Coaster reviews

Lap Bar Fun Discomfort

A better ride than I anticipated...not the best woody I've ridden, but certainly not awful. I went on it over 3 months ago and I thought I'd captured the review in a more timely manner. Unfortunately, I don't remember too many details beyond a solid first drop and some nice airtimes - potentially telling that the ride wasn't that memorable. But I do remember my first thought being that is was pretty fun given I had low expectations.

Airtimes First Drop Layout

I loved Nitro. I've been on a bunch of B&M hypers over the past year and while they are tamer than some of your top-end RMC's and Intamin rides, they consistently deliver quality riding experiences and they are by no means devoid of intensity. Nitro was a nice change of pace vs. El Toro and Kingda Ka. And while it's similar to other B&M hypers that I've ridden, it was not the same - it has it's own personality and a few tricks up its sleeve that I found to be great coaster elements (i.e. left bank turn coming out of the first camelback hill, elevating spiral.) Yes the trims can put a damper on things at the end, but the airtimes I experienced prior were fantastic and the lake setting was a nice added touch. Nitro did look like it could use a paint job, but that's me splitting hairs...this is a top-tier B&M hyper in short - really accessible and enjoyable.

Inversions Fun

I know it's a clone, but I like the SFOG version better. Maybe it's the paint...

First Drop Inversions Fun Rattle

My first RMC raptor track coaster...I really liked it, but didn't love it. I found Jersey Devil (and likely it's counterparts) to be an innovative and unique concept that enables you to experience some of the best elements felt on RMC I-Box coasters in a more compact frame/smaller real-estate footprint. Capacity was not an issue on the day I went as the lines were short (not surprising in November.) The first drop is great. The inversions are great. The zero-g stall is especially great. And the devil theming is pretty cool looking. But it's not as glass smooth and just not in the same league as the newer I-Box coasters (Arie Force, Wildcat's Revenge, Iron Gwazi), which is fine. It's still a really, really, really good coaster...just not great.

Pace Intensity Ejectors Discomfort

My goodness. El Toro is no joke. We opened and closed our day at SFGA with it and while I thought it would feel tamer on the second go-round, especially after hitting all the other big rides at the park, the second ride actually felt more intense. It almost seemed like the ride was angry at us for daring to underestimate it. Even the wheels were screaming at us! El Toro is aptly named, that's for sure. In terms of the ride elements, it's pacing is relentless. You fly up the lift-hill (I love this from intense Intamin coasters), the first drop is great, but it's the two subsequent camelbacks and resulting airtime that are the seminal elements on the ride. Our second ride was also a night ride and it made every twist and turn seem exceptionally forceful. I've seen many reference how rough El Toro has become. For me, the front was far rougher than the back. The back was fine, the front was barely tolerable. I came as close to blacking out as I've ever felt on a coaster before. I can only imagine how great this ride was in its early days. But two decades in, El Toro still brings it big time!

First Drop Location Intensity

This ride got it all started for me - back in 1982 when my love for roller coasters was born. I grew up 15 minutes from Hersheypark, but Hershey didn't have anything that could compare to the Loch Ness Monster - not at the time. I rode it for the first time when I was 7 years-old and I was simultaneously terrified and enraptured. My father and I still talk about this first ride together nearly 40 years later. As a result, my review is surely enhanced by the nostalgic lens through which I'll always see this ride...but in my mind, the ride was perfect. I rode it again a few times over the years and it never disappointed. I'm going to give a go again in a few weeks...my last ride was in 1993 - I hope it still holds up.

Airtimes Launch Hangtime Too short

Goodness, this ride gave me more of a thrill than I was expecting. And I don't think I was alone. The screams coming off Tempesto surpassed anything I heard on Apollo's Chariot and rivaled Pantheon. I realize it's a clone and may lack for originality, but as my first of this type of coaster (Sky Rocket II), it gave me everything I was looking for and packed quite a punch. If only it could be a little longer.

Location Discomfort Pointless

This ride has a fantastic location within the park and looks like it could have something special going on from the outside lookin in. Alas, it does not. I also found it really uncomfortable as my knees were bashed the entire ride. Granted, I have fairly long legs at 6'3". There were some little ones screaming/enjoying it - which is why I didn't give it a "Tear it down" con. Someone enjoys it...it just wasn't me. Feels like the real-estate and space could be leveraged to create something much more interesting.

Pointless

This was a bad wild mouse hidden in the dark. The kids might enjoy it, so I'm sure it has a role in the park's broader vision, but I was really underwhelmed.

Nice surprise! Launch Intensity

In spite of all the hype over nearly two decades, you can’t really be prepared for Kingda Ka the first time you ride it. It felt more like a NASA or SpaceX tryout than a rollercoaster. What an incredible experience!

