SHEIKRA

Busch Gardens Tampa

This was to some extent déjà vu, as I knew that SheiKra was very similar in design to Griffon, another dive coaster, at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.   Still, it was a different coaster and a new experience, one well worth having.  Whereas Griffon consists of 3 rows that seat 10 across, SheiKra consists of 3 rows that seat 8 across.   As the ride is dispatched, the floor drops out, the train makes a right turn to the 200-foot lift hill and at the top of the  hill, makes a U-turn to the first drop.   It hangs the riders over the drop for some very suspenseful seconds – and like Griffon, affords a breathtaking view of the park – before abruptly dropping them 200 feet at a 90-degree angle.   Awesome!  Although I’d been through this drill twice before, hanging over a precipice and going almost straight down is always a thrill.   This is followed by a 140-foot Immelmann loop and a second drop of 138 feet.  At the second drop, the riders once again hang over the edge before plunging into a tunnel.    I thought that the tunnel was a nice touch.  The splashdown after a turnaround is more like a splash-up, as the water sprays out as the train reaches the bottom of the turn and goes up into a helix.  The riders don’t get wet but anyone standing outside the ride close to the track had better watch out!  SheiKra is a thrilling coaster with an unusual twist.  4 ½ out of 5 stars.  For more information about rides a Busch Gardens Tampa, visit seaworldparks.com/buschgardens-tampa

CHEETAH HUNT

Busch Gardens Tampa

Cheetah Hunt is a linear synchronous motor launch coaster with an unusual twist.  Unlike the other LSM/LIM coasters I’ve ridden – Maverick and Volcano, The Blast Coaster – which are stationary on a launch track prior to the launch, Cheetah Hunt seems to be actually in motion at the time of the launches, at least for the second and third.   I could be mistaken about this but that was my perception and the fact that there are no brake runs before the second and third launches tends to support my theory.  Anyway, the ride begins with a launch out of the station at a modest speed and shortly thereafter launches the riders to the maximum speed of 60mph, just before a 102-foot hill.   The third launch takes place toward the end of the ride.   In the meantime, riders are taken through overbanked turns and helixes, and dropped into a subterranean trench.   Among the best moments of the ride, apart from the launches, are those in which the train makes abrupt changes of direction and those in which it seems dangerously close to the ground.  The ride features only one inversion, a heartline roll, but the heartline roll is enough to really knock you for a loop, sorry about the mixed metaphor.  And 4 g’s ain’t bad, baby.   There’s an interesting figure-8 layout at the top of the ride, displayed in one of the photographs.   I knew nothing about this coaster before riding it so had no idea that it was a launch coaster.    Was I ever surprised!   The sudden, unexpected acceleration makes for a thrilling ride.  I thought that this coaster was nicely themed, and the sudden bursts of speed very much in character with cheetah on the hunt.  Cheetah Hunt is a lot of fun, one of the most entertaining coasters I’ve ridden.  It’s easy to see why the ride is so popular and the queue to get on it is so long.  4  out of 5 stars.   First photograph by Martin Lewison, with kind permission of the author.  (As you can see, my own photographs are less than optimal because they were taken at dusk and in one I accidentally caught an unsuspecting passerby in the foreground.)   For more information about rides at Busch Gardens Tampa, visit seaworldparks.com/buschgardens-tampa/

