For me, the best ride at Alton Towers: theming is one-of-a-kind, at the first glance, it doesn't look too unsettling, but the closer you look and the ...
For me, the best ride at Alton Towers: theming is one-of-a-kind, at the first glance, it doesn't look too unsettling, but the closer you look and the further you get into the station building, the creepier it gets. The Marmaliser is optically very impressive and the soundtrack is just mental. On our visits, lines were pretty long (sometimes up to 120 minutes), I strongly recommend a fastpass or using the single rider line, the latter is pretty effective. Nevertheless, capacity is not a big issue, we had four trains running and dispatches were fairly quick. The ride experience was better than I expected, only a few times we had a minor rattle - but it would be better with lap bars for sure. The inversions are great fun, and the two decent airtime hills are a nice change from that - I did not percieve the ride getting repetitive which is quite outstanding with fourteen inversions. To sum things up, Smiler offers a great overall experience and I highly recommend being corrected by it!
I enjoyed this ride more than I thought - yeah, it is not really intense, but I don't see Galactica as a thrill ride:
The feeling of soaring over th...
I enjoyed this ride more than I thought - yeah, it is not really intense, but I don't see Galactica as a thrill ride:
The feeling of soaring over the Forbidden Valley is just amazing, the restraints are very comfortable and I especially liked the inversions - lying on your back feels just great on this ride. The soundtrack is also really nice. Another plus is the high capacity with three trains and a dual station which is desperately needed on busier days. I am glad the VR has been removed, I simply cannot imagine wearing headsets on this ride...
This legendary ride is definetely one of the best inverts out there: the use of the terrain and the unusual layout lead to an interesting pacing - whi...
This legendary ride is definetely one of the best inverts out there: the use of the terrain and the unusual layout lead to an interesting pacing - while many traditional rollercoasters tend to have the most intensity at the start after the first drop, Nemesis starts a bit leisurely and gains speed throughout the whole track while the end being the most intense part of the ride. Thanks to the use of the terrain, there are some near misses which make this ride feel even faster than it actually is - the layout in general is great, I especially enjoyed the zero-G-roll and the last corkscrew which was particularly snappy. Overall, it was an awesome experience and the mighty roar fitted perfectly to it. I am curious how the retracked version of this coaster will ride, but I highly doubt that it will be as loud as the originial - I personally appreciate a loud B&M noise, but I still can understand this decision.
First of all, it is one of the best themed rides at Alton Towers: the preshow is extremely atmospheric, station looks pretty neat and of course, the h...
First of all, it is one of the best themed rides at Alton Towers: the preshow is extremely atmospheric, station looks pretty neat and of course, the huge statue catching fire is a cool gimmick. I also really enjoy the soundtrack creating a slightly eerie atmosphere. But the ride experience itself can be a bit disappointing: it definetely is the weakest GCI woody I have been on, especially in the front rows the pacing is a bit sluggish, so I recommend the back seats. The biggest letdown is the unbanked curve passing the walkway interrups the flow of the layout, while some of the hills gave some mild floater airtime. It is not a bad ride by any means, but I found it a bit confusing that such a family-friendly ride has a horror-based theming.
"Rattly Rita", like I used to call this coaster during our visit, was probably the biggest disappointment at Alton Towers:
I didn't have high expecta...
"Rattly Rita", like I used to call this coaster during our visit, was probably the biggest disappointment at Alton Towers:
I didn't have high expectations at all, I expected it to be a fun little coaster with a powerful launch like Desert Race (which I actually enjoyed) - but the experience here was underwhelming:
The launch was pretty snappy as expected (just like the one at Heide Park), but while Desert Race keeps its pace pretty well and rides smoothly, Rita dies down from here. After the forceful first turn, it loses speed very quickly and the layout doesn't do much. That would not be such a letdown when this coaster would not have this annoying rattle, which is present on both trains and makes this experience quite uncomfortable. Dispatches were pretty slow compared to Stealth, and it always had one of the longest lines of the day. I strongly recommend riding this coaster as early as possible, because of the waiting times and like all hydraulic launch coaster, it tends to break down quite often...
Interaction with the rapids ride is nice, and the unusual layout in general is pretty neat. Nevertheless, I found this coaster a bit rattly (nothing t...
Interaction with the rapids ride is nice, and the unusual layout in general is pretty neat. Nevertheless, I found this coaster a bit rattly (nothing too bad, but still noticable) and the trains are, like most of the older Mack Powered Coasters, a bit cramped with two adults sitting next to each other. But for families, this coaster still seems to be a decent choice - Choo Choo!
It was actually pretty fun: with an unbalanced loaded car, spinning can get quite intense and the immelman turn was the highlight for me. Definetely o...
