Tag: Inverted Coaster

The Thrill Capital of the World

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Six Flags Magic Mountain

Full Throttle

On the second day of my visit, I wanted to make sure I started my day on Full Throttle as it is one of the most popular rides during the day due to its location. The ride starts with a powerful launch out of the station and into the world’s biggest loop. This gives a nice sense of hangtime before we hit the ground again and make our way to the top of the mountain. Here we swing straight into a nice dive loop before entering a tunnel and coming to a stop. Seconds pass before we are launched again, but this time backwards. After almost reaching the top of the second inversion, we change direction again. This time we accelerate to top speed before turning and heading over the top of the loop. Enjoying the views, we soon hit the brakes on the descent and come to a halt shortly afterwards.

Full Throttle is a very fun coaster. I did not expect anything from this ride and was pleasantly surprised. The launch is powerful, the inversions are great and even the middle section where you go backwards is awesome. Unfortunately it is a short ride.

Canyon Blaster, Speedy Gonzales Hot Rod Racers and Magic Flyer

Interestingly, all the children’s roller coasters are located in the same corner of the park. Unfortunately, the largest of the three roller coasters, Speedy Gonzales Hot Rod Racers, was not in operation during my visit and the two smaller roller coasters, Canyon Blaster and Magic Flyer, were not allowed to be ridden unless accompanied by a child.

Buccaneer and Swashbuckler

Directly opposite the large entrance plaza of Goliath is the entrance to the two flat rides Buccaneer and Swashbuckler. While Buccaneer is a beautiful swing boat from Intamin, Swashbuckler is a classic American swing ride.

Goliath

Leaving the station, the train makes a right turn and then we hit the lift hill of the ride. Having reached a height of 235ft, the train begins its long and amazing descent into a tunnel that leads to a total height difference of 255ft. At a speed of 85mph the train heads upwards into an impressive looking overbank turn. After the turn the train heads down another drop followed by a fantastic airtime hill. A long climb then leads into the mid-course brake run and we were slowed down to almost a standstill.

The train continues at a slow pace before finally picking up speed in a hard left turn. In one fluid motion, the train changes direction and we plummet towards the ground. This is followed by a powerful and crazy 585° helix. Then the track turns upwards and banks to the left. After another powerful descent, the train makes an upward right turn that leads us into the final brake run of the ride.

What a ride! Goliath is a beast of a coaster. It is powerful, fast and perfectly paced. I cannot even describe how much I adore this coaster as it has jumped straight into my top 20 favourite coasters. It’s one of the best hyper coasters I’ve ever ridden. Man, I love this ride.

Lex Luthor Drop of Doom

The supporting structure of the Superman: Escape from Krypton rollercoaster houses the two tracks of the Lex Luthor Drop of Doom: one of the world’s tallest freefall towers.  

Having left the heavily themed queue behind us, we soon take our seats in the gondola. After checking our safety harnesses, we are soon on our way to the top of the tower. At a height of 400 ft we have a wonderful view over the park and the surrounding area before the drop begins. The hook releases the gondola and we plummet to the ground at a top speed of 85 mph before we reach the brakes and the breathtaking ride comes to an end.

Twisted Colossus

Colossus was the park’s big wooden roller coaster and made it one of the most famous theme parks in the world. In the 2010s, more and more wooden roller coasters were converted into hybrid roller coasters, including Colossus. Instead of two tracks, Twisted Colossus now consists of just one, meaning you can experience the layout twice in a row. The highlight: with the right timing, you can experience a merciless racing coaster.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have that luck and so our train travelled alone over the lift hill after a hilly section. After a slightly twisty first drop, it goes through a long valley and over a speed bump close to the ground before going up a hill and into a turning curve with a high-five element.  After another drop, the blue track goes over another speed bump and into a camelback, while the green track races over a double-down and a zero-G roll directly over the blue track. Now the blue track also goes into a roll, while the green track races over a hill. After a double-up, the two tracks separate and while the blue track now becomes the green track, the green track approaches the final braking section and then the station.

Twisted Colossus is a pretty cool coaster, but without the racing feature, it’s a very linear coaster with no big surprises. And that’s just not what you’re used to from an RMC. It’s a shame, because of all the RMCs I’ve ridden, Twisted Colossus is the weakest ride in my opinion.

Scream!

The Scream! roller coaster is probably the least appreciated investment in the theme park due to its location above a car park.

