Hmm, Rougarou. The conversion of Mantis has a few problems. The ride is relatively smooth on the back row; however, if you watch closely you can see s...
Hmm, Rougarou. The conversion of Mantis has a few problems. The ride is relatively smooth on the back row; however, if you watch closely you can see significant shuffling amongst the cars in front of you - by row 3 there must be at least an inch of side-shuffling. Now, it's true, I find the back rows of virtually all older B&M's smoother in the back row, but in Rougarou's case it means it pays to be very selective on seating. This is a shame, because what I found up to the mid course brake run is actually a pretty decent sitdown looper with some hints of Kumba going on. It's certainly more memorable than Mantis; which 13 years earlier I have largely erased from my memory. The transition into the MCB, however, and final block of the course through the corkscrew are bloody awful regardless of seat. The ride has already undergone some pretty severe surgery, perhaps, it needs some more to the latter half of the route to "fix" it. I do wonder if it's days are numbered. Ridership is low, queues were non-existent even with the park busy. Time will tell.
This is more or less the only B&M that was a once-only affair on the ECC 2006 trip. With just over 2 days in the park, this obviously didn't catch our...
This is more or less the only B&M that was a once-only affair on the ECC 2006 trip. With just over 2 days in the park, this obviously didn't catch our attention. I don't remember it being bad per se; just that there was far better calling our time everywhere else in the park. In another park; Mantis probably would have had a better reputation.
OTSR hides the fact that this is a big family coaster. View it that way, and it's actually pretty good. Raptor is only a few hundred meters away for y...
OTSR hides the fact that this is a big family coaster. View it that way, and it's actually pretty good. Raptor is only a few hundred meters away for your suspended G-fix!
I've been critical of wide B&M trains not being able to roll particularly snappily on loads of rides before. Gatekeeper (nearly) proves that theory wr...
I've been critical of wide B&M trains not being able to roll particularly snappily on loads of rides before. Gatekeeper (nearly) proves that theory wrong. It still rolls relatively slowly, but the positive G and fantastic location still make for a fun ride flirting on the edge of intensity. This is absolutely everything the Swarm failed to be. Major shout out to the CP maintenance crews; apparently the ride had completely stalled due to very heavy gusts the Saturday before we arrived; yet we were on it by the Monday and nobody would have known any different. I would suggest if the ride has any problem, it is the 7/8ths course brake; at which point the ride is basically over. The final drop and helix don't add anything, other than avoid a long straightaway at the point the ride has otherwise ran out of altitude and ideas.
Biased review again, due to being somewhat overweight! I'll blame it on the Poutine... The restraints had to be properly jammed in to get me on this o...
Biased review again, due to being somewhat overweight! I'll blame it on the Poutine... The restraints had to be properly jammed in to get me on this one, consequently very uncomfortable. If it weren't for that, I'd give a better rating.
My first looping coaster! Hopelessly biased rose tinted view of this ride... In reality I know it was just a minimal corkscrew. What the hell. Good me...
My first looping coaster! Hopelessly biased rose tinted view of this ride... In reality I know it was just a minimal corkscrew. What the hell. Good memories.
Demented genius, this ride is. Utterly uncompromising, smooth yet violent, relentless speed and intensity to leave even the most dedicated coaster fan...
Demented genius, this ride is. Utterly uncompromising, smooth yet violent, relentless speed and intensity to leave even the most dedicated coaster fan wondering what the hell just happened. You will come back battered, bruised, out of breath, probably on an adrenaline high. It is almost impossible to not whoop and holler as it goes round. I am reminded of the craziness of J2 at Clementon Lake; merged with Magnum's brutality, the intensity of Nemesis and a whole bunch of other original material rolled into one monster of a package. The ONLY downside is it is very hard work to do multiple rides. This ride does plain hurt; and would desperately benefit from a deeper restraint system to spread out the huge amount of force piled onto your thighs for the whole duration. I hear Untamed at Walibi Holland has further refined the RMC train design so there may be adaptations to bring back to SV to help. I cannot imagine we are riding SV in it's finished form at this time; and I am absolutely sure there will be modifications over the coming years. Possibly for the better. Even so, come and experience it while it is what it is; you will not regret it one jot. The ride is not free of problems, 3-train stacking in the station is way too common. Throw more staff at it; add Yukon's bag-bin conveyor - do whatever you have to to get the thing up to speed. It would seriously be worth considering having two staff per four seats to deal with the legal issues imposed with handling carry-on item specific to this ride. All that said, would still get 6 stars on a scale of 1-5. Come ride it!
Another superbly built B&M, Giga this time, is hugely fun to ride and the first drop is astoundingly large. Perhaps, as a somewhat jaded enthusiast th...
