Coaster reviews

Location Duration Airtimes Dead spots Layout

While the Big Apple Coaster at NY-NY provides some excellent views and length, as well as decent first two drops and two inversions, the rest of the coaster is rather tedious and ride ops were absolutely terrible. Took far too long to dispatch trains. Airtime was also just not there for any of the hills after the first couple of drops. Given its hefty ride price, worth a skip

Airtimes First Drop Fun Rattle

It had been years, but finally got to ride what many call the greatest wooden roller coaster on earth, and does it live up to the hype? Mostly! Like many will say, the first drop is absurd and amazing, while the two camelbacks and drop before the switchback turns deliver some extremely excellent airtime, the turns also deliver some strong forces and the head choppers truly feel like you're gonna hit something. My only advice to perfect this experience, don't sit on a wheel seat, because the ride feels noticeably more rough there. El Toro does, however, live up to the hype it promises and still remains a phenomenally intense wooden coaster.

Launch Fun Masterpiece Too short

Kingda Ka is truly the king when it comes to this style of coasters (and coasters in general). The 0-120 launch is beyond forceful and truly phenomenal, plus I had no issues nor discomfort in the back row. The view up top is the best out there and the plummet down is scary as hell. The whole ride also delivers great airtime up top and on the hill at the end. Only wish it were even longer because good lord is it fun.

Theming Launch Duration Airtimes

Cosmic Rewind, while very out of place with the rest of Epcot's theming, is a great coaster in most respects. The theming in the queue is excellent, the backwards launch is also really fun and it's quite a long ride. However, the ride has almost no airtime and it's a pretty forceless coaster overall save for some Gs on the twists. It's a fun ride, yes, but I do still wish it had a bit more to it.

First Drop Location Launch Dead spots

Incredible Hulk is another great ride from B&M and is an iconic Universal ride for a reason. Its launch is excellent, the first drop, massive cobra roll, and multiple loops are also wildly fun and intense. The twists after that pull some nice Gs, but ultimately aren't quite as phenomenal as that first half.

Theming Pace Layout

Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is truly a...well magical experience. Is it the most intense coaster out there? No. Is it an extremely fun, charming, and excellently themed one? Absolutely. I truly adored my experience on this coaster and the multiple launches and twisty layout provide a smooth, fast, and one of a kind experience that is not to be missed!

First Drop Pointless Lap Bar

Skull Mountain, for an indoor family coaster, delivers some forces and has a really fun first drop into total darkness which actually feels great. The outside of the building is also very well themed. However, the lap bar restraint was very uncomfortable, riding more into my stomach than my thighs (and I'm a thin dude), the indoor is almost entirely unthemed, and after your eyes adjust to the low light, the coaster is pretty mediocre. It's a junior coaster, so can't expect much, but it should at least be comfortable.

Inversions Too short Layout

While Joker can be fun for some people riding it’s all too familiar layout, with many inversions and twists, for others, it can be a short, boring, and dull experience. Only worth a ride if the line is rather short, which in my experience it seldom is.

Inversions Pace Duration Intensity

Medusa is an awesome ride with great theming and usually short wait times given its location in the back of the park. It’s very smooth and has a great variety of fun inversions as well, but some of the inversions lack as much intensity as you’d think. Otherwise, still a very worthy ride and re-ride at Great Adventure

Intensity Layout Duration Layout

Batman is a ridiculously intense, whippy, and long B&M invert that delivers in almost every single regard. Can’t give a 5 star review simply because it’s so ubiquitous at this point and the layout is great but not unique, but Great Adventure’s is in the best shape of the bunch and the paint job is on point.

First Drop Theming Inversions Dead spots

Jersey Devil was my first RMC single rail coaster and it is certainly a wildly fun experience from start to finish. The first near 90 degree drop is amazing and the coaster absolutely flies through its layout otherwise, with some awesome inversions and tight turns. It's also immaculately themed to the local Jersey Devil mythos, rather than some easy DC property like Six Flags usually does. However, the coaster does slow down a lot in its second half with a bit of dead time. I know I found it a bit necessary after how intense the rest of the layout was, but I definitely felt like it could've done more things with the second half of its layout. Overall though, Jersey Devil is a great ride and another RMC hit

Theming Smoothness Duration Intensity

While not a particularly intense ride, Revenge of the Mummy combines great dark ride elements and theming with a fun, smooth indoor coaster experience that's unlike any other out there.

