RMC

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

Lots to do in Energylandia

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Energylandia

Little Kids Zone, Family Zone & Extreme Zone

When Energylandia opened in 2014, it was by no means foreseeable how rapidly the park would develop in the following years. What initially appeared to be a collection of numerous rides straight out of the Italian car bootleg, complete with a cheap and hackneyed design, has fortunately quickly blossomed into a very respectable theme park thanks to European funding.

The park’s beginnings can be seen – at least in part – in the three children’s rollercoasters Circus, Frutti Loop and Mars, none of which are anything special, as well as the Pyramid 7D cinema and the Space Gun and Space Booster rides in front of it. Despite the numerous measures taken by the theme park, the corner of the park looks rather cheap and not at all attractive.

Speed

Past the SBF Visa Happy Loops Spinning Coaster and the entrance to the Energylandia water park, the route now leads us straight to the Intamin water coaster Speed.

Once you have left the long queue behind you, the ride can begin. As the ride’s vertical lift is still a long way off, we bob along the canal for a while, whereby, interestingly enough, a pretty good whitewater feeling is created here, with the waves almost hitting the boat again and again and making us literally jerk away from the water droplets that are whirled up. As soon as we reach the lift, we quickly get to the starting height of 60 metres. With the best view of the park, we’re soon pushed over the crest. On the following 45° gradient, we gain a lot of momentum and immediately whizz through the first water basin and over a hill with hardly any braking. Here we take off a little before throwing ourselves into a fast Bavarian bend. Hoping to lose a little speed through the following block area, we now pass through it without any braking effect and are then released into a right-hand bend. A brisk downhill helix follows, but then turns into a hill, which introduces the final shot of the ride. Well soaked, we are released back into the canal and reach the station shortly afterwards.

As with Divertical at Mirabilandia, the ride on the Intamin Water Coaster Speed is really impressive. However, I don’t recommend anyone to attempt a ride in late autumn, as the ride can turn out to be a little wetter than expected and the full-body dryers in the park can’t really dry you out.

Jungle Adventure

From the exit of the Speed rollercoaster, it is not far to the station of the Intamin Rapids Ride Jungle Adventure, but once again the park has built a very long queue, the entrance to which is unfortunately on the completely opposite side. The ride itself is quite fast, but unfortunately, with the exception of a few rapids, very uneventful.

RMF Dragon

When the Danish Fårup Sommerland opened the Orkanen roller coaster, the amazement was huge. The layout, which was specially designed for the park, was built on a lake and dives into a tunnel directly after the first drop, while the rest of the ride route runs largely close to the ground and over the lake. When Energylandia copied the layout, a large pool was built and the ride in Zator did not dispense with the tunnel either.

Here too, the first drop leads us directly into a tunnel, with the entrance modelled on a dragon’s mouth. Back on the surface, the route leads us smoothly through an overbanked turn and over a small speed bump, which leads us into a wide helix. We immediately cross the station building, only to end up in another helix on the other side. A compact right-hand bend then leads us into a small dip, whereupon we enter the station building after another bend and our extremely entertaining ride unfortunately comes to an end.

Formula

One of the most important milestones of the Energylandia theme park is the small Formula launch coaster. After leaving the station, we immediately enter the launch track, where we accelerate to 80 km/h after a short stop. We then enter the large Sidewinder with plenty of pressure, which we then exit in a curve close to the ground. This then leads us over an airtime hill and immediately into the second inversion of the ride – a corkscrew. We also leave this in a curve close to the ground. After a short turn to the left, corkscrew no. 2 immediately follows, which leads us into a Bavarian curve. From then on, we make our way over hill and dale, before we reach the braking section shortly afterwards and our ride on this cream of the crop from Vekoma comes to an end.

Anaconda

Intamin Spillwater lives from its design. Here in Energylandia, the ride is completely naked in the area. Thanks to the eternally long queue, which once again starts at the other end of the ride, you also have a very good view of the ride’s supporting structure. As the manufacturer’s standard model, the ride offers two shots and a fairly modest level of wetness overall.

