THI3TEEN

Thi3teen is a roller coaster/dark ride with some innovative elements.  With five cars seating two across in two rows for a total capacity of 20 riders, the train makes a turn out of the loading station before ascending a 60-foot lift hill and navigating a series of small twisty airtime hills.  It then ascends a second lift hill which leads to the “Crypt,” in which riders are in for quite a surprise.  Shrouded in darkness, riders see flashing lights and other visual effects.  The train suddenly and unexpectedly drops, not once but twice.  It then propels the riders backwards out of the crypt while traversing a backwards helix before returning to the station.

While the size of the drops and speed of the ride are quite modest and unremarkable, the entry to and exit from the crypt are indeed remarkable.  When the train dropped in the crypt, my reaction was yikes!  The experience of being propelled out of the crypt backwards was delightful and somewhat awesome.  While Thi3teen is not an extreme thrill ride by any stretch of the imagination, it gets high marks for it uniqueness.  4 out of 5 stars.  For more information about rides at Alton Towers, visit https://www.altontowers.com  Video courtesy of East Coaster General.

WOODEN WARRIOR

This wooden family coaster at Quassy Amusement Park is deceptive in that it delivers more thrills than its modest proportions would suggest.  Built by The Gravity Group (The Voyage, Ravine Flyer II), it was the first coaster to feature Timberliner trains.  With six cars per train seating two across for a total capacity of 12 riders, the train veers slightly right and ascends a small lift hill before making a right turn and dropping 36 feet.  It then ascends and drops several more times before entering a tunnel that leads to the turnaround.  Once out of the tunnel the train navigates a succession of short drops before returning to the loading station.

OK, so it’s not a blockbuster but it happens to be very good.  The airtime is phenomenal!  If you’re looking for a good roller coaster ride, this is it.  Wooden Warrior is a shining example of why bigger is not necessarily better.  I’m only sorry that the ride is so short.  Of note is that the restraint is markedly different from anything I’d previously encountered.  It’s a pivoting lap bar that extends outside the train and swings back inward over the rider before locking in place.  Wooden Warrior gets 4 out of 5 stars.  For more information about rides at Quassy Amusement Park, visit www. Quassy.com/