Nice surprise! Launch Intensity

This coaster brought me out of retirement and introduced me to a whole new generation of thrills and intensity. For that, I will always hold Incredible Hulk in a special place in my heart. I had not been on a coaster in nearly 20 years when I went on this back in 2022. I also had not experienced nor was I even aware of a launch component - and experiencing it for the first time was absolutely amazing. I've ridden it 4-5 times since and objectively speaking, it continues to deliver with nearly the same intensity every time. I really can't find a flaw in this ride...the theming is great, the audio is great, the launch is top rate and the intensity across multiple inversions is awesome. Maybe I see it through rose-tinted lenses because it really brought me back into the coaster game. But I imagine even the most enlightened of coaster enthusiasts would have difficulty not enjoying this ride.

Theming Nice surprise! Location Discomfort

A nice twist on a mine ride - certainly more interesting than most. All-in-all, a commendable effort with some real thrill components that is undermined to a degree by some really uncomfortable transitions. Someone else used the word "janky" to describe the experience...and it really hits the nail on the head. Still, the pros outweigh the cons. I liked it quite a bit...

Launch Layout Duration Capacity Intensity

This is the best family-coaster at Dollywood. Really well thought, planned and located as an attraction. The launches and length are the best qualities when you remove all the theming (which is really strong.) But I would have liked to see the intensity taken up a few degrees - it's far less intense than Hagrid's or Cheetah Hunt, which is what I anticipated the ride to be similar to before riding. Long lines are pretty consistent throughout the day and time-saver options are limited, but while you may lose an hour waiting, you won't lose the day and it is worth it at least 1x on a visit to Dollywood.

Theming Location Intensity

A nice concept for a coaster with high production elements and theming. Relatively tame in terms of intensity, even for a family coaster with a couple tricks up its sleeve. Quite a hit for young riders, but a bit of a snooze compared to Big Bear, Mystery Mine and Dragonflier for most others (in my observation).

Theming Disappointing!

A profound nostalgia casts a spell on many enthusiasts that I couldn't quite grasp. This ride was not for me. It felt like an old, dated carnival ride from my childhood.

First Drop Pace Ejectors

My new favorite RMC…after a summer of great rides - Iron Gwazi has toppled SteVe, Lightning Rod, ArieForce One, Wildcat’s Revenge and Twisted Timbers on my personal RMC faves list. Among this amazing list of RMC’s, IG has a “next gear” that only Steel Vengeance can match and it’s length (a bit shorter) enabled re-ride-ability at a higher rate than SteVe. The front seat was unbelievable as the view of what’s to come is a special ride, but the back is even better. The extra speed and forces experienced were notable…everything felt +20% more intense. This ride is as advertised…Iron Gwazi more than lives up to the hype!

First Drop Fun Intensity Too short

What can I say, I love a good dive coaster and SheiKra is certainly that. I know it's short, I know it's pretty much a one-trick pony, but the fear/anticipation leading into the first drop is just a great coaster experience. And while SheiKra had one less inversion than Griffon, I got better airtime on both the first drop (albeit marginally) and the second drop (notably.) Again, any coaster that drops you ~200 feet at a 90 degree angle and 70+ mph has something going for it in my book. SheiKra delivered exactly what I hoped it would.

Inversions Layout Duration Dead spots

Montu was no better or worse than some of the other B&M inverted coasters I've recently ridden. If anything, it suffered from being the last of a familiar line-up of inverts I've been on over the last few months (including Alpengeist, Great Bear, Raptor, Afterburn, Batman clone at SFOG.) They are all great, but they are beginning to feel a bit redundant. What I liked about Montu that was unique was the batwing component which really whips. Everyone mentions this, but it really is an elite element and unlike anything I've experienced on other inverts. If you're only so lucky as to go on one of these, Montu will certainly do the trick. If I had to pick one, Alpengeist is my favorite.

Airtimes Launch Fun Harness

Really enjoyed this ride...it has a lot more spunk than a family coaster - I certainly wouldn't qualify it as such, but it's far more accessible than most of the other high-profile coasters at BGT. It felt like a highly subdued combination of Storm Runner and Maverick. The second and third launches are particularly enjoyable and the length of the ride gives you a good bang for your time if lines are long. I can see the Hagrid's comparisons as well, but the theming of that ride is so phenomenal and critical to the experience - it's hard to put Cheetah Hunt in the same class. Lastly, I'm not one to typically gripe about restraints, harnesses, lap bars, etc. but the harnesses really cut into my left shoulder when sitting on the left side of a car. Oddly, it didn't bother me at all when sitting on the right. All-in-all, a really solid Intamin launch coaster, but not an elite class Intamin launch coaster.

I went on this in 1990 (it's second season.) Big, fast and intense...that's what I remember. I don't recall any discomfort...perhaps the adrenaline and fear had me numb. It was the biggest and fastest ride I had ever been on at the time. And it seemed a lot smoother than the other wooden coasters I had ridden (The Comet at Hersheypark.) I was sorry to see it had such a short life.

First Drop Inversions Fun

A pretty fun coaster that can easily be lost in the sea of greatness at Hersheypark - Fahrenheit packs in a lot of dynamic elements doing so in a way the keeps the adrenaline levels up after a wicked first hill climb/drop combo. We had a great experience from the front seat...really enjoyed this ride.