But the rollercoaster has it all. Once you have climbed the lift hill of the rollercoaster, you immediately plunge into the depths. With a lot of pressure, it goes through the valley and immediately afterwards into the large loop of the roller coaster. A climb to the left turns out to be a dive loop and immediately pulls us into the depths. With plenty of momentum, we then go through a zero-G roll and immediately afterwards into the rollercoaster’s cobra roll. A climb then leads us into a block brake, where we can only catch our breath briefly. We immediately descend in a steep curve. We then enter an intense helix just above the ground. After a change of direction, we enter the Interlocking Corkscrews. A short left-hand bend then leads us into the final incline of the ride, after which we reach the roller coaster’s braking section.

What a ride! The Scream! floorless coaster is an absolute fun machine with a breathtaking layout and a total of seven inversions. I loved getting on here again and again.

Batman The Ride

Just two years after the opening of the first Batman: The Ride at Six Flags Great America, the Dark Knight found his place at Six Flags Magic Mountain in 1994.

After climbing the lift hill, passengers can expect a pre-drop before the train finally plunges down the first drop in a steep curve. On the descent, passengers can experience high G-forces before entering the first loop. The second inversion, a zero-G roll, follows in no time at all. Then another loop is taken. The blood pressure in your feet rises abruptly as you go through a steep curve and a straight section of the track. It then heads mercilessly towards the bottom, where the first corkscrew awaits the rider. This element is pure madness if you are travelling at the back of the train, as the acceleration changes abruptly. The second corkscrew follows after a short right-hand bend. After that, a left-hand bend takes you straight into the braking section.

Batman: The Ride is still one of the best inverted coasters out there. The ride offers an intense ride layout with lots of positive G-forces on a relatively small footprint. Apart from the theming, the ride experience does not differ between the different rides, which is a good sign.

Wonder Woman Flight of Courage

The Wonder Woman Flight of Courage is the latest rollercoaster. The ride on the RMC Raptor Track begins immediately after a right-hand bend with the lift hill of the ride. After reaching the starting height of 130 ft in no time at all, we plummet down a very steep descent. After a quick ascent, it’s straight back down in a dive loop. With brutal airtime, we then go over a huge camelback and immediately afterwards into a zero-G stall. A steep ascent then leads us into a very tight turn. Now we descend again quite abruptly and immediately enter a zero-G roll. Another ascent then leads us into a block brake. Without much hesitation, we enter the next descent, after which another turn awaits us. Still very fast, we now race over a series of airtime hills. After a sharp left-hand bend, we reach the final brake.

Wonder Woman Flight of Courage is the better of the two RMC roller coasters in the park. The layout of the single rail coaster has a really nice flow. The inversions all ride very well and the airtime is also very nice. I at least really enjoyed the ride, even if I think it’s a bit of a shame that the DC Universe was literally torn in two by this coaster.

Teen Titans Turbo Spin, Crazanity and Scrambler

The path to the park’s next rollercoaster is lined with several flat rides. Here we encounter the Round-Up Teen Titans Turbo Spin, a classic Scrambler, as well as the Zamperla Giant Discovery Crazanity, which was unfortunately not in operation on the days I visited.

Riddler’s Revenge

The Riddler’s Revenge rollercoaster is one of the largest stand-up coasters in the world. After leaving the very long queue behind and wondering about the purpose of the rather strange station layout, the ride can soon begin.

After the lift has taken us to a height of 160 ft, we immediately take a steep turn towards the ground. This is followed by the ride’s large loop and, as with Scream!, we immediately enter a dive loop. Riddler’s Revenge goes one better and takes us straight into another dive loop. We then experience the world slightly upside down in an Inclined Loop. A wonderful turn then takes us into an ascending bend and immediately afterwards into the mid-course brake. With barely any reduction in speed, we descend once more and are immediately faced with a corkscrew. A left-hand bend close to the ground leads us into a camelback. After a helix and a left-hand bend, we plummet to the ground again and are thrown around in another corkscrew. After another right-hand bend, we reach the ride’s braking section.

Riddler’s Revenge is a really great rollercoaster. The ride is a very intense experience, which is further intensified by the standing riding position.

Justice League: Battle for Metropolis

Developed by the Sally Corporation, the Justice League: Battle for Metropolis dark ride combines large plastic scenes with 3D screens where you have to fend off all sorts of Lex Luthor’s gadgets before he manages to capture the entire Justice League with the help of the Joker. It’s great fun, as you’d expect from Sally, and a surprisingly well-made dark ride that can be found in many Six Flags theme parks.