GWAZI

Busch Gardens Tampa

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Busch Gardens in Tampa actually has a wooden coaster.  (Busch Gardens in Williamsburg does not.)  In fact, Gwazi turned out to be the one big surprise of my visit to this park.    Although I expected the steel coasters to be good because I knew a little about them by reputation, my expectations of this one were low because it clearly wasn’t in the same class as El Toro or The Voyage.  However, and this is what was so surprising, it far exceeded my expectations.  It contains all the elements of a good wooden coaster.   After making a right turn from the loading area, the train drops into a tunnel before ascending the lift hill and dropping 91 feet.  Not a big drop but one that can be appreciated for its airtime.   Although the coaster is not particularly fast (51 mph), because of the succession of banked turns and length of the ride (2:30) at a steady clip, my perception was that it was going faster than it actually was.  One of the highlights of the ride was a plunge into total darkness.  I rode at night and this greatly enhanced the experience.   You get a lot of ride on this coaster because of the substantial length of the track.  And because the old trains were replaced some time in 2011, the ride is not nearly as rough as it purportedly was with the old trains.  I should point out that until recently Gwazi was a duelling coaster, with separate entrances for the Lion and Tiger side.  The Tiger side was closed, I gather permanently, so I can’t conceive of what this ride would be like with two trains operating, but the Lion side stands well on its own.   Gwazi is a gem of a coaster, in my opinion superior to some that are consistently rated higher, such as Lightning Racer.  4 out of 5 stars.   Photograph  by ClaudiaTampa39, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.  (I couldn’t use my own photograph because I can’t get clear images with my camera after dark.)  For more information about rides at Busch Gardens Tampa, visit seaworldparks.com/buschgardens-tampa/

MONTU

Busch Gardens Tampa

Montu has done more to enhance my appreciation of suspended looping coasters than any other coaster I have ridden.  (Although I hated Alpengeist, which features similar elements, I suspect that I would like it now that I have come to appreciate multiple inversions.)   From start to finish, the ride is replete with thrills.   After making a left turn out of the loading area, the train climbs 150 feet, plummets 151 feet on a curve and rockets the riders into a 104-foot vertical loop.   The ride features a total of 7 inversions, including 2 vertical loops, Immelmann loop, zero-g roll, Batwing and corkscrew.   The inversions are intense, especially the Batwing, the airtime insane. (Although the maximum g-force is 3.8, less than that on some other coasters I’ve ridden, it feels like more.)  As to the Batwing – a double rollover sort of like a cobra roll in reverse – I loved it, loved it,  loved it!  Another high point of the ride was the low point, when the train was travelling at 65 mph close to the ground.   For this type of coaster, Montu is probably about as good as it gets.  4  out of 5 stars.  First photograph taken by Suedepop, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.  (As you can see, my own photograph is less than optimal because it was taken at dusk.)   For more information about rides at Busch Gardens Tampa, visit seaworldparks.com/buschgardens-tampa/

MY TOP TEN ROLLER COASTERS

MY TOP TEN ROLLER COASTERS

I have compiled three lists, one including both wooden and steel coasters, and two separate lists for my favorite wooden and steel coasters.  I feel certain that Ravine Flyer II  would be on one of my lists if I ever got the opportunity to ride it.

TOP TEN ROLLER COASTERS OVERALL

1. El Toro - Six Flags Great Adventure
2. Outlaw Run - Silver Dollar City
3. Leviathan - Canada's Wonderland
4.. Intimidator 305 - Kings Dominion
5.  Millennium Force - Cedar Point
6.  Boulder Dash - Lake Compounce
7. Bizarro - Six Flags New England
8 Nitro - Six Flags Great Adventure
9. Skyrush - Hersheypark
10. Apollo's Chariot - Busch Gardens, Williamsburg



TOP TEN WOODEN COASTERS

1. El Toro - Six Flags Great Adventure - exceptional for both design and ride experience, with extreme         ejector and floater airtime
2.  Outlaw Run - Silver Dollar City - this is so good that I had a hard time deciding between Outlaw Run and     El Toro;  the first drop on Outlaw Run is even steeper than that on El Toro and the barrel roll is awesome 3. Boulder Dash - Lake Compounace I rate this higher than The Voyage not only because of the extreme, relentless airtime but because I  found it to be more fun to ride
4. Goliath - Six Flags Great America - an amazing, record-breaking ride with a dive loop and zero-g stall
5. The Voyage - Holiday World - superior for size, speed, scenery, overbanked turns and ride length
6. Shivering Timbers - Michigan's Adventure - notable for number of consecutive drops, ejector airtime and double helix
7. Thunderhead - Dollywood - great ride with overbanked turns and station fly-through
8. The Beast - Kings Island - wild ride through the woods and in the dark
9. Phoenix - Knoebels - extreme airtime, hold on
10. Coney Island Cyclone - Brooklyn - an oldie but goodie with plenty of thrills



