The "Pleasant/Unpleasant Surprise" Thread

[Cullvion]

Pleasant Surprises:

 

Thunderhawk(Michigan's Adventure): Oh yes, it's a Vekoma SLC. Don't get me wrong, this ride is TORTURE. It gave me a HEADACHE, made me feel AWFUL, it was PAIN and AGONY, BUT I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!!

 

Rock-and-Roller Coaster feat. Aerosmith (Hollywood Studios): Really Forceful and amazing!

 

Blue Streak: For such an old coaster, it really packs a punch!

 

Millenium Force: I don't really know about the rest of you, but this ride EXCEEDED my expectations! It was fast, had lots of airtime on the hills, and was just a great overall experience.

 

Space Mountain (Magic Kingdom): You know, for a ride made by Disney, this roller coaster is actually VERY intense and kind of scary too.

 

Unpleasant Surprises:

 

Canyon Blaster (Adventuredome): The worst headache on a roller coaster, ever.

 

Magnum XL 200: The first half of the coaster was really fun! But the airtime hills in the tunnels BRUISED my legs.

 

Mean Streak: "Wow this looks like fun!" (10 Minutes Later): "Kill me."

 

Stitch's Great Escape! (Magic Kingdom): Bad. Just bad.

[canobiefanatic]

Pleasant surprises:

Green Lantern

After everybody knocked Green Lantern for being the worst coaster at Great Adventure, I wasn't looking forward to it. It actually turned out that it was really good!

Verbolten: I was really expecting this ride to be meh. I didn't really hear any reviews for it, so I didn't know what to expect. It blew my mind, it's such a great coaster. It's my number 6 overall.

Unpleasant Surprises:

Nitro

This is such an overrated coaster. I had high expectations after Apollo's Chariot, but it was a snoozefest. The camelbacks were completely forceless.

Bizarro (GAdv)

I liked Batman: The Dark Knight at SFNE, so I obviously thought this would be better. Nope, too spread out, and as a result, forceless.

[Vtafro]

My most recent pleasant/unpleasant surprises happened at Coney Island. Cyclone, with the exception of one section toward the end, was running very well. However, Thunderbolt was just plain bad--a nice layout ruined by rinky-dink trains that shook me half to death.

 

Chuck agree with you on the cyclone, although that one section is brutal, if they fix that this next off season, would love to marathon the cyclone. Thunderbolt was awful, although you believe it to be totally the trains fault, i can see an issue with the restraints, and possibly some of the layout seemed to be almost just a Nolimits design.

 

My nice surprise was the "luna-360", the inverting small frisbee, after selling a used non inverting model to great escape, luna upgraded here. The air race was also fun.

[neil009]

^I didn't see any problem with the layout of Thunderbolt at all, and the restraints were great, no problem there either. I believe the problem was 100% the cars tracking like sh!t. Like there was an inch of clearance between the guide wheels and the track, or something. Just super bumpy the whole way through. Huge disappointment for me as well.

[Midgetman82]

Surprisingly Pleasant:

After hearing about how rough X2 could get, I was pretty apprehensive about getting on it back in 2010. Low and behold, the front row ride I did not only blew my mind, but made it to my top favorite coaster for a few years (until Montu claimed that spot).

Before going to Kings Dominion in 2012, I had not heard a single positive review of Hurler. in fact, most are completely negative, stemming mainly from roughness. I'm not sure if it was having a good year or if I had a good seat, but the ride ran surprisingly fantastic when I got on it. Not an exciting layout (less fun than Thunder Run at KK), but was a very easy never-have-to-brace-myself ride.

 

Surprisingly Unpleasant:

I'm certain by now that I just got a bad seat (or rode it on a bad year), as this often celebrated ride jackhammered itself into the lowest spot on my list of favorites when I last rode it in 2010. Next time I'm at the park, I'll be willing to give it another chance in a seat other than the first car, third row...

Don't get me wrong, Maverick is a wildly awesome roller coaster and deserves its place among some of the best roller coasters in existence. My thing with this, though, is that the transitions into bankings are pretty sharp and requires a bit of bracing for those not familiar with it to avoid bashing heads/necks with the OTSR's. Again, that doesn't make this coaster overall bad to ride, because it is the only major gripe I have with Maverick.