Gold Rusher

The first roller coaster at Magic Mountain is the Mine Train Gold Rusher. The ride along the slope has a rather unusual layout with many, rather small drops and a serpentine route. After a block brake, the train turns into a very fast helix at the end, followed by a short uphill section before reaching the final brake of the ride and our strange but fun ride comes to an end.

West Coast Racers

Passing the Jet Stream log flume, which was unfortunately closed for the season, we are now drawn to the West Coaster Racers.

In principle, the roller coaster here follows the same principle as Twisted Colossus. However, here the second train waits in a separate area before entering the track in parallel. We are immediately accelerated by LSM and enter a high-five element. While the white track enters a roller, the yellow track races over a hill directly below. After a right-hand bend, both tracks race into the second LSM area. In a wonderful manoeuvre, both lanes then drive parallel overhead and immediately afterwards through two parallel helices. For the grand finale, the white track then drives over a hill, while the yellow track performs a roll directly over the hill. After a bend, the white track continues into the separated area and thus becomes the yellow track, while the yellow track now approaches the station.

Somehow I wish I could have experienced this racing feeling on Twisted Colossus too, because the ride on the West Coast Racers lives almost exclusively from the numerous near-miss encounters during the ride. In any case, the track has it all and the layout has some pretty cool elements despite the more or less very linear ride dynamics.

Apocalypse

The wooden roller coaster Apocalypse was originally opened as Terminator Salvation: The Ride. It replaced the Psyclone roller coaster, which was located at this spot in the park for many years. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to ride this roller coaster from the manufacturer GCI on the two days I visited.

Tatsu

Luckily, thanks to my Legacy membership, I still have a one-off Flash Pass to use for free. Otherwise I would have missed out on a ride on the Tatsu rollercoaster, as the waiting times for just one train were beyond belief.

The ride on Tatsu begins as soon as we enter the lift hill. Once at the top, we immediately plunge into a steep turn with the best view of the Intamin Rapids Ride Roaring Rapids. Immediately afterwards we fly very close to the Sky Tower in a corkscrew. After a left turn, we turn once on our own axis and then enter a steep turn. Another left turn leads to the highlight of the ride: the Pretzel Loop. With the best view of the loop of the New Revolution rollercoaster far below us, we plunge into the depths. With a lot of pressure, we ride through the valley lying on our backs. Shortly afterwards, we repeat the experience in reverse order. Back in the air, we immediately enter the next roll. After a right turn and a small climb we reach the final brake of the coaster.

Tatsu is a very good flying coaster. Its location high up on the mountain enhances the feeling of flying during the ride. The ride itself has some nice elements and, thanks to the pretzel loop at the end of the ride, a very varied and intense layout.

Sky Tower

Behind Tatsu is one of the entrances to Samurai Summit, where Intamin’s Sky Tower dominates the park. Unfortunately, the tower has not been accessible since 2014.

Ninja

The second attraction at the Samurai Summit is the suspended coaster Ninja from Arrow Dynamics.

The ride begins with the first of the two lift hills. Once at the top, we immediately take a steep right-hand bend. After a helix, we swing along the slope parallel to the Jet Stream log flume. A left-hand bend then takes us to the lowest point of the ride, where we immediately turn into a right-hand helix. After a short straight under the log flume’s lift, we whizz back along the surface of the water. A short incline and several dynamic curve changes later, we slowly but surely approach the braking section at the bottom of the slope. Shortly afterwards, we enter the second lift, which takes us back to the station level, marking the end of our great ride on the family-friendly roller coaster.

Superman: Escape from Krypton

When Superman The Escape opened in 1997, it was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world alongside Dreamworld’s Tower of Terror (later Tower of Terror II). Together, the coasters held the speed record until the opening of Dodonpa at Fuji-Q Highland in 2001 and the height record until the opening of Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point in 2003. In 2010, the coaster was overhauled and equipped with new trains. On Superman: Escape from Krypton, you could now mainly experience the ride travelling backwards until one of the cars was turned around again in 2021.

As I was able to experience Tower of Terror II on the last day of operation, I was really looking forward to a ride on Superman: Escape from Krypton. Unfortunately, the coaster was not in operation on any of the days I visited.

Roaring Rapids

One of the most interesting rapids rides I have ever seen is Roaring Rapids. You can’t see anything of the ride from the outside as it was built on a plateau high above the park paths. Only the stairs leading up to the attraction are visible. The ride in the large boats is quite simple, but a lot of fun. The level of wetness was pleasantly limited.

