Reviews • Theme Park Avenue

I feel bad giving a score that technically brings down the average score, but this is not a 10/10 coaster. That said, it's pretty close. Mako is one o...

I feel bad giving a score that technically brings down the average score, but this is not a 10/10 coaster. That said, it's pretty close. Mako is one of the strongest B&M hypers for the ways it improves upon its predecessors. The trims were strong when I went but the ride is still a 9/10 in my eyes. The 5 second floater hill is an absolute top tier airtime moment, and every other moment on here is just as good as any other B&M hyper's airtime. I also love the finale, and the way this ride interacts with the environment is more effective than most earlier hypers. The second half is very underrated in this regard. That one hill is the best moment on any B&M hyper, and this is overall my second favorite of the model. The ride is hard to beat for sheer fun factor like many B&M hypers, but it outclasses most others for its more thrilling ride experience.

I first rode this nearly 10 years ago, and over those 10 years it has garnered a reputation as being forceless, overrated, and even downright bad. I h...

I first rode this nearly 10 years ago, and over those 10 years it has garnered a reputation as being forceless, overrated, and even downright bad. I have ridden Millennium Force at least 20 times in my life, and I've been waiting for the day it grows off me. That hasn't happened yet. Millennium Force is just as good, if not better, than it always was. The whole experience is the perfect balance of fun and thrilling. The lift hill is without a doubt my favorite on any roller coaster, taking you to the top quite quickly and providing views of the gorgeous park and the rest of Lake Erie. Then as you slowly crest the hill, the fear starts to kick in, and the drop is my favorite first drop of any roller coaster. It just goes on forever and give amazing airtime. Following this, the layout does not have anything super wacky. That said, the overbanks, airtime hills, and low to the ground turns all do exactly what they should perfectly. The first turn through the tunnel provides sustained positive forces that make most of Intimidator 305 seem weak. The three airtime hills are all fantastic, with the speed hill alongside the station being an absolute joy. The sense of speed is what really ties this ride together, since it feels like you're going 90mph the whole time. All in all, there is nothing I dislike about Millennium Force. No matter what row you're in or what time you ride, it offers a near perfect experience. From the killer station music to the ride itself, I'm entertained the whole way through. It is nearly 25 years old, so it makes sense that it does not hold up for everybody, but for me, this ride is timeless, and I think even as new insane roller coasters are developed, this ride will stay standing for decades or even centuries to come.

Maverick is the blueprint. Every modern Intamin blitz coaster that people praise, Maverick, VelociCoaster, Taiga, is building upon Maverick's brillian...

Maverick is the blueprint. Every modern Intamin blitz coaster that people praise, Maverick, VelociCoaster, Taiga, is building upon Maverick's brilliant design. Maverick's layout is so insane that its heartline roll was removed due to its intensity. The way the ride is, I'm amazed the rest of it is still allowed. The forces you feel on those turns are shocking, and I use to confuse them for roughness because of how draining this ride is. Maverick is definitely not for everyone, but the pacing is utterly flawless and despite being much slower than Intimidator 305, this is a much more consistently forceful experience than that ride. Even those who don't like the intensity of this ride can still appreciate some elements of it. The first drop startling and the tunnel launch, especially at night, is one of my favorite launches on any roller coaster. I don't think Maverick could ever be replicated today because of its intensity, but it's a nearly unbeatable experience for any adrenaline junkie and is among the very best launch coasters I've ever ridden.

Time to review everything at Cedar Point. Steel Vengeance has developed a reputation as the best coaster in the world for many, but with time, that...

Time to review everything at Cedar Point. Steel Vengeance has developed a reputation as the best coaster in the world for many, but with time, that hype has faded. I think the hype made the ride worse for some people, so this ride is like the Hamilton of roller coasters. However, while I admit it is not my number 1 anymore and it is not perfect, I still think it's one of the absolute best roller coasters. Steel Vengeance focuses on what RMC does best: airtime. I think this ride still has the best overall airtime of any RMC. From the first drop to the following hill to the outer bank to the finale, each one is different and gives the feeling of weightlessness or getting thrown around that you would expect from floater or ejector airtime. No other RMC has as many top tier airtime moments. This ride is also incredibly long, but it never loses steam. Even with the midcourse break run, the second half of the ride always feels aggressive. The only issue is that the finale does slow down substantially on cold mornings. This is the only noteworthy flaw I can say and it's very situational. What more is there to say? This ride is a marvel of roller coaster engineering and I think some people overlook how impressive the layout really is because they instead talk about how it compares to the hype. For me, the ride lives up to the height and is an easy 5 stars. A must for any American theme park fan.

