caffeine_demon
Strata Poster
You've let everyone down.... Hang your head in shame!
Last Cred Review
- Thread starter Snoo
- Start date
You've let everyone down.... Hang your head in shame!
Indy
Hyper Poster
Goliath - La Ronde
I enjoyed it more than I thought I would given that it has always looked like B&M phoned in the layout. It still wasn't anything profound, but solid fun. The airtime hills provided nice floater air, though nothing more. I have to imagine it runs a bit better when it isn't quite so cold and rainy.
It was probably the lone highlight for an otherwise dismal park visit.
I enjoyed it more than I thought I would given that it has always looked like B&M phoned in the layout. It still wasn't anything profound, but solid fun. The airtime hills provided nice floater air, though nothing more. I have to imagine it runs a bit better when it isn't quite so cold and rainy.
It was probably the lone highlight for an otherwise dismal park visit.
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emoo
Hyper Poster
Quicksilver Express at Gilroy Gardens.
Opened in 2001 and one of only 8 coasters made by D.H Morgan so I was intrigued going in but didn't know anything else or what to expect. Was thinking little more than another step towards visiting every Cedar fair park but it turned out rather well. Should have looked online and pay in advance as the gate but given the line up wasn't expecting pricing to match or exceed CGA.
The sign was really nice, much like the rest of the charming park, but the small sections of ride that can be seen through the trees gave cause for concern. This thing is a mess and looked like it was unused for some time. Nemesis is known for its paintwork designed to look like it urgently needed a visit from mechanic #1 and the reimagineering team - here is the real thing.
There were a few notice boards in the well presented queue line which I expect gave some history and a minor back story but thanks to the walk on it went unread.
The ride op make a funny sound during his instructional spiel. He then wished us a good trip directly without the PA & it was much clearer and easier to understand the words, a common nonsense in theme park announcements.
This has matured beyond its years, not like a fine wine but an Edam that somehow turned blue and gone over the edge. But still you get some satisfaction out of it, I think I liked it more due to the obvious flaws but also as a realistic mine train coaster.
There are 2 lift hills and this is the tallest.
The branches block the full height but it barely goes beyond what you can see, a mere 38 feet. A terrain coaster with plenty of twists that are not the worse profiling you'll find but the fun kind of jolty.
We happily went round again a few times. Sometimes in the same seat, or if there were people waiting let them get in and find another seat. I like it when parks allow that and we were encouraged. Came back later on to do it all over again.
There are a few people in these trains but hard to see. A couple of kids during the day who were just tall enough to ride could only be seen by their arms in the air. Their personal view must have been incredible not knowing where they were going, only the blue sky & an array of trees whizzing by.
Overall this park was a pleasing encore and winddown to a trip on the last day. Main draw back is you really need a car which is mostly standard for the USA - but the other parks in the bay area could be done with public transport alone. Hardly the highlight to any trip but a novel way to go out and very glad I got to find a hidden relic. I'd be surprised if I ever go back but have very good memory's of the day. A great family park for generations of locals to enjoy, and the occasional coaster hunter who's in for a treat.
Opened in 2001 and one of only 8 coasters made by D.H Morgan so I was intrigued going in but didn't know anything else or what to expect. Was thinking little more than another step towards visiting every Cedar fair park but it turned out rather well. Should have looked online and pay in advance as the gate but given the line up wasn't expecting pricing to match or exceed CGA.
The sign was really nice, much like the rest of the charming park, but the small sections of ride that can be seen through the trees gave cause for concern. This thing is a mess and looked like it was unused for some time. Nemesis is known for its paintwork designed to look like it urgently needed a visit from mechanic #1 and the reimagineering team - here is the real thing.
There were a few notice boards in the well presented queue line which I expect gave some history and a minor back story but thanks to the walk on it went unread.
The ride op make a funny sound during his instructional spiel. He then wished us a good trip directly without the PA & it was much clearer and easier to understand the words, a common nonsense in theme park announcements.
This has matured beyond its years, not like a fine wine but an Edam that somehow turned blue and gone over the edge. But still you get some satisfaction out of it, I think I liked it more due to the obvious flaws but also as a realistic mine train coaster.
There are 2 lift hills and this is the tallest.
The branches block the full height but it barely goes beyond what you can see, a mere 38 feet. A terrain coaster with plenty of twists that are not the worse profiling you'll find but the fun kind of jolty.
We happily went round again a few times. Sometimes in the same seat, or if there were people waiting let them get in and find another seat. I like it when parks allow that and we were encouraged. Came back later on to do it all over again.
There are a few people in these trains but hard to see. A couple of kids during the day who were just tall enough to ride could only be seen by their arms in the air. Their personal view must have been incredible not knowing where they were going, only the blue sky & an array of trees whizzing by.
Overall this park was a pleasing encore and winddown to a trip on the last day. Main draw back is you really need a car which is mostly standard for the USA - but the other parks in the bay area could be done with public transport alone. Hardly the highlight to any trip but a novel way to go out and very glad I got to find a hidden relic. I'd be surprised if I ever go back but have very good memory's of the day. A great family park for generations of locals to enjoy, and the occasional coaster hunter who's in for a treat.
cookie
Giga Poster
150. Karibik-Coaster (Travelling SBF Visa Spinning Coaster)
My 150th credit, yay…? Wasn’t really planning on going on this one at first but I was spending the night in Lubeck after a day at Hansa-Park and I had three euros to waste so I figured why not claim an extra credit before moving on to Heide. I’ve never been on one of these before, but I assumed it’d just be a nothing kiddie coaster that does a few laps and that’s it. How wrong I was.
I was the only person on the train, and the op specifically told me to take the very back car. The train pulled up the tire lift at a slow speed, and went down the drop at an almost similar pace. ”Just a relaxing family ride,” I thought. ”Surely this isn’t suddenly going to try and murder me four laps in, right?”
Now, I was already pretty weary after a long train ride the previous night followed by a full day at Hansa, so it might just have been me hallucinating, but the coaster for some reason just kept gaining speed. I’m pretty sure it was going up the tire lift faster than it was going down at one point, and the car violently slammed against the corners all while the cars spun around like they’d lost their minds.
This would’ve been tolerable, perhaps even fun, but what made it terrifying for me was the restraint, or rather, how ineffective it was. Instead of locking into place like it should, it was instead held in by a seatbelt, and the bar kept trying to force itself out, flinging my gut back and forth with it. It’s been a long time since I’ve genuinely thought I was going to fall out of a coaster, but I was seriously starting to fear for my life around the seventh or eight lap.
And it wouldn’t stop either, it just kept going, probably for a good ten to twelve laps in total. I honestly lost count eventually. Probably the most shocking ride I’ve had all year, and even scarier than staring straight down on Highlander. I have no idea how it’s allowed to operate the way that it does, but I’m both glad and absolutely repulsed that it did. What a milestone cred.
151. Limit (Heide-Park)
I didn’t get to ride this back in 2016 when I first visited Heide since it was still closed for winter maintenance. Coming back six years later, I finally managed to get on it, and I have some thoughts.
Congratulations, Vekoma, you have managed to outdo yourself in just how awful your SLC model is. This might genuinely be the worst coaster I’ve ever ridden, and it makes Vampire at Walibi Belgium and MP-Xpress at Movie Park Germany ride like brand new B&M inverts by comparison.
Firstly, the horsecollars. These things plague every SLC that hasn’t converted to the vest restraints yet, and they’re especially bad here. Why are these so bulky? Why are the thickets part of these right around the neck and head areas, where you’re most likely to bump into them when it rattles? Why are the handlebars so awkward to grapple with? Why do these feel like they were designed by someone who’s never met a person with broad shoulders? These things are simply the worst and why more parks haven’t replaced them already astounds me. They shouldn’t be allowed to exist.