New Revolution

Probably the most classic roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain is the Revolution. As the first looping roller coaster of modern times, the Schwarzkopf roller coaster attracted everyone’s attention in 1976 and became world-famous thanks to the film Roller Coaster.

The ride on the Revolution begins as soon as you enter the lift hill, which takes you up to a height of 110 ft. Once at the top, the ride heads towards the ground in an increasingly steep curve. Afterwards, we take a fairly leisurely ride over a hill and then immediately enter the second, even steeper descent. After narrowly missing the station, we ride over another hill. We then take a left-hand bend that runs very close to the ground. After a climb, we approach what is probably the most important descent. On a long straight, we get faster and faster and then race through the first modern loop in the history of the world. A long uphill left-hand bend leads into an equally long right-hand bend, in which we adapt to the terrain. A tunnel is followed by a long straight that leads through the loop. A short dip to the right then takes us into the fast-paced finale of the helix. Shortly afterwards, we reach the final brake and our solid ride draws to a close.

Viper

The large Arrow looping coaster Viper was the main reason for me to finally visit Six Flags Magic Mountain.  The coaster, which opened in 1990, is unfortunately nearing the end of its life and after the closure of the fantastic Vortex looping coaster at Kings Islands, Viper was at the top of my to-do list.

As soon as we get to the top of the lift, we quickly descend in a terrifyingly steep turn. After a very intense descent, we enter a seemingly endless ramp, at the end of which the first loop mercilessly presses us into our seats. After a wide left-hander, we enter two more loops that are also very intense. After an uphill section, we are pulled through a block brake, which slows us down slightly. After a left-hander and a short right-hander, we enter the Batwing, which turns us upside down twice. The grand finale is a bend that takes us straight into the double corkscrew of the track. After a long straight we pass under the lift and immediately enter the braking section of the ride.

The ride on the Viper is even better than I expected. The coaster is mercilessly intense, has a very good pacing and runs absolutely smoothly. An absolute top coaster and the one I rode the most during my visit to Six Flags Magic Mountain.

X2

Right at the entrance to the park’s car park is the X2 roller coaster, the first 4th Dimension Coaster to be delivered and a crazy ride with a layout that is really untypical for a roller coaster. In the park itself, you first have to cross a bridge to get to the coaster. Unlike Fuji-Q’s Eejanaika coaster, the queues here are pleasantly short, so you can get on the ride quite quickly.

The ride starts with a 180° turn. You enter the lift in a supine position before being propelled 250 ft into the air on your back. Although this happens very quickly, you still have enough time to take a good look at the amusement park in front of you – a fantastic sight.

A short pre-drop gets the coaster going again and we are back in our original riding position before we are flipped upside down to the ground or to the row in front of us on the next hill. This riding position is then maintained for most of the steep drop, with one roll over in the lower third to ride through the following valley looking slightly upwards. In the inside raven turn, the direction of travel of the track changes once, but the element is still experienced horizontally. The train itself, now suspended underneath the track, goes down an incline and then through a camelback, while we race forward through the dense forest of columns, rolling beautifully in a 360° rotation. We continue forward again into a steep and banked turn. Continuing forward, we cross a forceful valley above the station. On the following hill the track changes direction in a fly-to-lie element and we make a lively 180° turn. We then ride backwards through a valley and immediately up another hill, at the end of which is the entrance to the outside raven turn. In this version of the Raven Turn we are also held horizontally while the train happily changes its position and continues under the track. At a much higher speed we race towards another Fly-to-Lie element which, combined with the rotation of the gondola, allows us to gently glide into the braking section.

X2 is one of the most intense roller coasters I have ever ridden. The ride is extremely powerful, completely disorientating and surprisingly smooth. You just don’t feel overwhelmed, even though you’re sitting like a pasha with your legs spread wide. The minimalist but rather complicated safety bar adds to the fun and respect for the ride, even if you have been on it many times before. As after a ride on the Eejanaika, the conclusion is the same: the ride is awesome!

Pictures Six Flags Magic Mountain

Conclusion Six Flags Magic Mountain

Six Flags Magic Mountain is a beautiful amusement park. Opened in the 1970s, the theme park utilises the available space very well, creating a pleasant atmosphere. Due to the large crowds on the first day of my visit (caused by the long event opening hours) and the reduced capacity on almost all roller coasters, I didn’t get the best impression of Six Flags Magic Mountain. However, this changed the very next day, when I was able to do everything without any major waiting times and was through with almost everything by lunchtime. It was just a shame that some of the roller coasters were unfortunately closed during my visit.

