Carowinds Discussion Thread

[robbalvey]

Video removed and user banned. Hopefully "Thrillcentral" (whoever that is) will never be allowed at another Cedar Fair media day ever again.

 

I just won't tolerate people doing stupid, stupid things...

Edited March 26, 2010 by robbalvey

[carolinacaniac]

Looking forward to it! Sunny skies and cooler temps for opening day.

 

^Andrew, I will definately say hey to you while I am there.

 

-Gary T.

[SharkTums]

Interesting review Pufferfish, from what I've heard so far it's one of the weaker B&M Hypers.

 

To each their own!

[Swimace]

Putterfish, just out of curiosity how many of the other B&M hypers have you been on?

 

 

I'll be there in a couple of weekends and this looks like a solid ride, I'm excited to check it out. I thought Diamondback was sort of "meh" and this looks sort of similar to that ride, I guess I'll have to wait and find out though!

[Pufferfish]

^The only other ones I've been on are Goliath and Apollo's Chariot. I know, kinda sad, but that's what you get when your parents would only take you to one park every year. In my opinion this thing is way more intense than both of those, though Goliath's helix is still a better element than anything on Intimidator. This ride is just a whole lot of fun to me, and it does feel really intense. Note, as I said in my review, the middle rows of the train are pretty weak, so if the other people who have been commenting on the ride so far are saying it is weak, there's a high probability they were near the center. I seriously don't know who those people you have been hearing from are, but everyone I talked to today love the ride.

[robbalvey]

Awesome! Can't wait to see your pics!

[CPmaverick]

I'm really wondering if Intimidator or Diamondback is better. Just by looking at the two, Diamondback looks better but I'll wait until I ride Intimidator to make a decision.

[angryemobeaver]

I just got done watching a few POVs... Wow, it seems like it has better airtime than the three hypers I've ridden (Diamondback, Goliath, Raging Bull)! The weird turn-hill (don't know what to call it) after the first drop looks like it may have some decent forces. I'm really looking forward to riding Intimidator next weekend! I think it will top all the other hypers I've ridden.

[Pufferfish]

Well, I just got back from media day, pictures will come later, and I must now say, Intimidator is my new number 1 coaster. I was able to get 21 rides on it today in multiple rows, this brings my total ride count to 26.

 

This ride is a testament to how B&M coasters SHOULD be. Anyone who dares say that B&M no longer makes intense coasters, need to come ride this thing. By the way, as I said before, there's no reason to fear the trims at all, you seriously can barely even feel them. If they didn't make the sound they make, you would probably even assume they were off.

 

Now here's the rundown of my experiences in each part of the train.

 

Front: The front of course gets amazing views and all the wind in their face, but it also tends to be pushed down the hills into the valleys, causing very high gforces between each hill. The front also, while not having the most intense airtime, it still has very strong air over every single hill. Thanks to the shaping of the hills, the airtime does an increase and decrease in the intensity of the airtime going up and then down each hill, spiking in the middle with good ejector. This is currently my favorite place to be on the ride.

 

Middle: The middle of the train is loaded with seemingly non-stop floater air. The gs between hills isn't as powerful as the rest of the train, but it still feels like a good 3gs in a couple of the valleys. The middle on this ride slightly dissapoints me with hearing how Diamondback's best seats are near the center, but it really doesn't matter, I still loved this ride no matter where I was sitting.

 

Back: The back of the train gets THE best treatment from the first drop. The whipping action thanks to the length of the trains throws you out of your seat even before you are truly going down the hill, and then your butt is in the air until the very bottom. The back gives the most intense ride out of the rest of the rows. The gs are extremely high in every single valley, and there's ejector air on almost all of the hills. While the back does give the most intense ride though, it kind of annoys me. The airtime on each hill doesn't start until you crest the hills, while everywhere else gets airtime the entire way over each hill. That little annoyance aside, if you enjoy a really intense ride, the back's where it's at.

 

Well thank you for reading my review, I will try to post a couple pictures a bit later.

 

Picture time!

 

Edit* added more pictures!