Mayan

The ride through the tried-and-tested SLC layout with the roll-over, sidewinder and the two inline twists is really impressive, which is mainly due to the modern trains and the resulting smooth ride – the Mayan roller coaster therefore shows in a very pleasant way that Vekoma suspended looping coasters are not bad roller coasters from the ground up.

Aztek Swing und Apocalypto

The Aztek Swing and Apocalypto rides were also opened in the theme park’s first year of operation and therefore hardly fit in thematically with the theme park. While the Aztek Swing is more popular, the small Top Spin Apocalypto is rarely used, which is simply because it can be easily overlooked.

Viking

The SBF Visa roller coaster Viking is a bottomless cheek; whoever came up with the idea of fitting a simple Crazy Mouse roller coaster with a over-the-shoulder restraint deserves to have to ride this roller coaster for eternity. Everyone else should avoid riding this rollercoaster.

Boomerang

The Boomerang family roller coaster impresses above all with its curves close to the ground and the small hill above the station. The layout itself resembles a figure of eight, with the two ends running over the loops.

After riding backwards up the lift hill, we descend rapidly and then go full throttle through the station. This is followed by a left-hand bend close to the ground and the aforementioned hill over the station, where a slight airtime sets in. After a right-hand bend under the lift hill, there is a hill over the first bend, which has a small bump in the middle. Here we come to a standstill, whereupon the reverse journey begins. A little more leisurely than before, we now make our way back to the station, where the rather pleasant ride comes to an end.

Atlantis, Splash Battle und Toffifee Gold Mine

Directly opposite the Boomerang children’s rollercoaster is the SBF Visa Rafting Atlantis, which – with the exception of a few tame rapids – is more like a calm water ride. Right next door, there are two more water rides with a much higher degree of wetness: Splash Battle and the Toffifee Gold Mine log flume.

Śmiejżelki Energuś

The family roller coaster Śmiejżelki Energuś is located directly at the entrance to the theme park. After a short curve and the subsequent lift hill, we immediately take a steep curve with a subsequent upward helix to the left, pass through a short valley and then ride through a wide right-hand curve near the station. Over a hill, we cross the route we have just travelled, whereupon we lose some height in another helix. This is followed by a left-hand bend, after which the braking section awaits. After one lap, the ride is already over.

Hyperion

The Hyperion roller coaster, which runs prominently alongside the theme park’s car park, characterises Energylandia like no other roller coaster. The Hyper Coaster from Intamin impresses with its 77 metres in height and the large out & back layout, which becomes more twisted towards the end of the ride.

The ride on Hyperion begins with the fairly fast lift hill, after which we immediately take on a descent of 82 metres. This is followed by two wonderful airtime hills, where we turn to the side on the crest of the second one and initiate the oversized dive drop. The rest of the route then takes us over several hills close to the ground before we take on another airtime hill. From then on, the route leads us through a large overbanked turn and immediately through a series of hills and curves close to the ground. With plenty of steam, we then race over another classic airtime hill before we are led into the braking section after a climb.

Hyperion is a really good roller coaster, which is characterised above all by the curves close to the ground after the big dive drop. The ride is extremely fast and – with the exception of the rear outside seats, which have an interesting swinging behaviour – absolutely worth experiencing.

Dragon Zone

The Dragon Zone is a medieval themed area on the other side of the access road to the theme park, which can be reached via a tunnel. In addition to the two family roller coasters Draken and Frida, the park’s large Ferris wheel and the RMC hybrid roller coaster Zadra are also located here.

Frida

The Dragon Zone also has its family roller coaster from Vekoma. However, the layout itself is unique in Europe, even though it is one of the most frequently copied Dutch-made installations and was built a total of 16 times in 2017 alone. The major customer in this case is the French company Carrefour, which ordered the rides for its Transmart shopping centres in Indonesia.

