• MapleFlakes

    Situation Inversions Inconfort Layout

    It wasn't as utterly awful as I was expecting it to be, but Anaconda is certainly a bad ride. While there wasn't a ton of actual headbanging, it was still very uncomfortable to ride whilst constantly bracing myself. I am generally not a fan of any Arrow inversions other than their vertical loops, so this one was not particularly fun. I was actually laughing during the ride because of how pointless that section after the midcourse is. I genuinely have no clue what it was trying to do. 3/10 - "What if instead of tearing down the crap Arrow over the beautiful lake we just demolished Volcano?" -Someone out there

  • MapleFlakes

    First Drop Inversions Fun Trop court Débit

    This is a very unique little ride. It was my first Euro-Fighter, and while I know it's very different from most of them, it still left a pretty good first impression. The first drop is very fun and I actually didn't mind the vertical lift hill, which is something I usually quite dislike. The ride has a good sense of speed in the beginning, but even when the midcourse barely hits the ending is a little slow. Granted, that is why the heartline roll delivers such good hangtime, so it's a give and take. It goes without saying that this has awful capacity. We rode Twisted Cyclone 5 times back-to-back with no wait on the same day we waited 40 minutes for this coaster once. 7.5/10 - I don't know why but all the operators started singing happy birthday to a rider when we were sitting on the brake run

  • MapleFlakes

    Fun Déception ! Intensité

    It's trying to be a next-gen Big Thunder but it simply isn't. The swinging cars and drop out of the station are cool, but the other elements all feel stale. Even the dark ride section is mediocre at best. 4/10 - I will never get the two and a half hours I waited for this back

  • MapleFlakes

    Situation Inversions Inconfort Intensité

    If I hadn't ridden I305 before this I might never ride an intense coaster again. The sustained Gs on a ride like that are thrilling, but here it's just discombobulating, uncomfortable, and annoying. I do not enjoy back-to-back inversions taken at a rapid pace for seemingly no reason other than "inversions are cool". The transitions are bad and the lift hill is incredibly annoying. On a more positive note I guess the location is good - I like rides over bodies of water. At the very least the vest restraints make this ride not complete torture. I have a lot of sympathy for those who rode Ninja. Also the head choppers are insane. If this thing had less restrictive restraints I genuinely believe you could smack most of the support beams. 2/10 - not a con for the coaster itself but the way it gets stuck in the butterfly in the film Vacation is very annoying from a gravity standpoint

  • MapleFlakes

    Bonne suprise ! Fun Trop court

    This is definitely the best kiddie I've ridden. It actually has some really cool transitions and some surprisingly forceful elements for a ride of this type. It can build up a bit of a line with its single train ops, but if it's not too bad I recommend giving it a ride, it's a fun time! 5/10 - that janky drive tire trim brake is the one of the funniest things on a coaster

  • MapleFlakes

    Inversions Situation Fun Harnais Layout

    The only flying coaster I'd ridden before this was Nighthawk at Carowinds, and I'd say this is very slightly better. I quite like the experience of flying coasters, so I went into this with high expectations, mostly for the pretzel loop. That inversion definitely delivered and was everything I expected it to be, but the rest of the ride is just good, not much more. I do like the terrain-hugging it does, which makes the rather boring layout much more interesting. The restraints are pretty uncomfortable, however, and I much prefer being held on my back on the brake run than stomach down. I'm hesitant to blame the ride, as I hadn't eaten much of anything that day, but after sitting on the brakes with my head hanging down for a few minutes I felt very bad. 7.5/10 - after eating some Wendy's chicken nuggets I felt a lot better

  • MapleFlakes

    Airtimes Intensité Layout

    Going into this ride I knew many called it their favorite B&M Hyper, so my expectations were high. Though I enjoy the model, I tend to find them a little bit boring with the repetitive floater hills and out-and-back L or I shaped layouts. Goliath is nothing like those. It has fantastic floater hills, of course, but also packs in a very interesting layout. The way it winds over the entrance to the park and past the highway is very unique, and leads to a much more engaging ride in my opinion. The positive Gs on this one also shocked me. I knew the double helix was going to be forceful, but I didn't anticipate greying out for that long on a B&M Hyper. The returning bunny hills also slam you back into your seat at the end of each of them, which was one of the coolest moments of the ride. Goliath is an incredible hyper and leagues better than the rest I've ridden; I wish there were more like this out there. 9/10 - everyone is so concerned with whether Orion is a giga they never stopped to ask whether Goliath is a hyper

  • MapleFlakes

    Harnais Intensité Débit Temps mort

    I'm not a big fan of boomerangs, but I heard that the vest restraints made this one an actually solid ride. I have to agree. Though it's hardly worth the wait it gets, the loop packs surprising intensity when taken backwards, and the cobra roll is actually pretty fun. I'd still like to see them squeeze a Raptor into this footprint, but given the very low chance of that happening this isn't a bad ride to have. 5.5/10 - the kid sitting next to me seemed very friendly but the only two things he could say in English were "Hi" and "I don't speak English."