It was actually pretty fun: with an unbalanced loaded car, spinning can get quite intense and the immelman turn was the highlight for me. Definetely one of the better family coasters out there.
Nevertheless, capacity is not the best (but dispatch time was much quicker than Dragon's Fury at Chessington!) and theming could have done better...
After Wodan and Silver Star, it is the third best coaster at Europa Park! Blue Fire lacks a bit in intensity and the launch may not be the strongest o...
After Wodan and Silver Star, it is the third best coaster at Europa Park! Blue Fire lacks a bit in intensity and the launch may not be the strongest out there (although it accelerates faster than many other Mack coasters) , but it's still good fun: the coaster runs glossy smooth and thanks to the comfortable seats and lap bars, the ride experience feels really free. While most of the layout is moderately intense, the heartline roll has some very strong hangtime. Theming is nicely done (except of the huge glass building beneath), especially the rockwork looks really nice and the darkride section in the beginning with the power plant and the loud siren before the launch is atmospheric. I also like the intersection with Wodan, which can lead to nice interactions. During winter season, both the track and some of the trains are illuminated - which looks absolutely gorgeous! The onboard music is a nice gimmick, but it is not featured on all trains, often defect and should be played louder, because you can only hear it in the slower parts. Altogether, I like this coaster more than its reputation and especially at night, I really enjoy riding it!
After Steath, this is the best coaster of the park: the apocalyptic theming looks really cool, the near-miss elements enhance the ride experience and ...
After Steath, this is the best coaster of the park: the apocalyptic theming looks really cool, the near-miss elements enhance the ride experience and like all the other wing coasters, it is a very photogenetic ride. Operations were pretty quick and the ride itself is great: It is smooth, the dive drop is always a pleasure and while not being as forceful as Fenix, the helix has some decent forces. The inversions are taken gracefully and due to the restraints, it is a very comfortable experience. The trains look really cool and there is also some acoustic theming - there are many sound effects and there is a great soundtrack by the rock band "You Me at Six ", which I really appreciate. Altogether, The Swarm is an awesome overall experience.
My favorite at Thorpe Park:
It is all about the insanely fast launch, but the top hat is taken quite swiftly and has some great airtime - all while r...
My favorite at Thorpe Park:
It is all about the insanely fast launch, but the top hat is taken quite swiftly and has some great airtime - all while running completely smooth. In these aspects, I prefer Stealth to Red Force, which creeps over the top hat and has a rattle in the back while being more than ten years younger. Additionally, operations on Stealth were one of the best at Thorpe Park - thanks to a baggage drop before the station, a separate loading and unloading platform and two trains, the line moved quickly. Theming is only loosely done, but it still looks okay and I like the train design. The only downside of this ride is the reliability - like the other Intamin hydraulic launch coasters, there is many downtime (it went down two times during our visit), but this ride should not be missed when visiting this park. Three, two, one, GO GO GO!!!
This is one of the weaker inverts I have been on, but on the other hand, the competition is strong - Nemesis Inferno is not a bad ride by any means:
...
This is one of the weaker inverts I have been on, but on the other hand, the competition is strong - Nemesis Inferno is not a bad ride by any means:
Theming is well done (I like the lush vegetation underneath it and the section before the lifthill is also a nice gimmick) and the ride experience is your typical intense and smooth invert with fun inversions and some forceful turns, albeit the latter are not as strong as Black Mamba. While being longer than it's namesake in Alton Towers, this ride feels shorter, I think this is due to the fairly long pre-lift section. As a result, this ride feels like it is missing something, but I cannot say what exactly. Operations are kind of a mixed bag, but mostly, they were okay. Overall, this is the third best coaster of Thorpe Park and definetely worth a ride. The biggest con is the awkward choice of the name - cause it's not really being related to the Nemesis at Alton Towers, I personally think just "Inferno" would be much better.
Welp, I don't know what to think about this ride: Preshow was fine and better than I expected, while the theming during the long walk to the station i...
Welp, I don't know what to think about this ride: Preshow was fine and better than I expected, while the theming during the long walk to the station is only sporadically. The vehicles are a bit cramped with two adults next to each other, but at least, this ride runs smooth. The ride experience itself, it was mostly kind of "meh": for the spooky theming, the coaster itself is fairly tame - it mostly just meanders around and I don't get the point of the multiple complete stops which kill the flow. Theming during the ride is also mediocre at best, only at the final breakrun, there were some traditional scare effects. During the exit, there were no scare actors (which I personally consider as an advantage, I really don't like that kind of stuff), but the ridiculously long way through the darkness was tedious and pointless (maybe because of this circumstances the former name "X - No way out"). I personally think it was a bad idea to transform a family-friendly ride into a horror attraction - one less attraction for people not into thrill.