As in East Asia, the route first takes us to a height of 13 metres, whereupon we hurtle down a steep bend. This is immediately followed by a wide helix to the right, which then turns into an equally wide helix to the left. After a short turn to the right and a short turn to the left, we immediately find ourselves in the station of the ride. This is followed by a second lap on the family roller coaster, which is quite nice overall.

Zadra

The Zadra roller coaster is the largest roller coaster built by RMC to date. While many of the IBox Track Coasters have breathed new life into existing wooden roller coasters, Zadra is a completely new installation. Accordingly, the ride is more comparable to the Goliath roller coaster from the American theme park Six Flags Great America.

After climbing the 62.8 metre high lift hill, we are ready to go. With plenty of momentum, we are pulled towards the ground and immediately over a wave close to the ground. After a steep curve, the path leads us back towards the lift hill and immediately into the Zero-G stall, where we remain upside down for a few seconds and experience a very fine feeling of weightlessness. Back in an upright sitting position, the path immediately leads us behind the station, where we are first turned 90° to the right in an airtime hill before exiting it in a left turn. After a right-hand bend close to the ground, a classic airtime hill follows, which allows us to skilfully glide out of the seat. Shortly afterwards, we dive into the rafters in a zero-G roll. A steep turn is immediately followed by two smaller airtime bumps. A short turn then takes us to the other side of the wooden structure, where another zero-G roll awaits us. Shortly afterwards, we reach the braking section of the ride.

Zadra is a really good rollercoaster, although it is surprisingly gentle by RMC standards. Instead of being mercilessly sent from one airtime hill to the next at a rapid pace, the ride takes much more time – the pacing of the ride is therefore not quite as insane as on other rides, which also makes the ride itself feel much more rounded. It is a pleasure to get on here again and again, although this is made much more difficult if the shortcut at the lockers is closed during the course of the day and you have to walk through the overly long queue again as a result.

Aqualantis

The Aqualantis themed area shows once again how well Energylandia can realise themed areas when they try. In addition to a large number of rides from Zamperla, including the Disk’o Coaster Tidal Wave Twister, the area is particularly impressive with its two roller coasters Ekipa Light Explorers and Abyssus.

Ekipa Light Explorers

As every type of rollercoaster at Energylandia has to be built at least twice, there is also a Family Boomerang from the manufacturer Vekoma in this area. While the Boomerang roller coaster is rather compact, the track on Ekipa Light Exploreres takes you across the lake, with several small turns along the way.

Abyssus

Abyssus is basically the same roller coaster as Formula, only longer and bigger. After a rather leisurely launch, the track immediately leads us into a right-hand bend and over numerous turns with small airtime moments and wonderfully smooth curve changes before we reach the actual launch section. Here we are accelerated to the maximum speed of 100 km/h. We immediately ride up an interesting-looking hill, on the top of which we experience some really great airtime. Unfortunately, the descent is a little trimmed. Nevertheless, we cross the subsequent valley with a lot of pressure, as well as the following loop. An extremely fast right-hand bend then leads us into an airtime hill, whereupon the prominently placed Batwing at the entrance to the ride is initiated. This is travelled through very quickly and is the highlight of the ride. After a large turn and an airtime hill, a fairly flat corkscrew follows, which then leads us into a heavily banked airtime hill. After a fairly fast helix, there is one last quick turn, which then leads us into the braking section of the ride.

Abyssus is a really fine rollercoaster with a great layout and a very long track. Unfortunately, however, the ride is located at the very end of the theme park in a cul-de-sac, which will only be resolved at some point by the candy-themed area that has been under construction for years. As a result, you might want to think twice about whether you actually want to take the long walk to the rollercoaster or whether you would rather take a ride or two on Hyperion and Zadra.

Pictures Energylandia

Conclusion Energylandia

Energylandia is quite a pleasant theme park and home to many attractions. Accordingly, my image of the park is not necessarily the best, as apart from the very good roller coasters Abyssus, Formula, Hyperion and Zadra, there is also a lot of junk around. Two more roller coasters are currently being built, one of which will once again be a family roller coaster by Vekoma. The large number of very similar roller coasters does the park no favours, nor do the very extensive grounds and the miserably long queues. In addition, the division of the theme park into two parts creates a less homogeneous overall impression.