Secondly, the coaster’s appearance. I mean, just look at it:
The vomit green supports and the white slowly chipping away on the track are certainly a choice. The thing just looks dilapitated, moreso than the rest of Heide’s coasters. The station is an ugly concrete building, and the patch of grass beneath the coaster looks like it hasn’t been maintained in years. It is simply an ugly coaster to look at, which is honestly a shame since these SLCs can actually look really appealing if their visuals are kept up well. I’m starting to think even Heide knows this coaster’s on its last legs, since it wasn’t even on the Express Butler on a crowded June Saturday, even as the line got packed for god knows what reason. They seriously gave the Mack powered coaster on the other side of the park the Express Butler priority over this one!
Thirdly, the ride itself. These SLCs actually do have a semi-promising layout, but they run like garbage, and this was the worst of all the ones I’ve been on. Every corner was a headbasher, and it somehow became more rattly the longer it went on. By the time we hit the double in-line twists, I just wanted the ride to be over. And the sharp brakes at the very end are just as awful as the rest of it.
The only positive thing about Limit’s existence is the IMAscore soundtrack, which absolutely ****ing slaps and makes standing near the coaster more fun than actually riding it. This ride does not deserve to have a soundtrack that good.
152. Indy-Blitz (Heide-Park)
Standard Zerier family coaster that does two laps. Not much to say really, it was just alright for what it was. Didn’t ride it last time as I never bothered to, but figured I’d hop on this time for the cred.
My 150th credit, yay…? Wasn’t really planning on going on this one at first but I was spending the night in Lubeck after a day at Hansa-Park and I had three euros to waste so I figured why not claim an extra credit before moving on to Heide. I’ve never been on one of these before, but I assumed it’d just be a nothing kiddie coaster that does a few laps and that’s it. How wrong I was.
I was the only person on the train, and the op specifically told me to take the very back car. The train pulled up the tire lift at a slow speed, and went down the drop at an almost similar pace. ”Just a relaxing family ride,” I thought. ”Surely this isn’t suddenly going to try and murder me four laps in, right?”
Now, I was already pretty weary after a long train ride the previous night followed by a full day at Hansa, so it might just have been me hallucinating, but the coaster for some reason just kept gaining speed. I’m pretty sure it was going up the tire lift faster than it was going down at one point, and the car violently slammed against the corners all while the cars spun around like they’d lost their minds.
This would’ve been tolerable, perhaps even fun, but what made it terrifying for me was the restraint, or rather, how ineffective it was. Instead of locking into place like it should, it was instead held in by a seatbelt, and the bar kept trying to force itself out, flinging my gut back and forth with it. It’s been a long time since I’ve genuinely thought I was going to fall out of a coaster, but I was seriously starting to fear for my life around the seventh or eight lap.
And it wouldn’t stop either, it just kept going, probably for a good ten to twelve laps in total. I honestly lost count eventually. Probably the most shocking ride I’ve had all year, and even scarier than staring straight down on Highlander. I have no idea how it’s allowed to operate the way that it does, but I’m both glad and absolutely repulsed that it did. What a milestone cred.
151. Limit (Heide-Park)
I didn’t get to ride this back in 2016 when I first visited Heide since it was still closed for winter maintenance. Coming back six years later, I finally managed to get on it, and I have some thoughts.
Congratulations, Vekoma, you have managed to outdo yourself in just how awful your SLC model is. This might genuinely be the worst coaster I’ve ever ridden, and it makes Vampire at Walibi Belgium and MP-Xpress at Movie Park Germany ride like brand new B&M inverts by comparison.
Firstly, the horsecollars. These things plague every SLC that hasn’t converted to the vest restraints yet, and they’re especially bad here. Why are these so bulky? Why are the thickets part of these right around the neck and head areas, where you’re most likely to bump into them when it rattles? Why are the handlebars so awkward to grapple with? Why do these feel like they were designed by someone who’s never met a person with broad shoulders? These things are simply the worst and why more parks haven’t replaced them already astounds me. They shouldn’t be allowed to exist.
Secondly, the coaster’s appearance. I mean, just look at it:
The vomit green supports and the white slowly chipping away on the track are certainly a choice. The thing just looks dilapitated, moreso than the rest of Heide’s coasters. The station is an ugly concrete building, and the patch of grass beneath the coaster looks like it hasn’t been maintained in years. It is simply an ugly coaster to look at, which is honestly a shame since these SLCs can actually look really appealing if their visuals are kept up well. I’m starting to think even Heide knows this coaster’s on its last legs, since it wasn’t even on the Express Butler on a crowded June Saturday, even as the line got packed for god knows what reason. They seriously gave the Mack powered coaster on the other side of the park the Express Butler priority over this one!
Thirdly, the ride itself. These SLCs actually do have a semi-promising layout, but they run like garbage, and this was the worst of all the ones I’ve been on. Every corner was a headbasher, and it somehow became more rattly the longer it went on. By the time we hit the double in-line twists, I just wanted the ride to be over. And the sharp brakes at the very end are just as awful as the rest of it.
The only positive thing about Limit’s existence is the IMAscore soundtrack, which absolutely ****ing slaps and makes standing near the coaster more fun than actually riding it. This ride does not deserve to have a soundtrack that good.
152. Indy-Blitz (Heide-Park)
Standard Zerier family coaster that does two laps. Not much to say really, it was just alright for what it was. Didn’t ride it last time as I never bothered to, but figured I’d hop on this time for the cred.
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CanobieFan
Strata Poster
My latest and greatest credit, Spinning Coaster at The Track, Destin. Probably the first here to get this new credit haha. #1,074
From my Scandinavia trip the following new credits:
- Taiga at Linnamaki - a real fun coaster, well paced, good airtime
- Hype at Särkeniemmi - not a real fan of the Premier SkyRocket as with my height of 1.92m I fit barely in, its very tight even to board and get off the ride, the Maurer SkyLoop is way superior IMO
- Monster at Gröna-Lund - fun B&M invert, feels a lot like Black Mamba, good addition to the park
- Valkyria at Liseberg - IMO if you have done B&M diver you've done them all, feels similar like the other coasters of this type, plus: has a single rider line
- Maelkevejen at Tivoli Gardens - pretty standard Mack powered with a superior location, slower than Odinexpressen but that doesn't feel much, plus: Does 3 laps
oriolat2
Giga Poster
During my last trip to Phantasialand, in early July, I rode F.L.Y for the first time. Here is my word-heavy review. If you are too lazy, skip to my overall thoughts:
Upon arriving at Phantasialand (9am sharp) with my boyfriend (not a coaster enthusiast by any means), I was kind of cred-anxious because I had read that even though rides are supposed to open at 10 am, Phantasialand starts cycling F.L.Y at 9.30am-ish, so we were headed to Rookburgh. The land itself is something out of this world. My jaw dropped at the grand reveal that is getting out of the tunnel and being immersed into Rookburgh. It truly is breathtaking. Soon after, we were joined by a relatively small queue of people already lining up for F.L.Y. While waiting, F.L.Y started testing and my inner goon (I am an operations nerd) was over the moon seeing that it ran all 4 trains! By contrast, I could see on my boyfriend's face that he was hesitant whether to ride or not (mind you, his biggest coaster achievement is riding Hyperspace Mountain at DLP, and he was really shocked). To my surprise, he said that he would give F.L.Y a go!
A bit after 9.30 am, the ride attendants opened the entrance to the coaster and the queue moved at a nice pace. I really wanted to have a closer look at everything but there were just too many people behind me to stop to admire the intricate queue details, which I grasped when I came back later to reride F.L.Y.
Queue area
Let's start with the ugly. F.L.Y's queue (and in general mainland Europe) is not wheelchair-friendly at all. I am not handicapped but I always wonder how a 21st-century attraction is not accessible for people in wheelchairs. Upon being greeted by the friendly attendant at the beginning of the line, there is the first set of stairs. Basically, the queue goes around the perimeter of Rookburgh and gives some vantage points over the coaster. I absolutely loved that there are very few and short cattlepen sections, which are great to avoid line-jumping. There are some parts of the queue which are extremely well themed and are distinctively steampunk. There was a straight section which had actual chains as railings, which I thought was a neat touch. Towards the end of the outdoor area you walk past the first launch (you get really close to it), which I think is a great way to get the rider's hype through the roof (and might scare inexperienced first-time riders). I also loved how nestled the downwards spiral staircase is in the center of a downwards helix. Details like this make the queue memorable.
