a visually stunning and incredible feeling inversion. On that topic, the final two points where this ride truly excels are the headchoppers and the laterals. Hauling through the support structure on the final lap is really unlike any other ride I've been on, and leads to a flurry of moments that make it feel like you're going to lose your upper body to a wooden beam. Near-misses will always have a special place in my heart, and Steel Vengeance is an expert at them. Lastly, this ride has an astonishing mastery of how to use lateral forces to enhance airtime moments. I am often not the largest fan of laterals, as getting pinned to the side of your seat isn't exactly a fun sensation on its own. Combine laterals with airtime, however, and you are left with a wild feeling that is hard to find anywhere. The top hat, twisted snake dive, and exit of the final roll provide that crazy combination of forces that gives this ride that out-of-control feeling it wants to exude. As senseless as this may seem, RMC I-Box coasters are so well manufactured and designed from a ride experience standpoint that they can almost feel too perfect--like they are lacking any bizarre quirks or kinks that other iconic models may have. Steel Vengeance does not suffer from this over-refinement. It feels wild and free, and rather than trying to get you, the rider, to where you need to be, it feels like it is simply doing whatever it wants and you're just along for the ride. 10/10 - sorry for writing 600 words about this coaster I really like it

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 it is absolutely in contention for my number one constantly. There really is nothing else like VelociCoaster out there. 10/10 - this is the better roller coaster in Orlando that stars Chris Pratt

First Drop Launch Intensity

Maverick is an incredibly wild and powerful ride. In some ways it really does feel like a mini P305 with its forceful low-to-the-ground elements and whippy turns, but it remains a completely distinct experience. Launches are always fun on a ride, and Maverick showcases that expertly. Though the first is a bit underwhelming, that second one is one of the best of all time with its enclosed setting followed by a blast into the outside world. And, on the topic of that first launch, it still leads into one of the best first drops in the park that, despite being only a hundred feet tall, feels like it never ends in the back row. While the ride may be focused on intensity, it has a couple pops of airtime that are absurdly powerful, and rival the literal airtime machine next door. Add on top of these awesome elements a gorgeous location over water, through trees, and on the coast of Lake Eerie, and you have yourself not only an awesome roller coaster, but a breathtaking experience. 10/10 - everyone that says this needs lap bars have a thing for broken spines

First Drop Location Masterpiece

Millennium force is truly a roller coaster icon. Though several new giga coasters have popped up since its debut offering insane intensity and incredible airtime, none of them capture the majesty of Millennium. A truly legendary first drop is followed up by incredibly fun overbanked turns and blazing speeds through the secluded heart of the Cedar Point peninsula. If all you care about is raw forces, you probably will find Millennium outdated compared to its peers. However, if you want a one-of-a-kind experience, front-row Millie is a ride unlike any other. 10/10 - I think every town in the old west had camels and a 300-foot Intamin running through it probably

Location Fun Ejectors Discomfort

Magnum XL-200 is a ride like no other, both in the most positive and most negative ways. The first half of this ride is solid, but nothing too special. It has decent airtime depending on where you sit on the train, and the turnaround isn't too rough by Arrow standards; the highlight is definitely the gorgeous view of Lake Eerie and the beach below. Everybody knows that you don't ride Magnum for the first half, though. I have never felt like I was going to die on a roller coaster quite as much as the return run sitting in row 3. It is the strongest airtime I have ever experienced in my life, and I wouldn't be surprised if it is the strongest airtime on the planet. You absolutely get catapulted into the lap bar over and over again across those triangle-shaped bunny hills, each pop offering a moment of painful bliss. I would not recommend this coaster to most people, enthusiasts included. If you want a bearable ride, sit in the middle seat of a car. But if you want to experience sensations that you can't get anywhere else and airtime so strong that you won't be able to walk properly for hours, Magnum XL-200 is exactly the place to be. 9.5/10 - I hate that this technically isn't a hyper

Theming Inversions Intensity

I'm happy to say that Montu lived up to the hype as an incredible inverted coaster. 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

Inversions Intensity

I've really enjoyed pretty much every B&M invert I've gotten a chance to ride, and Raptor is no different. In fact, I think this is the best of the bunch, and probably the best in the United States overall. The sheer intensity on this one is unmatched by any other invert I've ridden (except maybe Alpengeist, but I think that ride is actually too intense and large-scale for its own good). Every loop, roll, and corkscrew flows together beautifully and creates a ride that truly embodies ripping through its course. I had often heard people say that inverts felt like they were going to "rip their feet off", but I never really understood what they meant until the final helix on Raptor. It is an absurdly intense element, and really brings together the whole experience at the last moment. I know many complain about the brakes, but even riding in the back row I felt no discomfort at the end. Raptor is not just an incredible inverted coaster, but an incredible roller coaster overall. 9/10 - this is the best roller coaster themed to a flying animal at Cedar Point