Lap Bar Duration

This was a "meh" for me. It certainly suffered from being the first ride we went on after multiple Wildcat's Revenge rides, but so it will go for its placement in the park. It's a passable, dueling woody; albeit, Lightning was closed due to rain/demand/capacity so the dueling aspect was not in play on our visit. Not sure that would've changed much. We went on it twice and was glad I did, but wouldn't go out of my way to get to it again. The lap bars were actually worth noting as particularly impressive - automatic and lot's of leg room! Daughter's POV: it had more than I expected from it. I liked the tunnel part. I like when first hills bank on a wooden coaster and so I enjoyed that component especially.

First Drop Fun

Nice B&M invert...my 5th of the summer. They are starting to feel a bit familiar which takes some of the mystery and excitement out of them, but Great Bear was as solid as any and the opening drop sequence was unique/very cool. My daughter loves them so that's a big plus.

First Drop Intensity Ejectors Rattle

I came into my first ride on Skyrush with extremely high expectations...as much as anything I've ever ridden outside of Steal Vengeance. I love big, intense Intamin coasters...i305 is a top 3 for me. And SkyRush is a fantastic ride, but it didn't quite deliver for me what I was hoping. I wanted it to become a top 3 and it just didn't. It's not even a top 3 at Hersheypark for me at the moment. The express first hill lift was fantastic, the first drop is unbelievable and the ejectors were solid throughout - all things I was looking forward to experiencing. The restraints were not an issue at all for me despite all the criticism around them from others. All these things pointed to a world class coaster...and it is world class. BUT, this is the first coaster I've ridden of this caliber where the rattle greatly impacted my perspective and experience. It was extremely pronounced and it took some of the shine off things. My 9 year-old daughter felt the same way. She liked Skyrush a lot, but it wasn't as good for us as Candymomium or Storm Runner. I do want to give it another shot. The weather really limited our repeat riding ability. We didn't sit in the wings, which I've heard is truly special. And I was nervous my daughter was going to think it was too much, so I was slightly distracted keeping an eye on her while riding. But it really comes back to the rattle. It made the ride feel past its prime to me...and like an aggressive, physical running back who plays the game really hard (the best metaphor I can think of for Skyrush) - the decline can come fast. I certainly hope that this is not the case here. We'll hopefully give it another shot with clearer skies when we visit next year.

A very accessible and innovative ride with some unique elements (vs anything else we've ridden) and snappy thrills. My daughter and I went on this not quite knowing what we were getting ourselves into. She was age 7 at the time...and we both lenjoyed it...she loved it. UPDATED: Awful second experience in the darkness as part of Dark Nights. Others may enjoy, but I haven't felt right since riding...too much spinning without any sense of bearings = no good for me.

Airtimes Pace Ejectors

Went on Wildcat's Revenge on an extremely rainy day. Was thrilled it was open and was happy to accept the reality that we'd be pelted with raindrops throughout our rides in order to get on it during our visit. The good news was that there were virtually no lines to speak of and we were able to ride multiple times in a short window. The bad news - the rain hurt and probably impacted my view of the ride ever so slightly. Overall, WR was my 6th RMC and I'd put it at #4, just a notch below ArieForce, but better than Twisted Timbers and Twisted Cyclone. The first hill is solid, the first ejector is as good as anything I've felt since Steel Vengeance and the combination of elements really came together well to provide a remarkable ride. I thought the theming was pretty strong too - I liked the cats in all their forms and who doesn't like a revenge theme. I've been spoiled by a heavy RMC ride volume this summer and everything I've ridden has felt a bit secondary to Steel Vengeance so I wasn't blown away per se. But, there's nothing not to like here. It is a fantastic ride with a healthy length and a wicked combination of elements that have this ride justifiably creeping into the top 10-15 global coasters rankings.

First Drop Fun

I went on this in 1993 on my first visit to KD. It was the first and only stand-up coaster I rode on in the 20th century. I recall the first hill being a pretty cool feeling and that the ride was solid overall. Not sure how it would hold up to today's standards - the world seems to have migrated away from stand-up coasters, but it was innovative and unique at the time -- and quite enjoyable.

Theming Nice surprise! Duration Rattle Lap Bar

I really enjoyed this ride. It had that next level of intensity all-to-commonly lacking in Disney theme rides. I put it above Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and Escape from Gringotts as an experience for similar reasons. It was a bit bumpy and uncomfortable, but these were elements I happily endured to experience a surprising intensity on a heavily themed ride.

Disappointing!

I can't remember the last time I rode the Sooperdooperlooper, but it was when I was young and looking for big, bold and high-intensity rides. It did not deliver on any of these elements...despite an outrageous degree of hype when this came out due to the loop, The Comet was always a far superior coaster. This ride never lived up to it's billing for me. If I can get my daughter on it and she enjoys it, there may be a chance for slight redemption.

Airtimes Nice surprise! Launch Too short

This was my first RMC and I absolutely loved it. I was warned about the intensity of the first launch as a friend lost their phone riding it the day before. It still provided a great thrill and the speed, smoothness and airtime on the rest of the ride was fantastic. Rode it at night with really limited lighting which only added to the experience. My only thing resembling a complaint was that it was over too fast...and I really didn't want it to end. Top ride...I can't wait to get on it again.