[gerstlaueringvar]

^ For me, Maverick was so good that I ignored any unpleasant things. Plus, I've already watched the POV for like 1,000 times so I know exactly where the train is going.

[VinTheAttendant]

^^^ and ^^^^

 

I actually did not realize just how many people did not like Thunderbolt until I looked up some peoples' thoughts yesterday. I happen to be in the group of people that really enjoyed the ride. I found the ride to be rough and the seats uncomfortable, but it never got to ruin-a-ride rough and if you completely empty your pockets then the restraints are bearable. Both my sister and I got two rides on it, and we both agreed that it was a great addition to Luna Park. Can it be better? Uh...yeah, absolutely, there's no arguing that there. It was just a little surprising (but understandable) seeing how people said it was awful.

 

Also, smooth Coney Island Cyclone was a huge surprise. A part of me misses the spine-rearranging rides I used to get, but really it's fantastic that Cyclone is now rerideable.

[PVA62]

Pleasant Surprise:

Tennessee Tornado - Dollywood - Was not expecting it to be that smooth, loved it!

Grizzly - KD - I really enjoyed this, thought I would get rattled to death but I found it pretty comfortable.

Thunderhawk - Dorney - Also really enjoyed this, really thought it was smooth, enjoyed the layout too. Had the whole train to myself on one ride.

Mindbender - SFOG - It was one of my favorites at the park, very smooth, good forces too.

SooperDooperLooper - Loved it, smooth, loved the lap bar restraints.

Skyrush - HP - First drop with ejector air half way down, holy crap...did not expect that.

 

Unpleasant:

Skyrush - HP - restraints...I need some more fat on my thighs so I can enjoy it more. it's such an intense, awesome ride.

Magnum XL-200 - CP - used to love it, now it hurts.

Georgia Cyclone - SFOG - wow did that hurt, couldn't wait for that one to be over.

[neil009]

^^How anybody is complaining about Thunderbolt's restraints is completely beyond me. EASILY the most comfortable restraints I've ever felt on a coaster with airtime that strong. I wish all the Intamin coasters, Skyrush, I305, Maverick and all the ones with that style of OTSR, could get them. Tight, yeah, if they weren't tight you'd go flying into the Atlantic.

 

Anyway, I wouldn't say TB was "awful", just mildly disappointing. Given the layout I was expecting a top 10 or 15 ride, and it was simply too rough to rank that high. I'd ride it again, no question, and enjoy it when I do.

[cfc]

My big issue was Thunderbolt was not the restraints but, rather, how the train shook and bumped through the transitions and inversions. That being said, the restraints did seem like a poor knockoff of what Intamin used on Skyrush.

 

As I said, good layout, but the trains might be a problem.

[Generic Name]

Pleasant:

 

Rock 'N' Roller Coaster at Disney's Hollywood Studios (then MGM): So my first major roller coaster was going to be a launched Vekoma spaghetti bowl. What I expected was headbanging, but instead I got a nice, enjoyable ride.

 

Cyclone at SFNE: Sat in the back for my first ride on it. Unforgettable; here's hoping the new coaster will deliver the same amount of excitement.

 

Flashback at SFNE: For the fact that it was surprisingly smooth - though it did leave an unpleasant after effect when it ended; see below.

 

Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom: Surprisingly forceful and felt faster than it really was.

 

Unpleasant:

 

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom: It didn't really do anything. Pretty much all my moments were expecting some larger drop or something and it never happened. I guess I was expecting too much but still.

 

Flashback at SFNE: It wasn't the roughness that got me - in fact, I didn't notice much aside from a little headbanging in the cobra roll going backwards, and even then it was minimal - it was the fact it made me sick, to the point where I had to sit down for about 10 minutes before walking. Going forwards wasn't the problem I thought; it was the return trip that did it in for me.

 

Thunderbolt at SFNE: Don't get me wrong; it's a great coaster, but I must've gotten a bad seat on my second ride because it was surprisingly rougher than the first time around. Must've been a wheel seat.

[neil009]

My big issue was Thunderbolt was not the restraints but, rather, how the train shook and bumped through the transitions and inversions. That being said, the restraints did seem like a poor knockoff of what Intamin used on Skyrush.

 

As I said, good layout, but the trains might be a problem.