Launch Pace Theming Intensity

Rock'n Roller Coaster has been a staple at Hollywood Studios for a long time now. It's a vert fun, albeit only mildly intense, coaster. The 0-60 launch is awesome and it's well-paced with audio booming throughout the ride. However, I do think it could get a re-theme to something more modern and relevant, maybe keeping the Rock'n Roller Coaster name but shifting the theming to be more music history oriented, or at least to a more relevant band than Aerosmith. The existing themed elements are a bit tacky too. Solid foundation for a coaster that could use an update.

Theming Masterpiece

Velocicoaster is a practically flawless experience from start to finish. Theming, from the animatronic raptors in the queue to the static raptors and audio on the ride itself and location by the lake, is fantastic, but the ride itself somehow is even better. Intamin truly hit a grand slam with this coaster. The powerful pair of launches, MANY unique inversions, top hat, and more are all unbelievably fun and intense, while the lap bar restraints are super comfy and the layout is extremely long. Velocicoaster is perfect in every way and worth whatever wait time it has at Islands of Adventure!

Theming Pointless Layout

It’s a wild mouse, it’s like all the others. Little pops of airtime, jerky turns, and not much intensity for those beyond small kids. The theming inside the building is really good for Six Flags standards but the pre-show has been shut off. If there isn’t a line, maybe hop on to see the unique experience of a wild mouse in the dark and heavily themed, otherwise skip.

Inversions Intensity Headbanging Harness Discomfort

Green Lantern makes me question why stand-up coasters even exist. While the inversions are fun and intense, that sadly results in some horrible discomfort and pain thanks to the stand-up restraints. Tons of headbanging and, even worse, for guys like myself, hits below the belt. Sticking your head out reduces this a bit, but it shouldn’t be a problem to begin with. Coaster needs to be converted into a sit down, then maybe it’ll actually be worth a ride. Otherwise, unless you’re a sadist who enjoys getting hurt, avoid the ride.

Theming Intensity Smoothness Dead spots Layout

Ultimate Flight starts of very strong with a solid first drop and ridiculously intense and unique pretzel loop that makes you feel like your brain is trying to leave your skull. Unfortunately, the rest of the ride doesn’t deliver all that much, as it’s pretty dead and has a dull layout after that can be fun simply due to the flying element, but is very tame. It’s worth riding if the wait time isn’t too long for those first two elements alone, but as flying coasters go, there are better ones with more consistent fun

Airtimes First Drop Comfort Dead spots

Nitro thrives with pretty much one gimmick through its long, fun layout: airtime. The helix pulls some nice lateral Gs, but otherwise Nitro is about airtime. Its first drop is phenomenal and the rest of the floater airtime makes it very fun and very pleasant, even if it lacks in some element variety.

Inversions Launch Pace Too short

Storm Runner’s launch, top hat, and first few elements make it worth waiting in line alone. It’s a very intense and fun coaster, but better saved for the end of a day given it feels quite short relative to other coasters at the park.

First Drop Intensity Duration Rattle

The Lightning Side of Lightning Racer (didn’t get to the Thunder side) is a fun but tad painful wooden coaster. The first drop is excellent and the rest of the layout is both long and unique with tons of elements and near-misses. However, with it being a wooden coaster with lots of elements beyond just airtime (which honestly could’ve been a bit better after the first drop), the ride can get very rattly and painful, as both me and my partner walked off needing Advil.

Nice surprise! Fun Duration

Great Bear is a very solid B&M floorless by every definition. Long layout, whippy inversions, and smooth as silk. My only gripe is it’s not as forceful as other coasters of its type, but I rode Great Bear in the dark and that delivered some added intensity not seeing the track in front of you. A perfectly good coaster that is made great with a night ride.

Airtimes First Drop Fun

Candymonium is a really fun experience start to finish. Placed at the front of the park, you get excellent views and a really fun track layout around the Kisses Fountain. The first drop is super intense, as well as the first airtime hill, after that it’s a very fun, smooth, and pleasant (albeit less forceful) ride on its long layout. Another excellent hyper coaster from B&M, one of my favorites by them.

First Drop Smoothness Ejectors Intensity

Skyrush is a coaster explicitly designed for only the strongest of coaster riders. The ride is intense beyond belief, with an absurd first drop, insane ejector airtime, and tons of lateral Gs. I had no problem with the restraints like some, but the intensity actually was too much at some points, making me a bit sick and disoriented after the ride. It’s a ride I’m happy I rode and really liked, but it’s likely I won’t be riding it again anytime soon just due to how overwhelmingly intense it actually is in spite of its somewhat deceiving looks.

Airtimes Comfort Duration

Wildcat’s Revenge is a phenomenal coaster with each element being quick and forceful, like many RMC coasters. The layout has a ton of variety and the coaster strikes the perfect balance of intensity and fun and is the best one at Hersheypark.