A smaller family coaster that has a decent presentation. The ride itself is just two helices and a small s-bend back to the station. It is nothing int...
A smaller family coaster that has a decent presentation. The ride itself is just two helices and a small s-bend back to the station. It is nothing interesting but not too bad. I did like the small path interaction the s-bend has going over the station.
A bit of a different take on a RMC Ibox coaster that works very well. While Zadra still has the typical elements and forces as other RMC coasters, the...
A bit of a different take on a RMC Ibox coaster that works very well. While Zadra still has the typical elements and forces as other RMC coasters, they are not the focus of layout. Instead, this ride excels in its pacing, being an incredibly fast coaster from start to finish. Unfortunately, the queue for the ride is anything but fast, being a hike to get to the station from the entrance. At least it does go around portions of the ride, which shows off the scale of the ride and it is an impressive structure. Thematically it is not the best with the only theming at the entrance of the ride and the rest being a standard pathway with tall fences. But the ride itself is the star of the show.
The drop gives a good pop of ejector airtime and the speed hill at the has a small ejector pop. The first large element has good force going up the turn which turns into a strong airtime moment during the drop. The valley of the drop has a wiggle to the shaping that makes what would have been a standard drop have a bit more of a personality, making it memorable. The stall is very different from other RMC variants being much faster than others. As a result it doesn’t create much of a zero-g moment and it feels more like an inverted valley at the base of two hills. On one hand, it was weird to not feel any zero-g in the stall, but it works well with the pacing to keep the ride moving. Another twisted valley leads to a fast outward banked turn that gives a moment of ejector airtime and then the train is twisted to the left rapidly and it powers through a low to the found s-bend. I loved this turn as it really puts in perspective how much speed the train maintains and it flys through the rest of the course. The airtime hill gives a great moment of ejector airtime and then it wiggles into the roll into the structure. The roll itself is comparatively floaty, but it the transitions into a banked turn that pushes some positive force into the turn. A standard double down follows with each drop giving good airtime and then the track rapidly rotates right into a small s-hill. It is an incredibly whippy hill that also gives a good amount of airtime, creating a bit of a rag doll effect through it. A final roll turns the train into the end of the ride as even at the end it still flies through it with great speed. Concluding what is one of the more unique RMC Ibox coasters.
It is a bit of a tricky coaster to think about as it is much different from other RMC coasters. As even though there is great airtime, there was less airtime than I had anticipated. It took another ride to realize that Zadra really shines in its pacing and how there are no dead spots at all. On the rides of a similar scale, both have an element or two that could be considered the weaker parts of the layout. This one runs at full speed from start to finish and at no point does it feel any element is inhibiting the pace.
As one of the first new generation of Vekoma thrill coasters, Formula is a fun time! Approaching the coaster the layout is clearly displayed to the pa...
As one of the first new generation of Vekoma thrill coasters, Formula is a fun time! Approaching the coaster the layout is clearly displayed to the pathway with the Immelmann being to focal point of the plaza. There is a generic racing theme but it is done is a decent manner that I don’t mind too much. Queuing for the ride is a similar experience to the plaza with the layout getting close and going above where guests are waiting. The trains are comfortable with a different vest design compared to other Vekoma coasters. Rather than a thick rubber material, these were more felt-like and were much lighter in weight. Throughout the ride it felt they had a bit more give with the forces compared to rides with the other restraints.
The launch was decent and the Immelmann gave some hangtime going over the top. The twist into the turn was good and had some intensity going through it. The hill had a good amount of airtime and the following elements have a good flow through them. The corkscrew, turn and wave turn have a very natural rotation and it is satisfying to go through. However, the sequence is not that intense and the corkscrew and turn feel like one consistent element. It is very comfortable to go through, but I was surprised how tame they would be. That cannot be said for the final corkscrew with had a surprising moment of whip going through it. Then the ride ends with one last hill that has some air and that is all.
I was a bit underwhelmed by the intensity of the ride, but I suppose that makes sense for being one of the first of its type. It is not bad and it is a solid ride with a good layout. Just wish it was a bit more intense going through the elements.
Genuinely one of the worst coaster experiences out there. The idea of building a wild mouse with a harness is silly as is, but the way it tracks makes...
Genuinely one of the worst coaster experiences out there. The idea of building a wild mouse with a harness is silly as is, but the way it tracks makes it less of a ride and more of a battle against getting your head smashed into the restraint. The best thing about the ride is the theming is there, but I would not call it anything good and it does not make up for what the ride does.
The trains are a four across spinning wild mouse car with bulky harnesses for each seat. Instantly it became clear how this ride runs as there was padding on the restraint and the seat back. It was a decent amount as well and it was absolutely needed. Throughout each turn the forces create that typical wild mouse lateral slam that put riders heads up against the harness each time. I rode bracing for every turn and even that did not stop my head from hitting the padding, but I suppose it worked a bit as I didn’t get a headache. Even while spinning if a turn was taken at a bad angle it was met with slamming into the restraint.
This is a terrible coaster that I cannot quite understand why it is in operation still. Nothing about it is enjoyable and it is no secret the ride is rough if that much padding is on it. Would be best for the park if this ride was removed and replaced with anything else.
One of the better family boomerang layouts and a nice presentation to go along with it. The turn out of the station has a good moment of positive forc...
One of the better family boomerang layouts and a nice presentation to go along with it. The turn out of the station has a good moment of positive force and I enjoyed the spike going through a clock tower. Otherwise nothing too special about it.
Decent family coaster with an okay presentation. It is a standard layout and it is a solid family coaster layout. I will say Energylandia operations w...
Decent family coaster with an okay presentation. It is a standard layout and it is a solid family coaster layout. I will say Energylandia operations work well for this ride with quick cycle and dispatch times. Despite the one train the line still moves at a good pace.
A world-class coaster experience that provides a wonderful ride experience from start to finish. What Hyperion features is nothing short of impressive...