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California Adventure Day 7 and 8 / Six Flags Magic Mountain

Big Amusements in a strange Holiday Destination

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The holiday resort of Ingoldmells is mainly characterised by its numerous holiday parks; after all, the first Butlin’s Resort in the country has been located here since 1936. In order to expand the resort’s offerings, the Fantasy Island amusement park was built in the 1990s, including a large indoor area with an arcade and a bowling alley. Since 2016, the park belongs to the Mellors Group, England’s largest fairground operator.   

Rhombus Rocket

The Rhombus Rocket powered coaster was the theme park’s first roller coaster. As was often the case at the time, the roller coaster was paired with a log flume to place two of its main attractions in the smallest possible space. The interaction with the log flume is still the ride’s greatest charm today. The otherwise very family-friendly ride by WGH Transportation convinces with its long helices and the big dip just before the station entrance. As is often the case on a good powered coaster, you ride the layout several times.  

Volcano, Sea Storm and Magic

The Rhombus Rocket roller coaster is surrounded by some wonderfully designed rides. In addition to a typical English Twister, the Sea Storm ride and the classic Magic formerly owned by German showman Ludewigt, the Space Shot Volcano by S&S, which shoots out of an artificial volcano, is particularly impressive.

Pyramid Attractions

The indoor area of the Pyramid is the big flagship of Fantasy Island theme park. Around the Mystical Dragon Mountain, which houses a really fast dinghy slide, there are numerous really nice attractions here. The cute oldschool themed ride Seaquarium and the brand new interactive dark ride Harrington Flint’s Island Adventure’s stand out positively. But a ride on the monorail Toucan Tours or the flying theatre The Guardian should not be missed. In addition, the Pyramid features the Jellikins Coaster, a roller coaster for very young park guests, which is a rather uncomfortable experience for most adults due to its enclosed cars. 

Millennium

Until a few years ago, the entrance to the Millennium roller coaster was located directly in front of the pyramid. Nowadays, the waiting area is inside the pyramid, which on the one hand offers a clearly immersive experience, but on the other hand comes with the circumstance that you now call a largely unused station your own. Due to the lack of separation between entry and exit, one is held back in a small area until the last passenger of the roller coaster has passed it. Only then is the ascent into the station via the exit of the roller coaster. 

After entering the station, the train is quickly dispatched and sent on its way. Having reached a height of 46m, we immediately descend the first drop to the left. After we have smoothly passed the first valley, we immediately go through an unusually high loop – for an MK-1200. After a long straight, we skilfully change our direction in a sidewinder, but not without completing an oversized Bavarian curve above Ingoldmells Market – Europe’s largest weekly market. After a short climb, we plunge down once more and immediately into the ride’s second loop. The rest of the way around the pyramid is a little more relaxed as we glide over several hills before we move on to the grand finale. In a helix we are pressed into the seat for one last time before we reach the braking section of the ride and our ride soon comes to an end.

Millennium is one of the greatest roller coasters by Vekoma. Although the layout is not quite as imaginative as more modern rides from the manufacturer, the huge MK-1200 can convince with its pressure-rich elements and its fantastic ride characteristics. This ride is simply smooth. 

Family Roller Coaster and Wild River Rapids

On the other side of the pyramid, the big roller coaster Odyssey is joined by the small family roller coaster Family Roller Coaster and the water ride Wild River Rapids. The Spinning Raft from Reverchon is hit or miss, because the ride can very well get you soaked, but the likelihood of that is low. 

Odyssey

Originally opened as Jubilee Odyssey for Queen Elizabeth II’s golden jubilee, the ride is the tallest inverted coaster in the world to date at just under 51m. However, the ride, which was built directly on the North Sea, was rarely operated by the previous owner of the amusement park due to the high wind load, which gave the ride a questionable image. With the change of operator, the Odyssey also picked up speed again.

After leaving the 50m-high lift hill behind, the ride goes very steeply back down to the ground. With a lot of pressure we pass the first valley, whereupon a huge loop awaits us. Immediately afterwards, we shoot up a huge Cobra Roll, which turns us upside down two more times. In a very unusual way, we change our direction of travel once again in a huge turn. As if that wasn’t enough, a sidewinder follows immediately. We then circle the exit of the Cobra Roll in a large helix. Far from the ground we glide through a dip before we are turned upside down one last time in a corkscrew. With plenty of speed left, we reach the braking section of the ride and soon the station of the roller coaster.

Odyssey is a really strange roller coaster. The size of the ride speaks for itself, and the unorthodox layout is somehow appealing, but the rough ride characteristics don’t really make it fun to ride. 