When I went down the stairs I was really surprised by how spacious and big the circular dome is before the lockers. The projected videos on the walls are quirky and easy to understand. From this point, you can choose to be in one of three lines (if I am not mistaken): regular stand-by, front row or FastLane (Single rider if they ever implement it again). The attendant at the end gives you a plastic band to open the double-sided lockers. I thought it would be a lot more trouble going through the metal detectors but it was all done in a breeze, and I saw a couple of people turned away using a shortcut that dumps you right in the lockers again. And then, there is the station, which is glorious. It's a shame because there are no pictures (I think), but there is a sort of large piece of steampunk machinery in the middle of the batching area with some changing lights. To the left, you wait for the first row, and to the right, the rest of the train.
Station, trains and boarding process
Attendants are extremely well-trained on F.L.Y. They waste no time batching people in the 10 spaced gates. The station itself has a lot of kinetic energy with trains moving in and out of it, many effects. I wish I could have had more time to take it in. Somebody described it as a retro-psychedelic metro station, and I think that description is on point. On our first ride we got placed in the second row. The trains enter the station really fast against the wall. It's surreal seeing such a long train move sideways and park so abruptly, but I guess that's how you get good capacity. The loading process reminded me of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, albeit with leg holders. These trains are very comfortable and extremely easy to load. Vekoma has really solved one of the biggest flaws in flying coasters, which is the loading process, making it easy for both attendants and riders. In fact, F.L.Y only has 2 attendants on the loading platform and the train was ready to be dispatched in no longer than 1 minute: those trains are a breeze to check. Take that, B&M!
The ride
At that point, on my first ride I was really excited to ride but also a bit concerned by how my boyfriend would react to such a particular riding position. Upon leaving the station, the iconic dispatch soundtrack can be heard in the background. You make a quick outwards turn onto the darkride portion of F.L.Y. It really goes by in a matter of seconds but it's a nice way to get riders pumped and a good excuse to take the train to ground level. There are some projected advertisements about travelling, flying and Rookburgh (as far as I can remember) which are cool. As you crest the short tire-driven lift hill and make a 90º turn, the track twists downwards and the seats rotate clockwise in a very smooth maneuver. It’s such an elegant and gentle solution compared to B&M’s way of getting you into flying position. At that point, my boyfriend started to panic as he wasn’t fully prepared to experience being flat on his stomach.
The first launch was really gentle. In fact, it feels quite weak, but being in a flying position is strange, as you cannot see how long it takes to get to the end of the launch track and “take off”. The first overbank has some kick to it, followed by the first corkscrew. It was great seeing Rookburgh (and the park) upside down. I had the feeling that the inversion was taken rather slowly (although my boyfriend would tell you otherwise, since he was screaming at the top of his lungs!). A couple of swooping turns over and under the launch track and you get to that section where a blast of steam takes you by surprise. That effect is both great on and off ride, and it was running consistently all day. After a right turn, the coaster dives to the right into a trench getting into full steam (pun intended) with the second launch.
The second launch feels like a junior version of Taron’s second launch, in the sense that you enter rather quickly and you can really feel the boost, although in F.L.Y’s case it’s only 78 kph (I was really shocked to see that it doesn’t run faster!). Cresting the hill after the launch gave a surprise pop of airtime I was really not expecting. The biggest indicator that the airtime was intense is that my boyfriend told me it felt as if he was slipping from his seat (aka airtime). From here, F.L.Y shows its true potential, with the tightest downward turns (first to the left, then to the right). After the downwards helix surrounding the queue staircase, the ride dives providing another quick pop of airtime, followed by a rather elongated corkscrew which felt like a zeroG roll. After the corkscrew you navigate a series of S-turns really low to the ground/water, slaloming past some water jets (nice effect!) into the tunnel for the final brakes, which look like a landing runway with light strips and everything. Following the smooth brakes, the ride’s track is again twisted sideways, and the train gently rotates anticlockwise back in the upright position. The train then heads out of the tunnel performing a slow sideways inward 90º turn, and it’s the only bit where you can see the train in the loading position without being in the station. Since that turn also doubles as a waiting block before the unload station I was surprised to see huge fans facing riders to prevent sickness. I am curious to know if these were installed with the ride or if it was an afterthought seeing how intense/nauseating F.L.Y can be for some people.
Last, you enter the unloading area, where you easily hop off the train. Later in the day, I found that there is a magic gate that connects the load and unload station. Mid-afternoon, F.L.Y had very few people, so attendants had that gate open and were encouraging riders to reride without having to go through the burden of queuing and going through the metal detector process again. That’s how I got two back-to-back rides on F.L.Y (one in the front and one in the very back), which, admittedly, were a bit too much to handle for me: after the second go in the back, I felt light-headed and had to sit for a while.
After leaving the unload station, you get to a small circular area surrounded by the other side of the lockers you used before boarding. You scan your band to retrieve your stuff and to avoid taking bands as souvenirs and making sure that everyone has collected their belongings, you need to check yourself out of the baggage area by scanning the band and dropping it, to activate a turnstyle. Such an easy and practical solution. Well done, Phantasialand!
Overall thoughts:
F.L.Y is a superb ride but after careful consideration, it doesn’t top Taron. Taron is the better coaster (my current #1) but F.L.Y is an all-around better experience.
F.L.Y’s (and Rookburgh’s) soundtrack is amazing. At the beginning I didn’t quite get it but the dispatch sequence is almost as iconic as Taron’s. Pure earworm!
F.L.Y is an engineering and architectural feat. The amount of planning and civil engineering to fit SO MUCH track and underground facilities is just baffling.
Theming is a cross between Diagon Alley (big reveal) and the steampunk areas at Tokyo Disney Sea and DLP’s Discoveryland. Top notch. No matter where you look there is always something happening. Seriously, no pictures, videos or reviews make it justice. Eye candy!
F.L.Y is and feels long, almost too long. Definitely a substantial coaster, but it takes a toll on some people. It must be the mix of strong positives and pops of airtime (really surprising on a flying coaster), combined with the flying position.
I am stunned at how smooth the ride is, and I am obsessed with F.L.Y’s operations. It runs like clockwork. Congratulations to the F.L.Y crew!
Unpopular opinion, but F.L.Y could well do without both inversions and it would still be a great coaster. The flying experience is unmatched. I read somewhere that the layout on F.L.Y could work as a new-gen Suspended Thrill Coaster, like Hals-über-Kopf.
F.L.Y surprised me with its modest speed and launch stats: it doesn’t ride very fast at just 78 kph and the launches are not its strong suit.
There are definitely some similarities between Taron and F.L.Y. It’s as if Phantasialand got the best bits of Taron and cranked them up to eleven, as both:
Before boarding, me and Marc (my non-coaster bf)
Upon arriving at Phantasialand (9am sharp) with my boyfriend (not a coaster enthusiast by any means), I was kind of cred-anxious because I had read that even though rides are supposed to open at 10 am, Phantasialand starts cycling F.L.Y at 9.30am-ish, so we were headed to Rookburgh. The land itself is something out of this world. My jaw dropped at the grand reveal that is getting out of the tunnel and being immersed into Rookburgh. It truly is breathtaking. Soon after, we were joined by a relatively small queue of people already lining up for F.L.Y. While waiting, F.L.Y started testing and my inner goon (I am an operations nerd) was over the moon seeing that it ran all 4 trains! By contrast, I could see on my boyfriend's face that he was hesitant whether to ride or not (mind you, his biggest coaster achievement is riding Hyperspace Mountain at DLP, and he was really shocked). To my surprise, he said that he would give F.L.Y a go!
A bit after 9.30 am, the ride attendants opened the entrance to the coaster and the queue moved at a nice pace. I really wanted to have a closer look at everything but there were just too many people behind me to stop to admire the intricate queue details, which I grasped when I came back later to reride F.L.Y.
