Coaster reviews

Bumped up my score on this one on re-riding it recently. Absolutely hilarious amounts of spinning with the cars unbalanced; 2 people on one side and the other empty.

Launch Ejectors Too short Harness

Not a lot to say about Stelf. Power, power and more power = fun, but not world class. The trains are poor, and don't do a lot with the energy. If you can catch it close to park close you can often get a series of repeat rides in quick succession, which resolves the too-short problem! Oh yes, and it's a lot better than Kingda Ka :-P

Theming Pointless Layout

Clone of Indy in Paris. Serves only as a capacity sink in a park very desperate for a LOT more capacity. Old as the hills ZL42 layout. Doesn't fit the Disney market and doesn't serve the thrill one either.

Location Fun Intensity Discomfort

What an amazing surprise of a coaster. The visuals, speak for themselves, facing Mount Fuji up that slow lift hill. Janky, and makes some noises that rides shouldn't make... Also, a total powerhouse of a ride. Long and powerful airtime hills that give B&M hypers (and even gigas) competition. Drops to ground level into forceful, highly banked turns. Layout is a real mix of features long, and never repetitive. And a brutal serving of laterals for the ending. NO trims! Very deserving of high ratings and well worth the trip to ride something very different.

Airtimes Comfort Smoothness

After 2 and a half weeks of coasters on the ECC 2006 tour, it's easy to get complacent about getting onto (yet another) ride! This version of Goliath as I remember it was a lot of fun, but equally lacks a stand out feature to take it from merely being "good" to "excellent".

Inversions Launch Harness

The ironically named Storm Runner, like most rides at Hershey, will not run in the rain. I was lucky enough to get a break in the bad weather to get a couple of goes on this machine in the limited time we had to visit. The difference over the other accelerator coasters of course is that this one actually does something with the power rather than fritter it away on the brakes, a massive plus. I hate those Intamin overheads, though I don't remember them being as much of a nuisance as they are on say, Furius Baco or Kingda Ka.

Compact B&M invert that is reasonably forceful. Not as intense as a batman clone, but probably better themed.

Location Rattle Discomfort Tear it down!

I hate to borrow the phrase, but "but it looks so pretty" from a popular series of youtube videos is unfortunately the only good thing anyone will ever find to say about Gouderix. Despite it's crappiness, Gouderix is a must-do-once for all coaster fans for precisely that reason. Vekoma have learned from their errors of 25 years ago, and now make some of the best rides. "Most improved manufacturer"!

Theming Harness Disappointing!

Another instance of Universal pushing style over substance too far, I don't really class this as a rollercoaster. It isn't an unpleasant ride, but utterly forgettable. Considering the "similar", but superb Mummy is just round the corner from it I was expecting more from this. Our first ride on this was in the front row, which I found involved much neck-craning to watch the film on the run into the first drop. I am sure that it is only a matter of time that someone will suffer problems from the drop-and-turn into the dark while trying to watch the effects. A later repeat ride in the back row was better for being able to see the effects. The restraints are somewhat condensed, combined lap-and-ankle bar affairs that cause difficulties for access for decidedly average sized people too. My favourite aspect of the whole ride was walking into the lobby of the bank, in the queue line. For a major ride by an operator with basically unlimited budget, a real miss in my book.

Inversions Location Intensity

Phantasialand worked wonders with B&M to get this to fit in at all. Uses a narrower gauge track than many B&M's, which helps with the tight gaps and bends it has to negotiate. The trains are detectably narrower than other recent B&M's - but that's an incredibly picky point! Intensity is high and proximity effects abound. The pacing not quite so perfect as it's older brother Nemesis; the windy section at the end essentially an RCT-autocomplete to get home... But still, it's an incredible ride in a incredible park; that probably deserves more recognition overseas (memories of early 1990's school trips to Germany definitely do not echo what Phantasialand is now!)

Airtimes Harness Smoothness Dead spots

Nitro isn't the most forceful hyper going, a disadvantage when you've been on the incredible Superman at SFNE just a few days before. It's a superbly engineered B&M, but lacks features to stand out as an excellent ride. A shout out does go to the hybrid airtime hill/turn near the beginning, which does a clever combo of ejector and sideways-orientation at the same time that I've not experienced anywhere else.

Launch Capacity

Xcelerator is one of the few Intamin Accelerators to get a lapbar, and it definitely benefits from it. Doing "something" with the power rather than bleeding it off needlessly is a big plus. Theming is effective and looks great lit up at sunset. Big minus however for capacity; by Cedar Fair standards turnarounds are extremely slow even on a dead quiet day (5-min despatch is not unusual). I assume the additional paranoid cross checking stem from the incidents on Perilous Plunge & Hydro that shared similar restraints.

Inversions Comfort Ejectors Capacity

Excellent, possible contender for UK #1 slot. The combination of the new trains and refinements to the layout mean this is a chalk-and-cheese difference between the original Colossus and Sik. Intense, smooth inversions, air, chaotic hangtime and water features all contribute to this being a top class ride. Banging 90s techno in the station helps set the mood. Half a star off the score because they only have one train - despatches are slow and this won't be pleasant on a busy day. Not really a fan of the name either but that's a nitpick. This isn't a park review, but Sik now totally outclasses the entire lineup to the point the other weaknesses in the park need addressing. Sik is every bit the equal of something like Maverick. The park derserves to do well with this

Harness

Better than yet another vanilla SLC but shares the same problem - terrible trains. Only one train too which affects capacity. Out of date when installed, badly out of date with Sik next door.