A world-class coaster experience that provides a wonderful ride experience from start to finish. What Hyperion features is nothing short of impressive, with some elements that I’d argue are the best of their class for a traditional hyper coaster. The first impression of this ride is strong from the sheer scale of the coaster. It is a Hyper, but by scale it looks like a Giga. It is an imposing structure that can be seen from miles away and anywhere in the park. The entrance portal for the ride is nicely done with the space theme being communicated clearly and I liked the addition of an observation deck alongside the brake run.
Entering the ride was a bit of a shock to see that this park has paid lockers and metal detectors located at the start of the queue. It was a very busy day for and everyone was having issues finding an available locker to use. It took walking to multiple locker redemption kiosks to find an available locker. They are at least a good size being able to easily fit a bag inside and the system is set up once you buy a locker wristband it is good for all ride lockers in the park. To the dismay of some, since metal detectors are located at the start nothing can be with you. In both rides I had it took one hour to board the ride each time and that one hour with not much to do can be annoying. I understand why it is the strictest policy due to the ride’s proximity to pathways, roads and the parking lot, but just wished there was a better way to implement the system. The one benefit of the system is the line moved at a steady rate as loading and unloading of the ride was straightforward. Of the rides in the park Hyperion had one of the faster moving queues and there was a train constantly cycling. Unfortunately the design of the queue is not great either. Hyperion’s station is on ground level but there is a roughly four story spiraling ramp that has to be climbed indoors that then leads to a four story stairwell down outside to get to the batching area. The indoor portion has a pre-show that is playing on loop, but aside from that it was a bland queue. The batching area is a unique system that I have not seen at another park. There are three lanes for front row, single riders and all other rows. Each are monitored by a turnstile that only lets in enough people to fill in the seats for a train. While this is a neat idea, it does make the station hectic. There are only three doors into the station and while front row gets their own door, the rest have to go through the doors and choose their row. This makes trying to get a specific row a bit difficult and there is a level of chaos going on every train.
The trains are quite nice, the lap bar is comfortable and the wide trains give a lot of freedom. I had heard that this ride was sometimes rough but on my rides I found it to be perfectly smooth regardless where I sat. The climb up the lift is quick and eerily silent, not a sound is made from the ride and it might be the quietest lift I have ever heard. The drop is really interesting, it gives strong airtime in what feels like three stages. It starts off as floater and then gradually gets stronger the steeper it gets. The shaping feels like the crest has two points where the angle changes more suddenly, but it is done in a controlled manner. The only way I can describe it is if Skyrush at Hersheypark’s drop was more refined. While that one suddenly gets powerful airtime Hyperion slowly grows in intensity. The hill that follows is possibly the best airtime hill on any hyper coaster. The train tears over the hill and the airtime it produces is amazing. It is sustained ejector airtime over the entire crest and similar to the drop it feels very controlled in how it strengthens and weakens. The dive loop that follows is excellent as it has a powerful lateral slam to the left as it twists into the dive. At the base the ride stays low with a high speed small Stengel Dive and speed hill creating a wonderful sensation of speed and a bit of whip in the overbank. The speed hill was weaker than I would have thought, but it didn’t detract the experience. The floater airtime hill is where the pacing of the ride slows down. The airtime is fun and the overbank that follows is great, but it is noticeable how much the intensity lets up. A second speed hill gives a good pop of airtime and the small Stengel Turn gives decent whip. The turn has decent positive force and then there is a s-hill that gives another pop of airtime. One more hill gives the final moment of airtime to conclude the ride.
The ride is a bit shorter than I would have thought, but with the intensity of the ride that is alright. There were moments where I was slightly underwhelmed, particularly the pacing shift that came with the floater airtime hill. However, the best elements of the ride truly standout. The sequence of the first drop, airtime hill and dive loop is fantastic and the rest that follows is at the very least good. It is not quite my favorite hyper coaster from Intamin, but it is a great experience that is worth visiting Energylandia for.
Easily the weakest link in Phantasialand line up and I would not be surprised to see this either get removed or drastically rethemed. It is a ride tha...
Easily the weakest link in Phantasialand line up and I would not be surprised to see this either get removed or drastically rethemed. It is a ride that utilizes VR and heavily relies on it to create an experience. Unfortunately for me I do not like the experience VR on roller coasters gives me. As I get more prone to motion sickness with it on no matter how well synced it is. I was able to opt out of using the VR, but the ride is really uninteresting. It feels like a coaster in a warehouse with a very long layout that does not do much. There are three lifts on this ride and each go into a course of helices. There are points where the ride gets decent speed making it a fine family coaster intensity wise, but every transition into or out of the helix is clunky. Maybe the ride is better with VR, but it is a shame that it is very bland for those that do not want to use it. That being said, the system they had for the VR headsets was efficient. At the end of the ride they are put on a belt that moves them into a back room where I can assume a team handles the sanitation process for them. These are then most likely brought out to the loading area as the process of handing out the headsets was very quick and the team always had a good amount ready.
The only way I can describe Winjas is that it is a weird ride. Its draw is being a ride that has unexpected elements hidden throughout the course. Whi...
The only way I can describe Winjas is that it is a weird ride. Its draw is being a ride that has unexpected elements hidden throughout the course. While at the same time having a large presence in Wuze Town with the signature helix wrapping around the center of the building.
The layout for Fear is by nature of the elements unique, starting with an elevator lift that also tilts the track downward into the drop. The drop is unexpectedly steep and there is good speed going through the first elements. It is odd for the first element of a ride like this to be a large hill, but I liked the change from the standard fast banked turns the model typically does. The segment that follows is nothing too exciting with hairpin turns and the large helix occurring while spinning. I did not get much spinning in these elements and more enjoyed just looking around at the scenery. There are two banked turns that have a good flow to them and are comfortable. The seesaw track was neat to watch and the drop off of it felt it had good speed. The ending was quite underwhelming being helices in a dark room that did not really spin. The final bounce track is silly fun, nothing too exciting but I can appreciate its existence.
