The Coaster Critic's Blog

The Coaster Critic's Blog
Most Comments
    • Kings Dominion & Carowinds 2010 Roller Coasters
    • Intimidator Coming to Carowinds in 2010
    • Top Thrill Dragster vs. Kingda Ka | Roller Coaster Showdown
    • Thirteen Announced as Alton Towers' 2010 Psychoaster
    • Intimidator 305 Opens: POV Video, Reviews, & a Poll
    • Intimidator 305 Coming to Kings Dominion in 2010
Subscribe
Want it delivered? Subscribe to the RSS feed and my latest posts immediately.

Subscribe Via Email
Subscribe Via RSS
About
The Coaster Critic's Blog is your source for opinionated roller coaster reviews, theme park reviews and a coaster enthusiast's take on all the latest theme park news. Read more...
Social Sites
Facebook  Flickr  Last.fm  MySpace  Technorati  Twitter  YouTube  
Become a Fan!
The Coaster Critic on Facebook
Featured In…


Featured on FOX Charlotte

Quoted by the New York Times



Bert the Conqueror
Bert the Conqueror on the Travel Channel

» bolliger and mabillard

  • Superman Krypton Coaster | Most Wanted Roller Coasters

    Written by The Coaster Critic 10 Comments
    Last Updated: August 24, 2010
    Superman Krypton Coaster | Most Wanted Roller Coasters
    For the first time Most Wanted Roller Coasters features a roller coaster in the U.S. San Antonio, Texas is home to Six Flags Fiesta Texas. The park is located in an old quarry and some of the roller coasters use the quarry cliffs in their layout. Here’s a satelitte view of the park. The most notable of which is the 2000 Bolliger & Mabillard Floorless coaster, Superman: Krypton Coaster. U...
    • Coaster Stock 2010 Recap Pt. 2: Q&A with Bob Mampe of B&M

      Written by The Coaster Critic 8 Comments
      Last Updated: August 2, 2010
      Coaster Stock 2010 Recap Pt. 2: Q&A with Bob Mampe of B&M
      This is the continuation of my coverage of Coaster Stock 2010 at Carowinds. During lunch, we were treated to a Q&A session with Bob Mampe from Bolliger & Mabillard. I’ve paraphrased the questions and responses below. In hindsight, I should have video taped the session, but I think that I’ve been able to summarize the bulk of the Q&A session. The picnic area where the sessio...
      • New B&M Concept Will Debut on X-Raptor at Gardaland in 2011

        Written by The Coaster Critic 22 Comments
        Last Updated: July 19, 2010
        New B&M Concept Will Debut on X-Raptor at Gardaland in 2011
        There’s been talk for years about a new Bolliger & Mabillard roller coaster type. Last week, the rumors about the ride’s design were confirmed as Italian theme park Gardaland released an image of their 2011 roller coaster X-Raptor. Gardaland is pleased to introduce a spectacular new attraction in 2011: X-Raptor – the most extreme roller coasters, the flight that defies limi...
        • Carowinds Coaster Stock to Feature B&M Engineer

          Written by The Coaster Critic 17 Comments
          Last Updated: July 5, 2010
          Carowinds Coaster Stock to Feature B&M Engineer
          Aspiring roller coaster designers should take note. Not only will Carowinds’ roller coaster enthusiast event, Coaster Stock, feature plenty of ERT (Exclusive Ride Time), but the event will also feature a rare opportunity to talk with a roller coaster designer. Recently, the park announced that Bob Mampe from Bolliger & Mabillard will be on-hand to take questions. Here’s the full i...
          • Nemesis @ Alton Towers | Coaster Reviews

            Written by The Coaster Critic 16 Comments
            Last Updated: May 18, 2010
            Nemesis @ Alton Towers | Coaster Reviews
            Nick is the founder and lead editor of Theme Park Tourist, a website which covers the latest news, reviews and money-saving tips for theme parks around the world. The site includes an extensive database of special offers and discounts for popular parks, as well as a “New Attraction Watch” which keeps track of the latest confirmed and rumored opening dates for upcoming rides and shows. You can ...
            • Top 10 New Roller Coasters for 2010 Part 2

