Why Not Take A Free Spin in 4D?
4D coasters are nothing new. X2 from Arrow Dynamics opened at Six Flags Magic Mountain in 2002 and operates with a controlled spin. Then came Intamin’s ZacSpin, on which the seats spin freely. This was improved upon when S&S Worldwide, the successor to Arrow, developed a free spin coaster which has been installed at five Six Flags parks. It’s known as The Joker at Six Flags Great Adventure...[Read More]
Why Not Be Impulsive?
Why Not Be Impulsive? The impulse coaster is a model manufactured by Intamin, inverted and featuring multiple launches. There are currently five installations in the USA: Vertical Velocity at Six Flags Great America, V2: Vertical Velocity at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Wicked Twister at Cedar Point, Steel Venom at Valleyfair and Possessed at Dorney Park (pictured.) They’re not all the same al...[Read More]
Why Not Go Rogue?
Actually, maybe rogue is the wrong word. Why offend, if you would really just want to go your own way? Perhaps, you are more of a maverick. This 2007 Intamin terrain-hugging LSM launch coaster has been the wildest part of Frontier Town at Cedar Point, and it seems plenty happy to have gone a separate way from Mean Streak. Instead of becoming rougher and less confidence-inspiring over the years, Ma...[Read More]
Why Not Take a Dive?
Opened in 2016, Valravn at Cedar Point is the world’s tallest Bolliger & Mabillard Dive Machine roller coaster. Only 1 of 3 Dive Machines in the U.S., Valravn was a welcome and thrilling new edition nearer to the front of the park. With a 217 foot drop and a top speed of 75 mph, Valravn captured the crown from Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s Griffon with its greater height and speed...[Read More]
Why Not Revolt?
Ok, ok, I don’t mean revolt as in acting out because you don’t want to actually ride this brute. Rather, I merely want to point out that the Corkscrew at Cedar Point was themed in honor of our nation’s Bicentennial when it opened in 1976. The first roller coaster with three inversions, Corkscrew also claimed, by just a few days, the first modern vertical loop on a roller coaster...[Read More]
Why Not Go Floorless?
If you enjoy the feeling of having your feet dangling freely, but don’t care for the reduced visibility of overhead track on inverted rides, perhaps floorless coasters like Rougarou are the thing for you. These models are exclusively produced by B&M and can be seen all over the world; though the ride stats vary from tall + long + fast (Kraken at SeaWorld Orlando) to shorter + slower (Hyd...[Read More]
Why Not Get Suspended?
No, not from work or school, but from some classic Arrow steel track! The Bat at Kings Island, opened in 1994 (not too be confused with the similarly named but ultimately failed early 80s suspended coaster) and was called Top Gun. Appropriately, it was themed to the 1986 movie. I think Kings Island nailed it with its current paint job and the revival of the legendary failure’s name. It ...[Read More]
Why Not Go Big?
Banshee at Mason, Ohio’s Kings Island was introduced as the world’s longest inverted coaster. Aside from any record-breaking facts toted at its introduction, in person, this new-for-2014 B&M beaut is huge and moves an impressive amount of people through its queues every day the park is open. So Why Not Get Inverted? Have you ridden Banshee? Which inverted B&M coaster is your f...[Read More]
Why Sit When You Can Stand Up?
That was a question a few roller coaster designers in the 1980s and 1990s asked. However, the stand up roller coaster seems to be slowly fading away with several parks dismantling & selling theirs or, in the case of Mantis at Cedar Point, converting it to a Floorless Coaster. So What’s Your Take? Have you ridden a standup roller coaster? Have you ridden one that’s been converted ...[Read More]
Why Not Take a Flight?
Firehawk at Kings Kings Island is one of three of Vekoma’s Flying Dutchman roller coasters in the U.S. Originally painted green and black and named X-Flight, this flying coaster once lived in northeast Ohio at the now defunct Six Flags Worlds of Adventure (or that park’s more familiar name, Geauga Lake). Now in southwest Ohio, Firehawk still provides plenty of white-knuckle rides. Wh...[Read More]
Why Not Ride a Kiddy Coaster?
Well, because this one hurts! I remember riding this particular Allan Herschell designed roller coaster as a very young child, and it hurt even then! This little steel monster/kiddy coaster resides at Midway State Park (formerly Midway Park) in Maple Springs, NY along the shore of Chautauqua Lake. I wish they had the Mad Mouse model instead… So What’s Your Take? Do you ride little c...[Read More]
Why Not Get Some Hangtime?
Why not get some hangtime on Cedar Point’s guardian, GateKeeper? Opened in 2013, GateKeeper claimed several records, including the world’s highest inversion at 170 ft. What’s your take? Have you ridden GateKeeper? What is your favorite or least favorite aspect of this huge Bolliger & Mabillard Wing Coaster?