Park index love.

Nice car.

Even nicer cars!

Thanks to this grassy area being clear, this is one of the only places you can get a good picture of this ride from inside the park.

A nice photo of the entry plaza and gift shop/photo booth.

 

There are more pictures from this event and they will all be up on Theme Park News Direct sometime later tonight.

The peanuts gang is here now, and boy do their masks look creepy...

I'm surprised, this is the only picture I got of the station. I think I was having too much fun riding.

It sure is pretty.

That train is currently at that "OH S@#&!" moment.

To complete the theming of the area, your in line entertainment consists of watching clips of the famous race where Dale wrecked, over and over again, while listening to Country songs written about NASCAR. And no, I'm not kidding.

One last picture of the train, just to remind you how pretty and cool the ride is.

Edited March 26, 2010 by robbalvey

[willh51]

Thanks for the update Pufferfish. I'm incredibly excited for tomorrow. Maybe I'll see some of you guys out at the park.

[cfc]

Intimidator looks great. B&M has been on a role as of late with Behemoth, Diamondback, and this sucker.

[bgwfreak777]

I was the same way puffer, I was limited on time so I was more concerned with riding.

 

I still need to get on Row 1 to make a fair comparison to Diamondback which is my favorite steel, but either way even its #2 on my steel list, that's pretty freaking awesome to be in my back yard.

 

Back row kicks Diamondback, Apollo & Goliath South's back rows though for sure. Those are the only 3 other B&M hypers I've been on yet.

 

I'll be out there in the 30 degree weather tomorrow morning waiting for it again.

[Skycoastin Steve]

^Back row on Apollo is a pretty high standard for me. Hopefully I get more than one ride tomorrow to try it out.

[SharkTums]

Does anyone else *HATE* the 'bumper sticker/racing car ad' things on the B&M Train!!??? Or is it just me!??!

[Josh Linn]

Does anyone else *HATE* the 'bumper sticker/racing car ad' things on the B&M Train!!??? Or is it just me!??!

 

I love it...adds to the realism/theming of the ride.

 

But then again I used to be a NASCAR fan so maybe it's just a current/former NASCAR fan thing.

[Wes]

^^ Same.

[Skycoastin Steve]

I think it adds nicely to the NASCAR theme, which is always a criticism of CF coasters. At least they're making an effort to theme this one better for the people who want it. *shrug*

[willh51]

Does anyone else *HATE* the 'bumper sticker/racing car ad' things on the B&M Train!!??? Or is it just me!??!

 

 

Yes! I just noticed all the stickers on the front in Pufferfish's pictures. I do kind of hate them, they're crooked. I do like the shells of the train though.

[jjune4991]

I hate the stickers too. I also hate NASCAR. But I can't wait to ride this coaster in August

[SharkTums]

I should probably just stay out of this and the Harry Potter thread, but it occured to me that I really got personally crapped on this year! Two 'franchises' that I totally hate got made into rides this year. Nascar and Harry Potter...LAME!!!

 

If you're going to theme your giant B&M to racing, make it look sleek and awesome like Silver Star, not cheap and terrible like Nascar...oh wait. Yeah. Sad.

 

I better get a Yo Gabba Gabba and Nsync ride next year!

[coasterking2981]

Ditto about the stickers, but an amazing looking ride still

[Skycoastin Steve]

^^I agree about severely disliking Harry Potter and NASCAR, but at least CF put the effort forth with making the trains look like actual racing cars. And it fits the demographic of the area, as well. While NASCAR is big in Virginia and there is a track in Richmond, I still don't get why they chose the same theme for I305. Takes away some of its identity if you ask me.

[eddie200330]

The decals are definitely a nice touch, adds to the theme for sure. Is there anything on the "hood" of the car/train ? Would be nice to see the GM Goodwrench logo.....

[thrillrider]

I agree....

 

I dislike Harry pot head and nascar. Looks like a great ride though.

[bgwfreak777]

Elissa just wait, in 3 years they will rip all the NASCAR related stuff off of it anyway and just keep the name.