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Energylandia

Going on a Great Adventure

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Six Flags Great Adventure

Six Flags Great Adventure has a rather unusual park layout, with visitors entering the park at its narrowest point in the centre. Here there is a long midway that runs across the entrance, with the Giant Wheel at one end and a land of milk and honey themed area with a carousel and a tea cups ride at the other.  The main attraction in this area is the Sky Screamer swing ride.

Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth and Cyborg Cyber Spin

To the right of the Ferris wheel is the large Movieland themed area. In addition to the interactive dark ride Justice League: Battle for Metropolis and the two roller coasters The Dark Knight Coaster and Batman The Ride, there is also the large swing ride Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth and the flat ride Cyborg Cyber Spin. Unfortunately, the latter wasn’t on my schedule during my visit, so I didn’t get to ride an Intamin Tourbillon.

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.

The Dark Knight Coaster

The Dark Knight Coaster is proof that Six Flags can do theme rides when they want to. The indoor Wild Mouse offers an amazingly fast ride in total darkness, with the hairpin turns in the upper part of the ride being themed throughout. The wilder part of the ride on the lower levels takes place mainly in the dark. All in all a great attraction!

Batman The Ride

Directly after the great success of the B&M inverted coaster Batman: The Ride at Six Flags Great America, the Dark Knight found his place at Six Flags Great Adventure in 1993.

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 expect 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 instantly as you go through a steep bend and a straight section of the track. It then heads mercilessly towards the bottom, where the first corkscrew awaits us. 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.

Nitro

Since the release of the computer game Roller Coaster Tycoon 2, Nitro has become one of the most famous hyper coasters in the world.

After a turn, the ride immediately begins on the 230-foot lift hill. Once at the top, the ride immediately descends. Interestingly, we change direction on the very first hill. The momentum takes us through another valley and over a classic camelback before we change direction in the best out-and-back style in a horseshoe turn. Another airtime hill is followed by another hill where we turn left. With plenty of speed we then enter a powerful helix that gets tighter and tighter and ends in a block brake. We then ride a series of very nice airtime hills to the final brake.

Nitro is a very cool old school hypercoaster. Although you only get floater airtime during the long ride, the many hills make it a real experience. The highlight of the ride is the intense helix before the block brake. In short, a really great coaster.

Jersey Devil Coaster

Past the Intamin Rapids Ride Congo Rapids, which was unfortunately closed on the day of my visit, we now head to the park’s newest rollercoaster, the Jersey Devil Coaster. The ride on the RMC Raptor Track begins immediately with the ride’s lift hill. After reaching the starting height of 40 metres in no time at all, we plunge straight down a very steep descent. After a quick ascent, it’s straight back down again 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 delay, we then enter the next descent, after which another turn awaits us. Still very fast, we now race over a series of airtime bumps before reaching the final brake.

The layout of the Jersey Devil Coaster single rail coaster has a really nice flow. The inversions are all very easy to ride and the airtime is also very nice. I at least really enjoyed the ride, even if it is a bit tame compared to the other Raptor Track Coasters from RMC.

Skull Mountain

Every Roller Coaster Tycoon player will remember the Skull Mountain indoor roller coaster for its façade. The ride itself is a family roller coaster from Intamin, which is located in an unfortunately rather bright hall.

The ride begins rather curiously with a two-section lift and a short panoramic ride through the first level. Once in the main hall, the ride continues upwards for a while before a steep curve takes you straight back down to the hall floor. After an incline, we quickly change direction and make our way round a wide left-hand bend. After a short right-hand bend, we immediately enter a longer Bayernkurve, which leads us further and further downhill over hill and dale. After a right-hand bend, we enter a helix. Finally, after a short climb, we reach the braking section and soon afterwards the station, where our wonderful ride unfortunately comes to an end.