Absolute classic. The dragon tunnel is iconic for me and I think the pacing, smoothness, and airtime are all understated overall. It's not as intense ...

Absolute classic. The dragon tunnel is iconic for me and I think the pacing, smoothness, and airtime are all understated overall. It's not as intense as a modern wooden coaster, but this is one of the better classic woodies in my opinion and the park clearly takes good care of it. I definitely recommend it if you ever end up in Rye.

Lions are cooler than tigers and the lion side of the logo is better, so I preferred this one as a kid. However, they are about the same in quality fo...

Lions are cooler than tigers and the lion side of the logo is better, so I preferred this one as a kid. However, they are about the same in quality for me. They realistically deserved 1-1.5 stars in the final years, but I did have a good time on Gwazi.

This ride was insanely bumpy, but I still loved it. I definitely thought it was one of the worst roller coasters ever back when it was around, and it ...

This ride was insanely bumpy, but I still loved it. I definitely thought it was one of the worst roller coasters ever back when it was around, and it probably was, but there's no denying I had fun on it and still rode it every time I went to the park. I somewhat miss it, even though I'm very happy with its replacement.

I'll cover the defunct coasters too. I was going to go 1.5 stars but the weird brush sticking out was so much fun to try to reach out and touch as ...

I'll cover the defunct coasters too. I was going to go 1.5 stars but the weird brush sticking out was so much fun to try to reach out and touch as a kid. This is one of the more painful and unspectacular wild mouse coasters, but it provided a few good moments. Not a great ride, and probably worth skipping, but I rode it nearly every time I went to the park.

Yeah, this earns 5 stars. It's the best launch coaster I've ever been on. The first have has great individual elements and theming, but the second hal...

Yeah, this earns 5 stars. It's the best launch coaster I've ever been on. The first have has great individual elements and theming, but the second half builds up insane speed and has even better elements. The mosasaurus roll is a top 3 inversion for me. It's hard to make a ride this well-balanced yet also this elite in the layout department. It absolutely lives up to the hype.

This is a fun kiddie coaster with a solid presentation and scale. I don't plan to rate anymore kiddie coasters on this site because kiddie coasters ar...

This is a fun kiddie coaster with a solid presentation and scale. I don't plan to rate anymore kiddie coasters on this site because kiddie coasters are not made for older guests, but it's averaging 6% and that's just not fair. This is probably a 3-3.5/10, but I'll round up.

This was my first roller coaster, and it is still fun. It's certainly a bit janky because it's quite old, but the first drop, loop, and final helix ar...

This was my first roller coaster, and it is still fun. It's certainly a bit janky because it's quite old, but the first drop, loop, and final helix are fun and intense. There isn't any spectacular here, but nothing besides the final harsh stop in the station is really an issue. It's just a fun, simple ride you probably won't be inclined to marathon but will have fun on once or twice.

This is the ideal family roller coaster. It has plenty of gimmicks that can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike, and it combines appealing theming wit...

This is the ideal family roller coaster. It has plenty of gimmicks that can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike, and it combines appealing theming with mild thrills. The elevator lift and free spinning are always a blast, and the main snake king statue is gorgeous. The first and last sections offer fun thrills for the whole family, though the backwards section is admittedly janky. This balance is important for this type of ride, and not many kiddie coasters nail it like this. The ride tends to get a long line and have reliability issues, but the queue can keep you entertained for a long time. This is a well-made ride that nails everything a family ride should and it was a great addition to the park back in 2016.

This ride is not good. The restraints really do take away from the experience as they are awkward to put on and because of how many slow moments the r...

This ride is not good. The restraints really do take away from the experience as they are awkward to put on and because of how many slow moments the ride has, you have ample opportunities to think about how uncomfortable they are. The ride is decently intense, which is nice, and it has hangtime. However, the hangtime is quite uncomfortable overall. The other Skyrocket II's are better paced and more comfortable, so I enjoy them much much more. If you've been on Tempesto or Superman Ultimate Flight at Discovery Kingdom, you don't really need to ride this one. I don't have a lot of fun with it.

