Review the last roller coaster you rode

[Matt N]

As I’m currently waiting to set off on my next theme park adventure, I think now might be a good time to post reviews from my trip to Drayton Manor on Thursday!

New coasters
Gold Rush (#124)
I had quite low expectations for Gold Rush, but I was very pleasantly surprised; I thought it was an excellent family coaster! The ride is very dynamic and has some fun twists and turns, and it is surprisingly vigorous in places, particularly during the backwards sections! It’s also very smooth and quite long, and overall, I just found it very enjoyable! In terms of the multi-cycle feature, I found it a fun novelty, but I’m unsure which cycle I preferred; the backwards section after dropping down the lift was quite good on Cycle 2, but I thought launching out of the effects shed was better when done backwards on Cycle 1.
8/10, #29/124

Existing coasters
The Wave
Perhaps controversially, I’ve long felt that Shockwave would be improved by putting sit-down trains on it. Having now ridden The Wave, I think sit-down trains have improved it somewhat, but they aren’t the game changer I’d perhaps hoped they might be. On the positive side, the trains are generally comfortable, and the sit-down trains do help you better appreciate some of the ride’s better moments; some of the inversions pack decent forces. However, I think the ride still has its notable flaws. Although you feel it less without OTSRs, the ride is still a bit rough in places, and it doesn’t have the most interesting of layouts. I also occasionally found the restraints to tighten quite noticeably during the ride at times. Nonetheless, I think it’s still an improvement, and it fits the park’s new demographic a lot better.
6/10, #58/124

Jormungandr
Jormungandr is an OK powered coaster, with some fun moments of mild speed. However, it’s definitely showing its age. The ride seems to really struggle up any kind of incline, and it is also quite rough when it speeds up. It also made some rather concerning creaking noises as it re-entered the station…
3/10, #94/124

 

[John_P]

Valle degli Gnomi (630) AKA Valley of the Gnomes at Fiabilandia in Rimini, Italy.

The final boss of wacky worm coasters. Going into the earth itself, dark ride sections, and of course travelling through an apple towards the end.

Runs a 2 train operation as well.

10/10

 

[Poisson]

My 300th cred. It's amazing.

 

[John_P]

Namazu (631) located at Vulcania in France, not too far from the town of Volvic (of the bottled water fame).

Vulcania as the name would imply is more of an educational centre regarding the study of Volcanoes (of which there are many in the region of France). However some of the attraction include motion theatres, an enormous cinema, a trackless dark ride, and an amazing planetarium!

Most of these are all inside the central building that takes you deeper into the ground.

Fitting in with the theme you have the coaster Namazu located off on its own, themed around earthquake research. Initially you get a preshow were the expert is explaining the situation and the technology before they are cut off by an earthquake. Quite cleverly the preshow has 3 different versions with the expert being in a different location.

After being cut off a new character appears on another screen telling you to exit out via the door he opens for you.

Obviously this takes you into the loading area, and you board your jeep. It has 6 rows and seats 12 people in total.

You roll out into the station into a tunnel which has projection mapping, and a screen at the front were the clear path is becomes blocked and the second character runs out to stop you going forward as the cave in continues.

Spoiler: Namazu spoiler

Then suddenly as the projection mapping cave in continues the track drops slightly, and then totally.

Then you launch out of the cave and up into the highest point of the ride, then continue with more low to the ground manoeuvres before hitting a second launch.

Had an absolute blast with this and managed a good number of rides over the day, really smooth at the front, but then I loved how you got pulled over the overbank following the initial launch. Really snappy low to the ground elements. And I certainly didn't expect tyre drive launches to have such a kick.

Great family coaster, and a really interesting place to visit.

 

[Ian]

Voltron​

Oh my!

I’d purposefully kept myself in the dark on this one through the entire development, as everything I’d been hearing from people made it sound like it was gearing up to be something special. It didn’t disappoint.

The ride is utterly relentless, and is the first time I think I’ve looked at Mack and thought “They’re coming for you, Intamin.” The opening and first launch is sensational. I was always a big lover of the lift hill on G-Force and Drayton, and Voltron opens up like this on crack!

I couldn’t help but think there are some similarities to The Smiler with regard to elements, especially on the first half. A stark reminder of what maybe could have been…

I think it’s a sensational product from Mack, combining all of their best features (that station and loading process. UH!). That being said, my thighs are covered in bruises. The force with which the layout wrenches you up from the seat on some of those airtime hills is brutal.

We did a total of 5 rides, both inside and outside seats (I note that compared to Lost Gravity, the outer seats ride a lot better) and whilst Mack’s coasters still aren’t quite as glass-smooth as B&M they’re still perfectly acceptable and better than a lot of the stuff Intamin have churned out over the years. It’s certainly not a rough ride, but it’s definitely a once or twice a day affair. If you approach it wanting to whore it back to back you’ll probably find yourself saying it hurts. A textbook example of intensity vs roughness if you ask me.

It’s a solid 10 out of 10 for me. I think it might have toppled Monster at Walygator as my number 1…

 

[Martin]

Fianna Force
Emerald Park

The first adult new gen Vekoma invert I've done after a few of the family ones, and a coaster that for a while seemed like it might not ever open. I'm very glad it did. Like its right-side-up cousins, it's intense, fun and smooth, with wide seats and only lap bars holding you in place, a strange feeling on an invert. The interactions with the boomerang coaster give an extra something to it but even on its own, the footchoppers, inversions, ground hugging, sharp direction changes all add up to a great coaster. I definitely think there should have been another inversion at the end, it really feels like it wants to but gets forced to roll the other way. Managed a few rides, some on the back, some on the front, some in the middle, and it's definitely best at the front. Minor criticisms aside, I really enjoyed it, especially the more I rode it, and while I wouldn't go as far as to say it's in my top 20, it compares very well to Black Mamba.

Feeling a strong 7 to a light 8

 

[Alix]

Just back from my first multi park overseas adventure. We did Toverland and Efteling.

The last coaster we rode was Baron. My favourite for the whole trip was Fenix - it was so pretty, but Baron was great, the pre show with the wailing women was very good.

I liked the woodies but they weren’t a patch on Balder.

 

[Rob]

It’s a solid 10 out of 10 for me. I think it might have toppled Monster at Walygator as my number 1…

Just a pity that Voltron is not in a glorious park like Walygator. Imagine!