• Roller Coaster Reviews

  Written by The Coaster Critic 5 Comments
  Last Updated: April 28, 2006

  More Past Roller Coaster Reviews
  
  Raging Bull
  Six Flags Great America
  Born: 1999
  Drop: 208′
  Speed: 73 mph
  Make & Model: Bolliger & Mabillard Hyper Coaster
  Review: Raging Bull’s a Bolliger & Mabillard hypercoaster from the same designers of the popular Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure and Apollo’s Chariot at Busch Gardens Europe. So I was excited when I arrived at Great America on a dreary day in 2006 …read more>>> Final Rating – 8.0 (Great)

  Slippery When Wet
  Hard Rock Park
  Born: 2008
  Make & Model: Premier Suspended Coaster
  Review: In the heart of Hard Rock Park lies one the park’s few attractions that incorporate water. Slippery When Wet (likely named after the Bon Jovi album) is a suspended coaster designed by Premier Rides…read more>>>
  Final Rating – 6.0 (Above Average)

  Cyclone
  Six Flags New England
  Born: 1983
  Height: 112′
  Speed: 45 mph
  Make & Model: William & Cobb Wooden Coaster
  Review: Cyclone takes the cake. My first and hopefully last ‘1′. Six Flags New England has the honor of being home to what many consider the Best Coaster on the Planet. On the other end of the spectrum, Cyclone is there too. Unfortunately, I really can’t think of ANY positives for this ride …read more>>>
  Final Rating – 1.0 (Demolish)

  Batman – Dark Knight
  Six Flags New England
  Born: 2002
  Speed: 55 mph
  Make & Model: B&M Floorless Coaster
  Review: Batman The Dark Knight was a floorless roller coaster with open cars. It had a mostly smooth ride, some decent theming, and a nice looking station. My favorite inversion, the zero-g roll, …read more>>>
  Rating: – 7.0 (Good)

  Italian Job: Stunt Track
  Kings Island
  Born: 2005
  Speed: 40 mph
  Make & Model: Premier Rides Launch Coaster
  Review: The most noteworthy thing about the Italian Job coasters are the Mini Cooper themed trains. They’re straight from the ride’s namesake, the 2003 movie. With the aforementioned movie theme and en vogue Minis, right away Italian Job is the opposite of a timeless classic. …read more>>>
  Final Rating – 6.5 (Above Average)

  Chang
  Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom
  Born: 1997
  Drop: 144′
  Speed:63 mph
  Inversions: 5 (Vertical Loop, Dive Loop, Inclined Loop, 2 Corkscrews)
  Make & Model: Bolliger & Mabillard Stand-Up Coaster
  Review: Chang is an exception in more ways than one. It’s a stand-up roller coaster at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom. That should be two big strikes against it. Stand-up coasters have a history of …read more>>>
  Final Rating – 8.0 (Great)

  Wildcat
  Hersheypark
  Born: 1996
  Drop: 85′
  Speed: 50 mph
  Make & Model: Great Coasters International Wooden Twister Coaster
  Review: Coaster enthusiasts often fall into two camps. Those who can excuse a rough ride on a wooden coaster and those who can’t. I’m in the latter camp. I don’t mind being thrown around a bit, but Wildcat just down right hurt. …read more>>>
  Final Rating – 3.5 (Bad Approaching Below Average)
  
  Great American Scream Machine
  Six Flags Great Adventure
  Born: 1989
  Drop: 155′
  Speed: 68 mph
  Inversions: 7 (3 Vertical Loops, Boomerang(2), Double Corkscrews (2))
  Make & Model: Arrow Looping Coaster
  Review: Great American Scream Machine is an aging, old steel coaster at the New Jersey Six Flags. Not to be confused with the wooden coaster by the same name…read more>>>
  Final Rating – 4.0 (Below Average)

  Great Bear
  Hersheypark
  Born: 1998
  Drop: 124′
  Speed: 58 mph
  Inversions: 4 (Vertical Loop, Immelman, Zero-G Roll, Corkscrew)
  Make & Model: Bolliger & Mabillard Inverted Coaster
  Review: I rode the Great Bear for the first time about 4 years ago. I hadn’t been on a a lot of B&M inverted roller coasters and I’m sure I was comparing it to its big brother Alpengeist…read more>>
  Final Rating – 8.0 (Great)

  Flight of Fear
  Kings Dominion
  Born: 1996
  Speed: 54 mph
  Inversions 4 (Cobra Roll, Roll Over, Corkscrew)
  Make & Model: Premier Launch Coaster
  Claim to Fame: First roller coaster in the world to utilize linear induction motors (LIMs) to launch trains.
  Review: You can’t tell what you’re in for as you walk up to the Area 54-esque military testing facility that houses Flight of Fear…read more>>
  Final Rating – 7.5 (Good-Approaching Great)