  • MapleFlakes

    Inversions Situation Intensité Temps mort

    A phenomenal invert. It may have less inversions than most others but it makes them count. The way it weaves through The Hollow is beautiful and the helix before the drop is great. I do wish there was one more element before the brake run as the near straight track is a bit of a bummer. 8.5/10 - why didn't they just call it Ursa Major that's a much better name

  • MapleFlakes

    First Drop Inversions Intensité Vibrations Débit

    A very unique and forceful little ride. The inversions are whippy and surprisingly intense and the first drop is obviously great. This thing does have a rather nasty rattle in the back row that made it a bit uncomfortable, though. Oh, and the 12 person trains are obviously a capacity nightmare. 7/10 - I saw a poster on the station and I think this ride is an advertisement for natural gas? What?

  • MapleFlakes

    Inversions Situation Temps mort

    A solid loop and then not much else. However, since it's located in Hersheypark's Hollow, it gives great views of a bunch of different rides. You spend the whole time running under Great Bear and over Coal Cracker with a finish next to Comet and Skyrush. If you only like riding coasters this isn't a very good ride, but if you like looking at them this is one of the best in the park. 5/10 - this thing feels like it's going to break at the top of the lift hill

  • MapleFlakes

    Airtimes Lap Bar Launch

    Given that the Intamin Blitz is maybe my favorite model, Pantheon inherently had an advantage in my mind before even going on it. It still managed to blow me away. The standout moment is obviously the backwards launch over the ejector hill, but the outerbanks are all incredible too. Despite the ride being weaker than VelociCoaster overall, the stall is leagues better, and the roll at the start is incredibly unique. It would also be a mistake not to mention the best restraints currently on the market, which provide both great comfort and room for airtime; more rides should get these lap bars. 9.5/10 - "IS IT BROKE? IS IT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT?" -The guy next to me who I lied to about the swing launch

  • MapleFlakes

    First Drop Fun Fluidité

    Griffon might be the most fun I've ever had on a coaster. Maybe it's because I haven't done many other dives, but I do truly love being held over the vertical drop, and though the following layout isn't the most unique it is still loads of fun and buttery smooth. It may not have insane airtime or high intensity but it's just an incredibly enjoyable experience. 9/10 - it's my parents' favorite coaster by far so that might bias my rating a bit

  • MapleFlakes

    First Drop Situation Intensité Vibrations Baffes

    This ride has a great first drop, but besides that it's just a decent invert. The inversions are good as one would expect, but there isn't much special about it. Weaving in and around the German and France areas and over Le Scoot is very cool, though. Other than that location, the only unique thing it has compared to other inverts I've done is a noticeable rattle in the back row and a couple instances of headbanging, something I was rather surprised by. 8/10 - I got lost in the kiddie area trying to take photos of the cobra roll

  • MapleFlakes

    Théma Fun Longueur Intensité

    It's my firm belief that this ride is the reason we have the beautiful themed coasters we do today. I absolutely feel like I'm on a tour gone-wrong through the Himalayas, and while the backwards section is not the most thrilling thing, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a big smile on my face every time I see the broken track blocking the way. 8.5/10 - can somebody check on the yeti he isn't waking up when I yell at him

  • MapleFlakes

    Bonne suprise ! Fun Vibrations

    A very charming ride. Venturing into the black forest is super fun, and the drop track is awesome. Because it uses rather loose restraints the drop actually hits better than Hagrid's, which is the only other one in the country. I'm surprised most people call this a family coaster, the helix in the black forest was shockingly intense in the back. My only complaint is that the back row had a rather pronounced rattle, which made it just a little uncomfortable. 7.5/10 - if you think about it this is kind of like Hagrid's before Hagrid's

  • MapleFlakes

    Airtimes Situation Layout

    For B&M's first attempt at a hyper, this one holds up very well. It has a rather nice layout in my opinion with some neat twists and turns rather than just straight airtime hills. I think I would hold a more favorable opinion, however, if the airtime hills were built by a more experienced B&M. It's clear that they were still figuring out the element on this ride, and while they deliver good airtime, it's nothing compared to their modern hypers. 7.5/10 - my ears still hurt from the blood-curdling screeches of the girls I got placed next to as a single rider

  • MapleFlakes

    Inversions Bonne suprise ! Situation Temps mort

    I was pleasantly surprised by this coaster. I haven't done many Arrow loopers, but I haven't walked away from the ones I did with the most favorable of opinions. But this one was actually solid! I quite like Arrow's vertical loops, but despise their corckscrews, so I think a large part of the appeal here is that it doesn't have the latter. I came out of this ride with surprisingly little headbanging, which I did not expect. The location is in an especially beautiful part of the park, weaving through forests and over a river. The main complaint I have is the dead spots, especially inside the cave. I wish that helix was a little tighter. 7/10 - the guy sitting next to me called this a better Anaconda and honestly he's so right