Pictures Fantasy Island

Conclusion Fantasy Island

Fantasy Island is a thoroughly nice amusement park in a more than strange place. The large selection of rides and the very high quality are surprising and leave a very positive overall impression. Especially the attractions inside the pyramid stand out positively due to their immersive design. The rides outside the pyramid, on the other hand, are more classic and convince with their unique layouts. 

 

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Fantasy Island

Having a sugar rush at Hersheypark

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Hersheypark

Even if you don’t feel like visiting the amusement park, you can still have a lot of fun at Hersheypark. In addition to the Hersheypark Stadium and the Hersheypark Arena, where numerous sporting events and concerts take place, there is also a large souvenir shop, The Chocolatier restaurant and Hershey’s Chocolate World. 

Hershey’s Chocolate World

There is a lot to experience at Hershey’s Chocolate World and you can learn a lot about the production of the famous chocolate. The highlight of the exhibition is the Hershey’s Chocolate Tour dark ride, which you can experience for free. At the end of the informative and entertaining ride, there is even a small tasting.

Candymonium

Since 2020, the Candymonium hyper coaster has dominated the entrance area of the theme park, which has been relocated to form a large entrance plaza starting from Hershey’s Chocolate World, where visitors gather in long queues early in the morning.

After entering the park, you can turn directly into the old Main Street or immediately turn right, where the entrance to the B&M Candymonium rollercoaster is located.

After leaving the lift hill behind us, we immediately plunge into the depths. After a rapid descent, we head straight into a classic camelback, which we fly over. Now we smoothly change direction in a horseshoe turn. Two airtime hills are followed by an intense upward helix. In a short left-hand bend, we then descend the next drop, whereupon another airtime hill awaits us. Now we ride once in a helix around a fountain. After a short ascent and a small dip, we reach the brakes of the ride.

Candymonium is one of the best B&M Hyper Coasters I’ve had the pleasure of testing so far. The ride has a great layout with lots of speed and plenty of airtime. As the braking sections only come towards the end of the ride, you fly through the many elements without interruption. A great ride!

Comet

The Comet wooden roller coaster is a real classic at Hersheypark. Since 1946, the 84ft high wooden roller coaster has been captivating riders with its classic out-and-back layout and the slightly out-of-control ride between the Sooper Dooper Looper and the Skyrush roller coaster. The track runs through an L-shaped layout with numerous camelbacks, all of which lift you slightly out of your seat.

Skyrush

At a height of 200 feet, Skyrush dominates the front of the park. The very slender supporting structure does the rest. Most of the ride is very close to the ground, which makes for a very fast ride.

The ride on Skyrush starts with a very fast cable lift. After a few seconds we reach the top of the lift hill and plunge into the depths. In the bottom third of the first descent we take a right turn. We then cross the water basin below us in a large camelback. After a wide left turn we enter another airtime hill. Now we go full throttle through a right turn and a Stengel Dive. After a short left-hander, the track continues into a right-hander and then through a valley. After a nice change of direction, we ride over another airtime hill. Finally we enter a left turn and shortly after the final brake of the coaster.

The Skyrush coaster is just perfect. The ride is high, incredibly fast and mercilessly intense. The bars used are a bit tight, but not as bad as some fans have described. All in all, a great ride.

Sooper Dooper Looper

The Sooper Dooper Looper is the second looping coaster from German manufacturer Schwarzkopf.  It opened just one year after the Revolution at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

As soon as we take our seats in the new Gerstlauer trains, the ride can begin. After the ride up the lift hill, we immediately enter a left turn and the first descent. This leads us into the vertical loop of the ride. A wide left turn then takes us through the middle of the loop. After a change of direction, the track leads us through a long tunnel, where almost every rider starts to scream. Parallel to Spring Creek, we then ride a little over hill and dale. Finally, a helix awaits us just before the final brake.

The Sooper Dooper Looper is a great coaster with a fantastic name. After the nerve-wracking highlight at the beginning of the ride, we are treated to a very nice but also extremely leisurely ride.

Coal Cracker

Coal Cracker is the large Arrow Hydro Flume here at Hersheypark. The ride not only gets you wet, but also offers a great view of the tangled tracks of the Sooper Dooper Looper and the Great Bear rollercoaster. Unfortunately, the Coal Cracker was not in operation when I visited.

Great Bear

On the same hill as the Sooper Dooper Looper and the Coal Cracker, there is also a large section of the Great Bear rollercoaster track.