TOP TEN STEEL COASTERS

1. Leviathan - fast, smooth, furious and fun with numerous elements; also beautiful to behold
2. Intimidator 305 - Kings Dominion - notable for phenomenal first drop,  numerous twists in track and extreme intensity
3. Millennium Force - - Cedar Point - high marks for scenery, diversity and overall ride experience
4.  Bizarro - Six Flags New England - commendable for fabulous first drop, overbanked turns and special          effects
5. Nitro - Six Flags Great Adventure - outstanding for number of drops, hammerhead turn and helix
6. Skyrush - Hersheypark - the most intense steel coaster I have thus far ridden
7. Apollo's Chariot - Busch Gardens Williamsburg - great ride with some nice turns and scenery
8. Maverick - Cedar Point - a wild and crazy ride like no other
9. Storm Runner - Hersheypark - intense launch coaster with steep drop and cool inversions
10.Talon - Dorney Park - great inverted coaster that will make you feel as if you are flying.  Seriously underrated.

STORM RUNNER

Storm Runner, Hersheypark

This is the third hydraulic launch coaster I had ridden.   A first-timer on Storm Runner, I was sitting next to a seasoned veteran who advised me to keep my head back in preparation for the launch, and this was probably good advice.   The train travelled just a short distance from the loading area onto the launch pad and I was high on anticipation.   One thing which has always struck me about launch coasters is that no matter how many times you ride them, the launch always comes as a surprise because it’s difficult to time how many seconds you’re going to be sitting there before the train takes off.  Anyway, there we were and zoom!   Storm Runner launches you from 0 to 72mph in less than two seconds and it’s quite a thrill.   Obviously, it’s not as staggering as the launch on strata coasters such as Kingda Ka and Top Thrill Dragster, but it’s still an exciting launch and it was enough to give me a rush of adrenaline.   Once launched up the hill, the coaster plummets 180 feet at a 90-degree angle.    (Interestingly, although the coaster is 150 feet tall, the drop is 180 feet.)  This drop was phenomenal and the rest of the ride was a lot of fun, enough to put a big smile on my face.

Storm Runner features 3 inversions, including a 135-foot tall cobra loop, heartline roll and snake dive.  (This last is an element with which I had had no experience.)  I enjoyed all of these, particularly the heartline roll.  (I love heartline rolls and zero-g rolls.)   Everything happens so fast, and the ride is so short, that before you know it you’re back at the station.  Short or not, it was a very good ride which exceeded my expectations.  4 out of 5 stars.   For more information about rides at Hersheypark, visit www.hersheypark.com

FAHRENHEIT

Fahrenheit, Hershey Park

This coaster is remarkable for both the angle of ascent and angle of descent.    The 121-foot vertical lift is unlike anything I had ever experienced.  (The closest I had come was Mystery Mine at Dollywood, where the ascent was indoors and not as long or steep.)    On the way to the top, you are going straight up and looking right at the sky.   I found this pretty intense.   And because I was sitting in the back of the train, the front had already begun its descent while I was still vertical.  The drop at a 97-degree angle is one of the steepest on an inverted coaster, at least in the United States, and one of many thrill elements of the ride.   The ride features airtime hills and a total of 6 inversions, most notable of which are a cobra roll, 2 corkscrews and a Norwegian loop.  (Norwegian loops are fairly uncommon.) They were all thoroughly enjoyable and the ride proved to be very smooth.

The ride itself is short - just over a minute - as are the trains (I believe that the park usually runs three), which accommodate 12 riders (6 rows of 2 across) but exciting enough to be worth the wait.  Fahrenheit is hot although the ride name derives not from the temperature but from the degree of ascent and descent. 4 out of 5 stars.  For more information about rides at Hersheypark, visit www.hersheypark.com

GREAT BEAR

Great Bear, Hersheypark

Now that I’ve become somewhat acclimated to riding below the track – something which I had resisted for a long time – I decided to try out this suspended inverted coaster.  It looked as if it might turn out to be a fun ride.   And it has some historical value, as it was the first coaster of its kind to be erected in Pennsylvania.