It is by nature a good ride, but I generally don’t really enjoy Maurer spinning coasters. I am on the taller side and find the trains to be uncomfortable to sit in. It was rather smooth, but there were points where it did jolt. Definitely worth ride for the interesting elements, but just not the ride for me. I will say though that this is my preferred side of Winjas.
The only way I can describe Winjas is that it is a weird ride. Its draw is being a ride that has unexpected elements hidden throughout the course. Whi...
The only way I can describe Winjas is that it is a weird ride. Its draw is being a ride that has unexpected elements hidden throughout the course. While at the same time having a large presence in Wuze Town with the signature helix wrapping around the center of the building.
The layout for Force is by nature of the elements unique, starting with an elevator lift that also tilts the track downward into the drop. The drop is unexpectedly steep and there is good speed going through the first elements. The segment that follows is nothing too exciting with hairpin turns and the large helix occurring while spinning. I did not get much spinning in these elements and more enjoyed just looking around at the scenery. There are two small hills that follow which I found to be a little uncomfortable how they are profiled and tracked. The tilt track that goes on the side did not do much for me aside from being a cool feature. The ending was quite underwhelming being helices in a dark room that did not really spin. The final bounce track is silly fun, nothing too exciting but I can appreciate its existence.
It is by nature a good ride, but I generally don’t really enjoy Maurer spinning coasters. I am on the taller side and find the trains to be uncomfortable to sit in. It was rather smooth, but there were points where it did jolt. Definitely worth ride for the interesting elements, but just not the ride for me.
The manner Phantasialand built this coaster and everything around it is impressive. Black Mamba has a compact layout that is mostly against the ground...
The manner Phantasialand built this coaster and everything around it is impressive. Black Mamba has a compact layout that is mostly against the ground and that close proximity makes for an exciting ride. The ride is mostly tucked away in its own area with only the drop and loop being clearly visible. The rest of the course traverses trenches of foliage and theming and threads multiple tunnels. The ride I can most similarly compare it to is Nemesis at Alton Towers, however this ride is tamer in comparison. The queue for the ride is one of the most impressive queues for an inverted coaster with many points getting very close to the track, at one point there is a bridge over a small dip in the track that is seemingly only inches away. The queue then winds downwards to enter the station below ground. The thematics in the station are great with a fun light and audio sequence playing each time a train is dispatched.
The pre-lift is filled with mist and the lift emerges from underground to the top of a building. The drop is standard for an inverted coaster alongside the following loop. The rest of the layout hugs the ground with a very whippy zero-g roll low to the ground. This was the most intense element of the ride and it caught be by surprises just how snappy it was. While no other element gets to that level again, the visuals of being that close to the rides surroundings is great. In the front row it is highlighted how tight the elements are to fit within the tight clearances of the attraction.
The intensity of the ride is nothing to write home about. Aside from the zero-g roll it felt like a modern B&M invert with the helices and banked turns giving gentle positive forces throughout. It is a comfortable level of intensity that makes it great to re-ride while never getting to be too much. Especially with the ride tracking smoothly throughout the entire course, there are no moments where head-banging occurs.
While Black Mamba is far from being one of the stars, it is a great ride for the park. It could be argued that its near-miss heavy ride experience is redundant with F.L.Y. providing a similar experience. But the difference in the type of scenery makes the two different experiences. The lush greenery of Black Mamba makes the ride feel natural in the area. Especially with how some of the elements are seemingly built into the ground. Whereas F.L.Y. interacts with an urban environment that is perfectly designed around the ride. One captures the sensation of flying high above the city and the other encapsulates weaving through a dense landscape. A pleasant surprise and one of the more creative of B&Ms designs.
A beautiful ride that feels like a concept being directly translated into reality. It is an incredible idea for a ride and it uses one of the most imp...
A beautiful ride that feels like a concept being directly translated into reality. It is an incredible idea for a ride and it uses one of the most impressive coaster models to make it possible. The entire area of Rookburgh is beautifully crafted with details hidden everywhere and the soul of the area is F.L.Y. The layout is quite literally everywhere, above and below the pathways and soaring right against the theming elements of the area. It is quite literally a twisted mess of track that is essentially impossible to guess where the ride is going to go next for the average person.
To access the coaster the, queue for this ride goes throughout the area. While the theming is nice, the best parts of the queue are the various perspectives of the ride as the queue gets very close to the track. There are lockers right before the loading area and the system is different, but worked well with the wristband system. The loading area is very cool with the lighting sequence following the train as it moves through the station and provides the first interaction with the trains. The boarding system for this coaster is clever, especially for a flying coaster. It was efficient and simple that allowed the trains to get out quickly.
The trains themselves are a point of interest to me as it has always been described to me as the next generation of flying coaster for tech and comfort. The technology of the system is amazing and it is a brilliant idea to have the chassis rotate. It allows for the boarding system to be possible and the way it rotates is natural with the track profile. The restraints and position are interesting to me as I did not think the comfort level was any different from the B&M Flying Coasters. The restraint system is familiar with the lap bar and vest fitting the same way, although considerably less bulky. The restraints for the legs are a different set up, but in terms of comfort they feel the same. The flying position itself also feels the same despite the different in seat angle. What I did not realize is how long these trains are. They are very long for a layout this dense, but it assists in creating a wide range of forces during the ride.
