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May 27, 2012

Nitro

Nitro is a B&M hyper coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure. It has gotten 3rd place for best steel coaster in Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards for the past several years. I was exited to see how it would compare to Apollo’s Chariot at Busch Gardens, another award-winning hyper.

The cars on Nitro contain some of the most comfortable seats on any coaster, you could almost fall asleep in them. The ride starts with a swooping turn to the right. The 230 foot lift hill gives you plenty of time to survey the surrounding area. The drop is excellent. The first airtime hill gives you plenty of airtime before twisting to the left. The next hill gives plenty of airtime as well.

The next element is an overbanked turn, it is especially nice if you sit on the right side of the train. Another airtime hill follows this. The next hill is like a miniature version of the first airtime hill, you rise up and twist to the left.

The helix is next, it is one of the most intense things that I’ve ever experienced. You start spiraling upwards, the track getting tighter and tighter. Just as riders think that they can’t take any more, there is a set of trim brakes. The sudden dive off of this straight section of track surprises many riders and provides tons of airtime. There are three bunny hops on the way back to the station, each gives a little stronger airtime than the one before it. The final bunny hop has ejector air.

Nitro was an explosive ride (pun intended). It was a great ride (and even better in the rain!) I am giving it a 9 out of 10, just because after my first ride, I wasn’t that impressed.

Have you been on Nitro? What do you think? Please comment. Thanks for reading! :-)

 

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May 24, 2012

El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure

El Toro is an Intamin prefabricated wooden coaster. This means that the wood was laser cut in a factory and then assembled into large pieces before being sent to Six Flags. The pieces were put together like Legos at the park. This method of construction makes the ride very smooth. El Toro is the fastest wooden coaster in the world at 70 mph (ok Son of Beast was faster at 78.4 mph but it is closed now). It is considered by many enthusiasts to be the best wooden coaster in the world so my expectations were very high.

The ride is situated in the Plaza Del Carnival section of the park. Instead of bushes around the waiting line like most coasters, El Toro has pepper plants. The station looks pretty authentic, it even has a bullfighter painted on the side (for those who don’t know, El Toro means “the bull” in Spanish). The ride begins with a 180 degree turn to the left. The ride uses a cable lift hill, like Millennium Force, so it is very quiet and fast. At the top there is a straight section of track which allows the riders to notice the 176 foot, 76 degree drop ahead. After another turn the train plummets down to Earth.
The airtime on this drop is some of the strongest that I’ve ever experienced. At the bottom of the drop the train passes under another section of track creating a nice head chopper. A 112 foot airtime hill follows this, the airtime is almost as good as on the first drop. Another 100 foot hill follows this, the longest airtime on the ride is here. At the top of the next hill the track banks to the right and begins the swooping turnaround. This is the only point on the ride where I felt a few small bumps.
There is another airtime hill after this. Hidden underneath the support structure for the first airtime hill is a small bunny hop that provides a bit of floater airtime. A quick turn to the left takes riders to what might just be the absolute best moment of airtime of any coaster in the world. It is a small hill hidden behind Rolling Thunder, another wooden coaster.
Next the ride begins the twister section. We navigate a twisting section of track close to the ground before a row of three bunny hops. The ride uses magnetic brakes to slow the trains down before they proceed to the station.
El Toro has  completely changes my mind about what a wooden coaster can do. After my first ride on it all I could think was “I have to do that again!” It is by far my favorite wooden coaster and, after 8 rides, I decided that it was my second favorite coaster after Millennium Force at Cedar Point. I recommend the back seat for the most insane airtime. I am rating it 10 out of 10.
Have you been on El Toro? What do you think? Please comment. Thanks for reading!
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May 22, 2012

Unique Coasters Suggestions

A few weeks ago I started a new type of post called Unique Coasters that highlight a certain coaster that is one of a kind. The coaster that I used for the first post was iSpeed at Mirabilandia in Italy. I have thought of a few more coasters for other posts but I want to hear what unique coasters you, the readers, would like to read about.