The ride begins with the train ascending the chain-lift hill and entering a short helix before dropping 120 feet and going up into a 100-foot vertical loop.   There are 4 inversions, the other three being an Immelmann loop, zero-g roll and corkscrew.   I found these all to be very pleasurable, especially the zero-g roll.   As I had anticipated, Great Bear was a fun ride – nothing exceptional, but a fun ride nevertheless.  (Unfortunately, the layout is such that I was not able to get a good photograph of the coaster in its entirety.)   First photograph courtesy of Coasterimage.com.  3 out of 5 stars. .  For more information about rides at Hersheypark, visit www.hersheypark.com

SKYRUSH PHOTO SHOOT

Skyrush Photo Shoot October 1, 2012

When I got an email from ACE to the effect that Indigo Films was going to be filming Skyrush for Travel Channel and needed volunteers who were prepared to ride this coaster over and over, I jumped at the chance to get involved.   As many of you know, Travel Channel televises the programs Extreme Coaster Wars and Insane Coaster Wars.   The opportunity to possibly be on TV was too good to pass up, and even if I don’t make the final cut, I’m happy to have been selected and to have had the experience.   We all met near the employee entrance to Hersheypark on October 1, 2012 at 8:15am.   After some preliminaries, the project got underway.   One of the first things those who had ridden Skyrush previously were asked to do was vote on the coaster by computer.   Then the camera crew filmed short interviews with those who had ridden and those who had not, asking the newbies about their expectations of the ride.  Although it was chilly at that time of day, we were asked to remove our jackets so that this would look like summer.

Once everything had been set up for the film shoot, we all got to ride over and over.   Initially the crew mounted a camera behind the first row of Skyrush but later removed it.   In any case, I believe that the majority of rides were shot from the ground and while we did have the opportunity to try different seats, the crew wanted certain people to remain in the same seat for several consecutive rides.   There was also a helicopter overhead.   The whole thing was an absolute blast!   I can’t remember the last time I’ve had this much fun.  11 rides on Skyrush in a short time was coaster nirvana except for the restraint being painful on one of the rides.    This coaster is extremely intense – undoubtedly the most intense one I’ve ridden – and because of the extreme turns and insane airtime, the restraints are very tight.   I do think that Hersheypark has made some improvements, as the seat that gave me trouble last June – the front row right wing seat – did not cause me any trouble during this film shoot.  

 Indigo Films did an outstanding job – the crew was very professional and at the same time very personable – as did the staff at Hersheypark, who were welcoming, provided refreshments and operated the ride on a day when the park was closed to the public.  And I got to meet some fellow members of ACE.  It was quite an experience.  Thanks to all involved.   For more information about rides at Hersheypark, visit www. hersheypark.com

WILD EAGLE

Wild Eagle, Dollywood

America’s first wing coaster, Wild Eagle is a groundbreaker and a must-ride.  I had ridden in wing seats (Skyrush) and other off-the-track seats (Griffon) but a coaster on which all of the seats are off the track was a novelty.   Even the loading area was different, as this is the first coaster I’ve ridden on which the train is loaded from opposite sites of the platform.  (As you enter the station, a park employee directs you to go up the steps either right or left.)

 Because of the coaster’s design, I expected to feel a heightened sense of vulnerability and did.   The 210-foot lift hill was somewhat daunting, giving rise to anticipation of what would happen on the other side.   What happens on the other side is a 135-foot drop remarkable for the sense it gives of free-floating, with nothing but air beneath the rider.  The train then goes into a 110-foot vertical loop.  If I felt a heightened sense of vulnerability, I also felt a heightened sense of freedom.  There are four inversions in all, including the vertical loop, zero g-roll, Immelmann loop and corkscrew – and all of them were awesome.  Travelling through these inversions on a wing coaster was like soaring through the air.   Wild indeed!   I also thought that the airtime was good, especially toward the end of the ride.  Unfortunately, it was difficult to get a good photograph of Wild Eagle, as it’s built on a mountain or hill or whatever they call it, and the track in its entirety is not visible from the ground.  Anyway, Wild Eagle proved to be quite a treat.  4  out of 5 stars.  For more information about rides at Dollywood, visit www.dollywood.com/