The ride itself starts with the lights changing and a wonderful musical score through a small dark ride section. While neat, it is the first instance of the trains rotating and it is truly flawless. There is an incline in the track and the train rotates just enough to keep riders seated up right as the track raises. It is an unnoticeable motion that demonstrates how smooth the rotation is for the seats. The transition from seated to flying has the same flawless rotation and it is done so quickly. The moment the track levels out the train is in the flying position and enters launch one. The launch takes a moment to get to speed but it has a nice push going into the first element. The first half begins with an overbank turn that sets the precedent for how close this layout gets to the scenery. It is a visual joy soaring what feels to be within inches of the scenery and it sells a unique sensation of flight that no other flying coaster can provide. With how the ride is integrated in the land it sells that you are flying through a densely built city, weaving through buildings and looking down on the pathways. It even has a moment of creating a sense of scale with the first inversion being one of the taller elements of the ride. It is positioned over one of the bigger structures in Rookburgh and it does feel the ride is much taller than it really is. In addition to the visual thrill is a very intense ride as well. Throughout every turn there is good positive force pushing you into the best restraint. Of the flying coasters I have done, this is the most intense I have experienced in the flying position. While I really enjoyed how intense the ride was in every turn, I can see how it can be a source of discomfort for some. It does put a lot of pressure on the shoulders and it could be slightly uncomfortable to experience consistently. There are also a few cases of hills that do provide a pop of floater airtime we, a rarity for flying coasters. Since it is the flying position, the airtime causes riders to be pushed up from the best and against the seat back. Which does create a great flow between the positive forces turns and makes the experience more unique. Launch two is a nice boost into a banked drop that produces a strong moment of airtime at the top, especially in the front of the train. The second half is very similar to the first with more intense turns and small airtime pops on each hill. The last inversion is neat I how it has a slight delay in the rotation of the roll. Once it begins to roll, the track is angled downward creating a unique sensation and then the ride concludes.
F.L.Y. is a leap in innovation of what a roller coaster can do. It is one of the most technologically advanced coasters that fits the vision of the theme perfectly. It is a lovely experience that no other ride or park is able to provide at this time. I can only hope F.L.Y. can serve as an inspiration to other parks and creatives to create a themed land that has a ride that is tailored to it. Whether that is with Vekoma’s Flying Coaster or with any other model, the concepts that can come from the proven success of F.L.Y. are limitless.
What would be a very simple ride is elevated into one of the best looking family coasters at a regional park. Being situated in Klugheim it takes full...
What would be a very simple ride is elevated into one of the best looking family coasters at a regional park. Being situated in Klugheim it takes full advantage of the buildings and landscape. The layout is very simple with the only notable moment being the first banked turn going forwards has a good amount of force. Yet the ability to integrate it seamlessly into the land makes this one of the better family boomerangs I have done as an overall package. That is not mentioning how close it gets to Taron at points which I can only imagine creates a more exciting ride if the timing is just right. The only weird thing is the restraints having shin guards. It was nothing uncomfortable, but it was odd to see as other versions of this ride do not have those restraints. A perfect coaster for this area and extremely impressive that it exists in the area it is in!
Probably the most intense mine train I have done? Colorado Adventure is a ride that is designed for everyone to enjoy, but the forces that it pulls ar...
Probably the most intense mine train I have done? Colorado Adventure is a ride that is designed for everyone to enjoy, but the forces that it pulls are no joke. The trains on this ride were far longer than I had thought and it is wild to me that a three bench car is able to navigate the tight helices on the ride. Every ride I had was in the back row and it would not surprise me if that was the most intense row of the ride. The seats are just a bench with a shared lap bar which allows for some wild seat sliding during the helices.
The layout mostly consists of banked turns and helices that all provide good lateral force and the ride was pulling decent positives as well. The best helix of the ride though was the final one wrapping around a small drop tower and gets close to the scenery. Perhaps more surprisingly there were two pops of floater airtime on the ride. One in the first third of the ride in between the helices and the other in the final drop into the last helix. The last one was particularly good with it being a S-Hill that gives some lateral motion during the airtime.
For appearances, Colorado Adventure looks mostly good. The area that contains the layout looks great from off ride as the track closely follows the ground and theming. It is especially nice how lifts two and three are parallel to each other with a lift for Chiapas running between them. However, the segments indoors look like it is inside a warehouse and the queue was the worst queue in the park. A majority of it is in a midway indicated by ropes in an area that does not match the theme of the coaster. It felt like an area of the park guests a were not expected to be in and was opened up for the sake of having the queue be used there. It would be great to see this ride get more attention to bring the queue and some areas on ride to the same level as the best parts of the coaster. Nevertheless, as a pure layout this is one of my favorite mine train coasters. Mostly due to the intense nature and good integration of the attraction making the experience stand out from the rest.
There have been many things said about Taron, ranging from it being amazing to an underwhelming experience. I went into it with an open mind and left ...
There have been many things said about Taron, ranging from it being amazing to an underwhelming experience. I went into it with an open mind and left the park with one of the best coasters I have ever experienced. I do not like throwing around the word masterpiece when it comes to talking about coasters as that creates a sense that nothing could be done better. However, I cannot think of anything I would change about Taron and the more I rode it the more I grew to love the experience from every aspect. I will say I that it is one of those coasters that benefits from riding multiple times. Each ride I noticed more aspects and details about the experience. Everything including theming, forces and element flow have small details sprinkled throughout that when combined together create an unmatched coaster experience.
First and foremost is presentation and this ride is a marvel to look at. With the benefit of being built with Klugheim the ride is a natural fit into the area and looks amazing. Wherever you go in the area Taron is a constant presence and the energy it provides to the land is vital for its quality. It is always known when another train is being sent to soar around the area with the launches roaring throughout the area, especially the second one. Accompanied with each launch is a sound effect that can be heard clearly and are timed with the ride. The first launch has the intro to the theme for the ride play every time a train is dispatched into it that builds up until the launch begins, cutting off perfectly into the roar of the launch. The second launch only has the sound effect at the end with a small clip playing as soon as a the roar of that launch concludes to sell how much power the ride has off ride. As a bonus with how the ride is set up, it is frequent that two trains are cycling the course at a given time.
The queue and station maintain the same level of quality with the rest of the area and the ride uses the comfortable and open Intamin lap bar design. These trains track extremely well with very little shakiness throughout the entire experience. The only moment where the train gets to that point is the turn right before the final airtime hills.