Another superbly built B&M, Giga this time, is hugely fun to ride and the first drop is astoundingly large. Perhaps, as a somewhat jaded enthusiast the difference between 200ft and 300ft is largely irrelevant whereas what you do with that height and speed is more important hence much preferred Behemoth. Of course, it offers massive floater air; and not a lot else. Car park overlook. Behemoth on the other side of the park has a much better setting, and more to look at. The ride feels incomplete, what with the final brake run above the highest point of multiple other coasters in it's vicinity; feels like a missed opportunity really... Could have ran some mad crazy twister elements into the structure of Wilde Beast perhaps? But nope. Missed opportunities aside, this is a brilliant ride, just one that could have been a stupendous one for a little more effort.
Straight sections are OK. Square corners leave the latter half utterly unenjoyable. Considering this was the "best" upside down coaster at Canada's Wo...
Straight sections are OK. Square corners leave the latter half utterly unenjoyable. Considering this was the "best" upside down coaster at Canada's Wonderland ALL the way up to the opening of Yukon Striker, it now looks hopelessly anachronistic. Doubt this will be around for much longer.
Fun launched family coaster with a rapid launch. Better acceleration than Red Force! Sure there are more thrilling rides elsewhere in the park, but th...
Fun launched family coaster with a rapid launch. Better acceleration than Red Force! Sure there are more thrilling rides elsewhere in the park, but that is missing the point of this ride. Appeals to a wide audience, won't scare them off, and might invite them onto the bigger stuff.
Back in 1999, this was one of the more local parks to me and therefore relatively accessible. The best feature was the first inversion; which gave an ...
Back in 1999, this was one of the more local parks to me and therefore relatively accessible. The best feature was the first inversion; which gave an incredible view of the very long beach at Southport. Call me insane, I did one day go and ride this about 20-odd times in a row. That's enough SLC to satiate even the most desperate coaster fan!
Better than most of the BPB wooden coasters; not especially intense but was a lot of fun. Arguably could have been mothballed rather than destroyed wh...
Better than most of the BPB wooden coasters; not especially intense but was a lot of fun. Arguably could have been mothballed rather than destroyed while Amanda Thompson stabilised the finances of the family business. Rode this a lot in the early 2000's and probably the best ride in Southport at the time.
The LSM launch of Red Force doesn't deliver. Sure, it goes fast, but rate of change of speed is very poor. Your average hatchback can accelerate as fa...
The LSM launch of Red Force doesn't deliver. Sure, it goes fast, but rate of change of speed is very poor. Your average hatchback can accelerate as fast as Red Force, consequently the ride is therefore about the huge hill instead. Gives a good blast of air and view from the top. Also, goggles on the front row, seriously? Don't be bloody daft. They aren't necessary on significantly longer and quicker rides. The trains are somewhat lurch and if you sit back flat to the seat you will bounce off-and-off it randomly and uncomfortably - sit forward to avoid this effect. Final "bonus" hill into the brakes is neat in principle but feels like you've just stacked your car into a wall. All things considered we're lucky to have a ride like this at all in Europe, but I can't rate it highly.
Millie is a corker of a ride. By hypercoaster standards, it lacks heavy-G in any direction, and occassionally is known to us as Millenium Forceless. I...
Millie is a corker of a ride. By hypercoaster standards, it lacks heavy-G in any direction, and occassionally is known to us as Millenium Forceless. It's all about the speed and height. Much fun to be had especially at sunset, but there are technically more forceful and better hypercoasters out there.
Arrow dynamics swansong, and a flawed masterpiece. This isn't a rollercoaster, it's an experience that happens to be a rollercoaster. If it didn't hav...
Arrow dynamics swansong, and a flawed masterpiece. This isn't a rollercoaster, it's an experience that happens to be a rollercoaster. If it didn't have the un-necessary wobble and calf-slapping trains it'd be perfection.
Covered in trims, probably to stave off the worst of the roughness associated with 70's and 80's wooden coasters. As a result, the ride doesn't have ...
Covered in trims, probably to stave off the worst of the roughness associated with 70's and 80's wooden coasters. As a result, the ride doesn't have any particularly forceful parts. The Beast is nonetheless one of the better surviving examples of the era; and the forest setting and duration are both excellent.
Forceless, anemic, rough, yet visually impressive. Rather like Gouderix? If it had been smooth, the dull layout would have been exposed even more. The...
Forceless, anemic, rough, yet visually impressive. Rather like Gouderix? If it had been smooth, the dull layout would have been exposed even more. The loop was the highlight of the ride, mostly because it offered some sort of excitement. Of course, that had to be removed when the trains were changed. This is the only ride I've ever returned to the station chanting BURN IT! BURN IT! You didn't miss anything missing out on this one.