 

They actually seemed to me like a big improvement over Skyrush's design. Distributed the force over a wider area so they didn't dig into your thighs nearly as much. Intamin could learn a thing or two from them. But yes, bumpiness was quite bad.

[StuckInSD]

Surprisingly Pleasant:

 

Giant Dipper at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk- For a roller coaster nearly 100 years old, it held up pretty good. A good, old woodie with an classic "kick" to it.

 

Manta at SeaWorld San Diego- Do not let its meager size fool you! This thing is an airtime monster when you're in the right seat. Though I do regret having breakfast right before riding it; airtime does weird things to your stomach.

 

Surprisingly Unpleasant:

 

Orbit at CGA- No wonder my dad nicknamed it the Vomitron. Had to sit myself down for a good 15 minutes to get over the headache I got afterwards.

 

Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland- After 10 years of missed opportunities, I finally got to ride it on my last visit, and... okay. The semi-dueling concept and theming are cool, but I guess I got myself a bit too hyped for Plumbing Pipes on Concrete: The Ride.

 

Pirate Reef at Legoland California- Wearing underwear and jeans on this ride was the worst mistake I ever made in a theme park. Now I know what it feels like to get shoved into a pool in full clothing.

[cfc]

^The new Matterhorn trains are very uncomfortable--especially in the rear seat.

[Samuel]

Pleasant

 

After riding Wolf Bobs and Villain earlier in the day (bleh and meh), I wasn't looking forward to the oldest woodie at then-Six Flags Ohio, but Big Dipper turned out to be my favorite ride in the park! It was glass-smooth, had great airtime, and was just all-around fun. It even had that greasy oil smell to it, and just this aura of classic awesomeness. It didn't deserve its fate, and to me was the biggest victim in the park's demise. A very pleasant turnout.

 

Unpleasant

 

On the other hand, it had taken me a while to get on Storm Runner. In the meantime, I loved Dragster, Maverick, and Fahrenheit, so I thought I'd really like SR. While the launch was fun and the airtime at the apex of the top hat was nuts, the rest of the ride had some violent edges to it. The freelance layout impressed me, given how tight and unique the space is in which the ride was placed, but I remember doing a lot of bracing against headbanging in the snake dive and s-curve into the brakes. The engineering just seemed to lack polish with the finale, and I didn't want to ride again (I will give it another chance in time, though).

 

Also, I've now ridden every U.S.-based Vekoma Dutchman. X-Flight was my first during its opening year at SFWoA, and I remember thinking it was a big deal and major win for the park. I thought the sensation of going through the loop was so unique and unlike anything at King's Island, Kennywood, and Cedar Point. I loved it. After collecting the other Dutchman credits, they all just started seeming lamer and bumpier over the years, and nothing like my first great impression of X-Flight. I finally re-rode Firehawk (X-Flight) last year, and it confirmed my new thoughts: these just aren't sensational coasters. Kind of fun in some places, and uncomfortable in plenty of others, never do these rides really produce that sky coaster sensation of flight -- they just feel like you're riding a Vekoma on your back, which is exactly what's going on, and I can't call it pleasant.

[DoinItForTheFame]

Pleasant -

Maverick. I knew this was going to be a good coaster... But I was so pleasantly surprised. It was so amazing, I could NOT get enough of it.

 

Unpleasant -

Iron Rattler. Maybe I was just spoiled with New Texas Giant being at my home park, but when I rode IR I was underwhelmed. The part on top of the quarry wall was slow and forceless. I rode it once. Never had the desire to ride it again.

[rcjp]

My big issue was Thunderbolt was not the restraints but, rather, how the train shook and bumped through the transitions and inversions. That being said, the restraints did seem like a poor knockoff of what Intamin used on Skyrush.

 

As I said, good layout, but the trains might be a problem.

 

They actually seemed to me like a big improvement over Skyrush's design. Distributed the force over a wider area so they didn't dig into your thighs nearly as much. Intamin could learn a thing or two from them. But yes, bumpiness was quite bad.

It's interesting how the opinions on the restraints are so different. I haven't ridden it but from the pictures I saw as well as a few comments, I also thought they were an improved version of skyrush's as they did exactly what those failed to do: have a big area of contact. But then I heard some people complaining so I don't know.