Queue area
Let's start with the ugly. F.L.Y's queue (and in general mainland Europe) is not wheelchair-friendly at all. I am not handicapped but I always wonder how a 21st-century attraction is not accessible for people in wheelchairs. Upon being greeted by the friendly attendant at the beginning of the line, there is the first set of stairs. Basically, the queue goes around the perimeter of Rookburgh and gives some vantage points over the coaster. I absolutely loved that there are very few and short cattlepen sections, which are great to avoid line-jumping. There are some parts of the queue which are extremely well themed and are distinctively steampunk. There was a straight section which had actual chains as railings, which I thought was a neat touch. Towards the end of the outdoor area you walk past the first launch (you get really close to it), which I think is a great way to get the rider's hype through the roof (and might scare inexperienced first-time riders). I also loved how nestled the downwards spiral staircase is in the center of a downwards helix. Details like this make the queue memorable.
When I went down the stairs I was really surprised by how spacious and big the circular dome is before the lockers. The projected videos on the walls are quirky and easy to understand. From this point, you can choose to be in one of three lines (if I am not mistaken): regular stand-by, front row or FastLane (Single rider if they ever implement it again). The attendant at the end gives you a plastic band to open the double-sided lockers. I thought it would be a lot more trouble going through the metal detectors but it was all done in a breeze, and I saw a couple of people turned away using a shortcut that dumps you right in the lockers again. And then, there is the station, which is glorious. It's a shame because there are no pictures (I think), but there is a sort of large piece of steampunk machinery in the middle of the batching area with some changing lights. To the left, you wait for the first row, and to the right, the rest of the train.
Station, trains and boarding process
Attendants are extremely well-trained on F.L.Y. They waste no time batching people in the 10 spaced gates. The station itself has a lot of kinetic energy with trains moving in and out of it, many effects. I wish I could have had more time to take it in. Somebody described it as a retro-psychedelic metro station, and I think that description is on point. On our first ride we got placed in the second row. The trains enter the station really fast against the wall. It's surreal seeing such a long train move sideways and park so abruptly, but I guess that's how you get good capacity. The loading process reminded me of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, albeit with leg holders. These trains are very comfortable and extremely easy to load. Vekoma has really solved one of the biggest flaws in flying coasters, which is the loading process, making it easy for both attendants and riders. In fact, F.L.Y only has 2 attendants on the loading platform and the train was ready to be dispatched in no longer than 1 minute: those trains are a breeze to check. Take that, B&M!
The ride
At that point, on my first ride I was really excited to ride but also a bit concerned by how my boyfriend would react to such a particular riding position. Upon leaving the station, the iconic dispatch soundtrack can be heard in the background. You make a quick outwards turn onto the darkride portion of F.L.Y. It really goes by in a matter of seconds but it's a nice way to get riders pumped and a good excuse to take the train to ground level. There are some projected advertisements about travelling, flying and Rookburgh (as far as I can remember) which are cool. As you crest the short tire-driven lift hill and make a 90º turn, the track twists downwards and the seats rotate clockwise in a very smooth maneuver. It’s such an elegant and gentle solution compared to B&M’s way of getting you into flying position. At that point, my boyfriend started to panic as he wasn’t fully prepared to experience being flat on his stomach.
The first launch was really gentle. In fact, it feels quite weak, but being in a flying position is strange, as you cannot see how long it takes to get to the end of the launch track and “take off”. The first overbank has some kick to it, followed by the first corkscrew. It was great seeing Rookburgh (and the park) upside down. I had the feeling that the inversion was taken rather slowly (although my boyfriend would tell you otherwise, since he was screaming at the top of his lungs!). A couple of swooping turns over and under the launch track and you get to that section where a blast of steam takes you by surprise. That effect is both great on and off ride, and it was running consistently all day. After a right turn, the coaster dives to the right into a trench getting into full steam (pun intended) with the second launch.
The second launch feels like a junior version of Taron’s second launch, in the sense that you enter rather quickly and you can really feel the boost, although in F.L.Y’s case it’s only 78 kph (I was really shocked to see that it doesn’t run faster!). Cresting the hill after the launch gave a surprise pop of airtime I was really not expecting. The biggest indicator that the airtime was intense is that my boyfriend told me it felt as if he was slipping from his seat (aka airtime). From here, F.L.Y shows its true potential, with the tightest downward turns (first to the left, then to the right). After the downwards helix surrounding the queue staircase, the ride dives providing another quick pop of airtime, followed by a rather elongated corkscrew which felt like a zeroG roll. After the corkscrew you navigate a series of S-turns really low to the ground/water, slaloming past some water jets (nice effect!) into the tunnel for the final brakes, which look like a landing runway with light strips and everything. Following the smooth brakes, the ride’s track is again twisted sideways, and the train gently rotates anticlockwise back in the upright position. The train then heads out of the tunnel performing a slow sideways inward 90º turn, and it’s the only bit where you can see the train in the loading position without being in the station. Since that turn also doubles as a waiting block before the unload station I was surprised to see huge fans facing riders to prevent sickness. I am curious to know if these were installed with the ride or if it was an afterthought seeing how intense/nauseating F.L.Y can be for some people.
Last, you enter the unloading area, where you easily hop off the train. Later in the day, I found that there is a magic gate that connects the load and unload station. Mid-afternoon, F.L.Y had very few people, so attendants had that gate open and were encouraging riders to reride without having to go through the burden of queuing and going through the metal detector process again. That’s how I got two back-to-back rides on F.L.Y (one in the front and one in the very back), which, admittedly, were a bit too much to handle for me: after the second go in the back, I felt light-headed and had to sit for a while.
After leaving the unload station, you get to a small circular area surrounded by the other side of the lockers you used before boarding. You scan your band to retrieve your stuff and to avoid taking bands as souvenirs and making sure that everyone has collected their belongings, you need to check yourself out of the baggage area by scanning the band and dropping it, to activate a turnstyle. Such an easy and practical solution. Well done, Phantasialand!
Overall thoughts:
F.L.Y is a superb ride but after careful consideration, it doesn’t top Taron. Taron is the better coaster (my current #1) but F.L.Y is an all-around better experience.
F.L.Y’s (and Rookburgh’s) soundtrack is amazing. At the beginning I didn’t quite get it but the dispatch sequence is almost as iconic as Taron’s. Pure earworm!
F.L.Y is an engineering and architectural feat. The amount of planning and civil engineering to fit SO MUCH track and underground facilities is just baffling.
Theming is a cross between Diagon Alley (big reveal) and the steampunk areas at Tokyo Disney Sea and DLP’s Discoveryland. Top notch. No matter where you look there is always something happening. Seriously, no pictures, videos or reviews make it justice. Eye candy!
F.L.Y is and feels long, almost too long. Definitely a substantial coaster, but it takes a toll on some people. It must be the mix of strong positives and pops of airtime (really surprising on a flying coaster), combined with the flying position.
I am stunned at how smooth the ride is, and I am obsessed with F.L.Y’s operations. It runs like clockwork. Congratulations to the F.L.Y crew!
Unpopular opinion, but F.L.Y could well do without both inversions and it would still be a great coaster. The flying experience is unmatched. I read somewhere that the layout on F.L.Y could work as a new-gen Suspended Thrill Coaster, like Hals-über-Kopf.
F.L.Y surprised me with its modest speed and launch stats: it doesn’t ride very fast at just 78 kph and the launches are not its strong suit.
There are definitely some similarities between Taron and F.L.Y. It’s as if Phantasialand got the best bits of Taron and cranked them up to eleven, as both:
- have two launches (one of which a rolling launch)
- have layouts impossible to follow and almost as long (both around 1.300 meters)
- play with near misses all the time
- run 4 trains and have separate load and unload station
- feature an iconic music every time a train is dispatched
- queues and paths interact with the ride masterfully
- are enclosed by extremely themed walls
- neither have ORP (quite odd, since both are major coasters with plenty of photo ops
Before boarding, me and Marc (my non-coaster bf)
Attachments
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Rollercoaster David
Mega Poster
I rode the new cred in Camden.