Feels more like a monorail than a coaster - but at least, it runs fairly smooth compared to other Zamperla powered coasters and the location above the...
Feels more like a monorail than a coaster - but at least, it runs fairly smooth compared to other Zamperla powered coasters and the location above the lake is nice.
I expected some headbanging, but ended up liking this coaster more than I thought:
Despite the cumbersome boarding and slow operation (the restraint ...
I expected some headbanging, but ended up liking this coaster more than I thought:
Despite the cumbersome boarding and slow operation (the restraint system is downright bizarre), the ride experience is quite good. Of course it is not a top-tier rollercoaster, but it runs surprisingly well aside of some minor rattle. Especially the zero-g-roll is a very unusual experience while being in standing position, but the rest of the layout is also fun. Theming is not really existent, but the appearance has improved with a new bright and colourful paint job of the station building. The slow operations were not a big issue during our visit because queue times were only about 15-20 minutes.
A great indoor rollercoaster: while the acceleration may not be particularly forceful, it is still a quite unusual feeling being launched upwards. The...
A great indoor rollercoaster: while the acceleration may not be particularly forceful, it is still a quite unusual feeling being launched upwards. The twisty layout in the dark features nice inversions, forceful turns and some special effects. The ride may be a bit rough, but not in a way I would consider it as a con - thanks to the vest restraints, there are no issues with headbanging. Theming is a double-edged sword: the Star Wars overlay seems a bit provisional (for example, in the station there are only a few banners with the ride logo hanging from the ceiling) which is definetely not on the typical "Disney level" and it doesn't match with the objects of the former Jules Verne theming which are still present. But on the other hand, the building itself looks fantastic - especially the giant cannon launching the train into darkness is a piece of art. I would love if someday the original Jules Verne theme would return!
It fulfils its purpose as the only kiddie coaster of the park, but even for being a ride for the small ones, it is fairly weak. Theming is also lacklu...
It fulfils its purpose as the only kiddie coaster of the park, but even for being a ride for the small ones, it is fairly weak. Theming is also lackluster.
Due to the low capacity, I would advise to ride this coaster first when going to Thorpe Park, this one often has the longest line of all coasters. The...
Due to the low capacity, I would advise to ride this coaster first when going to Thorpe Park, this one often has the longest line of all coasters. Theming is nothing special on the outer queue, but indoor, it is pretty well executed. If you want to fully see the small darkride part before the acutual coaster section, I would recommend to take the rear of the two vehicles about to dispatch. The ride itself is pretty short, but aggressively paced - there are some very snappy moments of ejector airtime. I braced for some headbanging (especially when thinking at Huracan at Belantis), but while still not being very smooth, it was absolutely tolerable. I think, these circumstances fit pretty well to the theming as one of SAW's deathtraps.
I braced for some headbanging due to its reputation and the bulky restraints, but this coaster run surprisingly well. Yes, there were some slight vibr...
I braced for some headbanging due to its reputation and the bulky restraints, but this coaster run surprisingly well. Yes, there were some slight vibrations, but nothing to write home about it. The inversions are all good fun, especially the finale with the quadruple heartline roll. The optical presentation is actually really nice - the coaster itself is very photogenetic and I appreciate the lush greenery it is located in. The biggest downsides of Colossus are the uncomfortable trains (they are very cramped and the harnesses are very cumbersome to pull down), which may lead to the low throughput of this ride - the second train had to wait quite a bit on the final break run everytime. So I would recommend to ride this coaster as early as possible (at best, right after coming off SAW!)
An absolute winner for Paultons Park: with two trains and quick dispatches, lines were surprisingly short for this nicely themed coaster.
The queue ...
An absolute winner for Paultons Park: with two trains and quick dispatches, lines were surprisingly short for this nicely themed coaster.
The queue in a wooden "barn" underneath the slides and the station look very nice, even a catchy soundtrack is playing.
But the ride itself is great fun: Albeit still being family-friendly, it can still pack a punch and when properly loaded, the spinning can get pretty intense. The coaster runs very smooth and the cars are very comfortable for every body height. Altogether, Storm Chaser fits perfectly into the attraction lineup of Paultons Park!
Theming is top-notch for such a small ride. It is a good starting point for ongoing enthusiasts, but unfortunately, one of the s-bends has some pretty...
Theming is top-notch for such a small ride. It is a good starting point for ongoing enthusiasts, but unfortunately, one of the s-bends has some pretty distinctive jolts to it - which is not a good sign for a coaster just a few months old...