Controversially, not a big fan of this one. Great setting, and well looked after, but not a patch on Megafobia. Perhaps suffered from being overhyped ...
Controversially, not a big fan of this one. Great setting, and well looked after, but not a patch on Megafobia. Perhaps suffered from being overhyped somewhat.
Massively wide trains don't turn very effectively. Like manouvering a bus, not a needle, so is utterly forceless. Nothing technically wrong with it, b...
Massively wide trains don't turn very effectively. Like manouvering a bus, not a needle, so is utterly forceless. Nothing technically wrong with it, but not an especially exciting ride past the roll into 1st drop. The "wasteland" theme has been done to death and much better, not least at Alton Towers just up the road.
Very potent launch and well thought out use of the wing coaster format; getting you very close to the ground at high speed and a couple of fun inversi...
Very potent launch and well thought out use of the wing coaster format; getting you very close to the ground at high speed and a couple of fun inversions. HOWEVER, ruined, by 1) dreadful capacity 2) dreadful operations and 3) by being right next to the main gate therefore the queue line is inevitably over-long all hours of the day.
I was so disappointed with Boulder Crash in 2006. Fabulous location; but a terribly violent ride. Intensity does not require sitting on a jack hammer ...
I was so disappointed with Boulder Crash in 2006. Fabulous location; but a terribly violent ride. Intensity does not require sitting on a jack hammer for 90 seconds. It's coming to something when I enjoyed the parks Boomerang (admittedly one of the better examples of it's type) rather more! Boulder crash is absolutely screaming for an RMC rescue package, if there ever was one. It's not like the layout even needs much of a change, just needs smoothing out with lighter trains and suspension to soak up the damage.
Superb engineering once again from B&M, but not a great ride. It's more of a looker from the ground; it is mostly contrived to look impressive from th...
Superb engineering once again from B&M, but not a great ride. It's more of a looker from the ground; it is mostly contrived to look impressive from the ground (which it does!). Anything other than the front row misses out greatly. Sheikra is surrounded by other superlative rides, which biases my low score for this one, but then that's the challenge of trying to out-do yourself!
Great little ride but desperately short of capacity. Shuttle coasters by definition are single train, and in a park as busy as this, this is a daft id...
Great little ride but desperately short of capacity. Shuttle coasters by definition are single train, and in a park as busy as this, this is a daft idea. Would really benefit from being a pair of identical rides.
The Mummy remains one of my favourites at Universal Orlando. Rapid and uses physical effects to great effect; as opposed to the disaster that is Gring...
The Mummy remains one of my favourites at Universal Orlando. Rapid and uses physical effects to great effect; as opposed to the disaster that is Gringotts just round the corner... The mummy is also unique in that it's possibly the only coaster that our Mother-in-law has been on! (What is it? It's a dark ride!... Well, it's sort of true!) The staff have operations down to an absolute tee, managing to cleverly disguise operational signals in character. I recall one ride where the restraint was locked but perhaps not quite so much as it should have been, resulting in absolutely enormous ejector airtime. Much fun!
This was the first Mack Mega I had the privilege to board, and there's a reason why I immediately declared that I had a new favourite manufacturer. Un...
This was the first Mack Mega I had the privilege to board, and there's a reason why I immediately declared that I had a new favourite manufacturer. Unlike the decade of well engineered but mostly forgettable B&M's of the early 2000's (we are spoiled aren't we?!) Mack pulled the cat out of the bag and delivered inversions in a new format using hugely exposed yet comfortable trains. They got the pacing bang on, saving the biggest trick of the ride right to the end. Highly recommended. I can see why BPB went with Icon, it's a shame it's not half the ride Blue Fire is.
Judders and rattley. The near identical ride in Florida is considerably smoother, and better for it. Desperately needs an overhaul and possibly the sa...
Judders and rattley. The near identical ride in Florida is considerably smoother, and better for it. Desperately needs an overhaul and possibly the same trains that DLP's Space Mountain picked up.
Been on quite a few dive coasters, and, at least as far as it's gimmick is concerned, Oblivion's drop remains the best example. It's the only one dive...
Been on quite a few dive coasters, and, at least as far as it's gimmick is concerned, Oblivion's drop remains the best example. It's the only one dive machine that hits the tunnel in the vertical. Older style OTSR leave space for airtime (double dose if you can get the modified seating with two seatbelts and more room...) Sure, it does NOTHING else, but as a glorified drop tower it's the best one. As a coaster, sure, the other examples have extra features, but can anyone particularly say Sheikra's inversions are memorable? Nope.