I feel shameful
The second half of the helix is surprisingly rough and the airline hill does not deliver.
It's also expensive, £25 for 3 of us to do 4 laps
I feel shameful
The second half of the helix is surprisingly rough and the airline hill does not deliver.
It's also expensive, £25 for 3 of us to do 4 laps
Kw6sTheater
Hyper Poster
Last week, I returned to Kings Island and Cedar Point, and visited Waldameer and Kennywood for my first time. Here's the highlights:
Orion, Kings Island (#201)
Considering that everyone called it a lesser version of Fury 325 since announcement day, Orion is certainly better than I expected. The first drop, though not as sustained as Fury’s, is still excellent. The sideways airtime hill has a little float to it, while the reverse treble clef had a faint pop of airtime at the top (regardless of whether I sat in the front or back). But fortunately, Orion improves significantly from here. The speed hill delivers fast, sustained flojector airtime - like a larger, faster version of Candymonium’s/Mako’s - while the big airtime hill has strong, sustained floater air (there was even flojector up front). The ampersand helix is fairly intense (but not greyout-inducing), and then the last curved hill provides surprising flojector air, especially in the front. The hop into the brakes provides more flojector airtime up front, giving floater in the back. It's my favorite coaster at Kings Island now.
Steel Vengeance, Cedar Point (#202)
The section before the lift has some slight airtime and laterals, while the lift has excellent views on both sides (Lake Erie on the left, Cedar Point on the right). The first drop delivers strong, sustained ejector airtime in the back, and is the 1st highlight of Steel Vengeance (in my opinion). The bunny hop is less powerful than expected, but still has a pop of ejector air. The top hat (curved hill?) delivers more glorious, sustained ejector air. The outer banked hill, a 2nd highlight of Steel Vengeance, has incredible views and even better sustained ejector air. The step up delivers a burst of ejector air in all rows - while the upward 450° roll is a surprisingly graceful maneuver at perfect 0G, and a 3rd highlight of the ride. The high wave turn is less powerful than expected, giving a pop of sideways floater. The diving stall throws riders to the left, then snaps back to the right with decent whip and a brief moment of hangtime. The step down gives ejector airtime in all rows, but is especially violent in the back. The step up into the mid course brake run is even more violent, combined with strong laterals immediately after the climb - followed by another burst of ejector air and laterals into the mid course brake run.
If the mid course brake run hits, the following drop will be noticeably less powerful (but still pretty good, delivering decent ejector air in the back). However, without trims, the mid course drop delivers violent, sustained ejector air in the back. Oddly enough, this drop doesn’t have much airtime from the middle of the train. Steel Vengeance’s double up delivers 2 strong ejector airtime moments - part 2 is substantially more sustained. The large off-axis hill into the structure delivers sustained ejector air plus twisting laterals - reminiscent of Iron Gwazi’s outer banked hill, but on a smaller scale. The overbank over the brake run is solid, followed by inversion 3, which is taken surprisingly fast with a bit of whip to it. The next 2 hills give more ejector airtime that’s surprisingly sustained too. A dose of laterals back inside the structure leads into a miniature wave turn, delivering a pop of sideways ejector air. Inversion 4 is slower with a dose of hangtime, followed by a decent overbank, into a small off-axis hill (with, you guessed it, more ejector air). Then comes Steel Vengeance’s ridiculous “jackhammer” finale - the first 4 hills deliver pops of ejector airtime, while the last 2 give weaker floater air.
Although I wasn’t immediately blown away by Steel Vengeance, it climbed from a top 5 coaster to a top 2 coaster at the end of day 1 (after 8 laps, mostly at night). I spent the next 3 days re-riding it in the morning, afternoon and evening, and Steel Vengeance delivered on every single ride. As everyone has said before me, it’s an absolutely incredible coaster that delivers ejector airtime in droves, along with solid laterals, good inversions and some whip over a surreally long ride. The only coaster that I prefer to Steel Vengeance is The Voyage.
Ravine Flyer II, Waldameer (#204)
On Ravine Flyer II, front and back row give extremely different rides. In the back, the first drop delivers standing ejector airtime plus strong laterals, while the front only gets laterals - but in my opinion, the rest of Ravine Flyer II is better up front. The bottom of the first drop - diving off the hill - delivers compounding laterals into the tunnel. Then, the train snaps into speed hill 1, which delivers sustained, standing ejector airtime. In my opinion, these 2 speed hills (the ones over the highway) are the highlights of Ravine Flyer II - they deliver the strongest and most sustained airtime on the entire ride. The next turn gives a quick dose of laterals, followed by a violent burst of flojector airtime as the train changes direction. But up front, strong, sustained laterals kick in while riders are still in the air, pinning them to the side of the train for the following turn - this was a total shock and a mind-blowing sensation. Though Ravine Flyer II loses a lot of speed on the turnaround, front row riders get a pop of air going over the top. The 2nd big drop delivers decent floater airtime in the back, which is less than expected, but speed hill 2 compensates for it. Speed hill 2 delivers more sustained, standing ejector airtime across the train, which (somehow) feels even more powerful than speed hill 1. The next turn has decent laterals, though it’s hard to notice due to the frantic pacing. Speed hills 3 and 4 deliver more standing ejector air, though 4 (the hill before turnaround 2) is a bit more sustained. Turnaround 2 delivers some laterals - but since it’s climbing up the hill, Ravine Flyer II slows down significantly. The next hill has a pop of strong flojector air up front, while the next turn (under Ravine Flyer II’s lift) has solid laterals. The twisted hill delivers two doses of laterals with another strong pop of flojector air between them, while the overbank has funky, inside-facing laterals. Ravine Flyer II drops off the hill once more, picking up a lot of speed with solid laterals in the low turnaround. Just before Ravine Flyer II climbs the hill for the last time, it banks to the side and delivers one last burst of near-standing, flojector airtime - similar to GCI’s sideways airtime pops - but this one is much stronger. Up front, there’s one last airtime pop as the track straightens out - finally, the last bunny hop and turn deliver minimal airtime/laterals, and then Ravine Flyer II hits the brakes.
From the first drop to turnaround 2, Ravine Flyer II is phenomenal - there’s multiple moments of standing ejector air and strong laterals taken at a blistering pace. Even when it loses speed on top of the hill, Ravine Flyer II still gives good airtime up front - though the second half is much less exciting in the back. The layout feels longer than it actually is, and while there are some rougher moments (mostly turnaround 1), Ravine Flyer II is smoother than I expected too. After warming up in the afternoon, it runs noticeably faster, which leads to even stronger airtime and laterals. Ravine Flyer II is one of my top 5 wooden coasters overall - and though it’s not as long or consistently paced as Voyage, it reminded me why I love Gravity Groups so much.
Phantoms Revenge, Kennywood (#209)
Drop 1 has some fun laterals on the left side as the train speeds up rapidly. After the fast straightaway, the train rockets up the 2nd hill, losing speed near the top. But that ravine drop is absolutely insane. On my 1st ride (which was in back row), I yelled out in shock from the burst of standing ejector airtime over the crest. In my opinion, this is the 1st highlight on ride. As the drop “flattens” into a very steep ramp, that standing airtime morphs into a floating feeling. Going down the ramp, Phantom accelerates out-of-control, charging into an intense turnaround at the bottom of the ravine. The top of the turnaround delivers solid, outward-facing laterals, followed by more laterals on the low turn. The step up through Thunderbolt delivers banked airtime (similar to a GCI maneuver), but Phantom’s is so much better. It’s surprisingly sustained with strong, godlike floater air. After the quick turnaround over Turtle, the madness begins - the dip off the turn has a burst of standing ejector airtime, and within seconds, there’s another, more sustained burst of standing ejector air. This double hill is the 2nd highlight on Phantom, in my opinion. The double down delivers 2 bursts of strong flojector air, and Phantoms Revenge hauls through the last turnaround. There’s 1 more burst of flojector air, followed by a sudden, tight valley, then the brake run comes all too soon.