The layout for Taron is where it is a make or break for many and this is a very interesting layout. In paper it looks like a bunch of banked turns and some hills which is not the most exciting concept. However, this layout has the most nuances of any coaster I have done. Some elements were very clear from the first ride I had and some did not begin to click until many rides later. If I had to wager a guess why the ride in the way it is it would be due to how compact it is. Photos do not provide enough context to how dense Taron is and the small size of the footprint. The first launch has a good kick to it and the entry to the first overbank has a good lateral kick to the left. The airtime hill following provides the best airtime on the ride, which to me was a good pop of ejector airtime at the apex. A drop down into a banked turn underground gives good positives and leads to the most intense element of the ride. This left banked turn over the brake run is absurd in how strong the lateral force is. On the left side it feels like the ride is trying to eject riders laterally with how sudden the transition is. At this point the first part of the layout takes a small step down in intensity with a series of banked turns weaving through buildings and around pathways. I particularly liked the flow of these turns especially the one that dives under the bridge. The last leg is a low to the ground s-bend that then dives into launch two. Launch two is amazing, the audio and visuals are enhanced with it being down in the trench with the roar of the stators amplified. It is easily the most intense LSM launch I have experienced on a ride of this style. The forces are great and the way the launch causes the train to vibrate slightly enhances the intensity. The steep banked turn left has good positives and the following downward s-bends provide fun laterals and flows perfectly into a tight overbank turn that drop even further down. The S-Hill after is an intense airtime moment that has a good snap to the left and the valley following provides a fun sensation. Instead of following the banking throughout the entire turn, the track briefly straightens and then quickly banks to the right creating a fun whip into the turn. The s-turn following is another moment of whip and the banked turn provides a slight breather. The two hills give decent floater airtime despite the trims and the final turn into the brakes has a good amount of force.
As an overall ride experience, it is one of the most engaging experiences a ride can offer. The stand out elements are complimented with the small moments that come together into a ride that has an insane range of forces. There is strong airtime, lateral spikes, and good positives throughout the entire course that never gets to be too much. Even in the moments that are tamer, it gives some time to take in the scenery as the ride weaves through a beautifully detailed land. All of it comes to become an unbelievable ride experience that not many rides can even come close to matching.
While the ride looks great and the theming in the queue and station is good, this ride was a disappointment. In terms of presentation is looks wonderf...
While the ride looks great and the theming in the queue and station is good, this ride was a disappointment. In terms of presentation is looks wonderful on the lake with a ton of boats constantly in motion. The segments on water are alright, with the first bit starting with a themed sprinkler spraying the train and each splash getting the boat wet (especially the second splash). However, the coaster segments were dreadfully rough which was a shame as it is a dynamic layout. The entire time it was free rolling on track it felt as if it was running on square wheels. It was not comfortable and at point of high intensity it was a clobberfest. It would be great to see it get a full retracking to make it smoother and until then I will not be inclined to experience it again.
A nice looking wild mouse with a really good queue that is better than the ride. The queue is a nice walk through a cottage with various set pieces an...
A nice looking wild mouse with a really good queue that is better than the ride. The queue is a nice walk through a cottage with various set pieces and animatronics throughout. The start of the ride is probably the jankiest elevator lift I have experienced. Due to how short the lift the banking going up is exaggerated and I can only describe it as funny. The layout is a pretty standard wild mouse with consistent braking in the second half. It is a very smooth ride, possibly one of the smoothest wild mouse coasters I have done!
A fun family coaster that has nice theming and good interaction with Poseidon. The queue and ride have light theming throughout but it is supplemented...
A fun family coaster that has nice theming and good interaction with Poseidon. The queue and ride have light theming throughout but it is supplemented with a ton of greenery throughout the area. Layout wise it is not too interesting, but it is a good coaster that anyone can ride comfortably!
Wodan is a great time from start to finish. It looks wonderful against the skyline of the park and I liked how much the layout interacted with the pat...
Wodan is a great time from start to finish. It looks wonderful against the skyline of the park and I liked how much the layout interacted with the pathways and other rides in the area. I was a little disappointed to see there was not as much theming in the queue I had initially thought, as aside from the nice entrance arch there were a few elements scattered throughout. The station building looks quite nice and the detail of having the statues heads follow the train leaving/arriving in the station is a neat touch. Comfort wise, these are standard Millennium Flyers and they track just like other GCI coasters. A not perfectly smooth but still comfortable tracking that is to be expected for a wooden coaster. The pre-lift does have Titan track that is smooth, but not anything of note. It was a fun little surprise seeing there is a slight outward bank in the turn going into the lift. The drop is solid and goes into a large hill that has a slight bank to the right that gives mild floater airtime. The turnaround is a bit of a dead spot with not much happening, but the drop off of it gives a good pop of airtime and dives under the entrance to the ride. The station-fly through was better than other GCIs as instead of being straight track it has a trick track element in it to keep it exciting. The hill after is another moment of mild floater airtime and enters the better half of the ride. Wodan stays low after this hill with a series of banked turns and airtime pops. I really liked the sequence of the airtime pop into the left turn leading the an airtime hill over Atlantic’s SuperSplash (which gives a slight misting for the train). The s-hill after is my favorite elements of Wodan. The entry gives a good pop of floater airtime in the entry and then a sudden lateral force spike to the right. The ending has one more banked airtime pop into a turn with another short airtime moment before climbing into the final brakes. The ride is short, but it has a good pace with the best moments being at the end. My rides were throughout the train, but I found that the provided the front better experience.
Fun little powered coaster that looks quite nice! It is nothing too special, but I really liked how what would be exposed track was hidden by themed e...
Fun little powered coaster that looks quite nice! It is nothing too special, but I really liked how what would be exposed track was hidden by themed elements. The most exciting bit about the ride is the double helix near the log flume which creates a fly-by effect between the two rides. The speed throughout is decent with the second lap being a bit better due to the quicker first turn.
The most interesting aspect about Arthur is the ride system and the theming. The ride is tucked into its own area in the park and it was neat to see h...