  • MapleFlakes

    Fun Hangtime Harnais Inconfort

    A fun little ride that offers smaller riders some great hangtime in the roll. I was initially going to complain about the shin padding but I think that might have been the only thing keeping me in during the roll, so I'll take the low-hanging fruit of the comfort collar. As a rather thin person this didn't hurt airtime at all, but I did feel myself hitting my head against what felt like metal during some of the drops; it was rather uncomfortable. Despite the weird restraints, though, it's a rather enjoyable experience if you can get a short wait. 7/10 - Is it just me or is the paint on this thing like weirdly bright

  • MapleFlakes

    Airtimes Layout Vibrations Trop court

    A fun woodie with a good layout and some great laterals. It runs pretty rough and is rather short, but what it does have is a good layout and fun twists and turns. I am rather disappointed this is my first GCI, as I've heard great things about some of their other work, so I'll do my best to keep an open mind. 6.5/10 - is this thing themed to the French or Vikings I sincerely can't tell

  • MapleFlakes

    Lap Bar Launch Théma Débit Déception !

    Despite having 4 very punchy Intamin LSM launches it doesn't really do much else. The straddle cars are pretty cool, but the only thing they feel cool during is those launches. The queue has quite good theming, but once you're on the ride there is a jumpscare of a stringed up Party City skeleton, and I expected a lot more. It also has one of the worst capacities at the park; since it loops its layout twice it can only run two trains, and for some reason they designed each train with only 10 seats. Needless to say the 2 hour wait was not worth it for me. 6/10 - "Waste of my time, waste of my life" -Guy sitting next to me after waiting 2 hours

  • MapleFlakes

    First Drop Inversions Fluidité Vibrations

    A solid B&M floorless with some similarly solid inversions. The loop and corkscrews are great, though the cobra roll is a bit dull. The first drop is awesome though, especially when you're further back in the train. My only real complaint is a quite noticeable rattle, but it doesn't take too much from the experience. 7.5/10 - why is the station so poorly laid out it's like a mosh pit in there

  • MapleFlakes

    Launch Fun Inconfort

    A decent layout with a crazy good helix right at the beginning. The two launches are good, but nothing special. The indoor section is actually my favorite part, but the dive under the queue afterwards is pretty rough on the neck. 6/10 - my mother slammed her back into the seat during the launch so hard she broke the hook on her bra

  • MapleFlakes

    Confort Intensité Vibrations Débit

    A surprisingly intense little bobsled coaster. The rattle on this one is pretty bad and I could actually feel myself vibrating during it. I do think the restraints are great for a single rider, but if you're doubling up I can see how they would be pretty tight. 5.5/10 - why did it take Mack so long to design an actually good coaster what were they doing here

  • MapleFlakes

    Inversions Intensité Layout

    A phenomenal invert. It's beautifully forceful - I greyed out after the first loop and during the batwing. The inversions, especially the zero-g roll, are fantastic. It utilizes the terrain super well, and the elements that dive underground are some of my favorites. Relentless from start to finish, this is a truly great ride. 8.5/10 - this ride offers the best views of a parking lot across all of Carowinds' lineup.

  • MapleFlakes

    First Drop Théma Fun Temps mort Layout Intensité

    This is a hard one to rate. The coaster sections are alright but it's really a dark ride, although a great one. The tilt track is phenomenal and the screens are surprisingly used quite well, though they are relied on a bit too much. If you go into it expecting it to be like Forbidden Journey you will be disappointed with the lack of physical sets, but if you accept it for what it is then it's a lot of fun. 7/10 - five of these points are from the theming and two are from the tilt track

  • MapleFlakes

    Baffes Débit Temps mort

    This ride doesn't do anything besides hurt your head. It's honestly rather impressive the amount of headbanging it gets in despite having basically no elements. On top of that the operations are abysmal, but it's not the operators fault. It runs a single train and appears to have terrible operation protocols that almost appear to be intentionally slowing down capacity. Overall very worth a skip and probably the worst ride at Carowinds. 1.5/10 - the stream under the coaster is kind of pretty I guess?

  • MapleFlakes

    Situation Inconfort Layout

    This is just a painful experience. Wild mouses are not my cup of tea; I can't stand the sharp turns in the slightest as the constant laterals are the worst. I guess the two drops are a little fun, and you get a pretty alright view of the NC side of the park, but overall I have very little positive to say. 2/10 - don't do this one if you are afraid of physical contact with the person sitting next to you

  • MapleFlakes

    Fun Intensité Baffes Layout

    I have a great deal of nostalgia for Cyclone, but it's still just your average Arrow looper. The loops are surprisingly forceful, but the layout is rather boring and the classic Arrow profiling makes headbanging frequent. I still think this is a good first "big" coaster for kids if Carowinds is your home park, though. 5.5/10 - "They need to fix this thing" -Kid sitting next to me

  • MapleFlakes

    Situation Fun Inconfort Temps mort

    Just a good, fun family ride. If you go in expecting anything more than a decent mine train then you are going to be disappointed, but temper your expectations and you can have a fun time. I have a fair amount of nostalgia for this ride as it was one of my favorites when I was very young, so I think this ride does deserve a place in the park for the young ones. 4/10 - I mean this seriously: the second helix is better than Fury's