Besides the double down, I found every element on Phantom to be much better in the back than the front. It’s a speed demon with multiple standing airtime moments - combined with the minimalistic restraints, Phantoms Revenge feels like a steel version of Phoenix. Night rides are especially crazy - there’s no light in the ravine, but more significantly, the ride seems even faster at night (with even stronger airtime…). Without a doubt, Phantoms Revenge is my favorite coaster at Kennywood. Though it’s short, it’s ridiculously euphoric - every single lap on Phantom felt like a shot of adrenaline (similar to Phoenix), and I just couldn’t get enough of it.
Steel Curtain, Kennywood (#210)
The Drachen Fire dive drop has slight hangtime up front, while the back has some laterals dropping into the half-loop. The banana roll gives two doses of slight hangtime, with laterals in between, and the following step down delivers a moment of surprising flojector airtime. The sea serpent roll is graceful (unlike the whippy roll-overs on Vekoma SLCs). The large airtime hill (over the zero-g stall) is my favorite moment on Steel Curtain - it gives flojector air that’s shockingly sustained. The entry into the dive loop gives surprising floater air up front that morphs into hangtime. Following that, the zero-g stall has whip going in, a dose of hangtime at the top, and whip going out - it’s the other highlight on Steel Curtain in my opinion. The step up delivers a burst of floater air, quickly followed by some hangtime in the zero-g roll. The next valley is more intense than expected, and the cutback has whip on the entry and exit. Since the cutback happens so fast, I didn’t feel any hangtime. Up front, the jump into the brakes gives one last moment of flojector air.
Steel Curtain is so much better in the front. Compared to the back, there’s more airtime, hangtime and whip on nearly every element. The cutback and final valley have a noticeable rattle, but the rest of Steel Curtain is smooth. It’s a modern, quirky take on a classic multi-looper, and on top of its diverse inversions, Steel Curtain also has surprisingly good airtime moments. I prefer it to most of the classic multi-loopers - Steel Curtain is unique and varied, getting progressively stronger and wilder as the ride goes on. Steel Curtain is my 2nd favorite coaster at Kennywood just behind Phantoms Revenge.
Orion, Kings Island (#201)
Considering that everyone called it a lesser version of Fury 325 since announcement day, Orion is certainly better than I expected. The first drop, though not as sustained as Fury’s, is still excellent. The sideways airtime hill has a little float to it, while the reverse treble clef had a faint pop of airtime at the top (regardless of whether I sat in the front or back). But fortunately, Orion improves significantly from here. The speed hill delivers fast, sustained flojector airtime - like a larger, faster version of Candymonium’s/Mako’s - while the big airtime hill has strong, sustained floater air (there was even flojector up front). The ampersand helix is fairly intense (but not greyout-inducing), and then the last curved hill provides surprising flojector air, especially in the front. The hop into the brakes provides more flojector airtime up front, giving floater in the back. It's my favorite coaster at Kings Island now.
Steel Vengeance, Cedar Point (#202)
The section before the lift has some slight airtime and laterals, while the lift has excellent views on both sides (Lake Erie on the left, Cedar Point on the right). The first drop delivers strong, sustained ejector airtime in the back, and is the 1st highlight of Steel Vengeance (in my opinion). The bunny hop is less powerful than expected, but still has a pop of ejector air. The top hat (curved hill?) delivers more glorious, sustained ejector air. The outer banked hill, a 2nd highlight of Steel Vengeance, has incredible views and even better sustained ejector air. The step up delivers a burst of ejector air in all rows - while the upward 450° roll is a surprisingly graceful maneuver at perfect 0G, and a 3rd highlight of the ride. The high wave turn is less powerful than expected, giving a pop of sideways floater. The diving stall throws riders to the left, then snaps back to the right with decent whip and a brief moment of hangtime. The step down gives ejector airtime in all rows, but is especially violent in the back. The step up into the mid course brake run is even more violent, combined with strong laterals immediately after the climb - followed by another burst of ejector air and laterals into the mid course brake run.
If the mid course brake run hits, the following drop will be noticeably less powerful (but still pretty good, delivering decent ejector air in the back). However, without trims, the mid course drop delivers violent, sustained ejector air in the back. Oddly enough, this drop doesn’t have much airtime from the middle of the train. Steel Vengeance’s double up delivers 2 strong ejector airtime moments - part 2 is substantially more sustained. The large off-axis hill into the structure delivers sustained ejector air plus twisting laterals - reminiscent of Iron Gwazi’s outer banked hill, but on a smaller scale. The overbank over the brake run is solid, followed by inversion 3, which is taken surprisingly fast with a bit of whip to it. The next 2 hills give more ejector airtime that’s surprisingly sustained too. A dose of laterals back inside the structure leads into a miniature wave turn, delivering a pop of sideways ejector air. Inversion 4 is slower with a dose of hangtime, followed by a decent overbank, into a small off-axis hill (with, you guessed it, more ejector air). Then comes Steel Vengeance’s ridiculous “jackhammer” finale - the first 4 hills deliver pops of ejector airtime, while the last 2 give weaker floater air.
Although I wasn’t immediately blown away by Steel Vengeance, it climbed from a top 5 coaster to a top 2 coaster at the end of day 1 (after 8 laps, mostly at night). I spent the next 3 days re-riding it in the morning, afternoon and evening, and Steel Vengeance delivered on every single ride. As everyone has said before me, it’s an absolutely incredible coaster that delivers ejector airtime in droves, along with solid laterals, good inversions and some whip over a surreally long ride. The only coaster that I prefer to Steel Vengeance is The Voyage.
Ravine Flyer II, Waldameer (#204)
On Ravine Flyer II, front and back row give extremely different rides. In the back, the first drop delivers standing ejector airtime plus strong laterals, while the front only gets laterals - but in my opinion, the rest of Ravine Flyer II is better up front. The bottom of the first drop - diving off the hill - delivers compounding laterals into the tunnel. Then, the train snaps into speed hill 1, which delivers sustained, standing ejector airtime. In my opinion, these 2 speed hills (the ones over the highway) are the highlights of Ravine Flyer II - they deliver the strongest and most sustained airtime on the entire ride. The next turn gives a quick dose of laterals, followed by a violent burst of flojector airtime as the train changes direction. But up front, strong, sustained laterals kick in while riders are still in the air, pinning them to the side of the train for the following turn - this was a total shock and a mind-blowing sensation. Though Ravine Flyer II loses a lot of speed on the turnaround, front row riders get a pop of air going over the top. The 2nd big drop delivers decent floater airtime in the back, which is less than expected, but speed hill 2 compensates for it. Speed hill 2 delivers more sustained, standing ejector airtime across the train, which (somehow) feels even more powerful than speed hill 1. The next turn has decent laterals, though it’s hard to notice due to the frantic pacing. Speed hills 3 and 4 deliver more standing ejector air, though 4 (the hill before turnaround 2) is a bit more sustained. Turnaround 2 delivers some laterals - but since it’s climbing up the hill, Ravine Flyer II slows down significantly. The next hill has a pop of strong flojector air up front, while the next turn (under Ravine Flyer II’s lift) has solid laterals. The twisted hill delivers two doses of laterals with another strong pop of flojector air between them, while the overbank has funky, inside-facing laterals. Ravine Flyer II drops off the hill once more, picking up a lot of speed with solid laterals in the low turnaround. Just before Ravine Flyer II climbs the hill for the last time, it banks to the side and delivers one last burst of near-standing, flojector airtime - similar to GCI’s sideways airtime pops - but this one is much stronger. Up front, there’s one last airtime pop as the track straightens out - finally, the last bunny hop and turn deliver minimal airtime/laterals, and then Ravine Flyer II hits the brakes.