First Drop Inversions Location

GateKeeper was only my second wing coaster, but it stands leagues above Wild Eagle in terms of quality and ride experience. The near-misses are really what brings this ride into the spotlight, with 4 separate moments that feel like you are going to smash directly into the keyholes (this is especially pronounced in the front row on the left side). The inversions are shockingly forceful, and the wingover drop is actually insane and simultaneously one of the coolest inversions and first drops I've experienced. The feeling of falling, picking up speed, and being spun around all while floating in midair is wild, and I loved every second of it. I feel obliged to say that any airtime moment simply will not pop well on a ride with vest restraints, but other than that small downside the vests are not bad at all here. Being located over the park entrance is also awesome, of course, and just a cherry on top for this great ride. 8.5/10 - this is the better blue B&M wing coaster in the United States with eagle-themed trains

Location Masterpiece Ejectors

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 was such a novel way to start the ride, and one of the most pure fun elements on a coaster, but even without it the ride is still phenomenal. 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 10 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 it's fantastic that it has managed to keep that charm and become much more reliable in the process. 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

Inversions Location Harness Discomfort

One of the better B&M loopers I've experienced. Though it unfortunately lacks any near-misses, I'm still satisfied with it as my first wing coaster. The mountain location is gorgeous, as is most of Dollywood, and the inversions are very fun. For some reason, the vests on this ride hurt like no others. I've now been on 4 B&Ms with vest restraints including other wings and these are the only ones that dig painfully into my hips every time. 7.5/10 - I'm embarrassed to say that "Mild Eagle" almost made me black out; I think there might be something wrong with me

First Drop Inversions Fun Harness

As always, dive coasters are a really fun time. The stellar first drop will always allow this model to be a blast, and Valravn is no different. The inversions on this one are also rather different, and I found them really enjoyable. As is to be expected, however, vest restraints really bring down the experience compared to OTSRs. They didn't hurt me, (which for some reason consistently happens on Wild Eagle and no other ride) but they really take away from the airtime moments and provide an unfortunate obstacle to riders with long hair. Regardless, Valravn really doesn't deserve the hate it gets, and is absolutely a must ride at the Point. 8/10 - I really felt like this ride was missing a Coca-Cola ad placement

Intensity Layout

Given what I had been told by locals and other enthusiasts, I expected Rougarou to be a painful, awful ride. Unsurprisingly, it was not, and was instead just another standard B&M looper. Given how many of these I have ridden at this point, nothing about Rougarou really stood out to me, but I think it fills an important spot in Cedar Point's lineup. It has good intensity and a lot of inversions, but besides that it wasn't anything special. 7.5/10 - I love stand-ups so I would have preferred to ride Mantis honestly

Airtimes Nice surprise! Fun Rattle

I always love a racing coaster, so I figured I would have a good time with Gemini. I was shocked that the ride was actually as good as it was. The airtime in the back was surprisingly strong, and pretty comparable to most seats on Magnum (with one obvious exception). Interaction with the other train is really where racing coasters get to shine, and Gemini excels with those iconic "high-five" moments. It might not be the smartest idea, but no one can resist doing it on those turnarounds. This ride is certainly worth your time, even at a park with as crazy of a coaster lineup as Cedar Point. 8/10 - those brakes hit the hardest of any ride I've been on

Airtimes Nice surprise! Fun Rattle

I always love a racing coaster, so I figured I would have a good time with Gemini. I was shocked that the ride was actually as good as it was. The airtime in the back was surprisingly strong, and pretty comparable to most seats on Magnum (with one obvious exception). Interaction with the other train is really where racing coasters get to shine, and Gemini excels with those iconic "high-five" moments. It might not be the smartest idea, but no one can resist doing it on those turnarounds. This ride is certainly worth your time, even at a park with as crazy of a coaster lineup as Cedar Point. 8/10 - those brakes hit the hardest of any ride I've been on

Location Fun Dead spots

Despite their relative lack of excitement and forces, I still kind of love these Arrow suspended coasters. Comparing Iron Dragon to Bat, the only other one I've been on, this one is definitely much less intense, but the actual swinging is much more pronounced, which I like. A ride over the water is also always a great thing. Overall, though, it's nothing too special. Regardless, Iron Dragon is still just a really fun time. 6/10 - this poor little guy really just had two other roller coasters unceremoniously plopped on top of it, huh

Location Discomfort

As far as Arrow mine trains go, I had a pretty fun time with this one. The location over the water is the obvious highlight, but the finale actually pulled some fairly fun forces compared to the counterparts that I've been on. It's by no means a must-ride, but if you have a couple days then I recommend checking it out. 5/10 - please do not flirt with people on the midway on the second lift hill (yes this is based on a true story)

Smoothness Dead spots

It's a pretty standard Vekoma kiddie coaster. It's overall pretty boring with the exception of the final helix which pulls surprisingly good forces. I am of course not the target demographic for this ride, and I think it serves its purpose in the lineup relatively well. 3.5/10 - I feel bad for the ops that have to hear that bell ring all day long

Discomfort Tear it down! Pointless

This is probably the only ride at Cedar Point that I would call bad. I was actually astonished at how much worse this was than Carolina Cyclone, a ride that one would think would be pretty similar. For some reason Corkscrew's loop felt much weaker than Cyclone's and the transitions were somehow even jankier and more painful. It doesn't exactly seem to sit on prime real estate, so I can sort of understand why it's survived for so long, but it is definitely an outlier in Cedar Point's overall phenomenal coaster lineup. 3/10 - it really is an impressive feat to be the worst Arrow at a park with 5 of them

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

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

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

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