The ride on the B&M Inverted Coaster starts directly at the lift hill of the roller coaster. However, instead of starting directly into the big drop, you first enter a helix. The actual first drop then follows in a steep right-hand bend. With plenty of momentum, the ride goes through the first valley and into the roller coaster’s large loop. We then change direction in an equally large Immelmann. Now it’s straight into the Zero-G Roll, which takes us in the direction of Spring Creek. Parallel to the river, the path now leads us into a corkscrew. Interestingly, no supports are allowed to protrude into the creek, which leads to some pretty cool near-miss elements. After a few bends, we reach the braking section of the ride.

The Great Bear is a really cool inverted coaster. The ride is really fun, which is mainly due to the rather unusual layout.  The only pity is that the walk from the exit to the entrance is quite strenuous, which unfortunately makes the ride unsuitable for continuous riding.

Twin Turnpike Speedway and Kissing Tower

At the top of the hill, next to the Twin Turnpike Speedway vintage car racing circuit, is the Kissing Tower. The windows of this observation tower are designed to resemble the famous Hershey Kisses.

ZooAmerica

Further down the slope is the entrance to ZooAmerica, which is also included in the entrance fee. Here you can mainly see native animal species. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to visit the zoo during my visit.

Reese’s Cupfusion

Reese’s Cupfusion is one of the most popular attractions at Hersheypark. On this interactive dark ride, you act as an agent and shoot a bunch of evil sweets to protect the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups factory. A fun ride for the whole family.

Cocoa Cruiser

The Cocoa Cruiser is the smallest family roller coaster in Hersheypark. In addition to a sweeping first drop, the ride also offers a helix and another right-hand bend.

Hershey Triple Tower

One of the most interesting attractions in Hersheypark is the Hershey Triple Tower, which is reminiscent of the towers of the neighbouring factory. The conglomerate of three free-fall towers from the manufacturer S&S promises three different experiences, whereby the size of the individual towers is not at the expense of intensity. The smallest of them, the Hershey’s Kisses Tower, is a double shot tower where you are not only shot upwards but also downwards with brutal airtime.

Trailblazer

Unfortunately, the Arrow Mine Train Trailblazer was closed when I visited. Making perfect use of the terrain, the ride promises a fast-paced adventure for the whole family.

Jolly Rancher Remix

The remodelling work on the Vekoma Boomerang was still in full swing when I visited. The ride now has a candy theme and is called Jolly Rancher Remix. The new Zamperla NebulaZ ride Mix’d Flavoured by Jolly Rancher had also not yet opened.

Storm Runner

Ever since I first played Roller Coaster Tycoon 3, I’ve been fascinated by the Storm Runner roller coaster. The accelerator coaster from Intamin has a very imaginative layout and some inversions that have never been seen before. When I signed up to the gaming forums, I named my nickname after this rollercoaster. I even thought about doing a Stormrunn3r meets Storm Runner tour one day. After all these years, I finally made it to Hersheypark and luckily Storm Runner ran smoothly today.

The ride on Storm Runner starts with the entrance to the launch area. After a countdown, we shoot up a top hat and turn 90° to the side. Just above the apex, we immediately go back down vertically. After a powerful descent, we enter the Cobra Loop, after which we change direction – similar to a sidewinder. Following a climb, we enter the Hearline Roll and then the Flying Snake Dive. The combination of these two elements is simply breathtaking. Once back in the valley, the ride takes several bends back to the station. Once at the top, we immediately enter the braking section of the rollercoaster.

What a rollercoaster. The launch, the top hat and the roll with the subsequent flying snake dive – everything is just right on this coaster. Only the ascent back to the station is a little rougher on Storm Runner, but still very pleasant thanks to the soft straps used in the restraint systems. What a great ride!

Frontier Flyers, Pirat and The Claw

Also in this part of the theme park are the Flying Scooters Frontier Flyers, the HUSS swing ride Pirat and the Chance Rides Fireball The Claw, all of which offer a great ride.

Fahrenheit

97 degrees and getting hotter. There are few other roller coasters where the angle of inclination of the first drop matches the temperature as well as the Fahrenheit, assuming you visit the park in high season.

After the vertical lift, we immediately hit the steep drop. We ride through the first valley and then up the Norwegian Loop. At the top of the hill we first turn overhead in a roll and then plunge down half a loop before experiencing the element in reverse order. Back at lofty heights, we plunge into the next drop. Now the ride’s big cobra roll awaits, spinning us through the air like crazy. A short straight then leads us into the rollercoaster’s two corkscrews. After a steep turn we cross an airtime hill into a left turn close to the ground. This leads us into the braking section of the ride.