From the first drop to turnaround 2, Ravine Flyer II is phenomenal - there’s multiple moments of standing ejector air and strong laterals taken at a blistering pace. Even when it loses speed on top of the hill, Ravine Flyer II still gives good airtime up front - though the second half is much less exciting in the back. The layout feels longer than it actually is, and while there are some rougher moments (mostly turnaround 1), Ravine Flyer II is smoother than I expected too. After warming up in the afternoon, it runs noticeably faster, which leads to even stronger airtime and laterals. Ravine Flyer II is one of my top 5 wooden coasters overall - and though it’s not as long or consistently paced as Voyage, it reminded me why I love Gravity Groups so much.
Phantoms Revenge, Kennywood (#209)
Drop 1 has some fun laterals on the left side as the train speeds up rapidly. After the fast straightaway, the train rockets up the 2nd hill, losing speed near the top. But that ravine drop is absolutely insane. On my 1st ride (which was in back row), I yelled out in shock from the burst of standing ejector airtime over the crest. In my opinion, this is the 1st highlight on ride. As the drop “flattens” into a very steep ramp, that standing airtime morphs into a floating feeling. Going down the ramp, Phantom accelerates out-of-control, charging into an intense turnaround at the bottom of the ravine. The top of the turnaround delivers solid, outward-facing laterals, followed by more laterals on the low turn. The step up through Thunderbolt delivers banked airtime (similar to a GCI maneuver), but Phantom’s is so much better. It’s surprisingly sustained with strong, godlike floater air. After the quick turnaround over Turtle, the madness begins - the dip off the turn has a burst of standing ejector airtime, and within seconds, there’s another, more sustained burst of standing ejector air. This double hill is the 2nd highlight on Phantom, in my opinion. The double down delivers 2 bursts of strong flojector air, and Phantoms Revenge hauls through the last turnaround. There’s 1 more burst of flojector air, followed by a sudden, tight valley, then the brake run comes all too soon.
Besides the double down, I found every element on Phantom to be much better in the back than the front. It’s a speed demon with multiple standing airtime moments - combined with the minimalistic restraints, Phantoms Revenge feels like a steel version of Phoenix. Night rides are especially crazy - there’s no light in the ravine, but more significantly, the ride seems even faster at night (with even stronger airtime…). Without a doubt, Phantoms Revenge is my favorite coaster at Kennywood. Though it’s short, it’s ridiculously euphoric - every single lap on Phantom felt like a shot of adrenaline (similar to Phoenix), and I just couldn’t get enough of it.
Steel Curtain, Kennywood (#210)
The Drachen Fire dive drop has slight hangtime up front, while the back has some laterals dropping into the half-loop. The banana roll gives two doses of slight hangtime, with laterals in between, and the following step down delivers a moment of surprising flojector airtime. The sea serpent roll is graceful (unlike the whippy roll-overs on Vekoma SLCs). The large airtime hill (over the zero-g stall) is my favorite moment on Steel Curtain - it gives flojector air that’s shockingly sustained. The entry into the dive loop gives surprising floater air up front that morphs into hangtime. Following that, the zero-g stall has whip going in, a dose of hangtime at the top, and whip going out - it’s the other highlight on Steel Curtain in my opinion. The step up delivers a burst of floater air, quickly followed by some hangtime in the zero-g roll. The next valley is more intense than expected, and the cutback has whip on the entry and exit. Since the cutback happens so fast, I didn’t feel any hangtime. Up front, the jump into the brakes gives one last moment of flojector air.
Steel Curtain is so much better in the front. Compared to the back, there’s more airtime, hangtime and whip on nearly every element. The cutback and final valley have a noticeable rattle, but the rest of Steel Curtain is smooth. It’s a modern, quirky take on a classic multi-looper, and on top of its diverse inversions, Steel Curtain also has surprisingly good airtime moments. I prefer it to most of the classic multi-loopers - Steel Curtain is unique and varied, getting progressively stronger and wilder as the ride goes on. Steel Curtain is my 2nd favorite coaster at Kennywood just behind Phantoms Revenge.
Ethan
Strata Poster
Great review of F.L.Y, I'm so excited to get back there, hopefully next year, to finally ride it. But the question is, how did your boyfriend find it overall? Tickled or traumatised?
oriolat2
Giga Poster
Bless him. He says he was traumatised but I think he is exaggerating and was actually fine although he doesn't have much of a recollection as he had his eyes shut and screamed through the entire ride xD He did'nt reride though.Great review of F.L.Y, I'm so excited to get back there, hopefully next year, to finally ride it. But the question is, how did your boyfriend find it overall? Tickled or traumatised?
If he hadn't enjoyed it so much, why would he go on Taron? That was a fun ride for him, but he got off shaking. He was clearly unprepared for the sheer power of Taron: he is not big into inversions and he was misled by the lack of height and inversions on Taron... Little did he know xD
CSLKennyNI
Giga Poster
Even neater is those are former lift chains from Chiapas! Some nice recycling.
@SilverArrow's face says it all, I reckon. Blooming great smile from ear to ear all the way round. Can't wait to ride that. 
#2 B&M Invert for you too, @Mushroom - that's not half bad at all!
#2 B&M Invert for you too, @Mushroom - that's not half bad at all!
Tonkso
Hyper Poster
After an amazing weekend, got a while bunch of new creds but I'm not going to talk about all of them, here are the highlights.
The Ride to Happiness. Why in earth did Plopsa build this thing? Don't get me wrong, I'm very pleased that they did but it's such an unusual choice for that park. Anubis was probably the biggest thrill coaster prior, and we honestly felt like it was missing something (mental launch though), now this has thoroughly dethroned it by a country mile. It's insane and it's true, no ride is ever the same on it. One ride was ejector, one ride was pure spin, one ride was graceful floater. I don't get it, but I love it.
Heide. Proof that a small scale modern woodie can fit in any park. I wish it was longer, but would it just lose momentum if it was? This attracts the largest queues in the park due to a pretty poor throughout but it's worth the wait.
Dino Splash. Proof that an old gen flume can still be a lot of fun when looked after properly (looking at you, Thorpe and Alton).
The park in general was well kept, well landscaped. I didn't know the characters as Maya the Bee is the only one that seemed to make its way over the English Channel, but the families in the park seemed to be enjoying it. Oddly enough there were a fair few stag and hen parties roaming around. Plopsaland De Blackpool.
The other coasters were one-and-done rides with the world's most cursed Capri Sun (if you know, you know). Supersplash was fun, but starting with an elevator lift into the drop made the ride peak a bit too early in my opinion. The Star Flyer was good as they always are and the theming on the R2H station was excellent.
A word of warning to anyone planning a Plopsaland trip however, the secondary spend there will make Disney blush.
On to Walibi Belgium, skipping over the Ve'clone'as (accidentally made my 150 an SLC), this is a much larger park with a really diverse line up.
The log flume was yet another example of what happens when you take care of your old gen flume, and it had upwards of a half hour queue on what was a very quiet day, despite ops absolutely hurling logs out of the dispatch.
Pulsar was our first Powersplash and whilst we didn't get as wet as we expected (the rapids absolutely soaked us), we weren't prepared for how powerful the launches were going to feel. Tonnes of fun.
Tiki Waka is a decent step up coaster for the younger guests, we were actually the first riders of the day which was nice.
Psyke! was good and my partner's first of its class. I preferred it to Montezooma thanks to the indoor setting. I didn't enjoy it being our longest queue if the day stuck behind a serial farter.
Loup Garou gets a lot of stick for being rough, but I like it, woodies should feel alive and that certainly feels alive.
Oh, I missed one. The one everyone on here cares about the most (alongside R2H).
Kondaa might have dethroned Taron as my personal number one. Ejector for days. Floater that lasts. A ride that can honestly be compared to a bucking bronco, it wants you get you out of your seat. It wants to keep going. It wants to murder you.
I wish I'd gone for a third ride on it instead of cooling off on a second flume ride.
Oh god, I've got a new number one.
The Ride to Happiness. Why in earth did Plopsa build this thing? Don't get me wrong, I'm very pleased that they did but it's such an unusual choice for that park. Anubis was probably the biggest thrill coaster prior, and we honestly felt like it was missing something (mental launch though), now this has thoroughly dethroned it by a country mile. It's insane and it's true, no ride is ever the same on it. One ride was ejector, one ride was pure spin, one ride was graceful floater. I don't get it, but I love it.