The most interesting aspect about Arthur is the ride system and the theming. The ride is tucked into its own area in the park and it was neat to see how well integrated it was in that land. Walking through the queue, the coaster is positioned directly above the paths allowing for fun interactions. The theme of this ride is based upon an IP of the same name, which I do not have any experience with. Nevertheless, it is well done throughout the queue and ride and I can imagine those who know the IP would greatly enjoy it. The ride itself is more of a dark ride than a coaster with nothing crazy happening force or layout wise. The most engaging aspect are the rotating cars to direct riders in any direction to see themed set pieces or to provide a gentle spin. The system worked great and the rotations were smooth jumping between each scene. My favorite part of the layout is when the track wraps around the inside plaza for the attraction, creating the sensation of being much higher up than the ride actually is. All in all a fun ride.
For being a ride that is contained in a sphere, it was a surprisingly great coaster! I went into this ride blind and I got a fun little coaster with s...
For being a ride that is contained in a sphere, it was a surprisingly great coaster! I went into this ride blind and I got a fun little coaster with some good theming. The queue was near as along with the theming you can constantly feel and hear the rumble of the trains cycling as it feels like the ride is built all around the queue. The trains are quite comfortable and have onboard audio. On my first rides I had no audio and I did not notice the ride even had that until my second ride. The audio improves the ride experience a lot being somewhat timed to hit certain notes in certain elements. I recall noticing during an airtime hill the music hit a high note. But to my dismay the audio got out of sync with the layout due to a brief stop on a block brake, putting the end of the ride in silence. Said layout consists primarily of banked turns and drops, all of which are smooth and comfortable, but nothing ever crazy. I was also surprised with the amount of theming during the ride. The lift structure is designed to look like a building for the majority of it and the Eiffel Tower at the top. Then during the course various images and signs illuminated to create fun interactions. My favorite of which is a dive into a red tunnel under a windmill. It very much is Europa Park’s take on a Space Mountain style roller coaster, but the theme is unique and makes it stand on its own. Plus it was a glossy smooth ride with not a moment of roughness.
Usually I am pretty okay with these rides, but this one was unfortunately not great. I went into the ride blind and I will say I had a good first impr...
Usually I am pretty okay with these rides, but this one was unfortunately not great. I went into the ride blind and I will say I had a good first impression. The ride looks great and I love the detail they went with theming the tough to hide the structure that goes over the pathways. I also enjoy how it waves around the area feeling well integrated in the land. That being said, the ride experience was not that interesting. It was a shorter layout that did not have any stand out moments. Unfortunately aside from the theme, the most memorable part was how rough it was. The entire ride the train felt as if it was rolling over gravel and it was more annoying than uncomfortable. If the turns were better, I would like this ride more. I cannot say I have an interest in riding this coaster again.
A great roller coaster that has a few surprises sprinkled into it. Being one of the older B&M Hypers, it has the original train design and layout prof...
A great roller coaster that has a few surprises sprinkled into it. Being one of the older B&M Hypers, it has the original train design and layout profiling with stellar capacity. Unfortunately the experience does start with a pretty lackluster entrance, especially for the standard of Europa Park. It is mainly contained in a room that played three commercials on a large screen that does not look great. Even the station is simple in appearance, which while fine at a regional park is underwhelming at this one. I hope at some point the theme and queue of this ride gets an overhaul to bring it up the the standard. Despite this, the ride itself is very good. All of my rides on Silver Star were in the back of the train, so I am unsure how the front compares. The main drop is just like any other B&M hyper drop, very floaty with good positives at the bottom of the drop. The entry to hill one is a heavily banked turn towards the right maintaining the strong positives, however the hill itself is not too impressive. It is at best mild floater airtime and it is the weakest hill on the ride. The next hill gives a decent pop of floater airtime up and over and the hammerhead turn is another moment of good moment of positive force. The third hill is the strongest moment of floater airtime on the ride and the train quickly enters the block brake. At this point, the airtime each hill has provided has gotten progressively stronger and that pattern holds true for the post-block segment. This stretch of elements from the block brake to the final brakes is unusual for a B&M as it is rather extreme for the model. The drop off the block brake is an intense pop of airtime that I would consider to be ejector airtime. There is an upward ~270° helix upwards into the final and most powerful drop on the ride. It is shocking to see each row in front suddenly drop off the helix and the airtime on the back is an ejector airtime moment. Of all the B&M Hypers and Gigas I have done, this may be the strongest moment of airtime I have felt on the model. I do not know if it was intentionally designed to do that or not, but it is the highlight of the ride. The final element is a high speed S-Bend that surprisingly provides decent lateral forces and the train soars into the brakes. In terms of smoothness it was mostly smooth, however the base of the first drop and turn into the first hill has a strong rattle to it but it is only present there. Silver Star has a different take on the B&M Hyper layout as unlike others where the best elements are at the front of the ride, this one gets better with each one with the best being towards the end. An overall lovely experience and I cannot recommend riding in the back row if you want an intense ride.
I would not necessarily call Euro Mir a good ride, but it is certainly an unforgettable experience. Being the first spinning coaster from Mack, it has...