ISpeed

So far I have come up with these coasters for other posts:

Maverick at Cedar Point

Volcano: the Blast Coaster at King’s Dominion

The Incredible Hulk at Islands of Adventure

Takabisha at Fuji-Q Highlands

 

You can leave a comment below with any other coasters you may think of, you don’t need a username or leave an e-mail address to comment.

What do you think? What unique coasters do you know of? Please comment. Thanks for reading! :-)

 

 

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May 21, 2012

Superman: Ride of Steel at Six Flags America

Superman: Ride of Steel is a hypercoaster that opened in 2000. Two other hypercoasters with the same names opened up at Six Flags New England (now known as Bizarro) and Six Flags Darien Lake. This Superman is a mirror image of the ride at Darien Lake.

The ride starts with a 180 degree turn to the right. Next is the 197 foot tall lift hill. At the top there is a nice view of the park and surrounding area. The first drop has loads of airtime especially in the back. At the bottom the track turns to the right in a small trench. If you sit on the right side of the train and lean over here you can actually touch a couple grass blades.

The rides largest airtime hill comes next. There is plenty of floater airtime here. After dropping back down you travel through what I think may be the world largest helix. In fact, they are so large that there aren’t any forces or anything, you are just traveling around in a big circle. After the helix there is a long section of straight track before the next airtime hill. This is where the best airtime on the ride is. Next is a smaller helix that is actually more fun than the first. Another straight section of track follows this before a series of three bunny hops each providing good airtime.

Superman was fun but the pacing was terrible, there were too many straight sections of track. The first helix was too large and rather unnecessary. I am giving it an 8 out of 10.

Have you ridden Superman? What do you think? Please comment. Thanks for reading! :-)

 

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May 14, 2012

Apollo’s Chariot

Apollo’s Chariot is a B&M hyper coaster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Virginia. The ride is themed after the Roman god of the sun, Apollo, who rode his chariot across the sky. It opened in 1999 and has been known as one of the best hyper coasters ever since. I was obviously excited about riding it.

Apollo’s trains are quite possibly the most comfortable on the planet. The ride starts up the 210 foot lift hill. At the top there is a small dip before the drop. This allows the train to speed up before falling back to Earth and maximizes airtime. The drop is excellent in front but is spectacular in back, the weight of the entire train pulls the last car over the edge resulting in amazing airtime.

After straight section of track across a river there is a 131 foot airtime hill. At the bottom there is a small tent that the train flies through. The next airtime hill twists to the left at the top. The best airtime on the ride is on the way down. The next element is a strange upward helix that twists around itself before diving back to the ground. A quick jump up to the right leads to the brake run.

The dive off of the brake run is surprisingly insane. We cross over the river again before another hill that flips to the right at the top and to the left at the bottom. Two bunny hops follow this. The second hop has a 50 foot dive into a hidden ravine, this catches many riders off guard and is an excellent way to end the ride.

If you want a smooth ride sit in front, If you want a ride filled with airtime sit in back.

Apollo’s Chariot was an excellent ride, it gives an excellent ride no matter where you sit. I am giving it a 10 out of 10.

Have you been on Apollo’s Chariot? What do you think? Please comment. Thanks for reading! :-)

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May 13, 2012

Verbolten

Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s new coaster, Verbolten, is scheduled to open on May 18th. However I was at the park today (May 13th) and they had a soft opening which I was exited about. I rode the ride three times throughout the day. Verbolten consists of an outside section, an indoor section, and another outdoor section. The ride features a surprise inside of the large building. Spoiler Alert! If you do not want to know what happens in the event building please do not read the next paragraphs.

The station appears overgrown by vines. The trains are themed to look like German cars. The ride starts with a turn down and to the left. A straight section of track follows this and then into a turn to the right. The trains start up an incline where they are launched into the darkness of the event building. Inside the building are drops and turns, all of which are taken at a high speed. The trains slow to a halt in the middle of the darkness.

The ride has three different events that could take place here. You could either be in the middle of a lightning storm, get attacked by wolves (paying homage to The Big Bad Wolf), or be attacked by an evil spirit of the Black Forest. On my first two rides my ride sequence was the lightning storm. On my third and final ride the sequence was the attacking wolves. Suddenly the train, with the passengers inside, drops vertically.