[i<3coasters]

Pleasant:

Whizzer @ SFGAm. Wow, that thing was way more forceful than I expected it to be. Of course one should never doubt Schwarzkopf.

Firehawk @ Kings Island. I was expecting this to be one of the most brutal things I ever rode, and strapping into the harness only reinforced that expectation. But this ride was a great combination of smoothness, intensity, and unique maneuvers.

 

Unpleasant:

X-Flight @ SFGAm. I heard this was supposed to be the best B&M Wing Coaster out there. I yawned so hard. Gatekeeper was far superior.

[neil009]

My big issue was Thunderbolt was not the restraints but, rather, how the train shook and bumped through the transitions and inversions. That being said, the restraints did seem like a poor knockoff of what Intamin used on Skyrush.

 

As I said, good layout, but the trains might be a problem.

 

They actually seemed to me like a big improvement over Skyrush's design. Distributed the force over a wider area so they didn't dig into your thighs nearly as much. Intamin could learn a thing or two from them. But yes, bumpiness was quite bad.

It's interesting how the opinions on the restraints are so different. I haven't ridden it but from the pictures I saw as well as a few comments, I also thought they were an improved version of skyrush's as they did exactly what those failed to do: have a big area of contact. But then I heard some people complaining so I don't know.

 

That's exactly what they are. I have no idea what anybody would complain about. The black shoulder straps are so loose it's like they're not even there. The only thing I can think of is the seat and bar are both hard plastic, no cushioning, so I guess for people with very sensitive heinies they'd prefer more padding. Although I will say that everybody's body is shaped differently, and maybe for larger people there's a problem I don't know about. For me, they were *perfection*.

[goldsteh]

Pleasant Surprise:

Volcano at Kings Dominion. Still one of my favorite experiences because of the launches. Love the sudden burst of speed around the bottom of the volcano. Then the additional launch up through the top of the volcano is one of the best experiences I have ever felt. Overall it was a very smooth ride and one that I have enjoyed many times over the years.

 

Rockin Roller Coaster at Disney Studios. Totally love it. Another great launch coaster. The total experience is second to none. The speed throughout is amazing. Also one of the coolest loading stations in the industry.

 

Unpleasant Surprise:

Vortex at Carowinds. It might be one of the most uncomfortable rides I have ever been on. I always leave that ride sore all over. I guess I'm just not into the entire stand-up thing. Even though Carowinds is my home park I don't think I have been on Vortex in years. Refuse to ever feel that way again.

[mike541x]

Pleasent one I "re-discovered" was Avalanche at KD. Been on this thing before but I skipped it the first visit I made to KD this year but rode it on my last. For a family ride, I forgot how much this ride packs a punch. Very fun coaster that everyone should ride if they visit the park.

[booink]

A recent pleasant surprise I had was Predator @ Darien Lake, lots of the peoples saying it was a terrible ride I expected it to be very bad, but in the right seat it was actually very rideable and had several good pops of airtime which took me by surprise.

[GigaG]

Pleasant-

Ninja, SFOG - Actually a fun ride and not all that bumpy. I do tolerate headbanging fairly well, though.

 

Unpleasant-

Viper, SFGAm - It is smooth, but the fan-shaped turns and spread-out layout make it rather forceless. You do get nice floater in the front, but the double-drop had no airtime in the front. The back has airtime on the double-drop, but few other places. For all the hype this ride gets, I think it could be a bit better.

 

Former unpleasant-

Nitro (formerly) - I got some crappy, forceless rides on Nitro last year. This year, it ran better. I like it now, but I was horrendously underwhelmed on my first rides.

[Moose]

Pleasant Surprise: Space Fantasy at Universal Japan. It's a really fun family spinner in the dark and then... all of a sudden, you are inside of a freaking discoball. I loved it!!

[cfc]

^I had absolutely no idea what to expect from Space Fantasy--liked that ride quite a bit.

 

My latest pleasant surprise: The Cyclone at Coney Island--well, at least two-thirds of it. This ride wasn't nearly as brutal as I'd heard, thanks to a lot of retracking, until you reached the section that hadn't been worked on.

 

My latest unpleasant surprise: Thunderbolt at Coney Island--ouch! Rinky-dink "carnival-level" trains really killed what could've been a great ride (based on the layout).