THUNDERHEAD

Thunderhead, Dollywood

This coaster with a twister layout has been repeatedly ranked among the top ten and in comparing it with the other 6 coasters I’ve ridden on the top ten list, I can appreciate why.   It has all the elements of a world class woodie, and then some.    The first drop of 100 feet at a sharp right angle was delicious and the rest of the ride was super.   Thunderhead is full of steeply banked turns – see the overbanked turn in two of the photographs -  and feels faster than the actual speed of 53mph, thundering into the loading station mid-ride, above the loading platform.  The station fly-through is a distinctive and fun element for both riders and spectators.   (I would have waved to those in line but wasn’t sure there was enough clearance to do so without losing an arm!)    Thunderhead provides a very good ride experience and constitutes an example of a woodie which isn’t unduly rough or in any way punishing.  4 out of 5 stars.   For more information about rides at Dollywood, visit www.dollywood.com/  First two photographs courtesy of Coasterimage.com

MYSTERY MINE

Mystery Mine, Dollywood

This coaster is very aptly named because part of the ride is indoors and what happens inside the mine is indeed a mystery to the uninitiated.  Some interesting things happen inside the mine, such as the train stopping in total darkness.  There are odd shapes, eyes seemingly looking at you and cackles.  It's pretty weird and eerie but in a fun way.  Upon exiting the mine the first time, the train goes up a lift hill at a 95-degree angle; it really does feel as if you’re going straight up.  Inside the mine for the second time, riders are treated to another steep ascent and spectacular effects with flames bursting forth and a sensation of intense heat. The two inversions -  heartline roll and dive loop - take place outside the mine and are pretty entertaining, especially the last one.  However, the ride on the whole tends to be a bit on the rough side.   A ride operator suggested holding onto the harness to avoid banging my head, and this was good advice.  One thing which struck me as unusual about this coaster was the configuration of the train, which consists of only two rows seating four across.   Mystery Mine is a fun and fairly original ride.  3 ½ out of 5 stars.  For more information about rides at Dollywood, visit www.dollywood.com/

TENNESSEE TORNADO

Tennessee Tornado, Dollywood

Because this coaster is pretty much obscured from view except for the lift hill and a large vertical loop, and I hadn’t researched it beforehand, I had no idea what I was letting myself in for.  I just hoped that it wasn’t anything too extreme, and it wasn’t.    After the train is dispatched, it goes around a bend, turns right and proceeds up the lift hill.   It then drops 128 feet,  banking right, on what proved to be a very good airtime hill, before entering a tunnel.   The ride features two overbanked turns and 3 inversions – 2 loops and a sidewinder.  The 110-foot loop  is purportedly the tallest one on an Arrow Dynamics coaster.   I thought that Tennessee Tornado was a pretty good coaster and a really fun ride, smoother than anticipated.    I'm not certain whether the on-ride cameras are still in  place (didn't notice) but as of 2008, Dollywood added video cameras to the first three rows,  enabling riders to record their rides and upload them onto YouTube.  3 1/2 out of 5 stars.  First photograph courtesy of Coasterimage.com.   (Unfortunately, my photographs are overexposed because I had to shoot into the sun through the trees.) For more information about rides at Dollywood, visit www.dollywood.com/

STEEL FORCE

Steel Force, Dorney Park

This coaster is noteworthy for being the first one on the East Coast to break the 200-foot barrier.  Now that it’s 15 years old and a multitude of other coasters with 200-foot + drops has sprung up, it no longer seems so remarkable.  I had expected the first drop of 205 feet to be somewhat more exciting than it was; I didn’t feel the same intensity as I felt on the first drop of Nitro, Apollo’s Chariot or other coasters of similar height.  However, I think that this was partly because I started out in the front seat and the train hangs over the drop for what seems like several seconds before plummeting 205 feet into a tunnel.  The back seat is a different story but I’ll get to that in a bit.  Despite my disappointment in the first drop, I thought that the coaster was well designed with a couple of outstanding elements.  There are some good airtime hills and the 510-degree helix was wonderful.  After the second hill following the brake run, the train enters another tunnel and goes over some bunny hills before returning to the station.   And on the subject of the station, I was impressed by the speed and efficiency with which the train was loaded and dispatched. 