              Written by The Coaster Critic 11 Comments
              Last Updated: May 3, 2010
              Top 10 New Roller Coasters for 2010 Part 2
              This the conclusion of my annual New Roller Coasters List. In case you missed it, here’s Part 1. This year was tougher than usual as there weren’t many new coasters opening in the States. Also, there were a few attractions with very little information for me to go on. Here are my top five picks for 2010. Thirteen | Alton Towers – Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom Alton Towers&...
              • Intimidator @ Carowinds | Roller Coaster Reviews

                Written by The Coaster Critic 25 Comments
                Last Updated: April 27, 2010
                Intimidator @ Carowinds | Roller Coaster Reviews
                Someone says, “This was a bad idea.” Another rider says, “I think I can see Atlanta”. Meanwhile, Intimidator’s black and red NASCAR-themed train ascend further and further into the sky. I look over my left shoulder and I can see Charlotte’s cluster of skyscrapers in the distance. Most of the other riders are glued to their seats bracing for the ensuing plunge. T...
                • Clash of the Titans Coaster Edition: Medusa vs. Kraken

                  Written by The Coaster Critic 10 Comments
                  Last Updated: April 13, 2010
                  Clash of the Titans Coaster Edition: Medusa vs. Kraken
                  Roller Coasters & Greek Mythology I saw the new Clash of the Titans remake over the weekend. Even a special effects laden action adventure movie couldn’t take me out of my roller coaster geekdom. Throughout the movie I was constantly reminded of the roller coasters that were named after these classical Greek gods and mythical creatures. A struggle between brothers Zeus and Hades was a c...
                  • Top 3 Stand Up Roller Coasters

                    Written by The Coaster Critic 14 Comments
                    Last Updated: April 1, 2010
                    Top 3 Stand Up Roller Coasters
                    No, this is not an April Fool’s joke. There are (exactly) three Top Stand Up Roller Coasters in the latest edition of Top 3 Thursdays. After a reader requested I do a Top 3 Stand Up Coasters list for Top 3 Thursdays I thought to myself that I must have done one already. I hadn’t, and then I remembered why. There aren’t many stand up coasters and most of them are pretty bad or at ...
                    • Carowinds’ Intimidator Reviews, POV Video, & a Poll

                      Written by The Coaster Critic 27 Comments
                      Last Updated: March 28, 2010
                      Carowinds’ Intimidator Reviews, POV Video, & a Poll
                      Carowinds’ new hyper coaster Inimidator opened to the public on Saturday and I’ve been scouring the Web, local news stations, and talking to my friends who have ridden it to see how it is. I live about 30 minutes from the park, but I wasn’t able to make it to Media Day as I was welcoming a new member to our roller coaster loving family. I’m sure I’ll get to ride it so...
                      • Black Mamba | Most Wanted Roller Coasters

                        Written by The Coaster Critic 19 Comments
                        Last Updated: March 5, 2010
                        Black Mamba | Most Wanted Roller Coasters
                        This Bolliger & Mabillard low flying inverted coaster looks like a fun ride. Located at Phantasialand in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, the African-themed coaster dives below the ground a number of times. It’s subterranean sections are reminiscent of Montu’s Egyptian-themed trenches and Nemesis’s low flight path. It appears to spend even more time underground than those two...
                        • Crystal Wings | Most Wanted Roller Coasters

                          Written by The Coaster Critic 7 Comments
                          Last Updated: February 24, 2010
                          Crystal Wings | Most Wanted Roller Coasters
                          Most Wanted Roller Coasters This week, I’m going to start a new feature called Most Wanted Coasters. I’m going to write about the roller coasters that I ‘d most like to ride one day. There are thousands of roller coasters around the World. While there are a number of rides that are identical to the rides at your local park, there are also quite a few roller coasters out there t...
                          • Intimidator Construction Photos & Test Run Video

                            Written by The Coaster Critic 28 Comments
                            Last Updated: February 1, 2010
                            Intimidator Construction Photos & Test Run Video
                            I went to Plaza Fiesta with my family about a week ago. It’s an indoor shopping mall with a huge kids play area and arcade. It just so happens to be located across the street from Carowinds. So, while we were there I ran across the street and took a few pictures of Intimidator from a far. These aren’t the greatest ‘construction’ photos, but it’s still a look at the ...
                            • Best Steel Roller Coasters of 2009