The first hairpin turn caught us all off guard, it was particularly snappy. The rest of the layout was your typical Bobsled Coaster: a smooth and enjo...
The first hairpin turn caught us all off guard, it was particularly snappy. The rest of the layout was your typical Bobsled Coaster: a smooth and enjoyable family coaster for every age. Theming could be done better, aside from some fancy topiarys shaped like a cobra, most of the ride takes place over some green meadows and the station building is rather bland. I think, the ride's theme will be changed in the future to fit more into the newer concept of this park.
A bit rougher than its successors, but it's okay because this is the prototype of the family boomerangs and still a decent family ride. Theming appear...
A bit rougher than its successors, but it's okay because this is the prototype of the family boomerangs and still a decent family ride. Theming appears to be only half-baked, because despite having a new name and some themed elements, you can still spot some remenants of the former "Ben 10" theming in the queue line. Additinally, the policy that you have to take off your glasses without a strap during this ride, is quite unnecessary.
I did not percieve this coaster to run faster than the Booster Bikes at Toverland, the launch was okay and the layout fairly mediocre. But unfortunate...
I did not percieve this coaster to run faster than the Booster Bikes at Toverland, the launch was okay and the layout fairly mediocre. But unfortunately, it rattled quite a bit (which, especially for males, can be quite uncomfortable in the motorbike position), while the prototype is much smoother - and the mounting and dismounting of the bikes is also quite cumbersome which leads to a low throughput.
Basically the modern counterpart of Thrope Park's Colossus:
With minimalistic lap bars and a pretty smooth ride experience, Sik provides conspicuousl...
Basically the modern counterpart of Thrope Park's Colossus:
With minimalistic lap bars and a pretty smooth ride experience, Sik provides conspicuously more comfort to its riders - and it feels a lot faster: the first drop is much steeper than the one of Colossus and especially the quadruple heartline roll serving as a grand finale is taken at a high speed, so you are flung around with lap bars only which is pretty thrilling. But all inversions are great fun, and the dark tunnels filled with cool mist are optically a nice gimmick and additionally a refreshing surprise on warm days.
Theming is pretty much nonexistent on Sik, but the optical presentation is still fine because is has a very modern and minimalistic look to it - especially the water fountains on the final turn are a neat feature. The station is decorated with colourful banners, has disco lightings and plays booming electronic music, which I appreciate.
Operations were the biggest issue in my opinion: Sik only runs one train and has quite slow operations (especially with some moron guests unable to queue properly or close their safety bar), I highly recommend the single rider line!
After I enjoyed Timber Drop, I was a bit disappointed of Mumbo Jumbo:
Albeit having an almost identical layout with funky turns, loads of hangtime an...
After I enjoyed Timber Drop, I was a bit disappointed of Mumbo Jumbo:
Albeit having an almost identical layout with funky turns, loads of hangtime and a great final inversion, this one runs considerably rougher than its French counterpart. Combined with those awkward over the shoulder "claws", prepare yourself to get smacked several times. Theming is pretty minimalistic and perations were also quite slow.
Nevertheless, Mumbo Jumbo still is the third best coaster of this park after Sik and Kumali - but with a large gap inbetween...
Besides some minor rattle, this coaster runs much smoother than your standard SLC. Pacing is great, in the high-speed turn right after the first drop ...
Besides some minor rattle, this coaster runs much smoother than your standard SLC. Pacing is great, in the high-speed turn right after the first drop I even had a slight greyout. Inversions and the large helix are all good fun, unfortunately the ride is pretty short. With vest restraints and some more elements, this coaster could be better, although I quite liked it anyway. In my opinion, the second best coaster at Flamingo Land!
The overall apperance is just impressing, theming is very well done in the queue and even the "pre-show" which decides your seat is a unique feature I...
The overall apperance is just impressing, theming is very well done in the queue and even the "pre-show" which decides your seat is a unique feature I had never seen before. But the experience itself is not less good: it is very forceful, has some nice airtime moments and the main part of the layout is taken with a ridiculous pace, so there is no dead spot. The ride is definetely not the smoothest on earth, but it didn't bother me, I even think it kind of fits to this relentless thrill machine (it is DEFINETELY NOT a "family thrill ride", how it is claimed by the park) and due to the lap bars, there is no headbanging. The main downsides are the low capacity and the very long time hanging at the vertical lift hill which gets quite uncomfortable after several rides. These aspects are due to the backwards free fall, which feels quite weak and pointless - I think this gimmick could be cancelled without many complaints. After the break run, the final inversion and helix in the dark are quite slow, so I don't get the exact purpose of them. But the rest of this coaster is great, still one of the better ones in Germany!