  Shockwave
  Kings Dominion
  Born: 1986
  Height: 95′
  Speed: 50 mph
  Inversions: 1 Vertical Loop
  Make & Model: Togo Stand Up Coaster
  Review: Shockwave probably should’ve been scrapped long ago. It’s got a decent first half, but I don’t think park-goers would shed any tears if it was removed…read more>>>
  Final Rating – 3.5 (Bad Approaching Below Average)

  Anaconda
  Kings Dominion
  Born: 1991
  Drop: 144′
  Speed: 50 mph
  Inversions: 4 (Vertical Loop, Sidewinder, Double Corkscrew)
  Make & Model: Arrow Looping Coaster
  Claim to Fame: 126′ underwater tunnel
  Review: Does a 14-story drop to an underwater tunnel sound like fun? The Anaconda at Kings Dominion is a steel coaster with some pretty unique elements. It rises high above a pond (that used to be the much larger Lake Charles) before dropping 144 feet into an underwater tunnel…read more>>
  Final Rating – 6.5 (Better than Average-Approaching Good)

  Mr. Six’s Pandemonium
  Six Flags New England
  Born: 2005
  Make & Model: Gerstlauer Spinning Coaster
  Review: Mr. Six is much more than a wild mouse coaster with spinning cars like I thought it was going to be. I made the long haul to Mass. solo so I wasn’t too thrilled with the idea of waiting in line for 45 minutes to ride with a bunch of strangers. Then, I noticed a single rider’s line with virtually no wait. So I walked onto the ride…read more>>
  Final Rating – 8.5 (Great-Approaching Excellent)

  Mantis
  Cedar Point
  Born: 1996
  Drop: 137′
  Speed: 60 mph
  Inversions: 4 (Vertical Loop, Dive Loop, Inclined Loop, Corkscrew)
  Make & Model: Bolliger & Mabillard Stand-Up Coaster
  Review: I never thought I’d see the day I would give a Bolliger & Mabillard designed coaster such a low rating. I like, if not love, all of their installations. Their roller coasters offer the smoothest rides while still delivering thrilling and innovative maneuvers. Well, now I have to say that I love “almost all” of their coasters…read more>>
  Final Rating – 4.0 (Below Average)

  Hypersonic XLC
  Kings Dominion
  Born: 2001
  Drop: 133′
  Speed: 80 mph
  Make & Model: S&S Thrust Air Coaster
  Claim to Fame: First compressed air launch coaster, 0 – 80 mph in 1.8 seconds, 90-degree drop
  Review: With a compressed air launch that takes riders from 0 to 80 mph in less than 2 seconds and a 90-degree vertical climb and descent, you would think that Kings Dominion would have a winner…read more>>
  Final Rating – 6.0 (Above Average)

  Superman – Ride of Steel
  Six Flags America
  Born: 2000
  Drop: 205′
  Speed: 73 mph
  Make & Model: Intamin Hyper Coaster
  Review: This is by far the most ho-hum hyper coaster around. As coasters go, it’s not a complete failure, but compared to other hyper coasters it’s in the back of the class. The fact that this Superman at Six Flags America (near Washington D.C.) is even made by the same designers that built a masterpiece in another Superman: Ride of Steel located at Six Flags New England is baffling to me…read more>>
  Final Rating – 7.0 (Good)

  Mean Streak
  Cedar Point
  Born: 1991
  Drop: 155′
  Speed: 65 mph
  Make & Model: Curtis Summers Wooden Coaster
  Final Rating – 5.0 (Average)

  Steel Force
  Dorney Park
  Born: 1997
  Drop: 205′
  Speed: 75 mph
  Make & Model: Morgan Hyper Coaster
  Final Rating – 7.5 (Good-Approaching Great)

  Predator
  Darien Lake
  Born: 1990
  Height: 95′
  Speed: 50 mph
  Make & Model: Curtis Summers Wooden Coaster
  Final Rating – 2.0 (Horrible)

  

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  3. Great Bear @ Hersheypark | Roller Coaster Reviews

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5 Comments

1. #1 Lauren says:
   May 4th, 2008 at 10:29 am

   Do you ever go to Six Flags Great America in Illinois? Raging Bull is awesome.

   Reply
2. #2 The Coaster Critic says:
   May 4th, 2008 at 4:07 pm

   I’ve been there and ridden Raging Bull. It was pretty good. Maybe I’ll make that my next review. Check out my complete ride list to see where I’ve been and what I’ve ridden.

   Thanks for stopping by!

   Reply
3. #3 darline says:
   May 10th, 2008 at 3:55 pm

   Have you ever been on the roller coaster in the New York hotel in Las vegas? If so what do you think of it.

   Reply
4. #4 The Coaster Critic says:
   May 10th, 2008 at 7:14 pm

   Unfortunately, I haven’t been to Vegas yet. I think you’re referring to Manhattan Express. I hear it’s super rough. I even know someone who kind of gave up on coasters after riding it.

   Reply
5. #5 Anonymous says:
   June 6th, 2008 at 8:44 am

   If you do go to Vegas, BE SURE TO make the one-hour drive to Primm, where Desperado is. NO LINE ever. I’m not kidding. What an amazing ride, but how sad no one rides it.

   Reply