                              Written by The Coaster Critic 21 Comments
                              Last Updated: January 12, 2010
                              Best Steel Roller Coasters of 2009
                              Mitch Hawker has released the results of his annual Internet Coaster Poll. I’ll cover the wooden roller coaster results in another post, for now here’s the top ten steel coasters along with their places in last year’s poll: 1 Bizarro at Six Flags New England Intamin Hyper Coaster (1st) 2 Eagles Fortress at Everland (South Korea) Arrow Suspended Coaster (3rd) 3 Expedition GeForce ...
                              • The End of the Record Breaking Roller Coaster Era

                                Written by The Coaster Critic 36 Comments
                                Last Updated: November 12, 2009
                                The End of the Record Breaking Roller Coaster Era
                                Have We Seen the Last of the True Record Breaking Roller Coasters? The recent announcement that Ferrari Experience’s F1 Coaster will be capable of 150 mph had me thinking. While this would be a record setting roller coaster, officials from the park said that they might actually operate it at lower speeds. This begs the question: Are we reaching the limits of roller coaster thrills? As part o...
                                • Dueling Dragons – Fire Dragon | Coaster Reviews

                                  Written by The Coaster Critic 3 Comments
                                  Last Updated: November 1, 2009
                                  Dueling Dragons – Fire Dragon | Coaster Reviews
                                  Dueling Dragons | Fire Dragon @ Islands of Adventure The Dueling Dragons is a popular dueling roller coaster at Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida. It consists of a red (Fire) track and a blue (Ice) track. The inverted tracks share a lift hill, but after that their layouts are unique. They boast three duels or near-misses where the trains pass within feet of each other. An Amazing Medieval C...
                                  • Dueling Dragons – Ice Dragon | Coaster Reviews

                                    Written by The Coaster Critic 9 Comments
                                    Last Updated: October 25, 2009
                                    Dueling Dragons – Ice Dragon | Coaster Reviews
                                    Dueling Dragons | Ice Dragon @ Islands of Adventure The Dueling Dragons is a popular dueling roller coaster at Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida. It consists of a red (Fire) track and a blue (Ice) track. The inverted tracks share a lift hill, but after that their layouts are unique. They boast three duels or near-misses where the trains pass within feet of each other. An Amazing Medieval Ca...
                                    • Busch Gardens Roller Coaster Tour Part 3: Alpengeist & More

                                      Written by The Coaster Critic 9 Comments
                                      Last Updated: October 19, 2009
                                      Busch Gardens Roller Coaster Tour Part 3: Alpengeist & More
                                      The Conclusion of the Busch Gardens Williamsburg Roller Coaster Tour: Alpengeist, Big Bad Wolf, & Apollo’s Chariot The rest of the Roller Coaster Tour felt a bit more brief. I’m not sure if it was because my tour group had fewer questions or because of the nature of the first two stops. The Loch Ness Monster portion was like a crash course in Coasterology 101 where we got insight ...
                                      • Busch Gardens Roller Coaster Tour Part 2: Griffon

                                        Written by The Coaster Critic 8 Comments
                                        Last Updated: October 3, 2009
                                        Busch Gardens Roller Coaster Tour Part 2: Griffon
                                        Busch Gardens Roller Coaster Tour Part 2: Griffon After an in-depth look at Loch Ness Monster and two quick rides, the tour group headed over to Busch Gardens Europe’s newest roller coaster, Griffon.  There, the behind-the-scenes access was taken to a whole new level. The group split up into two smaller groups. One group went to Griffon’s maintenance area while the other took the twe...
                                        • Busch Gardens Roller Coaster Tour Part 1

                                          Written by The Coaster Critic 6 Comments
                                          Last Updated: September 29, 2009
                                          Busch Gardens Roller Coaster Tour Part 1
                                          Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s Roller Coaster Tour Part 1: Loch Ness Monster & How Coasters Work 101 If you’re a roller coaster geek like myself, or just curious about how roller coasters work, Busch Gardens Roller Coaster Tour is for you. It gives unparalleled access to the these modern thrill machines as well as a ton of interesting tidbits of knowledge about Busch’s own co...
                                        • Advertisement

Search
Advertisement
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
Topics
Coaster T-Shirts