I would not necessarily call Euro Mir a good ride, but it is certainly an unforgettable experience. Being the first spinning coaster from Mack, it has a very different system compared to the modern versions of the ride. Instead of a free spinning car, the rotation is controlled with not much spinning during the bulk of the ride. While it would have been cool to go through the course free spinning, I appreciate that it does not. The layout for this ride is jerky with tight twists and turns comprising the second half of the ride. Additionally, the ride is not the smoothest either with the only way I can describe it is it rides the exact same way as Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Studios Orlando rode, with a strong shuffle throughout the entire ride”high speed” area of the ride. However, this ride is incredibly fun to me despite those concerns. From entering the plaza, the theme song of the ride is on full blast for the entire indoor experience. It may not be the best song ever, but the atmosphere it creates is almost ridiculous while making complete sense at the same time. The trains and restraints are comfortable and that is great as you sit in them for a while. After a little pre-lift with a surprising section of tilted track, there is a long spiral lift hill. If it is not the most, it is up there for the longest lift hill I experienced. But I was okay with it because the same music that plays in the station plays in the lift with flashing lights. It was a rave in a cylinder that only gets more silly with the back three cars of each train spinning about 3/4 of the way up the lift. Off the lift is the only gravity segment of the ride that has the entire train spinning. There are some fun visuals as it winds around large mirror towers, but it was not very interesting. The bulk of the layout for this ride has the train locked in place and that is a good thing. At the bottom of the first drop the train shakes violently and it is an intense valley into a hill that rotates each car 180° to face the other way. Everything after the hill is either a tightly banked turn or helix with no pause between them. With the fast speed and sudden transitions between each turn, it is an unhinged experience. It is even more ridiculous going backwards through it with everyone being ragdolled through the course. The final brakes were much better facing backwards as it is a sudden stop that facing forward slammed my knees into the fiberglass. While it is not comfortable at all, I did find some ironic enjoyment with how absurd the ride experience is.
On paper, Voltron is a masterpiece of roller coaster design and operation. There are so many unique aspects about this ride that elevate it from a gre...
On paper, Voltron is a masterpiece of roller coaster design and operation. There are so many unique aspects about this ride that elevate it from a great thrill coaster to an unforgettable experience. This write up will discuss elements that may be considered spoilers, if that is a concern. To start this ride is mesmerizing to watch, it is a twisted layout of track that always has multiple trains cycling through it at a given time. With multiple points of two trains passing each other going in opposing directions creating a dueling coaster effect. The strong impression of the ride itself is supplemented by the well themed queue highlighted by the final room. The room is located in the infield of the brakes, station and first launch. While mostly hidden, the first launch was made visible throughout an opening in the wall lined with rotating blinds, which plays into a small show each time a train is launched. The operation of this ride is optimized and is one of the most efficient roller coasters in the world. The use of pre-boarding lockers and a continuous loading station creates an constant flow of guests getting on and off the train and a well designed single rider line ensures all seats are filled. This works wonderfully with the number of trains the ride is able to operate as there is always a row loading and unloading at any given time. The result is in a continuously moving queue that ensures the ride is accommodating as many riders as possible. The trains have a seat design similar to other Mack launch coasters, but the main difference are the two wing seats. These ride starts with a pre-launch show consisting of screens surrounding the train and a bounce track. The train raises slightly and a strong vibration is sent into every seat to create the feeling of the train being energized. Two quick bounces follow and the first launch begins. Of the four launches on Voltron, this was the weakest in terms of force, but the sensation of launching towards the sky is unique. Going up the launch creates a little bit of hangtime that amplifies as the train slowly navigates the loop. The downward roll after has good whip and a small hill gives a pop of ejector airtime. Both immelmann loops have a decent whip in their rotation and the boost into the stall has a good kick to it. The stall is quick, but floaty and a powerful ejector airtime pop is on the hill that follows. The S-Hill and dive loop marking the end of the first segment were two of the weaker elements one the ride. Both are much tamer compared to the onslaught of fast paced elements prior. While far from bad, both elements felt more as a means of getting the train to the turntable. There is a brake run that brakes hard and if not prepared will be a bit of a gut punch. I found it helped to brace at the dive loop for the harsh braking, but no matter how you ride it will slam to a crawl. The turntable does serve as a theming element, but I can see where it is a concern for pacing. For me I enjoyed watching the technical aspect of the table, especially with how trains interact in the area. As the train enters the brakes, typically the other one was being launched forward out of the table, flying right by. The table moves quickly once parked a sudden backwards launch pushes the train up a beyond vertical spike. This spike is not anything of note, but it builds into the most intense launch of the ride into the top hat. There is a pop of airtime at the top and the ride enters the most intense segment of track elements. An airtime hill provides a powerful dose of ejector airtime and then stages the train into the outer banked hill. This is easily the most intense element of the ride as it is a quick rotation to the left that feels like it rotates slightly beyond 90°. Every seat gets a powerful pop of ejector airtime, but it is the most extreme in the front left wing seat. It feels like the forces are trying to rip you out of the train in that seat, it is amazing. Finally, a small double up into the block brake provides another sudden ejector airtime pop. The drop off the block is disorienting in how it feels like I should drop further than it does and it rapidly turns into a downwards roll into a strong overbank, a corkscrew and a final airtime pop into the brakes. Similar to the brakes before the turntable, this is another hard brake that could be another gut punch if not prepared. As an overall layout, it is one of the most dynamic coaster experiences out there. It is a long ride with not a single bad element and is a well paced two phase experience separated by the turntable. It is also impressive how natural the blocks are integrated into the course. With only the turntable being a the point where the ride needs to slow down and even then that only aids in allowing a higher capacity. While it is on paper a perfect coaster, it does not ride the best. Each ride was not the same, but there was always a level of roughness to it. The roughness is a vertical bounce that persists throughout most of the ride. For the most part, it did not bother me after my rides and I was able to ride Voltron with little issue. However, I did have the opportunity to ride twice without leaving my seat due to an operational delay during the previous ride and that is where it bothered me. The lack of a break between rides was enough to give me a low level headache for a few minutes. To those who are sensitive to that roughness, sit in the inner seats. But even though those seats are smoother, there is still a noticeable roughness. One possible saving grace is the turntable as I don’t know if I could ride this coaster as much as I did without the pause. While it is a bit cumbersome for pacing, it is a break from the roughness. If Europa Park could figure out a way to smooth Voltron, it would drastically improve the ride experience for everyone. Roughness aside, the ride is exactly what Europa Park needed to elevate their thrill ride collection. Truly a world-class coaster to match a high quality theme park.
Blue Fire is a solid roller coaster through and through. Despite being the original launch coaster from Mack, it still provides a good experience from...