Heide. Proof that a small scale modern woodie can fit in any park. I wish it was longer, but would it just lose momentum if it was? This attracts the largest queues in the park due to a pretty poor throughout but it's worth the wait.
Dino Splash. Proof that an old gen flume can still be a lot of fun when looked after properly (looking at you, Thorpe and Alton).
The park in general was well kept, well landscaped. I didn't know the characters as Maya the Bee is the only one that seemed to make its way over the English Channel, but the families in the park seemed to be enjoying it. Oddly enough there were a fair few stag and hen parties roaming around. Plopsaland De Blackpool.
The other coasters were one-and-done rides with the world's most cursed Capri Sun (if you know, you know). Supersplash was fun, but starting with an elevator lift into the drop made the ride peak a bit too early in my opinion. The Star Flyer was good as they always are and the theming on the R2H station was excellent.
A word of warning to anyone planning a Plopsaland trip however, the secondary spend there will make Disney blush.
On to Walibi Belgium, skipping over the Ve'clone'as (accidentally made my 150 an SLC), this is a much larger park with a really diverse line up.
The log flume was yet another example of what happens when you take care of your old gen flume, and it had upwards of a half hour queue on what was a very quiet day, despite ops absolutely hurling logs out of the dispatch.
Pulsar was our first Powersplash and whilst we didn't get as wet as we expected (the rapids absolutely soaked us), we weren't prepared for how powerful the launches were going to feel. Tonnes of fun.
Tiki Waka is a decent step up coaster for the younger guests, we were actually the first riders of the day which was nice.
Psyke! was good and my partner's first of its class. I preferred it to Montezooma thanks to the indoor setting. I didn't enjoy it being our longest queue if the day stuck behind a serial farter.
Loup Garou gets a lot of stick for being rough, but I like it, woodies should feel alive and that certainly feels alive.
Oh, I missed one. The one everyone on here cares about the most (alongside R2H).
Kondaa might have dethroned Taron as my personal number one. Ejector for days. Floater that lasts. A ride that can honestly be compared to a bucking bronco, it wants you get you out of your seat. It wants to keep going. It wants to murder you.
I wish I'd gone for a third ride on it instead of cooling off on a second flume ride.
Oh god, I've got a new number one.
FistedColossus
Hyper Poster
Like @Tonkso I was also at Plopsaland over the weekend.
First of all, what a doddle that drive is. 35 mins down one stretch of motorway from the Ferry to De Panne.
Ride To Happiness - This had been getting rave reviews but I wasn't in a huge rush to ride due to a couple of USA trips taking priority. My curiosity peaked though after absolutely loving Time Traveller at SDC.
This ride is utterly mental. I dunno if it was tiredness/dehydration but pretty much every ride absolutely effed me up. The most intense coaster I've done by a significant distance. Unlike Time Traveller, there are absolutely no dead spots on this ride, not a single piece of track is wasted.
But I'm struggling to fit this into the top 10/15. It's got some brilliant ejector airtime but the enjoyment varies based on where you're sat or at which angle you approach the elements. On Time Traveller I was able to sit on the back row and get catapulted backwards down the first drop - I kind of liked that this was available on tap, and not down to chance.
I love intense rides and RTH is just about my limit. Its amazing in small doses but not marathonable and that kind of takes away from the fun factor.
The spin level on this ride model is spot on, for me it's not about the actual number of rotations but the fact they provide the opportunity to experience standard coaster elements at interesting angles.
Overall its clearly a world class ride and you should believe the hype!
First of all, what a doddle that drive is. 35 mins down one stretch of motorway from the Ferry to De Panne.
Ride To Happiness - This had been getting rave reviews but I wasn't in a huge rush to ride due to a couple of USA trips taking priority. My curiosity peaked though after absolutely loving Time Traveller at SDC.
This ride is utterly mental. I dunno if it was tiredness/dehydration but pretty much every ride absolutely effed me up. The most intense coaster I've done by a significant distance. Unlike Time Traveller, there are absolutely no dead spots on this ride, not a single piece of track is wasted.
But I'm struggling to fit this into the top 10/15. It's got some brilliant ejector airtime but the enjoyment varies based on where you're sat or at which angle you approach the elements. On Time Traveller I was able to sit on the back row and get catapulted backwards down the first drop - I kind of liked that this was available on tap, and not down to chance.
I love intense rides and RTH is just about my limit. Its amazing in small doses but not marathonable and that kind of takes away from the fun factor.
The spin level on this ride model is spot on, for me it's not about the actual number of rotations but the fact they provide the opportunity to experience standard coaster elements at interesting angles.
Overall its clearly a world class ride and you should believe the hype!
Indy
Hyper Poster
Rollin’ Thunder - Like going down a vertical cliff in a shopping cart.
It’s such a strange ride. It has a lot of parts that are really good; some insane ejector airtime hills and some fun inversions and maneuvers. It also has some funky centerlining which plays into those fun inversions and maneuvers.
But then it has the completely random potholes and maneuvers where the car doesn’t track well. The zero-g rolls seem to be notable examples with the car suddenly shaking the crap out of you.
Honestly, the layout is pretty fun and shows a lot of promise. I am super optimistic that Zamperla is turning the page and their new wave of coasters will really change the perception of the company. I walked off not really wanting to do it again, but excited to see what Zamperla does next, so take that for what it is worth.
It’s such a strange ride. It has a lot of parts that are really good; some insane ejector airtime hills and some fun inversions and maneuvers. It also has some funky centerlining which plays into those fun inversions and maneuvers.
But then it has the completely random potholes and maneuvers where the car doesn’t track well. The zero-g rolls seem to be notable examples with the car suddenly shaking the crap out of you.
Honestly, the layout is pretty fun and shows a lot of promise. I am super optimistic that Zamperla is turning the page and their new wave of coasters will really change the perception of the company. I walked off not really wanting to do it again, but excited to see what Zamperla does next, so take that for what it is worth.
redheadedRobin
Mega Poster
Oblivion: The Black Hole [Gardaland, Italy]
It was the last thing we rode that day, and I procastinated getting on it as much as I could because it intimidated me. It was my first dive coaster, and despite knowing what I was in for and having read a thousand reviews about them, it still shocked me. Anxiety started kicking in as soon as we decided to finally get on it, and the whole "last chance to back out" vibe on the station accentuated it. The holding brake gimmick worked on me, even though I knew it would be just 4 seconds (I had counted them every time we saw a train stopping there, #JustAnxietyThings).
Rode second row, since a sweet family kindly asked us if we minded changing so that they'd be all together. We had no problem even though we were not planning to reride. Still a great experience. Chain lift, tunnel, immelmann, helix, roll and back to the station. It's a short layout, but sweet and well paced. Really enjoyed that drop, the rest of the layout is enjoyable but nothing extraordinary.
Gf's words as we were in the holding brake, somehow completely oblivious to the drop: "Honey don't worry, it's gonna be o- OH ****!"
It was the last thing we rode that day, and I procastinated getting on it as much as I could because it intimidated me. It was my first dive coaster, and despite knowing what I was in for and having read a thousand reviews about them, it still shocked me. Anxiety started kicking in as soon as we decided to finally get on it, and the whole "last chance to back out" vibe on the station accentuated it. The holding brake gimmick worked on me, even though I knew it would be just 4 seconds (I had counted them every time we saw a train stopping there, #JustAnxietyThings).
Rode second row, since a sweet family kindly asked us if we minded changing so that they'd be all together. We had no problem even though we were not planning to reride. Still a great experience. Chain lift, tunnel, immelmann, helix, roll and back to the station. It's a short layout, but sweet and well paced. Really enjoyed that drop, the rest of the layout is enjoyable but nothing extraordinary.
Gf's words as we were in the holding brake, somehow completely oblivious to the drop: "Honey don't worry, it's gonna be o- OH ****!"