After this the ride comes back outside. The second launch shoots you up a twisting hill into an old covered bridge (pictured above). There are brakes here that slow you down so you can see the 80 foot drop that is coming. There is a little bit of airtime on the drop before the turn at the bottom. Finally the ride twists and turns through the woods up to the final brakes.

In the picture above the building in the background is the event building.

Verbolten was fun and is a good addition to Busch Gardens’ already excellent collection of coasters. I am giving it a 7 out of 10.

Have you ridden Verbolten? What do you think? Please comment. Thanks for reading! :-)

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May 10, 2012

Unique Coasters: iSpeed at Mirabilandia

Unique Coasters is a new type of post where I highlight a certain coaster that is unique. They aren’t necessarily the largest or most insane coasters but they are one of a kind. This coaster is iSpeed at Mirabilandia in Savio, Italy.

The Ride:

iSpeed uses LSMs to launch riders from 0-74.6 mph in 2.2 seconds. Next it travels around an outside Top Hat. A somewhat large airtime hill follows this. There are a few Maverick style turns before a corkscrew inversion. Next up is a strange Immelmann-like inversion. The train continues around a turn into a heartline roll. A short set of trim brakes is next. The ride ends with a small bunny hop and a turn onto the final brakes.

Why is it unique?

It mixes a variety of elements. There is a launch, a Top Hat, airtime, inversions. iSpeed seems to have it all. Right now the only other coaster in the world that is anything at all like it is Maverick (even then the two are very different). All the reviews that I’ve read say that it is an excellent coaster.

You can see more pictures of iSpeed or the RCDB.

Here is a video of iSpeed, POV starts at 1:36.

What do you think? Do you know of another unique coaster? Please comment. Thanks for reading! :-)

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May 7, 2012

New Coaster POVs

A lot of new coaster POVs have been released lately. First off we have a POV of Mammoth at Holiday World (OK so it’s not technically a coaster but its pretty close). When it opens this year it will be the longest water coaster in the world.

Next up is a coaster in Denmark at Legoland Billund. Polar X-Plorer is the second ride in the world to have an elevator drop segment.

Finally, my #2 most anticipated coaster this year, X-Flight’s POV was released. You can see it at the Chicago Tribune.

Looks like there will be a great group of rides opening up this year!

What do you think? Please comment. Thanks for reading! :-)

 

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May 4, 2012

Iron Shark Layout is Almost Complete

The world’s newest Euro-Fighter, Iron Shark, is coming together at Galveston Pleasure Pier. At first I wasn’t that impressed with it, it didn’t really do much. Since them I’ve seen the ride be built and my mind has changed. Like all Euro-Fighters, Iron Shark will have a vertical lift hill and a 97 degree drop, yes that is past vertical. The park’s Facebook page has a lot of pictures of the ride.

It will have four inversions, a Roll Over, an Inside Top Hat, and an inclined loop. All this is in a very tight space. The thrills will be maximized because the ride is situated at the end of the pier right next to the water.

Wow, that is one twisted coaster. You can see more pictures on the park’s Facebook page.
I think that it will be a good addition to the park.
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May 2, 2012

Cedar Point’s Wildcat Closing

Today Cedar Point announced that they are closing Wildcat, their Schwarzkopf portable coaster. The park claims that they will

WildCat roller coaster station at Cedar Point.

be expanding the Celebration Plaza. Wildcat opened in 1979 and will be dismantled before the park opens this summer.

I’ve heard mixed reviews of the coaster. Some people say that it is a fun ride for a portable coaster. Others couldn’t care less if it is dismantled. Unfortunately I haven’t ridden it since I was five because the lines were always so long.

This means that Six Flags Magic Mountain will hold the record for most coasters for this year. Most enthusiasts are hoping that Cedar Point  will open another coaster next year since their most recent coaster is Maverick in 2007.

It’s always somewhat sad when a park closes a coaster. Who knows, maybe they have something big in store for 2013.

What do you think? Please comment. Thanks for reading. :-)

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