Harley Quinn Crazy Train and The Joker

Directly opposite the popular family coaster Harley Quinn Crazy Train – a Zierer Tivoli coaster that has run several laps in a row in this park – is the S&S free spin coaster The Joker. As always, the ride comfort on this coaster was quite good and there were plenty of rollovers at the end. For this reason, I can only warmly recommend a ride on the free spin coaster The Joker.

Houdini’s Great Escape

While Vekoma Mad Houses are a very common sight in European theme parks, they are not at all well known to an American audience with Houdini’s Great Escape being one of only two installations in the United States. In the story, we take part in a séance to bring Houdini back from the afterlife. In reality, however, we only experience a clever trick in which the benches each swing 30° to the side while the room rotates around us. A great attraction!

Twister and Parachute Training Center: Edwards AFB Jump Tower

Right next to the unfortunately closed HUSS Top Spin Twister is one of the park’s major attractions from the 1970s, which goes by the long name of Parachute Training Centre Edwards AFB Jump Tower. The Intamin Parachute Tower offers a great view over the park and the ride is quite fast. The actual drop, however, is very leisurely.

Superman – Ultimate Flight

Superman Ultimate Flight is located next to the entrance. As it takes a little longer to clear the coaster, it is advisable to get to the ride as soon as the park opens.

The ride on Superman Ultimate Flight begins immediately after a right turn as you enter the coaster’s lift hill. After reaching a height of 106 ft, the ride immediately descends in a right turn. The ride then climbs a hill, which introduces the main element of the ride: the Pretzel Loop. We are now pulled down with all our might and then hurtle through a valley on our backs. Once back up in the air, the ride takes us through three very gentle turns that add to the feeling of flying. A helix is followed by a nice roll. We then reach the braking section and shortly after the station.

The ride on Superman Ultimate Flight is very leisurely for a flying coaster, with the pretzel loop at the beginning being the highlight of the ride. Without it the ride would be a bit boring.

Green Lantern

The Green Lantern stand-up coaster has been located on the site of the Great American Scream Machine since 2011. However, the ride itself is much older and was located at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom from 1997 to 2009, where it was known as Chang.

The ride on the giant stand-up coaster starts right away with the lift hill, which takes us to a height of 47 metres (154 ft). After a bend at a lofty height, the big drop awaits. In classic B&M coaster style, a very large loop awaits us and after a right-hand bend we enter the equally large dive loop. After a sweeping ascent, we pass through a high left-hand bend and immediately afterwards into an Inclined Loop. After a quick change of direction, the route then heads uphill again into a mid-course brake. Without adjusting the speed, we head downhill again. Here we enter the first corkscrew and after a crazy right-left bend, we immediately enter the second corkscrew. Another right-left bend then takes us into the final braking section of the rollercoaster.

Green Lantern is one of the most modern stand-up coasters, so the ride is relatively fast. The ride is very spectacular due to the impressive height and the huge inversions, but not quite as pleasant due to the frequent contact with the bars.

Runaway Mine Train

One of the theme park’s original attractions is the Runaway Mine Train. It is housed in a large fort. There is also a station for the Skyways gondola lift.

The ride on the rollercoaster begins with an unusually high lift hill. Once at the top, however, we first make our way through the treetops. The path first leads us through a long helix and then over several hills. After passing a block brake, we fall to the ground for the first time. Now the trail leads us into a surprisingly intense helix and over a flawless airtime hill. We then whizz over the lake past the fort before taking an incline and reaching the braking section of the rollercoaster shortly afterwards.

The Runaway Mine Train has a surprisingly high layout for an old school mine train. Although the start of the ride is not quite as exciting with the longer helix and the slightly descending and ascending straights, it gets really fast from the steep curve after the brakes. The Airtime hill and the bend at the lake around the fort characterise the overall very good ride.