As an Intamin fan, it is really difficult to choose a favourite roller coaster at Hersheypark, as all of the coasters at the park are definitely among the best of their kind. However, of the three coasters, Fahrenheit is my favourite. What a great ride!

The Boardwalk and Tidal Force

There are some pretty cool water slides at The Boardwalk water park. Unfortunately, the park was not yet open for the season, which also applied to the big water ride Tidal Force. This Shoot the Chute by O.D. Hopkins creates a huge wave. A net designed to break the wave, which is attached above the ride’s runout, floods all passengers with water. Great fun, at least if you ride the ride in swimwear!

Wildcat

The Wildcat roller coaster is the first wooden roller coaster from the manufacturer GCI. The layout of the ride is very winding and has some interesting curves.

The ride on the Wildcat begins with a right-hand bend, after which you enter the ride’s lift. Once at the top, the ride immediately descends steeply in a right-hand bend. After an incline, we ride through a left-hand bend at a lofty height before approaching the ground again in a steep bend. The path now leads us over a camelback. At the next crest, we turn into a steeply descending right-hand bend. After a short climb, we change direction and plunge into the depths once more. A wide bend then takes us over another airtime hill. After another left-hand bend, we take a right-hand bend that leads us first into a valley and then up a hill. Finally, after a short dip, we reach the ride’s final brake.

The Wildcat wooden roller coaster is a really good ride. The layout of GCI’s first ride is excellent and offers some daredevil turns and great airtime moments. Unfortunately, only one train was running on the day of my visit, which, combined with the long ride, led to long waiting times.

Wild Mouse

One of the big family rollercoasters at Hersheypark is the Wild Mouse. Throughout the day, this usually had a waiting time of around 40 minutes. However, as I joined the queue, it started to rain lightly, which is why the ride was closed indefinitely. Although I could have continued to wait here, I decided not to take a ride.

Laff Track

More than at any other park, it is worth starting the day at the back of Hersheypark at The Boardwalk water park, as there are two compact and popular roller coasters here, both of which unfortunately have a rather low capacity. While the waiting time of 40 minutes for Wild Mouse was still reasonably acceptable, the indoor roller coaster Laff Track had us standing around for hours before we could even get to the ride.

As always, it’s worth getting on the SC2000 backwards so that you can experience the first drop backwards before the turning function is activated after a climb and a short curve. The subsequent hairpin bend gets the car rotating like crazy, so that the Immelmann Turn is usually experienced looking up or down. The following section consists mainly of smaller bends and a fun straight with lots of twists and turns before the grand finale down a helix. All in all, a really great roller coaster that offers a superb atmosphere thanks to the many very impressive black light effects.

Whip, Music Express and Ferris Wheel

In addition to the Lightning Racer and Wildcat wooden roller coasters, this area also houses the theme park’s large Ferris wheel and the two flat rides The Whip and Music Express.

Lightning Racer

The Lightning Racer wooden coaster is one of GCI’s most exciting projects. Here two trains duel in a wild race through a very winding track.

The ride on Thunder and Lightning starts with a twisting ride to the two lift hills, which run parallel but not at the same height. Once at the top, both trains go down in a steep turn. The tracks now run largely parallel over a hill and then over a bunny hop. The two tracks then separate and both Thunder and Lightning enter a turn. Both tracks now enter a tunnel next to each other, in which there is another speed bump. After a left hand bend close to the ground, the track leads over another speed bump directly into a right hand bend. The two tracks separate again on the next hill. Thunder now enters a clockwise helix, while Lightning goes counter-clockwise.  Both tracks then run over several intertwined hills. As Thunder enters a right-hand turn, Lightning comes up to him again. After another hill, the two lanes run parallel towards the home straight. Shortly after that we reach the braking section of the coaster.

Lightning Racer is a unique double wooden roller coaster. Not only is it one of the few racing coasters available today, it also has a very varied layout that keeps you guessing until the very end. In short, Lightning Racer is a world class roller coaster.

Pictures Hersheypark

Conclusion Hersheypark

I really enjoyed my visit to Hersheypark. The park has a really nice atmosphere and almost all the attractions are really good, including three of intamin’s best roller coasters. There are also three world-class wooden roller coasters and a simply brilliant B&M Hyper and Inverted Coaster. If I’d had a bit more time, I would have liked to stay another day. I will definitely be back.

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Hersheypark / The Stumbled Runner Day 9