Cheetah Hunt has always been pretty overrated in my opinion. It is fun, but very few elements are all that good given how long the ride is. I like the...

Cheetah Hunt has always been pretty overrated in my opinion. It is fun, but very few elements are all that good given how long the ride is. I like the launches, water turns, and the airtime pop near the end. The windcatcher tower and heartline roll are decent. The whole ride is good but meandering and while it's somewhat scenic, it's an above average family coaster that kind of feels like it was supposed to be something more. Even if not, people treat it like it's more, but I think it's a 7/10 roller coaster. Very fun if it's open and has a manageable line, but definitely not as thrilling or interesting as Iron Gwazi or the B&Ms for me.

Kumba is a frustrating ride. It is typically very intense and fun, but 19 times out of 20 this ride has headbanging, particularly during the iconic co...

Kumba is a frustrating ride. It is typically very intense and fun, but 19 times out of 20 this ride has headbanging, particularly during the iconic corkscrews. I almost always love everything through the corkscrew, even if Montu is definitely more intense overall. Sometimes the pain really takes away from the experience, and it happens so often. I think the ride is ultimately showing its age a bit and while it is a classic with plenty of great traditional B&M elements, it isn't as fun as Montu or Sheikra for me and I don't tend to look forward to riding it as the other two.

Sheikra having a 90% on this site is a massive surprise. It's kind of nice, but even a big fan of the ride like myself cannot give Sheikra a 90%. The ...

Sheikra having a 90% on this site is a massive surprise. It's kind of nice, but even a big fan of the ride like myself cannot give Sheikra a 90%. The ride has only a few individual elements and is more relaxed than the other B&Ms here. Those moments are great though, with both drops giving excellent weightlessness, the immelman providing awesome hangtime, and the water splash being a blast. After that, the ride is pretty much over. It looks beautiful and is incorporated into the area perfectly, which adds to the enjoyability whether you're riding or getting splashed. Sheikra is super fun, but it doesn't pack a big enough punch to get 4.5 stars. I've loved this ride ever since I first rode it nearly 10 years ago, and it still holds up.

B&M inverts are one of the best coaster models out there. After the top tier of RMC hybrids, B&M and Intamin hypers/gigas, and Intamin blitz coasters,...

B&M inverts are one of the best coaster models out there. After the top tier of RMC hybrids, B&M and Intamin hypers/gigas, and Intamin blitz coasters, they are probably my favorite. Of all the inverts out there, few have as great a reputation as Montu. It really is the one that has put B&M inverts on the map more recently because of how many people like it, and that makes me happy. I think Montu actually helped people realize that Batman the Ride clones are really good. But is Montu as great as others say? Well, yes. It is the perfect invert. The intensity is ruthless and brutal but the ride is never uncomfortable. Every inversion is great, but the batwing stands above the rest as a truly insane element. The ride does lose some speed after the midcourse brake run, but it still pulls off two more phenomenal inversions and even a small pop of airtime if you're lucky. The setting also helps this ride, as the subtle theming and several troughs mean you constantly go underground before and even during inversions. Going underground on a roller coaster is incredibly fun and adds to the experience both on and off the ride. All in all, this is definitely one of the best inverted roller coasters, and I'd call it my second favorite. It covers all of the bases and surpasses expectations in every area you'd hope for an invert to excel. An absolute must for current or prospective fans of B&M inverts.

Just made an account and thought I would start with the roller coasters at my home park, and what better ride to start with than the best roller coast...

Just made an account and thought I would start with the roller coasters at my home park, and what better ride to start with than the best roller coaster on Earth? Simply put, Iron Gwazi is my favorite roller coaster. When I say it's the best, I obviously don't know for sure if it's the best. Nobody does, but for me, it is unmatched. No other roller coaster feels so out of control yet also perfectly designed at the same time. It has at least 4 top tier roller coaster elements and keeps its speed and intensity no matter when or where in the car you ride. The full experience of 5-minute dispatches and moderately uncomfortable shin guards are not ideas, but you'd have to be really focused on them to have them on your mind as you climb the lift hill. As RMC experiments with more intense elements, they may make a better ride some day, and maybe they already have with Zadra or ArieForce One or something else. That said, this RMC stands above the rest for me for its particularly memorable elements combined with relentless speed, and it is my #1 roller coaster on the planet.