Like Hersheyparks Skyrush and Canada's Wonderlands Leviathan had some sort of offspring. Fury has elements not really found on other B&M hypers, chiefly low altitude high speed turns. Hasn't got the sideways airtime that Orion does. It's an amazing first drop as one would expect, but relatively few airtime events compared to most hypers. Much fun to ride obviously, but it doesn't earn the number one slot, even amongst B&Ms. Like most rides, this one thrives on night rides, by far best time to experience it.

A school trip staple. Rode this over and over throughout the 1990's, rough as old boots but packs a decent punch. Super-long trains mean that there is air to be had especially in the back too. I am sure I still have a scar from clobbering a tree on the 2nd big drop into the woods. Second half has crazy violent laterals, and a crawl back to the station. So much so a tractor in is kept in reserve to tow it back in the lift if the ride valleys. The ultimate is currently SBNO, it's time might be done in fact. Replacing it would make so much more sense than trying to reinstate it for the cost involved.

Superb, modern wooden coaster well worth taking the trip to see. Proper length, smooth, forceful, air and lots of laterals. Tayto deserve to do well off the back of this.

Gravity group retracking has helped keep this ride smooth and some nice airtime even. Overshadowed by adjacent rides, but is relevant in KIs lineup as an intermediate step between kiddie and hypercoasters. It's important that this scale of ride is available to offer a progression up the scale - and that it is fun in the process. Racer manages both requirements.

Location Layout

I really loved Air when it first opened; despite it's many, many reliability issues and much documented lack of force! I would associate what it does mostly with those long Japanese coasters that trundle around at speed but not doing an awful lot. Air definitely is not long, nor does it do a lot either. Despite this I did declare it to have one of the greatest half-rolls ever; a reference to the dive into the cut-and-cover tunnel proximity effect. Air was a demo of what a flyer could do; without actually doing it. It also attempted to widen Alton Towers audience; rather than selling the "terror" they opted to try and sell it as a come-fly-with-us mentality. Fun, rather than machismo. Not a move many follow but one I can appreciate. The relative tameness of the ride has, in the long run, I think proved to the low ratings it now sees and maybe also the decision to VR the thing... Which I haven't tried yet. No rush. (I can do VR at home - why on earth would I go to a theme park to try it... The whole point in going to a park is do do something REAL!)

Funky water splash ride that happens to run on rails therefore counts as a coaster. Absolutely minimal restraints are a fun novelty. Doesnt splash much water into the boat - and would in fact be an ideal ride for colder climates!

Inversions Harness

I really wanted to like like this more than I did. I'm 5'10", so not exactly 'above average' height. The trains are just a bit cramped, meaning my ankles folded slightly sideways = ouch as soon as any positive G kicks in. The layout is solid with good inversions, hang and airtime but I didn't get on with the seating position. Shame. Not in a rush to try other single rails.

Fast, mostly family coaster with some odd pops of airtime and a forgettable loop. Fun theming. Has absolutely colossal capacity what with at least 4 major blocks within the ride. Just what the doctor ordered. Pretty please can we have a couple more major coasters in the California Adventure?

Brilliant! Could have opened yesterday. Makes good use of the terrain; and builds speed throughout the ride. Interaction with Yukon Striker is a healthy bonus. I think this is my favourite of the Arrow suspendeds, and unfortunately, I have now been on all the surviving examples of the format.

Fun Masterpiece Ejectors

Makes a mockery of absolutely everything I have tried before; an easy steal for my number 1 spot. Could not get enough of this. I can see why some might find an RMC too much, but for me this was perfection. Moar please!

After years of criticising B&M's efforts to try and get wide and wider trains to do a snappy turn, Yukon (finally) proves it's possible. Think of this as a looping coaster first - consider Canada's Wonderland best looper before Yukon was Dragon Fyre - and dive coaster elements as a bonus. The restraints will be an endless source of debate; for the looping portions they are better; for the drop they aren't quite so good as a conventional OTSR. Looks great both off-and-on ride, and the route is well thought out to interact with other rides. The main drop of course, really does look the part from on-ride; just wish it were possible to get clean air (as opposed to restrained air) on the way down... Someone go on, I dare you, do a dive machine with the clamshell restraints instead.

Inversions Intensity

An excellent post Senator Markey US G-limiting B&M, one that actually has a punch to it on day one. This one got an awful lot of re-riding. I can imagine after 10 years of breaking in it will have picked up a tad more speed. Underrated coaster; albeit it is sat in an uninspiring location.

Brutal, fast, thigh bruising and giggle inducing. This ride is definitely one for masochists, but happens to be an awful lot of fun. Final ride of our last visit went to Magnum. It is of course an utterly obsolete design, but the character flaws are what make this thing work it's magic. The first hyper, and easily the best of the Arrow's. Long may it continue.

Dire. I can find no redeeming feature of this ride. The exit, perhaps. Uncomfortable flying position compounded by a layout that does its best to jolt at every opportunity. I hear Stengel worked on the volare design - I can only assume that was in a capacity to check the safe operation of the ride than its actual content. Absolutely no desire to go on any of the others.the same as this even to just get the credit.

Upped my score for this ride on re-riding today. Great first drop and fun run of intense inversions. Probably better than the adjacent wild eagle. It is a shame the revised Arrow / Alan Schilke looping coaster design didn't get a chance to be used more widely. I could reride this endlessly. Of course, by 1999 Arrow had already lost the market to B&M.

Location

Fun wing coaster in an excellent setting, with most of the layout hidden until you climb the lift. The first drop and initial climb are pretty intense. The main run of inversions are relatively mild. I'd take this over the Swarm, but Gardalands Raptor or CPs gatekeeper are better wing and inversion experiences respectively.