Medusa

Passing the Saw Mill Log Flume, which was unfortunately still closed on the day of my visit, we now head to the back of the park, where the Medusa roller coaster is located. This rollercoaster is quite something and should definitely not be missed.

It is not to be missed. After climbing the coaster’s lift hill, you immediately descend into the depths. The ride takes you through the valley at high speed and immediately into the large loop of the coaster. A climb to the left turns out to be a dive loop and immediately brings us to the ground. With a lot of momentum we then go through a Zero-G roll and immediately into the Cobra Roll of the coaster. A climb then leads us into a block brake, where we get only a brief moment to catch our breath. A steep bend takes us downhill. We then enter an intense helix just above the ground. After changing direction we enter the Interlocking Corkscrews. A short turn to the left then leads us into the last incline of the ride, after which we enter the braking section of the roller coaster.

What a ride! The Medusa floorless coaster is an absolute fun machine with a breathtaking layout and a total of seven inversions. I always enjoyed getting on this ride, partly due to the very efficient handling of the ride.

Zumanjaro Drop of Doom

Unfortunately, the Zumanjaro Drop of Doom freefall tower, which is attached to the support structure of the KingdaKa rollercoaster, was out of service during my visit. This tower is the largest freefall tower in the world. Interestingly, in the early days of the attraction, the tower was only allowed to be operated when the rollercoaster was not in operation. This led to long queues for both attractions. However, this restriction has now been lifted and both rides can be operated at the same time.

Kingda Ka

Kingda Ka has been the theme park’s main attraction since 2005. The 456 ft high launch roller coaster from the manufacturer Intamin towers over the park and cannot be overlooked, casting a spell over everyone in its immediate vicinity.

Right at the start of the park, I was able to ride several laps in a row without having to queue for long. After all, the ride only takes a few seconds, during which you reach a top speed of 128 mph before climbing the tall Top Hat. We then cross its apex rather leisurely and with tension on the vertical slope directly in front of us. On the way down, we turn round once on our own axis. Finally, we race over a 130 ft high hill where the roller coaster brakes.

Kingda Ka is a damn short roller coaster, but also a damn good one. As the speed increases, you realise what forces are acting on the train before it goes up the top hat. You are really shaken up. The descent and the final rush of speed also provide enough endorphins to leave the ride overjoyed.

El Toro

Five years after Colossos revolutionised wooden roller coaster construction at Heide-Park in Germany, the El Toro roller coaster opened at Six Flags Great Adventure in 2006.

Here, too, the ride begins after a rapid lift hill with a high turning curve before entering the steep drop. We then experience the finest airtime and an unrivalled rush of speed over two consecutive airtime hills. After a lively turn, we ride over another airtime hill and then over a speed bump. At high speed, we are now drawn into a left-hand bend and immediately afterwards onto another airtime hill. This is followed by three quick turns in a row. With momentum, we then ride over a series of rather flat hills. Shortly afterwards, we reach the braking section of the rollercoaster.

El Toro is a really great rollercoaster with a genuinely good layout. Unfortunately, the ride characteristics of this wooden roller coaster are no longer the best compared to the other Prefab wooden roller coasters from the manufacturer Intamin. Despite being retracked during the seasonal break, the ride is quite bumpy. Accordingly, I like Colossos much better than El Toro, and not just because I have ridden Colossos hundreds of times and El Toro only once.

Pictures Six Flags Great Adventure

Conclusion Six Flags Great Adventure

My visit to Six Flags Great Adventure left me with rather mixed feelings. On the one hand, the park has a lot of really good roller coasters to offer, but on the other hand, the park simply has no charm. The existing buildings are all getting on in years, and the park really does have a lot of open spaces and lots of areas covered in concrete. Nevertheless, the park is very popular and was accordingly well attended on the day I visited. In the end, I was able to try out all the attractions except for the water rides, which were unfortunately closed. I think I’ll have to come back sometime in the middle of the season to experience the park in its entirety.

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Click here for the next report of the Stumbled Runner tour. 

Six Flags Great Adventure / The Stumbled Runner Day 8