As for the back seat, this is where you want to be to get the maximum ride experience.  From the back of the train, the 205-foot drop and everything else is significantly better.  There is delicious airtime, both floater and ejector.  I was getting bounced in my seat and could even see the lap bar, although locked, actually move up and down on the airtime hills.  (This is the only hypercoaster I can recall riding on which the lap bar never touches the rider’s body.)   This was so much fun!

One other thing I noticed about Steel Force is that it felt a bit bumpy at the top of some of the drops, lacking the smoothness I have come to associate with steel coasters.  Still, it’s a good ride and I would definitely recommend it.  4 out of 5 stars.  For more information about rides at Dorney Park, visit www.dorneypark.com/

TALON

Talon The Grip of Fear, Dorney Park

 After Alpengeist, one of my all-time least favourite coasters, I said that I would never again ride an inverted suspended coaster.  However, I was feeling adventurous and decided to try Talon, which looked pretty interesting.  It was interesting, more than interesting.  After the 135-foot lift hill, the train plunges 120 feet, banking right, and goes up into a 98-foot vertical loop.  There are four inversions in all, the other three being a zero-g roll, Immelmann loop and corkscrew.   I've never had so much being flat on my back!  Highlights of the ride include the zero-g roll and very low, steeply banked turn.  The latter element was really wild and a first for me.  I had an odd perception of being totally disconnected from the train, flying just above the ground.  At any rate, I found this ride immensely entertaining.  I had just gotten off Hydra the Revenge before getting on Talon and although Hydra has more inversions, I think that Talon is by far the better of the two rides.  In fact I would go as far as to say that it's one of the best inverts in existence.   4 1/2 out of 5 stars.  For more information about rides at Dorney Park, visit www.dorneypark.com/

HYDRA THE REVENGE

Hydra The Revenge, Dorney Park

What I found most intriguing about Hydra the Revenge is that it’s the only coaster I’ve ridden thus far which features an inversion before the lift hill.  After the floor drops out from the loading area and the train is dispatched, this coaster rolls you over, makes a turn, climbs 95 feet, drops you 105 feet and sends you into a loop.   There are 6 or 7 inversions; there is apparently some controversy about this, as some claim that riders are inverted during the dive loop and others claim that they are only sharply banked.   I’m not sure about this, even after watching the video I shot.  However many inversions there are, they were all enjoyable, with the zero g-roll probably being the best one.  It was a fun ride but nothing exceptional.  3 out of 5 stars.  For more information about rides at Dorney Park, visit www.dorneypark.com/

BIZARRO SIX FLAGS GREAT ADVENTURE

BIZARRO

SIX FLAGS GREAT ADVENTURE

I had always bypassed this coaster on visits to Six Flags Great Adventure because I 'd never enjoyed going through vertical loops.  (That has since changed.)  However, finding myself stuck at the park for 10 hours one day, at the suggestion of someone who had been following my blog I decided to give it a go and am glad I did.  Bizarro, formerly known as Medusa, certainly exceeded my expectations.  Just before the ride is dispatched, the floor drops out from the loading area.  The train then climbs 142 feet, reaches a platform, plunges 132 feet at a right angle and goes up into a 119-foot vertical loop.  This is followed by a dive loop and zero-g roll.   Towards the end of the ride, riders go through a cobra roll, which hangs over the entrance to the ride, and interlocking corkscrews.

 There is a total of 7 inversions – one more than on Alpengeist, which I absolutely hated – and all of them proved to be thoroughly enjoyable.  I got the feeling that there was a little something extra on a couple of them and was impressed by how smooth this ride is.  Also worth mentioning is the speed  – 61mph.– and special effects.   As the train travels through the dive loop,  flames shoot up from the ground on both sides of the track.   The heat can be felt by not only the riders but by those waiting in line to ride.  When I first rode this coaster, it had a Bizarro-themed soundtrack blasting out of the speakers behind the seats but when I rode it the following year, the sound effects had been removed.  With or without sound effects,  Bizarro was so much fun that I rode it repeatedly.  4 out of 5 stars.   For more information about rides at Six Flags Great Adventure, visit www.sixflags.com/greatadventure/