Blue Fire is a solid roller coaster through and through. Despite being the original launch coaster from Mack, it still provides a good experience from first impressions to ride experience. Like many rides at Europa Park, the presentation of Blue Fire is great with the path and a viewing area alongside the launch. The queue line, while loosely themed with some rock work and laboratory equipment in the station building, continues this by threading right between the launch and brake run. A great kinetic energy is given to the area as there is a train launching every minute or so as a result of the amazing operations at the ride. Furthermore, the elements all being large and defined make them visible to everyone, amplified with there being a train always cycling the course. The trains are the standard Mack launch coaster trains with a comfortable lap bar, but I did notice one of the three trains in operation had on-board audio capabilities. The pre-launch theming while neat, is static and I would love to see it get a revamp to be animated. The launch was slightly stronger than I had anticipated for a Mack launch of that era. With a decent sense of acceleration into the first element. The layout is mostly very graceful due to a good amount of elements being drawn out. The first overbank and loop are not intense, but floaty. The overbank after the loop is one of the snappier transitions, creating a fun moment of whip before entering the block brake. The sequence of the corkscrews and the hill through the loop are the weaker moments of the ride, with the train taking them at a fine speed, but not to the point where they are impactful. Was a bit disappointed to find that the hill did not create any noticeable airtime and wish it had a bit more speed in that element. That being said, the barrel roll is great! It has a sudden increase in rotation rate that does provide strong whip making for a great conclusion. I suppose the main concern with the ride is that it is much tamer than I had anticipated. It was fun for sure, but of the thrill coasters at Europa Park it is the weakest. I do think Blue Fire is a great ride and a wonderful time for the average guest, but if it had a slightly more intense experience with a little bit more speed through the course.
This coaster is absurd in all aspects. The idea of building a prototype wing coaster with a hydraulic launch that claims the title for fastest roller ...
This coaster is absurd in all aspects. The idea of building a prototype wing coaster with a hydraulic launch that claims the title for fastest roller coaster in Europe is such an unreasonable idea, but here it is. Positioned by the main entrance of the park, this is the first coaster everyone sees and its statement piece is a banked turn over the lake. This is the first view of the trains and they are huge and tear through the turn and slam into the brakes above the path with a loud rattle as the structure handles the force. The ride begins with a small show prior to launch, which only had the main screens working, but in queue the train is launched. Power wise, it felt like one of the weaker hydraulic launches with not as much kick in the initial pull. However, it does go on for a bit longer than expected and the nature of it being a wing coaster creates an incredible sensation of speed and freedom. The layout that follows in on paper uninteresting, but it is taken at such a high speed it becomes disorienting. The concept alone of putting a drop after an 83 mph launch is insane and there is a good pop of airtime getting off of the launch. What follows is a series of high speed twists and turns that keep the coaster low to the ground, emphasizing how fast the ride is. The inline twist at the end keeps the same level if intensity up as the train rips through it so quickly that it is barely able to be registered. The final turn over the lake is a point where the layout lessens in intensity a bit, but the entrance to the brake run is an aggressive snap and hard braking. It is a lot in just a matter of a few dozen seconds. Now, under no circumstances is this a smooth roller coaster, it is a rough ride no matter where you sit. With the nature of the wing trains, high intensity and rapid rotations, Furius Baco is rough from the moment the train hits the first turn until the brakes. It is not as bad on the inside seats, but even those can easily prove to be too much for riders. However, the rush the ride provides pushes it to another level for me. The best way I can describe it is a combination of Volcano at Kings Dominion and Skyrush at Hersheypark. It has the launch and roll that are reminiscent of Volcano’s layout while maintaining the speed, wing seating and intensity of Skyrush. It is not a ride for everyone and it is reasonable for someone to get off of this ride unsatisfied with the experience. As for me, the roughness did not bother me too much and I walked away as a fan of the coaster. If you are someone who is sensitive to rough rides, I’d encourage to try an inside seat and avoid the outside ones. For thrill seekers who love an aggressive roller coaster, this has a solid chance to be the best ride in the park. Just as long as it doesn’t leave you with a headache.
The signature looping coaster for PortAventura Park and the original headlining coaster. Even though its presence is dwarfed by Shambhala, Dragon Khan...
The signature looping coaster for PortAventura Park and the original headlining coaster. Even though its presence is dwarfed by Shambhala, Dragon Khan is still a great ride with amazing presentation and a strong layout. Although the presentation is more focused on the density of the layout rather than the scale. Despite following a similar sequence of elements to other B&M looping coasters, the elements of this ride were designed to weave amongst itself. Elements such as the Zero-G Roll threading the second loop and the Cobra Roll being directly over the brakes of the ride create a layout that is rather compact compared to coasters of similar scale. This along with the beautiful setting on the hill with the coastline as the backdrop serves as a great visual introduction to the coaster. The initial start of the ride is a lift facing out towards the sea leading into a straight drop. In the back row there is a little bit of airtime, but otherwise it is standard. Every inversion on the ride is great with strong positive force in the Loops and Cobra Roll with good whip in the Zero-G Roll and Corkscrews. What I really enjoyed about the layout is there are no elements that serve as just a means to get from one point to another or to extend ride time. After each element it goes directly into the next with no break aside from the block brake. Even at the end of the ride, the final Corkscrew leads directly into the brakes. Most other B&M looping coasters tend to have a helix or banked turns tucked into the last portion of the layout and these tend to be one of the weaker moments on those rides. The absence of such elements makes for a more intense and faster paced ride. While I still enjoy the ride, it is far from smooth. I did not have an issue with it necessarily, but the entire time the train had a clunky shake to it. On one ride there was a bad jolt at the bottom of the drop that did cause my head to hit the harness harder than I would have anticipated. At the time of writing this, the coaster is 30 years old and if I had to guess that factors into how it currently rides. I would love to see a full re-track of the coaster similar to what Hulk and Nemesis had received. As if it was smoother it would be a much better experience.
